How to Spend 24 Hours in Glasgow, Scotland

It's fair to say that Glasgow has a bit of a 'reputation'. What isn't fair is the connotations that reputation often brings up. Scotland's second city completely stole my heart on a recent visit, surprising me with its artsy vibe, incredibly friendly people, and delicious food. 2018 sees Glasgow celebrate the Year of Young People, from highlighting their musical talents at the Celtic Connections Festival (which starts this weekend!), to showing the whipper-snappers that there's loads for them to do throughout the city.

How to Spend 24 Hours in Reykjavik, Iceland

Something to be aware of immediately when planning a quick long weekend in Iceland, is the amount of sunlight you'll be getting. If you're travelling in winter to increase your chance of seeing the Northern Lights, you need to keep in mind that the sun doesn't come up until around 10am and it starts setting again at around 3.30pm. This meant pretty meticulously planning out our time, but with Reykjavik being so small, it's super easy to get around on foot and tick a lot off your list.

Everything You Need to Know About Finding the Northern Lights in Iceland

It's difficult when the highest thing on your sightseeing list in a particular country isn't something you can just waltz up to and take a photo of. The whole reason I wanted to visit Iceland was to get a glimpse of the elusive Northern Lights, and I was overwhelmed by the advice online about how to see them. So we doubled up on our efforts, deciding to DIY it and also book a tour for another night too. I came away with a clear preference of how to hunt for the Northern Lights, and this is what to keep in mind when planning your trip:

The Fastest City Zip Wire in the World at Zip World London

When I was told there was a birthday surprise in store for me, but that before going, I'd have to sign a waiver, my brain went into meltdown. Waivers mean 'dangerous', right? What could I be doing?! I'd been on the world's biggest swing in New Zealand, so began to think that my boyfriend had planned something similar and convinced myself I'd be heading up the ArcelorMittal Orbit slide in Stratford.

How to Spend a Day in Bath, Somerset

Let me just start by saying that the way to spend a day in Bath is by booking the correct train tickets, so that you don't have to depart London at 6am like I did. On the plus side, it meant we arrived before the crowds did, but also meant that by about 4pm we were so tired, we had to go and have a nap in our hotel in a nearby town.

The Beginner's Guide of Where to Shop in London's West End

I know the streets of the West End pretty well after almost seven years of living in London; so it is super rare that I actually spend a day in the area, rather than powering through it with my earphones in whilst I snarl at tourists. But as I've said so many times before, you don't have to go off the beaten track to have a great travel experience, so I set out to explore my own city, embracing the West End's 'London is Open' message, and had a full day of hitting actual shops rather than just adding to my never-ending ASOS order. 

If it's your first time to this area, here's where you should head to:

An Indulgent Brunch at Angelina, Paris

Finding the place to eat the famous foods of Paris is like finding a needle in a haystack. There's baguettes and macaroons and red wine on every corner, but that obviously doesn't mean it's good, which is why I insisted on returning to Angelina during my most recent visit to France.

A Weekend in Poole, Dorset

My childhood holidays were 99% UK based, which means I've seen a lot more this fair isle than most. But, as with some places I visited before I truly valued my travels (Berlin, I'm looking at you), I want to start going back and appreciating them as an adult. So, in the face of adversity (re. RAIN), I went adventuring in the Dorset town of Poole.

A Day Trip to Vianden Castle, Luxembourg (or, OMG That Looks Like Hogwarts)

It became clear pretty quickly, that as much as Luxembourg City was fascinating and beautiful, it was also very, very small. After a full Saturday there, we began to realise that, as in many places in Europe, it would be a ghost town on a Sunday. Our Luxembourg Cards allowed us transport out of the centre, so early the next day we got a rail replacement bus followed by a short train journey out to the tiny town of Vianden.

