From hiking the Inca Trail to the iconic Machu Picchu site, to taking a reed boat across Lake Titicaca and indulging in food and culture in Lima, Peru offers its visitors a rich tapestry of incredible experiences. I spent two weeks in Peru in 2018 and while I blogged about the places I visited, I never created an overview guide and itinerary. A few friends have asked me for it, so, here it is!
It's hard to think of Cannes without conjuring up images of the Festival de Cannes, the glamorous film festival held every year right by the beach. If you're looking for fun ways to tap into the French Rivera city's cinematic culture, why not take a self-guided walking tour of the Murs Peints — murals that celebrate Cannes' film history?
During our recent stay in Cannes, my parents and I took a side trip to the Gorges du Verdon. With its towering cliffs and meandering turquoise river, this gorge-ous region is known as the 'Grand Canyon of Europe'. We spent two action-packed days hiking, white-water rafting, boating and enjoying the views. Read on to discover the best things to see and do in the Gorges du Verdon and my tips for making the most of your stay.
The recipe for the perfect specialty coffee shop sounds simple: great coffee served by friendly baristas in a beautiful, relaxed setting. In practice, though, it's all too easy to miss the mark on one or more of these ingredients. Commons at Old Street Works nails all three and scores plenty of bonus points for their Oreo canelés. Yes, you read that right!
Last Saturday, I took a day trip to Leigh-on-Sea: a new-to-me seaside destination that's just a 45-minute train journey from London. Once a busy fishing port, Leigh has stacks of character with its cobbled streets, historic buildings and wide array of wonderful restaurants, cafes and shops, as well as some great specialty coffee spots and a lovely sandy beach. Just be sure to check the tide times if you fancy a swim!
The Barn has long been one of my favourite European specialty coffee roasters so I was excited to hear that they were opening their first London coffee shop. I've been to several of the German roaster's coffee shops in Berlin and was actually visiting their Mallorca café the week the London location opened. Since my return, I've been a couple of times. It's a great addition to Fitzrovia — already an excellent neighbourhood for coffee.