city trips

09 mrt 2020
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THE BREDA CITY GUIDE 2020

Sticky Post By On maart 9, 2020 With No Comments

Breda is a vibrant place in the southern part of the Netherlands. The city exudes cosiness and is a perfect destination to enjoy food, drinks and shopping. Hotspots such as trendy restaurants, cafés and concept stores pop-up one after another.

In other words: Breda is HOT! Therefore, it’s time to discover the pearl of the Southern Netherlands and the pride of Brabant (more on Brabant here).

How to get there?

Amsterdam and Breda are not very far apart from each other so you can easily take the train or go by car. I would recommend taking the train because it is a more sustainable way of traveling and it takes the same amount of time (1 hour) as going by car. In addition, it is only a 5-minute walk from Breda central station to the city centre. A return train ticket from Amsterdam to Breda will costs you around 45 euro.

Breda City Guide Puick
Puick

Where to eat?

Puick
This place can be best described as a living room where you can enjoy a healthy fair-trade meal between hanging plants, peaking cactuses, old Chesterfields and vintage 70’s lamps. So if you want to go for a healthy lunch with creative green dishes, this is your place to go!

Hemels 
For a delicious lunch or dinner I would recommend going to Hemels. The restaurant is very atmospheric, the service is always attentive and they have a cozy, green courtyard garden for long warm evenings.

Bobbi’s bar
Probably one of the biggest hotspots in Breda right now. The ambiance in this restaurant is great and it is beautifully decorated to the last detail (especially the bar which looks like it’s straight out some movie). So if you want to dine in an Instagram-proof restaurant with velvet chairs, neon lighting, and golden detailed interior; head your way to Bobbi’s! The restaurant is often full, so a reservation is a must.

Breda Drinks
Bobbi’s Bar 

Chocolat
Planning a special date night or just feeling like having an elegant dinner? The culinary restaurant Chocolat serves special and creative dishes made of seasonal products. Be prepared for an explosion of flavours while sitting in a fancy chocolate brown interior.

FoodHall
This big industrial-styled open space has a big bar in the middle and is surrounded by food stalls where you can find 14 different kitchens with a wide variety of dishes and drinks from all over the world. This is the place to be if you want to eat, drink and socialize with friends, family or colleagues in an easy-going, relaxed atmosphere. The FoodHall also regularly has live music performances during the weekend and they hold game / quiz nights. Check the program here.

’t Hart van Breda
Are you strolling around the city and want to have a little break while enjoying a drink and a little snack? ‘t Hart is a cozy, easy-going café located in the middle of the city centre with a large outside terrace. They are famous for their delicious nachos.

Tiger Club
The best Asian street food restaurant in town! All their dishes are the size of an intermediate dish and are intended – according to Eastern family traditions – to share with the whole dining company. Service, interior and the quality of food: everything is right. Personally my favourite place to eat in Breda!

Breda City Guide Tiger Bar
Tiger Club

Where to drink coffee

Koffie bij Teun
Whether you order espresso or cappuccino, it is certainly a taste sensation. The owner (Teun) and his employees all have a real passion for coffee, and it will surprise you what these people get out of beans!

Yirga
They call themselves an urban espresso bar with a natural kitchen and that actually describes them in a nutshell as they serve great coffee and tea, and cook with as many organic products as possible. Everything is home-made; from cake to ketchup!

Koffiebar Sowieso
A nice, relaxed coffee bar just outside of the city’s bustle, where only delicious home-roasted coffee is served. Tip: this place is a must for vegetarians and vegans because they have many vegan cake & lunch options.

Breda City Guide Coffee
Koffiebar Sowieso

Where to go for drinks

Dok 19
A great place for a drink in the sun along the harbour of Breda. They have a cupboard filled with board games, an extensive specialty beer menu, and nice music. You won’t get bored here!

De Bommel
Café de Bommel has been a household name in Breda for more than fourty years. You can go there for a casual drink or go out during the weekend. The nice thing about this cafe is that people from all age-classes hang out here.

Beers and Barrels
An industrial looking restaurant located in the old beer brewery of Breda. Their huge range of beers (internationally and locally) make it difficult to choose! A must-go if you are a beer-lover and want to do a little beer tasting.

