How to spend 24 hours in Marseille, France

Marseille was somewhere that was never really on my list and only really came to my attention because it's about an hour from my friend Elodie's hometown. We flew into there for the day before making our way down to the coast to where she lives. Now I've been? I absolutely loved it and would love to venture back to explore some more. We managed to squeeze a lot into our 24 hours there and here is how you can too.

10am: If you catch the early morning flight from London Stansted you'll land in the city just before ten. Catch the airport bus into the centre, jump off at the train station and make your way towards the beautiful old town - La Panier.

11am: Take your time getting lost down the windy, cobbled streets and browsing the many unique and independent shops to buy some souvenirs to take home. I'd recommend a quick pitstop to La Grande Savonnerie, home of the city's famous soap Savon de Marseille, and UndARTground, a cool concept shop where I treated myself to a cool wall print as seen on my Instagram.  Make sure you make a quick detour to the gorgeous Centre de la Vielle Charité. Once a charity shelter, this beautiful neo-classical building with pretty olive trees is the perfect place for a wander and take shelter from the sun.

1pm: You'll want to take full advantage of those harbour views so make sure you book a meal at La Poulpe in advance. We went for their great value lunchtime deal of a starter, main, dessert, glass of wine and cup of coffee for 28 euros. I enjoyed perfectly cooked squid to start, meatballs on a bed of wild rice smothered in a tomato sauce for my main and a banana and chocolate hybrid cake for dessert. Washed down with a generous glass of rosé, it was a great meal to kickstart my French adventure. After lunch head to Glacier Vanille Noir to try the infamous black ice-cream made from squid ink. No need to screw your nose up as it tastes just like vanilla ice cream. What's a holiday if you don't have two desserts eh?

2.30pm: After that big lunch you'll want to walk it off. So take a stroll along the beautiful harbour in Vieux Port and laugh at the mad selfies you can take in the Pavilion, a huge mirror. Once you begin to get bored, prepare yourself for a trek up a hill to the MuCEM, a cool building that looks like it's made from lace. Here you'll have a cracking view of the city, enjoy a quick drink pitstop in the cafe before continuing your sightseeing.

4.30pm: For somewhere a little different, take a stroll through the French African quarter of Noailles. An Aladdin's cave of interesting shops selling beautiful African-inspired crockery, on-trend straw baskets for a fraction of the price of those in high street shops, delicious looking food and various knick knacks you didn't think you needed until you spot them. It's full of hustle and bustle making a great alternative view to the city.

8pm: Now it's time to grab dinner. Au Bout Du Quai is a cool, instagrammable place that wouldn't look out of place in Miami. I adored the vibe, the staff were friendly and accommodating and the food was absolutely delicious. Once again you'll be rewarded with views of the harbour. I fully recommend the local clam spaghetti. The pasta was cooked perfectly and the clams tasted so fresh and delicious. I didn't want the dish to end!

10pm: We never got the chance to take advantage as we had to catch the last train home to the coast but make sure you take advantage of the cool cocktail bars for a few drinks before retiring to your hotel room or apartment.

Bon voyage!

Some pictures taken from Michelle as my camera ran out of battery half way through the day!

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Four places I'd love to visit for a country weekend away

I say this time and time again but I really do need to explore more of the the UK - there really are some Great Little Breaks to be taken advantage of.  I have a list as long as a piece of string but as soon as I look into booking a trip, I automatically start booking flights. I really need to make more of a effort to see more of my home country. Here are my top five places I'd like to visit for a country getaway from the Big Smoke - one day I'll make it here!

1. Peak District
I have this weekend planned for when I finally get to the peak District. I want to do a slow drive up there before basing ourselves in Bakewell to enjoy the country pubs. From here I want to spend a day at the gorgeous Chatsworth House before spending a day doing the Monsel Trail. The former railway tunnels along the limestone dales look so picturesque. I imagine it just can't be beaten on a sunny day.

2. Bath
I have no idea why I still haven't made it to Bath as it's only a few hours away. It's not the country as such but it's a lot more like the country than London is! I'm dying to lose a few hours in the stunning architecture, the Roman-built baths, the quirky independent shops and follow in the footsteps of Jane Austen. It seems like such a vibrant city and I'd love to see it during the festive season for the Christmas markets.

