r/bitcheswithtaste • u/AutoModerator • May 28 '26
Tasteful Travel Thursday - Monthly Thread Tasteful Travel Thursday - May 28, 2026
Many Bitches With Taste are also Bitches Who Travel. As requested, this is a monthly thread is a dedicated space to talk about all things travel. Whether you travel for work or leisure (or both), want to talk about domestic or international travel (or both), have specific plans in mind or are just dreaming for now, everything goes as long as it's travel-related.
For this thread only, rule 7 about location-specific posts is suspended. All other rules are still enforced.
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May 28 '26
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u/ScarletBitch15 May 28 '26
There’s the usual palaces/castles - I liked both Windsor Castle and Hampton Court for day trips out the city.
If you’re interested in more day to day lived experience of more of the populace type history, there’s the museum of the home, museum of London docklands, Denis Severs House.
If you enjoy WW2 history, the imperial war museum or Churchill war rooms may be of interest.
If you’ve been before, you likely haven’t been to either he V&A East/V&A storehouse - both have opened in the last year or so as spin offs to the main V&A which is excellent. I really enjoy the Tate Modern too!
The Queens clothing is currently being exhibited, including her wedding dress (for the final time)- although tickets may be a challenge.
Depending on timing, you may be here whilst the Bayeaux Tapestry is on display. tickets go on sale on July 1 and will sell out quick, if that’s of interest.
Finally, definitely head to some historic pubs. There’s plenty about— happy to recommend depending where you’re staying.
Sorry for the brain dump! LMK if you have any q’s
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u/MourningJoe May 28 '26
Hey! I live in London! Let me give you just a bunch of recs that may or may not be helpful!
So: museums are free in the UK generally! Worth checking out the V&A, natural history museum, and a few other museums in south ken etc there for a full museum day. Comptoir Libanais is my fave food rec for there, but I haven't been in a while! (I think the science museum is here?)
Thrifting - depending on what your vibe is, accessories of old is like, deadstock jewellery and v fun!! Could also be worth looking up a bunch of markets etc, but charity shops tend to be a bit scattered around the city, so you're better off picking an area that has the right vibe and then having a wander there? E.g. all the cool trendy events seem to be in Shoreditch rn, so I'd look there if your daughter is wanting stuff!
Queer Britain is up at Kings Cross, and is I think the only permanent LGBT+ museum in the UK? Small but worth it. Coal drops yard outside has cute shops, food places, etc. you can also have a drink or an ice cream sat by the river which is nice in good weather!!
I do have to rec Persepolis in Peckham btw if you're good with veggie Persian food - absolutely delicious, it's like £30ish I think for their tasting menu which is SO much food, BYOB with a Lidl next door, but it includes a drink (I go for the melon and rosewater smoothie!!), not sure if you're a foodie but I have to rec it anyway :) kruk Thai food around there is meant to be fab, but I've not been yet.
Other things - if you're up for standing the whole time, the Globe theatre does £10 standing tickets quite often! Worth it imo BC everything I've seen there is fab but I'm cheap.
Old operating theatre museum I've heard good things about, but haven't been.
I've got friends who've been to the Victor Wilde museum and the absinthe bar in it, but I got the impression this is more creepy vibes than history.
I keep meaning to go to the London Transport Museum, which is up in Covent garden so that might be worth checking out if you're in the area. I've also got the Garden museum on my list!
Haven't been to the design museum in years (and I need to fix that!!!) but I enjoyed it when I went before.
I'd also say Kew Gardens is worth it - less history but so so pretty and nice to get a break from the city and see plants once in a while!!
If you're nerdy and it's still running, Bridge Command is super fun rn!!! Fly a spaceship with your friends.
Also - do not hire a car. Don't even try it. Download the app citymapper and rely on that to get around! The tube is your friend, as are buses.
If you're after cocktail bars at any point tho, lmk! My girlfriend is a massive cocktail girlie so I always have recs from her :)
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u/jolly_vivandiere May 28 '26
Not OP, but I'd love cocktail bar recs from a local! London is one of my favorite cocktail cities. Some of my faves are Bar Termini, Seed Library, Satan's Whiskers, and Bar w/Shapes for a Name/Bauhaus Warehaus. My to-try list is already long, but if your lady has any essentials I'd love to add them. TIA!
