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Canary Wharf: Best Restaurants

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Image courtesy of Google Images

 

I usually write these London restaurant guides for The Culture Trip but I’ve decided to publish this one on my own as I’m currently undertaking a different style of project for the site. Here’s my take on the best restaurants in the lively Canary Wharf..

Located in one of the most exclusive areas in London, Canary Wharf is a modern, cutting edge business district surrounded by skyscraper hotels, boutique shops, restaurants and, of course, the waterside Docklands. This handy guide rounds up the top restaurants in the area and caters for every palette with a range of international cuisine from Japanese sushi to Mexican burritos… Bon Appetite!

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Image courtesy of Wahaca.com

 

Wahaca’s Mexican Street Kitchen

For a little bit of Mexico in the heart of London head to the fantastic Wahaca Restaurant in Canada Square. Boasting over 20 chains across the UK, Wahaca is popular with guests from all corners of the globe and their eclectic menu serves dishes to suit every palette. Diners can choose from traditional Mexican dishes including tacos, burritos and taquitos as well as picking from a range of sumptuous sides such as sweet potato fries and spicy ‘slaw from the extensive menus. The interior décor is vibrant and colourful with a brilliant roof top terrace bar serving classic cocktails whilst offering stunning views across the city. Wahaca’s also offers a speedy takeaway service for those looking for a quick and convenient lunch or evening meal. Wahaca’s is open daily from 11.45am-11pm Mon-Fri, 12noon – 11pm on Saturdays and 12noon – 10.30pm on Sundays.

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Image courtesy of Google Images

 

Amerigo Vespucci

Located on the corner of Cabot Square, with stunning views across to the Docks and surrounding Canary Wharf area, Amerigo Vespucci is a traditional Italian restaurant offering a selection of dishes from four corners of Italy. The superb a la carte menu boasts daily specials including handmade pasta, fillet steaks, veal medallions, fresh fish and king prawns. The extensive wine list serves a range of different tipples from all regions of France and Italy as well as boasting classic cocktails, Champagne and Prosecco. Dinner and drinks can be served Alfresco for a unique dining experience in one of London’s most sophisticated and glamorous settings.

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Image courtesy of Wagamama.com

 

Wagamama

Perfectly positioned on a mezzanine level of Jubilee Place, standing next to the iconic Canary Wharf tower, this branch of the popular high street chain stands in the vibrant, bustling area of London’s Docklands. Bringing traditional Japanese cuisine to the heart of the city’s financial district, Wagamama offers fast, fresh food at an affordable price and is perfect for business people looking for a speedy lunchtime treat! Boasting an extensive menu serving everything from snacks and sides to lunch and evening dinner, specialities include wok fried noodles, steamed rice, a range of curries and fresh salads. Open daily from 11am-10pm, and from 11.30 – 9pm on Sundays, Wagamama also runs a take-out service so you can enjoy excellent Japanese cuisine from the comfort of your own home.

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Image courtesy of Gaucho.com

 

Gaucho

For a taste of luxury in the midst of Canary Wharf’s formal business district, Gaucho brings a touch of Argentina to savvy central London. In a fantastic location, with stunning views of the River Thames, Gaucho welcomes diners from all across the world for every imaginable occasion from stylish business lunches to intimate dinner parties. Boasting an extensive menu with the freshest ingredients cooked from the open kitchen, Gaucho’s authentic Argentine dishes include sea bream tiraditos, acorn fed Iberico pork and tenderised fillet steak. An eclectic range of brunch, Sunday dinner, sharing platter and canape menus are also available for the discerning diner. For the ultimate glamorous ambience, Gaucho even offers sommelier service, a PA reward scheme, alfresco dining for up to 190 guests on the fantastic outdoor terrace, and an exclusive lounge bar serving expertly crafted cocktails and fine wines. Gaucho is open every day from 12noon until 11pm.

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Image courtesy of Google Images

 

Browns Brasserie & Bar

Built in the 19th century by Napoleonic prisoners of war, and once used as an old sugar warehouse, this historic building is now part of the popular Browns chain and offers a relaxed atmosphere in the heart of London’s Docklands. Browns boasts a number of fantastic menus with popular offers including 2 courses for £11.95 Mon-Fri, afternoon tea, Sunday roast dinners and even luxury Lobster nights every Thursday. Browns is well known for its signature dishes, most notably their hand pressed British beef burgers and classic expertly mixed cocktails. Browns is also famous for the elegant sound of its onsite piano- a live pianist plays every Sunday from 1pm-5pm- the perfect accompaniment for dinner and drinks in the most relaxed of atmospheres. Browns is open daily from 8.30-11pm Mon to Thurs, 8.30-midnight Fri-Sat and from 9am-10.30pm on Sundays.

