After spending a wonderful couple of days in (rainy) Nice, it was time to head for a day trip. There was one top choice for me, beautiful Eze. I’d seen many photos of the beautiful blue sea and incredible views, and whilst in the rain it was undoubtedly not as beautiful as the pictures, I still think it’s one of the prettiest places I’ve ever visited and would highly recommend it as a day trip.

Contents

1. Contents
2. How to get to Eze from Nice
3. Things to do in Eze
   1. Stroll the Old Town
   2. Visit the Jardin Exotique
   3. Hike the Nietzsche Way
   4. Enjoy the traditional food and markets of Eze
   5. See more of the French Riviera
4. Other Important Information

How to get to Eze from Nice

There are three ways to get from Nice to Eze.

• By Car – Eze is easily accessible by car, and the journey provides stunning views along the French Riviera. From Nice, take the A8 motorway, then exit at Eze and follow the signs to the village. You will have to park outside the village in the local car park as it is pedestrianised, and the short walk up is steep. Car parking is limited so if you’re driving it’s important to arrive early (pre 10am).
• By Bus* – There are two bus routes from Nice to Eze – route 112 and 82 which leave from Vauban bus station semi regularly (though there is a less frequent service on Sundays and holidays). Both routes drop you off just outside the village centre.
• By Train* – The nearest train station is Eze-sur-Mer, which is a short 15 minute trip along the coast from Nice Ville train station. However, this option drops you at the bottom of a hill with a 5km, heavy climb in front of you – so you can either get an Uber up to the village or face some strenuous exercise to start the day. Even in low season, the train was packed so full we were squished in, so I do recommend the bus.

*Note: Buying both bus and train tickets in Nice was challenging.

For the bus, it took us a good hour to figure out where the bus stop at Vauban even was and buy our tickets! Please check online at lignesdazur.com for both schedule and departure point maps ahead of time so you don’t get caught out like we did.

For the train, you will need to go to the blue ticket machines at Nice Ville station. They require operation with a circular toggle button, and there are no staff on hand to help. Even in low tourist season, queues were 15 people deep. It took us around 45 mins to buy tickets! (Note, you can buy tickets online however the QR codes did not allow us through the ticket gates and there were no staff to let us through so we had to purchase tickets from the machine anyway).

(Ah Germany, how I miss you).

Things to do in Eze

Stroll the Old Town

Eze is a beautiful hilltop town founded in Medieval times. It’s famous for its location overlooking the French Riviera, between Monaco and Nice. It was fortified in the 1300s by The House of Savoy and over the years the area has passed hands between Italy and France multiple times.

Strolling the Old Town is one of the best things to do along the whole Cote D’Azur, and it really didn’t disappoint. Highlights include the ancient Chapelle de la Sainte Croix, peaking in to the luxury hotels in the town like Chateau Eza for a drink, and all the winding streets.

Visit the Jardin Exotique

The exotic garden is located in the original medieval fortress right at the top of the village. Set 450 metres above sea level it provides stunning views out to sea. Even better it’s home to a huge array of cacti and beautiful flowers, all amongst the ruins of the fortress.

Hike the Nietzsche Way

If you come in by train and decide to hike, it’s the Nietzsche Way you’ll be walking. Not ones for scrimping on our steps, we decided to hike up and then get the bus back down. It was brutal – over 5km of pure ascent without much of a path. Even more fun in the rain (not!).

If you want the hike without the exhaustion, I recommend getting the bus up and the hike down. It’s beautiful and provides stunning views.

Enjoy the traditional food and markets of Eze

On Sunday morning, Eze has a small market selling lots of local produce. The region is famous for olives and olive oil, as well as traditional breads, chocolates and flowers. We went to an olive oil tasting to escape the heaviest spell of rain, and it was lots of fun.

See more of the French Riviera

If you have the time and aren’t doing the hike, or have a car so it’s a bit quicker to get around, you can explore more of the French Riviera in the same day. Or choose to stay a night in Eze and explore a bit more widely.

• Villefrance-sur-mer: Just 2 train stops along the coast and a 5 minute walk is this beautiful village, particularly so on a hot day for a visit to the beach.
• Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild: Just one train stop and a 30 minute walk away is the stunning Villa, with its extensive gardens and interesting history.
• Nice: If you’re staying in Eze you could take a trip back to Nice
• Monaco: Only 20 minutes by train is Monaco, another perfect place to spend a day or half a day if that’s all you have.

Other Important Information

• If you’re intending to walk to/from the train station, be sure to wear comfortable footwear. You won’t be able to complete the hike in sandals.
• Arrive in Eze early as it does get busy. Even on a rainy day it was pretty packed so I dread to think what it would be like in summer.
• Eze is not suitable for those with mobility issues. It’s very steep and full of steps with no accessibility support.
• Make sure you have cash with you – the markets and many of the shops/restaurants only take cash.

What do you think of Eze on a grey and rainy day? I absolutely loved it and whilst I wish it could have been sunnier, it was still beautiful. Thanks for reading – stay safe and happy travelling!

You can read my full post on Dubai HERE.

Location of The Shangri-La

The Shangri-La is located in the Financial District (felt appropriate), a slightly quieter area of town. Wherever you stay in Dubai, you’re never close to everything – it’s not even slightly a walkable city. Attractions are widely spread out and even a 2km walk isn’t actually walk because it’s along a 6 way highway.

The Shangri-La is around a 15 minute taxi ride from the modern centre – Dubai Mall, the Burj Khalifa and Dubai Fountain.

It’s about a 20 minute taxi ride from the Old Centre of Dubai, 12 minutes from the Emirati Museum, 15 minutes from Jumeirah Beach and 30 minutes from Dubai Miracle Garden. Getting to and from the airport is also simple, being only around a 15 minute taxi journey.

Accommodation at The Shangri-La

The accommodation at the Shangri-La is beautiful. There are a range of rooms on offer and we chose a Deluxe King room with Burj Khalifa views. You can also splash out on a ‘picture perfect’ room which has some of the best views out over the city through panoramic windows perfect for Instagram. We didn’t think it was needed as the view from our room was picture perfect as it was.

The room itself was spacious, with a huge bed, desk area, 2 chairs, a huge minibar and lots of wardrobe space.

The bathroom also came complete with a nice sized walk in shower, and huge soaking tub, plus separate toilet. The room was kept spotlessly clean with daily room cleaning service, plus evening turn down (slippers for the win) and a re-stocked complimentary bottle of water daily.

Food & Drink at The Shangri-La

One of the hotel’s highlights is its incredible offering of food. There are multiple restaurants on site and we actually ate at them all.

Hoi An offers Vietnamese cuisine, and we thoroughly enjoyed a 3 hour brunch with an array of courses on the first day of our stay. We also returned for an evening meal which was actually the best meal of our entire trip, with the chef cooking us some special traditional Vietnamese Lunar New Year dishes.

Shang Palace is a Chinese restaurant with dim sum the dish of choice. It also serves the most incredible looking whole crispy ducks which we salivated at from afar. Similarly, the room service menu was absolutely delicious and probably the best room service we’ve ever had.

The casual restaurant, Dunes, has themed nights. I recommend going for the buffet on certain evenings as the food on offer is of great variety and you can get a 25% discount via the Shangri-La circle app (no need to sign up, just log on for the QR code). When we were there it was a Chinese NY theme one night so off we went of course – there was even a giant dragon!

The hotel also offers a number of unique dining experiences. The first of which, a floating breakfast in the hotel pool, the husband treated me to as a birthday gift. I thought it might just be a gimmick but the food was delicious, consisting of an omelette, pancakes, waffles, fruit and yoghurt.

You can also book for a private breakfast, lunch or dinner, on the 42nd floor balcony (see below), however prices start from c£1,000 so we heavy passed on that one (!). One evening it was set up with a red carpet, rose petals, candles and the most insane table wear. It would be an incredible experience.

Amenities & Experiences at The Shangri-La

Aside from the dining experiences, the Shangri-La offers lots of great amenities on site. The hotel pool is without a doubt the star of the show – not only hosting floating breakfasts, but also providing a stunning view over to the Burj Khalifa.

At the pool is also a nice bar area called iKandy serving drinks and bar food, plus is home to a relaxing hot tub and a pool table. It’s a really nice spot to chill for the day and we happily spent a full day relaxing on the rooftop during our week long stay.

The hotel also has a second pool, though it’s for Horizon Club members only. Situated on the 42nd floor, it’s indoors and also looks out at the Dubai skyline.

Even if you’re not a Horizon Club member, head to floor 42 anyway. The View at 42 is the best viewing spot in all of Dubai, in my humble opinion. You can visit the platform through the external doors from the indoor pool area – and even better, any guest can do so.

We went morning, noon and night and it was absolutely beautiful. I also did a little birthday shoot with some balloons. Speaking of which, the hotel left me the balloons and a card, along with a heart shaped platter of fruit, on my birthday which was a lovely touch.

