As budget airlines continually tighten their luggage restrictions, mastering the art of cabin-bag-only travel has become less of a lifestyle choice and more of a necessity for the frequent European city-breaker.
EasyJet currently allows a reasonably generous 45 x 36 x 20 cm cabin bag, while Ryanair’s free allowance has shrunk to a challenging 40 x 20 x 25 cm—about the size of a large handbag. With checked luggage fees often exceeding the cost of the flight itself, there’s never been more incentive to pack strategically and travel light.
Many travellers discover this challenge the hard way on their first weekend trips abroad, arriving at the gate with oversized bags and facing unexpected fees or hasty repacking. Yet embracing these limitations can actually enhance your travel experience. Moving between airports and hotels becomes effortless, baggage reclaim queues become a thing of the past, and navigating narrow European alleyways turns from frustration to pleasure.
The secret isn’t just packing less—it’s packing smarter. Sure, you might have scored an absurdly cheap flight to Ljubljana, but with luggage dimensions ever shrinking, it’s not just about saving every penny – every centimetre matters, too.
The Capsule Wardrobe Approach
The concept of a capsule suitcase has saved countless travellers from excess baggage fees and packing headaches. The approach revolves around selecting a limited palette of complementary colours where everything pairs with everything else.
For a typical four-day city break, consider one pair of comfortable walking trousers, one dress or smart outfit that can be dressed up or down, three tops that can be layered in different combinations, and one light jacket or cardigan. Block colours work better than patterns.
Worried that’s all sounding a bit soulless? Well, as the team at Teddy Howler Jewelry so sagely intone, accessories that elevate day outfits for evening wear can provide the necessary variation. Indeed, accessories are key to making a capsule wardrobe go further, however the key is to be ruthless in your versatility. A silk scarf, for instance, serves multiple purposes: as a headband, a top accessory, or wrapped around the handle of a plain bag for evening drinks. It can even be used to protect yourself from the rain or sun depending on the season.
Consider bringing a beret to add a pop of colour and a distinctive touch to your capsule wardrobe – perhaps a bit cliché, but undeniably European in its charm. Remember that each item you select should earn its place by integrating seamlessly with everything else you’ve packed.
The Art Of Efficient Folding
Several folding techniques have proven effective for maximising limited cabin bag space while minimising creases. The KonMari vertical folding technique has clothes standing upright like files in a cabinet, allowing you to see everything at once rather than digging through layers.
While this approach works brilliantly for travel organisation, the traditional rolling method still offers advantages for certain garments. Rolling reduces creases and saves significant space, particularly for casual items like t-shirts and jeans.
For more delicate items, the bundle technique often yields impressive results. The method involves placing your most crease-prone garment flat as a base, then adding subsequent items at different angles, folding the edges inward to create a compact bundle. This technique is particularly effective for keeping formal shirts and blouses presentable throughout your journey.
Perhaps the most challenging aspect of cabin-bag travel is navigating the 100ml liquid restriction, especially for those unwilling to compromise their skincare routine.
Decanting products into smaller containers is an essential skill. Most travellers apply more product than necessary, meaning smaller quantities than you might expect will suffice for a weekend away.
Multi-purpose products offer another solution. BB creams with SPF replace three separate products. Solid shampoo bars eliminate a liquid entirely. And many high-end hotels and resorts now provide quality toiletries—research before you go to avoid packing duplicates.
Alternatively, there’s a credible argument to packing absolutely no toiletries at all. Simply buy your toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant and face wash at your destination, in miniature size to avoid wastage.
The Psychology Of Packing Light
What’s most interesting about adapting to cabin-bag travel is the mindset shift it requires and rewards. Constraints initially viewed as limitations become a path to freedom.
Many of us pack based on insecurities—multiple outfit options for each day in case we don’t feel confident in our first choice. Learning to bring only clothes you know work well allows you to focus on the experience instead of wardrobe anxiety.
A valuable perspective that’s worth repeating: almost anything can be purchased at your destination in an emergency. Few travellers ever regret packing too little, but many frequently regret packing too much.
Of course, it’s essential to start with a light cabin bag in the first place. Don’t let let heavy luggage weigh you down as lightweight suitcases mean you can take full advantage of your weight allowance.
Wearable Luggage 101
Perhaps the most practical cabin bag hack is one that will raises eyebrows at check-in: wearing multiple layers of clothing to the airport. This isn’t merely about donning a coat to save space—it’s about transforming yourself into a walking suitcase.
The record allegedly belongs to a Scottish traveller who boarded a flight from Glasgow wearing 12 layers of clothing, including two pairs of jeans, five t-shirts, three jumpers, and two jackets. They ended us passing out due to overheating – the lesson here, we’re not sure of. While this extreme approach might cause you to resemble the Michelin Man, a more moderate version works brilliantly.
Perhaps don’t be so extreme, but do consider the strategic layering method: wear your bulkiest shoes, heaviest jeans, a t-shirt, a light jumper, and your coat. Once aboard, you can remove layers and fold them neatly for the journey. Some clever travellers even invest in specialised travel jackets with up to 20 pockets, effectively adding an extra bag’s worth of storage to your person.
Another delightfully unorthodox trick: the ol’ pillow loophole. Most airlines allow a pillow in addition to your cabin bag. A pillowcase stuffed with soft clothing items serves as both extra storage and in-flight comfort. Just be prepared to demonstrate its genuine pillow functionality if questioned.
Smart Organisation Strategies
Beyond conventional advice, some seasoned travellers swear by vacuum compression bags, though with a twist—using the airplane lavatory hand dryer as an impromptu vacuum when the bags inevitably re-inflate during security checks.
Repurposing everyday items is another hallmark of clever packers. The humble shower cap from your last hotel stay becomes a brilliant shoe cover, keeping dirty soles from contaminating your clothes. Meanwhile, contact lens cases make perfect miniature containers for tiny amounts of face cream or foundation—far smaller than standard travel containers.
Utilising often-overlooked empty spaces also maximises capacity. Shoes contain significant unused volume perfect for storing socks, chargers, or anything small and soft. Even the inside of a hairbrush cover can hold earrings or similar small accessories.
Designing your packing strategy with airport security in mind saves considerable hassle. Placing your clear toiletry bag in an easily accessible exterior pocket means you won’t need to dismantle your carefully packed bag at security screening.
The Emergency Underwear Strategy
One particularly brilliant piece of packing wisdom comes from the backpacking community: the ‘emergency underwear budget’. Instead of packing seven pairs for a week-long trip, bring three with the idea of washing them by hand at the hotel and set aside €20 for emergency underwear purchases. Anyway, this not only saves packing space but provides an amusing story about the time you panic-bought undergarments in a Barcelona department store with only rudimentary Spanish (bet you’re fun at parties).
Similarly, consider the ‘progressive souvenir strategy’ —begin with a cabin bag that’s only three-quarters full, allowing space to accumulate meaningful souvenirs rather than frantically trying to cram them in or ship them home separately.
The Bottom Line
As experienced travellers discover over countless European weekends, there’s something deeply satisfying about the minimalist approach to travel. Without the burden of excessive luggage, you move through cities more like a local than a tourist. You’re free to spontaneously change hotels, accept unexpected invitations, or even extend your stay without the anchor of possessions weighing you down.
After all, the most precious things you’ll bring back aren’t packed in your luggage at all—they’re the experiences you collect along the way.
Mad Men, the Lionsgate television series that first aired on July 19th 2007, had seven seasons of enormous success, ending in 2015. During its run, it gathered up 16 Primetime Emmys, as well as numerous other accolades, awards and nominations.
If you haven’t seen the show, then firstly; do so. Secondly, we’ll briefly offer its premise. The series revolved around the lives of advertising executives working at Sterling Cooper on Madison Avenue in the 1960s. The eclectic and creative executive advertising team is headed up by Don Draper, played by John Hamm.
The no holds barred professional lives of the team and its driven leader shows a hedonistic lifestyle characterised by smoking, philandering and, of course, drinking.
To quote the character of Don Draper; ‘’Advertising is based on one thing: happiness.’’ And if the number and variety of the whisky cocktails that are consumed by Draper and his motley band of creatives is any indication, then one of the keys to that happiness on the show is a classic whisky cocktail.
Whilst we wouldn’t want to encourage irresponsible drinking or attempting to find contentment in the bottom of a bottle, there is a time and a place for a sauvely shaken, precisely poured drink.
In the spirit of that statement, here are a handful of sophisticated whisky-based cocktails that have made regular appearances on Mad Men, and a couple more classics well worth trying.
The Old Fashioned
This is perhaps consumed in greater quantities and with more enthusiasm than any other whisky-based cocktail appearing in Mad Men, and for good reason – it’s one of the most classic cocktails ever invented. Simple and sophisticated, the Old Fashioned consists of rye whisky, Angostura bitters, sugar, and an orange peel and cherry as a garnish. Serve over ice, to really open up the flavours.
This iconic whisky cocktail (in this case, bourbon) appears regularly during the course of the show’s seven seasons. This is a cocktail that many say is simply the most perfect example of the bartender’s art. It contains bourbon, angostura bitters, and sweet vermouth – and in keeping with its stylish reputation, a cherry (fresh this time), and that requisite orange peel twist. Once again, it is served with ice.
The Blood & Sand
Achieving popularity in the 1930s, but still popular in the 1960s, the Blood and Sand cocktail was inspired by Rudolph Valentino’s bullfighter movie, ‘Blood and Sand’, which was released in 1922. The mix requires that you use Scotch this time and other ingredients include cherry Heering (a Danish liqueur with a strong cherry flavor), sweet vermouth, and orange juice (freshly squeezed is best).
The Rob Roy
This is the perfect cocktail for those who want to stay true to the Mad Men mythology, but simply love their Scotch. It features the same ingredients as the Manhattan – Angostura bitters, and sweet vermouth with that obligatory Maraschino cherry – but it replaces bourbon with Scotch. In terms of easy cocktails that impress, there’s nothing better than a Rob Roy.
In an iconic Mad Men episode, Peggy Olson, played by Lisabeth Moss, seeks entry into the ‘boys club’ of advertising execs – and the key to acceptance is the deployment of the Whisky Sour.
This is another classic cocktail that is as delicious as it is simple and sophisticated. Ingredients include fresh lemon juice (it must be fresh – not from a plastic bottle), bourbon, egg whites for that luscious texture, and simple syrup. Of course, orange and maraschino cherries make an appearance, too.
The key to the success of this cocktail is getting the proportions right. If mixed correctly, the result is not overly sour or sweet, but simply refreshing. Although not around during the time the show takes place, it would be a tragedy to not experiment with this one using a cocktail smoker to take things to the next level. In the show, the billow of cigarette smoke served as a slightly less theatrical substitute.
These three whisky-based cocktails appear again and again in Mad Men, however, odds are that admen (and women) in the 1960s also enjoyed at least one of the following two classic whisky-based cocktails, too…
This sophisticated cocktail gained considerable popularity in the 1960s and would have been right at home in Don Draper’s hand during a late-night strategy session. The Rusty Nail combines Scotch whisky with Drambuie, a Scotch-based liqueur infused with honey, herbs and spices. The simplicity of this cocktail belies its complex flavour profile – sweet, herbal notes from the Drambuie perfectly balance the smoky character of the Scotch. Traditionally served over ice in a rocks glass with a twist of lemon peel, this cocktail exemplifies the refined drinking culture of the era.
The Rusty Nail would have been particularly appreciated by Roger Sterling, whose penchant for Scotch was well-documented throughout the series.
The Godfather
Though it rose to prominence in the 1970s, just after the Mad Men era, the Godfather would not have been out of place in the Sterling Cooper offices. This elegantly simple cocktail combines Scotch whisky with amaretto liqueur, creating a subtly sweet, nutty profile that maintains the whisky’s character whilst softening its edges. Served over ice in a rocks glass with no garnish required, the Godfather epitomises understated sophistication.
One can easily imagine Pete Campbell ordering this drink to impress clients – a cocktail that speaks of confidence and refinement without appearing overly fussy. The name itself, inspired by the iconic film, adds that extra touch of cultural gravitas that would have appealed to the image-conscious advertising executives of Madison Avenue.
So, kick back, relax and take a trip into the decadent past with any one of these classic whisky cocktails. But just have one; this thing’s all about drinking responsibly, after all.
Picture this: You’re scrolling through Instagram on a lazy Sunday afternoon when a gorgeous pair of trainers catches your eye. You don’t purchase immediately (who does?), but later that evening, you find yourself Googling the brand. The next day, an appealing ad pops up in your Facebook feed, reminding you of those same trainers. Finally, after receiving an email offering a cheeky 15% discount (and speculating for a while about how your phone is listening to your conversations), you make the purchase.
Now, here’s the million-pound question: What actually sold you those trainers?
This winding path to purchase is the norm for today’s consumers, and it creates an intriguing challenge for businesses. Enter the world of attribution analysis — a concept that might sound dry on paper but is revolutionising how savvy brands connect with customers.
The Attribution Mystery
Attribution is essentially about giving credit where credit is due. It’s like trying to determine which ingredient makes your grandmother’s secret recipe so irresistible—was it the Instagram post that first captured your attention, the Google search that provided more information, the Facebook reminder that kept the brand top-of-mind, or the email that sealed the deal with a discount?
Most businesses are shocked when they discover the true pathways their customers take. The stories we tell ourselves about how our marketing works often bear little resemblance to reality.
Without proper attribution, you’re essentially navigating in the dark—perhaps successfully at times, but more by luck than design.
Why Should You Care?
For small business owners and marketing managers alike, understanding attribution isn’t just marketing geekery—it’s about making your hard-earned marketing budget work smarter.
Imagine you’re hosting a dinner party and you’ve spent hours preparing five different dishes, but you have no idea which ones your guests actually enjoyed. Next time, would you make all five again? Or wouldn’t you rather know which dishes were hits and which were misses?
That’s attribution in a nutshell—it tells you which parts of your marketing feast are delighting your customers and which are being politely pushed around the plate.
When implemented thoughtfully, it means you can:
Stop pouring money into channels that look impressive but deliver little. (That gorgeous but ineffective Instagram campaign? Perhaps it’s time for a rethink.)
Understand the actual journey your customers take—often far more complex and interesting than you might assume.
Replace those “I think” marketing meetings with “I know” decisions based on solid evidence.
Defend your marketing investments with confidence when the finance team comes knocking.
Respond nimbly when you see what’s working—and what isn’t—in real-time.
The way you attribute success dramatically shapes how you view your marketing effectiveness. It’s rather like choosing which lens to view your business through.
The Last Touchpoint Lens
This traditional view gives all credit to the final interaction before purchase—like thanking only the person who handed you the keys to your new home, ignoring the estate agent who found it and the mortgage advisor who made it possible.
The Discovery Lens
The opposite approach—giving all credit to how customers first discovered you. This celebrates the magic of that initial connection but overlooks everything that nurtures the relationship afterwards.
The Equal Credit Lens
This democratic view distributes praise evenly across all touchpoints in the customer journey—fair in theory, but perhaps not reflecting the reality that some moments matter more than others.
The Recency Lens
A view that gives more credit to recent interactions, acknowledging that what happened yesterday typically influences decisions more than what happened last month.
The Key Moments Lens
This perspective celebrates both the “hello” and “yes” moments as most critical—giving primary credit to both discovery and decision touchpoints, with supporting recognition for the journey between.
The Custom Lens
The most sophisticated view—using clever technology to analyse your specific customer patterns and determine what truly matters in your unique business context.
Ready to bring attribution into your marketing mix? Here’s how to begin without getting overwhelmed:
Start with clear intentions. What specifically do you want to measure? More sales? More email sign-ups? More enquiries? Your attribution approach should connect directly to what matters most for your business growth.
Choose tools that match your scale. For most businesses, starting with Google Analytics makes perfect sense—it’s free, powerful, and provides valuable insights without requiring a data science degree.
Ensure your digital tracking is properly set up. This might require a brief consultation with a tech-savvy friend or a digital marketing agency, but it’s worth doing properly from the start.
Begin simply, then evolve. Start with basic models like last-click, then graduate to more nuanced approaches as you grow more comfortable with the concepts.
Trust, but verify. Periodically test your attribution assumptions by running small experiments. If your data suggests email is underperforming, try pausing it briefly to observe the actual impact.
When Attribution Goes Wrong
Even savvy businesses can stumble when implementing attribution systems. Many forget that offline interactions still matter significantly—particularly in retail and services where conversations, phone calls and in-store experiences remain essential touchpoints in the customer journey. Data silos present another common pitfall, with different teams managing various channels without proper communication, causing the true customer journey to become fragmented in analysis.
The pursuit of perfect attribution can also lead businesses astray; some uncertainty is inevitable, making it wiser to use attribution as a helpful compass rather than expecting an exact map.
Perhaps most importantly, businesses often miss the bigger question lurking behind attribution data: would these purchases have happened anyway, with or without specific marketing efforts? The most sophisticated businesses complement their attribution systems with thoughtful experiments designed to answer this deeper question about true marketing impact.
The Changing Attribution Landscape
As digital privacy concerns grow and browser cookies (the little tracking files that make much of attribution possible) face increasing restrictions, the world of attribution is undergoing a fascinating evolution.
Forward-thinking businesses aren’t panicking—they’re adapting with creativity and foresight. Many are building stronger direct relationships with customers to gather valuable first-party data, essentially creating their own insights rather than relying solely on third-party tracking.
Simultaneously, more sophisticated modelling approaches are emerging that respect privacy concerns while maintaining measurement capabilities. Interestingly, this digital disruption has led to a renaissance of traditional methods, with businesses supplementing their digital attribution with good old-fashioned customer research—proving that sometimes simply asking “how did you hear about us?” remains powerfully insightful in our high-tech world.