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Image courtesy of Google Images

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European City Break: Budapest

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Hey everyone,

So most of you will probably know this by now, but I’ve not long returned from my second European city break of 2015 where I headed to the beautiful Hungarian capital of Budapest for a quick weekend getaway with my sister. Budapest is such a beautiful city and, with so much to see and do, we had the most amazing time! We took off from London Gatwick airport on the morning of Saturday 26th September and after a short 2hr flight with the fantastic Easyjet Holidays we landed safely at our destination. And as if by magic you can now BOOK the exact same trip I planned in one easy step – scroll down and read the last paragraph for details! In the meantime though, here’s what we got up to in Budapest…

The Hotel

We were delighted to be staying on a room only basis at the luxurious 4* Hotel President located a short walk away from the stunning St Stephen’s Basilica and close to the major attractions on the Pest side of the city. Situated on the same historical streets as the US Embassy and the National Bank, the boutique hotel enjoyed prime position for the parliamentary parts of the city.

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Our rooms were spacious, modern and clean and we made use of the excellent spa facilities on offer at the Wellness Centre on the ground floor. The hotel also boasted a fantastic 360 degree panoramic roof terrace offering spectacular views across the city but unfortunately we weren’t able to enjoy this as it was for restaurant reservations only.

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All the staff at the hotel were so friendly and helpful and made our stay even better, a big thank you to the reception team and the staff member who helped us with our luggage upon both arrival and departure! I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this hotel to anyone looking for a comfortable and luxurious stay in the heart of the city, it was truly wonderful.

The Restaurants

We stayed on a room only basis and found this to work brilliantly for us as there were many cafes, diners and restaurants nearby where we were able to go for breakfast, lunch and dinner. As Budapest is generally very cheap compared to other European cities we got great value for money and enjoyed some amazing meals out!

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We mainly ate in the square by St Stephens Basilica as everything seemed to centre around that point, although there were many different roads leading off the square all of which housing more restaurants, cafes and shops. Our highlights had to be Platz, a French café-restaurant serving amazing cocktails, TG Italiano, a brilliantly authentic Italian restaurant and Gelarto Rosa, a gorgeous little ice cream parlour where all the ice creams were made into beautiful rose shapes- enjoying one of these in the September sun whilst gazing at the beautiful basilica made for a perfect piece of heaven! Another of our highlights was Café Smuz located adjacent to the grand Parliament Building- there was a funky mirror outside giving us the perfect chance to take that all important Buda-selfie!

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Prices were great in Budapest, we paid on average £7pp for a large main course and found lunches to be around the £4 mark. Drinks prices were about what you’d expect to pay in the UK (£7 for a cocktail, £5 for a mixer) whilst soft drinks, snacks and breakfast items were relatively cheap.

Getting around

We used the fantastic Giraffe Hop on Hop off Bus Tours which were by far the most straight forward and most convenient way of exploring the city. With 5 lines, 43 stops and 22 languages to choose from, the Giraffe Tours were accessible for anyone to use with comfort and gave us the best opportunity to see the whole of Budapest. The lines included 2 bus tours, walking tours and a fantastic boat trip all as part of the price! Charges for 24hr and 48hr tickets are fairly similar so it’s worth paying the higher price to get the full extra day, but we knew we were going to spend our last day at the thermal spas so didn’t pay for an extra day.

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However, it turned out that there was a major marathon through the city on the day we used the bus so the company automatically upgraded everyone to 48hr tickets at no additional cost- winner! This in turn enabled us to catch the bus to the spas, via the incredible Heroes Square, thus saving us the cost of an organised package trip and allowing us more time to explore a side to the city we were yet to see. I’ve been on many tourist buses in my time, exploring places such as Paris, Barcelona and London, but I have to say that the Giraffe buses in Budapest were by far the best I have ever been on. Thanks to the lovely staff and drivers for making the experience so enjoyable!

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Tourist Attractions

Budapest isn’t the largest city so pretty much all the sights can be seen in a couple of days, but you’ll need to use a mode of transport rather than walking as the city is split into two sides by the river Danube: Buda and Pest. The Buda side is west of the river, whilst the Pest side is on the east bank. I’ve done a handy round up below of where to find all the biggest attractions so you can plan your days accordingly! Without doubt the most popular and well known attractions are The Hungarian Parliament Building, Buda Castle, the Chain Bridge and of course the River Danube.

