Alas, it was such disgusting weather, it was more like doing my best not to slip in the rain whilst looking like a windswept mess. The villa was still beautiful though, so here’s everything you need to know about it’s history, gardens and how to get there.

How to get to Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild from Nice

What a faff this was. We took the train from Nice Ville station to Beaulieu-sur-mer, a mere 10 minute ride away. Google Maps told us it was then a nice 30 minute stroll round the water to get to the Villa. It was indeed a 30 minute stroll, but not a nice one. The weather was awful and twice we got completely soaked by the waves which were strong in the wind!

In hindsight, I wish we had taken the bus direct (green line 15 leaves from Beaulieu train station direct to the villa regularly and takes only 5 minutes).

Story of the Villa

The villa was built between 1907 and 1912, commissioned by Béatrice de Rothschild. Béatrice was born in Paris, and was the daughter of the famous banker, Alphonse James de Rothschild.

At age 19 Béatrice married Maurice Ephrussi, 15 years her senior and clearly a right wrong ‘un. Béatrice was very eligible, she was beautiful and mega rich, and this fool treated her horrendously. Not only did he lose lots of her money gambling and constantly need bailing out, even worse he gave her syphilis which nearly killed her and rendered her unable to have children, meaning she never became a mother.

Thankfully she divorced him in 1904, just before her father died, meaning she inherited all his wealth and didn’t have to share it with Maurice. Instead she built this house – possibly the biggest ‘f*$% you’ in divorce history! I decided I quite liked her.

Béatrice wanted the house to showcase her art collection, her extensive array of porcelain, and even have special rooms for her pet dogs. The décor was beautifully done inside, and also highlighted an array of antiques and special pieces of furniture Béatrice had collected on her travels.

As well as a plush interior, Béatrice wanted to create extensive gardens reflecting her love of travel. As such, the villa is surrounded by nine gardens, each on a different theme: French, Spanish, Japanese, Florentine, Exotic, Provencal, and a stone and rose garden.

The overall plot is also designed to almost sit like a ship sailing out to the sea, with the gardens narrowing to an end at the edge of the cliff overlooking the sea in the same way a boat’s helm does. This is to mimic her time on a cruise ship which she loved.

Béatrice died in 1934 and left the villa to the Institut de France. It’s now open for visitors to tour the villa and gardens, as well as for lunch in the lovely restaurant.

Important Information

• Villa & Gardens Opening Times: 10am – 6pm daily, 365 days a year (9am – 7pm July and August, 2 – 6pm Nov – Jan).
• Tea Room Opening Times: 12 – 3pm for lunch, 3 – 5.30pm for tea.
• Price: €17 (full adult rate), €12 (children 7 to 18 years old, students <25years old), €48 (family pass for 2 adults and 2 children aged 7-18 years old), Free (children -7years old and disabled visitors).
• Purchasing Tickets: You can buy tickets at the site. If you’re visiting in peak season consider booking online in advance, but please note tickets can’t be collected from the Villa, you must print them off and bring them with you.

So there you have it, what did you think of the Villa and Gardens? We thought it was beautiful, we just could have done without the rain!! Stay safe and happy travelling!

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!

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!

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!

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!

Contents

1. Contents
2. How to get to Sommarøy
3. Things to do in Sommarøy
   1. The Views from Ørnfløya
   2. Visit Sommarøy’s Beaches
   3. Enjoy the Aurora Camps
4. Other Important Information about Sommarøy in winter
5. Where to stay in Sommarøy

How to get to Sommarøy

Sommarøy is just a short drive from Tromsø, the entry city to this wonderful island. You can hire a car from the airport in Tromsø and arrive here in just over 1 hour. Alternatively, you could book transport with a local driver or tour company if you’re not confident driving yourselves in the snow.

The drive between Tromsø and Sommarøy is fairly straight forward as the roads are well maintained and kept relatively clear. That said, it is still important to be mindful when driving in winter and a 4×4 might be a good choice.

The drive is incredibly scenic, and Mum and Dad even saw a reindeer at the side of the road!

Things to do in Sommarøy

The Views from Ørnfløya

One of the most magical spots on the island is at the top of Ørnfløya. Hiking up is a common thing to do in winter and Mum and Dad completed the hike independently, having been provided with snow spikes by their hotel. The hike does require a level of capability, given that it’s quite strenuous and at times depends on ropes to get up (and down). For Mum and Dad they didn’t quite make it to the top, but the views were stunning nevertheless.

Visit Sommarøy’s Beaches

The beaches of Sommarøy are absolutely gorgeous. There are lots of them all around the island’s perimeters which you can drive around to enjoy.