Finally, within the hotel is a gorgeous spa, Chi, which offers a real variety of treatments. I of course indulged in a massage on my birthday which was really good quality and cracked me back in to place. Afterwards you can also relax in the indoor hot tubs and loungers – though all areas are separate for men and women (it was nice to have an afternoon to myself!)

Away from the hotel, the Shangri-La offers a number of day trip ideas. It offers a day tour of Dubai to see the main highlights, a day trip to Abu Dhabi, an excursion in to the Dubai desert and boat trips down Dubai Creek. We didn’t do any of these day trips as I wanted to do things a bit more in depth, but they’re great options if you’re limited on time and/or don’t have time to plan.

So what did you think of the Shangri-La? We had a great stay for my birthday and I’d recommend it for anyone visiting Dubai wanting something a bit special, but good value when compared to a lot of the other 5* hotels in Dubai. I hope you enjoyed the review – stay safe and happy travelling!

Contents

1. Contents
2. What is Dubai Miracle Garden?
3. How to get to Dubai Miracle Garden
4. Important information about Dubai Miracle Garden
5. What to see at Dubai Miracle Garden

What is Dubai Miracle Garden?

Dubai Miracle Garden was launched in 2015, and is the world’s largest flower garden – home to some 50 million flowers. Spread out over 72,000sqm, it exhibits lots of floral themed displays such as castles, houses, and even an airplane.

The flowers are maintained by re-use of treated wastewater via irrigation. The garden needs a staggering 757,082 litres of water per day! It’s yet another example of the incredible lengths Dubai goes to to create special experiences, and it really does have to be seen to be believed.

The garden also has a licensing deal with Disney to use images, characters and themes from Disney’s collection of films – making for some very interesting displays!

How to get to Dubai Miracle Garden

Dubai Miracle Garden is outside of the centre of Dubai, on the edge near the desert.

• Taxi – By far the easiest way to get to the gardens, take a taxi from your hotel and head straight to the gardens. There is a large car park on site where taxis can pull in to drop you off at the entrance. A taxi takes around 40 minutes from downtown Dubai (the Mall area), and cost around £15-20 on Uber.
• Public Transport – For a cheaper option, you can take the metro and a bus. Take the Dubai Metro red line and stop at the MOE (Mall of the Emirates metro station). Then hop on a Bus from MOE to Dubai Miracle Garden on route 105.

Important information about Dubai Miracle Garden

• The garden is only open during winter, normally from around September to April, so please check the website before visiting
• The entry cost for the garden is 95 AED (c£20) for adults, and 80 AED (c.£17) for children
• The garden opens from 9am – 9pm Monday through Friday, and from 9am – 11pm at the weekends
• You cannot use professional cameras or drones on site, and anything that looks like any kind of professional shoot will be shut down immediately as you have to pay extra for that
• You absolutely can’t pick the flowers, and you’re not allowed to take in any food or drink either.
• There are a lot of shops on the site, and sellers can be quite pushy. A firm ‘no’ worked fine for us, but we saw other tourists waiver and end up buying balloons, head garlands and food they definitely didn’t need.

What to see at Dubai Miracle Garden

The garden is big with lots to see. We decided to try and be methodical and walk round clockwise but still managed to be pretty inefficient.

Some of the most famous areas include the Airplane, which is a full size Boeing airplane decorated in flowers! Interestingly this holds the Guinness world record for the largest vertical flower display so even more reason to see it.

Another display not to be missed is the Smurf Village, full of giant Smurfs, lots of Smurf houses and even Gargamel leaping out of a bush!

The Disney Princess Castle is also pretty cool, and there are daily shows on the stage in front of it as well. Right in front of it are also a pair of elephants which are quite fun.

We also enjoyed the Windmill display, giant Unicorns, the giant Flower Clock and the Heart Arches everywhere.

What an experience! It could definitely only be Dubai and whilst I’m glad to have been, it was a bit of an overload of my senses. I was also glad to leave the chaos behind and retreat to the calm of the hotel pool!

Thanks so much for reading! What did you think of this crazy whacky place? It was a lot of fun, but I did come away still preferring a traditional botanic garden like in Singapore. Hope you enjoyed the tour – stay safe and happy travelling!

One of the things that no-one talks about with infertility is that you don’t just fail to have a baby, but that often those close to you naturally have their own focuses change when they start their own families meaning you also lose (at least in some part) your friendship support network.

So I was absolutely delighted when one of those friends decided it was time to get back out on adventures. We settled on some winter sun as she’d not been abroad in a while and we chose Nice, along the beautiful French Riviera – for a long weekend of sunshine, pretty villages, good food and lots of wine.

Note: It wasn’t sunny and it rained the entire time.

Contents

1. Contents
2. About Nice
   1. Getting to Nice
   2. Weather in Nice
   3. Other Important Information
3. Things to do in Nice
   1. Stroll the Old Town
   2. Climb Castle Hill
   3. Visit the famous Flower Market
   4. Relax on the beach along the Promenade des Anglais
   5. Indulge in the Food and Wine
   6. Admire the Cathédrale Saint-Nicolas
   7. Take in the Museums
   8. Enjoy Place Massena
   9. Tour the French Riviera
   10. Head to another country (Monaco or Italy)
4. Where to stay in Nice

About Nice

Getting to Nice

• Nice has an international airport which runs regular flights to and from London, New York and lots of other major airports.
• The airport is only a 15-20 minute taxi ride away from the city centre, or you can take the tram straight in to the centre.

Weather in Nice

• Nice receives a whopping 320 days of sunshine a year and only around 20 days of rain.
• Average temperatures in summer are around 25 degrees, with the hottest months being July and August where temperatures can reach up to 30.
• Winters are mild, averaging around 12 – 15 degrees.

Despite visiting for some spring sunshine, on our visit we had a solid 4 days of rain, and temperatures of about 10. On our last day we had about 1hr of sunshine and sat by the beach!

Other Important Information

• Nice is +1hr to the UK.
• It’s a very walkable city but does lie amongst lots of hills. Mobility access amongst some of the smaller surrounding towns and villages is limited.
• French is the first language, but most people we encountered spoke English and my basic French was enough with those that didn’t (or chose to laugh at me).
• In Nice itself, you only really need a maximum of 2 days, but you could easily stay for a week and take the opportunity to explore far and wide along the French Riviera.

Things to do in Nice

Stroll the Old Town

I recommend doing this on a Walking Tour with Walkative Nice, a pay what you wish tour which was amazing! We learnt so much!

For starters, Nice is a city where you can see so many layers of history. Nice was founded by the Greeks in around 350BC, and the city was probably named in honour of a victory (nikē in Greek) over a neighbouring colony.

Conquered by the Romans during the 1st century AD, it became a busy trading station. After the Romans, Nice was later controlled by the House of Provence and the House of Savoy and passed between Italian and French ownership – it was finally ceded to the French for good in 1860.

It means there are plenty of influences throughout the old town and some of the highlights include:

• The Opera Theatre – Designed by François Aune, disciple of Eiffel, you can see little mini Statues of Liberty in the lights! (As well as the Eiffel Tower, he designed the Statue of Liberty).
• Nice Cathedral – There has been a cathedral on this side since 1049, though the one standing today was built in the 1600s, incorporating typically Italian and French designs.
• Auer Patisserie – one of the oldest Patisseries in Nice, and absolutely beautiful, it’s well worth a visit.
• Palais de Justice – Open to the public and free to enter, you can even attend certain trials and court sessions. I particularly liked the story of the famous bank robber in the 1970s who jumped to escape from an upstairs window before his hearing.

Climb Castle Hill

My favourite part of Nice was Castle Hill, which contrary to its name, doesn’t house a castle. Instead it’s home to a waterfall, and the most beautiful views out over the city and sea. There is a lift to get up, but due to the rain on our visit it was closed, so we had to climb the 200+ steps to the top.

Visit the famous Flower Market

Cours Saleya market in Nice is full of life, with its striped awnings and hundreds of stands.  Crowds of locals and tourists come here to do their shopping or sometimes just to look and snap photos of the colourful displays. There are 4 markets on the site, but the most famous is the beautiful flower market, full of colours and smells.

Relax on the beach along the Promenade des Anglais

Nice has a long stretch of beach, though it’s a pebble beach rather than beautiful sand. Running alongside the beach is the famous 7km Promenade des Anglais, known as such because the English flocked to the town in the Victorian era for sun and fresh sea air.

Nice is also famous for its iconic blue chairs lining the promenade. I was expecting some jazzy sunloungers but they were actually pretty uncomfortable! The beach was relatively busy even in the cold and rain, so I can only imagine how packed it gets in summer!

