Stockholm, Sweden

After spending five days in Scotland I returned to London to repack my bag for Sweden. I caught the 8:30am plane from Stansted Airport landing in Sweden only 2 short hours later. I fell in love with Stockholm almost instantly! But who can blame me, the city is absolutely beautiful.

The picturesque setting on Lake Malaren and 36 islands that make up Stockholm are what makes this city so special. Not to mention the impressive architecture of Gamla Stan (the Old Town), beautiful green spaces, with one-third of the city covered by parks and amazing views from many different points of the city. 

Stockholm is also home to 100 museums, like the Museum of Modern Art and Skansen, the oldest open-air museum in the world & the Vasa Museum which contains the oldest preserved warship in the world. 

Extensive public transportation system makes Stockholm very easy to get around. However travel, food and some shops are quite expensive. Nevertheless shopping in Stockholm is not worth missing - Its the birthplace of world-famous H&M and the city has numerous shops and boutiques. Klarabergsviadukten is the main shopping area although Stockholm is spotted with lots of boutiques and beautiful homeware stores all over the city. 

Once again I brought a ticket on a Hop On Off Bus as they really are the best way to explore the city. I highly recommend it, especially if you are only in Stockholm for a short period of time like I was. The tickets are valid for either 24 hours or 48 hours so they are great value! 

Edinburgh, Scotland

Two weeks ago I was lucky enough to have some time off work to travel! In the one week I managed to travel across three countries: England, Scotland & Sweden.

Edinburgh in Scotland was my first travel destination. I took the train from Kings Cross London and it roughly took five hours to arrive at Waverley Station, Edinburgh City.  Edinburgh would have to be one of the most beautiful and historic cities I have visited yet. The inspiring capital is a city of story tellers and ghost tours but it is undoubtedly an absolutely wonderful place to live with a calendar jam packed with events and festivals all year round. 

The compact size of Edinburgh means that getting around this beautifully architectural city is easy. It is possible to walk, cycle or catch a short bus to most/all attractions and areas of Edinburgh. Other than the hop on off bus, I walked everywhere as everything was within a 10-20 minute walk from the city centre.  

The main part of the city is made up of two haves; The Old Town and The New Town both with a real distinctive character and atmosphere. The best thing about Edinburgh is the incomparable location due to the countryside being a stone's throw away and the Highlands only a short drive. 

I found that the best way to see everything within a short period of time was undoubtably the Hop on off Bus Tour. Edinburgh Bus Tour offer five different bus tours to suit your sightseeing preferences. I brought a ticket on the Edinburgh Tour which was great with very entertaining and informative live commendatory. 

My favourite sites would had to have been the Queen's Summer Resident: The Palace of Hollyrood House, The Edinburgh Castle & Carlton Hill. 

Here are some photos from the trip:

                               Old Town

                                Old Town Edinburgh 

                                Grassmarket Lane

                                The Palace of Hollyrood House

                               The Palace of Hollyrood House

                                The Palace of Hollyrood House Gardens 

                                The Palace of Hollyrood House Gardens 

                                Carlton Hill

                                Edinburgh Castle

                                Edinburgh Castle

                                Edinburgh Castle

Harrods Department Store, London

Probably the most overrated but largest department store in the world is Harrods. It is extremely overprice and overcrowd no matter what time of the year you visit. Harrods is a tourist attraction in itself and would definitely take hours to explore especially when you are battling against the crowds. However in saying this, i do highly recommend a visit to the food courts! The food courts are amazing! You could spend an hour in itself browsing (and drooling) their different departments of delicious goodies like their cheese, chocolate and seafood departments. The quality of the food is next to none but you will pay for it of course! I recommend exploring Harrods food courts before the lunch rush hour!

Brighton

I am absolutely in love with the sea-side city of Brighton! The pebbled beach, Brighton's Pier's amusement arcade, the Royal Pavilion and the amazing shops, restaurants and bars. I now understand why Londoners travel to Brighton for weekend getaways. Brighton is buzzing with activity and seems to have something for everyone!

The Beach & Pier 

Brighton beach front is fill of bars, restaurants, nightclubs, sports facilities and amusement arcades. The pebbled beaches are armed with rent-a-chairs to rent and relax in.

There is always something exciting happening at the Pier. Brighton Pier is decked out with the latest video games, thrill ride and retail shops to ensure for the best seaside entertainment. There are also three bars and over thirty food kiosks, traditional seaside stall and two amusement arcades for the whole family to enjoy. 

Shopping Lanes

Crammed with quaint and wondrous shops and funky restaurants and cafes, the Brighton Lanes are the best wandered lazily and explored as you find them. I reckon Brighton would have to offer some of the best shopping on the South Coast at any time of the year. Whether you want to soak up the sun with a spring or summer shopping trip or take the chill out of winter with a heaven sent shopping spree, Brighton is the place to go. The city  lane ways are packed with independent shops offering an extraordinary mix of antiques and jewellery shops nestling alongside specialist contemporary and designer fashion boutiques. 

