New York, Paris, Tokyo… there are so many amazing cities in the world, and lucky me, along with my family, I’ve had the opportunity to visit quite a few of the greats! Of course, not everyone agrees about which of them deserve to be on the Best List even among family members, which we discovered one evening over dinner during a recent visit to Paris. The boys and I thought it might be fun to take the conversation a step further and make a Top Ten Cities list.
Spoiler Alert!
Paris didn’t make the list and neither did Tokyo!
Now, don’t get me wrong, I loved visiting both cities and given the chance would go back to both of them repeatedly, in fact I’ve been to Paris on three separate occasions, but others in the family didn’t agree, so they didn’t make the list. I know some reading this list might say, we’ve left off important cities, or personal favorites, but before you do, let me explain that in order to be considered each city had to meet two important criteria:
All four of us had to have been there personally.
The vote had to be unanimous.
Many places I personally consider great didn’t make this list which begs the question, “What makes a city great?” The answer is it’s different for everyone, which is why we had to have the honorable mentions list, and still a few of my faves didn’t make it.
Just nominating a city wasn’t enough. Each of us also talked about what made us love a particular place and or why we didn’t. This was such a fun activity that we carried the conversation/debate on for multiple days after. So without further ado…
Edinburgh, Scotland – a beautiful and mysterious place filled with fascinating history, the nicest people, all surrounded by faded splendor and crumbling beauty!
As I mentioned above there were a number of places that one or more of us wanted on the Top Ten List, but sadly didn’t make it, still we felt they deserved a mention, so here they are:
Half Moon Bay, California – Tim’s happy place, great fish and chips, almost guaranteed wildlife sightings and high surf are just a few of the things that draw us to Half Moon Bay on a regular basis. If only there was a little more going on in this lovely little town, though it’s a great place to get pumpkins!
Disneyland – Okay, not technically a city, it’s definitely high on my personal list and it is the Happiest Place on Earth, so I’m making an executive decision and throwing it on!
Whoops! Accidentally hit the publish button before I was ready, again… Tomorrow we will be two weeks into our six week whirlwind adventure, which includes six countries, multiple cities and countless experiences! Keeping track of everything over the course of six weeks will be a challenge, so keeping a daily log of everything we are doing, eating and seeing will ensure that I can share it with all of you! Oops! My plan was to work out the correct spelling, punctuation and small details later, but things don’t always go as planned. I’ll chalk it up to spending the day traveling from Belfast to Glasgow and settling into our 5th hotel in just under two weeks time.
Though we haven’t had time to see very much of Glasgow as of yet, what we have seen is pretty great! I’ll look forward to writing all about it later, but until then here are a few photos from this afternoons first glimpse!
I’ve always loved reading books and watching movies that are set in another time and place, I also love all things magical and fantasy related, so it’s no wonder that visiting a magical place like Scotland was high on my wish list!
Speaking of watching movies, one of my all time favorite movies is the musical Brigadoon! It takes place in Scotland. Have you seen it? I won’t say too much incase you want to, but the gist is: two New Yorkers go on a hunting trip to the Highlands of Scotland and stumble upon a village that only comes to life for one day every one hundred years. There is a lot of singing and dancing, it is a musical after all, and of course there is the village girl. You can probably guess what happens next… it’s all very romantic. I also love a good romance! So now we’ve got everything covered: another time and place, magic and romance! Basically, perfection! While we didn’t find Brigadoon on this particular trip we visited many other magical and fascinating places that definitely left us wanting more. If you’re wondering about romance, well… we do bring the kids, so not this time. 😉
Road Trip
Most of our Scotland trip was spent in the charming city of Edinburgh, but we did spend one day driving into the Highlands, and when they say Highlands, they really mean it! Driving along it seemed as though the hills suddenly rose up out of nowhere. It’s stunningly beautiful and the way the mist creeps and slides down over the hillsides makes everything seem very mysterious and magical.
Stirling Castle
Our first stop was Stirling Castle and while not exactly in the Highlands, it is on the way! Stirling Castle was the home of such notable figures in Scottish history as Marie de Guise, Mary Queen of Scots, her son James the VI, and many other important figures. The Castle was also the location of major battles led by William Wallace against the English troops in the War of Independence .
Stirling has a number of wonderful exhibits including a special area just for younger children where they can dress up in period clothing and learn about castle life. Throughout the castle you’ll find people dressed in costume representing figures from the castle’s history. They’ll answer questions and tell you all about themselves. Elliot especially loved “meeting” Marie de Guise, the mother of Mary Queen of Scots, and learning about her magical unicorn horn. The gardens are extensive and if you take a walk along the castle walls you’ll find amazing views of the valley below. If you get hungry they have a number of food options and there is also a lovely gift shop.
