An Olympic Day Out in London

With the eyes of the world on London, I thought it was about time that I jumped on the Olympic bandwagon with my own Mrs Lighty Olympic blog.   A slight departure from my normal travel warblings, but I couldn’t miss out on the brilliant two weeks our fair capital city has had! Usually, our view of London (as London commuters) is tarred by the day-in-day-out trudge of crowded trains, pushy people, the hustle and bustle.  But all of a sudden, the streets of London seemed to be paved with gold – quite literally, if our medal count was anything to go by – as the buzz of the games came to town.  If you were lucky enough to experience it, you’ll know what I’m talking about.  If you weren’t, read on for my take on the best Olympic Games the world has ever seen: London 2012!

Audience Participation

Our first experience of the games (other than the torch relay, which we were also lucky enough to have witnessed) was the women’s marathon.  Not having tickets at this point, we decided to brave the weather and line the route.  We’re British, after all, so how much could a little drop of rain hurt?  Quite a bit, actually, as we got soaked to the skin!  But it didn’t dampen our spirits: we waved our Union Jacks at Team GB, and I even had mine wrapped round me like a rain shield; flag is the new black, after all!  We stood in a picturesque spot by St. Paul’s Cathedral and saw the athletes pass us three times (the sun had come out by the third lap too, hurrah!) – and all for free!  For the millions of people that missed out on tickets, the many free-to-watch sports were a fantastic alternative!

Lining the route of the Olympic Marathon, millions of people were able to watch for free

Flag is the new black!

London calling!

One of the things that London has shown us during the games is just how well it does ‘new’.  There’s been a plethora of free exhibitions taking place, and coupled with other aspects of the games such as the Wenlock and Mandeville trails (plotted routes which take in the various statues of the London 2012 mascots), you can really make a day of it in London, which is exactly what we decided to do after the marathon.  We wandered down to the Tower (which is where Beefeater Wenlock is located!), passed under Tower Bridge and through to St. Katherine’s Dock.  Here we took in the Imagination Denmark exhibition, which included a Lego Olympic Park!  After a bite to eat in the Dickens Inn, we continued our journey on the DLR from Tower Hill to the newly constructed Emirates Air-Line cable car at Royal Victoria Dock.  What a fantastic addition to our city!  The views are spectacular across the City and Docklands, and at £3.20pp on an Oyster Card, it doesn’t break the bank either!

On the Wenlock trail!

Tickets at last!

After the fun of the Marathon, and two weeks spent hammering the London 2012 website, we were then lucky enough to get tickets (“for the wrestling”, she adds, in a quieter voice!).  Yes, I’ll admit, it wasn’t my first choice of sport, but actually, it turned out to be great fun!  Held at the ExCel Centre, we had a scenic walk through the Docklands from the DLR station Silvertown, passing under the cable car again, and to this arena which is usually used for conferencing.  It’s absolutely huge, and the organisation was incredible – we collected our tickets in less than five minutes, security was quick and efficient, and there were plenty of Games Makers (or ‘Purple People’ as I had nicknamed them before I knew their official title!) on hand to help with any queries.  It was a great day out, I wore my flag with pride (again) despite the fact that there weren’t any Team GB members in the Men’s wrestling, and it’s something that I’m proud to say I was a part of: London 2012 is the making of stories we’ll tell our grandchildren about.

The fantastic Emirates Air-Line Cable Car

 ExCel London

The Pride of Britain

I have to say, as many have already said before me, that we were all proud to be British during the games.  Despite the lack of tickets, despite the warnings of travel chaos, it couldn’t have been better organised and many of those unlucky enough not to get tickets enjoyed the games on the many big screens around the city.  Overall it appears to have been a massive success.  The fantastic electric atmosphere and extra buzz created by the Olympics coming to town couldn’t be manufactured, and that is testament to the success of the games.  I’m hopeful that, if maintained nicely, the various new venues and the cable car will add an additional layer of architectural legacy to the city, as well as the much publicised sporting legacy.  Now that it's over, all that remains to be said is: you did us proud London, you did us proud!

Welcome to fabulous Las Vegas!