3. Isles of Scily
Located off the Cornish coast, this archipelago doesn't even look like they belong in the UK. The southernmost point of the country, the islands seem to have their own microclimate. I'd love to spend a week island hopping, soaking up the rugged coastlines, incredible locally sourced food, the slow pace of life and the interesting history.

4. Vineyards of Kent
It's my dream to spend a weekend on a vineyard but it's so expensive to go to France and Italy. I could have a two week holiday for the amount it would cost me for a weekend. But I really don't have to venture that far to tick it off my list. Kent has fast become the heart of the English wine-making industry. So Kent is where I would like to go!

This is a collaborative post with Great Little Breaks

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Restaurant review: Yuu Kitchen, Whitechapel, east London

As soon as I looked online at the menu at Yuu Kitchen I knew I was going to take up their invitation to try their new dishes. It looked delicious! Located on Commercial Road in the East End, the Pacific Rim inspired restaurant specialises in sharing plates. The best kind of restaurant in my opinion because who doesn't like to try and sample everything on the menu?

To help stop our rumbling bellies as we pursued the menu, my BFF and I decided to order some addictive salted edamame beans and crunchy pork chicharron (pork scratchings) to wet our appetite. They were the perfect introduction to the menu and left us craving more. Our stand out items included the moreish sweet & sticky aubergine which left us desperately needing more as soon as it was finished, tender salt and pepper calamari, twice cooked pork belly bao with the perfect accompaniment of BBQ sauce and cucumber pickles and baby back ribs with a decent amount of heat, they just fell off the bone. A deep fried bao filled with creamy pistachio ice cream was such a game changer. It was probably one of the best things I have eaten in a long time. A revelation!

The menu was fun and inventive. It fully deserves its place in the London restaurant scene. We got to sit at the bar which I highly recommend. It was great fun watching the busy chefs work their magic and they were so helpful, answering any questions we had about the food. In fact all the staff couldn't be any more helpful. A Friday night very well spent - thanks so much for having us Yuu Kitchen. We had a blast!

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Restaurant review: Firezza, Soho, central London

It seems like I've been eating a lot of pizza lately. Heaven eh? Last week I was invited along to the launch of a new pizza joint in Soho. Firezza decided to open their first sit-down restaurant and throw an insane pizza party to celebrate. Based in Dean Street, the location couldn't be more perfect - right in the heart of London.

They helped to wet our appetites with a selection of delicious bruschetta and endless glasses of prosecco. After we sampled everything on offer we took a seat and waited for the main event.

Served by the metre, the pizza is ideal for sharing. That's if you can bring yourself too - you might not want to after you have your first bite. Starting from £6, there are a variety of different topping on offer. My favourite featured generous lashings of creamy chunks of mozzarella, spicy pepperoni and torn flavoursome basil. Quite often the base can let a pizza down but the thin, chewy base blistered perfectly at the chunky crust. Make sure you try their signature potato and rosemary pizza too. It sounds strange but it works oh so well!

Filled with oozing cream, sprinkled with sweet icing sugar and dipped in chocolate chips, I fell in love with cannoli. It was my first time trying this Sicilian pastry but it won't be the last. They are unbelievably addictive and one of the must-try items on the menu.

Firezza has a lot of competition in London but it certainly lives up there with the best of the pizza joints on offer. It offers great value for money which is something often hard to find in the capital. It's a great place to get a group of friends together over the weekend for a catch up without breaking the bank. Enjoy the good food, craft beer and delicious desserts. Thanks so much for letting me come along - I'll certainly be back guys!

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Exploring Europe: Mussenden Temple, Castlerock, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland

Another site on our Game of Thrones Northern Ireland wishlist back in January was Downhill Demesne and Mussenden Temple. The weather didn't play ball but it was a cracking visit nonetheless. Owned my National Trust, the vast 18th century estate was built around 1772 by the Earl Bishop Frederick Hervey. The stunning temple itself, perched on a cliff edge was actually a library. The whole site is open from dawn until dusk and is free to visit.

Now I bet you're wondering about the Game of Thrones reference? Well, the beach the temple overlooks is where Melisandra burned the old gods on Dragonstone.

