La Promenade Plantée, Paris, France

One of the lesser known, but by no means less beautiful, attractions in Paris, La Promenade Plantée is best enjoyed on a sunny day in spring. Stretching 4.7 kilometres from Bastille to Bercy, this beautiful little pathway gives you some of the best views of Paris that you're likely to find. Bring a water bottle, comfy walking shoes and don't forget your camera! 

Fun fact: It was the worlds first ever elevated park. 

Chateau de Versailles, Paris, France

It's hard not to feel like a teeny tiny ant when walking round this elaborate and expansive wonder. One of those places where pictures won't do enough justice, it really is a palace fit for a king (Louis XIV to be precise), no wonder the French revolted. If you are ever lucky enough to find yourself in Paris then it simply must be on your list of things to do. They really did get creative, and somewhat overzealous, with the gold. The highlight of the inside, once your eyes have adjusted to all the gold, is the Hall of Mirrors. It is absolutely immense in every way you can imagine. Although it's not just the inside, the grounds are vast, with what must be a small army (cue French army joke) of gardeners tackling the immense 2000+ acres of palace gardens. You'll need at least a day here to really take it all in, we suggest taking a picnic, some sort of baguette (when in Rome..) and really make a day of it. Alternatively, there's a La Durée (see La Durée blog post) or an Angelina inside that will probably top your day off if you're a fan of macarons and/or pastries. €15 is a really reasonable price in our eyes, there's plenty to see for an entire day! (roughly 0.007c per ACRE!)

Fun Fact - Kanye and Kim were not considered distinguished enough by the palace to be married there, and were refused.

Lowther Castle, Penrith, Cumbria

Situated in the historic county of Westmorland, Lowther Castle was home to (believe it or not) the Lowther family. Now we don't know that much about the Lowther family but what is clear to see is that they knew a thing or two about views. There are some incredible views to the west of the castle of the undulating countryside. Unfortunately, we'd say that's about it though. The castle itself is nice to look at and photographs nicely, but the whole place is an ongoing restoration project so it may not be what you're expecting for £8 each.

Fun Fact - Once a year, Lowther Castle plays host to the "Born Survivor" assault course/race.

Ullswater Steamers, Lake District

It's called the Lake District for a reason, and there really is no better way to see a lake, than to get on it. Steamer's by name, steamer's by nature. These little boats are a lot speedier than you might think! However, perhaps not quite speedy enough as a tour of the 7.3mile long lake takes just over 2 hours. Luckily for some of us there is a well stocked bar on board, and the staff don't judge you for drinking wine at midday. There is sporadic commentary throughout the trip, pointing out the birthplace for a very popular (and Katie's favourite) dessert, and also the daffodils where William Wordsworth penned the timeless "I wandered lonely as a cloud". Most people seemed to be using the boat to get to hiking routes, of which we have been told there are many. Not only hiking routes, but waterfalls.. More on this later!

Fun Fact - Donald Campbell set the world water speed record on Ullswater, July 23 1955, reaching a cool 202.32mph in his Bluebird K7. 

Chartwell House, Westerham, Kent

Winston Churchill lived in Chartwell house from 1924 until the end of his life. Since being taken over by the National Trust, the rooms remain much as they were when he resided here and, unlike some restored buildings, this place really feels like a home. It doesn't take long to walk around the inside of the building, but with so many twists, turns and corridors, you quickly lose all sense of direction until you come out the other side. And as ever, the National Trust volunteers are always on hand to satisfy every burning, Churchill-related question you may have to offer. The ponds in the garden, resurrected by Churchill himself, are worth a walk around and though we went on a miserable rainy day, the landscaping is still impressive. There is also a good chance you'll see some black swans around the grounds which we had never seen before.

£14.30 entrance for adults isn't cheap, but as an important part of British history, it's really worth a visit. And if you're still not convinced - the warm scones sold in the café might just sway you. 

Fun Fact: To comply with Churchill's wishes, a ginger cat named Jock must always be living at Chartwell.