2 days in Brighton | what to see and do

Well hello to you my reader chums! If you follow my Instagram, then you would have seen I spent my birthday in Brighton. Brighton is one of my favourite cities; it has that city vibe with a beach appeal and calm atmosphere. I grew up by the coast, and love any destination with a beach really - so it made perfect sense to spend my birthday exploring Brighton. 

Day 1  - Brighton Pier, the Lanes exploring and city shopping

I set off on my birthday around 11am and got to Brighton at lunchtime, where the sun was at its highest. Every time I've visited Brighton previously I was never lucky with the weather, however this time, it was legitimate summer weather - perfect to celebrate my birthday.

Once I arrived in Brighton and parked the car, I set off exploring before checking into the hotel. Naturally, my first stop was the famous pier as that's one of my favourite spots in Brighton and makes for a lovely stroll. I stopped for a Pimms and a classic fish and chips, whilst soaking up the sunshine before heading into the Lanes.


Brighton Pier

Brighton pier fish and chips

Brighton pebbled beach

Brigton beach and pier

The Lanes are one of the cutest things about Brighton. Picture tucked away individual stores, cafes, and everyone's favourite chains lined with colourful bunting. My first stop was to try the famous Boho Gelato. I've heard so much about this ice cream but never tried it on my previous visits. I can see why it's raved about, I'd put it up there with the best ice cream I've ever tried! I chose the carrot cake and blueberry muffin flavours and they were absolutely delicious. It literally tasted just like cake!

boho gelato brighton

weekend in brighton

After a browse around the shops, I went to check into our hotel, The Lanes Hotel and it's safe to say, I was blown away! The spacious room had a four-poster bed and perfect views of the sea - it felt like pure luxury. I chilled there for a while and soaked up the view before heading to the North Laine area. Brighton always makes for a lovely walk, and from the hotel, I detoured through Pavilion Gardens and saw the Royal Pavilion to North Laine. This area is a wide selection of unique shops, chain stores, and eating establishments. As there weren't any individual restaurants that took our eye, I chose Bella Italia for my birthday dinner, as it's one of the more luxurious chains. I enjoyed a beautiful feast of delicious pasta, desserts, and cocktails.

The day ended with a taxi ride back to the hotel and watching the day turn to night on one of the longest days of the year. Hello, a 9pm sunset! 

weekend in brighton

Day 2 - Beach relaxing and brunching in the city

The second day began waking up to the bright blue skies shining above Brighton's sea, and a delicious hotel breakfast. I love hotel breakfasts; fruit, classic English egg, and soldiers and pastries, you really can't beat it.

Brighton hotel views of the beach

Brighton fairground rides

I then ventured back to the pier to go on the rides (the Magic Mouse is my favourite) and have a play in the arcades. Then, I took a stroll down one of the walkways by the pier as there are plenty of beach-themed shops. I took a look around those and then sat down on the beach. I didn't get a chance to sit on the beach the day before, so spent a while soaking up the sunshine and chatting about everything and anything. The beach is my favourite place, as wherever you are in the world, you can always find a beach to escape to, and relax.

Brighton pebbled beach

As I began to get a little peckish for lunch, I left the beach and headed back to the Lanes to find a café. I came across the Lost in the Lanes café, and I could recommend it enough! The rustic interior is every blogger and Instagrammer dream with a menu to match. It's one of those restaurants that when you walk in, you want to take a picture of it all. There are baked goods on the counter, a freshly produced menu, and a selection of local drinks. I chose the strawberry lemonade (very fresh to say the least), an acai bowl. This cake had mousse-icing and caramel sauce oozing from every bite. 

Lost in the Lanes cafe Brighton

After lunch, I bid goodbye to Brighton and headed home. Brighton is the city of beach life, shops, quirky cafes, and a super cool vibe, and I'd recommend it to anyone who hasn't visited. 