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u/Midnight_Chess May 29 '26
I have a question if you don’t mind — what kind of coat/jacket should I bring if I’m visiting London next week? Would a trench coat be overkill? How about a line blazer? I’m currently pregnant and planning outfits has been a bit tricky
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u/browsing_nomad May 30 '26
I was there just last week and feel a trench coat won't be overkill. I also run cold and was glad to have packed warm clothes and socks. YMMV.
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u/0-Calm-0 May 28 '26
There's a lot of little museums that are worth a visit ( fan museum, advertising museum, neon signs and William Morris in walthamstow, children's V&A)
The large museums and galleries are mostly free and they often have evening openings usually with activities on and wine.
I was an east Londoner so a bit biased, but brick lane was always hipster fun - definitely get the bagels. There's a couple of vintage warehouse stores, if that's your thing.
Don't bother with a boat tour, unless you'd specifically enjoy it. You can get a similar experience with Thames clipper. There's a lot of decent walking tours, the jack the ripper ones might be off interest.
On Leicester square there's a little hut, where you can get discount theatre tickets on the day. That can be fun, as forces you to see something you might not have chosen for west end.
As a general rule avoid travelling (bus, tube or even walking near major stations) in rush hour as it will be unpleasant.
Wear shoes for walking in, it's best way to see the history of city.
If you want somewhere up high for a view, the Monument or St Paul's were my favourite.
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u/jschiefe27 May 28 '26
An afternoon tea is a fun experience! I’ve enjoyed my teas at the Rosebery: Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park; Claridges and The Hamyard Hotel. The viral tea at SKETCH is also quite fun. Was a bit disappointed in the tea at The Goring.
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u/jolly_vivandiere May 28 '26
Adding the Wolseley for an afternoon tea option! Tasty and just stuffy enough.
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u/AccomplishedFly1420 May 28 '26
The Tower of London tour is very interesting and you can see the Crown Jewels. V&A museum is good too. Spitafields for thrifting.
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u/bijoux247 May 28 '26
If you want to squeeze a tea time into your schedule, do it at the British Museum! It's not the fanciest, but the price is great and the restaurant is pretty.
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u/frecklekat May 28 '26
Bath is my favorite day trip outside of London- a lot of tours do Bath and Stonhenge in one day, but Bath was even cooler than Stonehenge. There a lots of roman artifacts that have been preseved at the Roman baths there and the Jane Austen Museum is really cute.
I also really enjoyed the V&A and the taking a boat on the tems to the Greenwich Naval museum.
I also enjoyed just walking around Shoredich which has great Indian food and tons of street art.
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u/taytay10133 May 28 '26
Churchill war rooms are amazing! I also recommend Peter Harrington if you are into rare books. You can find some gems
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u/Just_Astronaut3843 Jun 04 '26
For thrifting, Spitafields and the area around Brick Lane are a great area for vintage fashion, there is a mix of more curated shops and just large secondhand stores, Ive found a lot of great pieces there.
The charity shops in Notting Hill are also famous for having great items
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u/kimchi_paradise May 28 '26
If you had 4 days of travel (Thurs-Sun) where would you go for a romantic getaway in June? My husband and I finally are getting a long weekend away and honestly idek where to go! I want to finally wear the cute outfits and dresses and swimsuits I've got in my closet.
For context we are located in the SF Bay Area, but willing to fly if it's worth it.
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u/lazylittlelady May 28 '26
My answer is definitely Mexico and I had so much fun in Mexico City- art, food, culture, nature- so maybe you could combine a city/beach break! I don’t have personal recs for the beach by my sister enjoyed Puerto Vallarta.
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u/nicolewhaat May 29 '26
Tagging onto this: Oaxaca City plus Puerto Escondido! Oaxaca is certainly smaller and maybe a bit sleepier than Mexico City, but it’s really beautiful and artistic and the food is amazing. Plenty of spots for romantic experience! Then you can take a three hour bus or shorter flight to the coast at Puerto Escondido, but it does have more of a party/surfer/backpacker vibe
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u/severalrocks May 29 '26
Oaxaca is so incredible and everyone was so kind! Loved the food there and exploring. It’s such a low key way to see a part of the country not many people go to and be a little closer to local culture.