Indulge in the Food and Wine

Nice is a foodie paradise – I didn’t have a bad meal whilst visiting. With French and Italian restaurants galore here were some of the highlights which we discovered:

• Edmond Café – for an absolutely delicious breakfast/brunch. The avocado croque was SO GOOD.
• Bistro Gourmand – for some upmarket French dining. The wine here was amazing and we managed to drink two bottles of the local Rose Wine.
• Casa Tua – delicious Italian style food in a homely stone restaurant. The quality was incredible.
• Local Delicacies – When in a new country it’s really important to try the local dishes. We tried Pan Bagnat (basically a Nicoise Salad placed inside a bun), Les beignets de fleur de courgette (Zucchini Fritters) and the totally delicious Socca at Chez Theresa (local pancakes)

Admire the Cathédrale Saint-Nicolas

One of my favourite finds in Nice was a short 25 minute walk out of the centre. The Cathédrale Saint-Nicolas is a Russian Orthodox Church and is the largest Eastern Orthodox cathedral in Western Europe.

The cathedral was built in the early 1900s, as a place for the ever growing group of Russian visitors to the area. Today the cathedral is actually under Russian ownership, and the congregation come under the jurisdiction of the Korsun diocese of the Russian Orthodox Church.

Take in the Museums

Nice is a haven for museum lovers, and we checked out a number of them during our visit. You can purchase a Nice Museum card as well for entry across them all.

• Marc Chagall National Museum – For those in to art, this museum is unique in that it contains the largest public collection of Marc Chagall’s works, largely Biblical. There’s also come lovely gardens and a cafe on site, but it’s a bit far out of the centre and wasn’t our favourite.
• Massena Museum – Set in a beautiful villa, this was my favourite museum of the trip. It pulls together the history of Nice and the French Riviera which I found fascinating.
• Matisse Museum – A museum devoted to the work of French painter Henri Matisse. It gathers one of the world’s largest collections of his works, tracing his artistic beginnings and his evolution. I don’t love art so again it was slightly lost on me.
• Palais Lascaris – A very small museum hosting musical instruments and some beautiful ceiling frescoes; worth popping in to if you have the museum card.
• Modern Art Museum – Closed on our visit but rated very highly.

Enjoy Place Massena

Just a short walk from the Promenade is a lovely open, pedestrianised space, called Place Massena, designed in the 1800s. It’s not always been pedestrianised and at one point has even been a ring road and a car park!

In the middle of the square is the striking Sun Fountain, with a naked Apollo sitting in the centre. When it was unveiled in the 1950s, people were outraged thinking that his manhood was too large. In an effort to calm the controversy, the sculptor took a hammer and chisel to his creation to reduce the size of the offending member. His embarrassing surgery proved to be insufficient; and in the 1970s the fountain was dismantled. Thankfully Apollo was found again in 2007 and re-instated, complete with chisel damaged manhood.

Interestingly, people still live in the flats above the shops here and have to abide by some funny rules – including no hanging of washing, no walking about naked and prescribed colours for windows and paintwork.

Tour the French Riviera

Nice sits at the heart of the French Riviera and not seeing some more of the gorgeous coastline on a visit would be a waste. We explored three areas (posts coming soon):

• Eze – the most beautiful medieval village in France
• Villefranche-sur-mer – A lovely colourful coastal village
• Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild – A luxury villa set in acres of beautiful gardens

I’d also love to have visited a number of other gems, including Menton, Antibes, Cannes, Théoule and the Lerins Islands, to name just a few within a 45 minute train/boat/bus journey from Nice.

Head to another country (Monaco or Italy)

Another amazing thing to do when in Nice is to actually visit another country.

For those of you wanting to tick off as many as possible, it has to be Monaco (post coming soon), home to the famous Grand Prix and one of the smallest countries in the world. With no airport, Nice is the easiest access point.

If you’ve already visited Monaco or fancy something a bit different, you can be over the border on a train within an hour in to Italy and the beautiful city of Ventimiglia for some gelato, pizza and sea views.

Where to stay in Nice

There are lots of options to suit every budget in Nice. We chose to stay at Anantara Nice Plaza. The location was great, in easy walking distance of everything on this list and the train station, however the hotel itself was lacking for a 5* offering.

If you really want to go all out you could stay at the famous Negresco Hotel. Now an icon of the French Riviera, Negresco was opened in the early 1900s but fell in to decline. It was rejuvenated by becoming a living art collection (it has everything from Renoirs to Venetian Street art rooms), and it’s now a luxury hotel offering sumptuous rooms, an incredible spa and all the art you could wish to sleep amongst! Even more amazing, it’s owned by a local cat rescue centre as the previous owner died childless and didn’t want to risk a large hotel chain taking it over. All profits go to charity.

I hope you enjoyed the little trip around Nice. We had a fab stay, though it was a little dampened by the rain and we didn’t get to see as much as we would have liked along the French Riviera. It’s the perfect choice for a relaxing break though, with a mixture of beaches, cities, villages and food. Thanks for reading – stay safe and happy travelling!

The Dubai Mall was opened in 2008, and is currently the second biggest mall in the world at 5.4 million sqft. Madness. It actually attracts more visitors per year than New York in its entirety and world famous places like Niagara Falls. It’s a destination in and of itself, and if you’re in Dubai you have to see it to believe it!

There’s so much to do here so if you’re looking for what to see and do on your trip to Dubai Mall – look no further, I’ve got you covered.

Contents

1. Contents
2. Things to do in the Dubai Mall
   1. The Burj Khalifa
   2. China Town
   3. Shops, Shops and more Shops
   4. Indoor Human Waterfall
   5. Ice Rink
   6. Book World
   7. Dubai Aquarium
   8. Food Court
   9. Reels Cinema
   10. Arcade & Play DXB
   11. Dubai Fountain
   12. Souk Al Bahar
   13. Dubai Dino & Sculptures
   14. Kidzania
   15. EKart Zabeel
3. Getting to Dubai Mall
4. Other Important Information about Dubai Mall

Things to do in the Dubai Mall

The Burj Khalifa

The Burj Khalifa is the tallest building in the world, and is impressive whether you think it’s OTT or just a marvel. You can access ‘At the Top’ from within the Dubai Mall which takes you to the 124th floor of the building for panoramic views out over Dubai. Or you can just view it from ground level. Given my husband is scared of heights and it’s quite expensive at £40pp, we chose the latter (plus my friend told us of her experience*).

* My friend’s experience was that she booked the tickets for At the Top in advance, along with lunch. It took an hour to get in, and lunch took 3 hours to be served.

China Town

This was possibly my favourite part of the Mall. China Town is free to stroll around and decorated beautifully with blossom trees, neon signs and lanterns. There’s a traditional Chinese home to explore, a giant panda, lots of restaurants, bubble tea shops, and a huge Chinese spa. We went in a few of the shops, had a cup of tea and visited the house – taking us about 1 hour.

Shops, Shops and more Shops

Dubai Mall is home to over 1,200 retail outlets. They’re all free to browse and there is something for everyone. We spent a good couple of hours looking around shops including a giant Lego store, a replica of Galeries Lafayette of Paris, huge Apple and Virgin stores, sweet shops, and a big F1 store. There’s even a full on Emirates flight simulator if you so wish. And if you’re in to designer labels, there is also an entire area of the Mall called Fashion Avenue, housing all the main brands.

Indoor Human Waterfall

The Human Waterfall is actually beautifully done, cascading from the top floor to ground floor of the Mall and visible on every floor. At 24m high, the humans represent traditional pearl divers jumping in to the oceans, one of the main trades of the region before oil was found. It’s free to see, so win win.

Ice Rink

I used to love ice skating as a child so really wanted to go on the full sized rink here. It’s £30 a ticket, but I had the entire rink almost to myself (hubs was too busy in the Lego store and I decided I may as well just go and clear my head with a bit of peace!). I had the BEST time and really recommend it to anyone who wants to try ice skating.

Book World

Oh my heart belongs in Book World, also known as Kinokuniya. By far the BEST book shop I’ve ever been in, it was HUGE and stoked EVERYTHING. I came away with such a haul and it took me a full hour of browsing to choose. I could have spent the entire day in there to be honest. Incredible – my highlight of the day.

Dubai Aquarium

Another insane addition to the Mall is Dubai aquarium and underwater zoo, plus penguin cove. You have to pay to enter (about £43 for anyone over 2 years old) so it is pricy. Given we were prioritising other things and it was HEAVING, we passed on going in. However, you can see a couple of the tanks from within the Mall for free so we went to look at those instead.

Food Court

Even the food court in Dubai Mall is an attraction. With over 50 food options to choose from, you could be eating anything from Indian to Chinese to Sushi to Mexican or Subway or McDonalds. Whatever you fancy, you can get it here. We love a bit of Panda Express from our time in Asia so we headed there.

Reels Cinema

Another highlight was the Cinema. Whilst we didn’t do this on our first visit to the Mall, we actually came back for an evening later on in our stay. I really fancied watching Argylle and our hotel had a discount on seats. For a mere £16 each we were able to purchase a Platinum Experience with reclining chairs, table services and lots of snacks. The film was fun and we had a great evening experience.

