Quite apart from having six floors of books (you can happily spend hours browsing) this store has a handy cafe and bar on the fifth floor which I found nice and relaxing having dodged into the store to get out of the rain!

www.waterstones.com/waterstonesweb/navigate.do?pPageID=200003
203-206 Piccadilly, London, W1J 9LE
+44(0)843 290 8549
Google map: bit.ly/W4Nfj8

I agreeI disagree

1.  
2. Send to friends

One of my favourite places in Toronto to go for afternoon tea is the King Edward Hotel. A tradition since 1903, the afternoon tea menu changes depending on the season, and the Nutcracker Tea, offered until the end of December, is not to be missed.
From 2:30pm to 5:30pm every day (except December 24, 25 and 26), tea is served at Victoria’s Restaurant in the hotel. The Nutcracker Afternoon tea is CDN $39 per person and offers delicate finger sandwiches, some of which are duck confit and smoked turkey, gorgeous pastries, including the mincemeat crumble tart and finally, my favourite, warm scones served with imported Devonshire cream and homemade strawberry preserves. And of course, there’s the tea. Only in December, you can choose the Nutcracker tea, which is infused with hazelnuts and vanilla or the Gingerbread House tea, a black tea with ginger root, nutmeg, vanilla, licorice, cinnamon and allspice.

Le Royal Méridien King Edward Hotel
37 King Street East
Toronto, Canada
+ 1 416 863 4106

Google map: bit.ly/Sob896
* Giulia is our Been there local for Toronto. You can see her profile here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/places/canada/toronto/index.jsp and follow her tips here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/travellers/GiuliaFalsetti

I agreeI disagree

1.  
2. Send to friends

The teahouse serves a fabulous afternoon tea with traditional Javanese snacks cooked to order, cakes and fresh local tea and coffee, in an attractive Javanese setting, with very pleasant staff. Then wander round the hotel which is full of artefacts and historical and cultural treasures.

www.tuguhotels.com
Jl. Tugu no. 3, Malang, Indonesia
+62 341 363891
Google map: bit.ly/VPZVtb

I agreeI disagree

1.  
2. Send to friends

This chain can be found at most of the bigger stations in Tokyo; Shinjuku, Shinagawa and Shibuya. If you’re a cake addict then this place will make you squeal with delight. Piles of wonderfully flavoured muffins; cranberry and ricotta, carrot cake, oreo (which they will heat up for you!), giant danish pastries, lavish white chocolate and fruit scones... It’s easy to just wonder round the luxury deli items for hours on end. Some of the goods here make great presents for foodie lovers and especially for people who live in Tokyo who have trouble getting their hands on foreign products. I’d especially recommend trying any of their seasonal beverages; the chestnut cream latte is the type you’ll have dreams about for weeks afterwards.

www.deananddeluca.co.jp
2-18-1 Konan, Minato-ku, Tokyo
Atre Shinagawa 2F
+803 6717 0935

* Hollie is our Been there local for Tokyo. You can check out her profile here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/articles/tokyo-local-hollie-mantle.jsp and follow her tips here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/travellers/HollieMantle

I agreeI disagree

1.  
2. Send to friends

Bright and airy with a stripped-down interior that somehow still remains cosy, Mistral Café is a great choice if you want a restaurant which offers both international and Czech cuisine at prices that won’t break the bank in a super-convenient location: smack bang next to the only metro station in Prague’s Old Town (Staromeskska). There’s a great value daily lunch menu on the chalk board in Czech but all the staff speak English so get them to translate it if you want a palate-pleasing bargain. Somewhat unusually for the Czech dining scene, Mistral is child-friendly with a funky wendy house at the disposal of your little ones. This isn’t just a yummy mummy haunt though: the friendly service and laidback vibe make this place a hit with tourists and locals alike. There’s also a chance to experience some genuine Czech desserts – the trdelník you see offered on the Christmas markets sadly, like goulash, is a Hungarian interloper. Try bábovka – a marble sponge cake which every self-respecting local Grandma can whip up in a flash.

www.mistralcafe.cz/
Mistral Café, Valentinska 11/56, 110 00 Prague 1
+420 222 317 737
Google map: bit.ly/11FPH43

* Lisette is our Been there local for Prague. You can read her profile here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/articles/prague-local-lisette.jsp and follow her tips here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/travellers/LisettePrague

I agreeI disagree

1.  
2. Send to friends

Known to me, and many people as Bar Della Pace, this is a super stylish bar which manages to be incredibly trendy without even trying. It's a beautiful bar, where the service, the staff, the customers and drink selection are fantastic, and all combine to offer a welcoming and warm atmosphere.
I've only visited once, a few years ago but was blown away with how relaxing and enjoyable this bar was. Despite being so close to Piazza Navona, the prices were, in the main, reasonable and the welcome was warm. This wasn't the case in all bars we visited in the area.
The bar is enjoyable both inside and out - where you can watch cooler people than me enjoying the evening!
I've recommended Della Pace to many people and they have always been happy with the recommendation.
I remember there being an excellent wine list with a great choice by the glass. The coffee was as good as it should be.

www.caffedellapace.it
Via della Pace, 3/7, 00186 Roma, Italy
+39 06 686 1216
Google map: bit.ly/WGt4rX

mail@caffeedellapace.it

I agreeI disagree

1.  
2. Send to friends

Britain's largest winter garden is set in a magnificent 300 acre deer park. The gardens are beautiful at any time of the year but on a frosty day the colours of the bare stems of cornus and the brilliant white of the many birch trees stand out amazingly. After exploring you can warm up with hot chocolate and home made cake in the Stables Restaurant. Just across the road is the Dunham Massey brewery where a wide selection of prize winning beers are brewed on the premises.

www.nationaltrust.org.uk/dunhammassey/
Woodhouse Lane, Dunham, Altrincham WA14 4SJ
+44(0)1619411025
Google map: bit.ly/SB1HRL

I agreeI disagree

1.  
2. Send to friends

When sightseeing in Prague’s gorgeous Old Town, it’s tough to find somewhere for a coffee and a sit-down that isn’t a tourist trap. K4 is an underground student hangout – literally – housed in the basement of the Faculty of Arts on Celetna Street, a stone’s throw from Staromeskske Namesti. Push back the vast wooden door at number 20, descend the stairs on the left opposite the porter’s glass booth and you’ll find a cavernous collection of rooms replete with lounging undergrads pouring over their lecture notes or playing chess. Prices are super reasonable (as you would expect given the clientele) and there’s a small gallery too with free exhibitions featuring local up-and-coming artists. There’s no table service though – make your way to the bar in the back room and then take your pick from coffee, draught beer or a shot of that infamous Czech spirit Becherova to fortify you before continuing your wanderings.

galeriek4.cz/
Celetna 20, Prague 1
Google map: bit.ly/UQEFU5

* Lisette is our Been there local for Prague. You can read her profile here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/articles/prague-local-lisette.jsp and follow her tips here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/travellers/LisettePrague

I agreeI disagree

1.  
2. Send to friends

All over the globe the world is seeing a rise in the ingenious idea of a book and coffee shop fusion. In a land where boundaries are pushed to the limits of imagination this idea goes one step further.
The three two-tiered Tsutaya bookshops in fashionable and serene Daikanyama are designed with a theme of ‘home away from home’ in mind. Read, relax, have a coffee, listen to music; this is a space in which you can be at home without being alone. Choose from “Ajin”; the lounge-bar where you can recline on a leather sofa and place a drinks order via ipad for a taste of life in the future, or Starbucks where you can sit inside at one of the breakfast bars and charge your laptop or phone, or alternatively outside with the patio heaters and cosy Starbucks blankets. If you enjoy a spot of people watching then you’ll enjoy this vantage point as the local well-to-do walk past with their dogs and offspring.
With the winter chill setting in and the outdoors becoming more and more a mission impossible, this is a place you can keep warm and toasty whilst relaxing in the cool breeze and early setting sun.

store.tsutaya.co.jp
+81 03 6738 3838
Google map: bit.ly/TUfgKi

* Hollie is our Been there local for Tokyo. You can check out her profile here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/articles/tokyo-local-hollie-mantle.jsp and follow her tips here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/travellers/HollieMantle

I agreeI disagree

1.  
2. Send to friends

According to one architectural guide Edinburgh's famous Cafe Royal has a "swaggering Parisian air". It was opened in 1863 and boasts Corinthian brass lamp standards, tall beveled windows, marble-topped counters and large tile pictures of famous inventors. It was said that this was the venue where Princess Margaret met a certain Roddy Llewellyn. What is less well known is that it was planned as a showroom for sanitary fittings. It’s a wonderful cathedral to the bon vivant – whether on a hot sunny day or a cold winter evening. It’s the sort of place you might go with mates for a swift half and when someone says lets have oysters and champagne everyone says yes!

www.caferoyal.org.uk
19 West Register Street, Edinburgh EH2 2AA
+44(0)131 556 1884
Google map: bit.ly/XqqWuq

I agreeI disagree

1.  
2. Send to friends

We discovered cosy Café Calma on a recent visit to Prague and it became one of our favourite haunts. They served a good range of cakes and pastries, and the breakfasts were great, with excellent croissants. The café also serves proper meals, including decent vegetarian options. Eating at Café Calma was inexpensive and the staff were friendly and helpful. In summer you can sit outside and watch life go by in the adjacent square.

www.calma.cz
Kyjevská 527/2, 160 00 Praha 6-Dejvice, Czech Republic
+420 602 235 660
Google map: bit.ly/UOd7hZ

I agreeI disagree

1.  
2. Send to friends

Coffee Inn is ubiquitous in Vilnius (and in Riga too), and I stopped by a few times. I really enjoyed the coffee and filling hot chocolate, and the small range of snacks included cheesecake, which was some of the best I’ve ever eaten. Coffee Inn was reasonably priced, and the staff were friendly.
While I instinctively prefer individually-owned coffee shops, this establishment seemed a bit more than just another you-could-be-anywhere chain. For example, I visited two branches in Vilnius (and two in Riga), and each one was different. Most had a random assortment of very comfy, mismatched chairs, and some had a small but diverse collection of books, which you could read at large tables, giving the coffee shops a slightly Bohemian feel. And the branch at Gedimino 2 is actually inside a bookshop. A good place for a quick stop-off, but equally good if you’re in no hurry.

www.coffee-inn.lt
Branches throughout Vilnius including at Gedimino pr. 2, Pilies g. 3 and Vokiečių g. 18

I agreeI disagree

1.  
2. Send to friends

I visited on a chilly autumn morning in October so I needed something to stave off the cold. The hot chocolate and muffin that I ordered did the job perfectly. Among other things, Kuuka Kafe serves great coffee, superb homemade cakes (try the carrot cake), and panini. The interior is cosy and welcoming, and try to nab the very comfy sofa if you can. While not extortionate, Kuuka Kafe isn't the cheapest café in town, but it’s worth it, and you’ll probably find yourself going back at least once.

Grēcinieku iela 5, Old Town, Riga
(+371) 28 77 39 34
Google map: bit.ly/RWGvUq

I agreeI disagree

1.  
2. Send to friends

Moeders is an excellent little eatery/restaurant located on the Rozengracht, not far form the Anne Frank House Museum in the centre of the city's beautiful Canal Belt district. What makes this place different is the decor. You will find wall upon wall packed with photos of customers' mothers. You are of course encouraged to bring along a photo of your own mum to add to their collection. High tea and cakes is served on charmingly mis-matched crockery and cutlery and you can also treat yourself to some authentic stodgy Dutch cuisine here. Bring your mother on her birthday and they will have a prize in store for her. Book online for a table to avoid disappointment in such cases.

www.moeders.com/
Rozengracht 251, 1016 SX Amsterdam
+31(0)20 6267957
Google map: bit.ly/Q70liJ

I agreeI disagree

1.  
2. Send to friends

Should you find yourself taking a stroll in Letná Park – the one with the giant metronome where the huge statue of Stalin once stood – you might decide to grab a table in the beer garden and take in the fantastic view of the city. If however, it’s a decadent cake fix you need, head to the nearby Alchymista Cukrárna.
Alchymista is a fine example of the cukrárna, a Czech culinary institution best described as a cross between a French patisserie and Italian gelateria. If the weather’s sunny, sit outside in the beautifully kept garden and indulge yourself with a glass of rosé while tucking into a slice of something sweet. The range of coffee is excellent – devotees to the bean can pay a visit to the coffee museum next door – and there are also teas and homemade lemonade on the menu. Expect to pay 40 – 50 CZK for coffee and 50 – 70 CZK for cake. This is my favorite cafe in the Golden City and undoubtedly worth the trip to the neighbourhood. A real gem.

Alchymista Cukrárna, Jana Zajíce 7, 170 00 Prague 7
alchymista.cz
Google map: bit.ly/Sujffj

* Lisette is our Been there local for Prague. You can read her profile here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/articles/prague-local-lisette.jsp and follow her tips here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/travellers/LisettePrague

I agreeI disagree

1.  
2. Send to friends

A lot of services packed into a lovely little place. Hire your skis here if skiing at the Lecht ski area in the Cairngorm National Park, just up the road. Then warm yourself up with some tasty home made soup when you return them. You can even buy a tasteful gift for those back home. (Lovely smelly soap and hand cream in the toilets as well!)

www.goodbrandandross.co.uk/
Corgarff, Strathdon, Aberdeenshire, AB36 8YL
+44 (0)1975 651433
Google map: bit.ly/U8SwKJ

I agreeI disagree

1.  
2. Send to friends

Wherever you are in London the Regents Canal is never too far. On a crisp autumn day, especially in the morning when the water is so calm there is no nicer way to travel then a walk along here. The east side is my favourite with many snack bars and coffee hubs where you can sit and watch the Hackney posse rock about. Better yet are the charming houseboats that are docked up, especially towards trendy Broadway market which have taken to selling goods and sometimes even having live music. Take bread to feed the ducks and enjoy a piece of real London living.

The best place to start is the opening near Angel tube and the Canal can take you all the way to Victoria park.

I agreeI disagree

1.  
2. Send to friends

The Lea Valley walk is a lovely stroll for Londoners at any time of the year, but in autumn I think the combination of trees, leaves and water is particularly lovely.
For an 11ish mile walk, I recommend heading north from Limehouse to finish up at Ponders End, where you can catch the train back to Liverpool Street Station. For a shorter stretch start or stop at Markfield Park, about 1/2 mile from Seven Sisters and Tottenham Hale tube/train stations.
En route you pass the surprising and stunning Three Mills, the Olympic Park (albeit through security fencing), and breathe in the fresh air of the great green expanses of Hackney, Walthamstow and Tottenham Marshes - and then you're in the countryside with narrowboats and fishermen.
The whole route follows the reflective waters of the Lee/Lea in its various guises - from the Limehouse Cut to the Lee Navigation to the River Lea.
My favourite place to break the walk for a bite to eat is Pistachio's in the Park Cafe in Markfield Park which runs alongside the Lee Navigation.
For a coffee early on in the route, and good food too, you can detour to the Counter Cafe in Hackney Wick - it's on the west side of the canal at the junction with the Hertford Union Canal - which itself offers up a whole host of alternative destinations!
For me, the hardest thing about doing any of the Lea Valley Walk was working out how to get onto it. If you are walking from Limehouse aim for St Anne's Church - it marks the point where Commercial Road crosses Limehouse Cut, and there's access to the canal there. St Anne's is also one of Hawesmoor's churches and its website is great for directions - you can get there easily on the No 15 bus from central London, or on the DLR (Limehouse/West Ferry stations).

Lea Valley Walk information: www.walklondon.org.uk/route.asp?R=4
A Walk Along The Limehouse Cut Canal (lots of info about what you'll see on the early section): www.imvisitinglondon.com/limehousecut.html
Three Mills: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_Mills
Pistacios in the Park: pistachiosinthepark.org.uk/category/markfieldpark
Friends of Markfield Park (good map): www.markfieldpark.org.uk/
Counter Cafe: thecountercafe.co.uk/
St Anne's Church website (great directions): stanneslimehouse.org/location.html
TfL bus route map finder: www.tfl.gov.uk/tfl/gettingaround/maps/buses/

I agreeI disagree

1.  
2. Send to friends

Café/restaurant. We went there with kids for a lovely Sunday brunch. It had a peaceful and colourful atmosphere, delicious pancakes and perfect cappuccinos.

www.playa-cafe-restaurant.de
Kreuzstr 3 b, im Asamhof, 80331 München
+49 89 23232669
Google map: bit.ly/VTLAlK

I agreeI disagree

1.  
2. Send to friends

This is a light, airy, neighborhood cultural centre run by an all female French Guatemalan team. La Marelle is dedicated to providing a space for parents and children to unwind, meet and learn. It's divided into various play areas with toys and games galore for the kids, and there are tables and stools for the grown ups to sit at while keeping an eye on their little monkeys. The cafe serves great coffee, brunches (pancakes!!) and cakes. There are also numerous workshops like yoga for kids in English, or story telling in French and other learning and sharing activities.

Mendez Nuñez 4, 08003 Barcelona
Nearest metro Arc de Triomph or Urquinaona
Google map: bit.ly/Wlykqh



lamarelle-barcelona.blogspot.com.es/

https://www.facebook.com/pages/La-Marelle/302002066560093

I agreeI disagree

1.  
2. Send to friends