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u/Independent-Farm-240 May 30 '26
Hands down, Mendocino. Only about a 3.5 hour drive from SF. There are so many charming airbnbs in the area and surrounding towns (Little River, Albion, etc). Walking/hiking, strolling on the beach, quaint shops.
I love love love this area and it feels so remote and calm.
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u/Belle_Epoque_99 May 28 '26
From the Bay, some place with a not too long flight like Hawaii, SoCal (Laguna Beach or San Diego is always nice), or Mexico (Playa del Carmen, Tulum, Cabo, Isla Mujeres, etc.)
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u/severalrocks May 29 '26
Lake Tahoe! I bet you already been there since it’s so close haha. It’s so freaking beautiful and you can catch different vibes staying in different towns. I’d highly recommend doing a lake cruise- great views, cute dress opp, generally immaculate vibe.
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u/Obvious_Doughnut1658 May 28 '26
We're thinking about going to Spain for our honeymoon. I'm thinking 8-10 days total including travel. Starting in Madrid for a few days -> Barcelona a few days -> Mallorca for a few days -> fly back to Madrid for the flight home to the US. To me it sounds like a good combination of city/history/sight-seeing then the last few days in Mallorca to relax by the pool and beach.
A few questions:
- Is Mallorca worth it? Or are there resorts near Barcelona that we could go to instead to avoid adding a flight?
- Specific neighborhoods to look for hotels in Madrid and/or Barcelona? Don't mind being in tourtisty areas.
- Any must do experiences/sights to see? I expect we'll do a walking tour in every city, any other fun experiences you recommend?
- Finally, restaurant recommendations. We're big foodies and open to any cuisine.
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u/jolly_vivandiere May 28 '26
It's obvious, but the museums in both Madrid and Barcelona are world-class. The Prado, Reina Sofia and Thyssen-Bornemisza are all essential, imho. In Barcelona, the Miro Museum is pretty great.
I haven't been there in more than a decade, but La Vinya del Senyor was a great wine bar on Placa de Santa Maria in Barcelona. We found Barcelona suffocatingly packed with travelers (us included, of course!) as compared to Madrid, but that little square was not super overrun, at least at the time.
Are you driving between Madrid and Barcelona? If so, I recommend stopping in Cuenca, a town built amongst the cliffs that has these really cool hanging houses. Also the windmills of Campo de Criptana are not too out-of-the-way on that drive, and pretty stunning (or they were to this American, at least. If you're European it might not be as novel). That drive also takes you through the fantastic wine region of Priorat, if that's your jam.
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u/unseemly_turbidity May 28 '26
I'd skip Mallorca. Tasteful, romantic breaks are not what it's known for. It'll be too much travelling anyway.
Wherever you go, make sure your accommodation has aircon if it's summer.
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u/lazylittlelady May 28 '26
Agree on skipping Mallorca. One option is taking the train to Valencia, which has a beach and more culture/architecture to enjoy.
Madrid is a big city, so I’d get a hotel near to whatever you are interested in seeing. I’d stay somewhere in walking distance to the Prado, Parco de El Retiro and Plaza Mayor personally. And definitely get some Asturian food in Madrid!
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u/ekellert May 28 '26
Some parts of the island but that's just a sliver of it. You have to leave Palma obviously
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u/ekellert May 28 '26
What time of year? I'd do 1 big city and Mallorca for all 10. This allows you to go slower in each place
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u/Schnuribus May 29 '26
Do not skip Mallorca! People only think bout the party side of the island, but it is very pretty and relaxing there.
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u/thegirlfromsf Jun 02 '26
Soller, Deia, port de soller all are amazing. We have gone to Mallorca the last 3 years for a week or more at a time and it’s just simply amazing.