But even if GoT isn't your jam, it's still worth popping it into your itinerary. We went on a gloomy weekday in the late afternoon -as you can tell from the photos above - and it was practically deserted. Just the three of us chattering, the sheep grazing and the wind howling. It was so tranquil and peaceful, just the ticket to soak up the beauty of the Emerald Isle. I'm in such a hurry to back across the sea and see more of the country I've fallen head over heels in love with....

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Exploring Europe: Torvehallerne KBH, Copenhagen, Denmark

My boyfriend and I both adore a food market so when we're planning a trip outside of London we naturally look for markets in our research. When we started planning Copenhagen, Torvhallerne KBH came up time and time again in the research so it was quickly added to the list.

If you've ever been to Borough Market in south London, I'd describe it pretty similar to that. It was full of locals and tourists alike, each trying to get their foodie fix. It's an undercover food hall right in the centre of the city, making it the perfect pitstop to try some tasty food before you continue on with your sightseeing. Full of over 60 different stalls, there's something for every tastebud with cuisines from all over the world catered for. There are takeaway stalls for those in a rush or stalls with chairs to allow you to enjoy your food at a more leisurely pace.

We got there for a late breakfast/early lunch and opted to go Danish and headed straight for the stall that was selling the Smorrebrod - an open sandwich. Located at the right of the food hall, past the flower stall outside and at the back, we greedily chose three different types to share. They were delicious. It wasn't cheap as nothing in Denmark ever is but it was well worth the money. We picked up a Danish as big as our heads each on the way to eat on the go for dessert.

Even if you're not a massive foodie, Torvhallerne KBH should definitely be on your list for the buzzing atmosphere, delicious food and a little peek into Danish life.

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My top five European countries to re-visit

1. Germany
I fell head over heels for Germany when I ventured to Berlin in 2012. In fact, I credit that trip for turning into somewhat of a travel junkie. It was the first cultural holiday I'd had, before I had just been on beach resort holidays. It helped me broaden my horizons and I came back with such a thirst for seeing the world. Berlin was such an incredible place and it encouraged me to book a trip to Cologne last year to see if I was in love with the country or the capital city. Turns out I was in love with the country. I loved the slightly grumpy people, the stodgy food, the charming beer halls, seeing the history I spent two years studying at A level and the beautiful architecture. It's a place that feels so familiar yet vastly different. I'm really keen to tick more cities off my list - mainly Hamburg, Munich and Dresden.

2. Poland
I first ventured to Warsaw back in 2013 and after fours years away, I'm heading back to Poland in August to do a mini tour of the country. I'll be hitting up Krakow, Warsaw, Pultusk and Gdansk if anyone has any tips. The capital of Poland brings such incredible memories for me. I had so much fun and so many stories to tell about the place - mostly involving the bars... It blows my mind that the old town of the city was completely rebuilt after it was flattened during the war. You'd never know walking around. I adored the amazing culture, the friendliness of the people, eating pierogi every day and discovering the contrasting architecture. It's a country that came back from the brink to be the thriving, beautiful place it is today.

3. Ireland
Ah the beautiful Emerald Isle has a very special place in my heart. Luckily thanks to my boyfriends family, I have an excuse to go back and visit more often. Not that you should need an excuse to visit! I've only been to Ireland three times but have a long list of things I'm desperate to see and do. The scenery is among some of the best I have ever seen - I never tire of seeing the rolling green hills, stunning jagged coastlines and beautiful architecture that tells hundreds of years of stories. It's a place I feel so relaxed and at peace in. That Irish pace of life is quite something else!

4. Denmark
The country where I never quite feel cool enough to visit. Copenhagen is one of the only cities I've visited that I honestly believe I could call home. The Danes really know how to live and enjoy life. The people speak better English than I do, the food scene is probably the best I've ever encountered and the proud history is fascinating. I have Aarhus, Odense and the North Zealand coast all on my wish list to help get more idea of the country.

5. Slovakia
This country completely took me by surprise, I really didn't expect to love it as much as I did. I adored the cafe culture in Bratislava, the gorgeous buildings of the old town, the contrast between old and Soviet new and the wonderful Slovak wine. Bratislava is so much more than stag dos. I feel there's so much more for me to discover here and think that Kocise would be the ideal place to start.

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