The Bottom Line
At its core, attribution isn’t about algorithms or analytics—it’s about understanding your customer’s journey to better serve them. When approached with curiosity rather than technical perfectionism, it transforms from a dry marketing concept into a powerful tool for building genuine connections.
The businesses that will thrive tomorrow aren’t necessarily those with the biggest marketing budgets, but those who most clearly understand which of their efforts truly resonate with customers. Will yours be one of them?
Spring has sprung, and while the weather is certainly taking its sweet time to get properly warmed up, blue skies and sunny afternoons are on the horizon, make no mistake!
Finally, we can start to consider turning off your home’s heating, flinging open the windows and letting fresh air flow into our homes. And with it, can you feel a fresh, optimistic outlook in the air?
It’s time to draw the heavy curtains, banish the Winter blinds, and let some sunshine in. If you’re looking to lighten things up in tune with the new season, then here are 7 ways to dress your windows this spring.
Bamboo Blinds & Lots Of Plants
With summer holidays prohibitively expensive (and summer, of course, still so far away!), we’re going for a tropical window dressing to bring home fond memories of holidays far flung.
If you want to introduce the essence of Bali and other tropical countries to your window, then start with plants. The serenity that the green, tropical foliage brings to your home can be soothing and rejuvenating in equal measure, especially in the relative drab of Britain.
While it’s hard to replicate lush tropical landscapes, filled with gorgeous green foliage and a vast array of brightly coloured flowers, rest assured that there are some vibrant indoor tropical plants that can flourish indoors here; Birds of Paradise, Orange Phalaenopsis Orchids, Ginger Lilies and Arum Lilies are just some of our favourites.
When it comes to window coverings, bamboo blinds are the only way to go. Moreover if you have a seriously sunny room, such blinds are ideal, giving you privacy while still letting in some of that much needed sunlight. Plus, they are one of the more affordable blind options out there.
Alternatively, you could go with some interior wooden shutters or dress your window with sheer voile curtains, just like the ones that blow in the breeze when you’re on holiday and create a whimsical feeling while doing so.
Spanish Shutters
Or, why not welcome Spain into your home this spring? Shutters are a mainstay of Spanish interior design and bring a warm, welcoming vibe even in reticent ol’ Blighty.
Actually, that reticence might chime with Spanish shutters, after all. According to El Pais via Lonely Planet, “the principal reason (shutters are so popular in Spain) is that while Spaniards are friendly and open, they are protective of their private lives and don’t wish their neighbours to haveaccess to what goes on in their homes”.
Should you be looking to fuse supreme privacy with a stylish touch this spring, Spanish shutters could be for you.
If you’re keen to consider your privacy further, then interior shutters could be a prudent move. These are great for anyone who lives in an area with views which are just too good to obscure. Internal shutters can easily be adjusted for privacy, light or shade, and are perfect for creating a minimalist look for the home.
Springtime Fabrics & Flowers
Alternatively, linen makes great, lightweight drapes and blinds for spring time, offering enough shade to keep the house cool on warmer days while also lapping up all that beautiful natural light during the day.
Or, consider Roman or cascade blinds, which are perfect for framing the window while also bringing in the sun, and can be decorated with floral prints. At night, they can be brought down to add privacy and keep the house feeling cosy.
Outside, if you have window sills, you can fill these with beautiful window sill planters of springtime flowers to add a light, fragrant and seasonal feel to the house.
New Windows
If your house isn’t particularly light, and you’d love to open the space up for the future, why not get new windows entirely? Casement windows are the perfect way to add a spacious feel to the home while also opening up the room for a lighter and brighter environment. If you’re short on space and light, consider introducing skylights.
For those looking to maintain or add period charm to a property, sash windows offer timeless elegance while providing excellent ventilation options. These traditional windows slide vertically, allowing you to control airflow precisely by opening them from the top, bottom, or both simultaneously. Modern sash window designs combine this classic aesthetic with improved insulation and security features.
Installing new windows isn’t as time-consuming or expensive as you might first think. Many window replacement projects can be completed within a day or two, causing minimal disruption to your household. With advances in manufacturing and installation techniques, the process has become more streamlined and affordable. Additionally, many window companies offer financing options to spread the cost over time, making this home improvement more accessible.
The benefits extend beyond aesthetics, too. New energy-efficient windows can significantly reduce your heating and cooling costs throughout the year. Double or triple glazing provides better insulation, while low-emissivity (Low-E) glass coatings help keep heat in during winter and reflect solar heat during summer. This investment not only transforms the look and feel of your space but can also add considerable value to your property when it comes time to sell.
Eco-Friendly Window Treatments
Sustainability is increasingly important in home design, and your windows offer a perfect opportunity to make environmentally conscious choices. Consider wooden blinds sourced from sustainable forests, which provide natural texture and warmth while being renewable resources. Hemp and organic cotton curtains are excellent eco-friendly fabric options that come in various weights and styles.
For energy efficiency, cellular (honeycomb) shades are worth considering – their unique design traps air in distinct pockets, creating excellent insulation that keeps rooms cooler in summer and warmer in winter, potentially reducing your energy consumption. Cork blinds offer another sustainable option with natural insulating properties and a distinctive textural element.
Upcycled options can add character while reducing waste; vintage scarves or fabrics can be repurposed into unique curtain panels, while reclaimed shutters can be restored for a rustic touch. Many manufacturers now also offer window treatments made from recycled materials, including polyester from plastic bottles transformed into sophisticated blinds and shades.
A Window Seat
If you’re lucky enough to have a bay window, then build in some seating to it. If not, installing a small chair with the best view in the house offers a spring sunspot, where you can bask in any sunlight streaming through the windows and enjoy the fresh breeze, too. Bridging the gap between the inside and out by having somewhere to chill directly next to the window can be the perfect way to feel ‘at one’ with the outdoors when the actual temperatures outside demand you stay inside!
These sunny nooks can serve multiple purposes beyond simply providing a place to relax. With careful design, window seats can incorporate valuable storage space underneath—perfect for stashing extra blankets, books, or seasonal items. Make your window seat inviting with plush cushions and throw pillows in spring-inspired colours or patterns that complement your room’s décor. For an extra touch of comfort, add a small side table for your morning coffee or evening tea, creating the ideal reading corner or meditation space.
Smart Window Solutions
Bring your window treatments into the digital age with smart technology that offers convenience, energy efficiency, and enhanced home security. Motorised blinds and curtains can be programmed to open and close at specific times, helping to regulate your home’s temperature naturally by capturing warmth when needed and blocking heat during the hottest parts of the day.
Many smart systems can be controlled via smartphone apps or integrated with home assistants like Alexa or Google Home, allowing you to adjust your window coverings with simple voice commands or remotely when you’re away from home. Some advanced systems even include sensors that automatically adjust your blinds based on the room’s temperature or sunlight levels.
For those concerned about privacy, smart window films offer an innovative solution – these can transition from transparent to opaque with the touch of a button, eliminating the need for additional curtains or blinds in some settings. They’re particularly useful for bathroom windows or street-facing rooms where you want to balance natural light with privacy.
While the initial investment may be higher than traditional window treatments, smart solutions can pay dividends in energy savings and added convenience, making them an increasingly popular choice for modern homes.
The Bottom Line
There are plenty of ways to update your home for the spring, but by starting with the windows, you can bring in as much of the season into the house as possible. And whilst we realise it’s a long way off, if you love to play the long game then check out our article on ways to dress your windows in winter for more interior design inspiration!
The picturesque market town of Berkhamsted, nestled in the Chiltern Hills, boasts a surprisingly diverse and accomplished food scene for a place of its size. From Turkish small plates to pub classics cooked to exacting standards, the town and its surroundings offer a range of dining options broad enough to satisfy even the most discerning food enthusiast.
Berkhamsted’s excellent restaurants bolster the area’s appeal as a popular commuter town. With its historic high street and canal-side setting, combined with excellent train links to London Euston, it’s easy to see why ‘Berko’ (as it’s known by locals) is described as a ‘commuter’s dream’. But what truly gives Berkhamsted its character is the thriving food scene, one which has locals and visitors alike spoiled for choice. To help you with find a truly great meal here, here’s our pick of the best restaurants in Berkhamsted.
Tabure
Ideal for Turkish small plates and a reliably lively atmosphere…
If we had a pound for every Berkhamsted local who’s told us “you have to try Tabure,” we’d have enough cash to order their entire menu. And, perhaps enough to buy a house in the area, too.
Indeed, the first recommendation any Berkhamstedians will offer is invariably Tabure, beloved the town’s culinary cognoscenti for its Turkish sharing plates and reliably lively vibe.
Founded by husband and wife team Hulya and Mark, Tabure embodies the couple’s passion for great food. The menu reflects Hulya’s childhood in Turkey, drawing inspiration from various regional cuisines. Sourcing is impeccable—all meat is organic or free-range from Welsh farms, while only the freshest sustainable fish is delivered daily.
Kick off your meal with a medley of house dips served with freshly grilled pitta for dipping. The babaganus comes with a cave-depth of smokiness while the creamy labneh with aromatic confit garlic and a liberal amount of za’atar is just gorgeous. From the larger plates, don’t miss the Sultan’s Risotto made with bulgur wheat, or the merguez spiced lamb sausages. Keenly spiced and just the right side of fatty, they’ve got to be one of the tastiest sausages in town.
The drinks menu features lesser-known Turkish wines—the indigenous Kalecik Karasi grape, sharing the lightness of a Pinot Noir, is particularly worth trying. Be sure to pay attention to the cocktails on offer too, which feature classics with a Tabure twist— Sumac Margarita, anyone?
On weekends, Tabure serves their take on a Sunday roast but really, we’re here for the small plates, not something more hulking. Don’t be put off by the ‘small’ part here; these are substantial and satisfying enough not to have you stopping for chips on the way home. With its open kitchen and consistent quality, it’s easy to see why Tabure remains a local favourite.
There are two types of Greek restaurants: the innovative ones trying to ‘elevate’ traditional dishes into something they’re now, and the ones that know those dishes are already perfect. The Olive Tree falls firmly in the second camp, and we just love it.
Now entering its second decade of operating on Berkhamsted High Street, this independently owned Greek taverna has become part of the town’s fabric – known by everyone and the scene of many a birthday, anniversary and just about any other excuse for a celebration.
The food here isn’t revelatory or innovative, it’s much better than that, focusing on executing classic dishes with authenticity. The recipes come from Yiayia (Panagiota), the family matriarch who provides the culinary inspiration.
The meze-style dining encourages guests to share multiple dishes in a relaxed atmosphere. Order the filo feta wrap—blocks of creamy feta wrapped in crispy phyllo and finished with a drizzle of raw honey and a generous sprinkle of sesame seeds. Char-grilled skewers of Chicken Souvlakia come exceedingly tender and succulent.
The striking cobalt blue exterior instantly transports you to a seaside taverna in Santorini, complete with traditional white trim and those cascading bougainvillea flowers that seem to thrive despite the English climate. The attention to authentic Greek architectural details extends inside, where whitewashed walls, blue accents, and Mediterranean touches create an immersive experience that feels wonderfully out of place on a British high street. Indeed, the bright, airy space is so convincingly Mediterranean that people may genuinely mistake photos of your visit here as holiday pics. When the sun hits just right, you could close your eyes and believe you were in Greece.
Always buzzy, particularly on weekends, and staffed by genuinely friendly people, this beloved Greek taverna delivers consistently good food in a warm, lively setting that keeps locals coming back.
Ideal for a sophisticated gastropub that focuses heavily on food, but where you can still get a pint…
Just outside Berkhamsted, in chocolate-box cute Aldbury, you’ll find The Trooper Pub. Set in the Ashridge estate and recently renovated, this boozer is now a country-style gastro pub that combines its heritage charm with contemporary flair. Actually, we’re not totally confident we can call this one ‘pub grub’ as the menu strays from your usual country pub playbook.
At the stoves is head Chef Jermaine Harriott, whose impressive CV includes stints at London’s prestigious Michelin-starred Pollen Street Social. Harriott’s cooking focuses on locally sourced seasonal produce, paying tribute to traditional British cooking with just the right amount of modern affectation. Scotch eggs come with smoked haddock and curry mayo, venison loin is served with the much revered crapaudine variety of beetroot, as well as pickled Shimeji mushroom, and butterflied mackerel, blistered and burnished on the grill, is topped with a pretty arrangement of micro-herbs and pink pickled shallot.
Sunday roasts have earned particular acclaim and a long line of traffic leaving Berkhamsted on the Sabbath Day, with the highlight a Scotsgrove farm dry-aged beef sirloin with braised ox cheek. For something more laid back, the venue is actually split between the formal dining pub and ‘The Trooper Barn’, where you can get breakfast and lunch options, or simply coffee and cake.They have a gorgeous beer garden too – ideal for pints and a plate of chips in the summer.
Ideal for a baked goodies in the stunning setting of Ashridge House…
Sitting pretty in the courtyard of the magnificent courtyard of Ashridge House, The Bakehouse opened in 2020 and has quickly established itself as a beloved community hub. This artisanal café boasts a picturesque setting, with the majestic architecture of Ashridge House providing a breathtaking backdrop.
They’ve got that farm-to-table thing going on, celebrating seasonal ingredients with herbs and veg grown in their own garden. Breakfast features all the classics but done properly and executed with flair, while lunch expands to include dishes such as the croque monsieur or buttermilk chicken burger with house spice mix. The in-house pastry team supplies warm scones and fresh cakes daily.
The Bakehouse has become a magnet for various groups—walkers emerging from the scenic Ashridge Estate, cyclists in need of refreshment, families enjoying a day out, or friends gathering for a leisurely weekend brunch. The café’s dog-friendly policy ensures that four-legged companions are welcome too.
Ideal for a theatrical fine dining experience where you can watch chefs craft your meal before your eyes…
A quick drive from Berkhamsted in neighbouring Tring, Crockers has established itself as one of the area’s most prestigious culinary destinations since 2018. Awarded 3 AA rosettes and featured in the Michelin Guide, this stylish establishment offers contemporary fine dining in a refreshingly unpretentious atmosphere.
Set across three floors of a historic townhouse, Crockers provides multiple dining experiences – there’s the main dining room, the cellar bar and The Chef’s Table. The latter is undoubtedly the crown jewel – a theatrical culinary performance where 16 guests sit at a U-shaped counter surrounding an open kitchen. Here, Head Chef Scott Barnard (a finalist on MasterChef) and his team prepare each exquisite plate before your eyes.
The copper-walled dining space creates a striking backdrop for the seasonally-driven tasting menus, which change daily to showcase the freshest available ingredients. What sets Crockers apart is its commitment to delivering fine dining without pomposity, as the Michelin inspectors note—food that is “beautifully cooked and presented, but also free of the pomp that’s often associated with fine dining.”
Ideal for a hyper-seasonal dining experience in a secluded countryside pub with impeccable sourcing credentials...
Hidden in a secluded wooded valley on the edge of the Ashridge Estate, The Alford Arms is the definition of a destination pub worth seeking out. This Victorian gem in the tiny hamlet of Frithsden has been under the stewardship of David and Becky Salisbury since 1999, who have earned it the title of Hertfordshire Dining Pub of the Year many, many times.
Head Chef Jamie Celnik crafts fortnightly-changing menus showcasing the very best of seasonal, local produce—and here, ‘local’ really does mean local. Their impressive sourcing credentials list suppliers within precise distances: cheese from 28.17 miles away, lamb and beef from 7.07 miles, honey from 3.15 miles, and even wild garlic foraged from the surrounding woodlands.
The menu bridges classic British pub fare with internationally-inspired dishes. Signature starters include bubble and squeak with oak-smoked bacon, a dish that’s been on the menu since day one. Despite its rural location, seafood makes an impressive showing, carefully sourced from the West Country.
When it comes to drinks, they’ve got at least three cask beers at any time, often from nearby Chiltern or Tring Breweries, and a wine list that’s exclusively European (chosen to reduce food miles).
Dog owners will be pleased to know that four-legged companions are welcome in the bar and on the heated terrace, making it perfect after a ramble through the Ashridge Estatealfred
Ideal for indulging in world-class pastries and award-winning sourdough…
If you’re the kind of person who gets emotional about laminated dough, Nena is your happy place. A Sunday morning visit to Nena bakery has become something of a ritual for many Berkhamsted residents. The difficult decision lies not in whether to visit, but in which of their pastries to select—all are exceptional and when paired with one of their quality coffees, it’s the perfect weekend indulgence.
You won’t find a single baked good at Nena which isn’t technically brilliant. Their rotating menu features constant innovations and seasonal specials, but if you see the croissant-cookie hybrid, grab it immediately—it’s like a buttery, flaky and a triumph. Oh, and their brioche-maritozzi hybrid, filled with passion fruit cream, is dangerously decadent and downright delicious.
This sort of community touchpoint (and an excuse for a seriously indulgent, sugar-fuelled morning) often features in the area guides produced by visiting vloggers, local Berkhamsted estate agencies and the local Hemel Today newspaper, too.
Ideal for brunching on hyper-healthy, energising options that are as Instagram-worthy as they are nutritious…
Located on Lower Kings Road, Jester is a good-natured spot offering a refreshing alternative to traditional breakfast fare. It’s healthy brunch incarnate and where Berkhamsted residents go when they want to convince themselves that a smoothie bowl is as satisfying as a Full English, and it’s easy to see why they’ve been convinced…
The smoothie bowls form the cornerstone of their offering and are vibrant creations that look like edible modern art. The Açai Bowl delivers a tropical sensation and comes with enough superfoods to make you feel immortal while the Protein Bowl has enough nutritious ingredients to satisfy people who say things like ‘leg day’ unironically. Guilty!
