Kate on her travels

Stockholm’s beauty

Stockholm is easily one of the most beautiful cities in Europe. Made up of 14 islands, and surrounded by an archipelago of thousands more, the world-class museums, parks and activities mean you’ll never be short of things to do.

Find Stockholm’s beauty everywhere you go with my top five recommendations:

1. Djurgården island

Of central Stockholm’s 14 islands, Djurgården is the loveliest, and it also packs serious cultural clout, housing the famous Vasa museum and the world’s oldest open air museum, Skansen. For something less touristy visit the Prins Eugens Waldermarsudde house for pretty as a picture interiors and a peek at the prince’s art collection. Stroll around biodynamic farm Rosendals Trädgård and discover lovingly kept vegetable fields, rose and flower gardens, and go for lunch in the greenhouse café, serving produce from the farm.

2. Moderna Museet

Stockholm’s museums put other cities to shame, and for constantly world-class offerings, head straight to the Moderna Museet. Recent shows have featured the fabulous Japanese artist Yayoi Kasuma, Olafur Eliasson and Georg Baselitz among others. Go before 21st May for performance artist Marina Abramović’s show The Cleaner.

3. Cinnamon buns at Fabrique

The city wouldn’t be the same without wafts of cinnamon and other majestic spices hovering around its bakeries. The consensus as to who makes the best cinnamon buns in town is an easy one – Fabrique! There are currently 16 branches across Stockholm, make a beeline for bustling Drottninggatan, or stop by in historic Gamla Stan.

4. Utö island

Ok, so of all the thousands of islands that make up Stockholm’s archipelago, there are easier ones to reach than Utö, but this 13km long beauty is big enough that you could spend the whole day on it and not get bored. Rent bikes and cruise through woods and round lakes as you seek out the island’s windmill and beaches or take life at a more tranquil pace and take a stroll via the island bakery. Travelling is about the journey and the 55 minute ferry trip to and from the island is almost worth it alone.

5. Gamla Stan’s main square

Historic Gamla Stan is rightfully a magnet for all first time visitors, and with beautiful buildings like these, it’s no wonder. Pick up a Dala wooden horse (or pretty much anything you could want, embossed with horses) from the Wooden Horse Museum and shop, Runstenen. Boff up on the history of the Nobel Prize in Stortorget square (free Tuesday evenings) or watch life go by from the comfort of Chokladkoppen with a kaffe.

Skål!

Live like a local in Milan

Heading up in the gondola to Piani di Bobbio in Barzio in the mountains north of Milan

Milan is known as Italy’s fashion, shopping and finance capital. It’s so much more than that, but over a weekend it can be hard to scratch beneath its glittering surface and experience more than the unmissable stuff – Leonardo’s Last Supper, the Galleria shopping mall, Duomo and La Scala. And that gelato for that Instagram post.

Having ticked off all but La Scala on my first visit, I was keen this year to explore what else Milan has to offer, letting friends who live there show me its more authentic side, and surrounds.

First thing to know is that the Milanese love Monza, 15km outside of Milan. Famous for its Grand Prix, it’s also a gem of wonderful eateries and bars, with a picturesque duomo of its own, a modern-meets-medieval vibe and the lovely Seveso river winding through it.

After wandering its beautiful streets, take the ceremony of aperitivo seriously and head to Turnè for as much pasta, antipasti and chichetti (small plates) as you can manage, all free when you buy drinks.

Hosteria L’angolo del Beato, a Sardinian family restaurant in Monza, served up one of the best meals I’ve ever had in Italy – speared meat cooked on an open grill and glistening antipasti that bowled over even our native Milanese friend. Pastas in gorgeous sauces of wild boar and fragrant fennel sausage, all paired with an expertly chosen Sardinian red wine. It was hands down phenomenal.

The neighbourhood of Lissone may not make Milan’s front row any time soon but it’s got some of the best brioche and cappucino breakfast joints in town. Falconieri offers theirs for a steal at €1.50, while at My Cake Café try a huge pistachio brioche. Don’t let the name confuse you, they are more like croissants, but with added sugar and mess.

It’s pretty hard to avoid the tourist crowds at lunchtime in the centre of Milan but Hosteria Della Musica is peaceful, with a mix of locals and good service. I had the perfect Risotto Milanese, oozing with saffron, cream and cheese. Or at lunch you can sneak in to Napoli pizzerias like Maruzzella, normally crowded at dinner.

April might seem too late for a spot of skiing but at Piani di Bobbio, with discounts on lift passes and ski rental, you can still have an enjoyable afternoon in the sunshine (skiing past cowpats), costing only €32.50.