Arcade & Play DXB

Of course the Dubai Mall has a full arcade with every arcade game imaginable, plus the largest Virtual Reality experience in the world. We thought about doing a VR ride as something a bit different, but just ran out of time!

Dubai Fountain

Dubai Fountain is not to be missed. Every day at 1 – 1.30pm, and then every evening from 6pm – 11pm, (every half an hour), a light show to music is played. It’s free to watch but does get super busy. Again we didn’t do this on our first Mall visit, but came back in an evening to do it with a special twist. We booked a delicious Indian meal at Amal by Armani in the Burj Khalifa overlooking the Fountain so got front row seats from above. The show is different every 30 minutes and so we got to see 5 versions.

Souk Al Bahar

Within Dubai Mall is an area hosting more traditional shops, known as Souk Al Bahar. It’s far from an authentic Souk, but it stocks more authentic goods and of course you have to haggle. I bought some fresh fruit for 80p which was quite the bargain from their original quote of £14!

Dubai Dino & Sculptures

The Dubai Dino is a 155 million year old dinosaur skeleton sitting in the main atrium. As you do (and it’s free to see). There are also a number of sculptures dotted around the mall – we particularly liked the ant and the ape.

Kidzania

Not one for us, but worth the mention as I was so impressed at the concept. This huge place is effectively a role playing area for children and enables them to discover new worlds, skills and even practice things like calculating prices and paying – it has a real airport check in, a fire station and engine, and so many other cool and unique zones to enjoy.

EKart Zabeel

Top of my husband’s list was Go-Karting on the roof of the Mall. Unfortunately for hubs he exceeded the weigh limit as you have to be less than 100kg (15 stone), and the little one over here felt too bad to go it alone. Instead we just watched a couple of laps and headed back to our hotel.

Getting to Dubai Mall

• By Metro – The Dubai Mall is connected to the Red Line Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall Metro station. It’s a 10 minute walk from there.
• By Bus – Route 27 from Deira Gold Souk station and Route 29 from Ghubaiba bus station service the Dubai Mall approx every 15 minutes.
• By Taxi or Uber – there are several taxi ranks around the mall and Uber in Dubai is reliable, reasonably priced and safe too.

Other Important Information about Dubai Mall

• The Dubai Mall is open 10am-12am (1am Thursday – Saturday). Please note that on Eid holidays, Ramadan and special events these regular Mall hours can change
• There is free Wi-Fi in the Mall
• Moderate dress is required in the Mall. Whilst it is a major tourist attraction and relatively relaxed, signs are still up asking for no PDAs and moderation. Please be respectful
• It is illegal in the UAE to take photos of others without permission. Please ensure you are not taking photos in people’s faces.

So what do you think of the madness that is Dubai Mall? I thought it was amazing, and really enjoyed a day exploring it. You’ll also find it included as part of my Dubai 2 Day Itinerary – check it out if you want to see more of what the city has to offer. Thanks for stopping by, stay safe and happy travelling!

Back in May last year, I spent a number of days exploring the Swiss side of this wondrous place and here’s a (hopefully) helpful guide to exploring the area.

Contents

1. Contents
2. Important Information
   1. Language, Currency and Time Zone
   2. Best time to visit & length of stay needed
   3. Getting around Lake Geneva
   4. Cost
3. Things to do on Lake Geneva
   1. Region 1: Geneva & Surrounds
      1. Central Geneva
      2. Tour the United Nations
      3. Get out on the Lake
      4. Nyon and Château de Prangins
   2. Region 2: Lausanne & Surrounds
      1. Lausanne Old Town
      2. Olympic Museum
      3. Ouchy Waterfront
      4. Lavaux Vineyards (Grandvaux & Lutry)
   3. Region 3: Montreaux & Surrounds
      1. Château de Chillon
      2. Rochers de Naye
      3. MOB Golden Pass scenic railway
4. More Information

Important Information

Language, Currency and Time Zone

• This area of Switzerland sits in the French Canton of Vaud, meaning French is the primary language here. In fact, if you want to fit in locally – you should really call it Lac Leman not Lake Geneva.
• German and English are also widely spoken.
• The currency in Switzerland is the Swiss Franc (CHF), and European debit/credit cards are widely accepted.
• Time Zone is GMT +1hr

Best time to visit & length of stay needed

July and August offer the warmest temperatures, but also the biggest crowds. Shoulder season across May, June, September and October offer mild weather and less people.

You’ll need at least 5 days to cover everything in this guide. If you also want to explore the French side of the lake, then I’d recommend 8-10 days depending on your pace (I only visited the Swiss half).

Getting around Lake Geneva

Trains are the easiest way to go, with one side of the lake to the other taking around an hour on the train. Trains stop at all major spots along the lake front and buying tickets online or at the station is easy. Boats are also a great and more leisurely way to travel, with multiple routes across the lake. Be sure to look in to the Swiss Travel Pass if you’re travelling round a lot – all train and boat travel is included.

Cost

£££. Hotels are an average of £250/night, and average meal costs in restaurants are £40pp. It’s not cheap having a long break here.

Things to do on Lake Geneva

The Swiss side of the lake is around 100km long, taking c1.5-2hrs to drive. Along this route, there are numerous areas around Lake Geneva offering lots of things to do making it the perfect road/train trip.

Region 1: Geneva & Surrounds

Central Geneva

Geneva is a beautiful city with so much to offer. Be sure to explore the old town and climb the cathedral tower for incredible views, as well as pay homage to the famous flower clock and enjoy lakeside walks.

Tour the United Nations

You can’t come to Geneva and not visit the UN Building, one of the city’s most famous links. There are a number of tours to learn more about the entity’s history and work, and as a bonus the Red Cross Museum is just up the road so the two are perfect to combine.

Get out on the Lake

Lake Geneva is best experienced by boat. CGN run numerous cruises across the lake (whether as a hop on/hop off to other stops, or for a lunch/dinner cruise, or for sunset drinks – you can’t go wrong!), and you can also hire boats and kayaks as well. It’s just so beautiful everywhere you look!

Nyon and Château de Prangins

A short 10 minute train ride from Geneva lies beautiful Nyon, home to the wonderful Château de Prangins which houses the Swiss National Museum, as well as a pretty old town and some ancient Roman ruins.

Region 2: Lausanne & Surrounds

Lausanne Old Town

Lausanne is a gorgeous town lying right on the banks of the lake. Its old town is like something out of a fairytale, with its cobbled streets, wonky walkways and picturesque buildings. Also make sure you have a famous hot chocolate at La Barbare, and pop in to the Lausanne History Museum.

Olympic Museum

Lausanne is the home of the Olympics and no visit would be complete without at least a quick visit to this wonderful museum. I spent hours and hours in here, but then I am an Olympics nut. Please also excuse all photos of me from this trip – my luggage was lost so it’s sunglasses from one of those street stands, and a mishmash of clothes I could find that didn’t bankrupt me (my t-shirt says I Switzerland on it underneath – ha)!

Ouchy Waterfront

Ouchy is the area of south Lausanne which directly faces on to the lake. With pretty lakeside parks, lots of options for boat trips and restaurants galore, it’s a beautiful place to spend half a day.

Lavaux Vineyards (Grandvaux & Lutry)

Just outside of Lausanne is the most famous wine region in Switzerland – Grandvaux. We chose to walk among the vineyards from there to Lutry which took a couple of hours, and finish our day off with wine tasting at one of the many wineries in the area. It was my second favourite part of the trip.

Region 3: Montreaux & Surrounds

Château de Chillon

Wow. One of the most beautiful castles I’ve ever visited in my life, Chillon lies nestled right on the lake edge with the mountains of the Alps forming its dramatic backdrop.

Rochers de Naye

Hikes don’t get much more beautiful than this – and you can’t come to Switzerland and not go hiking. Rochers de Naye gives epic views out over the Alps and Lake Geneva. It takes 7 hours to hike from Montreux, or you can get the train up to a number of stations on the way to cut the walk. We hiked the final 2 hours to the top, and it tops my list of experiences around Lake Geneva.

MOB Golden Pass scenic railway

Montreux is home to the MOB Golden Pass scenic railway. Riding a panoramic train is a must do if you’re in Lake Geneva, and there’s a few different options to either do as a daytrip in itself, or as a means of getting to your next stop in Switzerland.

More Information

You can read my detailed posts from around Lake Geneva covering all the items above here:

• Geneva
• Nyon
• Lausanne & Lavaux
• Chillon Castle
• Panoramic Train

So what do you think of Lake Geneva? Would you want to visit one day? We had an incredible time in this picturesque little corner of the world and would recommend it to anyone looking for a getaway with lots of variety in things to do (as long as you’re not travelling on a tight budget). Hope you enjoyed the tour – stay safe and happy travelling!

So, honestly, the next few weeks are just going to be my scheduled posts. I probably won’t reply to comments straight away, but as always I appreciate your time, readership and thoughts.