The National Wallace Monument
Across the Forth River from Stirling Castle is the National Wallace Monument, in fact you can see it from the walls of Stirling Castle. William Wallace is a national hero and the movie Braveheart is based on the part he played in Scotland’s War of Independence over 700 years ago. The monument itself is located at the top of a hill and there is a lovely wooded trail if you feel like a walk, or there is a bus that goes back and forth. The main attraction inside the Monument is Wallace’s sword which is 5 feet 4 inches tall! That’s taller than me!! There is access to the very top of the Monument and the views from up there are spectacular! We “met ” William Wallace during our visit and he was kind enough to tell us his story.
The sword is 5’4″ tall!
There are lovely views from the top of the Wallace Monument
Skyfall
Our next stop was a beautiful forest in Glencoe, Ballachulish which also happens to be the location of 007s home, Skyfall. Their have been many notable movies filmed in this area including Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. How cool!
Fort William
Just up the road is Fort William and although it was raining pretty hard, we walked around the town a little bit before we found ourselves some dinner. We had heard from friends in Edinburgh that langoustines are the thing to eat while visiting Scotland! We had limited time, but there are many things to see and do in and around Fort William. It’s considered the Outdoor Capital of the UK.
We drove a bit further and saw beautiful lochs and a fabulous sunset. Had we not been leaving for London the next day we would have loved to keep going and visit the famous Loch Ness, but it was just a bit too far for a one day excursion… Next time!
London is one of our favorite cities and lucky for us we’ve had plenty of opportunities to take advantage of its world renowned museums! This collection of photos spans over the course of 11 years, which is why you’ll notice difference in quality and the ages of my boys.
Traveling with kids close to six years apart can be challenging since they have different interests and attention spans. Our solution is to switch off between museums, historic sites and attractions. This way everyone experiences something they love. We also do our best to stick to highlights in each place, so those of us who aren’t quite as interested in a particular place aren’t too tortured. I’ll never forget the time I took the boys to the British Museum by myself. Simon was learning about Egypt in school and was so fascinated he wanted to read/see everything! I looked over and poor little Elliot was licking the glass of the display case… oops! Time to go!!
The British Museum
The world-famous British Museum has a long and fascinating history and has been open since 1759! The building itself is stunning, especially the Queen Elizabeth II Great Court. The British Museum is home to the Rosetta Stone, ancient Greek sculptures originally part of the Parthenon, and 8 million other objects! Yes, 8 million! It is well worth a visit, after all the 6 million people who visit every year can’t all be wrong! If you’re taking my advice and just checking out the highlights you’re in luck because the museum has ideas for you! They offer suggestions for both 1 and 3 hour visits as well as guided tours and self guided audio tours. There are multiple food options ranging from the extremely casual to fancy. There are a number of gift shops and while a lot of museums just sell the same old junk I happen to think the gift shops here are worth a visit!
The Natural History Museum
The Natural History Museum in London is a favorite for all of us. It’s been open since 1881 and the building itself is a site to see! The entire outside and the central entrance hall are just beautiful. The boys and I can easily spend an entire day here, leaving only when they close for the evening. Like most of the museums and castles we’ve visited the food in the cafes and restaurants is quite good, so there is no need to eat first before going. They offer both adult and kid friendly food items and adult beverages too! This is definitely a repeat destination, but extremely popular, it can get very crowded.
The London Science Museum
We visited the London Science Museum when Simon was just a little boy and haven’t had a chance to get back. Maybe we’ll give it another shot on our next visit? Like the other museums admission is free and there are nice places to eat.
The Tate Modern
The Tate Modern opened in 2000 and is located in Bankside in what used to be a Power Station This is one of our favorites and is definitely worth a visit! It’s just across the river from St. Paul’s Cathedral and is one of the United Kingdom’s top three tourist attractions. Like the history and science museums I mentioned above the Tate Modern is also free! It’s exhibitions are always changing so repeat visits are a must, just check the website before you go to see what’s on. Of special note at the museum is the Turbine Hall which has ever changing exhibitions of contemporary art. Here is what the official website has to say:
Since opening in 2000 over 60 million visitors have experienced the Turbine Hall and it has earned a unique place in the public imagination.
It has hosted some of the world’s most memorable and acclaimed works of contemporary art. And the way artists have interpreted this vast industrial space has revolutionised public perceptions of contemporary art in the twenty-first century.
An idea for an itinerary would be so start at St. Paul’s Cathedral in the City of London and then cross the River Thames on the Millennium Bridge and see the Tate Modern. The bridge offers spectacular views of St. Paul’s north side and the Globe Theater is also nearby on the Tate Modern side.
The British Museum
Queen Elizabeth II Great Court
Queen Elizabeth II Great Court
Central Entrance Hall
Amazing building details
Natural History Museum
The Turbine Hall with exhibition. Photo Credit: Wikipedia
Recently, it was called to my attention that it seems like I LOVE everywhere I’ve ever been so how can I keep saying this place or that place is my favorite? And while it is true that for the most part I have loved almost everywhere I’ve been fortunate enough to visit, there are some places that I love more than others! Scotland is on THAT list!
I absolutely cannot wait to get back and explore more!
Our visit to Scotland was part of a larger month long trip which also included, London, Paris, and Barcelona! Scotland was the one place on our itinerary I had never been to and it did not disappoint! We took the train from Kings Cross Station in London to Waverly Station in the heart of Edinburgh. It takes about 4.5 hours and it’s a beautiful ride through the country side.
On a side note Kings Cross Station is the famed train station from the Harry Potter books and if you are so inclined you can even “pretend” to push your baggage cart through the wall to Platform 9 3/4!
Tim had been to Edinburgh many times and he told me it was beautiful, but I was not prepared for just how beautiful it is! When I came out onto the street from Waverley station. I was floored and I am quite sure that my mouth literally fell open! It is absolutely spectacular! There is a look about the place that I just fell in love with! The station is located between the medieval Old Town and the 18th century New Town and right near Princes Street which is a main shopping/dining street through New Town.
From the train station we took a taxi to our hotel, The Waldorf Astoria Caledonian which is located on Princes Street. I would definitely stay here again! The people were extremely friendly and so willing to help with everything and anything we might need. The room was very spacious and we had a great view of the Edinburgh Castle.
The hotel also has a nice indoor pool which we visited one rainy afternoon. They added nice little touches for the kids which included little bath toys shaped like what I thought were little green dinosaurs. Okay, so I’ll admit that we were home for about a month before I finally put it all together and realized they were little Loch Ness Monsters! How cute is that?! We were able to walk from the hotel up the hill to the Castle and the Royal Mile as well as many other places!
Old and New Towns of Edinburgh
Old Town is medieval and is made up of narrow passages, cobblestone streets, and hidden courtyards. It is incredibly well preserved and is a treasure trove of history. You can almost feel what it might have been like hundreds of years ago. I loved Old Town!
View of New Town from Edinburgh Castle
Unlike Old Town, New Town is very ordered with everything laid out in a grid. The streets are wide and the buildings were built in the 18th and 19th centuries. Everything is perfectly preserved and it’s a stark contrast to the very tight and enclosed feeling of the Old Town streets and buildings. This is where the upperclass lived and It’s here that you’ll find a lot of upscale shopping and restaurants. The streets and main squares were named for King George, his wife and his sons. Therefore you have Queen Street, Princes Street, George Street and Charlotte Square.
Edinburgh is a UNESCO Heritage Site and here is what they have to say about it:
Edinburgh has been the Scottish capital since the 15th century. It has two distinct areas: the Old Town, dominated by a medieval fortress; and the neoclassical New Town, whose development from the 18th century onwards had a far-reaching influence on European urban planning. The harmonious juxtaposition of these two contrasting historic areas, each with many important buildings, is what gives the city its unique character.
Castles and Palaces
As I’ve mentioned before in earlier posts I have a keen interest in all things history and I do love a good castle or palace! Guess what?! Scotland is an excellent place to visit if you love castles and palaces! We visited two in Edinburgh alone, Edinburgh Castle and The Palace of Holyroodhouse. yep, its all one word!
The Palace of Holyroodhouse is still in use as an official residence of the royal family and both the Queen and Prince Charles stay there performing official duties one week each year. We arrived with one day to see it before Prince Charles arrived, so it was the very first thing we did! It is located at one end of the Royal Mile and Edinburgh Castle is that the other, hence the name! While their have been various forms of the Palace and the Abbey on this site the Palace in its present form has been there since about 1679.
Adjacent to Hollyroodhouse is the Holyrood Abbey which was founded in 1128. Here is what the official website has to say:
The Abbey was founded in 1128 by King David I of Scotland for the Augustinian Canons. According to medieval legend, a vision of a stag with a cross glowing between its antlers came to David while hunting in the area. Interpreting this as an act of God, the King declared that an abbey should be built on the same spot. Holy Rood, the name of the abbey and subsequently the Palace, means ‘Holy Cross’, a fragment of which had been brought to Scotland by David I’s mother, St Margaret, and kept at the Abbey until the 14th century.
There are many things to see and do at Holyroodhouse, The Queens Gallery, The State Apartments, Mary Queen of Scots Chambers, tour the Abbey (summer months only), audio tours, and walk around the gardens.
The gardens are beautiful and vast
We spent quite a long time visiting here and saw almost everything. Of particular interest to me where the Chambers of Mary Queen of Scots and we really enjoyed walking around in the vast gardens. The Queen throws an annual garden party here when she’s in residence. We ate at the Cafe at the Palace which has quite good food and offers many traditional Scottish dishes. It was here that Simon first tried haggis. We didn’t tell him what is was until after he’d eaten it and liked it and surprisingly, he enjoyed it enough to order it twice more during our visit to Scotland! Do you know what haggis is? Just in case you don’t…
Haggis, the national dish of Scotland, a type of pudding composed of the liver, heart, and lungs of a sheep (or other animal), minced and mixed with beef or mutton suet and oatmeal and seasoned with onion, cayenne pepper, and other spices. The mixture is packed into a sheep’s stomach and boiled
Haggis is traditionally served with “neeps and tatties”, boiled and mashed separately, and a dram (a glass of Scotch whisky).
