A national park packed full of art, and a cool cable car.
I stumbled across Roosevelt Island completely by accident. I was out for an early morning (read utterly jetlagged) power walk in Midtown New York and found myself walking under what I now realise is an iconic cable car. Never one to ignore something that could be interesting, I googled Roosevelt Island and thought, that’s worth half an hour of my time.
Well. If I spent an hour there, I spent three. It was an utterly wonderful afternoon of fresh air, a cool form of transport, cats and some history. One of the things I appreciated about the Island after a week in New York City was the fact it was quieter than the rest of the city and is now home to the Four Freedoms Park which is named after the 1942 State of the Union.
Why is Roosevelt Island important?
Roosevelt Island has a mixed history. It was known as ‘Welfare Island’ colloquially to New Yorkers in the 1900s, as it was home to prisons, hospitals and almshouses.
Many of these buildings no longer exist, but covered in Ivy you can find the Smallpox hospital which was where people in New York who contracted Smallpox were quarantined until a vaccine was found. The Smallpox hospital is crumbling so you cannot look around it, but it has been stabilised and serves as a reminder of the advances which have taken place in medicine over the last 150 or so years.
Nowadays, the Island pays homage to America’s longest serving president – Franklin D. Roosevelt (FDR) and combines housing, buildings belonging to Cornell University, corporate training offices and a national park with its own wildlife ecosystem and some pretty cool art.
How do you get to Roosevelt Island?
Roosevelt Island is located in the East River that runs between Manhattan and Queens. The most well-known way to get to the Island is via the cable car. This runs approximately every 10 minutes from the corner of 2nd Avenue and 59th Street – by the Queensboro Bridge. Each way it costs $2.75.
Roosevelt Island also has its own Subway station on the F line which you can get to from Manhattan and Queens. To travel via either Cable Car or Subway you can use contactless payment and Apple (or Google) Pay or the metro card.
Alternatively, there is an NYC ferry and a bus from Queens, but really get the cable car. It’s cool.
What is there to do?
enjoy the free art scattered across the island
This small island is home to a range of sculptures, galleries and at the right time of year, pop-up art.
My favourite was Nellie Bly’s ‘The Girl Puzzle‘ which is at the very north of the island, by the lighthouse. This set of sculptures give you the faces of four women cast in bronze. Each sculpture gives a voice to women from different underrepresented communities.
While I live I hope by Nellie Bly on Roosevelt Island
In addition to Nellie Bly, the sculptures by Tom Otteness, ‘A Marriage of Money and Real Estate’ pop out of the East River and are easy to miss, but provide a brilliant social commentary on life in the USA.
Easy to miss but worth looking for – Tom Otterness’ 1996 sculpture.
Keeping with the theme that every piece of art on Roosevelt Island has a social message, the FDR Hope Memorial acts as a reminder that the president was and still is an inspiration to people living with disabilities. The memorial shows FDR in a wheelchair reaching out to a young girl and charts the history of the Island and of FDR’s political career.
Roosevelt Island is not only home to outside sculptures. In the middle of the Island there is the RIVAA gallery on Main Street. This gallery is small (so only takes about 20 minutes to go around) and showcases the work of artists on the island, with exhibitions rotating every 2-3 months.
Visit the four freedoms park, the fdr memorial and smallpox hospital
The Four Freedoms Park is a small paved area of the island that pays tribute to FDR. The park was opened in 2012, is free to enter and has wonderful views of Manhattan. The sculpture of FDR is imposing yet clean and reminds you of his place as one of the most beloved presidents in US history.
It is easy to imagine the Smallpox hospital as a haunted house.
The Smallpox Hospital is located just outside the park and was the first major centre in the US dedicated to caring for victims of the virus. It’s a ruin now and you cannot go around it as the structure is too insecure, but the bleak, foilage-covered bricks are thought-provoking and in these post-COVID times provide a reminder of how the virus could have been handled.
Enjoy the wildlife including the cat sanctuary
Roosevelt Island has it’s own ecosystem and is home to a number of rare birds and fish in the river. My favourite part however was the mini cat sanctuaries scattered on the island. The slightly bedraggled cats were clearly living their best lives.
Take in the Manhattan and Queens skyline
Whilst Roosevelt Island doesn’t give you the Iconic Skyline that something like Liberty Island does, it still gives you good views of the Empire State Building and the Chrysler to the Manhattan side, and the Iconic PepsiCo and Silvercup signs on the Queens side.
What you need to know and a sample itenary to see the highlights
Berlin is arguably my favourite city in the world, so it’s no surprise it’s the one I have visited the most. I am fortunate to have family there who have guided me through the best and worst Currywurst, the Mauer, and some brilliant shopping… so whether it’s your first or fifteenth time in Berlin, I hope this guide helps you uncover something new. The number of times I have visited Berlin also means this – this is a bumper edition of the blog, so grab a cuppa and dig in!!
The history of Berlin
The history of Berlin is not just about the events from 1933 onwards, however this does dominate the city. One of the reasons for this is the scale of destruction that occured during WW2 means many older buildings and landmarks have been lost.
Berlin actually dates back to the thirteenth century and was a major trade hub in Europe. Berlin did not escape Napoleon’s ambitions and was captured in 1806 by the French Army who withdrew in 1809. The palace of Charlottenburg is one of the best tributes to Baroque Berlin, if this is what takes your fancy.
In the late nineteenth century, Berlin became the capital of the unified Germany and not long after (1884 – 1894) the Reichstag was built.
Berlin is very intentional about how it honours its Nazi past. You cannot escape the impact that this period had on the city – the objective of this is for everyone to face what happened in the country in a bid for it to never happen again. In a world where fewer people who lived through the Nazi regime are alive to tell their stories, this is of increasing importance. To this end, there are major monuments but there are also more subtle tributes to the period including what looks like a simple perspex square in Bebelplatz that overlooks a now empty cellar where banned books were burned and the brass plaques shown below.
the Stolpersteine were bought to Berlin in 1996. Each bronze plaque is placed outside where a Jewish person or family were taken and detail which camp they were taken to. Roses are laid each year on the day they were taken.
Places of Rememberance has been dubbed Berlin’s most unsettling memorial. The signs on the street posts act as reminders of the daily changes which Jewish people were subject to under the Nazi rule. Some of the signs you will need to google, but it is worth walking around.
The Soviet War Memorial in the Tiergarten honours those from the Red Army who fell in the Battle of Berlin
Berlin was divided by the famous Mauer in 1961 which fell in 1989. The city became a symbol of German reunification in the 1990s. Having visited Berlin since the late 1990s one thing is stark – the extent to which the east of the city has changed in this time. The West feels as if it has stayed much the same, but the East has changed beyond recognition due to the investment in regeneration.
Getting around: Riding the U-Bahn
The U-Bahn is Berlin’s metro train system, with a station on almost every corner. The network is mainly underground and connects with the S-Bahn (the more suburban service) and the DB (the national service). The U-Bahn is highly efficient and reflects underground systems in many large cities in that it has multi-coloured lines, complicated changing points, and runs until well into the evening.
Paying for the U-Bahn: the U-Bahn doesn’t have ticket barriers like most city networks. There are pay stations on the platforms where you can buy tickets – for single, day or multi-use. You just need to punch the ticket to activate it before you get on a train. You can also pay for the U-Bahn on the app (this was a REVELATION for me last time I went to Berlin).
The Airport
Having spent years going to Tegel or Schoenfeld, nothing quite prepared me for Brandenburg Airport. It is vast, shiny, and terribly run. Quite literally it is the slowest, least efficient airport I’ve ever been to. I arrived to fly home three hours before my flight and got to the gate 15 minutes before it was due to open. Thankfully the plane was as late as everything else was slow in the airport so I didn’t have an issue getting on board.
There is a feature where you can book your security slot, which my uncle encouraged me to do. Obviously, I ignored this thinking it wasn’t needed and I regretted this. It’s also worth noting a British passport is not a ticket for a quick immigration check. Old British / EU passports (mine is still valid, just!) do not work on the e-gates in Berlin anymore.
The advantage of the airport is it’s very well-connected and accessible via the S-Bahn.
A decent cup of coffee: Einstein Kaffee
Berlin, like many modern cities, has a plethora of Coffee shops. Not all of which are any good. In fact, some are really quite bad, and if you don’t know my feelings about bad coffee yet, let’s just say it’s a peeve. Especially when you pay a good €4 a cup.
So, always in search of a perfect cup, I found a phenomenal independent coffee shop on Eisenachestraße when I visited in December 2023, (elementa – it’s a stonking cup of coffee). The most commonly found – and most drinkable – chain of coffee shops is Einstein Kaffe which has 20 branches in Berlin and a spectacular blend. You will of course find what feels like hundreds of branches of Starbucks, and the blend there is as you would expect. Disgusting.
Opening hours on Sunday: a word from the wise
One thing that took me aback last time I went to Berlin was how few shops, cafes, or museums were open on a Sunday (especially in the morning but generally). Now I expect this in smaller cities in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland however as the capital city, I expected the same restlessness I get in London. I came away with a huge respect for the fact that so many in the city shunned the opportunity to make more money and opted for a day (or at least half a day) of rest.
The Berlin Bear
The Berlin Bear has become a landmark in its own right. First scattered across Berlin in 2001, they were so popular that instead of being temporary installations many similar things are in major cities, they are changed, updated and evolved. Tourists continue to love them, and they bring to life the city symbol for each generation of visitors.
These pieces of art come in the form of tributes to events in Berlin’s past, celebrations of businesses (including corporate-sponsored bears), and the simply random.
Der Ampelmann
Der Ampelmann you could call an early meme. An element of Berlin’s culture so ubiquitous that it is recreated in as many forms as you can imagine. I’ve not found a Berlin bear with the symbol on, but I am sure one has existed at some point.
Der Ampelmann started as a simple symbol on the cross-walk but has morphed into so much more. I have red and green Ampelmann Christmas decorations, have eaten green Ampelmann gummi bears and have seen people proudly sporting t-shirts.