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Spanning 2860km and flowing through ten countries, the Danube is Europe’s second largest river and, as I’ve mentioned, it totally splits Budapest in two. Home to no less than 8 grand bridges, the Danube itself is an impressive sight, particularly at night when the whole riverfront is lit up and sparkling! Arguably the best way to see the city in all its glory is by taking a river cruise down the Danube, either at night or during the day, to gaze in awe at all of the beautiful sights.

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We took an afternoon cruise and had the most incredible views of perhaps the most impressive building I’ve ever seen; the stunning Hungarian Parliament Building which was truly beautiful from any angle, both in daylight and after dark. We also got up close and personal with the pretty Chain Bridge and marvelled at Buda Castle, the Fisherman’s Bastion and many statues and landmarks high up in the hills that could be seen from the river. Amazingly, our boat trip was included in our Giraffe Bus ticket price, but there are many day time and evening cruises on offer running daily, most with the option of a lunch or evening meal and live music on board.

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Buda highlights

Margaret Island – a recreational delight with beautiful green parks and dancing fountains accessible by boat!

Buda Castle – home to the Kings of Budapest and listed as a UNESCO world heritage site, this fairytale castle is in a prime position overlooking the river Danube

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Fishermans Bastion – part of the adjacent Matthias Church, the Bastion is a stunning neo-gothic and neo-Romanesque style terrace near to Buda Castle.

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Citadella Fortress – located at the highest point of the road system, this fantastic photo stop was on the red Giraffe bus route and allowed us to enjoy amazing 360degree views across the whole of the city. Well worth a visit!

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Pest highlights

Hungarian Parliament Building – seriously the most impressive building I’ve ever seen! Don’t believe me? Check out this photo..

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St Stephen’s Basilica – gorgeous Roman Catholic Church which is breath-taking both inside and out. Climb the 302 steps to the top of the tower for incredible panoramic views across the city!

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Shoes on the Danube Memorial – a poignant tribute to some of the Jewish community who were ordered to line up, take their shoes off and be shot by the Arrow Cross Party during the Second World War just because of their religion. Incredibly sad and a shocking reminder of how many Jews sadly lost their lives during the War.

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Heroes Square – a vibrant area in the heart of the city and home to statues of seven Hungarian Tribe leaders as well as the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.

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Szechenyi Thermal Baths – One of Europe’s largest thermal Spas home to over 10 different indoor and outdoor pools, with temperatures in some reaching an incredible 40 degree heat, along with saunas and steam rooms for the ultimate spa experience.

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On Tuesday 29th September we headed back to London via Budapest airport, and their excellent duty free section! Overall we had a brilliant trip full of fun and adventure and I would highly recommend Budapest as an exciting city break or weekend away with friends, family or partners. I hope you’ve enjoyed reading my post about everything that Budapest has to offer, please contact me if you have any questions or would like to know more on certain areas of the city!

As mentioned above, you can now book the EXACT trip I did in one easy step – just click on the link below for more details and to request a quote!

Get a quote for this trip

Love Jess x

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Westminster Review: Top Bars and Restaurants

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Hi everyone,

So I recently had the pleasure of spending the day in London reviewing bars and restaurants for a neighbourhood project that I’m currently working on for The Culture Trip. I’ve never done anything like this before, most of my write ups have been based on internet research rather than personal experience as I can’t put too much first person writing into my Culture Trip articles! As you can imagine, I jumped at the chance to review some of the trendiest bars and restaurants in one of the best parts of London, the beautiful borough of Westminster. It’s no secret that I’ve always loved London and I have a particular soft spot for Westminster so was delighted to be able to take on this area for one of my neighbourhood projects.

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I didn’t have long in the capital and knew I had to plan my day as best as I could so I emailed a few of my chosen establishments in advance to set up some meetings. To my delight, managers from my top 2 bars and restaurants replied and I set up meetings with them both; Didier Agueh (Executive Host & Artistic Director) and Gregory (Restaurant Manager) of Primo Bar, Park Plaza Hotel and Sergio of The Zander Bar, part of Bank Westminster. Both interviews went brilliantly and I was able to learn a lot about the establishments as well as get an understanding of the menus and the types of customers that pass through the doors. My friend and I were even treated to some lovely complimentary drinks- thanks guys! So without further ado, here are the big interviews …

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Primo Bar, Park Plaza Westminster Hotel

When did you first open? March 2010

Most popular time of day? After work for business people, or after 9pm on events nights. Primo Bar is proud to host a number of events and music nights throughout the year, including  shows from top tribute acts and jazz and soul artists.