Of course Simon didn’t have the dram of Scotch whisky! Interestingly, even though Simon is one of the pickiest eaters I know he will often try exotic foods while traveling. Once we arrive back home he goes back to his finicky ways. I recently discovered a place near our home that serves haggis, but so far he’s turned down my offers to go and eat there. 😉 He now says he wishes he’d never tried it because he’ll never live it down!
As is often the case photography inside the palace was very limited, so most of my photos were taken outside and in the Abbey.
Holyrood Abbey
View of the Abbey from the Queen’s gardens
The Abbey and the Palace
Trying haggis with neeps and tatties
Hey, I kind of like this!
Royal Dessert!
Edinburgh Castle is located at the top of the Royal Mile on Castle Rock and is probably one of Scotland’s most famous attractions. It sits high above the city and can be seen from almost anywhere. Its spectacular at night when it’s all lit up! We were there during The Moon Walk which is a Breast Cancer awareness and fundraising event. That night the Castle was lit up Pink as were other monuments around town. It was incredibly beautiful. We learned that the Castle is often lit up for special events!
Their has been a building on this site for close to 3000 years! Really! Since 900 BC! I find that simply Amazing! There is so much to see and learn about at Edinburgh Castle I don’t want to spoil it for you, but here are some of the highlights: The Great Hall, The Royal Palace, The Stone of Destiny (returned to Scotland after 700 years in Westminster Abbey), the Scottish Crown Jewels, St Margaret’s Chapel, Mons Meg, The One o’clock Gun, Half Moon Battery, National War Museum, Regimental Museums, Prisons of War, and the Scottish National War Memorial
I highly recommend visiting allowing the better part of an entire day! If you want to avoid long ticket lines I suggest you purchase your tickets online prior to your arrival.
William Wallace
St. Margaret’s Chapel
Royal Palace
Mons Meg
Mons Meg Cannon Balls
The Castle was used as military barracks
It was also used as a jail
Replica of The Honours of Scotland Sword
More Haggis!
The Royal Mile as I mentioned earlier runs from the gates of Holyrood to Edinburgh Castle and while it isn’t a building or a museum It does have a fascinating history! It’s actually made up of multiple streets Castlehill, the Lawnmarket, the High Street, the Canongate and Abbey Strand. The Royal Mile is the busiest area in Old Town. You’ll find yourself here quite often and it’s a great place to pick up souvenirs, see street performers and grab a bite to eat.
Along the Royal Mile you’ll find St. Giles Cathedral. We wandered inside and it has an impressive history, but we didn’t take a tour on this trip. It’s definitely worth a look and if I ever get a chance to go back I’d like to explore more.
St. Giles 2013
Elliot in one of many tourist shops
A sword swallower
haggis chips!
Walking Tours
If you’re looking for something to do with your kids in the early evening I suggest a walking tour. These ancient cities have so much history and with that comes legends, ghost stories and tall tales! If you want to learn more in a fun and even sometimes silly way a walking tour is a great way to do it! We took two in Edinburgh and both were very kid friendly.
Learning about Closes and Wynds
The Cadies and Witchery Tour company was a bit more on the silly side, but offered a lot of fun and interesting history. We walked all over Old Town, but stayed above ground the entire time. There were a few “jumper outers”, some fun reenactments and the tour guide claimed to be deceased. They were dressed in the absolute worst costumes imaginable which made for a laugh rather than a scream! Simon was picked out of the group to participate and he really enjoyed it! Prices are very reasonable!
The other tour was run by a company called Mercat. They offer history walks, ghost tours and an Outlander Experience tour. We chose the ghost tour because Simon had been reading about a place called the Blair Street Underground Vaults and this is the only tour company who go there. As a side note Outlander is a series of books and recently a TV show on Starz that take place in Scotland and that are incredibly popular, I’ve read them, and if you’re a reader I highly recommend. This tour wasn’t available when I was there or I would have liked to go on it. While a bit more than the Cadies and Witchery Tour Company prices are still quite reasonable.
Can we have a volunteer?!
Listening intently to Cadies & Witchery Tour
Costumed characters
Mercat Tour Company
Uh oh! Is this what happens if you don’t listen?!
heading underground
The Blair Street Vaults
The Blair Street Vaults
Museums
We visited the National Museum of Scotland twice and like many museums in the United Kingdom it’s free with donations welcome. The building itself is very impressive with incredible galleries and architecture. They have an incredibly large collection ranging from Science and Technology, Art and Design, Ancient Egypt, Natural Science, World Cultures and Scottish History and Archaeology! You can see why we needed to visit twice!
Victoria Street
Located in the Grassmarket area which at one time, hundreds of years ago, was a market place for selling cattle and livestock, Victoria Street is about a quaint a street as they come! I read that JK Rowling based her magical shopping street Diagon Alley on this street and it makes perfect sense to me! There are many fine places to grab a bite, cute little shops and it’s simply just a nice place to go for a walk! There are so many wonderful places in this city to wander around and often the buildings are so amazing you feel like they just have to be something more special than just a place to eat or shop, but in fact that’s all they are. How cool is that!?