Breda City Guide BB
Beers & Barrels

Suikerkist
From gin & tonics to fresh smoothies or a delicious specialty beer: you name it and they’ve got it. Their large outside terrace catches the sun all day and has a nice view of the big church.

De Botanist
This spot is known for its inviting terrace along the water. The prices are affordable, and they have tasty cocktails.

Where to Shop?

Ginnekenweg & Wilhelminastraat
These two streets are connected to each other and are full of historic buildings and contain an extensive range of different independent boutiques and restaurants. From clothing stores to book stores and from interior stores to places where you can find the most beautiful bouquet, it’s all here. The concept boutique PALMA is definitely worth a visit, here you can find cool lifestyle products, trendy and extraordinary clothing and beautiful jewellery. Exclusive fashion / beauty chains such as Skins cosmetics, IKKS and Pauw are also located in this street.

Palma Breda
Palma

Veemarktstraat
This is a broad restaurant and shopping street in the centre of Breda. The stores consist mainly of specialised boutiques in clothing and lifestyle areas. Halfway the street is a little square (Veemarktplein) where an organic market is held every Tuesday morning.

Ginnekenstraat & Eindstraat
These two combined are the main shopping streets in the centre of Breda. The big retail chains such as Zara, Scotch & Soda, Mango, Bershka and Levi’s are settled here.

What to visit?

Valkenberg park
When walking from the train station to the city centre you pass through Valkenberg Park. This park was until 1812 the garden of the Breda castle which still stands next to the park. Valkenberg has also been voted in 2019 as the most beautiful park in the Netherlands. It is a wonderful place to relax among the green trees.

Club solo
This artist initiative club offers Dutch and Belgian mid-career artists the opportunity to create and show their work in solo presentations. Club Solo is also a platform for discussions, lectures and music. A ticket is only a few euro’s. It is an inspiring place to walk around! Check out what exhibition is on now here.

STEK & PIER 15 Skatepark
STEK is a breeding ground for creative and artistic entrepreneurs who are committed to sustainability. There are studios, office units, workshops, flexible workplaces, shops and various types of little restaurants and bars. Next to STEK lies the PIER 15 Skatepark. On Saturday (during summer) an event called “Haveneiland” is organised there and you can expect great soul, jazz, disco and funk tunes. Get ready to dance!

Markdal
Just on the outskirts of Breda is a beautiful piece of nature: Markdal. This area is rich in nature and cultural history and is popular by walkers, hikers and cyclists.

Markdal Breda
Markdal Breda

Whether you want to shop, go out for lunch / dinner or do something cultural; Breda has it. They don’t call Breda “the pearl of the south” for nothing! Planning your next trip yet? 🙂

Curious about our favourite LUNCH SPOTS IN AMSTERDAM? Or check out all our CITY GUIDES!

Love,

Iris

*Iris is one of our guest editors from The Netherlands. She’s got a big interest in photography, fashion, spirituality and traveling. She was 3 months old when she was on the plane for the first time and has been to every continent in the meantime. You can follow iris on Instagram.

 

 

 

08 okt 2019
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PECKHAM | South London’s hippest hangout

Sticky Post By On oktober 8, 2019 With No Comments

In the last 3 years, Peckham has made a serious name for itself as one of the hippest postcodes in London. From its many destination rooftop bars to vast array of go-to restaurants, Peckham is a vital weekend hangout.

It’s seen a huge level of gentrification which paves way to a rough-and-ready meets not-to-be-missed appeal, aided by narrowly missing out on the top ten coolest neighbourhoods on the planet as voted by Time Out. There’s been a lot of investment, in fact, Peckham library won British architecture’s highest accolade the Stirling Prize. Many of its old buildings and car parks have been turned into trendy spots, which brings the community together through creativity and urban realness.

Peckham London

For anyone not familiar, Peckham is for the strong-willed.