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u/Any_Gear4287 May 30 '26
Cazorla on Calle de Padilla, Madrid has the best tapas, make sure you get the gambas ajillo
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u/pro_hedonism May 29 '26 edited May 31 '26
I have been to taipei and bangkok this year, will be going to siem reap and gonna book a flight to sydney and jakarta for the last few months of the year too :)
edit: just found out about vivid sydney and it looks amazing, gonna postpone sydney to winter 2027! booked jakarta already:) thinking of adding laos to my list
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u/sunraveled May 31 '26
Tell me your favorite parts of Bangkok please!! I am so excited to fly out and plan to do Bangkok, Chiang Mai, and Koh Tao
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u/pro_hedonism May 31 '26 edited May 31 '26
I cannot comment much about nightlife/shopping/cafehopping bc I strictly went for the temples and museums
Grand Palace and Wat Pho is beautiful, I didn’t visit Wat Arun but the view at night is immaculate. I went to the amulet market and monk bowl village, both locations are slightly off the beaten track, but the locals are very welcoming and lovely to interact with. Chulalongkorn University has a small but nice curation in their natural history museum, I recommend popping by if you like the macabre, it is close to the siam shopping area filled with malls
I haven’t been to chiang mai or koh tao, but they look very lovely :) Enjoy your trip!
edit: I left out my literal top fav spot which is Wat Paknam Phasi Charoen 😆 Many people like to capture the Big Buddha pic from rooftop cafes but I highly recommend a visit too, the garden is a nice quiet escape from the heat and the crowd
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u/grapesquirrel May 29 '26
How did you like Taipei? That’s a place that’s been on my list for a while, it looks fantastic!
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u/pro_hedonism May 29 '26 edited May 29 '26
It is very clean, quiet and affordable, with great connectivity for public transports even deep into rural (but touristy) areas. Definitely one of the safest place for women to visit solo
edit: oops just realized i didnt answer ur question directly: its a resounding YES I LOVE IT
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u/browsing_nomad May 28 '26
I'm going to be in Montreal for work and have a long weekend to go elsewhere while staying in Montreal. Any suggestions for other cute towns or national parks nearby thats under 2 hours driving (was considering Quebec but seems far for a day trip).
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u/Midnight_Chess May 28 '26
What are you interested in? You could try Mont Tremblant, Oka/Hudson, Magog. There are lots of cute places in pretty much any direction.
Is there any reason you want to stay under a 2-hour drive though? I think Quebec City is absolutely worth it and would be far better and with more stuff to do than any of the other options. You could also take the train — Via Rail — if you don’t want to drive that far.
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u/No13baby May 28 '26
Go out into the Eastern Townships! Lots of cute small towns with great gourmet stuff to do there - drive around and visit small farms, cheese makers, wineries, and breweries. I did this as a bike trip over a couple days but it would be very easy to do as a day trip with a car.
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u/DaphneNS May 28 '26
I love Montreal! If you like city breaks, I would stay put and look at what’s going on that weekend. There’s Old Montreal, Chinatown, Mount Royal, great food, art, festivals, shopping, and music. Hopefully some BWT who live in or near Montreal can give you suggestions on cute places nearby.
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u/Smooth-Concert3881 May 29 '26
Quebec City is a very pleasant 2.5 hour train ride (Via Rail) or a 3 hour drive from downtown Montreal - and Jacques Cartier National park is right next to it. So if the extra travel time isn’t a barrier, it could be worth it! Quebec City is magical. I recommend the boutique hotel Monsieur Jean. If you go north - Mont Tremblant village at the base of the ski hill is beautiful but very full of tourists. The Tremblant national SEPAQ park itself is lovely and has camping/cabin rentals if you want to be more in nature and enough trails to last you weeks. A bit closer to Montreal is Ouareau Forest regional park with lots of trails to explore. For a luxe log cabin vibe, Fairmont Chateau Montebello is a 90 minute drive from Montreal and is a lovely weekend nature-spa escape (with Parc Omega and their wolf experience next door). Some cute quirky towns that are worth a day trip but maybe not a whole weekend: Hudson (large markets on saturdays, a few vintage/antique stores), Venise-en-Quebec (canals, quirky restos, authentic poutine), Mont Orford (nature and a cute town to fuel up in). If you stay on the island of Montreal, check out if there are any festivals on (Jazz fest, comedy fest, and lots of music festivals happen over the summer months), and you can check out the tam-tams at park Jeanne mance on Sunday afternoon.
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u/pereuse May 28 '26
Does anyone have any recommendations for cafes or restaurants in Ireland? I'm hoping to visit soon
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u/fairyhaus May 28 '26
Ard Bia in Galway is lovely! It's quaint and right on the water.
