The UK has many lovely cities to visit, this post is about my favourite UK cities. What cities do you enjoy visiting? 




Edinburgh

Why - Edinburgh is a beautiful historic city with great shopping and sightseeing and many festivals all year round.
When to go - To the Edinburgh Fringe Festival every August to see a variety of comedians and performers.
What to see - The Dynamic Earth is a science centre for all the family, whilst a trip to Edinburgh castle is recommended if you like history - if you are visiting in August be sure to see the Edinburgh Tattoo at the castle. An attraction with a difference is The Real Mary King's Close - see how people used to live in the 'closes' underground many years ago. For an entertaining ghost tour with the odd laugh, The Cadies and Witchery Tour company is highly recommended.
Where to stay - The Apex Hotel is a mid-price hotel chain with excellent rooms centrally located and The Premier Inn and Travelodge has a number of hotels in the city. For a gothic hotel room with some class consider The Witchery suites, but beware you may see a ghost.
Where to Eat - Most of the chain restaurants are represented but if it's a special occasion consider the Number One restaurant in The Balmoral Hotel for a Michelin star experience, whilst The Witchery Restaurant has a gothic setting for that wow factor. For afternoon tea visit Harvey Nichols or The Glass House. 

Cardiff




Why - Popular with students Cardiff city centre is great for shopping and nightlife. Try St Davids Centre and The Capitol for undercover shopping, and The Royal Arcades for the many independent shops. The Motorpoint arena and St David's Hall are brilliant for concerts too, whilst Clwb Ifor Bach has live bands.
When to go - Anytime but avoid the city centre when a rugby match is on if you are not a fan.
What to see - Cardiff Bay has lots of restaurants and bars, a comedy club called The Glee, The Dr Who Experience and The Millennium Centre for world-class shows. At Christmas, the Winter Wonderland in front of Cardiff Museum has ice skating, a fun fair and a Ferris wheel. The Museum of Welsh Life at St Fagans is free and interesting to visit to see how Welsh used to live years ago.
Where to stay - The Marriott is recommended right in the town centre, St David's Hotel in the Bay has a touch of luxury whilst the Hilton just off Queen Street is the only 5-star hotel in Cardiff.
Where to eat - Le Bistrot Pierre and Cote Brassiere are excellent French restaurants with amazing well-priced food, Bill's is great for all the family and The Purple Poppadum is great for modern Indian cuisine with a touch of class.

For more on Cardiff check out the Top Ten Things To Do In Cardiff from Fly Drive Explore.

Bristol



Why - Known for its artistic and musical community, Bristol is a multicultural haven.  Shopping is excellent with Cabot's Circus popular for the big chains as well as the lanes for independent shops. 
When to go - When a festival is on. Bristol has a plethora of festivals including a Shakespeare festival, the Foodies Festival, Bristol International Balloon Fiesta and The Bristol Harbour Festival.
What to see - 'At Bristol' is an excellent interactive science museum, then there is the SS Great Britain and Bristol Zoo as well as numerous art galleries. Watch out for a Banksy artwork - they are everywhere on the walls of the city.
Where to stay - The Bristol, a Jury's Doyle hotel, has a lovely setting on the vibrant harbour quarter, the Victorian style Bristol Marriott Royal is close to the Bristol Hippodrome whilst Hotel Du Vin is highly recommended too.
Where to eat -  You will be spoilt for choice with many independent restaurants as well as chains like Brassiere Blanc and Carluccios in Cabot's Circus which come highly recommended.  Bristol also has a handful of Michelin star restaurants including Casamia and just outside Bristol The Pony and Trap gastropub.

For more on Bristol check out this Bristol Travel Guide by Ladys Travel Blog.


Bath 
Why - Bath is a gorgeous historic city with lovely Georgian architecture. Shopping is brilliant with many independent and individual shops and the restaurants are fantastic too, many fit for foodies. Take a trip on a narrow boat on the Avon and Kennett canal for a lovely way to see the area.
When to go - A great year-round destination, go in the summer for a trip on a narrow boat or the end of November/ December for the Christmas market
What to see - The Roman Baths is a must do and a trip to the Therma Spa for relaxation after. Visit Bath Abbey and the Jane Austen centre if you enjoy history. The American Museum just outside the city is in a lovely countryside setting and is worth visiting.
Where to stay - At the many great independent bed and breakfasts, or the Queensbury Hotel, The Royal Crescent or The Bath Priory (with a Michelin Star restaurant) for a luxury stay.
Where to eat  Jamie's Italian is a reliable chain, Clayton's Kitchen is a lovely independent restaurant and for a luxurious afternoon tea in a historic setting try The Royal Crescent Hotel. 

For more on Bath, check out Things To Do In Bath by the Trusted Traveller. 
So what do you think of my list? I haven't included  London as it deserves a post of its own. Do you have any recommendations on what to see and do in these cities?

You can read about these places further on my blog here:-

What To See And Do In Cardiff Bay              My Edinburgh Fringe Laugh-A-Thon

These are my money saving tips on how to save money on your food shop.

I love going on holiday, I mean who doesn't right? I love a bit of luxury too but that doesn't mean I want to waste money, so I always look around for the best prices and brilliant deals.


So when a company called Holiday Gems approached me to work together, a company that specialises in cheap deals, I thought I would like to find out more.





