Local Guides World
Alex Bransby
12 reviews on 1 places
Hidden gem in London! Newly opened and free to enter. Small security checkpoint but nothing too serious. No food and drink allowed up on the roof but they provide free lockers to store these items as well as any heavy or bulky baggage. No cost to enter but you need to show ID. Lift takes you straight up and then you can roam around the roof admiring the views, which are quite different from any other viewpoint in London. There’s not really any other viewpoint in the area so the view you get is fairly unique. Lovely place to sit and relax as it’s done really nice with plats and benches. There’s a free public toilet upstairs that as of the time of writing, is one of the nicest in all of London.
Well worth a visit to check out, the staff there are so lovely and friendly, nice to have a chat with. All in all it’s a great place to check out if you live in London or are visiting!
Well worth a visit to check out, the staff there are so lovely and friendly, nice to have a chat with. All in all it’s a great place to check out if you live in London or are visiting!
Nice statue on Parliament Square facing the Palace of Westminster of Britain’s wartime Prime Minister. Nice area around it and worth a stop by if you’re in the area and interested in history…
Absolute hidden Italian gem in Nyon! Nice modern vibe with friendly staff and superb food and wine! The idea of the restaurant is Italian Tapas, and each component is of absolutely superb quality and is delicious! Also try and look out for the friendly little cat sometimes sleeping by the entrance! All in all it’s a lovely experience and with great quality produce it’s a taste of Italy in Switzerland, absolutely worth a visit when in the area!
Where to even start… for phalerists and medal enthusiasts this place is HEAVEN! For history lovers, jewellery nuts and everyone else it is a truly amazing place to marvel at some incredible treasures.
This place is truly the most underrated museum in all of Paris, and my all time favourite in the world. Everyone should spend a few hours wandering the halls of this place. Located in the center of Paris, the museum is located directly opposite the Musée d’Orsay and this means it’s right on top of the RER station of the same name. It’s also a two min walk from Metro stop Solférino and a four min walk from Assemblée Nationale, both on Metro Line 12. The entry to the museum is free, which is a fantastic perk of like me, you come back multiple times a year. The staff at the front desk are very friendly and assist you with any questions, and there are also toilets in the main reception area.
The museum itself is laid out very well, and easy to navigate. It’s best to start off with the rooms containing the French orders and decorations. This spans a huge period of time and French history, starting off with the old royal orders from the Ancien Regime. The examples of the Order of Saint Michel, Order of the Holy Spirit and the Order of St Louis are some of the finest in the world and comprise the best collection of these orders anywhere in the planet. Not just insignia but also mantles and robes, as well as documents, cases and other paraphernalia. The French exhibit continues with the greatest collection on the planet of the museums namesake; the Legion d’Honneur. The quality and variety of the sets of insignia on display will blow you alway… tones of examples from the Napoleonic First Empire, through the Bourbon Restoration, July Monarchy, Second Republic, Second Empire and finally the 3rd, 4th and current 5th republic. Showing the slight and sometimes radical alterations made to the design of the order, there are examples from every grade and every period. The highlight of the Legion d’Honneur section is the three collars on display, the Napoleonic collar, the collar from the third republic and the collar of the current French state, still used at presidential inaugurations today.
The next part of the museum deals with orders and decorations from around the world, starting off with the rest of Europe. The selection of insignia on display is beyond world-class. It is simply the greatest collection ever compiled, both in quality and quantity. Sets of insignia almost impossible to see on display anywhere else on earth, as well as examples from very famous individuals. Almost every European country, both big and small and from different eras of their history are displayed. Stunningly rare items from the German and Italian states, as well as British Orders of the Garter, Habsburg Orders of the Fleece, Swedish Order of the Seraphim and Danish Order of the Elephant, are displayed beautifully and in such quantities and quality that it takes your breath away. Towards the end of the international hall you can see items from Asian, Middle Eastern, African and American counties with some very rare articles on display as well.