The People and The Food
The people in Edinburgh are incredibly friendly! I cannot think of one instance the entire time where the people weren’t kind, fun and more than happy to assist where needed! I’m inclined to compare it to Disneyland because no matter what everyone was just so nice!
We ate in a number of places worth mentioning during our visit. As I mentioned earlier Tim had been to Edinburgh a number of times prior to this trip and knew of a few worthwhile places. Oink was one of these places!
Oink is a tiny little shop where you can get freshly carved pork sandwiches. Basically they roast a pig each day and make sandwiches out of it until it’s all gone, that it! You can get three sizes, the Piglet, the Oink and the Grunter. You have your choice of a white roll or a brown roll and there are four different spreads to choose from. We went to the Victoria Street location, but they also have another shop on Canongate Street at the lower end of the Royal Mile and are at the Edinburgh Farmers Market on Saturdays. It’s a very unique place to grab a quick bite to eat with not a lot of fuss and the food is excellent!
Also located on Victoria Street The Grain Store is great little place we stumbled upon while wandering around. We ate lunch here and it’s quite a charming place. They have a prix fix lunch menu.
We have a friend in Edinburgh and we met her and her husband for dinner at her favorite place L’escargot Blanc. This is a classic French restaurant that has been around for 20 years. It’s located on Queensferry Street which if I remember correctly we walked there from our hotel. The actual restaurant is upstairs. The food, service and atmosphere were great!
The Edinburgh Zoo
Like we do in most cities we visit we went to the zoo! Not only is this a nice way to break up the days for our little one, but at this point we have been to the zoo in just about every single city we’ve ever visited and we like adding another one to the list! The zoo is located a bit outside the city and we had a really nice visit. It was a rainy day, but we didn’t mind because they had Pandas and Penguins, two of Elliot’s favorite animals! I wouldn’t say this about every zoo we’ve seen, but if the littles are growing tired of yet another historic site or museum and just need a break this is a very nice place to visit!
There are many places of worship worth visiting in or around London, but most recently we visited St. Paul’s Cathedral and Westminster Abbey. Both are so much more than just houses of worship and if you have time I would highly recommend trying to fit both in.
St. Paul’s Cathedral
In my generation St. Paul’s is probably most famous for having been the location where Prince Charles married Lady Diana Spencer, but there has been a cathedral dedicated to St. Paul in its current spot for 1,400 years! If you’re an English history lover, like me, you’ll also be interested to know that theirs was the first wedding of an heir to the throne to take place in St. Paul’s in 480 years, following the marriage of Prince Arthur to Catherine of Aragon in 1501. This is also the location Mary Poppins is singing about in the song Feed The Birds in the movie Mary Poppins! Information about the current building from the official website:
The present Cathedral, the masterpiece of Britain’s most famous architect Sir Christopher Wren, is at least the fourth to have stood on the site. It was built between 1675 and 1710, after its predecessor was destroyed in the Great Fire of London, and services began in 1697.
This was the first Cathedral to be built after the English Reformation in the sixteenth-century, when Henry VIII removed the Church of England from the jurisdiction of the Pope and the Crown took control of the life of the church.
There are many things to see and discover inside St. Paul’s and my boys were both very interested, however I think my older son was the more engaged of the two. Sightseeing times are between 8:30 am and 4:00 pm and both guided and audio tours are available. We went with the self guided audio tour.
The Whispering Gallery Photo Credit: Wikipedia
It seems like Simon and I climbed just about every staircase in Europe the summer of 2013 and St. Paul’s many staircases were no exception! There are three galleries to visit in the dome, the Whispering Gallery which is 257 steps up from the cathedral floor and is on the interior of the dome. If you whisper into the wall your voice can be heard clear on the other side of the gallery, hence the name!
Next is the Stone Gallery which is on the outside of the dome and is 376 steps up from the cathedral floor. Finally after climbing 528 steps you’ll reach the Golden Gallery! If you make it to the top you won’t be disappointed because the panoramic views of London are spectactular!
We also visited the underground crypt where many famous people have been laid to rest, the Duke of Wellington, Lord Nelson and the architect of St. Paul’s, Christopher Wren, are just a few. Also located in the Crypt is the St. Paul’s cafe which serves lunch as well as tea and snacks. You’ll find a loo down here as well.
The West Front
St. Paul’s with Iconic Double Decker Busses
The Stone Gallery
Beautiful Views from the Golden Gallery
The Shard
The London Eye
85 meters up!
Westminster Abbey
Photo Credit: J-Ronn
Located near Big Ben and the House of Parliament Westminster Abbey was founded in 960 and with that much history behind it, it is definitely worth a visit! It is also a UNESCO World Heritage site. Every coronation since 1066 has taken place here as well as sixteen royal weddings, most recently the wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge in 2011. There are 3,300 people buried or commemorated at Westminster Abbey, many of them among the most significant in England’s history.
