Map & Family

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  • An unexpected warning to find in Central London, but these immaculate turned out mounted sentries traditionally stand guard at the entrance to Horse Guards on Whitehall. Look out for them in my latest blog post too, it has 105 ideas and inspiration for things to do and see in London with teens. My boys have grown up here, embedded in London life, from posing as toddlers with grandma and a guardsman on Whitehall to football matches at Wembley. They’ve made some great suggestions for the post and it’s been a lot of fun to put together. Give it a read and let me know if I’ve missed out any of your favourites? Link in profile ⬆️. The sentry in the picture is a mounted trooper of the Household Cavalry. They’re all active infantry soldiers who also take on these ceremonial duties, ultra patient too given the constant stream of onlookers. By the way, you can watch the Changing the Life Guard ceremony at Horse Guards Parade - it’s less busy than the Buckingham Palace guard change! 🇬🇧 #familytravel #travelwithteens #horseguardsparade #londonbylondoners . . . . .
  • Happy New Year everyone 🎉! I’m playing the best 9 game today to see which locations were most popular in this feed in 2018. From the top left to right it is: pretty Procida; white sands in Belize; a turquoise sea view on Antipaxos; the Roman market beneath the streets of Naples, Italy; a classic canal view in Amsterdam; London Bridge on a blue sky day; a lovely perch to catch the sun in Sorrento; peaceful La Gomera in the Canaries and Florence - Italy once again! I hope it’s helped with some inspo and ideas and wish you all lots of fun and travels in 2019. Huge thanks for all your likes, comments and support! 😀😘💐 #familytravel #happynewyear2019 #familytravelblog . . . . .
  • Merry Christmas everyone, Santa’s already on his way, revving across the oceans on his annual 510,000,000km round the world sleigh ride🎅🏼. You can follow his progress on the NORAD tracker at www.noradsanta.org. And perhaps get some inspo for next year’s family travel? 🎄🎉🎁. #christmaseve #familytravel #christmasholidays . . . . .
  • We’re celebrating Winter in London up on the blog this week with ideas for family outings, with and without teens. So ignore the grey, damp weather and think of scheduling yourselves a cosy night at the theatre (which needn’t cost a fortune) or a riverside walk with a pub lunch. A museum visit with a side of ice-skating - and hot choc - is a school hols treat and you can skate at the Natural History Museum (in the pic here) til January 20. We’ve been gift hunting too in luxe and traditional Piccadilly where the twinkly Christmas decorations are as good as the treats on offer. Link in profile ⬆️ to read more ideas. What’s your favourite place to go in London in winter? #familytravel #nhmicerink @NHM_IceRink #londonbylondoners . . . . .
  • Dreaming of a Christmas tree like this beauty at Kew Gardens 😉. There might still be a few tickets left for this year’s colour-drenched Christmas at Kew light trail - swipe for more pics. A twinkling pathway winds through the woods and gardens between light displays and laser beams - all set to music. Plenty of opportunities to stop for snacks, toast marshmallows in a brazier or warm your fingers on a cup of hot choc or spiced cider. Father Christmas makes an appearance and there’s an old fashioned fairground too. It’s a magical time of year! #ChristmasatKew @kewgardens #daysoutinLondon #familytravel . . . . .
  • I’m not very keen on Christmas before December - but I do like to get a bit of present shopping in the bag. Which was why I went to Piccadilly, London last week, to see the seasonal lights and hunt for inspiration. Most people think of Oxford Street when they’re looking for retail therapy, but Piccadilly isn’t just home to the statue of Eros, it also boasts London’s earliest shopping malls. Victorian and Edwardian ladies liked to keep their feet and hats dry when making their purchases so covered shopping arcades became very popular with the smart set. Upmarket then and now🎩, they are home to jewel box-style shops selling, yes, jewellery, along with scent, cashmere, chocolates, leather goods, art.... you get the drift. And they are all beautifully decorated for Christmas 🎊making window shopping an absolute pleasure. Here’s the entrance to Piccadilly Arcade, the Edwardian one. But don’t miss Princes Arcade close by, Burlington across the road or the beautiful Royal Arcade in Bond Street. You might just find some Christmas treats 🎁there too! More on winter outings in London coming soon on the blog 🇬🇧. #daysoutinLondon #londonbylondoners #familytravel #itsbeginningtolookalotlikechristmas . . . . .
  • Is this one of the world’s best city views? It’s part of the 360 degree panorama that opens up when you reach the viewing platform on the dome of Florence’s Duomo. That’s Giotto’s bell tower in the foreground - another great spot to enjoy a quintessentially Italian rooftop view. My son Ed and a friend spent a few days in Florence before they went back to Uni this autumn. I thought it might be expensive but they’ve put together a brilliant blog post on Florence on a budget. It’s perfectly possible to have a fun and affordable city break there. Check out the post, link in profile ⬆️, and especially their essential tips on booking tickets for the Duomo dome climb and Michelangelo’s David. Let’s just say they had an unexpectedly busy final day in town! What’s your favourite city view? #discovertuscany #familytravel #cherishitaly #ilikeitaly @italiait . . . . .

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