Upstairs deals with mostly either military medals, or individuals collections that have been kept and displayed together. Full of examples of some of the rarest and most beautiful orders and decorations, it’s truly breathtaking. The artistry and craft of these pieces, as well as in some cases the value of precious stones and diamonds, not to even mention the rarity, mean that anyone even slightly interested in these objects, don’t find a better collection anywhere else. You will find you have spent hours just admiring these beautiful objects and learning their history and meaning.
If you are a collector yourself, it’s very fun to see items on display that you have in your personal collection, as well as items you’ve always dreamed of owning. If you are very interested, I recommend visiting on the 18th September each year, as this is a government open day in Paris and you can visit the chancellery as well!
This place is truly the most underrated museum in all of Paris, and my all time favourite in the world. Everyone should spend a few hours wandering the halls of this place. Located in the center of Paris, the museum is located directly opposite the Musée d’Orsay and this means it’s right on top of the RER station of the same name. It’s also a two min walk from Metro stop Solférino and a four min walk from Assemblée Nationale, both on Metro Line 12. The entry to the museum is free, which is a fantastic perk of like me, you come back multiple times a year. The staff at the front desk are very friendly and assist you with any questions, and there are also toilets in the main reception area.
The museum itself is laid out very well, and easy to navigate. It’s best to start off with the rooms containing the French orders and decorations. This spans a huge period of time and French history, starting off with the old royal orders from the Ancien Regime. The examples of the Order of Saint Michel, Order of the Holy Spirit and the Order of St Louis are some of the finest in the world and comprise the best collection of these orders anywhere in the planet. Not just insignia but also mantles and robes, as well as documents, cases and other paraphernalia. The French exhibit continues with the greatest collection on the planet of the museums namesake; the Legion d’Honneur. The quality and variety of the sets of insignia on display will blow you alway… tones of examples from the Napoleonic First Empire, through the Bourbon Restoration, July Monarchy, Second Republic, Second Empire and finally the 3rd, 4th and current 5th republic. Showing the slight and sometimes radical alterations made to the design of the order, there are examples from every grade and every period. The highlight of the Legion d’Honneur section is the three collars on display, the Napoleonic collar, the collar from the third republic and the collar of the current French state, still used at presidential inaugurations today.
The next part of the museum deals with orders and decorations from around the world, starting off with the rest of Europe. The selection of insignia on display is beyond world-class. It is simply the greatest collection ever compiled, both in quality and quantity. Sets of insignia almost impossible to see on display anywhere else on earth, as well as examples from very famous individuals. Almost every European country, both big and small and from different eras of their history are displayed. Stunningly rare items from the German and Italian states, as well as British Orders of the Garter, Habsburg Orders of the Fleece, Swedish Order of the Seraphim and Danish Order of the Elephant, are displayed beautifully and in such quantities and quality that it takes your breath away. Towards the end of the international hall you can see items from Asian, Middle Eastern, African and American counties with some very rare articles on display as well.
Upstairs deals with mostly either military medals, or individuals collections that have been kept and displayed together. Full of examples of some of the rarest and most beautiful orders and decorations, it’s truly breathtaking. The artistry and craft of these pieces, as well as in some cases the value of precious stones and diamonds, not to even mention the rarity, mean that anyone even slightly interested in these objects, don’t find a better collection anywhere else. You will find you have spent hours just admiring these beautiful objects and learning their history and meaning.
If you are a collector yourself, it’s very fun to see items on display that you have in your personal collection, as well as items you’ve always dreamed of owning. If you are very interested, I recommend visiting on the 18th September each year, as this is a government open day in Paris and you can visit the chancellery as well!
Beautiful little garden, wonderfully kept and glorious on a sunny day. A real oasis of calm even within Volkspark Humboldthain, and a must visit when visiting the park. Lots of lovely flowers and plants and plenty of benches to sit and relax…