South Bank, London - Summer Festival

South Bank is full of attractions and events all year round, particularly in summer. The Summer Festival South Bank showcases every year creates a wonderful place for all to enjoy. I recently spent my entire Saturday roaming the banks of the Thames exploring South Bank. Without a doubt it would have been one of the best days I have had to date. 

I started my day from London Bridge Station where I wandered through Borough Market for the second time that week before I continued along the river front. I past the Millennium Bridge, the OXO Tower, Gabriel's Wharf, Shakespeare's Globe, Tate Modern and the South Bank Book market before finally arriving at the world-famous art centres of South Bank. 

This year's summer festival was the Festival of Love which showcased a different performance each week, free workshops for the public to get involved, as well as many theatre productions. There was so much to do and see around this area including the Real Food Markets located behind the South Bank Centre, street performances, and a wide range of restaurants, cafes and shops to enjoy. 

I so happen to wander into the Queen Elizabeth Hall just in the nick of time to purchase a discounted ticket to watch Grove on Down the Road - Best thing I did all day!! The show re-imagines the beloved story of The Wizard of Oz, showcasing an exhilarating Hip-Hop dance adventure for the whole family. It was amazing!


here are some photos from the Real Food Markets:

Old Spitalfields Markets, London

Old Spitalfields Market would have to be my favourite market so far in terms of stall variety, cleanliness and atmosphere. This market is steeped in history having been in operation on the site since the 1600s. 

Old Spitalfields Market is located in one of the finest surviving Victorian Market Halls dating back to 1876. The stalls occupy the centre of the hall whilst boutiques and restaurants are scattered along the edge of the building - this is what provides the atmosphere and vibe of these markets. The markets stalls sell everything from food to clothing and jewellery, book, shoes - you name it. You're bound to find something different, trendy, funky or retro amongst the clothes stalls. You can buy fresh bread and cakes, pies and pasties, organic vegetables, and meat to take home, or you can eat at one of the many restaurants and cafeterias which serve food from all over the world - Italian, Mexican, Chinese, Thai, and Indonesian, to name but a few. These are generally reasonably priced and well patronised by city workers, so you may find you have to queue at lunchtime.

The markets are within a 5 minute walk from both Shoreditch Train Station and Liverpool Street Station and are open seven days a week:

Monday - Wednesday:    10am to 5pm           (General Market Stalls)
Thursday:                      9am to 5pm            (Antiques & Vintage Market)
Friday:                          10am to 4pm           (Fashion & Art Market)
Saturday:                      11am to 5pm           (Themed Market Day)
Sunday:                         9am to 5pm            (General Market Stalls)

Be sure to exploring the surround area of these markets, in particular Brick Lane. 

P.S I highly recommend having a cupcake from Flavour Town Bake !!!

Camden Town Markets, London

Camden Town is an inner-city district that is often described as grungy and cheap. This area is very popular among students, particularly those from overseas. The suburb Camden (not to be confused with Camden Town) is home to a mix of famous local residents who reside in the beautiful old victorian houses in streets such as Albert Street and the nearby Primrose Hill area. Camden Town is also a couple of minutes walk from Regent's Park and the London Zoo. 

Camden has embraced a large congragation of people who follow alternative subcultures which is contributes to the vibe and atmosphere of this area. Camden Town is long known for its music heritage and of course the famous Camden Markets. 

The Camden Markets blew me away. They consist of a number of adjoining retail and food markets and is one of the biggest in Europe of its kind. It hosts hundreds of stalls and small shops selling new and vintage clothes, jewelery, art & ornaments, ideal for some gift shopping. The markets host the most varied global street food vendors in London. 

There is also furniture and lots of shoe shops including the original Doc Martens shop and an Aldo outlet shop. Camden also has the usual High St shops such as M&S, Boots, and Sainsburys,and a large Organic shop & cafe.

Here is a list of all the different markets of Camden Town:

• Camden Lock Market – crafts, books, clothing, jewellery and fast food.  
• Camden Lock Village – clothing and accessories, as well as a range of unusual items.
• Camden Market – originally Buck Street market, this sells fashion for all tastes.
• Inverness Street Market – a few of the original fruit stalls remain, alongside clothing, footwear and souvenirs.
• Stables Market – a mix of permanent shops and stalls selling household items, antiques, alternative clothing, food and much more.
• There is also an indoor fashion market at the Electric Ballroom, which is only open on Sundays. 

Camden Town is surrounded by public transport. Mornington Crescent, Camden Town and Chalk Farm are the underground (tube) stations on the Northern Line that served this area. The London Overground at Camden Road station is also close. 

For those you have not yet visited Camden Town, I recommend you find a day that you can spare in order to do so. Camden Town is a fun, eclectic and vibrant part of London not to be missed!! 

Borough Markets, London

Borough Market is a great place to explore for anyone interested in food. The market consists of up to 70 stalls offering exceptional British and international produce, from greengrocers, and artisan bread to specialist butchers and fishmongers. You can easily spend half a day sampling the delights that London and surrounding producers have to offer. 

The markets are open Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday. It is a good idea to check the official Borough Market website for special events and information of the traders. 

I was totally overwhelmed by the amount of stalls, cuisines, foods and produce on offer. Here are some photos I snapped as I nibbled my way around.