Stepping off the plane and into Las Vegas for the first time is quite an experience.  Even before you get to baggage reclaim, just after stepping out of the aircraft tunnel, you will come across slot machines.  Yes, welcome to Las Vegas, home of fun and frivolity in excess!  For the first-time visitor Vegas can certainly be a little daunting.  But it’s also a place to relish and enjoy; a bucket-list destination that should be on everyone’s list.  Welcome to fabulous Las Vegas!

Surviving the perils of the local taxi drivers

Although it’s illegal for taxi drivers in the state of Nevada to take you on a longer trip than necessary, we discovered to our peril that that doesn’t mean that they’ll always take you on the shortest route.  On arrival in Vegas, we took a taxi to our hotel on the Strip, the Monte Carlo.  Upon pulling up at the hotel forecourt, our driver told us that the fare was $27.00, despite the meter showing $22.00.  We paid up the $27.00, and added a tip, rounding the fare up to $30.00. 

It wasn’t until we were in the queue at reception, waiting to check in, that we heard some American guests in front of us talking about how they had been “ripped off” having been charged a $16.00 fare – clearly we had been stung, with our taxi driver not only taking us on a longer route, but also adding his own tip on before we then added a tip on top of this!  Our hotel concierge later advised us that on our return journey we needed to ask the driver to take the shortest route, avoiding the freeway.  Indeed, our return journey to the airport cost us only $12.00 plus tip – and we discovered that you can see the strip from the terminal at the airport, it’s that close!

View of the Strip from the airport - yes it's that close!!

All-important first impressions

After the initial shock of slot machines in the airport terminal and getting royally ripped-off by our taxi driver, it was time to start exploring.  Vegas is an assault on the senses – our room was a haven of peace and quiet away from the plinkety-plonkety noises of the slot machines, the strangely up-tempo, funky elevator music and general hubbub that is Vegas.  After checking in, we headed out, and it was this noise and just the general bizarreness of Vegas that hit us immediately.  Firstly, it took us about 15 minutes to work out how to get out of our hotel – we ended up walking from the Monte Carlo through to the Aria before we worked out how to get out! – and headed to New York, New York for lunch.  I think it was after lunch, as we walked from the bright light of day into the dimly-lit light of yet another casino, that I declared to my husband, “Vegas is mental!”!  It’s the only way I could describe it at that point – the rows upon rows of slot machines, the over the top themes of the hotels, the bars offering margaritas and foot-long beers at any time of day. And this was just the day time – I’m sure if you arrived on your first trip at night time, you wouldn’t know what had hit you!  But the first-time visitor will soon get swept up in the fun of Las Vegas, and I think the sounds of the place are what will really stick with me as a memory from our trip.

A giant slot machine - one of my favourite things about Vegas! 

Get your walking shoes on!

One thing you’ll quickly discover about Las Vegas is that it is vast.  To walk from one end of the strip to the other can easily take hours, not least because you’ll probably stop often to look at various things.  As much as you really get to experience Vegas by exploring it on foot, there are times when you just need to get somewhere quickly.  And there are ways to do this: some of the hotels are connected by monorails – our hotel was one of these, and it’s always worth asking if they are free for hotel residents or just free generally; unusually, we felt, for a hotel, we didn’t have an information pack in our room on the hotel services, and therefore found out on our last day that we could use the tram between the Monte Carlo and the Bellagio for free. 

A good tip that we did pick up from our hotel concierge was regarding the bus travel in Vegas.  For $7.00, you can get a 24hr bus pass – we therefore were able to use this to go to the Freemont Street Experience in Downtown Vegas one evening, and then use the same pass again the next morning to go to the outlet shopping centre at the south end of the strip at no extra cost.

Hit the highlights

While we’re on the subject of the Freemont Street Experience, when visiting Vegas for the first time, there are certain things you’ll soon discover are must-sees and must-dos.  For us, along with the usual delights such as the fountains at the Bellagio and the Sirens of TI show at Treasure Island, our must-do was the Freemont Street Experience in Downtown Vegas.  Although the bus ride there is a bit hair-raising (your guide book will tell you not to step away from the bright lights of Freemont Street as it’s surrounded by high crime areas), once you’re there, you feel like you’re in the ‘authentic’ Las Vegas.  Home of Vegas Vic, the hitchhiking neon cowboy, this ‘mini-strip’ is where the gambling traditions of Las Vegas originated.  It’s not so in your face, it’s not so slick, but here you’ll find great street performances (we were lucky enough to be visiting during the ‘Rock of Vegas’ series) and the brilliant light displays every hour, on the hour, on the roof that covers the central boulevard.