Beyond smoothie bowls that probably extend your lifespan, Jester serves satisfying plates of open toast topped with healthy toppings. Think beetroot hummus toast and feta cheese with a sprinkle of chia seeds. Even their avocado toast gets dressed up with pumpkin seeds, chilli flakes, and cherry tomatoes, plus a drizzle of olive oil. They are the kind of plates that ask to be photographed and then eaten. Or, perhaps, hung on the wall. There are also yoghurt bowls, wholesome porridge options and fruit salads available, too.
The space is calm and contemporary—all clean lines and natural light—making it ideal for weekend brunching when you want to be smug about your healthy choices while secretly planning which pastry you’ll get from Nena after.
Ideal for a journey-worthy dining adventure with exceptional wine pairings…
Approximately twenty minutes’ drive from Berkhamsted, in Amersham, Bisto Twelve Twenty offers a dining experience that draws the crowds. This intimate restaurant has carved out a niche with its distinctive approach to fusion cuisine, and we’re very much here for it.
Founded by Chef Mark Durman and Sous Chef Iz, this intimate spot does sharing plates that actually work as sharing plates—not too big, not too small, just right for fighting over who gets the last bite. The menu changes constantly, showcasing whatever seasonal ingredients they’ve managed to get excited about that week. You might find tagliatelle beef ragù with wild mushrooms one day, and smoked beef brisket with Jersey Royal potato salad and kimchi the next.
What truly sets Bistro Twelve Twenty apart is its exceptional wine programme, curated by Sommelier Kiera. The list eschews predictability, featuring bottles from renowned and lesser-known regions alike. The staff will be happy to steer you in the right direction, according to your preference rather than the restaurant’s bottom line.
Here. the ethos is “to give fine dining quality in an intimate and relaxed environment” – sophisticated cuisine and exceptional wines served without pretension. We think it’s mission complete.
Ideal for a special occasion Michelin-starred experience in a historic setting…
Housed in a charming 16th-century converted cottage on Old Amersham’s beautiful high street, The Artichoke finally received its well-deserved Michelin star in 2019, after 17 years of operation. This bijou restaurant, owned and led by Chef Patron Laurie Gear and his wife Jacqueline, offers a truly refined dining experience.
The interior strikes a perfect balance between the building’s Grade II listed heritage and contemporary style. Recent refurbishments have introduced a sophisticated colour scheme inspired by the restaurant’s namesake, while an etched-resin screen can be drawn to reveal the kitchen and the culinary magic going on behind.
Chef Laurie Gear, drawing on experience from stages at The Fat Duck and Noma (hey, who hasn’t?), creates accomplished modern British dishes with an unwavering commitment to seasonality and local sourcing. His menus change regularly to reflect the freshest available ingredients, with lamb reared locally, venison from the Woburn Estate, and seafood delivered daily from Brixham.
The wine program is predictably excellent, heavy on French and Italian bottles plus selections from Rothschild vineyards. They’ve got bottles from everywhere from Uruguay to Croatia, with wine pairings that actually enhance the food rather than just giving you something to wash it down with.
Having overcome significant challenges, including an 18-month closure following a fire in 2008, The Artichoke has emerged stronger than ever. Now celebrating over 22 years in business, they’ve collected enough accolades to need a separate trophy room—a Michelin star, three AA rosettes, and AA Restaurant of the Year for England. Bravo!
Dorset was in 2018 ranked as England’s most beloved county (alongside Devon), and the reasons it’s such a popular choice for a UK staycation are plentiful. Firstly, the county boasts some of the finest beaches in the country, both remote and lively, as well as clifftop hikes overlooking the sea and dolphin spotting within it.
What’s more, Dorset has a particularly proud and fascinating heritage, with fossil hunting, the world’s oldest postbox, Thomas Hardy’s poetry and the incredible ruins of Corfe Castle just a few of the historical deep dives you can make here whilst keeping on dry land.
But perhaps most importantly of all, Dorset is home to the seaside town of Swanage, a place we’re particularly in love with. Quaint, peaceful and picturesque, but with a surprising amount going on, it’s the quintessential British seaside escape. To help you fill out your itinerary with precision, here are 7 of the best things to do in Swanage, Dorset.
Eat The Sea
You can’t visit Swanage without eating fish and chips. With the sea breeze in your hair, the sand between your toes and a plastic pint of ale in your hands, it’s about as poetic as you’ll get on home soil.
We’re huge fans of The Fish Plaice (or the ‘Blue Chippy’, as it’s known by locals) which is your best place to get your fix of fried stuff – the spikiness of their batter (yes that’s a real thing in the fish frying world) is arguably the best in town. They have been serving the good people of Swanage fish and chips for more than twenty years, and they certainly know what they’re doing. Located on the Quayside with blue frontage and a queue of hungry locals and visitors alike, it’s hard to miss. Fear not; the queue goes down quickly and it’s well worth the wait. We love their home made fish cakes; once you try them, you’ll be hooked!
For al fresco dining, head to Gee Whites Seafood Restaurant and go upstairs to The Roof Terrace which offers stunning views across the bay and is a great place to watch the boats go by. Order half a dozen oysters and a bottle of fizz. Or, their cold seafood platter is equally delightful.
If you’re looking for a truly top drawer sit down affair, The Pig on the Beach is one of the South’s best dining experiences. Just a ten minute drive from Swanage, the restaurant offers a ‘25 mile menu’ celebrating ingredients found within said mileage of the restaurant, focusing particularly on ‘sea foraged food’, and fruit, vegetables and herbs grown in their own garden. When in season, order the clams from Poole Harbour, Jurassic Coast mackerel and locally caught sardines; all particularly delicious in the region.
Finally, if you’re camping or staying in a caravan at one of the local holiday sites, take a trip to the local fishmongers, Swanage Bay Fish, hidden away in the town centre, for some locally sourced and seasonal fresh fish and shellfish. Or better yet, why not have a go at catching your own? Take a mackerel fishing boat trip from the quayside and bring your catch to shore to grill.
Go Walking Around Swanage & Purbeck
The Jurassic Coast is the UK’s first natural UNESCO World Heritage Site. This fact alone should give you enough reason to check it out, especially if you happen to be a fan of fossil hunting. But even if you don’t want to get your hands dirty, you can simply walk along the gorgeous coastal paths and absorb its majestic beauty. It makes for an excellent place to take in the turquoise waters and enjoy a picnic with your family.
What’s more, the waters around Durlston Head are known to be home to visiting seals and occasionally dolphins. The best way to dolphin-spot is by going to Durlston Country Park for the day and taking the cliff walk up to Anvil Point, where there is a picturesque lighthouse and stunning sea views.
For a shorter stroll, consider a walk from the city centre to the famous Old Harry’s Rocks. The circular walk offers gorgeous views out to the sea and over Swanage.
Either way, if these breathtaking coastal paths inspire you to make Swanage a regular getaway, you’ll notice several holiday parks displaying touring caravans for sale along the Purbeck roads – many Swanage enthusiasts find that owning their own holiday base is the perfect way to explore the area’s extensive trail network throughout the year
Visit The Square & Compass
You can’t visit Swanage without a trip to the hugely popular, impossibly picture-perfect pub, the Square and Compass, in the old quarrying village of Worth Matravers. There’s nothing better than a walk through the Dorset farmland or along the cliffs from Swanage, which should take a couple of hours (or a couple more if you take the more picturesque coastal path).
Reward yourself with a pint and a pasty, which the pub specialises in, and enjoy the glorious garden and views of the sea. This country tavern is an institution in these parts, and is always buzzing and full of life and locals. The family running it have been doing their thing in a refreshingly uncompromising, independent way for over 100 years, and long may it continue.
Have you ever wondered what it’s like to ride a historic steam locomotive train, complete with private carriages and a properly old school feel? You can finally find an answer to this question by hopping on a steam train to Swanage, which is like a museum in motion.
Though the journey is as important as the destination in so many cases, when the latter is Corfe Castle, one of Britain’s most famous medieval ruins, we think the destination might just pip it! Along the half hour route, you’ll see breathtaking sights of Dorset countryside and the final view of the castle as you pull into Corfe is spectacular.
There are several other day trips out of Swanage well worth your time. Many visitors to Swanage take a short trip to Knoll Beach in Studland Bay to visit the Nudist beach, and The Blue Pool at Old Furzebrook close to Wareham, a natural lake where minerals change colour, is just a short 20 minute drive, too.
Dive Into Swanage’s Maritime Past At Peveril Point
Situated at the eastern edge of Swanage Bay, Peveril Point offers more than just spectacular panoramic views across the Jurassic Coast. This rocky headland is home to the Swanage Coastwatch station, a volunteer-run lookout that continues the area’s long tradition of maritime vigilance.
The historic Coastwatch building is open to visitors most days, where friendly volunteers share fascinating tales of shipwrecks, rescues, and the area’s seafaring history. From the observation deck, you might spot anything from dolphins to tall ships, with powerful binoculars available for public use. The surrounding rock formations are a geologist’s dream, with clearly visible folded strata that dramatically illustrate the powerful forces that shaped this coastline millions of years ago.
For the adventurous, the tidal rock pools reveal vibrant marine ecosystems teeming with sea anemones, crabs, and small fish. Time your visit for low tide to explore these natural aquariums safely. The currents around the Point create the famous Peveril Ledges – impressive standing waves that draw experienced kayakers and photographers alike.
A short walk from the town centre, Peveril Point makes for an ideal morning excursion before heading to one of Swanage’s excellent seafood restaurants for lunch.
Discover Swanage’s Dancing Ledge
No visit to Swanage is complete without an expedition to Dancing Ledge, a flat area of rock at the base of a cliff near Langton Matravers. The name comes from the way the waves appear to ‘dance’ across the surface at certain tides. The Victorians were so enamoured with sea bathing that they carved a swimming pool into the rock, which is still visible today when the tide is out.
The walk to Dancing Ledge from Langton Matravers takes about 45 minutes and offers spectacular coastal views along the way. Pack a picnic and make a day of it, but wear proper walking shoes – the descent to the ledge can be steep and slippery. Adventurous visitors can book coasteering or climbing sessions with local outfitters who use this dramatic natural playground as their base. Wildlife enthusiasts should bring binoculars; the surrounding cliffs are home to numerous seabirds, including guillemots and razorbills during nesting season. Plan your visit according to the tide times, as high tide can completely cover the ledge.
Enjoy The Seaside Entertainment
For a small town, Swanage packs some serious cultural clout, with several large events taking over the town, particularly in the late summer and early autumn months. Visit in September for the Swanage Folk Festival, complete with Morris dancers, or better still, The Swanage Blues Festival, held over the first weekend of October, which sees pubs all over the town hosting concerts and special events.
Swanage Carnival is also a highlight of summer, occurring annually for a week at the end of July. 2025’s version is scheduled to be running from July 26th to August 2nd, and promises to be bigger than ever. Expect the usual offering of an amazing firework display over the bay and a huge procession of floats through the town.
For something a little more refined, the amphitheatre at Prince Albert Gardens which overlooks Swanage Bay is the ideal location to enjoy an open air theatre. Performances and musical events are scheduled throughout the summer here.
Another great time to visit Swanage is on New Year’s Eve; the town is famous for its New Year celebrations where everyone dons fancy dress. Brilliant anytime of year, if you’re to take one staycation in the not-too-distant future, make it Swanage. Bliss!
Golfing holidays have evolved far beyond the traditional greens of Scotland and the sun-drenched courses of Florida. Today, avid golfers are seeking out unique and exotic destinations that offer not only challenging courses but also breathtaking landscapes and rich cultural experiences. Here, we explore some of the world’s most unique destinations for a golfing holiday.
Vietnam: The Rising Star (& Dragon) Of Golfing Destinations
Vietnam has emerged as a premier golfing destination in recent years, thanks to its stunning natural landscapes, world-class courses, and warm hospitality. The country boasts a variety of golf courses that cater to all skill levels, from beginners still learning the rules all the way to seasoned pros.
Ba Na Hills Golf Club, Da Nang
Nestled in the foothills of the Ba Na Mountains, Ba Na Hills Golf Club is a must-visit for any golf enthusiast. Designed by former world number one Luke Donald, this 18-hole course offers a challenging yet enjoyable experience. The course is known for its lush fairways, strategic bunkers, and panoramic views of the surrounding mountains.
After a round of golf, visitors can explore the nearby Ba Na Hills, home to the famous Golden Bridge and a French village replica. Make sure to bring a lightweight golf bag to make it easier for you to get around after a game!
Laguna Golf Lang Co, Hue
Located between the ancient city of Hue and the bustling town of Da Nang, Laguna Golf Lang Co is part of a luxurious resort complex. Designed by Sir Nick Faldo, this 18-hole, par-71 course is set against a backdrop of mountains, forests, and the East Sea. The course’s unique layout incorporates natural streams, rice paddies, and rock formations, providing a truly immersive golfing experience. Off the course, visitors can explore the rich cultural heritage of Hue, including its imperial citadel and royal tombs.
New Zealand’s dramatic landscapes, made even more famous by the Lord of the Rings films, provide a stunning backdrop for some of the world’s most unique golf courses. The country’s diverse terrain offers a variety of golfing experiences, from coastal links to alpine courses.
Cape Kidnappers, Hawke’s Bay
Perched on the cliffs of Hawke’s Bay, Cape Kidnappers is a spectacular course that offers breathtaking views of the Pacific Ocean. Designed by Tom Doak, this 18-hole course features deep ravines, rolling fairways, and challenging greens. The course’s dramatic setting and impeccable design make it a bucket-list destination for golfers. After a round, visitors can enjoy the region’s renowned wineries and gourmet cuisine.
Jacks Point, Queenstown
Set against the backdrop of the Remarkables mountain range, Jacks Point is one of New Zealand’s most scenic golf courses. This 18-hole, par-72 course offers a challenging layout with natural hazards, including tussock grasslands and rocky outcrops. The course’s stunning views of Lake Wakatipu and the surrounding mountains make it a memorable golfing experience. Queenstown, known as the adventure capital of New Zealand, offers a range of activities, from bungee jumping to wine tasting.
Morocco: Where Desert Meets Fairway
Morocco offers a captivating blend of ancient culture and world-class golf facilities. The country’s diverse landscape provides a unique backdrop for golfers seeking something beyond the ordinary.
Royal Palm Golf Club, Marrakech
Set against the stunning backdrop of the Atlas Mountains, Royal Palm Golf Club is a masterpiece designed by Cabell B. Robinson. This 18-hole championship course features immaculately maintained fairways, strategically placed water hazards, and challenging bunkers.
The Golf Carts of ATX, renowned for their reliability in diverse terrains, are particularly useful on this expansive course, allowing players to navigate the 6,608 metres of beautifully landscaped terrain with ease. After a round, visitors can explore Marrakech’s vibrant souks, historic palaces, and indulge in authentic Moroccan cuisine.
Mazagan Golf Club, El Jadida
Stretching along the Atlantic coastline, Mazagan Golf Club offers breathtaking ocean views from nearly every hole. Designed by Gary Player, this 18-hole links-style course presents a challenging experience with its undulating fairways, deep bunkers, and coastal winds. The course’s unique design incorporates natural dunes and indigenous vegetation, creating a harmonious blend with the surrounding environment.
El Jadida, a UNESCO World Heritage site, provides a perfect cultural complement to your golfing adventure with its Portuguese cistern and historic medina.
Japan: Tradition Meets Precision
Japan’s striking terrain and famed meticulous attention to detail extends to its golf courses, offering players an experience that combines technical challenge with aesthetic beauty.
Kawana Hotel Golf Course (Fuji Course), Izu Peninsula
Often referred to as the “Pebble Beach of Japan,” the Fuji Course at Kawana Hotel Golf Course offers spectacular views of Mount Fuji and the Pacific Ocean. Designed by Charles H. Alison in 1936, this classic course features dramatic elevation changes, strategic bunkering, and immaculately maintained fairways. The course’s traditional Japanese elements, including stone walls and indigenous plantings, create a unique playing environment that honours the country’s rich cultural heritage. After golf, visitors can relax in the nearby natural hot springs or explore the scenic Izu Peninsula.
Hirono Golf Club, Hyogo
Considered Japan’s finest golf course, Hirono Golf Club is a masterpiece of golf course architecture. Designed by C.H. Alison, this private club (which occasionally welcomes international visitors) offers a challenging layout with its strategically placed bunkers, undulating greens, and mature pine forests. The course’s traditional Japanese clubhouse provides a glimpse into the country’s golfing etiquette and traditions. Nearby Kobe city offers visitors the chance to sample its famous beef and explore historic temples and gardens.
South Africa: Golfing With Wildlife
Renowned for its diverse wildlife and stunning landscapes, South Africa is an undeniably exciting destination for a golfing holiday. The country’s golf courses often incorporate the natural environment, providing a unique experience where golfers can encounter wildlife on the fairways.
Leopard Creek Country Club, Mpumalanga
Located on the edge of Kruger National Park, Leopard Creek Country Club offers a unique golfing experience where players can spot wildlife such as elephants, hippos, and crocodiles. Designed by Gary Player, this 18-hole course features lush fairways, water hazards, and strategically placed bunkers. The course’s proximity to Kruger National Park allows golfers to combine their love of the sport with a thrilling safari adventure.
