PARIS, FRANCE – The most visited sight in Paris is Disneyland. Notre Dame Cathedral is in the Top 5.
It’s a free venue to visit and if you’ve read Victor Hugo’s The Hunchback of Notre Dame, you’ll want to pass by.
As it’s so popular be prepared to line up outside. But once inside there’s a lot of space to roam at your leisure and find a quiet place to meditate and just look up at the stained glass windows.
HOLYROOD PALACE, EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND – One of the highlights of my trip to Edinburgh was Holyrood Palace. It’s one of the queen’s residences in Scotland. She has many. I’ve been to a few royal palaces throughout the UK and each one is special. This one typically gets national attention during Holyrood week in late June. Other than that, it’s a little forgotten. But to me it was something to remember.
You can’t take photographs inside, so unfortunately I can’t show you any this time. But I will say that it was grand and stately. As it should be.
There was also a ruined abbey that was clearly past its heydey. But it had the most beautiful arches and the sudden blue sky highlighted its particular architecture.
The gardens were elegant. Even though the noise and clamour of the city was just metres away, it was so peaceful and serene. Beautiful colours and romantic trees.
From nearby you can also walk up Arthur’s seat. But I was short on time and so had to skip it.
Finally, I finished the day off with one of these. One of the best I’ve ever had actually.
What’s your favourite royal palace?
LONDON – When you stumble upon something that’s interesting and exciting, you want to share it with others. That’s how I feel about this place. Few have heard of it but it’s a little gem hidden away from most eyes just off of busy Oxford Street. It’s called St. Christopher’s Place.
Find what you’re not looking for
It was by luck that I found it. In fact most people will walk right past it on any given day. That’s because the entrance, which is between the H&M and O2 shops, is nondescript and probably only a metre wide. But as soon as you pass through, you get that feeling that you’re on to something cool.
This cobble stone pedestrian lane (postcode: W1U 1LT) which makes up St. Christopher’s Place, stretches between two streets, Oxford and Wigmore, and includes a series of restaurants to temp your wallet as well as a mini piazza where you can sit and people watch. And then there are the boutique shops, as well as the typical ones you would find on the high street, which together gives this lane a bit more flavour.
Here are some of my favourites that had me at hello.
Do you want to explore St. Christopher’s Place more? Well, keep a look out for upcoming posts about some amazing shops in this lane.