Things to know before going to Brighton
  • Parking can be very pricey - Parking in any city is always tricky and it's good to plan in advance. If you're staying overnight, check if your hotel has parking, otherwise, the only car parks I'm aware of that are open at all hours are the multi-story ones. These workouts around £25 for 12-24 hours. You can also use the Just Park app (my latest discovery) which shows you all the available parking spots in the area for the period of time you'll be there.
  •  Get the ride pass - If you'd like to spend an afternoon at the pier, using the rides, it's worthwhile buying the day pass. Otherwise, individually the rides can work out £5 each, per person, which can add up. 
  •  Everything is accessible on foot - The best thing about exploring in Brighton is how accessible all the highlights are. The pier, beach, and the Lanes are super close to each other, and the station is also conveniently located. 
  • Deck chairs - If you're looking to chill on deck chairs, it's worth noting they're free on the pier, but you have to hire them on the beach. 
  • Enjoy the cool vibes - Brighton is a unique city and a lovely day out whether it's your first or 100th time. There's just something about the vibe that's ever so different and I love it, so ultimately enjoy your time there. 
What a beautiful birthday! Brighton, your calm vibe and super cute beach area will always have my heart. Here's to a year of being 22! 

I hope you enjoyed this birthday post. What's your favourite thing about Brighton?

Thank you for reading <3

3 day guide to Copenhagen

Well hello to you my reader chums! Last week, my twin sister and I ventured on a short 3-day city break to Copenhagen. I have never visited Scandinavia before and wasn't sure what to expect, however, I heard many positive things about the city prior to arrival - and couldn't wait to see what it had in store.

Disclaimer - This post contains affiliate links.

3 day guide to copenhagen

The city of bikes, friendly folks and beautiful sights, Copenhagen is a place not to be missed. There are sights in the plentiful, an Instagram-worthy harbour and a calm atmosphere like no other city. With this guide, I'm going to share everything we got up to over the few days, where we stayed and my top tips.

Day 1: Tuesday 5th June - Nørrebro exploring and Nyhavn harbour

3 day guide to Copenhagen

We set off from London Stanstead on an early morning flight and landed in Copenhagen around 12pm, the perfect time to begin exploring. Our Airbnb was located in Nørrebro, one of the quirkiest neighbourhoods in Copenhagen, and around a 15 minute walk to the tube station - a very fab and convenient location.

I fell in love with Nørrebro; the area has vintage shops by the bucket load, quirky cafes and a completely chill vibe. Our first exploration was walking around the area and getting an idea of it all.

3 day guide to Copenhagen

One of the area's most famous streets is Jægersborggade. This colourful street was super quirky to explore; it has contemporary interior shops, ice cream places, cafes, stationary stores and more. Jægersborggade is an individual street like no other and I would really recommend taking a browse.

3 day guide to Copenhagen

We walked around Nørrebro for a while and came across the Assistens Cemetery, the burial ground for the famous Hans Chrisitan Anderson. The cemetery as you can imagine was super peaceful, however felt more like a park than a cemetery itself. 

3 day guide to Copenhagen

After we saw all of Nørrebro's highlights, we decided to make our way to the iconic Nyhavn harbour. When we arrived, the sun was beaming and the harbour looked like a picture. Despite a bustling area, it wasn't crazy busy and there was plenty of space to explore, snap a few pictures and soak up the scenery. The colourful buildings, and calm river exuded everything the city is about.

3 day guide to Copenhagen

The last exploration of the day was making our way to the Little Mermaid statue, located around a 20 minute walk from the harbour. Whether you're a Disney fan or not, it's a must to visit, just to say you've seen it. The statue is smaller than expected but well worth the visit, as it holds a famous title in Copenhagen.

3 day guide to Copenhagen

We took a stroll down to the Bridge Street Kitchen, a street food market located near the harbour, however didn't fancy anything on offer and ended up eating on the harbour. Although this wasn't the cheapest option, it was a lovely experience dining along the harbour and soaking up the hub of Copenhagen.