Fancourt, Garden Route
Fancourt, located on South Africa’s picturesque Garden Route, is home to three world-class golf courses: The Links, Montagu, and Outeniqua. The Links, designed by Gary Player, is often ranked as the best course in South Africa and offers a challenging layout with undulating fairways and deep bunkers. The resort’s luxurious amenities and stunning surroundings make it a perfect destination for a golfing holiday. Off the course, visitors can explore the Garden Route’s beautiful beaches, forests, and wildlife reserves.
Iceland: Golfing Under The Midnight Sun
Iceland’s unique geography and long summer days provide a one-of-a-kind golfing experience. During the summer months, the sun barely sets, allowing golfers to play late into the night under the midnight sun.
Keilir Golf Club, Hafnarfjörður
Located just outside Reykjavik, Keilir Golf Club offers a unique golfing experience with its lava field setting and views of the Atlantic Ocean. This 18-hole course features a challenging layout with natural hazards, including lava rock formations and rugged terrain. The club’s location near the capital city allows visitors to explore Reykjavik’s vibrant culture and stunning natural attractions, such as the Blue Lagoon and the Golden Circle.
Akureyri Golf Club, Akureyri
Situated in northern Iceland, Akureyri Golf Club is the world’s northernmost 18-hole golf course. The course’s unique location provides stunning views of the surrounding mountains and fjords. During the summer solstice, golfers can experience the thrill of playing under the midnight sun. Akureyri, known as the “Capital of the North,” offers a range of activities, from whale watching to exploring the nearby volcanic landscapes.
The Bottom Line
From the rising star of Vietnam to the dramatic landscapes of New Zealand, the wildlife-rich courses of South Africa, and the midnight sun of Iceland, the world offers a whole host of unique destinations that your golf balls probably can’t wait to get lost in! These locations not only provide challenging and memorable golfing experiences but also allow travellers to immerse themselves in the local culture and natural beauty.
Once you’re armed with that information, it’s time to pack your clubs and embark on an unforgettable golfing adventure to one of these extraordinary destinations.
London’s Silicon Roundabout might be a little less glamorous than a whole valley made of the shiny semiconductor stuff. Perhaps it’s not as renowned for its tech startups and digital agencies as its name would suggest, either.
In fact, it could be argued that the real innovation around these parts takes place on the plate, with the streets orbiting Old Street Station arguably making up one of London’s most interesting food neighbourhoods. Here you’ll find everything from Michelin-starred tasting menus to grab-and-go bánh mì, all within a short walk of that infamous epicentre – less spaghetti junction and more a tangle of agreeable options for supper, you could posit, thinking you sounded clever. Or, that Chat GPT had entered your body…
So, whether you’re a tech worker seeking your next client lunch spot or you’re simply really lost in this perplexing corner of East London, here are our picks for the best restaurants near Old Street.
We still can’t help you navigate that bloody roundabout, though…
Nest, Old Street
Ideal for thoughtful tasting menus that celebrate British seasons…
Having taken flight from its Hackney home to an impressive Victorian building next to Shoreditch Town Hall in 2023, Nest has brought its innovative approach to seasonal British cooking to a grander stage. And with the move, it’s certainly become one of the best places to eat near Old Street Station.
The restaurant, from the same team behind Michelin-starred St. Barts in Farringdon, is run by three friends (chef Johnnie Crowe, wine expert Luke Wasserman, and general manager Toby Neill), who divide their year into distinct ‘seasons’, each celebrating a single landscape and its produce.
The current Sea & Coastline menu (running until March) showcases the bounty of Britain’s icy winter waters – think fresh Maldon oysters, hand-dived Scottish scallops, and Cornish squid – accompanied by foraged coastal herbs and seaweeds.
Come spring (come on spring, it’s time), they’ll shift focus to Rivers & Valleys, celebrating fresh river fish and wild garlic, before moving to the Highlands for a summer of celebrating Herdwick sheep and foraged herbs. The year finishes with their Game & Forest menu, rich with charcoal-cooked venison and earthy mushrooms. For a diner with Grapheme-colour synaesthesia (this diner), there’s a keen clarity of character to all of this that’s really satisfying to think about.
The dining room is built around a striking horseshoe counter, with a cocktail bar at one end flowing into an open kitchen at the other, all framing an intimate candlelit dining space and distinctive encaustic tile floor. Your menu arrives sealed in a wax-stamped envelope – you can either peek inside or let each course arrive as a surprise. The tasting menu (£90, with a shorter £70 option available midweek) represents good value for cooking of this calibre, while the matching wine flight (£65) cleverly changes with each season to reflect the menu’s geography – think coastal vineyards and briny drops during Sea & Coastline season, and Loire Valley wines when river fish takes centre stage.
Don’t miss the Nest Cellar, a snug walk-in bar beneath the restaurant serving low-intervention wines, seasonal cocktails, and clever bar snacks. It’s the perfect spot for a pre-dinner drink or a more casual evening of nibbles and natural wine.
You’ll find Nest ready to welcome you Tuesday through Saturday, with dinner service every evening and lunch available on Saturdays.
Ideal for special occasion British cooking without the starch…
Housed in the imposingly handsome grade II-listed Shoreditch Town Hall (seconds along from Nest, incidentally), The Clove Club has been at the forefront of defining a new kind of modern British cooking since 2013.
What began as a supper club in a London flat – where former Manchester DJs Daniel Willis and Johnny Smith collaborated with chef Isaac McHale on ambitious menus of mackerel with nasturtium, pheasant, and goat’s milk and beetroot desserts – has evolved into one of London’s heaviest hitters, now boasting two Michelin stars and a consistent spot among the World’s 50 Best Restaurants.
McHale’s cooking shows both technical know-how and a deep understanding of British ingredients and seasonality, with dishes that are precise yet never precious. The menu delivers time and time again on pleasingly light, inventive flavour combinations – think hot smoked Wiltshire trout with almond milk and horseradish, raw Orkney scallops with hazelnut and clementine, or Aynhoe Park venison with celeriac and cacao nibs.
While the full tasting menu (£225) is of course the main event, there’s also a more accessible entry point via Clove Club’s three-course lunch menu (£95, Wednesday to Friday), which offers the same meticulous cooking in a more concise format. That lunch menu comes with a similarly concise, keenly priced wine flight, at £55.
The broader wine list aims to showcase exciting contemporary producers alongside classical vintages, with an extensive list that runs from grower Champagnes to rare Burgundies and emerging English winemakers.
Don’t let the accolades and price tag have you assuming it’s all hushed tones and bowties in here – while the food is undeniably ambitious, the atmosphere remains refreshingly relaxed, with whitewashed walls, faintly distressed wooden floors, and a buzzing open kitchen providing plenty of theatre. The Guardian even called it “a notoriously informal approach to fine dining”, which is a bit much, quite frankly. Anyway, that dining room is open Wednesday through Saturday for lunch and Monday through Saturday for dinner.
For those seeking something more casual from the McHale team, keep an eye on Bar Valette, the Clove Club’s newest venture on Kingsland Road that’s just opened. Expect a more relaxed take on Spanish and French coastal cooking, with excellent seafood, game, and an extensive sherry selection – though McHale is quick to point out they’re “not going for a star here, just good times.”
Ideal for perfect pasta at prices that won’t make your eyes water…
The second outpost of London’s beloved pasta institution might not command the same queues as its Borough Market original, but that’s precisely why we love it. Indeed, Tim Siadatan and Jordan Frieda’s original ambition, of serving fresh, hand-rolled pasta at accessible prices, has translated just as well into this larger Shoreditch space, a place where the quality remains consistently high and the prices stay remarkably reasonable.
In a corner of an industrial-chic building (is there any other type of building here?) just off the bustle of Great Eastern Street, you’ll find a space that’s casual and considered. The steel counters and exposed brick walls nod to the area’s warehouse heritage, while the open kitchen provides all the theatre of watching your pasta being prepared fresh, ideal for when your date is a bore. Come summer, the outdoor courtyard becomes one of East London’s most pleasant spots for a plate of pasta in the sunshine.
The best part? These exemplary pasta dishes clock in at around £12.50 a bowl, making it one of the area’s best-value quick meals. The Padella pici cacio e pepe is genuinely iconic (a word so often overused, but here perhaps acceptable) but don’t overlook the tagliarini with slow-cooked tomato sauce for something arguably even more satisfying, the rust-tinged olive oil pooling at the sides of the bowl and crying out for a dredge-through with the house focaccia. The drinks list, created by cocktail maestros Mr Lyan Studio, is equally decent value – their house negronis and martinis both pitched at just £8. And that’s where we stop, because what sick fuck orders dessert in Padella?
The restaurant is open daily from noon until 10pm (9pm Sundays), with a break between lunch and dinner service. Download their virtual queueing app to grab a spot, then pop over to nearby Callooh Calley for a cocktail while you wait.
Ideal for contemporary riffs on Peruvian cuisine and rooftop cocktails…
This acclaimed Brooklyn import brings James Beard-nominated chef Erik Ramirez’s take on Peruvian cuisine to a striking rooftop setting within The Hoxton Shoreditch. Though finding the entrance requires some insider knowledge – look for the yellow door on Willow Street rather than entering through the hotel – the journey up to the seventh floor rewards looking like a befuddled fool with sweeping views across the East London skyline.
The space has a neat sense of seamless transition between indoor and out, its soaring glass ceiling flooding the room with natural light. Enormous fiddle leaf figs and tropical plants create natural partitions throughout, whilst scalloped pendant lights hang like paper moons above terracotta floors. The main conservatory flows seamlessly onto a geometric-tiled terrace that becomes one of Shoreditch’s most coveted spots during warmer months.
Ramirez’s menu draws inspiration from Peru’s diverse culinary heritage while incorporating influences from his time at Eleven Madison Park. Signature dishes include an energetic scallop ceviche with yuzu kosho, dragonfruit and nori crisps, and a much-written-about interpretation of lomo saltado —a hearty sharing plate that cleverly combines stir-fried beef with spring onion pancakes, rice, and triple-cooked chips. It’s heartily priced too, at £56.
All that said, it’s in one of the most humble dishes that the most straightforward pleasure is found. The charred cabbage anticucho has followed them across the Atlantic, remaining one of their most requested dishes with its clever combination of saikyo miso and quinoa furikake. It’s just £5.
The bar programme, crafted by award-winning mixologist Natasha Bermudez, shares co-headliner status with the food here, and quite rightly; the drinks here are uniformly, reliably top-draw. Their ‘Chupetini’ (£15/£7) breathes new life into the classic martini with Japanese gin and an ‘umami bomb’(a concentrated blend of miso, kombu and shiitake), while the ‘Llama Del Rey’ showcases Peru’s national spirit with a combination of pisco, rum, red wine, and chicha morada. Decent name, too. During ‘Sour Hour’ (Monday to Friday, 4-6pm), signature pisco sours are available for just £8.50, and a smaller, snack-focused menu is available.
The wine list focuses on small, independent growers, with a particular emphasis on South American producers and low-intervention wines though, honestly, this is a rare occasion where we stick to the cocktails for the whole evening, heartburn be damned (pack some Gaviscon).
Open Monday through Sunday for lunch and dinner, with weekend brunch services recently added. The kitchen serves until 11pm most nights, extending to midnight Thursday through Saturday, making it an excellent option for post-work dining.
Ideal for intimate French-British dining and wine exploration…
Behind a modest shopfront on Luke Street, this 45-cover restaurant from HAM Restaurants brings a slice of Gallic charm to Shoreditch. The whitewashed dining room, with its flickering candlelight and crisp tablecloths, sets the stage for what is one of East London’s most intimate evenings.
The kitchen, led by Alexandre Laforce Reynolds, sends out dishes that, quite simply, make you want to return. Their house sausage, a signature since opening, arrives glistening and properly emulsified, accompanied by a brown sauce made in-house that transforms this bar snack to order-several status. A starter of snails doing their best to weigh down pillowy flatbread is scattered with crispy chicken skin and swimming in tarragon butter – a dish which gets more appealing with each apposition.
The wine list at Bistro Freddie has been lovingly curated by Alex Price (who has now moved on to Plates, another restaurant in this list). Rather than defaulting to MOR choices, Price has assembled a cellar that tells stories through bottles – from flinty, reductive Chenins of the Loire Valley to the herbal, saline whites of Corsica. The by-the-glass selection rotates frequently, but might include anything from a bright Vin Exploré Côtes de Gascoigne to a more serious Domaine Thierry Fournier Champagne. Even the entry-level wines, starting at £9 a glass, have been chosen with obvious care and consideration. Or, more simply put, this is a bloody nice place to get a bit pissed.
Main courses display the kitchen’s talent for updating classics without losing their soul. Their skate wing arrives golden and imperious over a subtly spiced curry sauce, while dishes like bavette with peppercorn sauce remind you why French bistro cooking is having a big moment in London right now, beyond just the decent mark-ups. The menu changes regularly, but their pies – designed for sharing – have become a signature, with combinations like chicken, girolles and liver demonstrating Reynolds’ knack for balancing luxury with comfort.
This is a restaurant that understands the art of hospitality. The staff, dressed in those crisp white worker jackets that match the tablecloths (or, are the staff wearing tablecloths and the tablecloths actually made from jackets?), move through the space with practiced ease, as comfortable discussing the nuances of a Corsican Vermentino as they are recommending the perfect pie to share.
Open Monday through Saturday for lunch (12-3pm) and dinner (6-11pm), Bistro Freddie’s combination of accomplished cooking, serious wines, and warm hospitality has made it a local favourite. You’ll often see chefs from the neighbourhood dining in here, which is always a good sign.
Ideal for modern Irish hospitality with serious culinary credentials…
Named after a famous Dublin street seller’s daughter and brought to life by three Irish hospitality veterans with triple digit years of restaurant experience to their name, Daffodil Mulligan pulses with life just south of Old Street roundabout. The latest venture from the inimitable Richard Corrigan might be more casual than his other restaurants, but there’s nothing laid-back about the cooking.
The long, sunlit dining room, with its olive-green banquettes and polished concrete floors, fills with the aromatic smoke from the wood oven and grill that dominates the open kitchen. It’s always such a reassuring smell when you enter a restaurant, unless the kitchen’s caught on fire, of course. A ten-seat oyster bar adds a touch of convivial glamour, and downstairs, Gibney’s bar (an offshoot of the legendary Malahide pub) keeps the craic flowing with live music.
Head chef Stu Hesketh’s menu gives carefully sourced ingredients a confident once over. Peter Hannan’s acclaimed beef appears as a tartare anointed with oyster cream, while a sugar-pit bacon rib arrives glazed with gochujang, the fat caramelised, caught, dark and sticky.
Even seemingly simple dishes like salt-chilli chicken with mustard pickles or ember-baked bread with aioli arrive with the kind of obvious finesse that make you pause mid-conversation to appreciate them…
…What were we saying again?
Ah yes. This is cooking that laughs in the face of subtlety – every dish seems determined to show you a good time and slap you about the chops with flavour. And unsurprisingly for a Corrigan joint, there’s a keen focus on drinking here, with their signature Black Velvet (Guinness topped with Piper-Heidsieck blanc-de-blanc) setting the tone perfectly down in Gibney’s basement bar.
Open Tuesday through Saturday for lunch and dinner (closing slightly later on weekends), Corrigan and his partners Tony Gibney and John Nugent have created something that manages to be both a destination restaurant and a proper local – the kind of place where you might pop in for a quick drink and find yourself staying for dinner, all before slurring some nonsense in a neighbouring diner’s ear and getting ushered out. Like its namesake flower, it brings a welcome burst of colour and life to Old Street.
Ideal for intimate Italian dining and counter culture…
At Jon Lawson’s Popolo, the best seats in the house hover over a stainless steel counter where chefs work with a quiet intensity, turning out dishes that make you forget you’re perched on a bar stool and that your back really fucking hurts. The ground floor revolves around this open kitchen, while upstairs offers a more traditional dining room, though ‘traditional’ here means bare brick walls and simple café tables rather than white tablecloths.
The menu changes frequently but maintains a steady philosophy – Italian cooking with a contemporary edge and occasional Moorish inflections. Fresh pasta, made daily in-house, might appear as delicate agnolotti stuffed with pork cheek and glossed with porcini butter, or taglierini tangled with hand-picked Dorset crab and bottarga. A dish of n’duja-spiked burrata with crispy olives and chickpeas is a welcome update on a dish that has gone so far beyond saturation point in London that it feels like we’ve all been subsumed by the stuff, suffocating to death, our final cries for help choked by stracciatella di bufala.
The wine list, like the room, is compact but thoughtfully assembled, ranging from skin-contact whites to robust Italian reds. The service is genuinely great in here, knowledgeable and welcoming, happy to explain the menu’s more esoteric ingredients or simply leave you to enjoy your risotto stained purple with Nebbiolo and studded with radicchio and gorgonzola piccante. They might even whisper tactfully in your ear that you’ve spilt the damn stuff all down yourself.
Open Tuesday through Saturday evenings only, this is food that demands to be shared, discussed, and lingered over, ideally with a good bottle of something interesting and the gentle rhythm of the kitchen as your soundtrack.
Ideal for London’s finest bánh mì and a fix of Vietnamese coffee…
This bright, minimalist spot might be small, but it serves some of the best bánh mì you’ll find in London, and in a city whose bánh mì game has never felt more thriving, that’s some compliment.
As an offshoot of Vietnamese stalwart Cay Tre (which has a branch next door), the banh mi here ranges from traditional combinations of pâté and pickles – el clasico, no doubt – to more baguette-pushing numbers like mackerel braised in caramelised fish sauce or honey-glazed pork with kimchi. All are excellent.
Images via @KeuShoreditch
The Cantonese roast duck bánh mì takes the familiar hoisin duck wrap far beyond standard M&S sad lunch fare, while their signature Hoi An deluxe showcases a house-made sauce that blends pork gravy, five spice, butter and fermented chilies into something truly remarkable.
