The must-see attractions in Prague

Petrin Hill

I'm a sucker for a good view point and had read Petrin Hill offered the best view in the city. Take the funicular to the top like we did or have a leisurely stroll. Keep in mind - it's pretty steep! Once you get to the top make sure you pay a trip to the observation tower. Modelled on the famous Eiffel Tower in Paris, it was built in 1861. You'll have to suffer 299 steps before you reach the top but the view is absolutely stunning. Miles and miles of pretty terracotta roofs and every recognisable landmark will be in your sights. Make sure you have a wander around once you make your way down - it's a great place to bring a picnic.

City art

One of my favourite things to do in Prague was to wander around. There so many things on every corner so one of the best things is to just keep an eye out. Head to John Lennon Wall to see some street art. People have left so many messages and it's a really cool place. The giant metal babies are quite famous in the city. They crawl up the TV tower but you'll also find some in Kampa Park. They are meant to represent the communist era, unable to reach adulthood, stifled by totalitarian rule. The Memorial to the Victims of Communism is very moving and worth seeking out. Located on the edge of Petrin Hill, it was unveiled 12 years after the fall of communism.

Charles Bridge
My best tip would be to cross the Charles Bridge early in the morning so that you beat the huge crowds. Crossing the Vltava River, construction of the bridge was started in 1357 and was finished in the beginning of the 15th Century. Decorated with numerous black statues on either side, most of them in Baroque-style. It's also lovely to cross when the sun sets to see the city sparkling in the darkness.

Old Town
Again the old town is full of tourists so it's best to start your exploring as early as possible. The early bird catches the world. Its here that the atmospheric clock lives. This is a little underwhelming but it's worth seeing it as it's such a famous part of the city. It chimes on the hour and people start crowding round about 15 minutes before. The old town square is such a hub of activity and a great place to people watch.

Castle district
The castle district consists of Prague Castle, St Vitus Cathedral, Golden Lane and St George's Basilica. We paid to get in and see all these buildings but if I'm perfectly honest, I'm not sure it was worth the dosh. It's much nicer to just wander around the outside of the complex. As a Brit, I think we're pretty spoilt with castles in this country and Prague just didn't live up to the expectations. But definitely trek up to the hill and marvel at the architecture.

Pedalos on the River
Due to peer pressure from my friends, we decided to do this on the whim and it was one of my favourite afternoons. We hired a pedalo for an hour and laughed non-stop. It was pretty scary when we got a little too close to the weir but we made it back in one piece. It's a really fun way to spend an hour.

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Entertaining with LSA International

One of my favourite things to do is eat and entertain so when LSA International got in touch and kindly offered to send me a few things from their collection at Amara, my eyes lit up. They're currently celebrating their 50th birthday. Working in interiors I often come across their products and they always seem so classic and of high quality. I certainly wasn't disappointed when they arrived. They definitely helped me become the hostess with the mostess! I decided to host a little wine and cheese night to give them their first outing.

One of the first things needed were some champagne glasses. What is a gathering without some bubbles? Reminding me of The Great Gatsby, the handmade glasses are gorgeous. They're the perfect party centrepiece. With wine you always need some cheese right? Which makes this cheeseboard an essential! This quaint little cheeseboard has a hand-blown dome on an oak paddle base, making it perfect for an intimate dinner party. Finally I was gifted the water and wine carafe set. Once again the glass mouth-blown and nestled on a wooden base.  It's the little finishing touches like these pieces that really make a gathering. I adore glassware at the moment, it just seems so timeless which is what you really want when you buy investment pieces. The collection isn't cheap but you really do get what you pay for. I don't mind splashing out on pieces that I know are going to stand the test of time.

Thanks so much to LSA International for helping me put my hostess skills to the test. They got the thumbs up!

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Join in with the Great British Bake Off

GBBO seems to have gripped the nation again and taken over my Wednesday night. Again. It's given me the baking bug and I've been back in the kitchen after a bit of time away. Whenever I put aside the time to rustle something up, I always wish I make more of an effort. I love looking on the internet and seeing what type of recipes are out there. As well as my 50+ cookbooks... But sometimes I just go back to some of my favourites.

The Apple cider cake above is always a crowd pleaser. It has a great sweet taste and the added cider makes it so light and fluffy which is what you're always looking out for in a cake. If you fancy something a little bit more fruity then this coconut and lime loaf will be a winner. Taken from one of my favourite cookbook author Levi Roots,  the extra lime glaze helps to give it a bit more of a zing - which is always a good thing!

Not all baking treats are for those who have a sweet tooth. These savoury breakfast bars are great to make on a sunday and have throughout the week - much healthier than grabbing a bacon butty at the train station. They're substantial and really filling so won't make you reach for the biscuit barrel before lunchtime.

