Notre Dame, Paris, France

Unfortunately, no hunchbacks. However, it is always brimming with tourists, street performers and the infamous pigeon man (don't get too close). We actually sat for about an hour, watching a man mimicking passer-by's, announcing them as the Director of the CIA etc. and generally being an ass - it was hilarious. The queue can be, and usually is, huge. It can snake round and round and you may think you'll never see the inside. Luckily, it moves nice and quick. The contrast between the back and front of the iconic cathedral is striking - gargoyles on one side and carved angels on the other. Inside is just as beautiful as other big cathedrals, it really is an architectural delight. For a small donation you're allowed to the very very top, the views of Paris are beautiful and we really suggest making the trip up. The cathedral attracts more visitors annually than the Eiffel Tower, so if you are or aren't religious, to just go and see the beautiful decorative inside is definitely worthwhile. And best of all - It's FREEEEE!

Fun Fact - In 1804, Napoleon invited Pope Pius VII to the Notre Dame to crown him emperor. However, at the last second, Napoleon took the crown from his hands and crowned himself.

Eiffel Tower, Paris, France

Can you believe that the Eiffel Tower was originally a temporary structure made to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the French Revolution? No? Neither can we. Now one of the most iconic and recognisable peices of architecture in the world, nothing symbolises France more than this 'iron lady'. A hubbub of tourists, locals, street sellers and Romanian scam artists, the Champ de Mars is never empty. The queues to take the lift up can get lengthy, but if you're happy to plod up the first few flights of stairs - you'll cut your wait time in half (if you don't mind breaking into a sweat). 

 One thing to note: The only problem with climbing the old Eiffel, is that - go figure - you're ON the old Eiffel, meaning it won't feature in any of your aerial pictures of Paris. If you want a beautiful view of Paris WITH the Eiffel Tower, we suggest you try Montparnasse tower instead (which is cheaper, and houses the worlds fastest lift!). 

In short: you can't come to Paris and not see this baby, but you knew that already didn't you? It's one to tick off the bucket list.  There's also a pretty swanky restaurant at the summit "Le Jules Verne" - As you can probably imagine, its expensive. Very Expensive.

Once night falls, every hour on the hour, the Eiffel tower twinkles and it really does look so incredibly beautiful and a perfect Kodak moment.

Fun fact: The popular French author Guy de Maupassant ate in the Eiffel Tower restaurant every night. Why? It was the only place in Paris that he didn't have to look at the 'monstrous' thing. 

The Oak Room @ Appleby Manor, Appleby, Cumbria

This is the beautiful (AA Rosette) Oak Room Restaurant at Appleby Manor. Firstly we need to mention the view, rolling hills for miles to see, it's simply beautiful and a great setting for a wonderful meal. This is more of a dining experience than a meal, the staff are friendly but not over-bearing, there are different wines accompanying every meal, a great selection and most importantly, beautiful food. We lost count of the number of courses involved (maybe to do with the wine), although there were canapés, an amuse-bouche and fresh bread rolls before we'd picked up the menu. There is a broad menu covering almost all tastes. Our plates were an easel and the chef was the artist (I know, Shakespeare right?). You can see the time taken to make sure every plate that left the kitchen was a vision (and taste) of perfection. The food really is AA rosette standard, cooked beautifully with great accompaniments. We can whole-heartedly say we recommend The Oak Room and their fantastic dining experience. The price is middle of the road, but worth it.

Make sure you try the - Supreme of Lakeland Duck

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.