Kings, queens, statesmen and soldiers; poets, priests, heroes and villains – the Abbey is a must-see living pageant of British history. Every year Westminster Abbey welcomes over one million visitors who want to explore this wonderful 700-year-old building. Thousands more join us for worship at our daily services. The Abbey is in the heart of London.
They offer audio guides in multiple languages, but on my last visit I paid an additional £5 to take the Verger guided tour. It was SO worth it! The tours last for about 90 minutes and include a tour of the Shrine (containing the tomb of Saint Edward the Confessor), the Royal Tombs, Poets’ Corner, the Cloisters and the Nave. Many of these highlights aren’t available on the audio or self guided tour. Tour times vary and the number of people is limited, so you’ll need to ask at the ticket counter. Sadly most of my personal photos of the outside were lost a few years ago, but I still have these few selfies and I scanned a few from way back. Maybe I’ll need to go back and take some new ones…
There are so many people buried here it’s impossible to list them, but here is a short list of some that are of particular interest to me:
The Tower of London is my must not miss of all the places in this post. It might be my must not miss pick for all of London! It has something for everyone and is very family friendly. It’s been around since 1066 and is still in use today! I am absolutely fascinated by the idea that a lot of these buildings have been in constant use for 1000 + years!! WOW! There are many exhibits in the different buildings and the restaurants here have quite good food! Think fish & chips, roast beef, fresh scones, kid friendly food and even wine and beer.
You’ll probably recognize The Yeoman Warders when you see them as they’re a very iconic symbol of England and there is even a photo of one welcoming you to London in the airport! They’ve been guarding the Tower since Edward IV’s time! Their history is quite fascinating and they give free guided tours of The Tower in a very family friendly and funny style!
The Queen keeps the Crown Jewels here and even though they are still in regular use there is a very nice exhibit which displays them for public view. Often the lines for this exhibit can be quite long, but if you’ve never been I highly recommend it. There are two ways to view. The first is via a moving sidewalk that you just stand on and it moves you slowly by each display case and then on into another room filled with various items like plates, goblets and other types of jewelry. The second room doesn’t have the moving platform so you can wander around at your leisure. The second is via a raised platform on just the other side of the display cases with more detailed information printed out and displayed in front of each case. You’re a little further away but you can take your time. Both times we’ve visited we’ve gone through twice and done both, but we’ve never done this in high season, so I’m not sure how it would be with large crowds. My older son and I both love this exhibit!
Did you know that for 600 years the Tower of London was a zoo?! Apparently past kings and queens needed a place to keep the exotic animals gifted to them from other monarchs around the world. There is a great exhibit here showcasing the different types of animals that lived here including a polar bear who lived in the moat and fished in the River Thames! There are super cool wire replicas of the animals throughout the grounds!
The Tower is also where they used to mint the kings money and there is a fairly recent exhibit. My boys were divided in their interest on this exhibit.
The first time we visited The Tower Simon was afraid to visit what is called The Bloody Tower, but on a return visit he decided he was brave enough to go in and discovered that it wasn’t really as scary as the name implies. Of course we are safe in the 21st century! This is where The Princes in the Tower disappeared/were murdered after being imprisoned here and there is a quite good exhibit offering many theories about what happened to them, but in the end it asks you to decide.
There are so many things to see here I could go on and on! I would allow at least half a day to visit and maybe longer in the summer. This is the place where Anne Boleyn (Henry VIII’s second wife) famously lost her head and she is buried in the chapel here. If you’re interested in what it was like to go to war 500 + years ago there is an entire exhibit dedicated to arms and armor. Ever wonder what plumbing was like hundreds of years ago? You can see what it was like to use the toilet way back when and there are rooms decorated with period furniture too!
We always visit the Tower when in London and in fact it was my pick for a birthday activity one year! There is no water in the moat and often they host activities in the summer months. We had a chance to shoot a bow and arrow and wow it’s much harder than it looks!
Last year in honor of 100 years since the start of WWI there was an incredible display of ceramic poppies dedicated to those who lost their lives which I would have loved to have seen in person. There was one poppy “planted” for each life lost. This photo is provided by the Historic Royal Palaces website as was the photos of the Yeoman Warders.
If you want to learn about a large span of english history with your family (or on your own) in a fun, interactive and inviting way this is the place to do it!
View of the Tower from the rivers edge.
Traitors Gate
This was the toilet!
Archery in the moat
Changing of the Guard
Memorial to those who, GULP, lost their heads
Window View
Replica of Lions that once lived at The Tower
Elephants
The polar bear who swam in the moat
The Armory Exhibit from our 2006 visit
2006
View of the Tower Bridge from the T owed of London 2006
Hampton Court Palace
Hampton Court Palace is another great place to visit, and It’s celebrating its 500th anniversary this year! It’s located a bit outside of the city so if you have very limited time you might not want to make the trip. But I highly recommend it! If you do decide to go you can there via train or by boat! We went in the winter and took the train.
It was the favorite residence of King Henry VIII and I especially enjoyed visiting the hall where he presided over his court! Unfortunately I lost a lot of my personal photos a few years ago, so these photos are courtesy of the Historic Royal Palaces website which is a fantastic reference.