ATOL Protected 

Firstly security and safety is vitally important to me when I book a holiday. Security of my money and safety of my family. Holiday Gems is a company that is ATOL protected for your peace of mind. What that means is your money is protected if the company goes bust and also if you are stranded abroad. 

Secondly, if you book a holiday online the website uses VeriSign which means online payments are secure and protected. That is very reassuring to know, as I almost always book my holidays online.


Bargain Holidays

So we have safety and security covered so what type of holidays does it sell, you may ask? Well Holiday Gems specialise in cheap holidays, last minute holidays and cancellation holidays. For great offers you can sign up to their email for the best deals before anyone else. Also if you are looking for an extra special bargain, check out the home page of their website as they have 'Today's Special Offers' highlighted.

Luxury Holidays

Luxury holidays are here too though, for example they have a great selection of all inclusive holidays at realistic prices for Spain, Greece, Egypt and even Mexico and lots of other destinations too. For example a week in a four star hotel all inclusive in Kusadasi, Turkey with flights from Birmingham is only £275 per person. When you consider all your food is included too I think that is a hard price to beat.

Cruises

If you have always wanted to cruise, but have always thought of it as too expensive  then it is worth having a look at the cruise section especially the weekly deals. Many cruises these days are family friendly too and they have a dedicated section for these cruises.



* This is a post in collaboration with Holiday Gems - all words and opinions are my own

Summer holidays are fast approaching and this is the time of year when I look in my wardrobe and think I haven't got any decent summer clothes. So I have been looking around the perfect holiday clothes, and although I didn't realise, there is a little theme going on here of black and floral. These are the clothes I have on my wishlist.

"Flat shoes Banned From Cannes Red Carpet"

When I saw that headline the other day, I was actually taken aback. I am all for glamour, especially on the red carpet but is this not an outdated concept and dare I say it gender discrimination?  Also, more importantly, rather than focusing on said dress code should we not be focusing on the amazing work of the actresses (and actors) at the Cannes Film Festival instead.

Among those voicing their concerns was actress Emily Blunt.


 “Everyone should wear flats, to be honest. We shouldn’t wear high heels,” said Blunt, “That’s very disappointing, just when you kind of think there are these new waves of equality.”

When asked if there was a ban on flat shoes on the red carpet, a spokesperson for Cannes Film Festival told Mirror Online, "Regarding the dress code for the red carpet screenings, rules have not changed throughout the years - Tuxedo, formal dress for Gala screenings - and there is no specific mention about the height of the women’s heels as well as for men’s. Thus, in order to make sure that this rule is respected, the Festival’s hosts and hostesses were reminded of it." ... Yet whether there is a written or unwritten rule, there is evidence to show that women are being told they should wear heels.

A group of women in their 50s were turned away from the gala screening of the film Carol for allegedly not wearing high-heeled shoes, according to industry newspaper Screen Daily. The women, some of whom had medical conditions, were apparently barred entry for wearing rhinestone flats.




She told The Telegraph she had been stopped four times by festival officials over her footwear, which was chosen to support her after she lost a big toe and part of her left foot two years ago.

She added a colleague of hers had metal in her foot and cannot wear heels, while another was wearing sandals with a small heel and was compelled to change.

"It is ridiculous," she added. "We are all working women who walk up and down the streets of Cannes all day doing business. They cannot force us to wear heels.

"We put on the dress and make an effort to be formal and festive, but to demand heels is not right."

For all this fuss there is a deeper message here perhaps. The message about women not being treated as equals in the film industry. The majority of women in lead roles are still paid less than their male counterparts in films and women appear to be still underrepresented in writing and directing roles. An example of this is in the film American Hustle where Jennifer Lawrence and Amy Adams were paid less than their male counterparts. When you think Jennifer Lawrence is a bankable star with a billion dollar franchise as the lead role in The Hunger Games films, you wonder how this can happen.


Maggie Gyllenhaal was recently told she was too old at 37 to be a love interest for a 55 year old in a film. She said “There are things that are really disappointing about being an actress in Hollywood that surprise me all the time".

My food delivery of Degustabox is here again. The monthly subscription food delivery box is perfect when you love to try new things. Every month as you get between 9-14 items, most new to the market and many utterly delicious. Boxes are £12.99 inclusive of postage and you are guaranteed to get much more than that in value.

The box this month had an International theme, with items with an Indian, Mexican, Italian and American influence. It comes in two versions with alcohol and without and they send reviewers both to try.

Wonjo Hibiscus Drink

• Copyright: Chilli Productions Shutterstock

There’s no doubt the emerald is a captivating gemstone. Cleopatra loved them; the Mughals associated their colourand the Incas believed their goddess prized them above all else. Though it’s an unconventional option for an engagement ring, an emerald can make a striking statement. Halle Berry, Jackie Kennedy and Zoe Saldana have all chosen them to great effect. But emeralds are very different to diamonds, rubies or sapphires, and clients should make sure they understand their unique properties before committing to such a bold choice.

The first thing to note is that the Gemological Institute of America defines emerald as a ‘Type 3’ gemstone. This means that it’s very rare to find an emerald that is completely free of blemishes (or ‘inclusions’) that are visible to the naked eye. These inclusions can be tiny fractures or cleavages, growth lines in the crystal, or mineral impurities. This is simply the nature of emerald, and it’s unfair to judge it by the same clarity standards that are applied to other gemstones such as diamonds.