Enjoy the Aurora Camps

Sommarøy has lots of places to watch the Northern Lights, and they have camps where you can drop in for coffee, tea, biscuits and soup in little wooden huts with seats and tables draped in blankets and flags. You can then nip in and out to watch the lights.

Other Important Information about Sommarøy in winter

Sommarøy’s winters are no doubt beautiful, but the sun never truly rises meaning it’s also incredibly cold. Be prepared for temperatures well below 0, meaning base layers, thermals, big coats and spikes and poles for walking. The short days also mean there’s not a whole lot of time to fit things in, so make sure you’re only planning one big thing per day.

The roads are well maintained in winter, and largely cleared of snow, but it’s still important to be careful when driving. It’s definitely recommended to hire a 4×4 during the winter months for additional safety.

Where to stay in Sommarøy

Mum and Dad chose to stay in the 4-star Sommarøy Arctic Hotel. It features a number of guest rooms and suites in the main hotel building, as well as individual cabins on the seafront. It’s a peaceful hotel, with lots of views out to the sea, as well as a lovely onsite sauna which can be used for free, and the option for dips in the local freezing fjord!

What do you think of Sommarøy? To me it’s so beautiful and well worth seeing in winter, but you do have to be prepared to be completely freezing the entire time! I hope you enjoyed my Mum and Dad’s posts from Norway – stay safe and happy travelling!

It proved to be so much colder than England, that actually returning to England felt like the warmth they needed so I suppose the logic worked somehow. Whilst in Tromsø, they had lots of adventures and I’ve used their photos and experience to pull together a perfect 3 day itinerary for a magical winter break to best enjoy the magic of the city.

Let’s go!

Contents

1. Contents
2. What you need to know about Tromsø
   1. How to get to Tromsø
   2. Language, Currency & Time Difference
   3. Temperature in Tromsø in winter
   4. Light in Tromsø in winter
3. A Perfect 2 day Itinerary
   1. Day 1: Polar Fjord Cruise, Cable Car
      1. Polar Fjord Cruise
      2. Fjellheisen Cable Car
   2. Day 2: Dog Sledding, Polar Museum, Northern Lights Tour
      1. Dog sledding
      2. Polar Museum
      3. Northern Lights Tour
   3. Day 3: Tromsø Town, Reindeer Ride
      1. Tromsø Town
      2. Reindeer Ride
4. Have a little Longer?
   1. Snowmobiling
   2. Other Boat Cruises: Whale Watching, Northern Lights Catamaran Cruise
   3. Sommarøy

What you need to know about Tromsø

How to get to Tromsø

The easiest way to get to Tromsø is by air, with direct flights from London Gatwick, and lots of connecting options via Oslo and Bergen, two of Norways’ main travel hubs. You could also combine Tromsø with a longer Norway visit, and connect in via train or boat from other northern Norweigan towns and cities.

Language, Currency & Time Difference

The national language is Norweigan, but English is very widely spoken. Currency is the Norweigan Kroner (not the Euro), and the time difference to the UK is +1hr.

Temperature in Tromsø in winter

January is the coldest month of the year, and temperatures can dip to -14 °C (7 °F), however the daily average temperature in Tromsø during winter are relatively ‘mild’ for its location and ranges from -5°C up to 0°C. You will definitely need to pack warm clothes including base layers, thermal everything and very strong and sturdy gloves. Many tour companies provide the outer suits, but you need to make sure you’re well protected underneath.

Tromsø’s location is very favourable for snowfall, which is quite frequent during the winter months. The highest depth of snow is usually seen in April and in April 2019, the snow reached an impressive height of 150 cm (60 inches), while in April 1997 it reached a staggering 240 cm (95 inches).

Light in Tromsø in winter

During the winter in Tromsø, nights are long. Sunrise is around 9-10am, and sunset is around 2-3pm. It means there aren’t many hours of light in the day (and even during day time the sun never rises fully and properly), and you have to factor that in to your plans. That said, the permanently rising or setting sun during daylight hours creates gorgeous colours in the sky.

A Perfect 2 day Itinerary

Day 1: Polar Fjord Cruise, Cable Car

Polar Fjord Cruise

Start your time off in Tromsø with a cruise on the fjords. They are truly beautiful in winter with the sky lighting up all kinds of colours in the low morning and evening light. Mum and Dad sailed with Capella, who offer a variety of cruises, and chose the Polar Fjord & Fishing Cruise option (they didn’t catch anything!) which lasted from around 10am-3pm.