Finally if you want to make a showstopper then this ultimate chocolate cake is the one to attempt. The lashings of white and chocolate milk buttons paired with creamy milk chocolate fingers, makes it a chocoholic's dream. Set aside a good few hours over a lazy weekend for this one as it's no mean feat. But when the outcome is the below, you really don't mind putting the hard graft in!

Let me know some of your favourite bakes to make as I'm always on the look out for some new ideas! And some new blogs to drool over! If you run out of time to make your own creations, head to the Biscuiteer's discount page to to enter a completion - it ends on 23rd September.

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The top 5 places to eat in Prague

Nase Maso
This was somewhere that was recommended to us by the guide on our beer tour and we were taken here to sample the hotdog joint next door. It has a couple of tables to eat at indoors but we got a takeaway. Make sure you book a table if you want to eat in. You can pick any piece of meat from the butchers and they will cook it for you there and then, or you can choose something from the menu. We opted for a meat loaf rather than the burger as it was a traditional dish. The chunky meat loaf came with a spicy homemade mustard and juicy pickles inside homemade ciabatta style bread. It travelled really well back to our hotel and despite the fact it was a little lukewarm by the time we got home, it was delicious! I'd definitely recommend paying them a trip if you fancy a quick lunch. GET THE HOTDOGS!

Cafe Savoy
Designed to be reminiscent of the First Czechoslovakian Republic, this ornate, lavish restaurant is certainly a sight to behold. With a beautiful Neo-Renaissance ceiling dating back to 1893, it really does feel like you've taken a step back into yesteryear. I'd read that they were famous for their breakfasts and the desserts so I managed to persuade my friends that we should swing by one morning. My best friend picked a winner with an incredible french toast topped with lashings of syrup and a generous scattering of fresh fruit. It was a sight for sore eyes. Then she got greedy and ordered an indulgent hot chocolate that was pure melted hot chocolate. We defiantly all stared at her green with envy as she tucked in! The warm, homemade bread was absolutely delicious and really helps to kick the continental breakfast up a gear. It's well worth visiting just for the atmosphere and the French toast. It's not expensive but it's not cheap for Prague. Still it's cheaper than London!

Cafe Imperial
Another suggestion from our beer tour, this restaurant was actually located about 200 yards from our hotel. What a find! Owned by the Czech version of Gordon Ramsey, it's located below a hotel. Decked out in the style of an old Czechoslovakian cafe, it was absolutely stunning so it's definitely one to dress up for. Deciding to sample as much of the local cuisine I could, I opted for the tender rabbit drenched in a tangy mustard sauce and served alongside traditional dumplings. The meat melted in your mouth and the unusual dumplings were a joy to eat. My friend got the veal schnitzel which I'd recommend too.

Cestr
Knowing that the boys were steak fans, I decided to book in a trip to a decent steak restaurant. Cestr is well known for numerous cuts of beef so it's definitely one for hardcore meat eaters. But you will also find fish on the menu too. I pumped for the steak tarter as I had read that it was extremely highly regarded as one of the best to try in the city. I'm glad I went for it but I think it might be an aquired taste so not sure I would eat it again. We all went for the set menu which included a starter, second course with a side and a main course with a side. It was incredibly good value but far too much food! The portions are huge and I would suggest just to have a main and a side because it can get painful! Steak eaters will be in their element here. Just make sure you book a table as it gets very busy.

Cukrkavalimonada 
A bit of mouthful but this cute little cafe near the John Lennon Wall is a great place to stop for a quick lunchtime bite to eat. The homemade pasta with lashings of pesto was fantastic.The prices were very reasonable and the portions were generous which is what you need when you have a long day of walking ahead of you! I've heard they have a good breakfast offering too.

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Exploring Europe: Prague, Czech Republic

Back to my travel posts! The first place we visited on our Eastern Europe two week trip was Prague. Ten years ago (?!?!) my boyfriend and I had decided on Prague for our first ever holiday. But due to our student lifestyle it was half the price to spend a week all-inclusive on the Costa Brava. God bless those package holidays when you earn £30 a week in retail... So obviously we never made it. When we started planning this trip, it was top of our list and we scheduled in three nights and began the research.

We chose three nights so that we could spend one day mooching around and take things easy. The rest of the holiday was going to be so jam-packed. On the first day we hit the sight seeing a little too hard and ended up clocking up about 20km which obviously did lots for our poor feet! On first impressions, Prague was stunning. As the holiday went on and we explored more areas, it only ever got prettier. I would say it is probably one of the prettiest places I've visited ever, not just on the holiday. I adored the beautiful pastel buildings, the history seeping from the pores of the architecture and beautiful terracotta roofs.

Three nights was the perfect amount of time to spend in the city and I feel now that I've done it all. I would go back but I don't feel the NEED to go back. But for a girls holiday, it would be the perfect break away. There's so many quaint streets to get lost down, incredible food to enjoy, great beer to sip and lots of sights to take in.