Who are your target audience? We attract guests of all ages, but our main target audience are adults over the age of 25. Most are of course hotel guests but we do get large numbers of locals and tourists looking for a luxurious place to relax and unwind after a hard day at work, or to enjoy their Saturday night out.

Signature drink? We run a Cocktail of the Month promotion, and October’s special is a fantastic Spiced Rum Sour for £12.95. Alternatively we run a 2-4-1 cocktail deal every weekday from 5-8pm only.

Any famous celebrity spots? Bruno Mars, Nicole Scherzinger, the cast of Fast & Furious 7 and our very own Prime Minister David Cameron!

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Brasserie Joel, Park Plaza Westminster Hotel

When did you first open? March 2010

Most popular time of day? Evening meal times between Thursdays and Saturdays.

Who are your target audience? Mainly hotel residents, it’s about a 75% to 25% split between residents and members of the public.

Signature dish? Chef Walter Ishizuka is known for his excellent Tournedos Rossini, a fillet of beef served in a truffle sauce.

Any famous celebrity spots? Jessica Wright (of hit TV show The Only Way is Essex) dined here last week actually!

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The Zander Bar, Bank Restaurant

When did you first open? 2007

Most popular time of day? Straight after work for locals, and on into the early part of the evening. We run a Happy Hour promotion between 5pm and 9pm Tuesdays-Fridays.

Who are your target audience? Business people

Signature drink? Our cocktails and our selection of Martini’s

Any famous celebrity spots? Because of our close proximity to The Houses of Parliament we often attract many politicians, one of the most well known being Nick Clegg.

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Bank Restaurant

When did you first open? 2007.

Most popular time of day? Early evening for after work locals and business people, where corporate events and meetings are often held in our private dining rooms.

Who are your target audience? Business people during the week, but we also attract tourists and locals during weekend leisure.

Signature dish? We serve a range of meats and steaks in our fantastic tandoori clay oven- they are always popular with our customers!

Any famous celebrity spots? As above, many politicians visit due to our brilliant Westminster location.

My published articles for Best Bars and Best Restaurants have just gone live, and I wrote a post on Top Things to See and Do in Westminster a while back. I’d just like to say a big THANK YOU again to Didier, Gregory and Sergio for having me- I’ll certainly be back! My next neighbourhood projects are Covent Garden and Canary Wharf so I’ll be heading back down to the capital for some more research soon and will be posting my reviews and interviews afterwards. I’m thoroughly enjoying my latest projects and cannot wait to share more of my handy tips with you and all of The Culture Trip readers.

Speak soon!

Love Jess x

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October Newsletter: Autumn Has Arrived!

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Hi everyone,

So firstly I wanted to apologise for the huuuuuge delay in writing this up and my lack of blog posts since September! I’ve been super busy since I returned from my recent holiday away to Budapest that I’ve barely had time to think! Now that the nights are getting darker and the days are getting colder, it feels as if autumn is well and truly here and its given me chance to get myself a little more organised. I thought I’d better give you all an overview of what’s been happening lately so my new blog feature, a monthly newsletter, should explain it nicely! Here goes…

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Budapest was a brilliant place to visit for my 5th European city break in the past 2 years; its full of culture, character and charm and provided the perfect getaway for me and my sister. We spent three nights and four days in the city which gave us plenty of time to see the sights, explore the little side streets and indulge in some Hungarian history. I’ll be writing up my Budapest adventure as soon as possible, so watch this space!…

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The day after I returned from my holiday I whizzed straight off to Northampton to see one of my best friends get married. She held her reception at the beautiful Dodford Manor, a converted countryside barn which was simply stunning. Everyone had a brilliant time, and the bride and groom looked totally gorgeous! Congrats Mr & Mrs Nicholson, and thank you for letting me be a part of your special day! <3

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Last weekend I headed into London for the day to review some of the best restaurants and bars in trendy Westminster. I hadn’t been to the capital since June so I was dying to go back and this gave me the perfect excuse to visit! As many of my regular readers know, I’ve been contributing for global online magazine The Culture Trip since the summer and was delighted to be asked to take part in their new Neighbourhood project. The task involves taking an area of London and posting about the best bars, restaurants, brunches and things to see and do in said area. I chose to take on Westminster, Covent Garden and Canary Wharf and couldn’t wait to get to work!