Beyond the sandwiches, you’ll find excellent rice bowls topped with grilled meats and fragrant, Southern-style coconut curries. Don’t skip their Vietnamese coffee – strong, sweet, and properly made with a phin filter, it’s the perfect afternoon pick-me-up.
Ideal for innovative plant-based fine dining that stands shoulder-to-shoulder with London’s best restaurants…
Kirk Haworth’s intimate 25-cover restaurant has recently just become the UK’s first plant-based establishment to earn a Michelin star – and just a few months after opening, no less – and it’s easy to see why. The dining room, with its tactile, earthy atmosphere designed in collaboration with east London’s Design & That studio, sets the scene perfectly – think natural pigments, handcrafted details, and a striking counter that wraps around the open kitchen.
Haworth’s cooking draws on nearly two decades of experience in Michelin-starred kitchens worldwide (including The French Laundry and Restaurant Sat Bains), expertise that he’s brilliantly adapted to plant-based cuisine following his own journey with Lyme disease in 2016. The result is technically accomplished cooking that just happens to be vegan – dishes like barbecued maitake mushroom with black bean mole and kimchi showcase his ability to build layers of flavour and texture without relying on animal products.
Images via plates-london.com
The seven-course tasting menu (£75) changes with the seasons, though certain standouts, like their house-laminated sourdough with whipped cashew butter, have become signatures. Their raw cacao gateau with sour cherry and coconut blossom ice cream provides a fittingly sophisticated finale. The wine list shows similar thoughtfulness, focusing on low-intervention producers and biodynamic estates.
Come summer, an additional 14 seats on the outdoor terrace provide a rare peaceful spot just off the fr-energy of Old Street. While securing a table requires planning ahead (they’re currently booked well into 2025), this is quite simply London’s best plant-based restaurant, though the chef would prefer Plates not to be judged solely on those terms. Quite right, too.
For creative industry professionals, location is a strategic decision that directly impacts career trajectory, industry connections, and work-life integration. Beyond the superficial allure of cultural amenities, what truly matters is access to specialised networks, funding ecosystems, and sector-specific infrastructure that can accelerate professional development.
The UK’s creative economy is increasingly distributed across regional hubs, each developing distinctive specialisations and competitive advantages. This analysis examines the tangible professional benefits of each location: industry concentration, workspace economics, talent pipelines, and practical considerations that influence day-to-day productivity and career advancement in the creative sectors.
London: Beyond The Obvious Centres
While London’s creative dominance is well-documented, savvy professionals should look beyond oversaturated areas to emerging industry clusters where genuine opportunity exists. Rather than rehashing East London clichés, consider these strategic locations:
White City has transformed into a media technology powerhouse, with the expansion of the former BBC Television Centre creating a purpose-built ecosystem for content creators. The arrival of Soho House’s White City House has established crucial informal networking infrastructure, while Imperial College’s innovation hub provides direct access to cutting-edge research partnerships. Studios like Troubadour Theatres offer flexible production spaces at significantly better rates than central alternatives.
Ealing Film Studios and the surrounding area have quietly developed into a specialised post-production cluster. Companies like Lipsync and Molinare offer world-class facilities without Soho premiums, while the University of West London’s creative tech programmes ensure a steady pipeline of technical talent. Workspace providers in the area offer flexible contracts specifically designed for freelance production professionals with irregular income patterns.
For UX and digital product designers, the South Bank’s concentration of agencies (from ustwo to Method) provides critical mass for career development, with professionals routinely moving between studios to advance their portfolios. The area’s transport connectivity – and its proximity to Waterloo, in particular – enables easy client access while maintaining separation from tourist zones.
Crucially, London’s industry advantage lies not in vague ‘creative vibes’ but in quantifiable professional resources: the UK’s highest concentration of venture capital investments in creative tech, the greatest density of industry commissioning executives, and the most developed freelance support infrastructure including specialist accountants, legal services, and insurance brokers who understand creative business models.
Manchester: Strategic Industry Specialism
Manchester’s designation as the ‘creative capital of the UK’ reflects not merely cultural cachet but concrete industry advantages. The city has developed clearly defined specialisms that offer genuine career advancement opportunities:
Digital advertising and marketing technology has become Manchester’s standout sector, with a significant concentration of specialist agencies now headquartered in the region. This density creates unprecedented mobility for professionals, with agencies like Dept, Social Chain, and Push establishing Manchester as a genuine alternative to London for client service innovation. The 2023 relocation of WPP’s significant operations to Enterprise City has catalysed a talent migration from the capital.
MediaCityUK represents one of the UK’s most successful examples of purpose-built creative infrastructure, housing not just BBC departments but an ecosystem of smaller production companies that compete for regional commissioning. For broadcast professionals, the operational advantage is clear: production budgets stretch considerably further than equivalent London projects according to Screen Manchester.
The city’s workspace economics are particularly advantageous for growing businesses: Grade A creative office space costs substantially less than comparable London locations, while technical infrastructure benefits from Manchester’s position as one of the UK’s major data centre hubs. For individual creatives, a variety of apartments to rent in Manchester offer flexible arrangements including designated homeworking spaces and communal facilities designed for networking.
Most valuable is Manchester’s self-contained career ecosystem – professionals can progress from entry-level to leadership positions without leaving the region, supported by specialist recruitment firms like The Candidate and industry networks such as Creative Pro Manchester that connect thousands of practitioners. The city’s thriving creative businesses now generate substantial economic value annually, creating critical mass for sustainable career development.
Bristol: Technical Creative Specialisation
Bristol has strategically developed the UK’s most cohesive technical creative ecosystem, with a growing digital sector focused on high-value production rather than service work. The city’s advantage lies in specific industrial specialisations:
Animation and visual effects form Bristol’s core strength, with the expansion of the Bottle Yard Studios creating substantial production space specifically for animation and VFX work. The cluster of specialist studios (including world-leaders like Aardman) creates a talent density that enables career progression without relocating. The Bristol Animation Forum connects hundreds of professionals, facilitating project collaboration and skills development through monthly technical workshops.
Natural history production represents another distinctive specialisation, with Bristol producing a significant portion of global wildlife content. The BBC’s Natural History Unit commissions substantial production annually, supporting a network of specialist freelancers from underwater camera operators to wildlife sound recordists. Crucially, the recently established Bristol Natural History Consortium provides professional training and equipment access for emerging talent.
The Harbourside Innovation Quarter houses the Pervasive Media Studio, where residents work at the intersection of technology and creativity. Unlike generic co-working spaces, this facility provides specialised technical resources including motion capture facilities, haptic development kits, and AR/VR testing environments – practical assets that translate directly to commercial advantage.
For professionals in these sectors, Bristol offers tangible career benefits: competitive day rates combined with housing costs substantially lower than the capital. The city’s technical education pipeline includes specialist degree programmes across UWE and the University of Bristol, creating reliable access to emerging talent for growing businesses.
Glasgow’s creative economy distinguishes itself through the integration of design with engineering and manufacturing capabilities – a unique combination that creates specialist career opportunities:
Clydeside represents a growing concentration of product design consultancies specialising in industrial design, medical device development, and consumer electronics. Unlike purely aesthetic design centres, Glasgow’s studios directly connect to Scotland’s manufacturing capabilities, enabling end-to-end product development. Recent Scottish Enterprise investment has established a substantial prototyping centre providing advanced 3D printing, CNC machining, and materials testing facilities available to independent designers on flexible terms.
Architectural visualisation has emerged as a Glasgow specialisation, with studios like Wireframe Immersive pioneering VR applications for the built environment. The city’s architectural practices commission significant visualisation work annually, creating a sustainable market for specialists in this field. The Glasgow School of Art’s SimVis programme provides comprehensive technical training in this discipline.
Gaming and interactive media benefit from Glasgow’s unique combination of creative and technical education, with the city producing both art-focused and programming-capable graduates. The Tontine innovation centre specifically targets creative technology companies, offering subsidised growth space and development support that has helped studios scale to substantial operations.
The concrete advantage for creative professionals is Glasgow’s combination of technical opportunity with exceptional affordability – creative sector salaries remain competitive while housing costs are significantly lower than other major UK cities, creating superior disposable income. For business founders, Scottish Enterprise’s By Design grant programme provides specialist funding for design-led ventures, a financial resource unavailable elsewhere in the UK.
Leeds: Content Production Infrastructure
Leeds has transformed into the North’s most comprehensive content production centre, with strategic advantages that extend well beyond Channel 4’s headquarters relocation in 2020:
The Leeds Innovation Arc has developed into a significant concentration of convergence media specialists, with numerous companies now operating within this purpose-developed zone. Sky’s recent establishment of a northern production hub adds a second major commissioner alongside Channel 4, creating substantial regional production opportunities. Crucially, Leeds offers production infrastructure at scale – Leeds Studios’ sound stages provide capacity for simultaneous major productions, while the investment in cutting-edge virtual production facilities offers technical capabilities previously available only in London.
Financial technology creative services represent a distinctive Leeds specialisation, with the city’s status as a major UK financial centre driving demand for specialised design and content production. The FinTech North network connects creative professionals with financial services clients, while Leeds Digital Festival (the UK’s largest tech event outside London) facilitates business development across these sectors.
Leeds’ value proposition is clear: office space in the Creative Quarter costs significantly less than London equivalents, while average day rates for specialist production roles remain competitive according to Screen Yorkshire. For creative entrepreneurs, the Combined Authority’s Creative Sector Growth Programme provides matched funding for business expansion – practical support that enhances the city’s appeal.
Brighton: Digital Arts & Creative Education Excellence
Brighton has established itself as the South Coast’s premier creative hub, with the University of Brighton’s School of Art and Media serving as an anchor institution driving innovation across multiple disciplines:
Digital arts and emerging technologies form Brighton’s distinctive strength, with the University of Brighton’s Centre for Digital Media Cultures fostering groundbreaking research in interactive installations, immersive environments, and experimental digital practices. The recently expanded Media Centre provides state-of-the-art facilities including professional-grade audio recording studios, motion capture systems, and a dedicated XR lab that supports commercial collaborations between students and industry partners.
Sustainable design and circular economy innovation represents Brighton’s unique contribution to the creative industries. The university’s pioneering Sustainable Design MA programme—one of the first of its kind in the UK—has established a regional concentration of design practitioners specialising in environmentally conscious production. This specialisation is supported by the Brighton Design Research Group, which secures substantial research funding for projects that connect creative practice with environmental sustainability.
The Brighton Digital Catapult Centreoperates in partnership with the university to accelerate commercial applications of emerging technologies. Unlike conventional incubators, this facility provides specialised technical resources including 5G testbeds, immersive technology demonstration spaces, and low-power IoT networks that enable creative businesses to develop market-ready products with reduced R&D costs.
For creative professionals, Brighton offers a compelling combination of industry concentration with exceptional quality of life—the North Laine Creative Quarter houses over 300 independent creative businesses within a walkable district, creating natural networking opportunities. The city’s proximity to London (under an hour by train) enables access to capital city clients while maintaining significantly lower operational costs.
Most valuable is the university’s integration with the creative ecosystem through initiatives like the Creative Industries Federation, which connects academics, students, and industry professionals. The annual Brighton Digital Festival and the Brighton Photo Biennial provide platforms for emerging talent, while the university’s Enterprise Pathway programme helps creative graduates transition to professional practice through targeted business support.
For students and professionals seeking specialised training, the School of Art and Media offers distinctive programmes in emerging fields like Creative AI, XR Production, and Design Futures, creating a talent pipeline that directly addresses industry skills gaps. These programmes feature embedded placements with regional creative businesses and content co-created with industry partners, ensuring graduates possess immediately applicable professional capabilities.
Bournemouth: Creative Media & Innovation
Bournemouth has developed into a specialised hub for creative media production, with distinctive advantages that make it a compelling destination for certain creative sectors:
Arts University Bournemouth (AUB) functions as the centrepiece of the region’s creative ecosystem. Unlike conventional academic institutions, AUB’s industry-integrated approach places significant emphasis on commercial applications and entrepreneurship. The university’s dedicated Innovation Studio provides incubation space and development support specifically for creative businesses emerging from its programmes. Particularly notable is AUB’s close relationship with the visual effects industry, with specialised courses developed in partnership with major studios. The university’s annual creative degree shows have become significant industry recruitment events, drawing talent scouts from across the UK.
Film and visual effects production represents Bournemouth’s standout specialisation, with the area now home to a growing concentration of post-production facilities. The presence of industry leaders such as Outpost VFX has created a critical mass of specialist talent, while the BFX Festival has become an important industry showcase. This cluster benefits from direct access to AUB’s technical graduates, creating a sustainable talent pipeline that supports business growth.
Digital innovation in tourism experiences has emerged as a distinctive Bournemouth strength, with numerous studios developing augmented reality, location-based media, and interactive installations for the visitor economy. This specialisation benefits from the city’s dual identity as both a creative hub and a major tourism destination, with continuous opportunities to deploy and test new concepts. The recently established Smart Place Innovation Hub specifically supports businesses developing digitally enhanced experiences for public spaces.
The region offers tangible professional advantages: operating costs for creative businesses are substantially lower than in traditional production centres, while the area’s exceptional natural environment supports superior work-life integration. For creative employers, BCP Council’s Creative Industries Growth Programme provides targeted support including rate relief for studio spaces and recruitment subsidies for graduate employment – practical incentives that enhance the area’s appeal for business development.
The Bottom Line
For industry professionals or creative students making location decisions, these regional hubs offer distinct advantages beyond lifestyle considerations. The choice should be driven by sector alignment, career stage, and specific professional requirements. Rather than vague cultural appeal, evaluate each location’s relevant industry concentration, technical infrastructure, commissioning opportunities, and growth support mechanisms.
Most importantly, look beyond marketing narratives to the practical realities: workspace economics, production facilities, funding access, and the presence of specialist services that directly impact professional success. The UK’s creative sector has evolved beyond a London-centric model into a network of specialised regional centres, each offering concrete advantages for those who match their career objectives to the appropriate ecosystem.
Islington, it’s safe to say, is a place you can expect to eat and drink well. The home of the champagne socialist and champagne football, of allotment enthusiasts, Little Italy and apparently more restaurants than days of the year; if you can’t find some good grub here, well, you’re just not looking hard enough.
But with such choice comes a paradox; sifting through the standard and sub par to find something truly exceptional can be time consuming. Don’t worry, we’re here to help; here’s our guide on where to eat in Highbury & Islington, and the best restaurants in this part of North London.
Xi’an Impression
Ideal for thick handpulled noodles seconds from the Emirates Stadium…
Pre-match sloppy frankfurter, this ain’t. Just seconds from the Arsenal ground, Xi’an Impression brings dishes from the Shan Xi province to the heart of Highbury with aplomb.
At the woks is chef Wei Guirong, who honed her skills in Soho’s Hunanese restaurant Ba Shan before setting up shop here, with a view of The Emirates stadium and a view to bringing the flavours of her birthplace to this little corner of North London.
Man, it’s good; the signature biang biang noodles, known for their belt-like shape, are the obvious highlight. Thick and slippery, these are masterful; starchy enough that they double back on themselves in the bowl appealingly, bringing even more tension. Top them with a tangle of stir-fried Xinjiang chicken that sings with Sichuan peppercorns, fermented soy beans and chilli, and slurp the rust-coloured juices that pool below the noodles. Ruin your shirt in the process.
By Irene Cheng
It’s not just the noodles that deliver here. The Rou Jia Mo, often referred to as a Chinese hamburger, here features succulent, savoury shredded pork and a fluffy bun. It’s excellent, as are the pig’s ears in chilli oil; gnarly and gelatinous in the best possible way.
With a BYOB policy and all of the above clocking in at under thirty quid, Xi’an Impression still represents great value, despite its ever rising popularity and, accordingly, prices. It’s walk-in only here and the dining room is compact,so be prepared to wait.
Ideal for a thoughtfully rendered desi pub experience in the heart of Islington…
A beautifully conceived riff on the Great British-Indian tradition of the desi pub, The Tamil Prince on Islington’s Hemingford Road presides over the former site of the Cuckoo, and much of the pub’s layout and features remain faithfully present.
The food and vibe, however, has very much changed, with Prince Durairaj, a chef with roots in Tamil cuisine and time spent at Gopal’s Corner and Roti King, presiding over the kitchen here, whilst Glen Leeson, former general manager at Bao, works the floor.
The two originally joined forces in 2021, working on a Tamila street food concept in Hackney Wick that quickly gained traction, and a bricks and mortar place followed swiftly, just a year later.
We’re so glad it did, as the Tamil Prince is one of the most enjoyable places to settle into for a meal just about anywhere in London, with a fine selection of craft beers from local breweries and innovative cocktails (like the off-menu The Prince – a heady, intoxicating blend of cardamom rum, lime, and rosewater marked with the Tamil Prince logo) really hitting the spot.
Yep, we’d come here for a pint regardless of the kitchen’s nimble, talented hands, but when you throw okra fries, a balloon-like channa bhatura, the signature sea bream, here coated in a thick spice rub and grilled whole until caramelised, and a side of flakey, buttery roti into the mix, there’s no stopping us here.
Ideal for natural wine and Basque pintxos in an atmospheric setting…
By day, Provisions operates as one of North London’s most beloved wine shops and delis, its shelves basically buckling under the weight of carefully curated artisanal produce from across Europe, tinned fish, freshly baked loaves, fine cheese et al. You could almost imagine this careful sourcing feeding into a pintxo bar or something, the chefs making smart use of this hybrid space and all that great produce to glorious effect…
…Fortunately, they did imagine such a thing. Because as the week winds towards the weekend, something rather special happens at Provisions: Thursday through Saturday nights see this intimate space on Holloway Road transform into TOPA, when from 6:30 until 11, former Michelin-starred Leroy head chef Simon Shand turns out plate after plate of Basque-inspired brilliance.