Street Art
One of the wonderful things about Berlin is that the city is adorned by street art – one of my favourite things to see in a new city. Whilst the graffiti on the wall is the most famous in the city, there are plenty of other murals to turn heads of those interested.
Bulowstraße is a hot spot for street art.
Street art is used in Berlin as a way of confronting the past
Christmas Markets
The last time I visited happened to be at Christmas 2023 which meant there I was able to experience a wonderful array of markets and consume some excellent Gluwein. The markets were wonderful, however, the prevalence of “German-Style Christmas Markets” in the UK meant that they did not have the charm I remember when visiting Koln years ago. Yes, I’m checking my privilege with that statement.
An itinerary for your trip…
As Berlin is a large city, I’ve divided this guide into things to see on the east side and those to see on the west. It’s not insurmountable to go between the sides of the city, but it makes more sense in a short period to cluster things on either side of the city.
If you are looking for a guide purely of the locals tips, this guest post by Matti from ToursofBerlin.com will give you the truly hidden side of Berlin.
Day one
Walk the East Side Gallery…
The East Side Gallery is the largest remaining part of the Berlin Wall and I would say one of THE must-visit places in the City. The art on the wall stands as a reminder of what the city went through, and the sheer size and scale of the wall is not really felt at any other place in the city.
There is no train station called “Berlin Wall”, so you need to go to Warschauer Str and walk from there. You won’t get lost, as people are trying to sell you “genuine pieces” of the wall from the moment you get off the train there, to the moment you hit the actual wall.
The museum at the East Side Gallery is pretty cool. What is NOT worth it, however (sorry) is the “Immersive Wall Experience” which you find near Checkpoint Charlie. Save your €10 (or whatever it costs these days) and thank me later!
Alexanderplatz
Alexanderplatz is one of the main squares in East Berlin, and contains the old TV tower too. It will give you plenty of shops, cafes, and transport links, plus some pretty cool architecture and re-creations of former soviet icons.
Tajikistan tea rooms
This one is a find from my uncle. Now, when you approach the tea rooms you will be confused as they are in a redeveloped building, and from the outside you have no idea what is about to behold you. However these quirky tearooms are a firm favourite of Berliners – sitting tables and an array of tea in relaxing surroundings. Really what else do you need for a bit of a rest?
Visit the Spy Museum
The Spy Museum is a newer edition to Berlin’s cultural scene and is one of the furthest out places which you would visit, so it’s worth going there first and then working your way back towards the centre of Berlin.
I can never resist the fancy dress cupboard
The Museum brings a new twist to the history of espionage and looks at those who were double or even triple agents. Plus they had dress-up. Really, what more could you want?
Opposite the Spy Museum there is the Mall of Berlin a newly (ish) re-developed shopping centre that has a few really good spots and a great food court (Currywurst, YES PLEASE).
Checkpoint Charlie
Checkpoint Charlie is one of the iconic places in Berlin to visit as a tourist and is a symbol of the divided city. Thankfully it doesn’t take long to see, but in the daytime if you want a photo you need to queue and pay.
Checkpoint Charlie complete with mid naughties cut-off leggings.
Checkpoints Alpha and Bravo also existed, but neither are so iconic as Charlie. The original Checkpoint Charlie was a wooden hut which has been moved across the city to the Allied Museum, and the replica stands as a reminder of the restrictions Berliners faced every day.
Personally I LOVE the Mauer Museum (Haus am Checkpoint Charlie), but many don’t. It resembles a regional museum where the curator went missing. It just contains EVERYTHING you might ever want to know about Checkpoint Charlie, with little thought to the narrative or flow of the experience. For me, this was PERFECT.
If you’re hungry at this point, Casa Italia on Friedrichstraße I’ve always found pretty dependable. It gets mixed reviews online, but never had an issue…
Day two
Visit the KaDeWe
The KaDeWe is Berlin’s answer to Bloomingdales or Selfridges – a high-end department store with fashion, exhibitions, and quality food but without the vulgarity you would find at Harrods.
Like all of these iconic department stores, the KaDeWe has a magnificent cafe where you can buy traditional German treats- it isn’t what it was, but it is still an excellent experience and the Apfelstrudel mit Vanille Sahne cannot be beaten. I also found an end-of-line section in the KaDeWe on my last visit. I still couldn’t afford most of it, but it’s good to know it is there.
A few doors down from the KaDeWe is a more mid-market and smaller department store Peek & Cloppenburg, which I am quite partial to.
Top Tip: if the KaDeWe is busy, and you cannot go without cake, then MOLA is a great alternative close by.
Brandenburg Tor
No visit to Berlin is complete without a train ride to Unten-den-Linten and a visit not only to the Brandenburg Tor, but also to see the hotel next to it where Michael Jackson dangled baby Blanket from the balcony. From here, it’s easy to walk to the Tiergarten, one of the biggest parks in Berlin, and see the Reichstag from the outside (I’ve never managed to go in, it needs to be pre-booked).
Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe
Round the corner from the Brandenburg Tor is the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe. The memorial dates to the mid 2000s and is made of large stones of varying sizes which you can walk between (not on, it’s not respectful). The vastness of the memorial is deliberate and really takes you aback. Equally the dark grey stones add a sense of bleakness that humbles you and makes you reflect on what happened. Under the stones is an exhibition room that is not always open to the public, but is worth a visit.
Currywurst at Friedrichstraße station
Currywurst is a staple of Berliners. It comes in two forms – a wurst with curry powder sprinkled on top, then with a bit of mayo or mustard or a wurst smothered in curry ketchup (which you can buy in the Penny Markt if you want to take some home). Best served with some greasy chips!
Now Currywurst is easy to come by in Berlin but it varies in quality. One of the best places to get it is at Friedrichstraße station.
David Bowie’s apartment
This is a quick stop, but the apartment that David Bowie once lived in is near Kleistpark U-bahn station. There is usually some form of memorial near the entrance to the apartment.
Urban nation
If you want a quick museum that celebrates all things Urban Berlin then the free Urban Nation on Bulowstraße is for you. It’s a quirky, neon celebration of graphic art and subversion combined with randomly spray-painted rooms.
German dinner at Lenzig
Lenzig is a German restaurant on Wartburg Straße that celebrates the best of stodgy German food. With red and white checked tablecloths, and a selection of beer and schnapps it’s a wonderful way to end a weekend in the city. They do a particularly good Flammkuchen (the German version of Pizza, but it doesn’t have tomato).
If you would like to slice something a little less mainstream into your agenda, see this post on the hidden gems in Berlin.
Scarborough is a classic British seaside town with a varied history and makes the perfect weekend break for those who love British history. The town was founded in 966AD as Skarðaborg by Thorgills Skarthi but there is evidence of settlers thousands of years before this.
The iconic Scarborough Castle was fortified by Henry II and was a battle location during the English Civil War, where the town sided with the Royalists (not surprising if you see the number of tributes to the Royal family across the town).
The subject of the famous song ‘Scarborough Fair’ was founded in the thirteenth century and was not the funfair many think of today when they hear the song but an opportunity for merchants to gather and trade.
In the Seventeenth Century minerals were discovered in the water in Scarborough and the spa was established, which bought tourism to the town and earned it the accolade of Britain’s “first seaside town”.
Like all good towns in Yorkshire, it has a strong link to the Bronte family with Anne Bronte’s grave located in a beautiful churchyard overlooking the North Bay.
During the Second World War Scarborough provided a number of small boats to the Dunkirk effort and is rightly incredibly proud of this contribution it made to the war effort.
Nowadays, Scarborough brings to life the divisions in British society in a way that really hits you. The wonderful Clark’s restaurant serves locally-sourced, gourmet food. The plethora of holiday homes keep the local economy going but have caused significant housing issues for locals as they have priced many into cramped accommodation or out of the market altogether. The high street is littered with closed shops, yet the seafront is thriving.
We had the most wonderful weekend in Scarborough earlier in the year, this is what we did (or watched) and hopefully will help you make the most of your visit.
Day one: an afternoon at the beach
It’s best to drive to Scarborough if possible as the public transport connections aren’t great. Our journey was full of all the usual joys you experience when braving the motorway over a bank holiday weekend. The only thing more stressful than the motorway traffic was working out the parking restrictions in Scarborough (and looking at the seagull shit that was about to hit the car).
TIP: have a car wash booked for when you get back from Scarborough.
We stayed at the Breakwaters which was one minute from the Harbour and was excellent: would recommend to anyone!
First stop: Ice Cream at Flamingo Bay
As with all good seaside resorts, there is no shortage of ice cream in Scarborough. We were recommended other places, but Flamingo Bay was too good just to walk past. It was beautifully decorated and had a queue (which I often take as a good sign). The real clincher however was the number of different flavours of whippy ice cream on offer alongside the boasted about gelato.
Whippy ice cream is my favourite, above gelato which is often believed to be more gourmet. Not in my book. I had a coffee whippy ice cream and oh. my. goodness.
Not far from Flamingo Bay is #thehistorybox (literally history in a red phone box) a mural to Scarborough Fair – its worth the few steps along the beach to learn a little more about it.
Second stop: paddle in the sea at South Bay
The perfect accompaniment to soft ice cream always has and always will be sandy toes. Luckily the South Bay in Scarborough is a smooth sand dune waiting to be explored. Even on a misty afternoon in mid-April when we visited the water was not too cold and it was perfect for paddling.
The South Bay beach has historic significance – it was the site of the original medieval settlement and leads up to the Old Town.
The smooth shorefront of South Bay Beach is framed with classic beach shops, each willing to sell you a bucket and spade or a body board. Perfect for a weekend trip.
Stop three: Embrace your inner child at one of the amusement arcades
The cluster of amusement arcades on the beachfront in Scarborough will transport you back to your childhood. The neon lights make you feel as if you are abroad and the pure assault on your senses will likely give you a headache but also a high!
We loved the 2p shuffle machines and the basketball loops and won a load of tickets (that we didn’t manage to cash in).