If relaxing is more you thing, get out into the hills and check in to the Monticello spa. Treat yourself afterwards at the local’s favourite gelateria, Pinetta.

Good clubs, if you don’t pay to get in, can seem hard to find. Atomic is everyone’s go-to, but it’s currently closed at the time of writing. If you have the willpower to wait for late-running Milanese clubbers to crowd in for better atmosphere, Q21 is fun, or if you prefer to headbang to your music, try Rock’n’Roll.

Venues like Bar Frida could be straight out of east London, except they’re cooler, more laidback. Bar Frida has a sort of jungle-warehouse look about it, and as you get in many Italian bars, you pay for what you want with a cashier, then bartenders make your drinks, which I guess works. Get a Campari spritz with Prosecco for €5.

Before you leave Milan, don’t forget to stock up on some Lombardy produce from popular supermarket Esselunga. Make a beeline for air-dried Brasaola beef, the genuine article is only made nearby in the mountains.

Broken heart? Let London be the cure

‘Pity the selfishness of lovers: it is brief, a forlorn hope; it is impossible.’ – Elizabeth Bowen

Break-ups are never fun, and in London they can be pretty lonely too. The holding-back-tears-in-the-office days are inevitable, but it doesn’t mean you have to be a hermit in your own city.

If you’ve just had your heart broken, I prescribe you hold back those tears and let London be your distraction and your cure. There’s a millions ways to sing the blues, and here are 12 ways to beat them….

1. Find some blossom

Plum, cherry and magnolia blossom trees are on every corner at the moment. Start your day with breakfast al fresco under the nearest blossom.

2. Take in Christopher Wren’s greatest achievement

There are contemplative spots all around St Paul’s Cathedral in its churchyard and courtyards, as well as lots of quiet gardens across the City itself.

3. Lose yourself around Tate Modern

Monumental inside and out. Wander round the Wolfgang Tillmans show, featuring a vast array of his photography, from beautiful starry nights and still life close-ups to nights out, nudity and political works, documents and news clippings. £12.50 inc donation, until 11th June.

4. Catch a film

I never need an excuse in life to go to the cinema, and neither should you. Lose yourself in the suspenseful but comedic Elle, out now starring Isabelle Huppert. Next on my list, The Handmaiden.

5. Stumble on art

Finding artworks in surprising places is easy to take for granted in London. If discovering hidden street art is your thing, head to Shoreditch and enjoy a free street art tour with Strawberry tours. From 3.30pm each on selected days, donation expected.

6. Colour something in

Colouring stuff in is a bonafide way to distract yourself. Pop into any Apple store, open up a colouring book on a MacBook or iPad and indulge in decisions no harder than choosing what your next shade of pastel green will be. Oh Bambi.

7. Incoming at Barbican

The Brutalist architecture isn’t for everyone, but I love Barbican for its Monday Madness cheap films, marvellous conservatory and for unique exhibitions, like Richard Mosse’s five star show Incoming, on right now in the Curve Gallery. Mosse used military thermal surveillance technology to uncover the everyday lives of refugees living on the margins of society in overcrowded, makeshift camps. Free, until 23rd April.

8. Dinner at Ducksoup

There are hundreds of restaurants and bars in Soho, but Ducksoup is worth singling out for its lovely atmosphere as well as delightful food and drink. Recent deliciousness included a rhubarb and cardamom ‘shrub’ cocktail, hake with Tokyo turnips, fresh gnocchi fritters with wild garlic butter and thick labneh yoghurt with dukkah and sourdough bread. 41 Dean Street. Takes booking for 3+ people.

9. Chinatown

You can’t fail to notice the vibrancy of Chinatown, its bustling streets, food smells everywhere and the sounds of buskers. After soaking up the street vibes, visit Chinese supermarket Loon Fung and stock up on a magnificent array of teas, sauces, snacks, dim sum and ingredients. Or head into Chinatown Bakery on Newport Place for some of their famous custard fish.

10. Cook!

With spring creeping in, load up with fresh ingredients and make something new. I had a go at making a Thai coconut fish curry recently, using fresh chilli, lemongrass and coriander.

11. Buy yourself flowers

Columbia Road is the flower market everyone goes to and even on a drizzly day it’s rammed at lunchtime. Beautiful as it is, they know their popularity and charge accordingly so I’ll be lining up in Vauxhall instead at the New Covent Garden flower market which recently opened. From 4-10am on weekends.

12. See your favourite band

For me: Cat Power. Always wanted to see her but missed lots of chances over the years. The minute I saw she was performing in Islington in March I snapped up a ticket. I went by myself which was a bit daunting but she was marvellous and nailed it.

Proof you don’t need someone holding your hand to have a good time in London.