The majority of bars here are outdoors so layers are needed; there’s a lot (a lot, a lot) of food markets on the high street meaning that the smell of fresh fish can linger; and plenty of graffiti – this is South London, after all, mate. But don’t let this put you off – there’s plenty to see and do…

Libary Peckham, London

Peckham Levels

For the ultimate Peckham experience, visit Franks Cafe. Sadly it’s a seasonal destination only – open between May and September. Located on the top floor of Peckham Levels, it’s an open-air bar at the top of the converted car park. The pilgrimage up the six flights of stairs (all painted in shocking pink and glowing blues) gears up visitors for an enchanting experience. With views of all of London which means you’re best to wile your afternoons away there in anticipation of one of the best sunsets in town. On the contrary, in winter months the rest of the floors in Peckham Levels (the six stories underneath Franks Cafe) are well worth a visit.

   

From Near and Far, a tropical themed drinking den guarantees a great time on a Saturday night. If you’re hungry between cocktails you can grab a bit to eat at one of the indoor street food stalls. There’s live music, ping pong tables a yoga studio, hair salon, art installations and night club with Modern Love Stories.

Bussey Building & Copeland Park

Further down the road is the Bussey Building. Complete with a rooftop cinema, the Bussey Building is a multi-use former cricket bat factory converted into a venue. As well as the cinema, there is also a rooftop bar. This one is a fun and quirky place to enjoy a well-rounded menu of drinks. The rest of the building allows you to pass by for a ceramic class in Kiln rooms. There are co-working spaces, a basement club in a record store in. You can visit artists and their galleries to marvel at locally produced art.

Peckham London

Copeland Park is home to K-ink the tattoo studio, Forza Win – a delightful Italian restaurant and a cross fit gym. Quite the mix of activities to keep you occupied. Copeland Social is probably the most popular bar here. It has something of a cult following amongst the local hipsters. With this in mind, bag yourself a picnic bench outside if you’ve brought enough layers and soak up the vibes. You’re also likely to find a pop up vintage shop or travel fair in the area as well in the industrial warehouse adjacent to the Social.

Peckham Rye Train Station

The main way in and out of Peckham is through it’s Victorian-era train station (though there are plenty of bus routes as well). The surrounding area to the station building is home to many of the neighbourhoods most frequented spots. Cole Rooms is located within the former station ticket office, and so is part of the Grand II listed building and is an outstanding dining experience. Refined yet relaxed, their menu is imaginative with dishes cooked in a charcoal grill and oven. Around the corner is Levan – with a spot-on menu of seasonal and inventive food in a relaxed setting. Bag yourself a seat at the window to watch the world go by. with a natural wine (their wine list is also spot on).

Coal Rooms Peckham | London

The outstanding Forza Win has opened a second location atop of the new Workplace on Peckham High Street. Named Forza Wine – it’s a wine bar built for stunning views from its 5th floor location on top of Market. Likewise, a new cowering space with studios and hot-hot-dusking families as well as a ramen bar and basement music venue – it’s just a hop, skip and a jump from Peckham Rye Station.

Still in need of inspiration?

  • Bar Story 

Happy hour cocktails and beer as well as sought-after thin crust pizza. What’s not to love about this place located within a railway arch. The industrial vibe is only added to with the sound of overground trains above you every 5-7 minutes.

  • Peckham Springs Bar 

A covered outdoor bar just behind the railway lines. Notably, this multifaceted space is for the cool: a winter garden for anyone that loves an al-fresco drink over cool weekend nights with a well-priced cocktail bar. Additionally, performance spaces and an art gallery keeps regulars and visitors coming back for more.

  • Peckhamplex

The most successful independent cinema in London, every movie is £5 so is quite the hit with the local population.

  • Pedler

Haring places, gin cocktails, seats at the bar: quite a riot of fun.

  • John the Unicorn

Whimsical and inviting, this is a craft beer haven for those walking along the high street. With a late night licence on weekends, it’s a hip-hipster hangout.

Good to know: Peckham Rye station has great links to Clapham Junction, London Bridge and Shoreditch High Street on the Overground.

See you in Peckham soon?

Stephanie

*Stephanie is our guest editor from London. She works for a large fashion brand and loves to explore new eateries. Follow her on Instagram! 

Read more of London’s hotspots here!

08 dec 2017
Sticky Post By Posted in Belgium, City Trips, Off the Beaten Track, Spots, Tasty Hotspots With 5 Comments Permalink

The Antwerp City Guide by Wander-Lust

Sticky Post By On december 8, 2017 With 5 Comments

If you live in the Netherlands, Antwerp is the perfect place to escape to for a city break, especially during the wintertime! We’ve been there many times and checked out some of the best spots for you to enjoy food, drinks and more. Here’s our Antwerp City Guide!