Top: The light show at the Freemont Street Experience

Bottom: Vegas Vic!

Other highlights of our stay included the Sigfried and Roy Dolphin Habitat at the Mirage, home to not only gorgeous dolphins, but also beautiful white tigers and lions.  We also took in a show at Caesar’s Palace – no, not Celine Dion, who is one of the regulars there; we saw the extremely talented ventriloquist and comedian, Jeff Dunham – one of my husband’s favourite performers!

Cheesecake for lunch?  Burgers for breakfast?  And all gluten free!

Food is a massive part of our holidays (my mother-in-law recently commented whilst watching our slide show of Vegas pics that every single one seemed to feature food!), but Las Vegas surpassed even our holiday eating habits.  After a great Mexican breakfast at the La Salsa Cantina opposite our hotel for $4.00, we decided that we probably wouldn’t need a lunch that day as we’d had more than enough for breakfast.....that was until we came across the Cheesecake Factory in Caesar’s Palace....yes, we had cheesecake for lunch, and what’s more, with my wheat intolerance, I had gluten free cheesecake for lunch!  This is the only place in the world I’ve ever come across gluten free cheesecake (and trust me, I always keep an eye out!); America generally is great for allergy sufferers, and, despite an incident with flour-covered chips at Senor Frogs, I also had gluten free pasta at the Enoteca Otto Pizzeria in St. Marks Square in the Venetian, lots of choice and an excellent and extremely reasonably priced meal in the restaurant of the Four Queens Casino in Downtown Vegas, a very helpful server at Le Burger Brasserie in Paris who helped me to pick a gluten free option (burgers for breakfast!), and yet another great Margaritaville meal, as is always the case, including a wheat free burger bun!

Gluten free cheesecake!

The Vegas Experience

All in all, Vegas was an experience – the heat, the crowds, the noises, the neon lights of the strip, everything about it combined to create a brilliant few days.  It’s not for the faint hearted, that’s for sure, but it’s something everyone should experience once in a lifetime....and if you’re very lucky, maybe you’ll get to go back and experience it again!

“Can we live in Radiator Springs pleeease?” – a review of the brilliantly new and improved Disney California Adventure

It was about halfway through our trip to LA that we realised we couldn’t have timed our visit better.  One of the main reasons for our trip was to visit Disneyland California, as we’d already been to Walt Disney World Orlando twice and I’d been to Paris; we also wanted to go to Vegas, and so we thought, why not combine it with a trip to LA and therefore Disney California?  We decided to excitedly book for June 2012.  We knew that Disney California Adventure’s new Cars Land would be opening the week we went, but, wow, what a week to pick – Cars Land exceeded all of our expectations and more, and was coupled with the grand reopening of Buena Vista Street – we couldn’t have timed it better if we’d tried! 

Lands of plenty

My husband and I are self confessed Disney nutters.  But I have to say, walking into Disney’s California Adventure in Anaheim, Orange County, I was blown away – the attention to detail is incredible, and really is what sets Disney aside from it’s competitors, creating magic and excitement at every turn.  Each of the different ‘lands’ within the park has a unique feel and has been beautifully created; from Grizzly Peak, where you feel like you’re in an authentic American national park (with the added bonus of theme park rides thrown in), to the old fashioned seaside amusement park Paradise Pier and through to touching down in Condor Flats, a remote desert strip where new and innovative ways of flying are tested, you truly feel like you’re immersed in the theme for each individual land – and yet, they flow together seamlessly to create one amazing theme park.



Grizzly Peak

Paradise Pier

New and improved

The two lands which have received the most attention recently are the newly reopened Buena Vista Street and the fantastically brilliant Cars Land.  Buena Vista Street transports the visitor back to 1923 and the Los Angeles that Walt Disney would have found himself in when he arrived in the city.  It’s created from shady avenues, art deco store fronts, Spanish roof tiles and pretty mosaics.  There’s a laid back feel to this land – stroll along in the sunshine as a vintage trolley car rolls by, and don’t forget to keep an eye out for the passengers on board the trollies – you may be lucky enough to catch a performance by the Broadway-style Red Car News Boys in Carthay Circle (“California, here we come!”) or the Five and Dime jazz quintet and vocalist, who might just be accompanied by special guest Goofy, dressed appropriately for the occasion and era!