Day 2: Wednesday 6th June - Best brunch ever, Rosenborg castle and Christiansborg Palace

3 day guide to Copenhagen


3 day guide to Copenhagen

The second day remains one of my favourites as we saw many beautiful sights and ate the most delicious breakfast. Sidecar is known as one of the best brunches in Copenhagen and as it was sat literally opposite to our apartment, we couldn't resist. I ordered a delicious bowl of granola with berries, and Maria chose the pancakes. Even though it was simple breakfast, that bowl was packed with many flavours and goodness (wouldn't mind eating it again now).

3 day guide to Copenhagen

Our first sightseeing stop of the day was Rosenborg Castle. I'm a massive history geek and love visiting landmarks like castles, to learn about the area's history. The castle was absolutely beautiful on the inside and out, with plenty to see. It wasn't a huge castle, however it exuded that old charm and was surrounded by the stunning Rosenborg Gardens. You could explore all the floors, and even see the castle's crown jewels.

3 day guide to Copenhagen

The gardens were completely immaculate and are actually free to enter - you only need to pay admission for the castle. If you don't fancy a castle visit, you can always delve into the pretty shrubbery and flowers.

3 day guide to Copenhagen

We're both a bit princess obsessed and decided to visit the Christiansborg Palace on the same day.

3 day guide to Copenhagen

The Christiansborg Palace blew our mind with its beauty. As it wasn't as packed as the castle, we were able to take more of our time taking in all the interiors. There were a few different areas of the castle to visit: the palace rooms, the royal kitchen, the ruins, the royal stables, the tower and parliament.

3 day guide to Copenhagen

My favourite area without fail was the palace rooms; every single detail was truly refined and ultra luxurious. The palace even had a library room which resembled the famous library in the original Beauty and Beast film. It felt like my princess dreams had really come to life! Another highlight had to be the royal kitchen - they set all the pots and pans up to look as if they were still in use and put fake food everywhere! It looked like a grown up toy kitchen.

3 day guide to Copenhagen

One thing you can't miss out on at the palace is heading up the tower for the best view in Copenhagen. Once you're up there, the tower has 4 different areas to see the view and snap a great shot of the scenery.

Day 3: Thursday 7th June - Christiania, the zoo and final supper

3 day guide to Copenhagen

We kicked off our last day with traditional Danish pastries and a tube ride down to Christiania. Freetown Christiana, is an area in Copenhagen that is renowned for its different way of life. The quirky neighbourhood is a car-free zone, and made up of music venues, vintage shops, organic eateries, workshops, art galleries and surrounded by nature.

3 day guide to Copenhagen

This area is completely unique to the rest of Denmark and has its own individual appeal for tourists to explore. There are a few rules you'll need to follow however, but these are made clear on arrival. We decided to visit in the morning, rather than the evening as it would be a safer zone filled with tourists.

3 day guide to Copenhagen

I wasn't entirely sure what I made of Christiania; I liked the colourfulness of it all and certain messages, however it did have a strange vibe I wasn't too fond of. 

3 day guide to Copenhagen

Our last stop of the day was the zoo; we're both big animal lovers and thought seeing the animals would be a lovely way to end the city break. The zoo was located in Frederiksberg Gardens, which made for a lovely nature stroll before we entered the zoo.

3 day guide to Copenhagen

I was actually pretty impressed with the zoo; it had my favourite animals, elephants, Maria's favourite, giraffes and everything else from polar bears, penguins to tigers.

3 day guide to Copenhagen

For our last meal, we decided to dine in Nørrebro as not only did they offer a wide selection of quirky places to eat, it was a lot cheaper than other areas of the city. We chose Tjili Bistro as the bistro looked like Instagram heaven and had plenty of hearty dishes on the menu. We were both thoroughly impressed with the food - for the price you got a hefty portion.