How to get there
Well, you have 2 options and they are both as easy. You can take the train or you can go by car. Both options take around the same time (2 hours) but we prefer the train because you can chill, look out of the window and you will arrive at one of the most beautiful and impressive trains stations in Europe. A  return train ticket from Amsterdam to Antwerp will cost around 30 -40 euro. If you go by car, you might arrive earlier but if you are unlucky, you will get caught in slow traffic and your trip might take up to 3 hours plus you will have to pay for parking.

“This Antwerp City Guide is for wanderers who love food, shops and exploring”

Antwerp City Guide

Where To Eat?
The most important question of course! Well, in Antwerp you won’t be short of food choices. Especially lunch! There are so many hotspots around that we can’t mention them all, but these are our favorites!
» Tinsel, some say that you can get the best breakfast in town here. Tinsel is located near the water where you will find tons of other restaurants. www.tinsel.be
» Native Bio Bistro, This hidden pearl is by far our favorite lunch spot in Antwerp. This bistro serves fresh, original, and good quality food. It’s organic, locally produced with sustainable ingredients, this is Native! Vegan and organic food lovers will love this place! During the summer they open a very nice terrace. www.native.bio
» Bubble Waffle, located in the Mercado foodcourt, this tasty waffle stand awesome! Go here if you feel like something sweet. www.bubblewaffle.be
» Divers, a smoothie-bowl bar for your healthy cravings. Great for some Instagram worthy pics, if that’s what your after. They are located in the Volkstraat 9.
»De Broers van Julienne, when we need to grab a quick and healthy bite, we go here. In a side street of the Kammenstraat – with lots of boutiques – you will find this small cute little restaurant. You can take away the best quiches, soups,  salads and other warm healthy dishes. Besides that, they sell oil, wine, coffee, juices and other delicatessen. They  also offer catering and cook workshops.
» Raw Salad Company, unfortunately they’ve closed their doors in Antwerp but they promised to be back soon with a new location. The name gives it away. Raw salads galore. The salads are extremely tasty and fill you up enough to get on with your day. They also sell juices, wraps, cakes and other healthy snacks. We will keep you updated if they open a shop.
» Umami, fine dining Japanese style. They restyled not long ago and you can eat amazing Dim Sum here. www.umami-antwerp.be
» Il Famosi, this is by far the best Italian restaurant in Antwerp. Go here for a romantic dinner and if you want more than just pizza.

food-antwerp
From left till right: Raw, Umamian and Il Famosi

Antwerp City Guide where-to-eat-in-antwerp
Bubble Waffle from Mecado (source) and Divers (photo’s by David Plas)

Where To Drink Coffee?
» Mirlo’s, the coffee is great and the location is cute. They also serve breakfast and lunch and it’s all homemade. www.mirlos.be
» Buchbar, surrounded by literature and stories, this coffee bar is different than others. Owned by actress Kim Hertogs, you can feel the passion for books, women empowerment and people. Find more info about this special spot on their website.
» Butchers Coffee, located in a former butcher, this trendy coffee bar takes the coffee business serious and are planning to create their own coffee blend. If the sun is out, you can sit outside on the benches. You can find it on the Kasteelstraat 57.
» Caffenation, self blended coffee and probably the oldest one in Belgium as they started more than 13 years ago. Besides the coffee it’s also a shop and a great place to hang out. www.caffenation.be
» Texas Coffee, for pink latte’s and coffee served in an ice-cream cone! 

