Olivia Simpson Time Out Profile (original) (raw)
Olivia is Translations Editor at Time Out, helping our English language readership access the fantastic work written by her Spanish, French and Portuguese colleagues.
When she returned to the UK after a year studying in Chile, she realised she wasn’t prepared to brave another winter in Blighty, and moved to Madrid. There, she worked as an English teacher and translator, whilst spending her downtime drinking vermouth, eating boquerones and deciding that she was firmly on team tortilla con cebolla.
After a few years, she moved back to her hometown of Glasgow, where she worked in journalism and PR and got her master’s degree in Translation Studies. Now London-based, you’ll catch her desperately searching for a place that sells tattie scones and trying to convince anyone she meets that Tennents is actually decent lager.
Time Out has covered the world’s greatest cities through the eyes of local experts since 1968. For more about us, read our editorial guidelines.
Articles (13)
The 50 best things to do in Madrid
Too many of us stick to the coasts when travelling to Spain, and it’s not hard to see why: the beaches are truly stunning, and coastal cities like Barcelona and Valencia have a lot to offer too. But for those looking to go against the grain, a visit to Madrid, which sits right in the heart of the country, will not disappoint. Extraordinary food, exceptional galleries and museums, picturesque plazas and an abundance of green spaces are just some of the things that make the Spanish capital a great place to live or visit – just ask our editors, who live and work in the capital, and spend their days seeking out the very best of the city. No matter your interests, no matter your budget, you'll find something on this list for you. ¿Vamos? 🍂 Autumn 2024: Madrid is always a great place for art lovers, but this autumn, there’s even more to be excited about than usual, as Estampa Contemporary Art Fair 2024 and FERIARTE, an antiques and art galleries fair, come to town. Sport more your thing? There’s nothing like watching El Clásico (the match between FC Barcelona and Real Madrid, which will be held in the city’s Santiago Bernabéu stadium on October 26) in a Madrid bar, cerveza in hand. RECOMMENDED:🥘 The best restaurants in Madrid🍸 The best bars in Madrid🏘️ Where to stay in Madrid🏨 The best hotels in Madrid🏠 The best Airbnbs in Madrid This article was written by the editorial team at Time Out Madrid. At Time Out, all of our travel guides are written by local writers who know thei
The 12 most underrated city breaks in the UK
When it comes to planning a city break in the UK, a lot of places will probably spring to mind: London, Manchester, Edinburgh. Don’t get me wrong – these are all brilliant cities in their own right, but they shouldn’t always overshadow the other excellent destinations which are slightly more off the beaten path. This country is home to sprawling metropolises, cobbled mediaeval towns, foodie hidden gems and cultural hotspots which double as gateways to stunning countryside. So how do you choose the top spots? To put together this list, we asked our team of editorial staff and expert local travel writers based all over Great Britain to tell us their recommendations for fantastic city breaks. From Scotland to Stoke, here are the best UK city breaks, chosen by us. What is the cheapest UK city break? It’s widely known that London is a pricey place to visit. Edinburgh isn’t much better these days. You’ll be hard-pressed to find a decent hotel room in any large UK city for less than £100 a night, so if you’re looking to save on cash, we’d recommend heading somewhere a bit smaller. Sheffield, our top UK city break, generally offers one-bed Airbnbs and hotel rooms for less than £100. Wells, Stoke and Dundee also offer more affordable accommodation – just bear in mind you’ll probably have to spend a little bit extra to get there, if you’re coming from London. What is the best UK city to get to by train? If you’re travelling from the capital, you’re less than two hours on the train f
10 hacks to help you find a room to rent in London – from Londoners old and new
I’ve lived in this city for four years and have lived in four different properties in that time. A London baby, I know – but still long enough to have learned a thing or two about the capital’s treacherous rental market. My first London home was a strange-smelling shoebox above an agave bar on Kingsland Road. The second? A recently renovated Victorian townhouse with a garden which a former flatmate snagged for bargain rates during the pandemic (we begrudgingly moved out when the landlord raised rent by a sweet 60 percent). Fast forward through a month at an ex’s and now I’m living in a shared house in a decent area, paying below average rent with an (actually!) nice landlord. Hell, it’s not perfect, but I could be doing a lot worse. The art of finding a good room to rent in the capital is an art you’ll slowly learn to master – often because you won’t have much other choice. Those horror stories about evil landlords, bidding wars, impossible flatmate interviews and viewing queues down the street? Not to scare you, but there’s some truth in them. RECOMMENDED: 23 things you should know before moving to LondonLondoners on their subletting horror storiesInside the murky world of property guardianships There is, of course, the bog-standard advice you shouldn’t overlook when searching for a room: don’t rent somewhere with mould (it probably won’t go away), always do the viewing in person, and don’t take that flat on the other side of the river to your pals (you won’t make the jo
