Oxford in a day

I headed to Oxford on a sunny winter's day with three other girls living the life in London. A one hour train ride from Paddington Station and we were in the heart of Oxford. Easily walkable, Oxford is a town with plenty to offer, especially Harry Potter enthusiasts. With Christ Church College and Bodleian Library open for tours, it will excite even the slightest of fans.

Other things to note, don't waste your time looking for Oxford University. It is in fact made up of several colleges rather than one main campus. After a whole day searching for the famous Oxford University we stopped some kind locals who explained how the university was divided. Other musts include a traditional English mean at the Turf Tavern - one of Oxford's oldest pubs - and visiting Magdalen Bridge, Hertford Bridge and the History Museum.


Christ Church College



Turf Tavern



Celebrating the year of the rabbit

London's Chinatown and Trafalga Square came to life on February 6 with a sea of red latterns, food stalls and the traditional lion dance. 2011 is the year of the rabbit and was celebrated throughout the day with one food outlet even selling rabbit-shaped cakes. Performances filled the day, children popped crackers and those who could threw a wish at the wishing tree hoping it would stick!


Chinese New Year 2011



Wishing Tree



Three princesses enjoy high tea

I instantly felt like royalty after walking into The Ritz for an afternoon of high tea - it didn't help that Mum had us wearing tiaras for the occasion! The elegant old English decor mixed with chandeliers, flowers and trios made it the perfect setting for any occasion. With a choice of 17 teas (from Ritz Royal English to Earl Grey and Rose Congou) and a selection of sandwiches, scones, pastries and cakes - with champagne on arrival an added extra - there was plenty to go around! Sittings last approximately 1.5 hours and run every two hours from 11.30am to 7.30pm. Traditional high tea is 40 pounds, add a delicious glass of champagne and you're looking at 52 pounds. Make sure you book in advance!

Three princesses enjoying high tea.

Delicious sandwiches, scones and cakes

The tea!

An afternoon in Biarritz

A five hour and 15 minute train ride from Montparnasse train station in Paris will take you to Biarritz, on the south-west coast of France. A popular summer destination for many Europeans, Biarritz still has plenty of charm and Christmas spirit to give in winter. Take a walk along the coast, explore look out points and shop in some of the city's exclusive boutiques. Stop by Le Ble Noir creperie along the coast for a range of sweet and savoury crepes. Fromage et jambon (cheese and ham) and Nutella were my personal favourites!

Biarritz coastline

Biarritz Cathedral's Christmas light show

New year, new city!

Paris is a city of many things - beautiful pastries, world renowned sites and serious charm so it was no surprise when we chose it as our European new years eve city of choice. We spent the night between the Eiffel Tower and Champs Elysees where we were for the new year celebrations. The street was full of Parisians and tourists but the celebration was a bit of a let down with no entertainment, music, fireworks or even a countdown to take us into 2011... just a whole lot of shouting, sparkling wine and party poppers! 

New Years on Champs Elysees

Paris has days worth of sightseeing and shopping but if you're there on a tight schedule some of the must see sites include the Eiffel Tower, Lourve, Notre Dame, Champs Elysees, Arc de Triomph and Moulin Rouge. Must try: French onion soup, crèpes, creme brulee, croissants and escargot. 

Nutella crèpe

There's something about Prague...

I'm not quite sure what it is but there is something unique about Prague that just captivates you. It might have been Old Town Square which literally looked like Santa had blown a mini Christmas city into the centre, but there is magnificent architecture and a number of historical sites within walking distance - a lot nicer than the hop on/hop off buses the larger cities offer. It was by far our coldest and most slippery ground floor experience at -8 degrees - lesson to all, dress appropriately for the weather forecast! Must see: Old Town Square, Prague Castle, Charles Bridge, St Nicholas Cathedral, Wenceslas Square and walk up Clock Tower. 

Charles Bridge with Prague Castle in the background

 

Old Town Square view from top of Clock Tower.



Must try: Czech duck with red cabbage

Searching for a white Christmas

When Christmas and New Years in Europe was first booked, the only question on our mind was how magical a white Christmas really is?

 

In fact, there was so much snow before Christmas, our flight was nearly cancelled! First stop Frankfurt and the pathways and nature strips were full of snow! It was here we experienced the first of many Christmas Markets and what Christmas spirit they bring. With traditional gifts, entertainment for the kids, delicious foods, hot drinks to thaw out over and a beautiful array of decoratations, these are definitely something you should put on your to discover list. 

Must try: a traditional Bratwurst hotdog and cheese pretzel!

Next stop Berlin - a city with so much to tell. We trenched through slushy snow and took to the sites of this amazing city. Must see sites: the Brandenburg Gate (formerly used to represent the separation between East and West Berlin), the Berlin Wall memorial, Charlottenburg Palace, Checkpoint Charlie, Parliament House, the Berlin Cathedral, and Kurfurstendamn shopping strip with a massive display of Christmas lights and everything from H&M to Bvlgari.

 Berlin Wall Memorial

 Kurfurstendamn shopping strip

Christmas Eve arrived and it was time for Lucerne (Luzern). As we flew into Zurich airport (there's no airport in Lucerne), the snow started falling - it was perfect timing! It was an hours drive from Zurich airport to the apartment we were staying in the heart of Lucerne. After lugging our luggage up seven flights of stairs, it was time to crack the champagne. The night was celebrated with a real Christmas tree decorated with baubles and candles over Fondue Chinoise (a meat fondue) consisting of raw pieces of beef, pork and meatballs cooked in a chicken stock fondue.

Christmas morning arrived and to our delight the sidewalks, roofs and trees were covered in snow... it was a white Christmas! The perfect opportunity to go for a walk through the forest, make snow angels and build a snowman. We experienced Gluhwein - a warm red wine - and Christmas night was spent in a log house up Mt Pilatus with locals. We ate a traditional Swiss Kasefondue (cheese fondue) consisting of bread, Schnapps and a mixture of cheeses.


Kasefondue

You can't come to Switzerland without exploring at least one of its mountains. Mt Titlis was the choice with news of a new donut sled, although we were wrongly informed as it was only a 20m man made slide! Approximately one hours train ride from Lucerne you arrive at Engelberg station where Titlis is a short walk away. There's something for all on the mountain whether skiing, snowboarding, sledding, experimenting with snow toys or simply sightseeing. Three cable cars and 3km later you reach the top of the mountain where on this particular day it was -24, which is literally unbarable. Must do: for those who don't have the time to learn how to ski, take a sled along a 3.5km route to the bottom of the mountain. 

Sledding down Mt Titlis

Back to where we started, is a white Christmas truly magical? The only answer is yes!