Stop four: climb the cliff with the cliff lift
The UK’s oldest seaside town would not be complete without one of the oldest cliff lifts in the country: it was built in 1875 (a history of the cliff lift can be found here). The lift runs from 9.30 in the morning until the evening (times change by day) and it is £1.40 for a one-way ticket.
The top of the cliff gives you breathtaking views and a wonderful restaurant which I still cannot stop thinking about.
Stop five: Dinner at Clark’s
We need to talk about Clark’s. Situated at the top of a cliff in Scarborough, tucked in an unassuming side street, this tiny independent restaurant has to be the maker of one of the best meals I have eaten all year. Inspired by Yorkshire, and sourcing much of its produce locally, Clark’s is one of those restaurants that has a small menu based on quality seasonal ingredients. It doesn’t overshoot, it just does things very well. For example, the bread and butter appeared simple but the butter had been mixed with seaweed which bought out the flavour and really transformed the dish.
Day two: stretch your legs and take in stunning coastline views.
Stop one: Walk the Cleveland Way
Scarborough cuts across two sections of the Cleveland Way. We walked from Robin Hoods Bay to Scarborough Castle (there is a whole separate post on that here) and from Scarborough Bay to Filey. We chose the Robin Hoods Bay section as it was much simpler from a public transport perspective.
Even if you just do a little bit of the Cleveland Way, it will probably take up most of your day. You can rock up at the Ravenscar National Trust car park and do a 5-8 mile loop.
Stop two: Enjoy a dinner of traditional British Fish and Chips
Like whippy ice cream, plastic bucket and spades, and seagulls shitting on your car, no trip to the seaside is complete without a large portion of Fish and Chips. Scarborough has a number of places to get your hit. We stumbled across the unassuming ‘Leeds Fisheries’.
It looked terrible and my low expectations were lowered when the owners were rude. It seemed an inconvenience that I wanted to pay by card or to be honest, that I wanted to buy anything from them. A guest in the cafe was sighed at for leaving a tip via card payment. You had to pay for wooden forks.
Why didn’t I find somewhere else? I was bloody tired. We had walked about 18 miles up and down cliffs, I was knackered and frankly, the food could have been terrible and I would have devoured it all.
Well shoot me down. It was magnificent. And not because we were starving, but it was actually good. To the point everything else became a charming tale rather than a reason to not visit.
Day three: history-fest!
No trip for me is complete without a dive into the history of a place and thankfully Scarborough has plenty of it to offer.
Stop one: Visit Anne Bronte’s Grave
One of the quicker stops of the trip is Anne Bronte’s Grave. Positioned with stunning views over the North Bay, it is far more understated than you would expect for someone who has contributed so much to global literature.
Stop two: Scarborough Castle
Before heading home, Scarborough Castle is a must-visit. The ruins of the castle can be seen for miles and provide a journey through time which will satisfy those of every age. Entry to the castle starts at £8.50 and it is always packed with events being put on by the owners, English Heritage. One of the best overviews of the history of Scarborough Castle is from this blog which goes into a lot more depth than the official website.
Oxford is one of the UK’s oldest cities, with one of the most prestigious universities in the world. It’s also a cultural hub, nestled in the cotswolds and perfect for a weekend away…
Exploring one of the UKs oldest cities and experiencing some locals highlights
Oxford is one of the UKs oldest cities – it is believed to have been founded in the 9th Century by Alfred the Great and is home to one of the most prestigious Universities in the world – the University of Oxford, which history books first have reference to in 1096. It also plays a unique role in shaping the British political establishment: the last five British Prime Ministers went through Oxford. In fact, so many British Prime Ministers have attended the University of Oxford, there is a page on the University website dedicated to listing them all.
Today Oxford is a hustling university city that attracts hundreds of thousands of tourists every year.*
Having spent a summer living and working in Oxford, it has a bit of a place in my heart. Being in my mid-twenties at the time, I probably didn’t make the most of the history and culture the city has to offer, but I did learn where you could have an inexpensive night out! I have since been a frequent visitor to the city, sampling the museums, walking tours and cafes. A lovely leisurely lunch and shopping day with a dear friend this weekend sparked me to write my highlights of the city for you all…
Getting to Oxford
Oxford is renowned for terrible traffic and being incredibly difficult to park. If you are visiting from London, I would always recommend either the train (especially since Oxford Parkway Station opened) or the Oxford Tube which runs 24 hours a day from Victoria Coach Station in Central London and is a bargain from £12.
If you are traveling by car, I would always recommend using the Park & Ride. The first of its kind in the UK (if you were wondering), the Park & Ride has four main outposts – at the North, South, East, and West of the City with separate bus routes to each, and the buses run from around 6am to around 11:30pm.
Staying in Oxford
Accommodation in Oxford is expensive and I’m too tight to pay City-centre prices. When I have returned for a weekend visit, I have opted away from staying in the city centre and have gone for the far less glamorous but cheaper option of a chain hotel on the Oxford Ringroad, with easy access to a bus route or the Park & Ride. I mean a Days Inn is always clean if nothing else. Really, nothing else.
Day one
The morning: Walking tour? Think again. If possible, go for a scavenger hunt across the city. These are usually peppered with history and can be more fun than a classic walking tour and can take you down back streets and to hidden corners.
Different tours go on different days of the week. Solve the City an outdoor escape room runs mainly on Sundays. The one we did, the Oxford City Hunt has multiple time options throughout the week and really did challenge our resolve (and I worry some friendships in the process!).
The Oxford Colleges are a must visit. There are some elements you can access without a formal guided tour, but some you need to book on a formal tour.
Break time: once you have saved Oxford from real ruin, it’s time for a break. Oxford is home to the usual British chain coffee shops, however, I would recommend transporting yourselves back in time and opting for the Oxford Covered Market which is nestled behind the city centre and is home to a number of small traders, some fantastic independent coffee, and mouthwatering gelato. It will also give you a taste of what an old English covered market would have been like, as it still has a butcher, a greengrocer and a florist.
Late morning: Take a guided tour of the Bodleian Library – the library as it stands today was opened in 1602 but can be traced back to the late fifteenth century. The Bodleian has seen many British Prime ministers and academics grace its reading rooms. The tour of the Bodleian is about 30 mins long, available in English and costs just £9 per person and needs to be booked in advance. The Library is still used by students at Oxford, so access for members of the public is strictly by guided tour only.
A real pub lunch: Oxford is home to many chain restaurants and mediocre pubs. One that never fails to please however is the Red Lion – a gastro pub in the heart of the city. Gastro-pub is code for nice, often slightly over-priced food, but the quality and atmosphere in the Red Lion is always spot on. It’s a great place to spend a couple of hours, enjoy a cold glass of wine and recharge to continue exploring!
Afternoon culture: After lunch, walk over to the Pitt Rivers Museum. Located slightly outside the main city centre, the Pitt Rivers Museum is of an ilk you only find in Britain. Named after the man who gave his collection to the University of Oxford, it has evolved beyond the original artifacts (I believe some have been returned to their rightful owners). It truly is one of those slightly eclectic museums with a wide collection of items are only really found in a country where men have explored and colonised the world. It also has some of the most phenomenally bad taxidermy I have ever seen. If this takes your fancy, then Pitt Rivers is for you!
Evening wind-down: It’s not exactly gourmet, but one of the most fun nights out I’ve had in Oxford has been at Junkyard Golf for a highly competitive round of crazy gold followed by junk food and crazy cocktails. Even losing as badly as I did, it was still great fun. If you want slightly more nutritious food and aren’t too bothered about
Day two
First stop: Punting is one of the most well-known pastimes in Oxford. Seeing the city by river is a real gift – the greenery is stunning and you get to see a different side of the city. I’ve only managed to do it once (as the dodgy photo on the left is proof) but I can confirm it is a wonderful way to wyle away a couple of hours. Many of the boathouses let you just walk up. It isn’t cheap at £30 for an hour to self-guide and £40+ for someone to sail for you. The punts take up to five people and you will often see students living up to the stereotype and cruising the river. There are several mooring points in the city, so the best way to work out the most convenient is our old friend google.
Break for all-day afternoon tea: the Grand Cafe hams up the Britishness for visitors and locals alike. This opulent location in the heart of the City is a must-visit: according to the Diary of Samuel Pepys it is the first coffee house in England so truly is a formative part of our history. The classic interiors are certainly not what they were in the seventeenth century but they exude elegance.
Spend your afternoon exploring Oxford Castle and Prison: anyone who knows me knows I LOVE a castle, I LOVE looking at Stocks and I LOVE looking at a good exhibition. Thankfully Oxford Castle and Prison has all three. The site is stuffed with replica weaponry (yes, I have climbed a canon there) and people dressed in medieval costumes. Because the castle is so old, you need to join a tour to visit the castle. Booking online is advised as you can pick your timeslot and it can save you a couple of pounds: it’s £15.50 online for adults and £17.50 if you buy tickets on the door. The museum caters for big and little kids alike so it really is a great family day out.
Explore Oxford’s Book Shops: Oxford is home to a large number of book shops – from the British chain Waterstones which has one of its best branches in the city, to Daunt Books to Oxford University Press shop to second-hand book shops. If you like to read, you are guaranteed to find a bookshop to suit your tastes.
Finish off your weekend with locals atThirsty Meeples, the Oxford Board Games Cafe. Another UK innovation, the Board Games Cafe has become a bit of an institution in Oxford. Whatever your level of proficiency, their staff are passionate about games and you can easily spend your two-hour slot trying a game you will want to buy and take home. Booking is essential as this Cafe is always full. And for good reason. It is frequented by students, professionals, retired residents, and even the occasional celebrity – Countdown’s Susie Dent was in the queue in front of us last time we visited!
So, what have I missed? Should I make time for the Ashmolean next time I visit? Should I try the red bus tour or take a chance on a walking tour?
*I only recommend experiences I have enjoyed myself. If you use this link I may earn a small commission at no cost to you.
