MANCHESTER, ENGLAND

     I travelled to Manchester to celebrate the New Year with my boyfriend and friends. We chose to go there as we have not been up North before and it's one of the biggest cities in the UK, so we knew we would not be bored.

     Manchester is a beautiful city with many skyscrapers and modern architecture. It seriously feels like it is just a smaller version of London, it even has it's own China town!

     The city centre was full of beautiful Christmas decorations, it looked absolutely magical!

     If you are planning to visit Manchester on New Year's Eve, do not miss out on the midnight fireworks at Albert square. It's an amazing show lasting ten minutes, it's free and honestly I believe it is just as good as the London show.

     For the actual party we went to the Fifth Club situated on Princess Street. It has three floors, each playing different type of music so everyone should find something they like. Another benefit of this venue is the cheap drink prices. Jagerbomb was only £0.99, a bottle of Carlsberg or Fosters £1.50 and shot with mixer for £2.50!

     The places you want to visit are the Cathedral situated near the Victoria train station and the Art Museum near the Albert's square. Both places are very interesting and the entrance is free. Overall Manchester is an awesome city and I definitely would like to visit it again!

PARIS, FRANCE

     I went to Paris to celebrate my 16th birthday. Although it was the beginning of September, it was very warm and sunny, just the perfect weather for some sight-seeing!

     The tourist attraction you've got to visit when in Paris is obviously the Eiffel Tower. The view on Paris from the second floor is simply amazing! The white architecture looks magical, a real breath-taking view! Although the queue for the tickets is always very long, it is definitely worth the wait. And if you get hungry, I recommend buying fries from a chippy stand next door. Ticket prices for the Eiffel Tower entrance vary between €7,00 and €11,00.

     The Eiffel Tower looks just as nice at night, when it is all lit up with lights, so make sure to check it out, whilst out on an evening walk ;)

     In a convenient place, right opposite the Eiffel Tower you'll be able to find the Gardens of the Trocadero, which look absolutely stunning! 

     Another place you've got to see is the Arc de Triomphe de l'Etoile. The Triumphal Arch honours those who fought and died in the French Revolutionary. It's a really nice piece of architecture and a perfect spot for some photos.

     Whether you're making it a family trip or you're a bit of a kid yourself, you should go to the Disneyland Paris Resort and enjoy some rides. I would especially recommend the spaceship ride, which is a roller-coaster with a 360 degrees turn! Be patient though, when visiting Disneyland at peak time, be prepared to wait around 60-80 minutes in a queue for a ride that lasts about 3 mins! The resort is divided into two parks, and there is no way you will be able to go through all the attractions within one day. 

     When the sun goes down, Paris is still alive so don't be afraid to walk down the main streets and visit all the charming restaurants and cafe's. It is especially nice in summer, when you can drink a cocktail outside whilst enjoying the view on the Eiffel Tower.

     If you're short on money and you find Paris accommodations too expensive, try finding a hotel in towns surrounding central Paris. An example of such town is Val d'Europe, which has an easy access to central Paris, as well as is ridiculously close to the Disneyland Resort, so it might be worth looking into.

     Overall, Paris is a place you have to visit at least once in your lifetime! It is very romantic, the architecture is amazing and although it is a bit pricey, you won't regret it ;)

LEGNICA, POLAND

NO PLACE LIKE HOME!

     Legnica is a town I was born in and lived for the first ten years of my life, hence why I have a massive sentimentality towards it. It lays upon river Kaczawa in the Lower Silesian Voivodeship in southwestern Poland.

     Town Centre is constantly changing, giving Legnica a modern vibe about it. The are three huge shopping centres, where you will be able to find absolutely everything you need, from shops, cafes and restaurants to cinema, children's play area and a hotel.

     There are many monuments around town. The "Herring Houses" are one. These are colourful buildings in the middle of town centre, where fishes used to be sold in the old days.

     House "Under the Quail Basket" is another monument based next to the theatre, that is famous for it's original shape and texture.

     Poland is a very catholic country, and so there are many churches around Legnica, including the cathedral in town centre.

     The monarchy that used to occupy the town left an amazing castle behind. Part of it is now used as a secondary school, however you can purchase a tour around the castle in a group of no less than three Monday to Friday between 10am-4pm.

     If you're looking for a place to eat I recommend the Don Giovani restaurant in the middle of town centre. It offers delicious food and desserts. It has an outside sitting area, a perfect place to chill on a sunny afternoon.

     When deciding where to go before hitting a night club I would advise you to try the "Sky Light- beach on a roof" bar situated on the roof of the Gwarna mall. You can enjoy beer or cocktails whilst sitting on sand surrounded by a beautiful view on Legnica. However, be prepared that the cocktails at a bar are a bit more expensive than in other places.

BREMEN, GERMANY

I WANT TO PARTY IN BREMEN NIGHT AND DAY!

     

     I went to Bremen at the end of 2013 to visit my friend and to celebrate New Year's Eve with him and his crew. It is a lovely city situated in north-western Germany on Weser River.

     It does not have an U-bahn (underground) however it is very easy to relocate around the city with the normal trains. If you are a student, and you're under the age of 21, you can buy yourself a monthly train ticket for as little as €19.

     Outside the train station you will be able to find a fragment of the Berlin Wall that symbolises the old division. I personally think it is an exciting part of history and of course I had to have a photo next to it.

     The city itself is quite old. Town centre is full of historical buildings. St Peter's Cathedral is one of them. It is a church of beautiful architecture with tall twin towers.

     In the middle of the market square there is a gold 'hole' in the ground. It is very easy to miss this attraction so watch out! When you drop a coin into the hole, voices of the prisoners from old dungeons speak out. It is really cool!

     If you consider yourself to be unlucky, you're in the correct place. Apparently if you touch a donkeys hoof on the statue in town centre, you will get luck. It is worth a try.

     On the outer line of town centre there are a few narrow streets. Their scenery reminds me of Disney movies, it's a magical place to be.

     Whilst visiting Bremen you have to try their local beer- Beck's. Somehow it does taste better to the Beck's sold in UK pubs. You may also like to try beers from other German regions.

     Overall Bremen is a really nice city, it's a shame I only went over there for three days. I had a lot of fun exploring it, and would love to go back there again sometime soon. If you book in advance, you can find cheap flights from London Stansted with Ryanair. I paid £54 return. The airport in Bremen is really small, there is no way you will be able to get lost. I strongly recommend visiting this city for a weekend break away.