This week’s scheduled post takes us to Aya Universe – one of Dubai’s hottest new experiences. Opened in December 2022, it promises to be ‘a trip to a beautiful universe’. Whilst I think that’s probably overmarketing it (!), it was a fun experience that was a lot of fun. Here’s what to expect!

What is Aya Universe

Aya Universe is effectively a series of rooms, each with a different theme, that are filled with light, shape, noise and video art installations. It bills itself as interactive, which it is to a degree, but I’d say it’s more immersive than interactive.

It’s made up of 12 different unique ‘worlds’ (basically different rooms and themes) to explore. You can explore them in around 1hr. Overall I really enjoyed the trip as something a bit different but it was a sensory overload and I was glad for some peace and quiet afterwards!

Important Information about Aya Universe

• Aya Universe is located within the Mall at Wafi City. Wafi City is quite cool to visit anyway as it’s all Egyptian themed, with a pyramid shaped shopping mall, Obelisk, various Egyptian themed hotels (e.g. Raffles as a giant pyramid), an Egyptian spa, lots of food choices and of course a Souk. You can even wile away the hours on the ‘lazy river’, hiring a sun bed sitting by the pool. You can easily spend a full day there, with Aya just as a part of the day.
• Aya costs 125 AED (£27) per person (under 3 and People of Determination* are free)
• It takes around 1hr to visit all of the worlds in Aya Universe, probably a bit longer if it’s super busy and/or you have children with you

* People of Determination is the term used across Dubai to refer to what is traditionally labelled ‘disabled’ in the west. You’ll see this on toilets, discounted ticket prices and special mobility entrances/exits. I liked it.

What to see at Aya Universe

Each world offers something a bit different. You start off in the Source which is full of flowers and the large sphere of life. You move through to Harmonia, which is a large room full of mirrors and glitter balls with the lights constantly changing colour.

Then comes Flora, one of my favourite rooms, with a huge tree of lights and shimmering grass. Tides then comes and assaults your sense of reality with huge light tubes to get lost amongst with mirrors reflecting everywhere.

After that it’s on to The Pool, Waterfall and River. The waterfall uses actual water to create a circle of water you can step in to the middle of – the water then lights up to make it a bit trippy!

On to Celestia, which is galaxy themed as the planets whirl around you, followed by Outland which is some sort of ocean themed art.

To finish the visit off came two of my favourite rooms – Luna, filled with huge mirror balls and then Drift where you lie down on the soft grass and watch the art work on the ceiling move and contort in to shapes and colours.

So there you have it – the weird and totally crazy world of Aya. I’d recommend it to anyone looking to do something a little bit different to do in Dubai, though also be prepared for a sensory overload. Thanks for reading – stay safe and happy travelling!

It is a crazy city, like a mega metropolis plonked in the middle of the desert. It’s such a contrast – on the one hand you have traditional, reserved, Emirati culture (but local Emirati’s make up only 11% of the country’s population), and on the other you have mega corporations, glitz, glam and tourists galore (with ex-pats making up a whopping 88% of the population)!

I’ll be honest, it’s hard not to be drawn in by the glitz and glam, and it’s really awe inspiring seeing what’s been built here. It’s fun to see the skyscrapers, get lost in the most ridiculous mall, eat all the delicious food, and enjoy all the OTT madness. Equally, I do think some of that is quite surface level and so it’s also important to find glimpses of tradition, and to embrace some authentic Emirate culture, food and experiences too.

So my recommended itinerary for 2 days in this amazing city try to mix the two a bit. I hope you enjoy it!

Contents

1. Contents
2. Itinerary Day 1: Modern Dubai
   1. Dubai Mall
   2. Souk al Bahar
   3. Dubai Brunch
   4. Burj Khalifa & Park
   5. Dubai Fountain (6pm onwards)
   6. The View at 42 (Shangri-La Hotel)
   7. Optional: Souk Madinat Jumeirah & Burj Al Arab
3. Itinerary Day 2: Traditional Dubai
   1. Grand Bur Dubai Mosque
   2. Al Fahidi Historic Neighbourhood
   3. Al Khayma Heritage Restaurant
   4. Dubai Creek
   5. Jumeirah Mosque
   6. Etihad Museum
   7. Optional: Deira and Dubai Gold Souk
4. Have a little longer?
   1. Dubai Miracle Garden
   2. Aya Universe
   3. Dubai Desert
5. Getting around in Dubai
6. Where to stay in Dubai?

Itinerary Day 1: Modern Dubai

Dubai Mall

Full post: HERE

Where to even start. Dubai Mall is utterly INSANE. In what I can only describe as the most mega of all malls I’ve ever stepped foot in, be prepared to spend at least a few hours here. We actually spent 7 hours inside the mall, and there’s too much to cover here so I’ve written a full guide above.

As a brief overview, you can visit any of the 1,200 shops, go ice skating on a full size ice rink, visit an aquarium, enjoy a huge arcade, see a dinosaur skeleton, taste your way through the food court, visit China Town, drive an F1 car, fly an Emirates plane simulator, get scared in a haunted house, walk an art trail, immerse yourself in VR, and even see an indoor waterfall!

Souk al Bahar

Crossing from the mall, through the park, brings you to a bridge across to Souk al Bahar. Home to shops which are more like very modern traditional souks (i.e. in a glam new building, but stock more traditional wears), you can get better deals and prices here but you need to haggle. I bought some fresh fruit, and haggling over my grapes was part of the fun.

Dubai Brunch

After the mall, it’s time to embrace a modern Dubai tradition; brunch. Normally served from 12pm – 4pm, it’s like a way of life here and around every corner we were offered Vietnamese, Mexican, Italian, Lebanese and Indian brunches. We had a couple of brunches whilst in the city – including Vietnamese at Hoi An, and Chinese at New Shanghai. Both were delicious, and there are lots of options in and around the mall to save you travelling.

Burj Khalifa & Park

From within Dubai Mall, you can visit ‘At the Top’ which enables you to visit the top of Dubai’s iconic Burj Khalifa. If heights aren’t your thing then you can also view it from just outside the mall (follow the signs to the Dubai Fountain) where you get lovely views and can stroll around the parks outside.

Dubai Fountain (6pm onwards)

To round off your day in and around the mall, head out of the Souk and towards Dubai Fountain in the evening. Every 30 minutes from 6pm – 11pm (also at 1pm during the day), the amazing light show goes. It’s different every time as well so even better if you get to see two sittings! It’s really stunning and we had an absolutely amazing time watching it, though it does get busy.

If you want an extra special treat, book an evening table at Amal by Armani Indian restaurant. Situated within the Burj Khalifa in the Armani Hotel is the most delicious Indian with a balcony overlooking the fountain so you can watch the lightshow without the crowds. This was my birthday treat and we had a 3 course awesome meal, plus saw 5 rounds of the light show.

The View at 42 (Shangri-La Hotel)

Full review: HERE

We stayed at the Shangri-La, but whether you choose to stay there or not, you can finish off your modern Dubai day with a treat – one of the best views in the whole city! It’s a short taxi ride from the Mall area and well worth it to look out to the Burj Khalifa and all the sprawling roads laid out in front of it by night. Magic.

Optional: Souk Madinat Jumeirah & Burj Al Arab

If you don’t think you’re going to need as much time as we did in the Dubai Mall area, then I recommend starting your day in the wonderful area of Souk Madinat and Burj Al Arab (around a 15 minute drive from the Mall). This area is really beautiful to stroll around with lots of little shops, pretty buildings and views. You could also choose to take an Abra boat ride on the water for something extra special.

Itinerary Day 2: Traditional Dubai

Grand Bur Dubai Mosque

I always think it’s important to understand more about what we don’t live every day, and it was important to me coming to Dubai to understand more about Islam. I’ve done mosque tours in the UK before, but also wanted to visit and learn more here too. We therefore went on the 9-10am tour at Grand Bur Mosque.

I was given an Abaya to wear, and we were given an ablution demonstration, a tour of the Mosque’s interior, a demonstration of the call to prayer and taken through the core beliefs of Islam. The mosque was beautiful inside, though of course I didn’t take any photos as that wasn’t appropriate.

Al Fahidi Historic Neighbourhood

This was one of my favourite parts about visiting Dubai. Just a short walk from the Mosque, and miles away from modern Dubai is the old town area, home to traditional cafes, tea rooms, art galleries and even a traditional Emirati house to visit. We happily spent 2 hours wandering around and going in all the little shops and winding mazes of lanes.

Al Khayma Heritage Restaurant

After a morning exploring, it was time to refuel, and where better than in a traditional Emirati restaurant. There are plenty in the area and we settled on Al Khayma, which was absolutely delicious! The food was insane. So insane it went straight in my mouth and I forgot to take any photos which is always the best compliment I can give a meal!

