Notting Hill and Portobello Road

Last up we took a bus to Notting Hill to explore. I loved wandering through the beautiful apartment buildings and shopping on Portobello Road. For dinner we stopped in The Distillery for one last hurrah before heading back to the Airbnb to pack and check in for our flights out the next morning. I’m so grateful to have had a chance to travel with my mom and sisters (and Alex our last few days) and see so many lovely parts of England. We will be back!


Chelsea

After our breakfast we wandered around Chelsea and did some shopping! There were still some leftover installations from the Chelsea Flower Show at a lot of the shops (which Sophie and I sadly missed due to our delayed flight) but it was still fun to see! We also stumbled across a beautiful rose garden at a church, too. Here are my favorite few photos from our time in Chelsea:


Exploring The Cotswolds (Part Two)

Day six began with a drive to Burford. We walked up and down the entire main row of shops and found some really great antiques! Our very favorite was Antiques at The George where I found a Royal Crown Derby English Bone China cat (small enough to actually get home)! Our second stop of the day was Cirencester where we came across a huge hall filled with antiques vendors. There was also a cafe where we had a wonderful lunch (complete with Cream Tea). After exploring the town for a bit we then drove to Bibury to see Arlington Row. On our way back to the cottage we returned to Burton-on-the-Water for take away fish and chips before heading home to pack up!


Exploring The Cotswolds (Part One)

We woke up in our magical cottage the morning of day five and had delicious tomato and brie on bread for breakfast before heading out to explore! Our first stop was Bourton-on-the-Water where tons of people were picnicking by the water in celebration of the Queen’s Jubilee. After enjoying the sights and shops we got back in the car and meandered over to Sudeley Castle!

There is a long history to this castle – Queen Katherine Parr, the last and surviving wife of King Henry VIII, is buried there and you can tour the stunning gardens and parts of the inside structure. I would highly recommend visiting if you are in the area! After several hours enjoying the grounds we drove to Stow-on-the-Wold to visit St. Edward’s church (which local lore says inspired J.R.R. Tolkien’s Doors of Durin). Our first full day in the Cotswolds was magical and we ended with another dinner at The Wild Rabbit before some relaxation time back at our Airbnb to rest up for another full day ahead of us!