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As part of my research I set up meetings with bar and restaurant managers for a few of my chosen establishments and had the pleasure of being toured around the buildings, interviewing the managers and even being treated to a few free drinks… the perks of being a travel blogger! I’m currently busy typing up my posts for The Culture Trip, all of which are due to be completed by mid December so my works are pretty much all scheduled in between now and Christmas.. it’ll be here before we know it…scary stuff! In between interviewing lovely managers, blagging free drinks and being toured around some beautiful places I managed to squeeze in some sightseeing with my close friend and we even had time to enjoy a scrummy ice cream or two at the AMAZING Haagen Daas Ice Cream Parlour in Leicester Square. I’ll social share my Culture Trip posts once they’re live and will write up my interviews as soon as I can!

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This weekend has been a little more chilled, thankfully, so I’ve had chance to spend some quality time with my family as we strolled around one of our favourite local haunts, beautiful Blenheim Palace in nearby Woodstock. Our westie, Cassie, absolutely adores running around the grounds and we wandered around the lake with her whilst staring at the grand architecture of the Palace itself. View one of my previous blog posts to find out a little more about the birthplace of one of Britain’s most loved characters, Sir Winston Churchill.

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My final piece of news in this month’s newsletter is that I’ve been asked to write a series of Destination Guides for the brilliant ABN Save Travel Group. Travel writer Breanna Wilson has been working with me closely to edit and publish my guides and it’s been great to get another piece of my work published on a more global scale. Like The Culture Trip, ABN Save have asked me to write weekly articles on some of the hottest city break destinations. As most of you lovely readers will know, my blog focuses on European city breaks and so I’m delighted to be able to share some of my knowledge and handy tips with a much wider audience. My first post for ABN Save was published last week, click here to read my Paris Destination Guide. Next up is Barcelona and Reykjavik so I’ll be social sharing those in due course.

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As a side note, I’m also running The Big 5K Fun Run in aid of The Pituitary Foundation so I’ll be in Milton Keynes for that next Sunday. I’m running for The Pituitary Foundation as they have been a charity that have supported me since my prolactinoma diagnosis 5 years ago. Please visit my JustGiving page to read my story and help me raise lots of money and awareness for this fantastic charity. Thank you in advance to anyone that can find it in their heart to donate! <3

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That pretty much completes my first newsletter for this month, I told you I’ve been busy! I’ll be writing like crazy over the next few weeks and I have a few more little trips planned between now and the end of the year so, as always, I’ll remember to keep you posted! My next write up will be my beautiful Budapest trip… enjoy the rest of your weekend!

Love Jess x

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Preparing for Beautiful Budapest!

Hey everyone,

So my second city break of the year is almost here and I AM SO EXCITED to be heading to Budapest on Saturday!! Me and my sister visited Prague back in February (we had a whale of a time!) so we thought we’d plan adventure number two and chose the beautiful Hungarian city as our next go-to destination! First of all I just want to say a massive THANK YOU to my lovely fellow travel bloggers Vicky from Eat Sleep Love Travel  and Rebecca from The World As Bec Sees It for providing me with the stunning images to enable me to write this post! They’re both amazing – go check out their blogs and, if you’re after some more Budapest-esque info, they’ve both compiled posts and handy guides to the city…

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Budapest looks to be absolutely AMAZING and I can’t wait to experience the local history and culture that the European capital has to offer. We’ll be staying in the 4* Hotel President on the Pest side of the river Danube and location wise it looks perfect for us. Its described as a luxury boutique hotel and we’re particularly excited about trying out the spa facilities and marvelling at the city views from the panoramic roof terrace – who said anything about high expectations?!

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As we’re only staying for three nights we are trying to cram in as much as we can so that our city break is as adventurous and fun filled as can be. So far we’ve pin pointed Chain Bridge, St Stephen’s Basilica & the stunning Hungarian Parliament Building as main attractions that we are just dying to see! We’re also planning to head to the Thermae Spa’s both in the evening and during the day and are super excited to be spending some relaxation time in one of the world’s prettiest spots of natural beauty.

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We’re catching our Easyjet flight from London Gatwick on Saturday morning and anticipate arriving in the capital during the early part of the afternoon ready for a few hours of exploring whilst daylight is still present! We’ll then be staying until Tuesday 29th September before flying home around dinner time and arriving back in the sunny UK close to midnight (booo).

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I’ll obviously be too busy having fun to be blogging whilst on my travels but you can keep up to date with my Budapest antics over on my Instagram page– I’ll be posting wanderlust inducing photos whenever I get a spare minute… and usage of some free wifi!

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Have you ever been to Budapest before? If so, what are the main sights I should see without fail, and do you have any local tips and hints I should know about before I travel?! If you haven’t been, is Budapest on your wanderlust list at all? If you have any advice for me please leave a comment below and I’ll catch up with you all when I’m home…

Bon Voyage!

Love Jess x