20 amazing things to do in Lisbon
Such is the Portuguese capital’s draw, that I’d be willing to bet you’ve either visited Lisbon in recent years, or you’ve got it right at the top of your travel wishlist. It’s a popular place, and with very good reason: the food is spectacular, the nightlife is electric, and the views across the city from its many viewpoints are breathtaking. Happily, there’s still places to discover that are a little further off the tourist trail. How do we know? Because our team of local editors is out and about in this city, day in, day out, searching for the best Lisbon has to offer, from famed museums, to secret bars. How many days should I spend in Lisbon? You could zip through the city’s main attractions in just 48 hours, but Lisbon is best enjoyed at a more leisurely pace, allowing you to stop and smell the jacarandas that bloom in spring, or linger with a glass of wine long after you’ve watched the sunset from one of the rooftop bars. For this, we’d recommend a three night, four day stay. Looking for a longer holiday? It would be near criminal to visit Lisbon in summer without a day trip to the nearby beaches. Visiting in autumn? How about combining your visit to Lisbon with a trip to Porto (less than three hours away via high-speed rail), a city whose many parks look particularly spectacular when the leaves begin to change. RECOMMENDED:🏠 The best Airbnbs in Lisbon 🎭 The best attractions in Lisbon 🍷 The best wine tours in Lisbon 🏨 The best hotels in Lisbon This guide is by the ed
53 unmissable things to do in Paris right now
You’ve seen it in countless films, you’ve read about it in 100 books – even if you’re planning your first visit, you’ve probably got a clear idea of Paris. But here’s the thing: in real life, the City of Light exceeds all expectations. The attractions really are that beautiful, the restaurants really are that good, and the art really is that impressive. And our editors are out there all day every day, experiencing it all. That’s how we bring you this list of the best things to do in Paris – every spot you’ll find here is tried, tested and tried again. How long should I spend there? Four days (or a long weekend) will give you an excellent taste of Paris. But you can just as well speed through a few top attractions in a fun-packed 24 hours, or slow down for a food-fuelled two-week break, and still leave feeling like there’s more to be discovered. However long you spend in the city, just make sure to balance the iconic sites with some of the lesser-known spots we’ve highlighted below – Paris wouldn’t be Paris without that blend of both that gives it a certain je ne sais quoi. RECOMMENDED:🥘 The best restaurants in Paris🏘️ Where to stay in Paris🏺 The best museums in Paris🏡 The best Airbnbs in Paris🎢 The best rides at Disneyland Paris Rémi Morvan is a journalist at Time Out Paris. At Time Out, all of our travel guides are written by local writers who know their cities inside out. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines. This guide includes affiliate links, w
The 51 best attractions and places to visit in Barcelona
In a city like Barcelona, it’s almost impossible to decide on a list of the top 50 attractions – but we’re feeling brave, so we’ll give it a go. From museums and famous buildings to parks and archaeological ruins, this list could go on and on, but below you’ll find the truly essential sites which both tourists and locals should make a beeline for. Only in Barcelona for a couple of days? Head straight to the first few spots on our list. Staying a little longer? Lucky you - you’ll have plenty of time to explore some of the less well-known places we’ve highlighted below, discovered by Barcelona-based editors who eat, sleep and breathe this city. 🍂 Autumn 2024: Beat the intense heat (and escape the crowds of summer tourists) by visiting Barcelona in autumn. This October, the city’s cultural calendar is packed: we’d recommend checking out food fair Mercat de Mercats from October 18-20, or Open House Barcelona, which sees 200 buildings open their doors to the general public, from October 26-27. RECOMMENDED:🥘 The best restaurants in Barcelona🍸 The best bars in Barcelona📍 The best things to do in Barcelona 🏨 The best cheap hotels in Barcelona This article includes affiliate links. These links have no influence on our editorial content. For more information, click here.
The 30 best things to do in Barcelona
Everyone should visit Barcelona at least once. Everyone. No excuses. The Catalan capital is a bustling city that lives up to its reputation, a thriving cultural centre with brilliant museums, magnificent restaurants and a club scene to go all night. Barcelona is brilliant, bombastic, and bloomin’ marvellous. And what are the best things to do while you’re here? We’re glad you asked, because we’ve done the hard yards and put together the ultimate Barna bucket list. You can’t go wrong with this place. Here are its best things to do right now. RECOMMENDED: 🥘 The best restaurants in Barcelona🍸 The best bars in Barcelona📍 The best attractions in Barcelona🏨 The best hotels in Barcelona Maria Jose Gomez is the Time Out Barcelona editor. This piece was written by the editorial team. At Time Out, all of our travel guides are written by local writers who know their cities inside out. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines.