Five & Dime

With Goofy, in appropriate attire!

Cars Land – let’s all move to Radiator Springs!

The highlight of California Adventure, for me, and I suspect for many others in the coming months, was the new land Cars Land.  As soon as you step into this area, you’re immediately greeted by the towering desert mountains surrounding the land – the attention to detail is incredible, Disney have managed to create a whole mountain range using colour to create perspective. 

The incredible backdrop to Radiator Springs

In front of the mountains, you’ve got the town of Radiator Springs, featuring many colourful shops and restaurants and the fabulous Radiator Springs Racers.  This brand new ride involves sitting in two rows of three within a car (made, of course, to look like it’s stepped straight out of the Disney Pixar film ‘Cars’) which transports the rider to a backstage area where the animatronics are like no other experience.  Lightning McQueen, TowMater et al are all there to greet the rider; the ‘realness’ of the characters is incredible (they almost look soft or spongy to the touch, emphasising their likeness to the film charachters) with their computer generated eyes and mouths moving realistically as they talk to you.  You’re then taken into a staging area – of which there are two, so you will experience a different ride to the car next to you – where your tires are changed or your bodywork is  spray painted in preparation for the race.  And then you’re through the doors and lined up with another car-full of eager riders, and before you know it, you’re off on an exhilarating ride, racing against the people next to you!  The ride has the perfect balance – interest and a gentle start suffused with all of the usual Disney magic, followed by a thrill ride – it’s just right!

Radiator Springs Racers - that's my husband on the far left at the front!  We used the 'single riders' queue to beat the 3.5hr queues experienced on the day after Cars Land's opening, meaning that we only queued for 40 minutes and also that we ended up racing each other!

Other thrills and spills for the visitor

There are also two other great rides within Cars Land.  Mater's Junkyard Jamboree is a modern day Cars-themed version of the classic teacups ride.  Luigi’s Flying Tires are huge tires (as the name suggests!) which float on a bed of air – think a giant air hockey table with you sitting on it.  The tires are controlled by the two people sitting within leaning in the direction in which they wish to travel.  There’s also the added, and somewhat weird, bonus of the giant beach balls on this ride – we couldn’t see any other reason to have them on the ride other than to throw them at each other and for the brightly coloured spectacle they create when the tires bump into a bunch of them – nevertheless, they all added to the sense of fun!  Of a night time, Cars Land really comes to life as the whole area is lit up with neon lights – it’s beautiful and colourful and mesmerising and fun all in one go.  The Cozy Cone Motel is particularly eye catching, as it consists of giant neon orange traffic cones!

Luigi's flying tyres



One of the giant beach balls on Luigi's flying tyres!



Cars Land by night!

All in all, the newly revamped and reopened Disney California Adventure is one of Disney’s triumphs.  It’s true that this was our first visit and therefore we can’t tell if it’s an improvement on its previous version, but we have been to Walt Disney World and, for me at least, this was one of the best Disney parks I’ve ever been too.  The attention to detail has always been what has set Disney apart from its competitors, making the parks truly magical, and not just any old theme park.  California Adventure is no exception.  It’s as if Disney have taken the best bits from Walt Disney World (think Muppet*Vision 3D, the rapids, It’s Tough to be a Bug, Toy Story Mania) and a lot of other brilliant extra bits besides and created one fabulous park.  I’ve come away from the experience with one question for my husband repeatedly on my lips: “Can we live in Radiator Springs pleeease?”!!!

Brighton Beauties – why Brighton is the perfect UK hen weekend destination!

Anyone that has been to Brighton will tell you how great it is – full of fun, quirky and beside the seaside!  I have been lucky enough to go on two fabulous hen weekends in this lovely UK holiday town now, and this has lead me to the conclusion that Brighton is the perfect UK hen do destination.  My reasons for this conclusion are twofold: 1) one of the hen dos was mine!  And 2) there really is something to suit every group of friends.  Here is a list of “do’s” for hen do’s in Brighton:

Do: enjoy the range of accommodation on offer

One of the great things about Brighton is the range of accommodation on offer.  You can either opt for one of the bigger seafront hotels (especially good if your group is particularly large), stay in a little guest house (as we did for mine) complete with fry up the next morning to cure those morning-after-the-night-before heads, or book a share-house whereby everyone can stay together, enjoying late night drinking and late morning brunching.  There is a huge range of accommodation available to suit every budget and taste, so shop around before you book to find something which will suit your party.