The transformation is remarkable – the daytime counter makes way for a long, candlelit communal table seating around two dozen diners, with additional spots at window-front counters and wine barrel tables for that essential ‘standing room only’ vibe. Dried chillies hang from the ceiling, and the heady aroma of fresh cheese mingles with whatever’s sizzling in Shand’s remarkably compact kitchen.
The menu, which changes regularly, perfectly captures the spirit of Basque Country dining. Start with the classic gilda (£2.50) – that perfect unity of olive, anchovy and pickled guindilla pepper – alongside a glass of txakoli, the region’s signature sparkling white wine. The pintxos selection is exemplary: Christian Parrat black pudding with crab apple and nectarine (£4.50) shows both technical skill and restraint, while the grilled peppers topped with Fusette Cendrée goat’s cheese (£3.50) are a study in simplicity.
Larger plates demonstrate Shand’s Michelin-starred pedigree while maintaining the convivial spirit of pintxo dining. The sautéed mushrooms with raw egg yolk (£13) is a loving homage to San Sebastián’s famous Ganbara, while the hake with orzo, saffron and courgettes (£24) showcases the kitchen’s deft hand with seafood.
The wine list is predictably excellent – this is Provisions, after all – with over 250 references available. Choose from the carefully selected by-the-glass options, or pick a bottle from the shop’s shelves for a modest corkage fee. Don’t miss the patxaran and tonic (£9), a traditional Basque aperitif that makes for a perfect start to the evening.
‘Topa’ means ‘cheers’ in Basque, and it’s an apt name for a place that so successfully captures the relaxed conviviality of San Sebastián’s old town. While Holloway Road might lack the cobbled charm of the Parte Vieja, these thrice-weekly evening sessions bring an authentic slice of Basque Country hospitality to N7.
London suddenly feels very much alive with the flavours of Malaysia, with the city increasingly conversant in the intricacies of nasi lemak and mee goreng, and well versed in their laksa preferences.
Sambal Shiok is one of a ever-growing number of excellent Malaysian options in the city that pays little lip service to diluting the essential flavours of the country’s cuisine, and we’re very much here for it.
Fronted by Mandy Yin, the food here is influenced by the chef’s Peranakan Chinese heritage, though she freely admits that the ‘authenticity’ of her food isn’t her number one priority. Instead, the dishes at Sambal Shiok bring to the foreground her own take on the cooking traditions and street food of both Kuala Lumpur and Penang, as well as drawing inspiration from her upbringing in the UK.
The restaurant is particularly famed for its laksas, with the country’s two most distinctive styles both available here. Our go-to is always the Penang assam laksa, a thick, sour number that’s anchored by mackerel and shrimp paste, its rich, puckering acidity the result of plenty of tamarind. It’s a bowl that pulls off the impressive balancing act of being both soothing and invigorating, fiery and funky, and is just incredible. Thick, sticky rice noodles cling on to the broth ‘till the last bite. Heaven.
Though we’ll remain faithful to the assam version forever more, Sambol Shiok also does an excellent bowl of coconut curry laksa, in the campur style – thin and soupy, and sweet from coconut milk, but also with the funkiness of the Penang style throbbing freely away in the background. Hey, you could order both!
Just a 5 minute walk around the corner from Highbury and Islington Overground, Sambal Shiok is a popular spot, and booking in advance is highly recommended.
Ideal for soul nourishing Afghan stews at reassuringly reasonable prices…
Something of a North London institution and in a pleasant spot overlooking Islington Green, Afghan Kitchen is reassuring in its simplicity, flawless in its execution. Just eight mains are available here, four meat and four vegetarian, all intricately spiced, soul-warming stews, plus a handful of sides – rice, pickles, bread and chutney. Nothing costs more than a tenner, the sides a couple of quid each at most.
These are profoundly flavourful dishes. Our go-to here is the ghormeh subzi gosht, a fragrant lamb and spinach stew that’s savoury and warming, but also a heady affair, redolent in fenugreek leaves and nutmeg, and with a pleasing astringency from dried limes. The whole affair is thickened with braised, murky-coloured spinach and given freshness with fresh herbs – coriander and parsley are added right at the close. Have it over rice, or with a side of excellent glazed flatbread (only served in the evenings), and a tea that’s only 80p, and luxuriate in one of the city’s best value spreads.
Ideal for one of London’s most reliable gastropubs and a celebration of British beef…
The Draper’s Arms is a gastropub beloved of Londoners, known for its charming ambiance and comforting, broadly British food. Owned by Nick Gibson, this pub emphasises a seasonal menu that showcases the best of local produce, with beef dishes a clear standout.
In fact, half of the mains focus on beef. We’re particularly enamoured with the restaurant’s sticky, gelatinous braised shortrib, which arrives glossy and spoonable on a feather light celeriac purée. Gorgeous.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, if you’re after one of the best roast dinners in Islington, it’s here you should come. The 54 day aged t-bone steak that comes with all the trimmings is a treat, the flamboyantly risen yorkies blessed with plenty of beef fat flavour.
The Draper’s Arms also boasts an impressive selection of local ales and a curated wine list that is more keenly priced than most in this neck of the woods. The building, dating back to the 1830s and has been a cornerstone of the Islington community for nearly two centuries, its Georgian architecture offering a cosy retreat with fireplaces and a picturesque garden for those warmer London days.
The pub is also something of a hub for hospitality gatherings, too, with charity events aimed at supporting the industry often held here (and £1 from every sale of the pub’s iconic suet crust beef bourguignon pie going to Action Against Hunger). On a more anecdotal note, it’s one of London’s most popular places for chefs to hang out on their days off. That should tell you all you need to know.
Ideal for fire, flatbreads and throwing out some hand horns…
Would you like some glitter with your foie gras doughnut, sir? Actually, we doubt they’d call you ‘sir’ here, and Black Axe Mangal (now called F.K.A.B.A.N) is all the better for it. The food matches the provocative art and riff-heavy soundtrack, with big, bold flavours, vital visual appeal, and a fitting taste of the flame provided by their wood fired oven. Flatbreads are the order of the day; the squid ink rendition with smoked, whipped cod’s roe and egg yolk a particular favourite.
It’s a compact place, and only open for dinner during the week, so getting a table is tough, to say the least. The good news is, they do a Saturday and Sunday brunch which starts the ball rolling on a rollicking weekend or adeptly cures the previous night’s ills. Or both. It’s usually both.
Originally opened in 2015 by chef Lee Tiernan, who previously honed his skills for a decade at St John Bread and Wine, and his wife Kate, this establishment quickly became renowned for its rock’n’roll, tattoo’d, trailblazing vibes.
Despite a temporary closure due to the pandemic in March 2020, Black Axe Mangal has made a triumphant return as F.K.A.B.A.M, continuing to serve much of its beloved menu while introducing new elements. After flirting with a set menu format, priced at £58 for five courses shared between two people, the team at BAM recently announced they were returning to a la carte. Regardless of how the menu is structure, some items, like the lamb offal flatbread and charred hispi, are thankfully ever present.
These dishes are complemented by a selection of innovative drinks, including the quirky borscht back, which has earned itself something of a cult following in the city. Here, a combination of a vodka shot, a borscht shot, horseradish, and a frankfurter on a stick is available as a bolt on, for £6.66. Oh, go on then.
Ideal for perhaps the best Italian food in the city…
Now well into its second decade, Trullo feels like it goes from strength to strength, and is arguably Highbury and Islington’s most cherished neighourhood restaurant, a place where you can take your parents or go on a first date equally, and one where the welcome will always be warm-hearted and the food just downright darn delicious.
Sure, its younger sibling Padella may now be the favourite child, but Trullo is the ultra-knowledgeable, trend-setting older brother who, deep down, everyone knows is still the cooler kid. And it’s not just about the pasta here. This is nourishing, homely, expertly sourced, expertly cooked food that any borough would be proud to call their ‘neighbourhood’ joint.
They have a way with pulses and beans at Trullo, make no mistake. You’re guaranteed to get a gorgeously cooked piece of meat or fish sitting atop a bed of beans, usually with a piquant salsa to help things along. Think Black Hampshire pork chop with borlotti beans and salsa verde or Whole Brixham mackerel with roast yellow peppers, coco blanc and salsa rossa. Think both.
Indeed, any in-season, whole fish cooked on the grill is a guaranteed winner here, as is the legendary beef shin ragu with pappardelle. Right now, the former is a whole Brixham sea bass with charred leeks and a sauce of St Austell mussels and their cooking liquor. It’s a stunning piece of work, the fish arriving longer than its plate and with gently blistered skin, it lifts off the bone neatly, making it a glorious centrepiece for sharing. Pair it with a Gulfi Carjcanti 2020, its its crisp acidity and notes of citrus and white flowers standing up well to the the smokey flavours of the grill.
Originally a fishmongers, the operation at Prawn On The Lawn quickly expanded to fully fledged restaurant to satisfy the fish lovers of Islington, of which, it turns out, there are many. With a daily changing menu owing to what’s fresh scrawled on chalkboard (small plates, platters and whole fish) this is as close to the beach as you’re going to get in inner-city London.
It’s testament to the chef’s skills and freshness of the produce that the dishes produced within the tiny open kitchen are of such sterling quality; a mackerel and ‘nduja dish, in particular, induced rapture. Their taramasalata with seeded crackers has a well-deserved cult following, too.
While you’ll find dishes inspired from all over the world on the menu, it’s often the simple plates that are the best here. Recently, a prosaically titled, prosaically adorned red mullet, olive oil and lemon dish was spectacular in its simplicity.
Situated just a stone’s throw from the Highbury & Islington station, the interior is reminiscent of a seaside eatery, and features an open kitchen and a casual yet chic dining area, where diners can enjoy their meals accompanied by expertly mixed cocktails like classic negronis or cucumber-and-chilli margaritas.
Ideal for punchy, uplifting Thai food in a kinda chaotic dining room…
Thai food in the capital is now so popular that the usual explanatory diatribe seems unnecessary; you probably know farang means foreigner, dishes are designed to be shared, everything revolves around rice, the food of the country is hugely different from region to region……
But just because we’re all now so well versed in the vernacular, it shouldn’t overshadow just how splendid the cooking is at Farang. The larger, sharing curries, cooked low and slow, consistently pack a huge punch of depth and verve, and their gai prik – deep fried chicken wings with a sweet fish sauce glaze – are simply divine.
Sure, the dining room may be acoustically challenging and the service sometimes erratic, but it’s worth looking past these minor obstacles for Farang’s uplifting food.
Ideal for light, airy food in an even breezier space…
We finish up at Westerns Laundry in Drayton Park, in their beautiful, bright dining room (a repurposed 1950s industrial building that once served as North London’s largest commercial laundry), perched at the bar, sipping natural wine and watching the chefs work. ‘Modern European small plates’ are listed on a blackboard to the right of our stools, and the menu leans heavily on the sea’s bounty.
The brainchild of Jeremie Cometto-Lingenheim and David Gingell, who previously captivated the London food scene with their venture Primeur, Westerns Laundry opened its doors in late April 2017. The space now features a 60-cover dining room that opens onto a charming 20-cover cobbled courtyard adorned with olive trees, ideal for the warmer months ahead. During winter, the restaurant’s private dining room is a gorgeously intimate space for a Christmas meal with friends, by the way.
The vibe of the food, just like the room, is light and free from frippery; a thick fillet of blistered hake over lentils and mussels was a recent highlight.
Be warned; Western’s Laundry is a little bit of a walk from Highbury & Islington station, but those who traverse the ten minutes will be richly rewarded.
The ebb and flow of office productivity often seems to be bending to the whim of external forces, with scant regard for the will of the workers themselves.
Well, there might be more than a modicum of truth in the belief that the dark arts can play a part in workplace efficiency, and there are a host of hacks an office can implement which, while seeming innocuous, can have a huge impact on everything from staff wellbeing to turnover and much more besides.
In a post-pandemic working world where the central office space has never felt more impotent and at times political, it’s essential that employers and workers are making their office spaces as productivity-positive as possible.
With that in mind, today we’re sharing some of our most closely guarded office secrets. Here are 9 small changes to boost office productivity and create the IDEAL work environment.
The Best Colours To Boost Productivity
Is your office a horrible dull grey colour or stark white? Studies show that boring and bland grey, beige and white offices bring about feelings of sadness and depression. Not great for productivity! Colour-based psychology has been around for a long time, so why more offices haven’t employed a few of the key components amazes us, with certain choice colours now widely believed to have a huge impact on productivity.
It’s been written that a highly saturated blue colour stimulates the mind, so for analytical work grounded in logic, this is a great choice. Blue can improve efficiency, focus and create a better overall sense of well-being. However, if your work runs on emotion and creativity needs fueling, a vibrant orange or yellowis the key to stimulating the imagination.
In short, the theory of colour is more precise than simply ‘paint your walls red for $’, so a nuanced, goal-orientated approach is the best one to opt for.
Plants Can Aid Concentration
With colour psychology still fresh in our mind, it’s also been widely reported that green boosts productivity in workers, and, as such, investing in some plants is a great way to improve the natural vibe of the office and slyly give efficiency a nudge. Low wave and earthy hues of various greens are also said to inject calmness and focus into a room, improving workplace moral and productivity in the process.
It’s not just the colour that has positive effects across the board though. Plants can have numerous benefits , including for office air quality. On a bright, sunny day, it might just make the idea of being inside slightly more bearable too, as we have a sense of being close to nature. Lovely stuff.
Invest In Proper Ergonomic Furniture
In the perpetual quest for workplace efficiency, one often overlooked yet crucial element is the quality of office furniture. Whilst many businesses focus on technological solutions and psychological approaches to boost productivity, the humble office chair and desk arrangement can have a profound impact on both output and wellbeing.
Studies consistently demonstrate that employees who work with properly adjusted, ergonomic furniture experience fewer physical complaints and maintain higher concentration levels throughout the workday. A well-designed chair supporting the natural curvature of the spine, paired with a desk at the optimal height, can reduce the nagging discomfort that silently chips away at productivity minute by minute.
As Andrews, who supply office furniture in London, so sagely intone, you should consider implementing adjustable standing desks which allow staff to alternate between sitting and standing positions. This small change can increase energy levels, improve circulation and reduce the lethargy that often descends after the lunch hour. The investment pays dividends not only in immediate productivity gains but also in reduced absenteeism from work-related musculoskeletal disorders.
Beyond the individual workstation, thoughtfully arranged communal furniture can facilitate spontaneous collaboration. Strategically placed comfortable seating areas with acoustic properties designed for small group conversations can spark innovation without disrupting colleagues nearby.
Remember that furniture isn’t merely functional—it’s an essential component of your workplace culture. Quality pieces signal to both employees and visitors that wellbeing and professional standards are valued, fostering a sense of pride and belonging that naturally translates to heightened engagement and productivity.
Something a little more esoteric next, though no less useful. Many offices have recently been installing gaming keyboards to replace traditional ones. This is due to the prevalence of shortcuts found on a gaming keyboard, which can help boost productivity and speed of work immensely. Ditto a gaming mouse in place of a standard one.
The automated systems streamline mundane tasks and their ergonomics are designed to suit those who binge on the latest games without causing repetitive strain injury and, as such, are perfect for an office worker who doesn’t wish to visit the Occupational Health any time soon.
Constantly Declutter
Tidy desk, tidy mind, said your office nemesis when surveying the debris of your desk. He may have had a point though. The clutter of a thousand redundant files and papers can have an adverse effect on our brain’s organisational abilities. At the very most basic level, the search for lost items and documents can eat into any day, and would be vastly reduced by an orderly filing system and lack of clutter.
On a more abstract note, the brain may respond to visual mess by losing focus and concentration. In the modern, paper-free(ish) workplace, it’s easier than ever to be streamlined and minimalist in your desk space décor. Do it today and you’ll notice the results immediately.
Of course, you can only declutter effectively within the parameters of available workplace storage, but a simple reshuffle of office-based real-estate may eke out new areas for employees to swing a cat (or, more simply, to enjoy a well earned break).
Enlisting the services of a specialist might be a wise investment here, and could help give your company the productivity boost it needs through the power of space-saving.
It seems a natural assumption to make; that silence promotes a steely, undisturbed focus, and is therefore preferable in the office environment. Think again though, as having the radio on at work could actually boost productivity. Noise sparks the creative process into life, giving new ideas impetus and allowing a freedom of thought often stifled by an atmosphere too quiet. Silence, then, is anything but golden.
Utilise Adaptive Soundscaping
Speaking of which, innovative offices are now going further, and using adaptive soundscaping to manage the acoustic environment. This technology involves creating soundscapes that adapt in real-time to the noise levels in the office. For example, when the office gets noisy, the soundscape can increase the volume of natural sounds like flowing water or rustling leaves to mask distracting conversations or office machinery. This can help maintain a consistent auditory environment that supports concentration and productivity, without the need for intrusive noise-cancelling headphones.
Foster Collaborative Robotics
Embrace the future of work by integrating collaborative robots, or ‘cobots’, into the office environment. These robots are designed to work alongside humans, assisting with repetitive or physically demanding tasks. In an office setting, cobots could be programmed to handle tasks such as organising and delivering documents, setting up meeting rooms, or even making coffee.
This not only frees up employees to focus on more complex, value-added tasks but also introduces a novel element to the workplace that can boost morale and foster a culture of innovation and efficiency.
