Visiting Nice during Carnival

If you are following me on Instagram you could have caught a glimpse of Nice Carnival when I used Instagram Live for the first time. It was not the only reason to visit Nice but Carnival played an important role in making our visit even more special. Coming from London where winter sunny days are rare it was so inspiring just to see the mediterranean colours of the buildings and to fuel my mind and body with some sun.

The above view over the old city of Nice is from Castel Hill - it's possible to take a free lift or climb the stairs to go up.

I couldn't get enough of the colours of Nice Old Town - it's narrow streets and brightly coloured facades that reflect the colours and style of Sardinian architecture.

I have to be honest - I don't normally like big crowds of people and was a bit sceptical in the beginning about visiting Nice Carnival. I was surprised how well it was organised and how much fun it turned out to be! We visited on the day of Light Festival. It lasts for 2 weeks and there's also a Flower Parade and lots of other events - more info can be found here.

I was a guest of Cote d'Azur tourism. All opinions are my own. We stayed in Hotel Ellington that has a perfect central location - a few minutes walk from the old town and Nice Carnival events.

What to see in Slovenia

Every time before I travel to a new country I try to do as much research as possible and it's never easy to find all the useful information together in one place. I usually combine reading a guidebook with browsing through different tags on Instagram and then google places I'd like to visit separately.

If you are planning a trip to Slovenia I hope you will find my information useful.

We stayed in Ljubljana for the whole trip and it was perfect as the city is centrally located and you can easily drive from there to the sea or to the mountains (the time it normally takes to cross London from North to South).

Ljubljana - the capital, one day is enough to explore the central part with highlights being Ljubljana castle offering gorgeous views of the city (we didn't go in) and city centre with all the lovely markets. In terms of restaurants, we were recommended by locals to try Druga Violina and it didn't disappoint - hearty Slovenian dishes at reasonable prices. Slovenska Hisa is another nice place for a drink and/or snack.

If you want to enjoy another rooftop view of Ljubljana and to see Ljubljana Castle from the other side I highly recommend going to Neboticknik - Skyscraper for a drink.

First days of our stay were foggy in mornings and sunny later in the day - the mist and the sun created those gorgeous colours at sunset!

Lake Bled is an absolutely magical place and is definitely must see in Slovenia. It seems very touristy at first but it's very easy to find spots without people. The little church on Bled island is a popular wedding location. Traditionally it is considered good luck for the groom to carry his bride up the steps on the day of their wedding before ringing the bell and making a wish inside the church.

On the way from lake Bled we made a quick stop in Radovljica, a small town with houses dating from the 15-16th centuries.

Predjama castle (below left) was built within a cave and was first mentioned in the 13th century. 

Piran, a lovely seaside town was another highlight of the trip. 

For the view below climb the bell tower of St George's church.

I loved that most of the churches in Slovenia are built on hilltops. Church of St Primoz has one of the most beautiful locations high up in the mountains with more mountains as a backdrop. I was hoping to see it on a misty day but we got sun instead. Maybe that's a good reason to come back?

We also visited Plansarsko Lake (Zgornje Jerezersko) that was partly frozen but so far no snow for us this year. Still hoping it might snow in London!

Best places to see Christmas decorations in London

London looks amazing any time of year but with all the Christmas decorations it is particularly charming! The decorations are put on very early, already in October, with most of the official lights switch on happening in mid November. London knows how to do Christmas well - so if you are thinking of visiting London in winter - think no further!

Here is a list of my favourite places:

Oxford Street and Regent Street if you are ready for the biggest crowds!

Bond Street where you will find festive Tiffany and Cartier and colourful Royal Arcade (not to forget that the lights over Bond Street are spectacular too)!

Another area that always looks great - Covent Garden. Go there for Covent Garden Market baubles and beautiful Christmas tree, huge mistletoes above the streets and charmingly decorated Seven Dials.

Liberty - check out their ever changing flower display and Nutcracker themed windows + Carnaby Street decorations inspired by V&A's exhibition 'You say you want a revolution?'.

Leadenhall market often gets overlooked as it's a bit more off the beaten track but for me that's one of the most beautiful places at Christmas time. The market itself is one of the oldest markets in London, dating from the 14th century, and it looks even more magical with a Christmas tree.

Don't forget about ice skating - rinks near Natural History Museum and Somerset house are the most beautiful ones.

Everything and everyone is just getting Christmassy, dog outfits included.

Don't forget to look at the doors as the colours of wreaths are really pretty too!

Beautiful Dordogne Valley Part 2

There's so much to see in Dordogne valley area and I've taken so many photos that I have to share them with you in 2 posts! 

Martel is another picture-postcard medieval town that is so worth visiting.

Sarlat is a slightly bigger town in the region, known for its food market. If you are looking for French delicatessens this place is for you - foie gras, cheeses, salami, fresh fruit and veg - you can find everything there! It is very lively in the morning when the market is open and becomes a bit quieter later in the afternoon after all the shopping is done.

Incredible view over Dordogne valley from Domme.

La Roque-Gageac is probably one of my favourite villages in the region. The village was built on a cliff that protects it from the cold weather from the North, while the open view to the South ensures it catches plenty of sunshine. All this creates a perfect climate for exotic plants like palm trees, agaves, fig trees, cacti and bamboos! 

The cliff houses were first built by troglodytes (people who live in the caves) and some of the buildings have survived from as early as the 12th century.

Beynac-et-Cazenac is another pretty hillside village with a magnificent castle at the top. Some of scenes of Chocolat movie were filmed here!

I visited the region as a guest of Dordogne valley tourism boards. You can find more information about the area here and here.