Top 5 things to do in Edinburgh

This list really could go on forever. Edinburgh is a magical city, 1-5 could be WANDER. Because that’s what makes the city. Go to the petit stores and sit down in cafes. Have a whiskey at a bar.  But I made a more specific list for you, and it goes like this:

1. GreyfriarsThe graveyard. Yes, it may be my favorite place in Edinburgh and we passed it every day. With just a dash of fantasy I found peace walking with the dead. The graveyard also holds the beautiful story of a dog and his owner and a couple of Harry Potter names. Don’t be scared, the ghosts won’t bite you.

2. Elephant HouseThe so called “official” birthplace of Harry Potter, a café were J. K. Rowling sat down to write the first chapters of J. K. Rowling. It’s very touristy and even though we came for Rowling, we stayed for shortbread, tea and the spectacular view of Edinburgh Castle. And not to forget the toilets holds the Edinburghs best kept secret.

3. Climb to the topTo get the best views climb to the top of Arthurs Seat, a dead volcano. And if you think that is way too much of a climb, you can just walk/climb around Salisbury Crags instead. I can promise a great view and good exercise!

4. Guy with kilt and bagpipeGirl! or possibly Dude! You are in Scotland and even though they are not hard to find, this is a must-do. So you just go up to him and ask the fellow in the kilt if he would be so kind to pose for a photo with you. He’ll probably love to and here is your vacation2012 photo:

5. TourUp to the Highlands or around the city with Alan Foster on the Book Lover’s tour. Edinburgh has a lot of tours and a lot of free tours as well. Why don’t join the must-do ghost tour I write about in Ghosts of Edinburgh? It’s worth every penny even though it’s free and I must admit it got me feeling a bit sick as well.

Mari Clémentine

Top 5 things to do in London

 So for London, this list could be endless, there is such a bunch of things you can do in this world city. This time I only had 4 days in London, and Madam Tussauds should be on the list, but we didn’t go there this year. This is my top 5 2012:

1. Go see a Musical or 5 – WICKEDIt is not a secret that my favorite musical of all time is Wicked, the story of what really happened during The Wizard of Oz. The music is fantastic, the costumes, the props, no musical will WOW! you more than the one about the blonde girl and the green witch. Tickets may be expensive, but it’s worth it and it will be a memory for life! Remember to bring your wand!

2. Wander along the River Thames
The Thames split London into two and on a day with great weather wandering by the river is a rather cozy experience. Walking from Millennium up to Tower Bridge is, for example, a rather nice walk on a sunny day.

3. St. James Park and other parks
St. James Park is the one in front of Buckingham Palace and here you can go for a walk, not feed the pelicans (I think there are 4), but you are free to feed everyone else and chase the squirrels. If you don’t fancy being so close to the palace, you also have the huge Hyde Park and beautiful Kensington Gardens.

4. Hamley’s
On Regent Street. 1 toystore. 6 floors. Teddies, Lego, cars, dolls and not to forget the Harry Potter noble collection! Just visiting the store, wandering around the toys was incredibly fun. Then I boght myself a wand. I’m such a kid… : )

5. Harry Potter Studio Tour

And while talking of wands, for all Harry Potter geeks, I have a very own post about it (insert link to post) The Warner Bros. Studio Tour: The Making of Harry Potter. See the sets, props, costumes, get the inside information and the behind the scenes stuff. Get a digi guide and you’ll listen to Tom Felton for 2-3 hours. Love.

Mari Clémentine

Top 5 things to do in Florence

So for me the plan of going to Florence came out of nowhere, but when I first decided to go and started researching the city I understood it was not very much to do so I planned on a trip out of town (to Pisa) and was ready for some lazy days. The thing is that much like Venice, Florence is not about the museums and attractions, it’s about the vibe. And beside that the top 5 thing to do in Florence was not written with big bold letters on the web, so I decided to make my own list.

1. The Gucci Museum

As you may have read in my “They never told me Gucci was from Florence” post I was absolutely thrilled over the fashion museum by Piazza della Signora. It was the most refreshing thing we did in Italy and I recommend anyone up for something different a visit to a museum with no lines, a lot of space and great aircondition!

2. Climb to the top of Florence

Across the river Arno is a hill and a series of roads and stairs that lead to Piazzale Michelangelo, named after the most famous of Florentines. The ones that know me know that my favorite place in Paris is on the top of the city, so me enjoying the view from the top of the hill shouldn’t come as a surprise for anyone and I really recommend going up at night, instead of taking a bus in the hot sun. Have fun, enjoy the view.

3. Eat the world’s best Pizza at CuccioloThis is not a joke. The small pizzas you get for 3,50 at the snackbar in Corso is really the best I’ve ever had. Ever heard of. Tastes best when enjoyed on a rooftop c:

4. Look at the Street PerformersFlorence has the best street performers in the world. It’s not an understatement. The painters are fantastic, the men painting on the ground are even more fantastic and the musicians are amazing. Crowds of over a hundred gather around and make the evening unforgettable. To find them check in front of the Duomo,  Piazza della Signora and Piazza della Republica. You’ll be sure to find many.

5. Rub the nose of Il Porcellino (The wild boar statue)              Il Porcellino is a statue of a wild boar standing by Mercato Nuovo. It is said that if you rub it’s nose you are guaranteed to return to Florence. So if you liked it, rub away!

Mari Clémentine