Dubai Creek

The creek forms a natural port, and actually stretches for around 15km, weaving through modern Dubai as a reminder of its past in the fishing and pearl industries. It’s hard to believe that just 50 years ago, barely any of the city we see today was here – rather it was mainly desert with smaller dwellings. Its change over the course of the last few decades has been incredible, and has to be admired. Today the creek is still busy, and offers boat tours across to Deira and its gold souks, or inland all the way to the Burj.

Jumeirah Mosque

From the creek we headed to the Etihad Museum, but first stopped at Jumierah Mosque (just a short walk from the museum) to see it from the outside. It’s truly beautiful.

Etihad Museum

To round off our day of learning and experiencing something new, we headed to the Etihad Museum. Etihad in Arabic means ‘United’, which made me chuckle as it means Manchester City play in a shirt with ‘United’ written right across the front – how ironic.

Anyways, to the museum. The museum is underground, with a huge futuristic glass atrium on top. It is effectively paying homage to the 7 leaders of the various Emirates who came together in the 1970s, post the British colonial powers withdrawing from the area, to form one country. The same 7 Emirates still exist today, all with their own leaders – though unified with the ruler of Abu Dhabi as the main leader of the UAE. The museum was unsurprisingly very positive about its leaders and it felt a bit like a shrine, though we did learn quite a bit we hadn’t previously appreciated about this region’s rich and complex history.

Optional: Deira and Dubai Gold Souk

If the mosque tour or museum aren’t for you in Day 2’s itinerary, then make sure that instead you cross Dubai Creek to visit Deira and the Gold Souk, as it’s another beautiful historic area in the city.

We’d planned to include this, and hop on a traditional Abra boat to cross the Creek to the gold souk but we actually ran out of time (not helped by my husband damaging his foot the day before so we were on a slow to hobbling pace).

Have a little longer?

If you have longer in Dubai, there are lots of other amazing things to do, and you could easily spend another few days in the city exploring.

Dubai Miracle Garden

Full Post: HERE

Dubai Miracle Garden is true madness. Open only during winter, it’s an amazing flower attraction, including everything from Disney castles to aeroplanes to Smurf villages. A visit will take around 2 – 3 hours.

Aya Universe

Full Post: HERE

Another unique Dubai experience is to visit Aya, an interactive light art installation which is a bit mind bogglingly fun.

Dubai Desert

Dubai is a city literally built in the middle of the desert, and only a short 30-45 minutes drive out will find you amongst the sand dunes. We had a desert evening meal one night to watch the sunset and it was really beautiful. You could also go dune buggying, camel riding or sand boarding – take your pick!

Getting around in Dubai

Dubai is not a walkable city. Google maps might say 1.4km but it’s normally along a 6 way highway. The roads and traffic are busy and I really don’t recommend walking anywhere unless places are literally next door.

The main attractions (e.g. Mall, Historic District, Miracle Garden, Jumeirah Beach etc) are nowhere near each other (like 40 minute drives in some cases), so you will be dependent on transport.

There is a metro but it runs to limited stops, though the Mall is one (assuming your hotel is anywhere near). Unfortunately it means taxis are the way forward in Dubai – we used Uber during our stay with no issues. They are fairly good value, safe and reliable here.

Where to stay in Dubai?

We stayed in the absolutely amazing Shangri-La Dubai (post coming soon). It was a full on dose of mega-metropolis sensory overload with everything on offer from Vietnamese Brunch to floating breakfasts and epic rooftop views across the city.

If you want something more traditional, Al Seef Heritage Hotel looks amazing. If you’re all about the beach you might prefer to base yourself at Jumeirah in a hotel like the Mandarin Oriental, and if you want ultimate bragging rights for the most luxurious postcode in town you could stay on The Palm Jumeirah and splash on somewhere like Atlantis The Palm (you could even get your own underwater suite in an aquarium for a mere £5k a night -ha!). Finally, if you want to escape the hustle and bustle of the city completely, you could stay in the Dubai Desert – the epitome of luxury is Al Maha, or you could go for the (only slightly) less pricy option Bab Al Shams.

So, what do you think of Dubai? Thanks so much for reading and I hope you enjoyed it – stay safe and happy travelling!

Contents

1. Contents
2. What is The Old Operating Theatre & Herb Garret?
3. Visitor Information
4. What to see at The Old Operating Theatre Museum
   1. Herb Garret Apothecary
   2. Apothecary Demonstration
   3. Life at the Hospital exhibits
   4. Surgery
   5. The Operating Theatre
5. Other things to do nearby
   1. Southwark
   2. South Bank

What is The Old Operating Theatre & Herb Garret?

The Old Operating Theatre is the oldest surviving operating theatre in Europe, and predates times of antiseptic and anaesthesia. It was once part of St Thomas’ Hospital, which dates back to 1215 and was founded in the Southwark area of London. Today only a small tower of the hospital is preserved in Southwark, as the hospital was badly damaged during WW2 and rebuilt on a bigger site in a different area of London. The operating theatre is of course no longer used, and the tower opened as a museum in 1962.

A Garret is a name for an attic, and the Herb Garret was effectively an apothecary in the attic room of the surviving tower during its time as a hospital. It stored all the herbs, remedies and ointments of the times, and was just a short corridor away from the operating theatre. Again, this is now converted to be part of the museum.

Visitor Information

Museum Opening Times: 10:30am – 5pm (Thursday to Sunday, closed Monday to Wednesday). Last admission 4.15pm.

Entrance Fee:

• Adult: £10
• Concessions including students: £7.00
• Child 6-16 years: £5.50, under 6 free
• Family (2 adults, 2 children): £20.00, additional child, £1 each

I know, I know, it’s my bug bear. But as you’ll see the definition of what a family is is yet again beneficial to those who fit the stereotypical mould of 2 adults 2 children. Drives me nuts that those with only one child pay more than, and 2 adults pay the same as, a family of four – as both are defined as less of a ‘family’.

Accessibility: The only entry and exit to the museum is up a 52 stair steep spiral staircase. It is controlled via a traffic light system which flashes green if it’s safe to start climbing, and red if someone else is on the stairs to mean do not enter.

The Museum is in the attic space of a 320-year-old church and it is a Grade 2* listed building, meaning even once in the Museum, the space has uneven surfaces.

Time Needed: Probably about 45 minutes, I spent 1hr on my visit.

What to see at The Old Operating Theatre Museum

Now. This museum is so special I’ll even forgive it it’s dodgy definition of a family.

Herb Garret Apothecary

Entering through the small ticket desk and shop, and you’re straight in to the attic room of the Herb Garret Apothecary.

The daily care of the Hospital patients was the responsibility of the apothecary. Throughout most of the 1700s, the apothecary lived and worked here and he was not even allowed to marry. The apothecary’s main role was to produce herbal remedies, poultices or potions as prescribed by a physician. As physicians were expensive many people visited an apothecary shop (a bit like a modern day chemist) to seek a treatment and to purchase medicines.

Apothecary Demonstration

Behind the counter, volunteer members of staff give demonstrations – making poultices and demonstrating things of the times. I stopped by to hear the session about leeches, which was very interesting as they were used to cure everything back in the day! I think she said they used to get through 60,000 leeches a week!!! They’re still used widely in reconstructive surgery today!

Life at the Hospital exhibits

It’s here you really start to be glad you were born in the modern age. Life in the Hospital was grim. Patients here were generally the working poor and the Hospital maintained its ancient policy to exclude anyone classed as “incurable”: those with a contagious disease, a mental or terminal illness were refused admission on the basis that their condition may pose as a potential threat to others. This also included pregnancy.

In Victorian times, married women who hadn’t had a baby were classed as ‘hysterical’ rather than being infertile, and were treated with a Macaura Blood Circulator that brought them to orgasm to cure them of their ‘hysterical’ ailments. I had to laugh as that’s probably preferable to my experience of infertility treatment and I imagine cost a lot less too!!

The Hospital treated a limited number of ailments, but one in which is specialised was syphilis. In the 17/1800s, around 1 in 5 patients were diagnosed with it and were treated with a long and painful experience that lasted up to eight weeks to complete. It would involve a mercurial ointment being rubbed into the patients’ body which would eventually cause them to spit up a thick, putrid substance, as much as three pints a day. Lurvely.

Surgery

I feel sick even thinking about the implements. Before the arrival of anaesthetic, all operations had to be very quick which limited surgeons to only a few procedures, such as amputations. Even if a patient survived the initial shock of limb removal and didn’t bleed to death on the operating table, they were at risk of later dying from infection.

Before the 1860s, there was no understanding about how germs spread, so as a result surgeons did not make an effort to keep themselves, their instruments or the operating theatre clean. Most surgeons washed their hands after the operation rather than before. They also would wear frock coats or aprons that were covered in dried blood from previous operations to show their experience. Needless to say a lot of people died.