Like most of the royal residences it’s very family friendly and there are people dressed in period costume performing and showcasing what life was like when this palace was still in use. Because this is the 500th anniversary I am sure there will be many spectacular activities and events taking place all year long!
The gardens here are spectacular and worth seeing all on their own. They include a hedge maze which dates back to the 1600s! It’s fun to try and get to the center and harder than we thought it would be!
Searching for the center
Is it this way?
We found it!
Buckingham Palace
I was fortunate enough to visit Buckingham Palace during Christmas time and it was spectacular! I highly recommend it but would suggest that younger kids might be bored. Every now and again they offer special tours and this was one! For five weeks they offered two tours a day with 30 people per tour. It seemed very private. We were the only ones there in this 700+ room palace! We were able to walk through around 20 rooms and got to see everything up close and personal. No velvet ropes keeping us back from anything and nothing removed to accommodate the thousands of visitors which trample through every summer. We entered through a side door in the palace wall and it was all very exciting!
The palace has been largely untouched since Queen Victoria lived there and yet everything is in perfect condition and of course incredibly beautiful! All of this was made even more special by the fact that everything was decked out with incredible holiday decorations and Christmas trees! At the end of the two hour tour we had champagne and got to shop in what’s normally the billiards room. I picked up some ornaments and a few tea towels. Here is the crown ornament I purchased on my own tree at home.
Kew Palace
Kew Palace is located within the Kew Botanical Gardens and is only open April through September. It was a royal residence and retreat and although a quite lovely place from the outside there isn’t a lot to see inside. I recommend visiting only if you’re already going to Kew (a fabulous place to visit, but more on that in another post).
Windsor Castle
We visited Windsor Castle in 2006 on our first family trip to England. This was in the springtime when the Queen was not in residence and we took an audio tour. Tim stayed with Simon and I went at my own pace. Like Buckingham Palace there are at times special tours of Windsor and if I ever get another chance to visit I’m definitely taking one!
St. George’s Chapel is located on the grounds of Windsor Castle and there are 10 monarchs buried there. Including Henry the VIII and his third wife Jane Seymour. If you are a lover of history and especially Tudor history this will be a must not miss for you!
Windsor is not only a castle but also a town and there are quite a few nice shops and restaurants to poke around before you take the train back to London or wherever your next destination might be.
Gardens on the Castle grounds
To the Castle
Riding the train to Windsor
The town of Windsor
Kensington Palace
We also visited Kensington Palace on the 2006 trip and weren’t all that impressed. there was an exhibit of Princess Diana’s gowns, but I didn’t think it was done very well. I’m not sure what it would be like now since it’s been quite a few years, but at the time I remember being very unimpressed and disappointed that I had wasted the price of admission. I recently looked online and see that there are many exhibitions on display and some are probably very good as it looks like they’ve updated it quite a bit. The gardens are also very beautiful. I have a similar picture in my collection, but this one provided by the Historic Royal Palaces website is just a tiny bit better. 😉
I LOVE London! Absolutely love it and while it’s hard to choose an absolute #1 favorite city, I think this has to be the ONE! Fish and chips, mushy peas, clotted cream, a millennia of fascinating history, those charming accents, shopping, royalty, english breakfast tea, Hunter boots, English taxi cabs, the tube, theater and I could go on and on. I just love it. My kids love it too which makes it all the more fun!
There are so many wonderful neighborhoods in this vast city and many many fantastic things to see, I’ll be sharing some of my personal favorites in a series of posts, but I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to complete this list. Just too many good things and I do hope to get back soon so I can add even more!
Not only do we love visiting this awesome city, but it’s a great place to start and end our various adventures. It’s a great jumping off point to many other destinations! It’s also great to fly into a place where we understand the language, know our way around and are familiar with the hotel! This can make all the difference in getting our trip off to a good start! It’s also a great way to end our journey. We’ve done this a number of times now and even have our arrival tradition of cocoa in the hotel lobby!
Surprised and Delighted!
So, about that cocoa! It’s served in the absolutely exquisite lobby of The Corinthia Hotel, one of the many places I’m going to tell you about in this series of posts! The lobby is so beautiful it almost deserves it’s own post. Anyway, about that cocoa. Imagine our surprise and delight when we ordered a cup of cocoa and this is what we were served! We had just arrived tired and a bit damp straight from our flight and tube ride and we decided it would be a good idea to just sit for a few minutes and warm up. Who knew it would be the “high tea” of cocoa served in beautiful china pots with a selection of homemade marshmallows strawberry and traditional, white and milk chocolate shavings, and freshly whipped cream. Alongside each cup was a tiny quince pie and also included was a lovely plate of chocolate truffles! We set to work loading up on all the chocolate shavings, marshmallows and cream that our mugs could hold! we couldn’t believe our good fortune! This seemed like an experience worth making a tradition out of. Not only do we always order cocoa upon our arrival at the Corinthia Hotel, but we’ve done our best to order it in every single city we’ve visited since!