In February 2023 I made my first-ever visit to Ireland (followed by a second in October to Northern Ireland – I clearly got the bug). Some might say with an Irish first name and heritage this was sacrilege or at least long overdue. Ireland has always been on my “I should visit…” list, but I have never got around to it. I don’t drink Guinness so wasn’t sure if it would be worth it. Well this trip proved how right I was to challenge this preconception of what there is to do in Dublin.
This trip originated from a minor panic about what to get my wife for Christmas and a well-advertised RyanAir Black Friday Sale. I can safely say it was a well-received present, and we built a packed itinerary that combined culture, history, some excellent food and a lot of walking.
A little history
Dublin can trace its origins back to the Sixth century and in 1170 became the English Capital in Ireland. By the Seventeenth Century it was the second largest city in the British Empire. The 1801 Act of Union removed decision-making powers from the Irish Parliament and moved them to London.
The Irish economy at this time was highly dependent on farming, and when a fungus arrived from England and took hold of the Potato Crop, over 1 million people in Ireland died in what has gone down in history as the ‘Potato Famine’ and many migrated towards Dublin from the countryside in hope of food. Notably, Sir Robert Peel tried to use this as an excuse to repeal the UK Corn Laws but it didn’t help. People in Ireland at the time couldn’t afford corn and corn-based products even with the tariffs removed so it did little to help the famine.
As the twentieth century dawned, Dublin was home to republican activity and cries for Home Rule. It was the site of the six-day Easter Rising in 1916 which saw the destruction of the city and is known as one of the pivotal moments in the fight for Irish Independence.
With a city filled with so much history, how do you decide on what to do in just two days? Look no further…
Friday evening: arrival
We took the last flight of the evening from London Gatwick to Dublin with the aim of having almost two full days to explore the city. Of course, being RyanAir, the flight was late (no fanfare for us on landing).
Transfer logistics: if you’re staying in the City Centre, don’t book a Taxi and definitely don’t wait for one. It is about 60 Euro from the airport to the town centre, and you can queue over 30 minutes for this privilege. The Dublin Express buses leave about every 30 minutes until gone midnight and a return ticket is just 12 Euro per person. The buses are air-conditioned, have WiFi and USB ports. The staff are also incredibly helpful and will let you know which stop is closest to your hotel.
Learn from my mistake: if you do book a taxi, chase the booking! Else you will be wandering around arrivals looking a bit lost.
Saturday: exploring Ireland’s heritage
The Long Room Library at the Book of Kells is one of the most well-known in the world.
First stop – the Book of Kells:
Our first cultural excursion was the Book of Kells. This is one of the oldest copies of the four gospels in existence. Nestled in Trinity College, it gives you the opportunity to see the courtyard of the university en route.
The museum around the Book of Kells is small and very crowded: definitely not one if you are claustrophobic. However the detail it goes into around the origin of the gospels, how the book was preserved and other similar treasures that can be found across the world is exemplary.
The library which is included in the tour is one of the oldest in Ireland and is simply magnificent. It was founded to house every book published in Ireland, and is adorned with sculptures of influential writers.
Tickets to the Book of Kells need to be booked in advanced and tickets are timed. Prices are from 18 Euros.Buy tickets direct here. You can buy a tour with Dublin Castle here.*
Second stop – EPIC emigration museum:
About 20 minutes walk from the Book of Kells is the EPIC emigration museum that tells the story of how Ireland has influenced the world.
It looks at why people fled Ireland (either out of choice or through transportation) and many nuances that exist in Irish culture and identity.
In addition to a fascinating museum, the building hosts a lovely range of cafes and places to eat.
Entrance to the EPIC Museum is from 17.50 Euros and whilst it is advisable to book online, it isn’t essential. You can book online here.*
EPIC museum is exceptionally well laid-out with sculptures, light displays and interactive elements.
Third stop – Dublin Castle:
The Courtyard at Dublin Castle dates to the Eighteenth Century.
About 40 minutes walk from the EPIC museum is Dublin Castle, a thirteenth-century Viking settlement which is now a key site for the Irish Government and is where the President of Ireland is inaugurated.
There are two ways to see Dublin Castle – through a tour that gives you access to the state apartments or as a self-guided visit where you see a little less, but it’s a bit cheaper and there is a bit more flexibility.
Even the self-guided tour gives you a good insight into the history of Ireland and its fight for independence.
Tickets to Dublin Castle are from 8 Euros and can be bought online or at the venue.
Dinner and drinks – Bow Lane Social Club:
Bow Lane Social Club was a bit of a hidden gem. Not in many of the guidebooks, we discovered it as a result of relentless googling after finding most of the places in TimeOut were fully booked.
Bow Lane Social Club is cool. Probably way too cool for us in all honesty. It’s a restaurant, bar and nightclub. It offers bottomless supper if you’re up for a big night or if like us, these days are behind you, there are tamer options! We were fortunate enough to be there on a night where there was a Carribean Supper Club, complete with rum cocktails. We had the most delicious prawns, fritters and rum punch – spicy, fried and crisp as anything.