3 day guide to Copenhagen

Tips and tricks
  • For exploring in Copenhagen, there are two options either hiring a bike or choosing public transport, and we opted for the transport. At the tube station, you can by a CityPass for either a day, 2 days, 3 or more which covers all tubes, buses and trains in zone 1-4. We picked the 3 day option and it cost the equivalent of £25 - and truly came in handy.
  • There aren't as many tube stations as you'd expect, however you'll always have a tube station near-ish to the top sights - if not buses are quite regular.
  • To fit in with the locals, why not hire a bike? It is more expensive than hoping on a tube but will give you the authentic experience.
  • Copenhagen is generally quite an expensive location, and if you're on a budget when it comes to food, I'd suggest going to street food places (like the Bridge Street Kitchen), or hopping over to Nørrebro.
  • Walk everywhere - I always say this in every city post, but the best way to see a location is simply get lost, and you'll find some hidden gems.
  • Copenhagen is home to one of the oldest theme parks, Tivoli. It costs the equivalent of around £13 to get in and you'll have to pay for individual rides on top of that, or you can get a combined ticket for the equivalent of £47.
  • The Christiansborg Palace has a few areas to visit, and you can pay to enter them all individually. However, I'd recommend getting the combined ticket for all areas as one, they are worth seeing and two, it works out better value for money.
  • Embrace the freebies - As I mentioned this city is quite pricey so where you can save a few bucks, take it. There are many free sights including the parks, walking around the harbour, the Little Mermaid statue etc, that you can still get the full experience of Copenhagen without spending a fortune.
  • When choosing where to stay, I'd highlight recommend Nørrebro. It's quirky, cheap and nearby to a tube station, so you're able to hop on and see the top sights. Our apartment was in the heart of this neighbourhood and complete Instagram goals. If there are only two of you going, you should stay here.
City breaks are one of my favourite types of adventures, and Copenhagen really found a place in my heart. For a city it was ever so calm and you immediately felt at home. The locals are super welcoming, there are bikes wherever you turn and it's generally a happy city. The sights, its food, and its way of life, I loved. Copenhagen, thank you for a fabulous couple of days.

I hope you enjoyed this 3 day guide to Copenhagen. Have you visited the city?

Thank you for reading <3

May favourites

Well hello to you my reader chums! As I say pretty much every single month - these past few weeks have literally flown by, and I can't believe we're now in June. There has been a fair few events in May, and with that, I've got a couple of favourites to share with you.

Here are my May favourites...

May favourites


Palmer's natural bronze body lotion

As I mentioned in my previous post, I've been dabbling into the world of fake tan and recently began using Palmer's natural body lotion. It's proved to be a pretty fabulous tanning product, with an even coverage, creamy texture and natural-looking colour. I've written a full review of the body lotion if you'd like a more in-depth review.

Urban Decay's all-nighter setting spray

Urban Decay's all-nighter setting spray has been hyped in the beauty community for a while now, and I can see why, it's a lifesaver for long-wearing makeup days. In May, I've had a few events where I needed to wear makeup longer than usual and this setting spray has really come in handy. I noticed quite a difference in my makeup wear when using this spray - my makeup looked fresher and lasted that little bit longer throughout the day. I also like how fast this setting spray dries  - you spray it and after a few seconds, it'll sink into the skin.

May favourites

Zoella Beauty 'snow polished exfoliator'

As summer season comes into play, I tend to exfoliate a little bit more as essentially I'll be wearing dresses and shorts, that I want my skin to look smoother. The product I've been absolutely loving for this is Zoella Beauty's 'snow polished'. The exfoliator is ever so gentle on the skin, but rough enough to really feel like it's doing the job. It has quite a sweet and fresh scent, and when accompanies with the moisturiser leaves a lovely lingering smell.

Benefit's Hoola bronzer

If you've been following my blog for a while then you'd know I'm a massive bronzer fan. Benefit's Hoola is one of my ultimate favourites, and this month it has been part of my everyday makeup routine. The bronzer doubles up as an all-over bronzing product and contours well, it holds a strong contour and, is the perfect brown tone for a bronzed look.

Asos Petite metallic tulle mini dress 

Towards the end of this month I had a summer ball and for the event, I purchased this beautiful metallic tulle mini dress from Asos. I absolutely fell in love with this dress - to me it was a combination between a princess and ballerina frock. Even though I only wore it once, I couldn't help mention the dress in my favourites as it is stunning and I felt super body confident rocking it.

I hope you enjoyed these favourites! Which products have you been loving this month?

Thank you for reading <3