MAPPING SPECIAL PLACES - A walk along London's Southbank! There is nothing quite like sitting down on a bench after a stroll along the south bank.
It’s such a whimsical place perfect for both Londoners and tourists alike.
And yes going to the South Bank is a touristy thing I still do after so many years of living in London. This space is special to me. In 2006 arrived in Waterloo Station on the Eurostar from Germany via Brussels with only one bag and the idea of staying here for one year. Everything about London and South Bank was new and exciting to me. Fast forward it was the beginning of many years of adventures in this special town. There are so many great places in London that I love and where I go to off the touristy beaten tracks, but for some reason, I always come back to this lively stretch of the river and its surrounding area. This is is one of the most vibrant parts of the city for me and such a great place to soak up London and it's fast-paced rhythm even if it is just watching busy people walk passing by. Whenever I cross the Golden Jubilee bridge at night after meeting up with friends in a bar on the South Bank, I think “This is London. I can’t believe I live here” when I look at the city skyline.

This map shows a selection of the spots you can discover when taking a walk along the Southbank - a perfect spot for a wander along the Thames or a drink with a view of the city skyline.

This place is special to me because... of it's beautiful architectural artistic history. I've always found Rome to be such an inspiring place as an artist, and I've been wanting to create something that would portray that very serene and almost surreal feeling I get from seeing and visiting Rome. The goal of this piece was to show Rome as a courtyard full of marble statues depicting my favorite Roman monuments and various tourists in ancient Roman garb!

POSITANO

This place is special to me because it holds many great memories for me and it is where I met my closest friends. It will always hold a special place in my heart. It also has many great places to visit and is famously the home of the Beatles.

This place is special to me because...it's out of a dream - you won't believe your eyes or your senses, it is magical. Once having visited Hydra, you will 'visit' there twice, once in your physical experience, and again and again in your dreams...until you return again. A captivating island only 47 miles from Athens, cruise over to Hydra and be prepared to hoof it - either on a donkey or foot - because there are no cars and no transportation on the island requiring wheels. Only 19 square miles in size, Hydra will certainly require a huge piece of your heart, for once you visit you will always long to return. Swimsuits and sandals are proper attire for anything on island. Enjoy!

This place is special to me because I now call it home. Two years ago we moved from the city of Bordeaux, to this golden sweet wine producing region of France where the fall morning mist causes the grapes to have “noble rot”, creating a high concentration of sugar in the grapes before they’re picked and made into wine. The landscapes are beautiful here. Sauternes is home to Chateau Yquem, a wine so special, that it’s the only Premier Grand Cru classé “Superior” in the world.

This place is special to me because... Madrid is a beautiful city!! Its full of color and culture, a place I want to visit

Being invited on holiday ten years ago by family friends when I was just 15 was the beginning of many years of adventures in this special town in Austria. Their love for it prompted it to become a home from home for them and I am privileged to have shared many trips, celebrating birthdays, Christmas and seeing in New Year surrounded by family and friends. I learned to ski in these beautiful mountains and have spent many hours having fun exploring the town and the local area. Schladming is special to me not only because of the breath-taking scenery, beautiful churches and quirky bars and restaurants but because of the memories I have made there with the people I love. My next visit in a few short weeks will see us toasting in 2020 and may my adventures long continue in this beautiful little place.

This place is special to me because it is the perfect place to seek for all things sweet. Soho has a lot to offer and here are some of my favourite place to visit if you fancy for something sweet.

This place is special to me because it is a cute, small, cycle-friendly city. I love ambling through its quaint streets, seeing what's new at my favourite places and shopping without bringing back any plastic...all on a cycle!

Welcome to Bienne, a unique Swiss city that is both French and German speaking, and holds the beauty of both water and mountains. Experience a tour of my beloved's city through his 8 year old eyes: all his favourite places in one map! *My first illustrated map, handmade without access to photoshop or any other editing software!*

This place is special to me because since watching the film ‘Before Sunrise’ I have always wanted to trace the characters steps in Vienna and discover the magic & beauty of the places. Permission to use ‘Delusion Angel’ poem kindly granted by Mr David Jewell.

The Jordaan is the oldest &, in my humble opinion, most beautiful part of Amsterdam. It carries so much history, charm & quirky details. The homes here are breathtaking & theres always some interesting art or collectibles in the home windows, which I love!

I always dreamt of going to Sweden and the summer before last I had the chance to spend one month as an artist-in-residence in a charming villa in Ålem, a small town between Stockholm and Kalmar in Småland, South Sweden. Almost everyday I took my sketchbook and an old green bicycle to ride around the fields and forests in the company of sheep, cattle, horses and elks. I was especially in love with Strömsrum, a tiny settlement of wooden houses with an idyllic setting over the Alsterå river. I discovered it by chance and was impressed by the large manor house dating from the 17th century, which was entirely made of wood. I went on to Pataholm at the Kalmar Strait coast, which looks like a picture book village taken directly from an Astrid Lindgren novel, with small wooden houses painted in fox red, a dreamy harbor and a charming café. I’ve tried all the bicycle routes, cafés and swimming spots myself and have captured my travel memories with this map – if you ever come to Småland you should have a visit!