Do: spend a day exploring The Lanes and the Pier

A trip to Brighton without some time spent mooching in the kooky shops of The Lanes and visiting the Pier isn’t a trip to Brighton at all.  Well, it’d be rude not to visit the pier of a British seaside resort, wouldn’t it?  And don’t forget all the brilliant photos you hens will get at the seaside facades (you know, the painted picture things you put your head through and take a photograph, with you posing, as, say, a Baywatch lifeguard?!)!!  The Lanes are full of cool shops, from fancy dress to everything-for-£5, and quirky homewares to homemade fudge – the perfect girly afternoon can be spent in shopping heaven – and there’s the added advantage that if you buy an outfit for that evening’s festivities, you’re pretty much guaranteed that it will be one of a kind!

By the pier in February 2011.....

....and on the pier again in June 2012!

Do: check out the array of activities on offer

For my hen do, my chief bridesmaid organised a dance class whereby we all learnt a routine which we ‘flash mobbed’ at the evening reception of the wedding.  This was followed by a private Kareoke room at a lovely Chinese restaurant.  For my friend’s hen do, we had a fabulous cocktail making class at Vodka Revolution.  I’ve also heard tell of treasure hunts, Burlesque lessons and even nude life drawing!!  Check the activities out: there really is something to suit every bride-to-be!

At the end of the dance class on my hen do!

Cocktail making at Vodka Revolution!

Do: get into the swing of things and dress up

Yes, you probably wouldn’t go out in fancy dress on a normal night out and yes, you will feel like a wally, but why not get into the swing of things and dress up?  Posh frocks and pearls, devils and angels, emergency services and much more, you’ll come across loads of other hen parties dolled up to the nines – and you don’t want to be outdone, now, do you?!

Little devils!

A visit from the Emergency Services!

Do: visit some of the many trendy bars and clubs

I’ve already mentioned the cocktail making class at Vodka Revolution which was excellent fun, and I’m sure you don’t need it pointed out, but Brighton is the home to many trendy bars and clubs.  Why not try Funky Buddha or the Honey Club down on the beach front?  All in all, a little spot of partying is the perfect way to end your Brighton Hen do! 

Cocktails at one of the many bars in Brighton!

And if you want to see how the flash-mob turned out at the reception of my wedding, here's the link...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cyiR5ENqb8g&feature=youtu.be

Cool York...and the benefits of having your own personal tour guide!

Yes it’s true, Mrs Lighty goes on UK breaks too!   And last weekend I was lucky enough to visit the wonderful city of York; as one of my most loveliest friends is currently living there whilst studying at York University, myself and another one of my lovely friends thought it was high time we went to visit – and we weren’t disappointed!

Seeing the city through the eyes of an honourary local

My lovely friend and I have followed our other lovely friend all over the place since her studies have began; so far we have been to Frakenthal in Germany, St. Andrew’s in Scotland and York in, well, England (!), and one of the great things about visiting a friend who lives in the place you’re visiting is that you get your very own personal tour guide (particularly if your friend is like mine and soaks up facts like a sponge!)!

York Minster

And so it was that we were given facts about the beautiful old city.  Did you know that one of the windows in the Minster is as big as a tennis court?  And that the city walls are among the most complete in the UK?  Even in the rain and drizzle the sheen could not be taken away from this wonderful city; yes, the Ouze had flooded, and we had to put up our umbrellas whilst walking the city walls, but it didn’t stop us from finding spot upon picturesque spot for photo opportunities galore and making the most of the beauty of York.

The Ouse

Cool York

What also struck me about York was just how so darn cool it was.  Of course, there’s the history and the stunning buildings, but there’s also the cool antiques shops (where lovely friend and I fell in love with beautiful 1940s rings which we couldn’t afford!), and the market selling unusual bits and bobs ,and The Shambles, an extremely pretty street selling everything from glasswear to soap!

As well as mooching in the gift and homeware boutiques, we also ate trendy burgers in the very pretty Stonegate Yard restaurant – a gastro-pub-type establishment with a lovely heated outdoor courtyard, lit by fairy lights and located in a Georgian house.  And we had to make a stop at the Evil Eye Lounge for some fabulous cocktails too – I defy you to not find one you like the look of on the extensive menu! 