One Day in Paris: Where to Eat Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Gosh, we're lucky here in the UK. The fact that a casual day trip over to France is a) feasible and b) affordable, is a luxury that I certainly don't take advantage of enough. With Eurostar pinging you straight from St Pancras into the centre of Paris, you can get your culture on easy-peasy AND stuff your face with deliciousness at the same time. I walk everywhere in Paris, so I need the fuel; here's where I'd happily eat three meals a day, every day:

How to Spend 24 Hours in Sofia, Bulgaria

After my long weekend in Bucharest earlier this year, I've found a new obsession with Eastern Europe. It's a relatively untapped treasure trove for my own travels, but with a rich history (much of it surprisingly brutal and very, very recent) and super affordable flights, it's an area of the world I'm very keen to explore more of. And that's how I ended up in Sofia.

The Four Biggest and Best Thrill Seeking Rides at Disneyland Paris

My main priority when visiting Disneyland Paris was to wear Minnie Mouse ears, spot some princesses and see Sleeping Beauty's castle. It has a reputation of being an attraction for children, but the park has some huge thrill rides for adults to go wild on. It's been years since I've been on a proper rollercoaster so I was giddy with excitement as we made our way around to each one. If adrenaline is your sort of thing, here's the rides you absolutely must try.

Craft Beer Tasting at Hof Ten Dormaal Brewery, Leuven

Imagine a brewery and what kind of place comes to your mind? Metal containers, huge vats and a sterile environment. Sure there might be a great bar attached to it, but from my experience, breweries are either in an industrial estate, or somebody's garage. Hof Ten Dormaal* is absolutely NOT what I've come to expect. More reminiscent of a beautiful vineyard, the rustic setting makes it pretty clear that what you'll taste from their barrels is undeniably unique.

Staying in Beautiful Montmartre, Paris

On my first trip to Paris, I stayed in Montmartre. Accommodation was organised by my friend who has been there before, I just kind of tagged along for the ride, put the address into Citymapper and navigated the Metro to get there. Returning to Paris in May, this time with my boyfriend who had never been to France before, I wanted to show him the sides of the city that really showed the character of the country, and for me, Montmartre is the perfect area for that.

How it Feels to Visit Disneyland For The First Time - by Charlie Elliott, Age 28 and 3/4

I've seen the Terracotta Warriors and Sydney Opera House. I once met Benedict Cumberbatch. My favourite book has been made into a TV series and is to be screened on Channel 4 THIS WEEK. But I have never, ever been as excited as I was to go to Disneyland, Paris.

How to Spend 24 Hours in Luxembourg City

My weekend in Luxembourg started like most of my European jaunts: with a Ryanair flight sale. £20 return tickets seemed too good to pass up, and so, knowing very little about the country, I decided to take in Luxembourg City by simply walking as much of it as possible, the same way I love to see any new city. I decided to pick up a Luxembourg Card for €20 which got me free entry into pretty much every attraction AND covered all of my travel, including out of the City and into other towns which was a total bargain, and then set out.

A Beautiful Breakfast at Bloom, Luxembourg City

Luxembourg is small. It's easily forgotten, sandwiched in between its shiny neighbours of France, Belgium and Germany, so I didn't expect all that much. I've never heard of specific cuisine from the country, but after some surprisingly delicious finds recently in Romania, I knew I'd find something. A short search on Instagram showed up Bloom; a small cafe a short walk from my hotel and on the outskirts of the main city.

The Best Places to Eat in Bucharest, Romania

Romania isn't really known as a culinary destination, an although I loved my recent trip to Bucharest, the food on offer wasn't necessarily the main highlight. That being said, we find some great little places in the city's Old Town which were delicious AND a total bargain.

Seven Things to Expect From a Trip to Bucharest, Romania

For someone who travels a lot, my geography is pretty damn bad. It is a pretty frequent occurrence for me to get on a plane and not really know where in the world I'm going. Don't get me wrong, I'll know what I want to eat and what I want to see when I'm there, I just don't really know which part of the globe I'm jetting off to.

How to Spend a Long Weekend in Dublin

I've realised recently that there's a lot of places close to home that I've yet to visit. I've only been to Italy for a wedding and went to Paris in 2014 after everyone kept seeming horrified that I'd never been. My first trip to Ireland last year didn't take in the capital city of Dublin, but as my favourite cousin moved there last March, it was the perfect excuse to go and explore.