On the cruise they saw a sea eagle and a moose, and were served a home made salmon soup by chef Thomas, as well as having free coffee tea and biscuits all day. Also along the way they passed old tunnels in the mountains leading to hidden storage areas used during WW2!

It was so cold on the cruise that it was hard to take photos, and they had to really layer up – but the views were beautiful and they loved the experience, being one of their favourite things to have done in Tromsø.

Fjellheisen Cable Car

To finish off the day, head up the cable car for amazing views out across Tromsø. It’s so beautiful, especially with all the twinkly lights below. There is also a nice little restaurant at the top to stop and enjoy some food or drink.

Day 2: Dog Sledding, Polar Museum, Northern Lights Tour

Dog sledding

This morning, start the day with another unique experience – husky sledding. This was again one of Mum and Dad’s favourites of their stay, being picked up from their hotel and taken around 30 minutes outside of the city to Tromsø Villmarksenter, home of the Arctic huskies.

They went on a sleigh with Sarah (the drivers of the sleighs are known as ‘mushers’), pulled by 10 dogs. Each litter of dogs is named after a film or books and Mum and Dad’s were Game of Thrones themed and called things like Stark and Drogo! I love that the dogs even get little boots to protect their paws.

The rides are super fast as the dogs are used to racing and can easily run over 500km in competitions. The route was beautiful and scenic with a permanent sunrise on the horizon. You also get to go to the kennels and meet the huskies, as well as receiving hot drinks and some cake around a firepit. A truly magical winter experience.

Polar Museum

After arriving back in Tromsø for around 1pm, there is time to spend the afternoon exploring the Polar Museum, which is well worth it to learn more about the area. The museum covers so much history, including trapping seals, polar bears, Polar expeditions and so on (the favourite item was the ancient chess set). There is also a lovely little shop on site, and it was a nice place to warm up from the cold for an hour or two.

Northern Lights Tour

To finish off the day, it’s time to head to see what the area is most famous for – the Northern Lights! Now full disclosure, this is the text I received from Mum “Northern Lights what an anti climax and a con”.

To the naked eye for Mum and Dad, they looked like a pale long thin grey line, and only through the camera did they look green! Now, it was later learned that if there is an electromagnetic storm you can see the colours with the naked eye, but mostly they look like grey clouds.

Day 3: Tromsø Town, Reindeer Ride

Tromsø Town

Spend your final day exploring Tromsø itself. It has a beautiful old town area and lots to offer – make sure you see Tromsø harbour, the church, cathedral, alpine botanic garden and some of the museums (you can choose from the troll museum, art museum and various others).

It’s easy to spend a good few hours taking in the town and enjoying some tasty hot cocktails as you go – don’t miss Raketten, Tromsø’s smallest and most historic bar! You may also want to visit Polaria, the world’s most northerly aquarium where you can feed the bearded seals.

Reindeer Ride

Finish off your Tromsø trip with another special Arctic experience – a night reindeer ride! To be honest, the reindeer rides are a bit of a tourist trap, but are fun to do nevertheless. You get to feed the reindeer, ride around in the sleigh pulled by them for a short circle, and then have an evening meal in a hut whilst learning about the Norwegian Sami culture. The Sami information was really interesting, and learning about the history and modern life trying to preserve the culture was fascinating.

Have a little Longer?

There are so many activities to enjoy in Tromsø, so here are some more ideas if you have longer than 3 days. Please remember you can’t fit loads in to one day because of the daylight hours!

Snowmobiling

Again, full disclosure – Mum and Dad didn’t love snowmobiling because they were hard to steer and quite a few people did come off them, plus the travel distance was long to get there. However if you’re confident to give it a go, then it is a fun adventure. Mum and Dad went with Best Arctic to the Lyngen Alps and (sort of) enjoyed a day jetting around.

Other Boat Cruises: Whale Watching, Northern Lights Catamaran Cruise

It’s worth mentioning that my Mum and Dad had a few other activities booked in Tromsø which haven’t made this list because they were cancelled. They had a whale watching cruise planned, but the sea was too choppy to go out. They also had a Northern Lights Catamaran cruise planned but cancelled for the same reason. Looking at the reviews online, these look like amazing options of ways to spend a day in the city and see something a bit different.

Sommarøy

Sommarøy is so unbelievably beautiful and if you’re visiting Tromsø and have some time to spare, it’s worth a night or two to enjoy its hiking, beaches and views for a couple of days. It’s here you can also go sea kayaking.

You can read my guide to Sommarøy HERE.