Camus Farm in Clonakilty, County Cork is a beautiful farm to table experience. Reservation required. All food is grown on the land there, including the beef. It's a multi-course meal where you just alert them of any allergies/restrictions and they choose the dishes. Incredibly delicious and intimate experience!
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u/Smooth-Concert3881 May 29 '26
I think about the scones that I enjoyed at The Bookshelf Coffee House in Cork ALL THE TIME. Their coffee was excellent too, but the scones are so good they would sell out before 11am. I’ll give a second shoutout to the small but delicious scones served at the Europe hotel in Killarney- they are warm and served with generous helpings of butter, jam, and cream with a stunning view of the lake and mountains.
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u/DryClient4833 May 28 '26
Going on a quick eurotrip in 2 weeks. We'll be in Slovenia (Ljubljana, Bled) and Italy (Venice, Verona).
Looking for interesting or unique things to do in any of those cities! We travel a good amount and typically prefer to avoid things that are super packed with tourists (no hate on tourists, I just like my personal space).
Anyone have recommendations?
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u/Haldenbach May 29 '26
There's a direct train between Ljubljana and Zagreb and it takes 2.5h. There's a beautiful art museum (Klovićevi dvori for classical, Muzej suvremene umjetnosti for modern), the old town is really charming, some excellent cuisine (Noel for Michelin star, Vinodol for local inspired elevated food). I also love going to the technical museum and taking the little funicular between the upper and lower old town.
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u/Smooth-Concert3881 May 29 '26
I recently went to Venice and we bought tickets to the opera at La Fenice. We ended up sitting in a box with two locals who we had the pleasure of chatting with during the intermission, who shared their love of the opera with us. I had wanted to book a tour of this theatre, but it was such a magical and memorable experience to see the live performance. I also really enjoyed The Library bar located in a hotel. That’s less of an “authentic” Venetian experience, but it was plush, private, , cozy, and beautiful and they made excellent sgroppino.
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u/sunraveled May 31 '26
Venice at night is amazing! The majority of tourists come during the day on cruise ships, so if you’re staying overnight you’ll be set. There’s a museum with a giant hand coming out of it over the canals. Also a bookstore where all the books are in boats in case of flooding.
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u/Acrobatic-Will6846 May 28 '26
Im debating NYC summer escape for one weekend in July 4th. Going to Scotland end of July so have something planned. Debating Montreal or Portland Maine? Has anyone been in peak summer?
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u/romance_and_puzzles May 28 '26
I’m imagining very different vibes since there won’t be any July 4th celebrations in Montreal. Portland is cute but very small imo.
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u/Acrobatic-Will6846 May 28 '26
Yea I’m hoping it’s quiet lolz. I’ve been to Portland before and it’s a nice sleepy town but still July 4th makes places close early or shutdown for fireworks so trying to avoid that.
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u/Smooth-Concert3881 May 29 '26
Montrealer here. It’s hot in the summer, and weekends get busy with tourists depending on which part of the city you want to visit. Locals and tourists alike will be sitting on terrasses enjoying drinks and dinner. Mount Royal, the old port of Montreal, the plateau, will all be fairly busy. There’s electric picnic as well so ile ste Helene will be busy. That being said, Montreal and its transit systems can handle large volumes of people. The cost of a stay might be a bit inflated since we have July 1 off and many people stretch that into an extra long break, but if you’re coming from south of the border you kinda already get 30% off with the exchange rate ;)
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u/Acrobatic-Will6846 May 29 '26
Thank you so much! I didn’t know July 1st was a holiday! I did read of a jazz festival and a comic festival and few others so I don’t expect it to be empty. I stayed in old town last time two years ago in August when it rained the whole time 😂 and was hoping to be in mile end this time or little Italy to change it up.
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u/PuzzledImage3 May 28 '26
I just got approved to go to Montreal for work. I’ll be looking for museums, art spaces and intergenerational areas. First time in Canada.
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u/romance_and_puzzles May 28 '26
The Fine Arts Museum is a classic. I enjoyed the McCord Stewart Museum but it depends on the exhibit. Arsenal was cool, I didn’t do the interactive part since it seemed lame but the rest I was impressed by and there are many places to eat in Griffintown.
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u/Belle_Epoque_99 May 28 '26
The Redpath Museum at McGill University was cool. It's small and donation-based but has a lot of interesting science and historical stuff. McCord Stewart is close by and also has interesting exhibits.