Cocktails in Evil Eye Lounge

And so we had a great time and notched up some ‘cool points’ along the way.  But the best bit about visiting York on this occasion?  Getting to catch up with my two lovely friends.  You can’t beat it.

Gone to Ghent

If you’re looking for a romantic weekend away, the Belgian city of Ghent isn’t an obvious choice of destination, admittedly.  Often overlooked in favour of its nearby cousin, Bruges, but much less touristy, Ghent is a great choice for a driving holiday from the UK as it’s just an hour and forty-five minutes drive from the Channel Tunnel – perfect for a European city break for two, which is just what my husband and I were lucky enough to enjoy here on our first anniversary weekend away!

Live like a local

Whereas Bruges is quite obviously a tourist destination, it’s much easier in Ghent (whilst still having its fair share of tourists) to get a feel for the real city.  It’s a great destination to explore on foot, for starters: a morning, or even a day, can be spent strolling around the cobbled lanes and over the bridges spanning pretty canals, and not forgetting mooching in the shops, both the little boutiques and high street chains alike.  The Sunday morning markets are also a great place to start living like a local; a highlight of our weekend for me was a visit to the Kouter Flower Market: on a Sunday morning, the Kouter area of the city is transformed with colourful blooms, accompanied by the tunes of a brass band from the old fashioned bandstand in the centre of the square.  If you’re celebrating a special occasion, as we were, or even just want to get your Sunday off to a stylish start, the best bit of the Kouter is the Blauwe Kiosk, where locals gather sociably for a plate of oysters and a glass of bubbly.  What better way to start your Sunday than with a glass of Champers?!

Colourful Blooms at the Kouter Flower Market

Kicking off our first anniversary with a glass of Champers!



Gastro Ghent
You don’t have to have adventurous tastes, or a fluency in Flemish, to enjoy a good local meal in Ghent, but it would certainly be a help!  If you’re like us, and like to dine in the less touristy bistros and brasseries where you’re unlikely to hear any English spoken, then you’ll like the idea of taking your chances in Ghent.  We had two great meals, one, fortunately, from an English menu and one where we just had to take a chance on the waiter’s broken English description (By no means is this a criticism or complaint, his English was a lot better than my Flemish, that’s for certain!).  Over the two nights we were there we ended up with, between us, tasty honey-glazed ribs, a hearty mixed grill, a Flemish beef stew with apple sauce and Chicken Waterzooi – a chicken and vegetable dish in a creamy soup sauce – all delicious, all of which we might not have chosen had the menus been in English!

My husband, Scott, enjoying his Chicken Waterzooi!

A city of history and discovery

Having said that Ghent is a city of locals, there is still plenty to attract the tourist.  From the STAM city museum, which tells the story of Ghent, through to the wonderful Van Eyck brother’s Adoration of the Mystic Lamb altar piece which is housed in the beautiful St. Bavos Cathedral, there’s lots to keep the weekender entertained.  There’s also the Gravensteen Castle which dates back to the middle ages to explore, and the Belfry to climb for brilliant panoramic views of the city....in fact, there’s so much to see and do, you might need more than just a weekend!

St. Bavos Cathedral by night

The Gravensteen

So if you’re thinking of visiting Bruges, why not consider Ghent as a trendy and attractive alternative?  There’s something in Ghent to suit everyone, from shopping and sightseeing to eating and exploring, and not forgetting those famous Belgian beers!  Oh and the other thing?  If you take your car, you can stop off in Bruges for lunch on the way back – best of both worlds!

How Berlin's hidden treasures make it Europe’s answer to New York!

Berlin, Berlin – so good they named it.....once!  Yes, ok, it doesn’t quite have the same ring to its name as New York, but seriously, Berlin is one of Europe’s most fabulous cities.  For me, Berlin is Europe’s equivalent of New York.  It’s got that buzz about it: there’s always something going on, the city’s landscape is a constantly changing melting pot of architectural styles and there’s the shadow of the city’s recent history, too.  Just like New York, Berlin is the kind of city that you could go back to again and again and yet see something different each time. 