We followed this with Gelato from Gino’s which is on almost every street corner in the city centre.
Prawns, Fritters, Rum Punch.
Sunday: finding the hipster hideouts
Like most major cities, Dublin has a hipster culture of craft coffee, street art and fusion brunch spots.
First stop – Copper and Straw Coffee:
Dublin doesn’t really wake up until lunchtime on a Sunday. The morning is still reserved for Church and family. As a tourist, it’s a good opportunity to relax with craft coffee or a pastry like this and plan a walk around the city.
Copper and Straw is a local Irish Coffee chain and its owners take coffee very seriously. The vibe in the Aston Quay branch was relaxed and the pastries were delicious.
Stop two – street art and public parks
One of the most unexpected parts of Dublin was the street art. Scattered in the Temple Bar Region you can find tributes to Ireland’s best-loved icons including Father Ted and Terry Wogan.
We wandered through the lanes, down the iconic Grafton Street (past buskers all hoping to be discovered as the next Bono) to St Stephen’s Green Park. This park is one of the most well-known in the City. It was the site of the 1916 Easter Rebellion and contains tributes to those who died from the famines that have blighted Ireland’s history.
Stop three – lunch at Sprezzatura
Another local chain, Sprezzatura screams hipster as soon as you walk in. The exposed copper pipes serve locally crafted soft and hard drinks and the home-made fresh pasta and sourdough bruschetta options offer a filling and flavoursome lunch or brunch option. I opted for Aubergine topped with egg and served with Sourdough and an orange soda. It was divine, soft and well, everything you want on a Sunday lunchtime. As a very busy venue, booking is essential.
Stop four – the Little Museum of Dublin
Well-dressed taxidermy is always a winner for me.
A 30-minute guide to the history of Dublin, the Little Museum is located in a converted Georgian house, opposite St Stephen’s Green.
The museum was developed by crowd-sourcing mementos and artifacts from Dubliners. It features a knitted statue of the virgin Mary, advertising from major Irish brands and of course a room dedicated to Dublin’s favourite export, U2 which was opened by the band’s manager and you are guaranteed to leave with ‘the Sweetest Thing’ stuck in your head.
Booking is essential as you need to join a tour to see the house. The guides are wonderful. Prices are from 13 Euros.*
So… what did we miss? What would you recommend I visit next time?
I am an honorary West Country lass at heart. Having spent some of my early twenties moving around the western counties I now relish nothing more than a weekend in the countryside. Especially if it involves a somewhat physically challenging walk and a new food discovery in the process.
Day One
Dorset is not a part of the UK I am particularly familiar with however, I recently made a trip down to stay with a friend and her parents. I had not until this visit fully appreciated how much of a healthy foodie haven Dorset was and quite how beautiful the countryside was either. The range of food on offer in Sherborne was exemplary, much of it available from independent butchers, cheesemongers, bakers, greengrocers etc. Most of the offerings were also locally sourced, seasonal foods. Sadly since I first wrote this post, some of the places in this post have closed down.
From having lunch in The Bakery Cafe at the top o’town to barbecueing fresh sea bass from the farmers market to what was simply the best Cheddar I have ever tasted in my life, Sherborne had it all.
If the food isn’t enough to tempt you there for a weekend just look at these pictures of the Abbey and Sherborne Boys School. Picturesque doesn’t even begin to cover it.
A little bit of History – Sherbourne Boys School
Sherborne Boys School is a boarding school that was founded in 1550 by Edward VI. It is one of the only full-boarding schools left in the UK and is considered by private wealth publications to be one of the best in the UK. As an old school, it is steeped in tradition – the boys play croquet. Its famous alumni include Alan Turing, Coldplay’s Chris Martin and Phil Harvey, Hugh Bonneville, John Le Carre, Jeremy Irons.
Walking the Dorset Hills from Sherborne
For ramblers there is a fantastic range of country walks including one past this slightly precarious landmark which is reputed to be a picture of Oliver Cromwell…
If you are more of a watersports buff then Sherborne is located just behind the Jurassic Coast which hosted the Olympic Sailing for London 2012 and there is ample opportunity for Sailing, Kayaking etc.
Day Two
Beer to Buscombe ticks all these boxes and you have some of the most gorgeous coastline I have ever seen. From someone who grew up on the Hampshire/ Sussex coast that is saying something.
Beer to Buscombe is about 2.5 miles of hills, fields, beaches, steps, cliffs and magnificent scenery. I was surprised at how much this walk tested me physically- trust me, after some of the hills I will not need my evening squats.
We parked in Beer town centre and walked down to the coastal path via the ‘Wet Fish Shop’; a tiny shack carrying some of the most flavoursome prawns I have ever tasted which proved to be a very welcome accompaniment to the walk.
When you arrive at Buscombe beach you come to a pub which you will be tempted to go in. Don’t. Walk an extra half a mile to the town where you will find ‘The Masons Arms Inn’ a rather delicious (and fairly healthy) pub lunch which looks somewhat like this.
‘Magnificent’ was the only word I had for these scallops. You won’t be disappointed!
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