Heading to the pool 2011
The Corinthia Hotel – The Corinthia opened in 2011 and is a luxury hotel. The rooms are beautifully decorated and very comfortable. If you’re visiting with kids they have “family” rooms which are quite spacious. They do a really nice job of making the children feel welcome in various ways. There are miniature robes and slippers, stuffed animals, bags of candy and even specialized toiletries waiting for them. The rooms themselves have many really nice touches including their own Nespresso machines, heated shower floors and bathtubs with televisions. There is turn down service each evening and included with that are small boxes of chocolate for each guest. In addition to the lobby, which is a lovely place to sit and have a small meal or drinks, there are also other dining options and all of them are worth visiting. The Breakfast is especially yummy! The spa and pool are incredibly beautiful and we always look forward to visiting them. However, the hours for children are extremely limited and are unfortunately during prime sight seeing time, so we don’t always get to go. They are very strict on this point and children are not allowed in the vitality pool either. The hotel is within walking distance to many things: Trafalgar Square, The National Portrait Gallery, Leicester Square, The Mall and many other places.
The Lobby
Above the lobby hangs an extraordinary Baccarat chandelier with one red glass orb! It’s amazing and it reflects upon all the shiny tables down below creating quite a cool effect! It’s an absolutely beautiful spot to just sit and relax. Even on the rainiest of London days it’s always bright and cheerful and the flower arrangements are all works of art!
The flowers change once a week or so and of course are always in theme with whatever is in season that time of year. A few years ago I dropped my computer so sadly I don’t have many photos of the Christmas flowers anymore, but you can see that the summer arrangements were spectacular. They have their own florist on site and it’s fun to take a look at what they’ve got going on. They also have a mini Harrods inside the hotel as well.
In 2011 we spent New Year’s Eve at the Corinthia. During our stay the boys met other children also staying at the hotel. We spent most of our evening in the lobby visiting with other guests and enjoying the atmosphere. Just before midnight we all went outside and watched the fireworks over the river. 2012 was a big year in London with the Queen’s Jubilee and the Summer Olympic Games taking place. The fireworks show was extra big! After it was over we just went back in and put the boys to bed! How convenient was that!?
This is a photo of Simon and I and all those fireworks! Pictures don’t do it justice, because you could also hear Big Ben chiming in the background and there were hundreds of people all around. All in all it was a night to remember!
The Spa in the Corinthia
The Spa in the Corinthia hotel is unlike any spa or pool area I’ve ever been to. It’s mainly for the use of adults, but twice a day for 90 minutes the pool area is open to children. We are usually too busy running around London visiting as many sites as we can to make the allotted times, but we do try to fit in a swim or two each time we visit. They’re pretty strict about this policy. There is a small gym with a trainer on hand that I’ve used a few times and it’s nice, but I’d rather go for a run outside if given the choice.
It’s very dark in the pool area and the floors are incredibly slippery, so shoes are a must! The pool is lined with what looks to be stainless steel and the floors and ceilings are all black.
Before you enter the pool area there is a lovely little room with water and sofas that has the most interesting ceiling. It looks like lots and lots of little fiber optic light strands!
There is also a vitality pool (luke warm hot tub) with an underwater sofa of sorts and a waterfall chair. The boys love that! In addition there is a sauna and a little lounge area with a fireplace. Of course all of this is nice, but what’s most important is the room itself!
The Room
The rooms as you can imagine are all very lovely. The closets are lit from within and are stocked with umbrellas (for the very likely event of rain!) and other amenities one might need while staying. As I mentioned above they take very special care of the children during the visit and it’s been different each time, so we are always surprised by what we find. Once when staying during the Wimbledon Tournament they left tiny chocolate tennis rackets for each boy!
Another time it was a bag full of chocolate playing cards and specialty juices. Of course there is a fully stocked mini bar in each room and you can prepare your own coffee using the in room Nespresso machine or cocoa or tea!
Other things our boys found fun were the doorbell just outside the door of our room, the TV with remote on the wall of the bathtub area and electric blackout shades over the windows! I love that the towels are always fresh and fluffy, the sheets are as soft as can be and the shower floor is warm! One thing I don’t love is the shampoo. However, I’ll admit that traveling isn’t the best on long hair no matter the products.
More often than not when discussing our next adventure our boys ask to go back to the Corinthia Hotel! Greeted by extremely polite doormen in top hats and long coats, gourmet cocoa, A hearty breakfast buffet, the softest sheets, a pool and spa with the vibe of a night club and surrounded by flower arrangements any bride would envy! What’s not to love?!
New York, Paris, Tokyo… there are so many amazing cities in the world, and lucky me, along with my family, I’ve had the opportunity to visit quite a few of the greats! Of course, not everyone agrees about which of them deserve to be on the Best List even among family members, which we discovered one evening over dinner during a recent visit to Paris. The boys and I thought it might be fun to take the conversation a step further and make a Top Ten Cities list.
Whoops! Accidentally hit the publish button before I was ready, 
