If you have been reading Crème de Citron for a while now, you probably already know that Nantes is one of my favourite cities to visit and has been mentioned a few times in various travel blog posts. And if you happen to follow me on Instagram, you also already know I spent two weeks in France last month, most of it in this beautiful city.

Because I lived in Nantes for 5 years as a student but also because I spent a lot of my school holidays with my cousins there as a young girl, I am very familiar with my surroundings, the streets and the various landmarks there. 
However, now that I live abroad and do not get to see it evolving on a daily basis, I am constantly amazed by all the changes the city encounters.

​Last December, we started the winter season with a long weekend in Barcelona. I am aware this is already three whole months later but a little throwback is good now and then, especially if this means sharing different ideas of places to visit and where to eat from our last time there.
Since E. was attending a music festival with some of our friends just outside the city, I took the occasion to go and spend a long weekend with my brother who lives there. 

Following from the first part of our Winter holidays starting with London last month, here is where we spent the second part: Vienna.
​While E. had already visited this beautiful city many years ago, it was my first time discovering it. And what a beautiful holiday that was! A lot of my favourite things reunited in one place: amazing art museums and delicious food. Add to this a sprinkle of wonderful Christmas markets and it makes for the perfect Winter holiday. 

We stayed for three days and it was enough time to enjoy a lot of what this Austrian city has to offer: a multitude of amazing museums, beautiful sights and the most lovely coffeehouse culture (all of the cakes!).

Another year, another mini weekend trip to London. 
When we were looking at ideas on where to go on holidays before the end of the year, a few places came up but we could not make up our mind on just one. 
So, we decided to split our time between two instead: starting with a weekend in London to catch up with friends we had not seen in a while and finishing with a visit to another European destination with a Christmas theme in mind (if you follow me on Instagram at @cremedecitron , you probably already know which city we picked).

For now, let’s talk about this lovely weekend in London filled with good times with friends and wonderful food. 

​Do you sometimes go on holidays or a long weekend away with a huge to do list of things to do and see, where to eat and drink, where to shop etc.? To do list as in you absolutely have to have done all of this before the holidays or weekend is over? 
If you are planning on waking up and getting out of the hotel/B&B/apartment where you are staying as soon as possible and focusing on making sure you tick everything off the list by the end of the holidays, the following probably will not suit your perfect type of holidays.

Because as much as I like to keep a handy list of museums, sights, restaurants, cafes, book shops and design shops, if I have not visited, seen, eaten and bought everything on it, it will not be the end of the world. It might even be the perfect excuse to plan to visit the town/city/country again.
The reason is that lately, I have enjoyed a slower pace on holidays and weekends away, especially when I really needed it. I might have had my eyes on a specific cafe that I read reviews about but on the way there, something more interesting would come up.
​An impromptu stop for a hot chocolate and pastries instead? A sign for a museum that was not even mentioned in guide books but looks intriguing enough for you to pay it a visit?A hidden design/book/clothes shop that looks wonderful and sells all the things you like? Just go for it!

Slow holidays and weekends away also mean that you get to take the time to observe your surroundings, appreciate the little things you would not have otherwise even noticed. 
I could really go on about it but I am sure you get the idea. So for now, how about I take you on a mini virtual tour of our latest slow weekend away?

Another trip abroad, another suitcase filled with the lovely things we brought back.
Traveling abroad is always the occasion to get a few things that will remind us of our trip after we are back home. Most times, they are edible things that will last a couple of weeks and sometimes it could be something such as a loaf of bread and fresh pastries from a local bakery picked up right before heading to the airport. Those are perfect to have the next day as a mini extension to our holiday time.

A trip to France is always the occasion to fill the suitcase with delicious things. I sometimes even get a variety of cheeses and charcuterie vacuum-packed but we skipped it on this occasion since we were staying at a hotel for the last bit of the trip. Here is a selection of what we brought back from la Belle France this time: