What to do with the kids (in two days)

• Kensington Memorial Playground at Kensington Garden: A huge wooden pirate ship is the centerpiece of the Diana, Princess of Wales, Memorial Playground.
  
• Enjoy swan and goose watching at the Round Pond in the center of Kensington Garden.
• Diana Memorial Fountain: The water flows reflect Diana's life. Although visitors are asked not to walk on the memorial, children play with the water and everybody seems fine with that.
  
• Buckingham Palace: Watch the Changing of the guard. Beware of their timetable!
• London Science Museum: Explore science from different perspectives.
• Go to Hamstead Heath if you had enough from the bustling city and enjoy some countryside-feeling. Parliament Hill offers spectacular views over the City of London.

Getting there

• TGV from Basel (d: 10.34) to Paris Gare de Lyon (a: 13.37).
• To the Gare du Nord, where the Eurostar departs take the RER line D (10min ride).
• Gare du Nord: Eurostar (d: 16.13) (there are several departures) arriving at 17.39 in London, St Pancras.

--> Bear in mind the time difference of 1h between Europe and the UK.

Where to sleep: We slept at the Kensington Court Hotel Notting Hill (there are two Kensington Court Hotel, one in Earl's Court and the other one in Notting Hill). It's a stylish and tidy place for a reasonable price.

Where to eat: There are plenty of good options just a short walk from the hotel away. Here are our top 3 in Notting Hill: A great place for kids is the restaurant chain Zizzi. We had a tasty dinner at Little Persia. For coffees and breakfast, we recommend Urban Baristas.

Shopping: Well, it's London. Whenever I can, I go to Liberty's.

Getting around: Buy an Oyster card, ride the tube or enjoy a London bus ride - our children loved it.

Song for the city: London Calling - the Clash

What to do with the kids...

...within the city of Brighton

1. Visit the beach (Beware! It is a pebble beach, there is no sand).

2. Play at the King's Road Playground with water and sand.

3. Enjoy the exotic Royal Pavilion and its laid-back park.

4. Enjoy rides and attractions at the Brighton Pier. It's noisy and wild, but the kids will love it.

...outside of the city

1. Devils Dyke: There are several hiking paths at the Devils Dyke, the longest, deepest, and widest dry valley in the UK. It is situated just five miles north of Brighton and offers a breathtaking panorama. Take bus no. 77. The hikes are not very well marked, but there are maps and you can always ask somebody for help.

2. Seven Sisters: This was one of our best walks during the entire vacation! The Seven Sisters Country Park offers some of the finest coastal downland views in the whole of the UK. It also contains a wide range of habitats with a fantastic array of associated wildlife. The Seven Sisters Park is well served by buses from Brighton (no. 12 or 12A departing from the Sea Life Center at Brighton), which stop at the park entrance (Seven Sisters Park Center Stop). From the bus stop we followed the river meanders of the Cuckmere valley as it snakes down to the sea at Cuckmere Haven (orange walking path). One way took around 45min. Though, we didn't climb the Seven Sisters as it seemed too dangerous for our 4 year-old daughter. The pebble beach was fun enough.

Getting there

Take the Southern Railway Line or the Thameslink Railway Line to Brighton. You can buy your ticket online or at the ticket machine.

Where to sleep

We rented a lovely flat, the Sea View Penthouse Maisonette on Brunswick Place. The apartment was located a short walk from the beach and an 8min ride to the city center.

Where to eat

We had some tasty oriental food at a taste of Sahara. Good Indian food can be found at the Chilli Pickle.

Shopping

There are some fun shops at and around Sidney street, for instance the Beyond Retro Vintage shop (Gloucester Road 23). Loads of shops can be found between Churchill Square and Sealife Brighton.

Getting around

The city center is rather small, so everything is within walking distance. Otherwise, Brighton has a very elaborated bus system.

Song for the city

Brighton Song - Martha Tilston

What to do with the kids...

...in Bradford-on-Avon: At Culver Close next to the Coffee Barn there is a huge field with a good playground.

Easy, short, and wonderful walk (half-day, approx. 2 miles): From Avon you can walk approximately 2 miles to Avoncliff all along the river Avon. In Avoncliff, there is a little aqueduct with a canal running over a bridge. The train line runs under the aqueduct.

Easy, long but wonderful walk (full-day, approx. 4.5 miles): Walk from the Canal Tavern bus stop in Bradford-on-Avon to the bridge. Do not cross it but turn left. Pass the Wharfinger House and walk along the river Avon until you reach the city of Trowbrigde. On your way you will pass along the Wildbrook Wood, a wonderful nature reserve. The fastest way to get from the river Avon to the town of Trowbridge is by turning right into Brick Lane after having crossed river Biss and the rails. Turn right at the end of Brick Lane and walk down Canal road until you reach the bus stop "Manvers house". Take bus no. 49 to Avebury. Avebury is part of an extraordinary set of Neolithic and Bronze Age ceremonial sites that seemingly formed a vast sacred landscape. Built and much altered during the Neolithic period, roughly between 2850 BC and 2200 BC, the henge survives as a huge circular bank and ditch, encircling an area that includes part of Avebury village. Together with Stonehenge, Avebury and its surroundings are a World Heritage Site. From Avebury take bus no. 49 to Swindon until its final station. Next to the bus station, there is the train station from where you can take a train to Bath. From there take a train to Bradford-on-Avon.

Visit Bath

Bath is a lovely, clean, and interesting city. There are plenty of things to see, visit and do. Have a look at their webpage. As it was raining and our kids were not keen to walk, we decided to go to the Bath Sports and Leisure Center with its trampoline park and its soft playroom. A great place for your children. Good food is served at Bistro Pierre.

Getting there

With the Great Western Railway you arrive from Brighton within 3 hours in Bradford-on-Avon. We had to change in Fratton.

Where to sleep

We stayed at the exquisite Timbrell's Yard. It is a stylish riverside boutique hotel, with an excellent restaurant and bar and wonderful bedrooms. The busy restaurant serves food that is local, authentic and, above all, tastes fantastic.

Where to eat

There is a lovely coffee shop, the Coffee Barn. Located in a beautiful barn, the Coffee Barn offers locally roasted coffee, an array of teas accompanied by homemade cakes, brunch & light lunches.

Shopping

There are loads of shops in Bath. The tourist information in Bradford-on-Avon is very helpful.

Song for the city

Mr. Blue Sky - Electric Light Orchestra

What to do with the kids:

Great, but rather long walking tour

From Quaiddles Café take the SW Coast Path to the Portland Bill Lighthouse (rather a long walk) or go to Easton Gardens and take the bus to Southwell. Be aware! There are not too many buses to the Lighthouse. There is a direct bus during summertime (no. 701). If there is no direct bus running, take bus no. 1 to Rip Croft Shelter. From there, take the SW Coast Path to the lighthouse (a 30min walk).

A great day out

From King's statue take the bus X53 or the C1 to West Street. From there walk approx. 15min to the entrance of Abbotsbury Subtropical Gardens, famous for its Camellia groves and magnolias. Don't miss stunning views of the Dorset Jurassic Coast from the viewpoint at the top of the Magnolia Walk. From the gardens, either walk directly to the Abbotsbury Swannery or take the bus back to Abbotsbury and take the short walk (30min) from the bus stop Ilchester Arms to the Swannery. Abbotsbury Swannery is the only place in the world where you are able to walk through the heart of a colony of nesting Mute Swans. Awesome! Another fun option is the Abbotsbury Children's Farm. Our kids loved it and it is probably the best Children's Farm we have ever been to. There are lots of animals for children to meet and feed. And a huge playground in a Barn. There is a small shop and a restaurant with astonishingly good food.

Getting there

Take the train to Weymouth. From the train station walk down to the beach to the King's statue. From there take bus no. 1 to Isle of Portland.

Where to sleep

We had a great Airbnb on the Island of Portland, in Fortuneswell.

Where to eat

We had good coffee at Quaiddles Cafe on Chiswell Beach. 

Song for the city

From your favourite Sky - I am Kloot

What to do with the kids

We spent an afternoon at Alum Chine Beach. Right next to the beach there is the Alum Chine Play Park, a nice and clean playground. Take the West Cliff Lift down to the beach. It has been an iconic feature of Bournemouth for more than a hundred years. We also strolled through the Lower Gardens, a nice but crowded park in the middle of the city.

Getting there

From Weymouth we took a direct train to Bournemouth.

Where to sleep

We stayed one night in the Applewood Hotel. It is convenient, well located and offers a garden with a trampoline for the kids. The rooms are rather small but clean.

Where to eat

We had a lovely dinner at ojo rojo Mexican food restaurant (children friendly place!) near the Lower Gardens and a great dinner at the Vesuvio (authentic Italian food, book in advance), which is situated at Alum Chine Beach and offers a superb view over the beach.

Song for the city: Tubthumping - Chumbawamba

What to do with the kids

Enjoy the beach

There are several beaches. The water is rather fresh but the tide is impressive! Here are some recommendations for Jersey beaches. Also, the lido at the beach is worth a visit and a good option if you rather enjoy a salty-swimming-pool-feeling.

Bike trip with a stopover at a hidden beach

From the bus station of St Helier, take the bus to St Aubin. Walk approx. 100 m to the Jersey Bike Hire where you can rent bikes and bicycle trailers for the small ones. The Jersey Bike Hire team is very supportive and helpful. From their rental place, we followed the Railway Walk through the forest (it is a so-called green line, i.e. a line for bikers and hikers) to the Railway Cafe. There we turned left to the Lavender Farm. After visiting the lavender shop, we continued the Railway walk until the junction of Rue de la Corbière and the Railway Walk. We turned right and, after 7km of cycling, arrived at the Strongpoint Corbière, a popular tourist attraction with a splendid view of the La Corbière Lighthouse.  We then followed the Rue de la Corbière to the junction with La Route Des Camps where we turn right, down to the Beauport Car (and bicycle) Park. Take the short footpath down to Beauport Beach, one of the loveliest beaches in Jersey. It is a fantastic, untouched bay with crystal clear water. There are no shops, toilets or cafes. Up again, we crossed the fields heading back to the Railway walk and then to the Jersey Bike Hire (it's a bit tricky to get back on the Railway walk, follow your instincts or use google maps).

Trip through the St. Catherine's Woods

Take bus no. 1 to Gorey Pier. From there change to bus no. 13 to St. Martin Public Hall. Turn into the "Grande route de Rozel" and after around 200m turn right into the "Rue des vaux de l'église". You'll arrive at a car park from where you can enter the woods and walk along a beautiful path with a gentle stream. After a rather short and easy walk (but not suitable for prams) you will end at another car park. Bus no. 2 brings you back to Gorey Pier with its beautiful Mont Orgueil Castle.

Getting there

We took at 7am a cab (taxi) to Plymouth Harbour. From there we embarked on the Condor Ferry which took us to Jersey within 4h (3h to Guernsey and another hour to Jersey). The ferry has restaurants, a duty-free-shop and a children cinema. Beware: The sea can be quite rough. They have a vacuum-vomit-cleaner on board...

Where to sleep

We stayed at the Omaroo Hotel. It is near the beach (but in front of a busy street). The room was spacious. The hotel has a small swimming pool. Beware: Jersey is very popular. Although we did our reservation 5 months in advance, most of the hotels in Jersey were fully booked. And it is expensive. The easiest way to get from the harbour to the hotel is by cab/taxi as it is not a lovely walk to get there (too much traffic).

Where to eat

We had a great lunch at the Central Market in St Helier, a Victorian cast iron market hall that was opened in 1882 as a result of the stalls being banished from the Royal Square in 1800. It's is worth seeing for both, its architectural detail including the recently restored central fountain, and the colorful array of fruit, vegetables and flowers inside. The Thai Diqc Shak serves spicy and tasty Thai food right on the beach. In St Aubin, the Noya Shapla serves tasty Indian food.

Getting around

Although Google maps don't show it - Jersey has a very good public bus system (liberty bus). You can buy your ticket when boarding the bus in cash or by credit card. Check the bus map.

Song for the city: Morning Dew- Sunni Colon

What to do with the kids

Beaches,  beaches and beaches. And beach walks. For instance from Dinard Plage to Plage Saint-Enogat.

Getting there

It is a one hour boat ride from Jersey to St Malo in France. From St Malo, take the Navette (small boat) of Compagnie Corsaire to Dinard.

Where to sleep

We slept at the wonderful and stylish Hotel Saint-Michel Dinard.

Where to eat

At the Marégraphe you will enjoy excellent crepes at a lovely spot. Also the Les Terrasses de Saint-Enogat near the beach offers tasty crepes. Lovely breakfast and treats can be found at La Cour de Récré and best best ice-cream at SANCHEZ Glaces et Gourmandises. Castorbellux with a great ambiance serves excellent pizzas and pasta.

Shopping: Around rue Marechall Leclerc and rue Levavasseur.

Song for the city: Barth -the last wig

What to do with the kids

We went to Saint-Michel in the Normandie. It's crowded but it is worth the hype. If you never heard of Mont Saint-Michel, then check this video. It is a full-day trip.

In Rennes, go to Parc du Tabor with its faboulous playground and botanical garden. At place Hoche and place de la Mairie there are some old-fashioned and pretty carrousels.

Getting there

From Dinard we took the bus to St Malo train station. From there it is a 1h ride to Rennes. For Mont Saint-Michel check Keolis-armor buses or take a train via Dol de Bretagne.

Where to sleep

Hotel Nemours in the center of Rennes offers stylish rooms and apartments. It is located on a quiet street in the city center.

Where to eat

Nice coffee  and small treats at Café Albertine at 10 Rue Comté de Lanjuinais. Great Morrocan food can be found at Le Ryad or in La Mezzanine (with delicious desserts). Good products for a picnic can be found at Scarabée Biocoop Rennes.

Shopping

One favourite was le petit Souk.

Song for the city: Heaven can wait - Charlotte Gainsbourg

Getting back to Switzerland

From Rennes we took the TGV train to Strasbourg (direct train, approx. 5h) and then to Basel (approx. 2h).