Antwerp City Guide -mirlos
Coffee and brunch at Mirlo’s

texas-coffee-antwerp
Pink latte at Texas Coffee

Antwerp City Guide. The Buchbar
The Buchbar

Where to Shop & Stroll?
You have many options in Antwerp when it comes to shopping. No matter what type of person you are, there will be a shopping district that will suit your needs. We have selected 3 area’s that we love.
» Kammenstraat & Kloosterstraat, these 2 streets in South Antwerp offer vintage, exclusive boutiques, living and alternative shops. While most shops are closed on Sunday, the kloosterstraat is one of the only streets open from around 12pm.
» Het Eilandje, this is especially great during summer because you can find a lot of outside patio’s here. Worth mentioning is the MAS Museum where they have many exhibitions on display. The museum is set next to the little harbor and owns a large rooftop which has free entrance.
» De Volkstraat, go here for boutiques, concept stores, perfume and coffee.
» The Meir, this is Antwerp’s highstreet. Although it’s not our favorite place to shop, we need to mention it because here you will find all the shops you need. From Zara, Mango, Levi’s, it’s all here. The street is beautiful but always busy. Watch your purse and don’t stay too long!

MAS Antwerp
The MAS Museum at “Het Eilandje”. Source

Where To Sleep?
Somehow we always end up in the same hotels. Never change a winning team! These are our 3 favorite places to stay.

» Hotel Franq, is a new kid on the block and super cool! Just recently opened in October, the building used to be a bank and you can still find the big safe intact which is now being converted into a gym. When you enter the impressive foyer, you almost forget you set foot in a hotel. The rooms are stylish and have a large bathroom with rain showers. When it’s nice weather, you can sit outside in the garden overlooking an old victorian house. www.hotelfranq.com

hotel-franq
Hotel Franq

» Hotel Les Nuits, we love boutique hotels and this hotel is one of the cutest ones out there! All 21 rooms are designed a bit different but have the same style and feature impressive en-suites. They have recently changed their reception area and removed their suites rooms which is a shame because I really loved those but this way the hotel is more compact and fits better together. Breakfast is great and the location is great! Book a room here!

Antwerp City Guide. Elke in Hotel Les Nuits
Breakfast in bed at Hotel Les Nuits

» Banks, another great hotel at a very central location. It’s modern and a great place to meet people downstairs. Oh, and they also have a rooftop terrace so this is a great option during the summer. Then again, you will be out exploring Antwerp..;-) Book your stay here.

So are you planning your next tip to Antwerp yet? 😉 

Love,

Wander-Lust

More City Guides? ↓

15 okt 2016
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Check Out Bari, Italy!

Sticky Post By On oktober 15, 2016 With No Comments

Bari not as popular as Puglia but it’s definitely worth visiting and I’m going to tell you why! From spectacular gems, top-notch cuisine to historic castles. This town is full of energy and great atmosphere. Bari is a big port city on the Adriatic coast; the capital of the Italian region of Puglia. I stayed here for a few days in an Airbnb apartment close to the city center.

Bari Vecchia
The “old town” of Bari, is a must-se! A very charming town with lots of hidden lane ways and paths and amazing architecture. You will see old cute Italian men on the streets playing cards and you will see grandmothers sit outside their homes and roll, shape and sell fresh pasta, orecchiette (or “little ears” pasta are traditionally found and made in Puglia). Lovely to walk trough and stroll Day and Night.

baris-architecture

Italian Gelato
Italians do it better than every other in the world, they make the best gelatos! When in Italy I can eat ice-cream for lunch, dinner, and in between meals. I found this place called Martinucci 1950. The flavors were all pure and fresh and my favorite was the “pistacchio” the taste is sublime!

Ice-cream in Bari

Food and Drinks with a view
Admire almost the entire seafront of Bari at Via Venezia. The seafront walk here is very pretty, decorated with cute street lamps, and surrounded by Victorian style buildings. After walking around you should definitely go to La Ciclatera Sotto il mare. This cafe has a nice, small terrace with views over the sea and old walls. Time for an aperitif!

Wandering around
One of nice things of Bari is that this city is easy to visit by walk. Walk along the old city walls, with beautiful views of the palm tree lined promenade on the sea. Then Visit the Basilica of St Nicholas, where apparently the bones of the real Saint Nicholas lay buried. Last but not least, visit the Cathedral (Duomo) of San Sabino.

wandering-around-bari

Beach
Spending time at the beach is also another popular thing to do during a vacation in Bari. In just 15 minutes’ walk you can go from the center to the beach. Discover which are the most famous beaches. The beaches of Polignano a Mare for example, among the most popular along the coast, some rocky, some with golden sand.

coast-bari-italy
The cute fisher boats of Bari’s coast

Love,

Sarah