Implement Dynamic Desking With Smart Technology
We end our article on the move. That’s because we’re engaged in something that’s widely become known as ‘dynamic desking’. Powered by smart technology, this is an innovative approach to office layout that allows workspaces to be easily reconfigured to suit the needs of different tasks and teams throughout the day. Using a system of modular furniture and integrated technology, employees can book desks, meeting pods, or collaborative spaces through an app, depending on their immediate needs.
This system not only optimises the use of office space but also encourages movement and collaboration, which can lead to increased creativity and productivity. Smart sensors can adjust lighting, temperature, and even desk height for optimal comfort and efficiency, creating a truly personalised work environment.
The Bottom Line
In the quest for peak office productivity, it’s clear that small, innovative changes can have a profound impact. These forward-thinking strategies reflect a deeper understanding of the interplay between our physical spaces and our mental agility. As we continue to navigate the complexities of the modern workplace, it is these kinds of nuanced, intelligent adaptations that will define the successful offices of the future and, in turn, the businesses that inhabit them.
Where the Indian Ocean laps against the western shores of Mauritius, Port Louis stands as a telling monument to the island’s mixed heritage. The capital, nestled between the jagged outline of Le Pouce mountain and its natural harbour, offers visitors a raw, honest blend of architecture from various periods, noisy markets, and cooking that defies simple categorisation.
This tight, taut town, named for King Louis XV of France, somehow balances island languor with the sharp-elbowed tempo of a functioning port. Office workers in suits dodge market porters with impossible loads balanced on heads, both weaving through colonial-era lanes barely wide enough for a small car. It’s the only proper city on the island, and it knows it.
First-timers might dismiss Port Louis as just the boring bit before the beaches. Look closer. French shuttered windows overlook Tamil temples. The smell of cardamom and cumin fights with Creole rougaille sauce wafting from food carts. Chinese pagoda roofs angle upward not far from mosque minarets. The whole jumbled history of Mauritius—French planters, British administrators, Indian labourers, Chinese merchants, Creole fishermen—stands written in brick and stone and corrugated iron.
With just 48 hours to explore this fascinating capital, careful planning becomes essential. Here’s how to make the most of your whirlwind visit to Mauritius’ dynamic heart.
Day 1: Colonial Heritage & Market Exploration
Morning: Harbour Beginnings
Start at the Caudan Waterfront around 8:30am, before the heat builds. Sugar traders once dominated this harbour area, shipping out the crop that built Mauritius from nothing. Now it’s all shops and restaurants, though they’ve kept enough old warehouse features to remind you what paid for it all.
Grab breakfast at Café LUX*. Office workers and early tourists crowd it for the coffee – they roast beans on-site in small batches. Order pain au chocolat if you’re nibbling, or the full egg and bacon roll if you need proper fuel. Sit on the terrace and watch fishing boats chug out while yachts rock gently at anchor. The Moka Range rises behind it all, still catching the morning light.
After eating, walk the waterfront to the Blue Penny Museum. It opens at 10am, early enough to dodge the tour groups. Don’t let its small size fool you – it houses stamps that make collectors hyperventilate, the 1847 Blue Penny and Red Penny, worth millions. The rest explores Mauritius’ past through maps and ship models, including items salvaged from Dutch and Portuguese wrecks that litter the reefs offshore. Stamp enthusiasts need restraining from pressing their noses to the glass, but even philately-phobics find something interesting here.
Midday: Market Immersion
Head next to the Central Market – it’s a brisk quarter-hour walk from Caudan. Locals call it the Bazaar. Dating to Victorian times, the market throws you directly into Mauritian daily life: vendors shout prices, tropical fruits pile in questionable pyramids, and the air hangs heavy with unfamiliar spices. You’ll want to arrive before noon to dodge the crowds.
The market is divided into distinct sections, each offering its own treasures. The vegetable hall showcases produce unique to the island, including gato piments (chilli cakes) and dholl puri (split pea flatbreads) being prepared at small food stalls. Meanwhile, the spice section dazzles with pyramids of turmeric, cardamom, and distinctly Mauritian curry powder blends.
For an authentic lunch experience, seek out one of the small food vendors upstairs from the main market. Here, Chez Mme. Parasram has been serving traditional Mauritian street food for over three decades. Her dholl puri wraps filled with rougaille (a spicy tomato sauce) and butter bean curry offer a perfect introduction to Mauritian fusion cuisine – delicious simplicity at its finest. Seating is limited to a few plastic chairs, but the views of market life unfolding below more than compensate for the modest surroundings.
As the afternoon heat intensifies, seek respite in the historic core of Port Louis. Begin at Aapravasi Ghat, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that marks the immigration depot where indentured labourers first arrived from India following the abolition of slavery. While only the foundations remain of this once-bustling processing centre, the site offers a poignant reminder of the island’s complex heritage and the challenging conditions faced by these labourers who fundamentally shaped Mauritius’ demographic and cultural landscape. The small museum contextualises their experiences with remarkable candour.
A ten-minute walk brings you to the Photography Museum, housed in a meticulously preserved building on Rue du Vieux Conseil. This hidden gem showcases the history of photography in Mauritius through vintage cameras and remarkable images dating back to the 1800s. The collection offers fascinating glimpses of Port Louis’ transformation from European-controlled port to modern capital.
Next, tackle Fort Adelaide – La Citadelle to locals. The British built this stone fortress on Petite Montagne in the 19th century. The climb takes 20 minutes and it’s properly steep, but the views justify the sweat: racecourse, harbour, mountains – all of Port Louis lies spread beneath you. Arrive around 3:45pm when shadows lengthen and the heat eases off. In summer, go earlier – the place shuts at 4pm. Budget an hour to poke around the battlements and ramparts before the 25-minute descent back to sea level.
As dusk falls, return to the Caudan Waterfront, now transformed by evening lights reflected in the harbour. Begin your evening with a cocktail at Barrel and Bay, a waterfront pub where the island’s European ties are reflected in the British-influenced decor. Their signature Phoenix beer, brewed locally since 1963, offers a refreshing end to a day of exploration.
For dinner, Le Courtyard offers sophisticated dining in a carefully restored French-era building just off Intendance Street. Hidden behind an unassuming facade, this restaurant reveals a charming courtyard where tables are arranged beneath the stars. Chef Nizam Peeroo crafts a menu that celebrates Mauritian produce with French technique – try the palm heart salad followed by their renowned rack of lamb with local honey and rosemary. The restaurant’s wine cellar houses an impressive selection of South African and French wines, giving you every excuse to stick around for a night cap. Cheers to that!
Day 2: Cultural Mosaic, Beach Excursion & Natural Splendour
Early Morning: Flic En Flac Beach Escape
Begin your second day with an early start – you’ll thank yourself later. Rise at 5:30am and grab a quick coffee from your hotel or a nearby café to jumpstart your system.
By 6am, you should be in a taxi heading west toward Flic en Flac beach. The 30-minute journey takes you through small villages and sugarcane fields as Mauritius slowly wakens. Aim to arrive just as the sun begins to illuminate the coastline.
Flic en Flac offers everything you imagine when dreaming of Mauritius – a pristine stretch of white sand extending for nearly 8 kilometers, fringed by casuarina trees and facing a sheltered lagoon of impossible blue. The name allegedly derives from the old Dutch “Fried Landt Flaak” (free, flat land), though locals insist it mimics the sound of waves lapping the shore.
The early hour rewards you with relative solitude – perhaps just a few joggers, fishermen preparing their boats, or dedicated swimmers taking advantage of the calm morning waters. This west-coast beach remains protected by an offshore coral reef, creating ideal conditions for a refreshing swim. The gentle morning light transforms the turquoise waters into a shifting palette of blues while providing views back toward the mountains around Port Louis.
Spend about two hours here, walking the soft sand, swimming in the crystal waters, or simply sitting beneath a palm tree watching the island come to life. For the more active, several beachside operators offer early morning snorkeling trips to the reef, where you’ll spot butterfly fish, parrotfish and perhaps even sea turtles gliding through coral gardens.
By 8:30am, arrange for your taxi to return you to Port Louis. You’ll have experienced one of Mauritius’ coastal treasures while still having a full day to explore the capital’s cultural riches. The contrast between tranquil seaside and bustling city provides perfect counterpoint to your Mauritian adventure.
Morning: Sacred Spaces
By 9:30am, you should be back in Port Louis and ready for breakfast. Le Fournil on Pope Hennessy Street opens at 6:30am, but their freshly baked goods remain delicious well into the morning. Their almond croissants provide the perfect energy boost after your beach excursion, and the coffee cuts through any remaining fatigue.
Port Louis houses a jumble of religious buildings that reveal the island’s mix of cultures better than any museum could. The St. Louis Cathedral sits just seven minutes from Le Fournil – a 1750s structure that looks decidedly plain outside but hides a wealth of French-Mauritian history inside. The stained glass and memorial plaques need half an hour to absorb properly.
The Jummah Mosque stands five minutes away. It’s an intriguing architectural mix – Indian elements jostle with Creole and Islamic features. The courtyard offers unexpected quiet amid the traffic noise. Don’t visit during prayer times or Friday mornings. If you arrive on a weekday, the caretaker might show you the archways inside. You’ll need 30-40 minutes, including removing shoes and observing proper mosque etiquette.
Walk ten minutes to Kwan Tee Pagoda in Chinatown next. It’s the oldest Chinese temple on the island. Dragons writhe across its roof ridges, and red-lacquered columns support ceilings that haven’t changed since the first Chinese immigrants arrived in the 1780s. Half an hour lets you soak up the details.
The Kaylasson Temple on Royal Street stands eight minutes from Chinatown. Its gopuram (gateway towers) overwhelm you with their detail – gods and goddesses crowd every square inch in riotous colour. This is Tamil culture stamped firmly onto Mauritian soil. If you happen upon a puja (prayer ceremony), linger and observe. Otherwise, 30 minutes covers it.
Midday: Literary Heritage
For lunch, head to First Restaurant in the central business district, a short walk from your morning temple tour. This unpretentious spot has been serving Mauritian Chinese cuisine for decades, attracting a steady stream of local office workers – always a good sign. Their mine frit (fried noodles with vegetables and your choice of protein) and beef chop suey showcase the Chinese culinary influence that’s become fundamental to Mauritian food culture. Prices remain refreshingly reasonable despite their prime location.
After lunch, browse the China Town shops along Royal Road where you’ll find everything from traditional Chinese medicines to imported teas. The small Chinese Heritage Museum on the same street provides context for the significant role the Chinese community has played in Mauritius since the 1780s. Its collection of photographs and artifacts tells the story of the early immigrants who established Port Louis’ vibrant Chinese quarter.
Afternoon: Natural Wonders
After lunch, call a taxi for the Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam Botanical Gardens – everyone calls them Pamplemousses Gardens, mercifully. They lie 15-20 minutes north, though lunchtime traffic might stretch this to half an hour. These gardens date from 1770 and house plant collections that botanists consider world-class. They stay open until 5:30pm, so no need to rush.
The giant water lilies stop everyone in their tracks – big enough for a small child to sit on, though the gardeners would have fits. Ancient baobabs loom over paths like something from a fantasy film. But plant people come for the palm collection, which ranks among the best anywhere. Give yourself two solid hours to wander. Signs explain how these plants shaped Mauritius – spices that traders fought over, fruits that fed the population, hardwoods that built the colony. The avenue of royal palms features on half the postcards in Mauritius, and deserves to.
Hire one of the knowledgeable guides at the entrance (for a modest fee) to reveal hidden treasures like the spice garden, where nutmeg, cinnamon, and cloves grow alongside the pepper plants that once made Mauritius a vital spice trading post.
Evening: Farewell Feast
Return to Port Louis as the day cools and prepare for a memorable final evening. Begin with sunset drinks at the Post Box Lounge bar in the 5-star Labourdonnais Waterfront Hotel, where the terrace offers perfect harbour views. Their classic Ti’ Punch – white rum with fresh lime and a touch of sugar – provides a fitting toast to your brief but enriching Port Louis experience.
Leave at 7pm for Chez Tino in Baie du Tombeau – it’s a 15-minute taxi ride from town, but well worth the effort. Book ahead, especially in high season. The place looks unassuming, but locals have packed it for over 30 years. It sits almost on the lagoon where they catch your dinner.
The menu runs to camarons (freshwater prawns) grilled with garlic butter and ourite (octopus) curry cooked slowly in cast-iron pots. Their seafood platters cost more than you might expect in Mauritius, but they pile the plates with whatever came in that morning. The cooks blend Creole, Indian and Chinese techniques – much like Mauritius itself.
Around 9:30, grab a taxi to Banana Beach Club near Le Caudan for a last drink. Your feet sink into actual sand beneath your table while drums pound out sega rhythms – a distinctly Mauritian musical style that feels half-African, half-something-else-entirely. It makes an oddly appropriate soundtrack to your two days in this mongrel of a capital city.
Neighbourhood Know-How: Where To Stay In Port Louis
Choosing the right area matters more than any specific hotel in Port Louis. Each neighbourhood has its own rhythm and advantages, depending on what you want from your stay.
The Waterfront area offers the most convenient access to tourist facilities. This district sits right against the harbour, connected to Le Caudan shopping complex. Expect larger, business-oriented hotels with air conditioning that actually works, harbour views, and higher prices to match. You’re within walking distance of many major attractions and decent restaurants, but removed from everyday Mauritian life.
The old quarter around Sir William Newton Street and Rue Royale presents a completely different proposition. This compact, atmospheric district houses the city’s heritage buildings with their distinctive shuttered windows and faded elegance. Small guesthouses and boutique hotels occupy converted 19th-century buildings. The rooms typically run smaller, but compensate with character—worn wooden floors, ceiling fans, wrought-iron balconies. You’ll be immersed in local life here, walking distance to markets, but expect more street noise and fewer amenities.
Labourdonnais Avenue and surrounding streets constitute the business district. Several mid-range options cluster here, offering a compromise between modern comforts and local character. You’ll find reasonable rates and reliable, if unexciting, accommodation. The area quiets significantly after office hours, which means peaceful nights but fewer evening dining options within walking distance.
Those looking for residential calm might consider the northern suburbs of Tombeau Bay or Baie du Tombeau. Some villas in Mauritius are available in these quieter areas, offering family-sized accommodation with pools and gardens. You’ll need to taxi into the city centre (15-20 minutes), but gain extra space, sea breezes, and occasional beach access. The area around Baie du Tombeau merits particular attention for its seafood restaurants and distance from city noise.
For longer stays or those requiring more space, look to Moka or Pamplemousses just outside Port Louis. These areas offer larger properties including renovated plantation houses set in tropical gardens. The 15-30 minute commute into Port Louis is balanced by mountain views, substantially lower temperatures, and unspoiled surroundings.
Budget travellers should investigate Plaine Verte, where simple guesthouses cater primarily to visiting traders from Madagascar and Reunion. The accommodations won’t win design awards, but they’re clean, authentic, and drastically cheaper than tourist-oriented options. This predominantly Muslim area offers excellent halal food options and a glimpse into a side of Mauritius most visitors never see.
The Bottom Line
Two days in Port Louis leaves you with a city that refuses tidy description – not quite African, not really Asian, certainly not European, yet somehow smacking of all three. Most tourists rush through on their way to those postcard beaches, missing the narrow alleys and markets that tell the real story.
Forty-eight hours only lets you skim the surface, but it’s enough to grasp how wildly mixed this place is. You may well find yourself plotting a return – the March horse racing season perhaps, or Chinese New Year when firecrackers echo between old buildings, or Diwali when oil lamps line the Tamil quarter. The beaches might have brought you to Mauritius, but Port Louis gives you reasons to venture beyond the sand.
If your Mauritius journey continues beyond the capital, consider heading south to explore the sacred lake of Grand Bassin or the dramatic landscapes of Black River Gorges National Park – both offering perfect complements to your urban adventure in this remarkable island nation.
Gone are the days when dresses were strictly paired with heels or ballet flats. Now, everyone from fashion influencers to Hollywood A-listers is pairing their best frocks with comfortable, stylish sneakers. Indeed, sneakers with dresses have become a tasteful expression of personal style and comfort.
Whether you’re off to a casual event or a formal gathering, this remarkable combo offers a blend of sophistication and ease that is irresistible. Today, let us guide you on how to wear a dress with sneakers effortlessly for an all-round chic and laid-back look.
The Beauty Of Comfort
The most obvious reason for the sneaker-dress combo’s popularity is comfort. Heels may add an elegant finish to your outfit, but they can be punishing for long days or nights. Sneakers, on the other hand, save your feet from unnecessary strain, allowing you to be stylish and comfortable simultaneously.
Choosing The Right Sneaker
Classic White Sneakers: These are a staple in any fashionista’s closet. They are incredibly versatile and can be worn with almost any type of dress. Consider pairing a summer dress with white canvas sneakers for an effortlessly cool look.
Retro High-tops: If you’re looking to make a bold statement, high-top sneakers are the way to go. They pair well with mini dresses or midi-length dresses, allowing the sneakers to shine.
Designer Sneakers: These sneakers offer a balance between casual and luxury fashion. Designer sneakers paired with an elegant dress gives a high-end, chic street style look.
Slip-On Sneakers: They work best for a laid-back, casual style. Pair them with a comfortable maxi or midi dress for those lazy summer days.
Choosing The Right Dress
Of course, your dress choice matters just as much as your sneaker selection. Here’s a look at some of the best types of dresses to wear with sneakers:
With A Cutout Maxi Dress
Demonstrate your sneaker style with a knit maxi dress that features knotted fabric in the middle and two side cutouts. A versatile maxi dress will look great with your sneakers. Bring out the sophisticated look of the dress for dinner, even though the whole outfit might seem casual. Show some skin; a leg slit will take the look a notch higher. Bring a saddle bag to add some extra cuteness to the look.
Silk Dresses
Silk dresses are a top pick among many women. They are an excellent choice for a hot summer night out, as silk provides that cooling effect. Match the dress with your favourite retro-looking sneaker to add that sporty touch to the sleek outfit.
Bold Floral Dresses
Another classic summer go-to is a floral dress that you can match with white sneakers. A floral dress can look classy when chosen wisely. Florals and floral prints add a delicate womanly look to the outfit. Check the colour of the flowers and add pop to your outfit by accessorising them for a more complete look.
T-Shirt Dresses
A T-shirt dress will go well with sneakers, too. T-shirt dresses are comfortable, relaxed and come in breathable fabrics. They are a versatile wardrobe staple you can match with different sneakers and bring out that casual vibe for summer. Here are more tips for styling your t-shirt dress with sneakers:
Pick a dress length that best works for your height
Choose sneakers that work well with your dress
Try to layer and accessorise with woven bags and jewellery
Think outside the box and go for dresses with a wide variety of colours and styles
With Fancy Mini Dresses
Your fancy mini-dress will go well with sneakers. When styled together, a floral-printed blazer mini dress and sneakers will look stylish for an evening affair. Dark sneakers and a floral mini dress will look chicer than bright white ones. Add a clutch and evening hoops to bring out your day’s style.
With Tweed Dresses
Tweed dresses run the risk of coming off too formal, but you can blend them well with sneakers to loosen up the look. A tweed dress makes it easy to layer other pieces over or under and accessorise stress-free. To tone down the sophistication of a tweed dress and wear it anytime with sneakers, you can mix the tweed style with new accessories and bulky sneakers. Look for high-contrast pieces to bring in some edge and look stylish.
Colour Coordination Matters
When pairing sneakers with dresses, colour coordination is paramount to achieving a polished look. Consider the colour palette of your outfit as a whole, ensuring your footwear complements rather than clashes with your dress. For a harmonious appearance, match your sneakers with an accent colour in your dress or accessorise with items that bridge the colour gap.
Don’t be afraid to experiment with contrasting colours for a bolder statement. A vibrant dress can look striking with clean white trainers, while a neutral-toned frock might benefit from colourful sneakers to add visual interest. The diverse range of styles in the Converse collection offers particularly versatile options, from classic monochrome designs to limited-edition patterns that can elevate any dress-and-sneaker ensemble.
Seasonal Adaptations
The dress-and-sneaker combination can be adapted throughout the year with thoughtful layering. During cooler months, pair your favourite summer dress with sneakers and add a chunky cardigan, denim jacket or tailored blazer. Thermal tights or knee-high socks can provide warmth without compromising style when temperatures drop.
In warmer weather, lightweight fabrics and breathable sneakers create the perfect pairing for comfort and style. Consider linen dresses with canvas trainers for beach outings, or cotton shirt dresses with leather low-tops for city exploration. Remember that seasonal transitions offer unique styling opportunities—a summer dress can extend into autumn when paired with the right sneakers and outerwear.
Sock Game: The right socks can make or break your look. Avoid brightly coloured or patterned socks. Invisible socks or socks that match your sneakers are the best options.
Balance your Silhouettes: If your dress is voluminous or flowing, try pairing it with sleek, minimalist sneakers. Conversely, a fitted dress can handle chunkier, bolder sneakers.
Accessorise: Complete your look with accessories like cross-body bags, statement sunglasses, or a chic watch.
Casual vs. Smart: For a casual look, opt for loose, comfortable dresses with simple sneakers. For a smarter look, try a more structured dress with designer sneakers.
The Bottom Line
The blend of femininity from a dress paired with the comfort and simplicity of sneakers creates a trend that hits all the right notes this season. The key to pulling off this trend is balance and understanding your personal style. So, dare to step out of the conventional fashion box, and rock that sneaker-dress combo with confidence and panache. Happy styling!
To say that Tanzania, in East Africa’s Great Lakes region, is home to some heavy hitters is something of an understatement. It’s home to the continent’s tallest mountain, Kilimanjaro, as well as its largest lake, Victoria.
There’s also the Zanzibar Archipelago, one of the planet’s most idyllic set of islands. But even more worthy of superlatives is the Serengeti, perhaps the world’s premier safari destination. So much to do, so little time, right? Well, we’re here to help with the planning part, with these; our 9 of the key places to plan your safari in Tanzania around.
The Serengeti National Park
Tanzania has 16 national parks and more than 5 game reserves and other protected areas, all boasting wildlife, flora and fauna unrivalled pretty much anywhere on earth. The big one, though, is without doubt the Serengeti, acknowledged as one of the ten travel wonders of the world.
Located in Northern Tanzania and spanning over 12’000 square miles, if it’s safari you’re after, this place has got you covered. Because it’s all about catching a glimpse of those Big Five right? And in the Serengeti, lions, elephants, leopards, rhinos and buffalo all prowl the savannah. But all of that pales into insignificance compared to – cue David Attenborough voiceover – ‘the greatest wildlife spectacle on earth’; that is, the enormous migration of wildebeest and zebra.
The good news is that a luxury Tanzania safari that takes in the Serengeti isn’t quite as prohibitively expensive as you might expect; you’ll find prices starting at around £350 a night for accommodation and activities combined.
The Ruaha National Park
Tanzania’s largest national park might fly somewhat under the radar compared to its northern counterparts, but that’s precisely what makes Ruaha such a compelling destination. Located in the country’s central region, this vast wilderness spanning more than 20,000 square kilometres offers a more secluded, intimate safari experience away from the well-trodden tourist circuits.
The park’s dramatic landscape, characterised by the mighty Great Ruaha River, ancient baobab trees, and rolling hills, provides a spectacular backdrop for wildlife viewing. It’s particularly renowned for its impressive population of elephants—some 10,000 of these magnificent creatures call Ruaha home. The park also boasts one of East Africa’s highest concentrations of lions, alongside healthy populations of leopards, cheetahs, and rare African wild dogs.
What sets Ruaha apart is its unique position at the crossroads of eastern and southern African species, meaning visitors can spot both Greater and Lesser kudus – a rare treat for wildlife enthusiasts. Accommodation options range from luxury lodges to authentic bush camps, with prices typically lower than those found in the Serengeti.
The Selous Game Reserve
Recently renamed as Nyerere National Park, this UNESCO World Heritage site is Africa’s largest game reserve and one of Tanzania’s most diverse wildlife sanctuaries. The mighty Rufiji River runs through its heart, creating a network of channels, lakes, and swampland that attracts an incredible variety of wildlife.
Unlike the open plains of the Serengeti, Selous offers a different kind of safari experience, with boat safaris complementing traditional game drives. Gliding along the river channels, visitors can observe pods of hippos wallowing in the shallows, enormous Nile crocodiles basking on sandbanks, and a spectacular array of water birds. The reserve is also one of the few places in Tanzania where you can enjoy walking safaris, offering an entirely different perspective on the African bush.
What makes Selous particularly special is its relatively low visitor numbers, meaning you’re more likely to have wildlife sightings to yourself. The best time to visit is during the dry season (June to October) when animals congregate around water sources.
The Tarangire National Park
Often overlooked in favour of its more famous neighbours, Tarangire National Park is a hidden gem that truly comes into its own during the dry season. Named after the Tarangire River that winds through its heart, this park is renowned for its extraordinary concentration of elephants—sometimes gathering in herds of up to 300 strong—and its ancient baobab trees, some of which are thought to be over 1,000 years old.
The park’s diverse landscape includes sprawling grasslands, dense woodland, and seasonal marshes, each supporting different wildlife species. During the dry season (June to October), the Tarangire River becomes a lifeline for wildlife, attracting massive concentrations of animals from the surrounding Masai steppe. This creates spectacular wildlife viewing opportunities, particularly around the permanent water sources.
What’s particularly special about Tarangire is its excellent population of tree-climbing pythons and its remarkable birdlife—more than 550 species have been recorded here. The park also offers night game drives in certain areas, providing the rare opportunity to spot nocturnal creatures like leopards, bushbabies, and the elusive aardwolf.
Close to Tanzania’s ‘other’ premier safari destination, Arusha National Park, is Lake Manyara, a national park in itself and home to wildebeest, zebra and gazelles, as well as the odd tree-climbing lion and African elephants, too. But it’s not just the animals here which make Lake Manyara a headlining act; during the wet season (November to May) especially, the lake boasts plenty of action. Keep an eye out for flamingos, stalks, herons and cohabiting hippos especially!
The park’s unique ecosystem is dominated by the alkaline lake, which can cover up to 200 square kilometres during the wet season but shrinks dramatically in the dry months. This fluctuation creates diverse habitats that support an extraordinary variety of wildlife. Visitors can explore the groundwater forest, acacia woodland, and grassy floodplains, each offering distinct wildlife viewing opportunities. The park is also home to some of Tanzania’s best bird-watching opportunities, with over 400 species recorded, including significant populations of pelicans, cormorants, and sacred ibis.
Kilimanjaro
For those looking to take on a challenge this new decade, scaling the ‘the roof of Africa’ would certainly represent an achievement. Don’t let the summit of 4000 feet, altitude of 18000 feet and a five to nine day climb put you off hiking Kilimanjaro; there’s some sense of accomplishment up there at the peak waiting for you.
Less than half of climbers actually make it, which makes the adventure all the more exciting. And if you view such excursion as torture rather than challenge, then don’t worry, the Kilimanjaro National Park has plenty to offer even at ground level. Elephant, buffalo and antelope roam in the Forest Reserve area of the park, meaning you’ll see action even if the ascent isn’t for you.
Final ascent to the top of Kilimanjaro or Uhuru Peak. A line of hikers stepping over snow. Mount Mawenzie in the distance looking down on the clouds.
The Ngorongoro Crater
Known as ‘Africa’s Garden of Eden‘ and one of the seven natural wonders of Africa, the Ngorongoro Crater is a site to behold. A 12-mile-wide ecosystem within an ecosystem that was created by a volcanic eruption, this crater has some of the most fertile and rich grazing grounds in Africa, attracting wildlife galore. Tanzania’s northern safari circuit often combines the Serengeti with the Ngorongoro Crater, which increases your chances of seeing the big five. If you can, stay in a hotel on the crater’s rim for the most phenomenal views.
The crater floor spans roughly 100 square miles and sustains a remarkable balance of predator and prey, with approximately 25,000 large animals calling this ancient caldera home. The ecosystem is largely self-contained, though some animals do migrate in and out of the crater. What makes this location particularly special is the reliability of wildlife sightings—the crater’s walls create a natural enclosure that keeps most animals within its boundaries year-round.
This unique topography, combined with the presence of both fresh water and alkaline lakes, supports an incredibly diverse range of species, from thousands of pink flamingos at Lake Magadi to some of Africa’s last remaining black rhinos.
Lake Victoria
The largest tropical lake and the second largest freshwater lake in the world, Lake Victoria needs little more in the way of introduction. It’s also the source and mouth of the River Nile, its starting point, and the lifeblood of not only Tanzania but its neighbouring countries, too, extending into Uganda and Kenya. The lake offers plenty of opportunity for tourists to explore; there are several resorts housed on the lake’s islands, and fishing excursions a particular highlight.
The Rubondo National Park, at the south-west shores of the lake, is where you’ll satisfy your wildlife watching cravings. Here, wild chimpanzees call the island home (originally introduced from West Africa), as well as rhinos, hippos (whose dung is essential to the biodiversity of the lake), giraffes and plenty of water birds.
Dar es Salaam
Tanzania’s largest city and former capital, Dar es Salaam offers a vibrant urban counterpoint to the country’s wilderness experiences. This bustling coastal metropolis serves as both gateway to safari adventures and a destination worthy of exploration in its own right. The name means ‘Haven of Peace’ in Arabic, and despite its metropolitan energy, you’ll find pockets of tranquility throughout the city, particularly along its stunning Indian Ocean coastline.
The National Museum houses fascinating exhibits on Tanzania’s history and cultural heritage, while the nearby Village Museum showcases traditional dwellings from various Tanzanian tribes. Don’t miss the colourful chaos of Kariakoo Market, where locals barter for everything from fresh produce to textiles.
Don’t stop there; the culinarily curious should sample the city’s excellent street food scene, particularly the Zanzibari-influenced seafood. For those seeking relaxation after safari exertions, the northern beaches of Coco Beach and Msasani Bay offer pristine white sands and azure waters. Dar es Salaam also serves as the jumping-off point for trips to Zanzibar, with frequent ferry services connecting the mainland to the spice islands.
And if you’re looking for your next stop after all the wildlife watching, then Zanzibar, the semi-autonomous archipelago off Tanzania’s coast will offer something very different indeed. Check out our IDEAL reasons to visit Zanzibar for more!
As the days grow longer and temperatures begin to rise, there’s no better time to take your exercise routine outdoors. The British springtime offers the perfect backdrop for fitness enthusiasts looking to combine the joy of movement with the rejuvenating effects of fresh air and sunshine.
These al fresco workout sessions will boost both your fitness levels and your mood, allowing for that sociable aspect of group exercise we all cherish. With that in mind, here are 5 fun group exercises you can enjoy outdoors this spring.
Cold Water Swimming
Whether off the Cornish coast or in one of London’s lidos, cold water swimming is becoming increasingly popular – and for good reason. Recent research has suggested that cold water swimming may be an effective treatment for depression.
According to a report by the BBC, “Outdoor exercise and the companionship of fellow swimmers can improve symptoms of depression and anxiety.”
It’s also been suggested to boost your immune system, as regular cold water immersion increases your body’s levels of the antioxidant glutathione, which helps regulate other antioxidants and may reduce your risk of heart disease.
For beginners, start with just a few minutes in the water and gradually build up your tolerance. Essential kit includes a bright swimming cap, neoprene gloves and socks, and a changing robe. Many groups organise regular meetups at local swimming spots, making this a truly social activity.
Zumba
Zumba is perfect for people who don’t enjoy traditional exercise but relish being active and expressive within a group. It blends aerobic movement with dance elements including samba, hip-hop, salsa and mambo, allowing for as much self-expression as you can muster.
Outdoor Zumba sessions often take place in local parks, creating a festival-like atmosphere. The vibrant music and choreography transform exercise into a celebration, making it ideal for those who find traditional workouts monotonous.
To get the most out of outdoor Zumba, wear lightweight, breathable clothing that allows for free movement. Some true enthusiasts even invest in custom sports clothing for their group, complete with vibrant patterns that enhance the festive atmosphere of these dance workouts. The supportive community aspect makes it particularly welcoming for newcomers – no dance experience necessary, just a willingness to move and have fun.
HIIT
High-Intensity Interval Training is the ideal way to squeeze in 30 minutes of challenging exercise between a busy schedule. Group classes are often better as competing with your peers provides that extra motivation you sometimes need.
HIIT is adaptable to your skill level and fitness goals, requiring minimal equipment. You can join an outdoor class or design the routine yourself. The beauty of outdoor HIIT is its versatility – parks offer natural features that enhance your workout. Steps, benches, and open spaces provide perfect settings for burpees, box jumps, sprints, and bodyweight exercises.
A typical session might include 40 seconds of high-intensity work followed by 20 seconds of rest, repeated for 4-5 rounds. For maximum benefit, incorporate both cardio and strength elements. The “afterburn effect” means you’ll continue burning calories for hours after your workout. Do be aware that HIIT is high impact and can lead to injury if you push yourself too hard.
Yoga
If you’ve found yourself with a sore back or aching shoulders from desk work, outdoor yoga could be just the release you need. Taking your yoga practice outside is good for the soul – while indoor studios try to create a zen atmosphere, practicing in a natural setting can awaken your senses and help you connect with nature in a unique way.
Outdoor yoga brings elements to your practice that indoor sessions cannot provide. The gentle morning light filtering through trees can enhance mindfulness, while the sounds of nature create a natural meditation soundtrack. Popular styles include Hatha yoga for beginners, power yoga for those seeking more challenge, and yin yoga for deep stretching. Whether you’re a yoga beginner or more experienced, outdoor practice offers something special.
Invest in a good quality, thick yoga mat that provides cushioning against uneven terrain. Local parks and botanical gardens often host regular community yoga sessions, providing an opportunity to connect with like-minded practitioners. The combination of gentle movement, breathwork, and natural surroundings makes outdoor yoga a powerful stress reliever.
Trail Running
Offering the perfect blend of cardiovascular fitness, natural exploration, and community connection, unlike road running, trail running takes you off the beaten path into woodlands, across moorlands, and along coastal paths – providing constantly changing terrain that engages different muscle groups.
The UK boasts some spectacular hikes, from the Lake District to the South Downs Way, many of which double-up as incredible trail networks. Joining a local trail running group is ideal for beginners, offering safety in numbers and valuable knowledge about the best routes. Many groups organise weekend ‘recces’ of race routes or evening social runs that conclude at a local pub.
Trail running requires proper footwear with aggressive grip patterns for muddy British conditions. Many serious trail runners invest in custom sports clothing designed to wick moisture and provide comfort across changing conditions and temperatures. The technical nature of trail running – navigating roots, rocks, and varying gradients – improves balance while reducing the repetitive impact associated with road running.
For beginners, alternating between walking uphill sections and running flats and downhills is a perfectly acceptable approach that most trail running communities embrace.
The Bottom Line
We’re sure that you’re the same; you just can’t wait to enjoy the fresh air and vast expanses of nature once again. If you can combine this with a spot of exercise and socialising, then all the better. We hope the five suggestions above can help you do just that. Good luck!