The Operating Theatre

This was the female operating theatre of St Thomas’ Hospital, used for major surgery between 1822 – 1862. The layout of the room is typical of operating theatres of that age, with circular seats all around for viewings (hence the term ‘theatres’). The stands would generally accommodate up to 150 male medical students crowded into the space to observe operations being performed. 

Operations took place once a week on a Friday between 12-1pm only and this operating theatre pre-dates knowledge of germs, antiseptic or anaesthetic. There is no running water here and although there is a box to collect blood under the table, much of the blood would have spilled onto the floor.  Unwashed bandages, unsterilized instruments and lack of protective clothing further increased the risks.

No anaesthetic meant no pain relief. In fact, even alcohol was given after surgery and not before. One of the tasks for the surgeon’s assistants would have been to hold the conscious patient down. 

Truly, If I were born in a different era I’d be long dead (probably from being hooked up to that Macaura Blood Circulator permanently for 10 years – HA!) and I’m incredibly grateful to have the modern medicine we do today!

Other things to do nearby

Southwark

Full Area Guide: HERE

There’s lots to do in Southwark, including Borough Market, The Shard, Southwark Cathedral and The Tate Modern. It’s easy to spend a day in the area and include The Old Operating Theatre Museum in your plans.

South Bank

Full Area Guide: HERE

Also close by is the wonderful South Bank, home to some of my favourite attractions in London including The Imperial War Museum and Garden Museum, plus well known attractions like The London Eye.

So there we have it, what did you think of The Old Operating Theatre and Herb Garret? I absolutely love this museum, and it’s definitely in my top 10 London hidden gems. Thanks for reading – stay safe and happy travelling!

Contents

1. Contents
2. Where is South Bank?
3. Things to do on London’s South Bank
   1. Imperial War Museum
   2. The Garden Museum
   3. The London Eye
   4. Lambeth Palace
   5. The Queen’s Walkway
   6. Witness for the Prosecution at County Hall
   7. Thames River Cruise
   8. Florence Nightingale Museum
   9. Graffiti Tunnel (Leake Street)
   10. South Bank Centre
   11. Other
4. Where to stay on London’s South Bank
5. More Information

Where is South Bank?

The South Bank refers to the area that runs along the south bank of the River Thames between Lambeth and Blackfriars Bridge. It’s home to one of London’s major rail stations, Waterloo, and you can also use other Tube and Overground stations – such as Blackfriars, Southwark and Lambeth North – to visit the area.

The area has so much to offer, and includes lots of well known London landmarks, including The London Eye and Imperial War Museum, as well as a few more off the beaten track options.

Please note, some people often refer to ‘The South Bank’ as anything south of the River Thames, meaning they include attractions in Southwark too – the two are perfect to combine for a long weekend.

Things to do on London’s South Bank

Imperial War Museum

My absolute favourite thing to do in the area is the Imperial War Museum. You could easily spend a whole day here (in fact, I’ve spent 3 whole days here) as there are really detailed exhibits on WW1 and WW2. There is also a Holocaust Gallery, an Extraordinary Heroes Gallery, and an exhibition on post war Peace and Security. There have also been temporary galleries, for example on the Afghanistan War, Iraq War and I’m sure at some point there will be a gallery on the current wars facing our world.

It’s a sobering experience to visit this museum, but it’s done beautifully and well worth at least a few hours of your time.

The Garden Museum

From one of the most well known of my favourite London locations, to my absolute favourite hidden gem in the whole city. Wow – this little museum packs a punch. You can easily spend an hour here, exploring the museum within the church – and the highlight is definitely a climb up the church tower for magnificent views out over The Thames.

The London Eye

The London Eye is undoubtedly a bit of a tourist trap; expect to queue for at least 30 minutes even with an advanced purchase ticket with the time you book for your time to join the queue, not to ride The Eye. However regardless, it’s undoubtedly beautiful and a unique experience when in London.

If you do want to save the money (The London Eye costs between £17-30 depending on ticket type, under 4s go free), then in my opinion the view from the tower of the Garden Museum above is just as lovely, and you’ll have it all to yourself, not packed in to a viewing pod!

Lambeth Palace

Another special location on the South Bank is the Archbishop of Canterbury’s London residence, Lambeth Palace – which is one of the oldest buildings in London and is open for tours on certain days of the week. Inside you can visit the Tower, Crypt, Great Hall and even Cramner’s study – where Thomas Cramner plotted during the reign of King Henry VIII. In the grounds of Lambeth Palace you will also find Lambeth Palace Library, which houses the largest religious collection outside of the Vatican.

The Queen’s Walkway

The Queen’s walkway is a walking route which runs alongside the Thames river’s south bank. It is absolutely stunning and my favourite route to walk in London. It runs all the way from Tower Bridge round to Lambeth Palace, so join the walk at any point to suit you, stopping off along the way at any attractions that take your fancy. I particularly love the section between Westminster Bridge and Lambeth Bridge for its views of the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben.

Strolling along the river

Witness for the Prosecution at County Hall

Another unique thing to do on the South Bank is to watch a special play called Witness for the Prosecution. It’s a detective play, but is performed in a real life court house – so you effectively act as the jury and make up your own mind on the character’s guilt, before all is revealed. It’s so brilliant; I went with one of my closest friends earlier this year and we had the absolute best evening.

Thames River Cruise

Taking to the water is well worth it when in London, and there are many boat trip departure points along the South Bank. You could combine your ticket with the London Eye to get a reduced rate, or try to find a less touristy option. You could even go for a lunch time cruise, or a dinner, drinks and sunset cruise which makes for a special evening out.

Florence Nightingale Museum

Another really interesting spot on the South Bank is the Florence Nightingale Museum, telling the story of her life and work. She was the founder of modern nursing and is a Victorian female icon transcending her own life time.

The Museum takes us through her childhood, how she fought against her parent’s wishes, nursed injured soldiers during the Crimean War and how she campaigned for better healthcare for ordinary people. You can even see the actual lamp she carried to become known as The Lady with the Lamp. Plus did you know she owned over 60 cats during her life and had a pet owl called Athena? Nope – me neither.

Graffiti Tunnel (Leake Street)

The graffiti tunnel on Leake Street is cool for a little stroll through. It’s just another off the beaten track kind of cool place to explore which most tourists aren’t aware of.

South Bank Centre

The South Bank Centre is a really unique venue, being Europe’s largest centre for the arts – home to the Royal Festival Hall, Queen Elizabeth Hall, Purcell Room, Hayward Gallery, National Poetry Library and Arts Council Collection. Come here to just have lunch in the lovely café and soak it all in, head to the rooftop garden, or come to watch the National Orchestra perform – whatever takes your fancy.

Other

There are also a number of other things to do on the South Bank which I haven’t yet explored that you might be interested in, including:

• Sealife Aquarium
• Shrek’s Adventures
• National Theatre
• Old/Young Vic
• BFI iMax Cinema

Where to stay on London’s South Bank

The South Bank is my favourite area of London in which to stay, and for me there’s only one choice – the wonderful Sea Containers.

I love this hotel because the rooms are bright and modern, the bar is lovely, and nothing beats waking up to a sunrise out over the River Thames with the dome of St Paul’s Cathedral glowing in the morning light from across the river.

More Information

• Looking for a longer stay in London: London Itinerary Guide.
• Wanting more London area guides:
  • Full Neighbourhood Guide (post coming soon)
  • Shoreditch
  • Greenwich
  • Bloomsbury & Kings Cross
  • Southwark

So what do you think of the South Bank? Hopefully this post gives you some incentive to spend a bit more time on the South Bank though! Stay safe and happy travelling.

This post is actually going to mark the start of a series coming up over the next few months where I publish my London area guides, which will continue to grow as I explore more of the capital – and I’ve created a dedicated ‘London’ section on the blog especially to house them.

Contents

1. Contents
2. Things to do in Shoreditch
   1. Colombia Road Flower Market
   2. Spitalfields Market
   3. Brick Lane, Beigel Bake & Upmarket
   4. Shoreditch Street Art
   5. Dishoom
   6. Japanese Brunch
   7. Hijingo Bingo
   8. Junkyard Golf
   9. Brushfield Street Elephants
   10. Gloria
3. How to get to Shoreditch
4. Where to stay in Shoreditch
5. More Information

Things to do in Shoreditch

Getting off the train and walking to our hotel, we instantly felt out of place. This place is WAAAY too cool for us – we passed people in full length leather jackets, someone in all red with a feather boa round their neck and someone walking a goat on one side and a pig on the other. Shoreditch is a reflection of its roots in London’s East End. Over the years it’s been well and truly gentrified meaning you now have a mix of expensive developments, luxury hotels and shops, but with a DNA of amazing markets, diversity and individualism. I really liked its unique character.

After recovering from the goat/pig walking, we had a wonderful 36 hours hours exploring this little piece of London and here’s my guide of the best things we found to see and do.