Although I loved Prague, the insane amount of tourists completely threw me. It was quite overwhelming at times, especially trying to navigate through Prague Castle and across Charles Bridge. But we did go during high season so it was kinda to be expected. My top tip is to start your sightseeing early to try and beat the crowds and spend the later part of the day enjoying the endless beer.

Keep an eye out for my guides on what to do and where to eat in the city coming soon!

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Recipe: milk chocolate and pistachio fudge

Sometimes you fancy a sweet treat but you don't always want to slave over a hot oven. This is where Nigella's chocolate and pistachio fudge comes into play. It's probably not what you would call a traditional fudge but it hits the spot and is so simple to make. Wing Yip got in touch and sent me over some of their condensed coconut milk to sample so what better way to give it a whirl!

Ingredients
300g of good quality milk chocolate, chopped
30g unsalted butter
1 can of Wing Yip condensed coconut milk*
200g pistachio nuts, shelled

Method
1.  Put the chopped chocolate, butter and condensed milk in a large saucepan and milk into a smooth mixture.

2. I prefer to put my nuts in whole. But you can put the pistachio nuts in a plastic sandwich bag and smash into little pieces using a rolling pin.

3. Put the nuts in the chocolate mixture and stir well.

4. Pour into a dish of your choosing, leave to cool and then pop in a fridge to set.

5. Once it has set, cut into little pieces and tuck in! Keep in mind, it's very addictive! You might be a little bit better at making them more uniformed than me...

As always do tweet me to let me know if you make it - and send me some in the post please! Happy baking!

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Restaurant review: Yo! Sushi, St Paul's, London

Yo Sushi is one of those chains that I seem to see everywhere and always make a mental note to visit but alas I never do. So when they got in touch to see if I wanted to review their special Yo! Festival, I jumped at the chance. And now wish I'd tried it sooner! I have definitely been missing out...

Yo! Festival is running until 23rd September and is offering an extra 46 blue dishes at a special price of £2.80, Monday to Friday. What a bargain eh? There's such an incredible range of things to try and it's not only sushi either. Both hot and cold dishes are included in the deal.

So what did we manage to put away? A LOT!

To kick things off we ordered a couple of hot dishes including a delicious soft duck gyoza with an incredible plum sauce - I took to unconventionally dipping my sushi in - and the crisp katsu chicken curry drizzled with a sweet tonkatsu sauce. So far so good! Then we went wild and got a bit greedy picking off the dishes from the conveyor belt. The novelty didn't wear off all evening.

Personal favourites included the fried battered octopus balls with a generous sprinkling of flavoursome fish flakes, enormously addictive salmon chahan filled with crunchy vegetables and chilli powder,  a very filling avocado and salmon hand roll with a sprinkling of sesame seeds and the hoisin duck roll with that plum sauce sent from the heavens above.

The staff were incrediably attentive and we never once felt rushed. The location of St Pauls was amazing - nothing quite like dining next to that impressive cathedral. Finally, the food tasted so fresh given the fact it goes around the belt a fair few times. My boyfriend and I both agreed that we will most definitely book in another trip soon!

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Exploring Prague: Brews and Views tour with Eating Prague

Prague is famous the world over for its beer so when I was offered the chance to try Eating Prague Brews and Views tour, I was very excited to see what they had in mind. Brews and Views is a brand new 3.5 hour tour celebrating the country's proud history of beer and local food specialities. Partnering with international beer expert Evan Rail, the company has made it their mission to introduce visitors to the hidden Prague.

Starting off at the wonderful Letna beer garden, we all admired the stunning view over the city as we learnt about the history of Czech beer. After we finished the first drink, we headed down the step to start exploring the city. Our guide was absolutely fantastic - so knowledgable and so friendly. It makes things so much more interesting when you're listening to someone so passionate about what they're talking about. I don't want to spoilt to much about the tour in case you go on it yourself but I will give you my highlights. And insist that you most definitely book it if you ever find yourself in Prague! One tip I will offer is, make sure you go hungry as there's a lot of food to be enjoyed!

The food. Oh the food. We stopped off to try a hotdog at Nase Maso - right next to their butchers shop. Oh my word, it was so delicious that we went back a second time after the tour. Try their meat loaf too!

My favourite bar was T-Anker. Located on top of the Kotva communist department store, it's totally hidden away. But once you get the lift to the top, you're greeted with some of my favourite views of the city. With outside tables, it's a great place to whittle away a few hours enjoying the atmosphere.

As a Brit, I'm pretty fussy about my scotch egg but my taste buds were won over in Prague. Maso a Kobliha has a shabby chic cafe vibe but is owned by a famous chef named Paul Day. The scotch eggs were perfectly cooked inside juicy sausage meat and encrusted in crispy bread crumbs. I really wish I didn't have to share them! The beer was pretty tasty too and complimented the food well.

Thanks for such an amazing few hours guys!

Tours run Tuesday to Saturday and kick things off at 2.30pm before ending at around 6pm. Tickets cost €65.

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