So how to condense this wonderful city into just one blog post?  Well, pick out some of its many unsung highlights of course! Your first visit will be all about soaking up the atmosphere and seeing the main sights, but I can guarantee that you’ll want to go back again.  Therefore, here are just a few ideas for visits you might want to make on your second, or even third, visit to the city;

Kaffee und Kuchen at the Reichstag

OK, so the Reichstag is somewhere that you’ll definitely want to visit on your first trip to Berlin; its amazing Lord Norman Foster designed glass dome perched high on its roof was enough to make me fall in love with it on my first visit.  But if you’ve already done the Reichstag, how can you do it again and make it different?  Well, one idea is to go once in the daytime and again in the night time; I can promise you that the view will be quite different, yet equally spectacular, both times!  But another way of differentiating your trip and making is a bit different is to take Kaffee und Kuchen on the roof!  Just like a German version of high tea, you’ll be led into elegant surroundings and served elegant cake to match; there’s even gluten free cake for those who need it!  What could be more wonderful than looking out over Berlin with a slice of cake and a cup of coffee in hand?  Fabulous!

Kaffee und Kuchen in the Reichstag!

The Secret Nuclear Bunker at the Story of Berlin Museum

There’s evidence of Berlin’s recent cold war history all over the city.  You may be walking away from the totally modern Sony Centre at Potsdamer Platz when you come across a section of the Berlin Wall, or you may see one of the many mosaic murals which are a left over piece of communist history, and of course, there’s also the imposing Fernsehrturm to remind us of the hold that the Soviets had over the east of the city.  But if you want to experience the cold war from a Western Sector point of view, a visit to the Nuclear Bunker which forms part of the Story of Berlin Museum could be just the ticket.  Cold, dark, damp and rather eerie, you’ll be led down the stairs to this underground hiding place – built to house West Berliners if the city ever came under nuclear attack – and led around the complex with an English speaking guide.  Very interesting, but not somewhere you’d want to spend your whole holiday, that’s for sure!

Inside the very dark Nuclear Bunker!

Schloss Cecilienhof, Potsdam

Technically not in Berlin, and also technically not so-secret, the Cecilienhof Palace in nearby Potsdam is often overshadowed by Sans Souci Palace, also in Potsdam.  But this shouldn’t necessarily be the case; if you have the time to visit both, it’s certainly worth doing so.  Built between 1914 and 1917 and designed to look like an English Tudor country house by Paul Schultze-Naumburg, the palace was commissioned by Emperor Wilhelm II of Germany for his son, Crown Prince Wilhelm and his wife, the Duchess Cecilie of Mecklenburg-Schwerin.  The palace was the location of the Potsdam Conference between 17^th July and 2^nd August 1945, attended by Winston Churchill, Joseph Stalin and Harry S. Truman, whereby the terms for the Japanese surrender during World War II were issued under the Potsdam Declaration.  Yet another example of Berlin’s recent history coming to life in this interesting visit!

Schloss Cecilienhof

The Jewish Museum

Incredibly interesting, the Jewish Museum was designed by American architect, Daniel Libeskind, meaning that not only is the museum itself an informative and fascinating visit, but the architecture of the museum is also worth taking the time to appreciate.  The Museum covers two millennia of Jewish history, and the design of the museum incorporates the very moving Holocaust Tower and the Garden of Exile; certainly architecture to make you think.

The Daniel Libeskind designed Jewish Museum with its Holocaust Tower

East Side Gallery

The East Side Gallery is somewhere that you may wish to see this on your first visit to the city, admittedly, but if you don’t, be sure to see it on your second visit.  The East Side Gallery is a 1.3km long section of the Berlin Wall.  It is covered by approximately 106 paintings and works of graffiti by artists from around the world, making it the largest outside gallery in the world, and showing itself as a symbol for freedom.  A reminder therefore of the city’s past, and a hopeful look towards its future.

The East Side Gallery

It’s easy to see that Berlin is a place of great variety, history and places of interest.  The above is just a taster of the city; I’m sure that you’ll also want to experience the better known sights, such as the Brandenburg Gate, Checkpoint Charlie, the Holocaust Memorial and the Sony Centre, as well as the wonderful shopping and dining opportunities that the city has to offer.  But if you’ve got some spare time, or are back for a second visit, it’s worth checking out the city’s hidden gems – I know there’s plenty more that I need to see; better get round to booking that return trip!