Colombia Road Flower Market

Every Sunday from 8am-2pm, London’s famous flower market hits the streets of Shoreditch. Set against a background of loud London market calling and street musicians, the market is full of gorgeous flowers and plants, lots of lovely little shops/coffee spots and cute arts and crafts galleries. It’s also REALLY good value, so if you’re relatively local it’s definitely worth stocking up – I came home with some lovely winter peonies.

Spitalfields Market

Spitalfields Market is a special place. Lying in the heart of the East End, it initially started as a market on the outskirts of the city in the 1600s. Due to its popularity, more and more people moved nearby and this area of London grew. Today the market is home to independent stores selling everything from books, to clothes, to food, to coffee, to knit wear and lamps. It’s a great place to stroll around for an hour or two, and enjoy breakfast or lunch.

Brick Lane, Beigel Bake & Upmarket

Brick Lane is probably one of the most famous streets in London. The heart of London’s Bangladeshi community, the street signs are in English and Bengali, and the area’s curry houses are truly unbeatable.

The area is also one of London’s true foodie hotspots. Whilst the curries are a highlight, it’s also known for its bagels, with Beigel Bake being the most famous of the Brick Lane bagel offerings. Also along Brick Lane is the incredible Upmarket, a food hall with independent food stalls serving everything from Singaporean, to Korean, Brazilian, Japanese, Chinese, Bao Buns, Mexican, Empanadas and much more. You’ll need to spend at least a few hours here to sample it all!

Shoreditch Street Art

Shoreditch is one of the best areas of London for street art. Where else would you find a glorious mural with tables laid up for public, drop in games of chess?! The best areas to find the street art are King John Court, along Brick Lane and New Inn Yard.

Dishoom

One of my favourite food choices in Shoreditch is Dishoom. Dishoom is now very well known with branches all over London, but it still retains its quality. Based on the Iranian cafes of the 1900s in Bombay, the menu mixes Indian and Middle Eastern cuisine and it’s delicious. For something a little different, the breakfast naans are yum.

Japanese Brunch

A totally unique experience, Nobu (the hotel in which we stayed), in the heart of Shoreditch offers an all you can eat Japanese brunch. As my husband is crazy about sushi I knew we had to try it. It was SO good – the sushi, salads, main meals, miso, edamame, tacos, deserts – everything was just delicious. We spent 2 hours eating, and my favourite dishes (as a non sushi lover) were the veggie tacos, chicken teriyaki and banoffee pie.

Hijingo Bingo

I dislike Bingo. My husband loves a bit of Bingo. So begrudgingly I was dragged in to this Bingo Hall, with my husband promising there was a cocktail bar and the prizes included a European weekend away. Well…I had the BEST time. It’s like Bingo as you’ve never seen it, with multi-sensory live entertainment including lights, live music, a cocktail bar, good food, and awesome prizes. I didn’t win the European holiday but I was converted to a bit of fun Bingo.

Junkyard Golf

Another fun thing to do whilst in Shoreditch, Junkyard Golf is a crazy golf spot offering 4 unique courses to play. We played ‘Gary’ – an all out assault on the senses in a disco setting, and ‘Bozo’ – a circus themed course. Junkyard Golf is set up to be social, with a large bar and bars on the courses too with places to sit as you go round. We found it just a bit *too* busy and drunk people on a crazy golf course annoyed me. On the plus side, I won and got a hole in one!

Brushfield Street Elephants

The three elephant sculptures on Brushfield Street are so cute and really beautifully done. Make sure you include them on your Shoreditch itinerary for a few photos!

Gloria

Another awesome Shoreditch restaurant, Gloria is famous for its authentic Italian food. We both had pasta for main course, and then had the world famous Lemon Pie for dessert with its 6 inch meringue!

How to get to Shoreditch

Shoreditch is easily reachable from Central London and is about a 30 minute walk north from The City of London (the area of London which is home to The Tower of London).

The closest rail station is Shoreditch High Street, which is on the East London Line. Alternatively, Liverpool Street Station is just across the road, served by the Central, Elizabeth, Circle, Hammersmith & City and Metropolitan tube lines.

Liverpool Street is also easy to get to if you’re coming from outside of London. There are direct trains to/from Cambridge, Reading, Heathrow Airport, Stansted Airport and across town from London Paddington.

Where to stay in Shoreditch

Shoreditch has so many hotels to choose from. We chose Nobu, which was a great option for location and food. The rooms were quite dark though, and I think overpriced for what they were (you can read my full review HERE).

Other high end options include The Mondrian and Montcalm East. If you’re looking for a more budget friendly stays, hotels in the area with good reviews include Z Shoreditch, Hart Shoreditch or the local Travelodge or Premier Inn.

More Information

• Looking for a longer stay in London: London Itinerary Guide.
• Wanting more London area guides (posts coming soon where not linked):
  • Full Neighbourhood Guide
  • Greenwich
  • South Bank
  • Bloomsbury & Kings Cross
  • Southwark
  • The City

You are forgiven for thinking that all we did all weekend was eat and drink – because that’s exactly how we spent our time in Shoreditch – and I don’t regret a second. Shoreditch wasn’t my favourite area of London, but if you’re in to food variety and markets, it’s definitely an area for you. I’m so glad to have visited, and now need to pick the London area for 2025!

Stay safe and happy travelling!

Now, I am going to preface this review with moan. We stayed in a lovely room, BUT it was the room type below the one I had booked and paid for in advance. They provided no compensation or refund, and when I emailed to follow up with the central reservations team after my weekend stay, they replied trying to convince me that I had in fact been upgraded (and offering a free breakfast on my next stay by way of apology).

I know that is really not a big problem, but it’s still not great behaviour/service from a 5* hotel. OK moan over, the rest was wonderful.

Location

Nobu is located in the heart of Shoreditch, one of London’s coolest areas. The hotel is in walking distance of a whole host of incredible restaurants, including Dishoom and Gloria. It’s also close to the famous Brick Lane and Spitalfields Market, as well as Colombia Road Flower Market which runs on Sundays.

It’s also easy to reach from central London, being around a 30 minute walk from The City, and on lots of tube/train/bus routes from across town.

Accommodation

The room was large and spacious with a nice big comfy bed, table and 2 chairs and a small sofa area, as well as a huge TV unit at the end of the bed. It was very clean and nicely finished with nice Japanese touches such as a tea set provided in the room.

As a small point, one of our water bottles had a broken seal and was half empty on arrival which meant we didn’t drink it just in case, though of course not the end of the world.

The bathroom was modern and clean, with a nice powerful shower over a bathtub. The bath was so hard to get out of though as the side was so wide and the bath so deep I had to straddle it like a sumo wrestler and risk it all to a painful slip!

The room was also quite dark. The room looked out on to a street and had 2 layers of sliding wooden shutters. The first against the window was a blackout wooden blind that slid across acting as the curtains. However, the second (in front of the first) was immovable slats covering 2/3rds of the window. The slats block the natural light at all times as you can see in the picture below, and on a dark wintry day it probably felt even worse.

The room was absolutely lovely, please don’t get me wrong. It’s a beautiful hotel. However for the price paid, compared to other 5* hotels I’ve stayed in, it didn’t make it to the top of my list of accommodation recommendations.

Food & Drink

Now, this is where Nobu is special. The food was AMAZING. Nobu as a chain was created by a Japanese chef based in America, and as a result its menu is largely Japanese, with a bit of a South American twist.

Whilst it does serve variety at breakfast, the highlight of staying at Nobu is the weekend Japanese Brunch on offer. All you can eat absolute deliciousness of sushi, curries, salads, rice, tacos, and lots of other treats including a huge dessert buffet with banoffee pie, cheesecake, brownies and pavlovas – heaven.

Even though I didn’t *love* the accommodation (for a 5* hotel), the brunch alone means I would still consider coming back and it was so worth experiencing.

Amenities & Experiences

Aside from the incredible bar and restaurant mentioned above, Nobu also offers a really nice café area to sit and relax just by reception with a tea, coffee or drink. Try a miso brownie to go with it and you’ve got yourself a great start to the day!

Nobu also offers a highly rated spa with a range of treatments, making it the perfect destination for a pamper weekend in the capital if you want to splash out. For once I didn’t actually use the spa, as the prices weren’t justifiable. For hubs and I to have a massage would have cost us £300 for the shorter version and over £400 for the longer option which seemed totally extortionate!!

Nobu doesn’t offer a concierge, or any experiences outside of the hotel. The hotel is uniquely designed and I really liked how modern it looked, but it definitely lacks outdoor space (though I suppose to be expected from a city centre hotel). I found there wasn’t a lot to do in the hotel other than to sit and eat/drink, which isn’t all bad of course!

So what did you think of Nobu? It was a beautiful hotel, but I don’t think it provided value for money. I’ve been disappointed recently with hotels in London – I know they charge a premium for location, but I’ve still been underwhelmed. Undoubtedly Sea Containers remains my ‘go to’ in the capital that I’d return to time and time again. Stay safe and happy travelling!