All in all, Mum and Dad had such an experience visiting Tromsø, and learnt and enjoyed so much. Their highlights were the husky sledding and the boat cruise, and the northern lights were a disappointment. The hardest thing about the trip was the cold – having to be wrapped in so many layers for so long, and not being able to take photos or do things freely was difficult. The fact that taking gloves off even just for a few minutes led to frost bite, and that it was permanently freezing to the bone, made it less enjoyable though was an experience in itself.

What do you think of Tromsø and this Arctic adventure? Would you like to do it? Thanks so much to Mum and Dad for sharing their photos and opinions – stay safe and happy travelling everyone!

In 1758, Louis XV decided to build a new palace in the middle of his gardens for his long term mistress Madame de Pompadour, and Le Petit Trianon was completed 10 years later. However, she died before it was completed, and in fact Louis XV himself died in 1774 shortly afterwards.

That meant the new King, Louis XVI came in to power and he gifted Le Petit Trianon to his wife, Marie-Antoinette. She quickly made it her own and ordered an extensive redesign of the external areas, and continuously developed the house inside to put her stamp on it.

The house is split in to three floors. Entering the house on to the ground floor via the Honour Courtyard, visitors are greeted with a sweeping atrium housing the honour staircase. Whilst much more understated than the opulent King’s Apartments within the main Palace of Versailles, the entrance is still beautifully and tastefully done. The atrium is made from marble and stone, and the banister bears the monogram of Marie-Antoinette.

On the ground floor, you can find the Billiard’s Room, Warming up Room (to heat food brought over from the kitchens), and the Silverware Room. Marie-Antoinette actually closed down the use of the Warming Up Room as she didn’t like the smells, and despite preferring private dining, she of course still had multiple luxury silverware sets which are now on display.

The first floor of the house is home to the rooms that would entertain visitors. The first room is the Buffet’s Room, which houses “Marie-Antoinette with a Rose”, probably the most famous portrait of the Queen. The Buffet’s Room opens in to the Dining Rooms which are decorated in wood and could host up to 50 people.

From the dining room, the next room is the Reception Room, the most opulent of all the rooms in the house but still understated compared to the main Palace. It hosts a harp and a piano, reflective of what Marie-Antoinette enjoyed playing.

Off of the Reception Room is Marie-Antoinette’s private bedroom, which is decorated with sculpted wheat sheaves tied with ribbons, ivy and jasmine, lily of the valley and pine cones, representing the four seasons.

On to the third and final floor, known as ‘The Attics’, and the first room you enter is The King’s Bedchamber, decorated in reds. Whilst the King is unlikely to have stayed overnight at Le Petit Trianon as he preferred to sleep in the Palace proper, he of course still had to have a room! Not only did he have a bedroom, but also a study as well.

Finally, the last few rooms in The Attics are dedicated to the women who would have stayed in them. Firstly, there is Madame Elisabeth’s bedroom – she was the sister of Louis XVI, and often stayed at the house in place of her brother. There are also multiple other rooms where Marie-Antionette’s ladies in waiting would have stayed. It was here we were told the story of one of her ladies, who was arrested as part of the French Revolution, having her head cut off with a hand knife. It took hours and of course would be unimaginably horrific. Her head was then paraded around as a show as to what was to come for those aligned to the Monarchy.

In 1791, the French Revolution swept through the country and the French Monarchy was toppled making Louis XVI and Marie-Antoniette the last King and Queen of France. Marie-Antoinette, from around 1789, was instrumental in trying to ensure the survival of the Monarchy so undoubtedly lots of her fears, hopes and plans would have been considered within the walls of Le Petit Trianon.

Marie Antoinette was ultimately tried by the Revolutionary Tribunal on 14 October 1793. Some historians believe the outcome of the trial had been decided in advance, and she and her lawyers were given less than one day to prepare her defense. Among the accusations against her: orchestrating orgies in Versailles, sending millions of treasury money to Austria (her country of birth), planning the massacre of the French National Guards in 1792, and incest – a charge made by her son Louis Charles, pressured into doing so (he was 8 and taken away from his mother whilst she was imprisoned to be turned against her).

Throughout her life, she was often branded a ‘harlot’, with multiple claims of affairs, labelled a ‘Royal Dildo’ and even of having orgies and lesbian affairs with all sorts of people. There is no evidence to support any of these accusations. She was also often judged for the fact she was foreign, having been born in to the Austrian royal family and often referred to in France as ‘that Austrian woman’, or a spy. Ultimately the court of public opinion found her guilty, and she was executed via the guillotine.