64 famous and fabulous ’80s hits
The ’80s changed music forever. That’s no secret. But choosing the best songs from the era is no easy task: after all, the ’80s gave us hits by Prince, Journey, Madonna and more. It’s eclectic, to say the least. Yes, there was a lot of shoulder pads and yes, some of these songs you’ll have heard more times than you’d choose to. But you can’t deny how many bangers we got from the ’80s crew. And we’ve rounded up our absolute favourites, right here. Here are the most timeless, famous and brilliant songs from the ’80s. RECOMMENDED:🎶 The best ’90s songs🎉 The best party songs ever made🍒 The best pop songs🎤 The best karaoke songs
44 amazing things to do in Porto right now
Porto has all the ingredients for the perfect city break: exceptional local cuisine, great shops, stunning sunset views, and souvenirs your friends and family will be begging you to bring back for them (we’d recommend leaving room in your bags for some beautifully packaged tinned fish, or a nice bottle of Port wine). It’s no surprise, then, that Porto is having a bit of a moment right now. What might surprise you is just how much there is to see and do in this relatively small city. That’s where our local Porto editors come in. They live here, they work here, and they spend their days scouring the city for the very best things to see, do, eat, drink and more. It doesn't matter if it’s the most famous attraction in the city, or totally under the radar: if it’s worth doing in Porto, it's on this list. Find their top picks below. RECOMMENDED:🍴 The best restaurants in Porto🍻 The best bars in Porto🏖️ The best beaches near Porto💗 The best romantic hotels in Porto🏠 The best Airbnbs in Porto This article was written by the editorial team at Time Out Porto. At Time Out, all of our travel guides are written by local writers who know their cities inside out. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines. This guide includes affiliate links, which have no influence on our editorial content. For more information, see our affiliate guidelines.
Your ultimate guide to Notre-Dame-du-Mont, Marseille
Marseille has blown up this year. There’s no doubt. After all, just about everyone you’ve ever met went to Marseille this summer, and its restaurant scene has been steadily gaining international status. But the coolest place in Marseille? That’s another story. We’ve just published our annual rankings of the coolest neighbourhoods in the world, and Marseille’s Notre-Dame-du-Mont came out on top. So although you’ll find brilliant things in all corners of this city, you’re best off starting here. For everything from drag bars to club nights, brunches to galleries, here’s our ultimate guide to Notre-Dame-du-Mont. RECOMMENDED:📍 The best things to do in Marseille🐟 The best restaurants in Marseille🍕 The best pizza in Marseille🏘️ The best Airbnbs in Marseille This guide was written by the team at Time Out Marseille. At Time Out, all of our travel guides are written by local writers who know their cities inside out. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines.
The 18 most beautiful places in Europe, by travel writers who’ve seen them all
Europe is not lacking in jaw-dropping beauty, but how do you choose its top spots? Its home to seven Wonders of the World, for one thing, as well as 34 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, and even that doesn’t begin to scratch the surface of the incredible things you can find across the continent. But even if we can’t list every single one, we can list our favourites. To put together this list, we asked our editorial staff team and travel writers based in Sweden, Greece and more for the most beautiful things they’d ever seen in Europe. The result? Stories of taking boats out on Germany’s hidden lakes, climbing up to vast sand dunes in France and afternoons spent strolling Art Nouveau streets in Latvia. From solitary islands to packed ski resorts, here are the most beautiful places in Europe, picked by us. RECOMMENDED:🌤️ The most beautiful places in the world🌃 The best city breaks in Europe🏖️ The best beaches in Europe🌊 The best places to ‘coolcation’ in Europe Ella Doyle is Time Out’s guides editor. At Time Out, all of our travel guides are written by local writers who know their cities inside out. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines. This guide includes affiliate links, which have no influence on our editorial content. For more information, see our affiliate guidelines.
The 31 greatest things to do in Glasgow
As a born and bred Glaswegian who has spent several years in England and abroad, I can confidently say that there’s no place like home. Long seen by outsiders as Edinburgh’s shabby little sibling, the city is enjoying a renaissance, fuelled by home-grown talents cultivated at the city’s world-leading art school and from within the thriving music and arts scene, all whilst grassroots community organisations fight to ensure that development happens as fairly as possible. But how to spend your time in Glasgow? A weekend visit will give you a great sense of the city, but I’d recommend staying longer to get to know its distinct neighbourhoods (and increase your chances of enjoying a rare sunny day). Rain or shine, a perfect Glasgow day should include a coffee at Outlier, some culture at the Tramway, some independent shopping (try Category Is Books) and a dance in one of the city’s famous clubs (for me, it’s got to be sweaty basement venue The Berkeley Suite). But read on – we’ve got plenty more where that came from. Here are my favourite things to do in Glasgow. 🍂 Autumn 2024: As the nights draw in, the pull of the city’s cosy pubs gets even stronger. Whisky fanatics will enjoy the exceptional selection at The Pot Still in the city centre, while design buffs will enjoy the authentic ’60s style of local favourite The Laurieston Bar (if you think you’ve seen it somewhere before, you probably have – the pub was a location in an episode of Succession). RECOMMENDED:🍔 The best rest