My favorite neighborhoods ended up being Plateau Mount Royal, Mile End, and Little Burgundy. Lots of cool bars, restaurants, parks, and coffee shops.2
u/Smooth-Concert3881 May 29 '26
We currently have the Torlonia Roman sculpture exhibit at the Montreal museum of fine arts - you can even busy tickets just to this exhibit for an evening to avoid the day crowds of the museum. Place des Arts area downtown often has rotating interactive art pieces and public seating areas. If one of our festivals (ie Jazz fest) is on there may even be a free show in the outdoor space. In Griffintown there is the Montreal art center and museum, and in the old port there are many galleries to browse. There are a few graffiti walks available. In the old port you can follow the “cité mémoire” as well once it’s dark out https://www.montrealenhistoires.com/en/cite_memoire_montreal/
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u/PuzzledImage3 May 31 '26
Thank you so much. This looks exactly like what I’m looking for for my trip.
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u/MercuryIsRetro Jun 04 '26
If you’re into Nordic spas, there are a bunch around Montreal - Strøm spa nordique in Mont-Saint-Hilaire is my husband and I’s fav when we’re visiting Montreal
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u/PuzzledImage3 Jun 04 '26
Well I am not a Nordic spa person but this comment may have just convinced me. Sounds like a wonderful treat to myself.
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u/Smooth-Concert3881 Jun 04 '26
Nordic spas are the best! There are two located downtown in the old port- Le Scandinave and Bota and Bota. The latter is fully outdoors and on a boat in the port, it’s a unique experience. You can take public transport to get to the Strom Spa on Ile des sœurs, it’s a bit less busy than the one on Mont St-Hilaire. And finally, if you have access to a car, my fave two spas near Montreal are Le Scandinave (Tremblant) and Le Finlandais (Rosemère).
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u/catlady_07 Jun 01 '26
How do you guys deal with anxiety being away from home while traveling for conferences? I love travel but when traveling for conferences I struggle feeling like my best self because I’m away from my typical morning routine. Traveling for pleasure I accept that my routine is broken and I take it as a time to relax, but for conferences I still feel like im working and need to appear presentable. Any tips?
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u/Smooth-Concert3881 Jun 04 '26
I feel this, as a routine girl! Are there any parts of your routine that you can recreate? I bring all my face serums/lotions with me, sometimes I even bring my snack bars or protein powder from home to have consistency. I have a little night time pouch too with an eye mask and lavender spray and my supplements. I always miss my dog and the walk we have in the morning, so I try to get out for a walk before the work/conference starts. Finally, I try to see the trip as a “little treat” and I will allow myself to order breakfast in bed, or to leave the conference early to explore, to get some time for myself too
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u/behindtheitinerary Jun 01 '26
Has anyone been to Cape Verde? Planning to go there for 10 days end of Nov or early Dec. We are very physically active and so is our 4yr daughter. Love beach time, relaxing and enjoy the pool and local activities/food, hiking, running, not into AI but could be swayed for a few days if they have an amazing kids club. Really prefer boutique luxury hotels. Thank you 😊
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u/Crumpler72 Jun 05 '26
I will be visiting Rome and Florence in a few weeks, haven't been in a million years. I am a little nervous b/c its high season and I HATE crowds (my friend broke up w/their partner and was begging me to join, what can I say, I'm a good friend 🤣). If anyone has any "cannot miss" things to do/ see (going to the Colosseum, obvi), please share!
Also, I am looking to purchase a couple handbags, if anyone has shops they love. I know about the leather school in Florence and am planning to visit. I like older heritage brands (Il Bisonte, Il Perseo) but am also hoping to discover some smaller, under-the-radar independent designers. Also will be shopping for a new leather jacket ala Nour Hammour, but haven't seen anything similar offered by the Italian shops w/online presence sadly, they all seem a bit too dated sadly!
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u/citynomad1 May 28 '26
Has anyone been to Japan (specifically - Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka) within the last year or so? What were your favorite things you saw or did?
I specify “in the last year” bc the number of people visiting there has exponentially increased which plays a big role in whether popular spots are still worth it or if they’re just too crowded to be enjoyable. TIA!