Marie-Antionette was undoubtedly a woman who liked the finer things in life, and of course she spent money in a way which was offensive to a public who were largely living in poverty. However, she was also sent away from home to another country to be married at 14, was Queen by 18 and a mother shortly after, and had lost 2 children before she was 30. She was constantly judged for being foreign and for being a woman. I can’t even imagine the terror she lived through before being publicly executed at 37, and ultimately I couldn’t help but feel for Marie-Antoinette.

I’m in no position to pass judgement on the French Monarchy in the 18th Century of course, but at least she got to live in this nice house while she was alive. What do you think of Le Petit Trianon and Marie-Antoinette? I hope you enjoyed the tour – stay safe and happy travelling!

The Palace’s history is inextricably linked with Louis XIV. Although the location existed for centuries before he became King, he was the one who decided to extend it beyond the ‘modest’ Chateau that it was back then, and oversee the building of the masterpiece it is today. He also moved the Court there in 1682, where it remained (apart from a brief gap when it went back to Paris) until the French Revolution brought down the Monarchy in 1789.

The King’s Apartments were the King’s most important areas within the Palace, and they housed three generations of King Louis’ before the Revolution. There are two parts of the Apartments – The King’s State Apartments, and the King’s Private Apartments. The latter can only be visited by private tour even within opening hours, and we got to see all of the State Apartments, and some of the Private Apartments after hours with no-one else around. Words can’t describe how truly special the experience was.

The Hercules Room

Work on the Hercules Room was completed in 1736, when François Lemoyne finished the ceiling painting depicting The Apotheosis of Hercules. Sadly, despite being made First Painter to the King by Louis XV in return for his work, Lemoyne committed suicide a year later, in 1737, exhausted by this huge project which had taken four years to complete.

The Venus Room

In this room Venus is depicted on the ceiling as the goddess of love, and the paintings in the arches all show great men or heroes from antiquity relating to famous love stories, but linked to Louis XIV’s own story. For example, the arch depicting Alexander marrying Roxana evokes the king’s own wedding, while the arch illustrating Emperor Augustus watching Roman circus games refers to the carousel in 1662, held in honour of Queen Maria Theresa.

The Diana Room

In Ancient Greek mythology, Diana was the goddess of the hunt, the sister of Apollo, and was also associated with the moon. The central section of the ceiling, painted by Gabriel Blanchard, depicts Diana watching over navigation and hunting scenes. During gatherings under Louis XIV it was used as a Billiards Room, and two tiers of seating were even installed to allow people to watch the game.

The Mars Room

Initially a Guard Room, The Mars Room is dedicated to the God of War. In the centre of the ceiling is a painting by Claude Audran of Mars on a chariot pulled by wolves. The reds and golds really are imposing and militaristic in feel.

The Mercury Room

The Mercury Room was originally the royal bedchamber in the King’s State Apartment, though it wasn’t often used as such, with the King using the Private Chambers instead. One of the rare moments in which the Mercury Room actually served as a bedroom was when the Duke of Anjou, the grandson of Louis XIV, was proclaimed King of Spain, and slept here for three weeks before travelling to his kingdom. It was also in this room that the coffin containing the body of Louis XIV was displayed from 2 to 10 September 1715.

The Hall of Mirrors

The Hall of Mirrors, the most famous room in the Palace, was built to connect the King’s Apartments to the north and the Queen’s to the south. It took 6 years to build, and the entire 73m long room pays tribute to the political, economic and artistic success of France. And did you know there are actually 357 mirrors in the room – crazy!

This room is so so special, and I cannot believe we got it all to ourselves. Amazing.

The Clock Room

King Louis XV was very interested in science and especially astronomy. On the floor of this room there is a copper strip marking the Versailles meridian. The special clock giving its name to the room displays the time, day of the week, month, year and lunar quarter, and in the crystal sphere the planets can be seen rotating around the sun. This scientific and artistic monument was designed by Claude-Siméon Passemant, Engineer to the King, and built by the clockmaker Louis Dauthiau. It still works correctly today.

Louis XVI’s Library

This library was designed by the architect Gabriel not long before the death of Louis XV in 1774. Although he already had several libraries on the upper floors (!), the King wanted a larger one on the same level as his apartment. I love libraries and this was my favourite room apart from the Hall of Mirrors.

The Royal Chapel

Construction of the Royal Chapel was completed in 1710 at the end of the reign of Louis XIV, and was the fifth – and final – chapel built in the Palace. The Chapel was our final stop on our after hours tour and the perfect way to finish it off.

What a special, special experience this after hours tour was. I can’t tell you how amazing it was to see the Palace empty, I feel truly privileged to have done so. What do you think? Stay safe and happy travelling!