The destinations
Destinations
The place first, the hotel second. Regions we know — with seasons, length of stay and the addresses that suit them.
Why we begin with the place
Most journeys are planned from the hotel outwards. That often produces a fine room in a place that does not match the season or the mood.
We work the other way round: first the region, its months and its rhythm — then the question of where to stay within it. Every page here answers both.
Countries
Where we advise most often
Seven countries we know well. Each page answers four questions: why go, when, which region — and which addresses suit it.
Italy
The country most often planned badly — and the most rewarding when it is right.
Greece
Islands that look alike — until you stay three days.
Portugal
The quietest country in western Europe — and the least staged.
Spain
A country that is one journey in spring and quite another in August.
Maldives
A decision about reef, transfer and month — not about photographs.
Japan
The country where planning changes more than budget.
South Africa
Two journeys in one country — and the question of the order.
Europe
Close enough for a long weekend, rich enough for a fortnight.
No. 01 — Italy
Tuscany
Landscape one does not tour, but inhabits.
- Best time to visit:
- Mid-May to late June, mid-September to late October
- Suggested length:
- Five to seven nights
No. 02 — Veneto, Italy
Venice
A city that is one thing before eight and another after.
- Best time to visit:
- April to early June, late September to November
- Suggested length:
- Three nights
No. 03 — Liguria, Italy
Portofino
A harbour the size of a square, ringed by pines.
- Best time to visit:
- Late May to early July, September
- Suggested length:
- Three to four nights
No. 04 — Lombardy, Italy
Lake Como
Water that keeps the mountains still, and mornings that ask nothing.
- Best time to visit:
- Late April to early June, September and October
- Suggested length:
- Three to five nights
No. 05 — Balearics, Spain
Mallorca
An island with a mountain range that makes summer bearable.
- Best time to visit:
- May, June and September to early October
- Suggested length:
- Five to seven nights
No. 06 — Cyclades, Greece
Paros
The Cycladic island that is still lived in rather than staged.
- Best time to visit:
- Late May to early July, September
- Suggested length:
- Five to seven nights
No. 07 — Cyclades, Greece
Santorini
A sunken volcano whose rim one inhabits.
- Best time to visit:
- May to mid-June, late September to October
- Suggested length:
- Two to three nights
No. 08 — Campania, Italy
Amalfi Coast
A road hung on the rock, and terraces full of lemons.
- Best time to visit:
- May, June and late September to October
- Suggested length:
- Four to five nights
Africa
Space, wildlife and camps that keep themselves quiet.
No. 10 — Okavango Delta and Linyanti
Botswana
Water in the Kalahari — and very few people in it.
- Best time to visit:
- June to October
- Suggested length:
- Six to nine nights
No. 11 — Virunga volcanoes and Nyungwe
Rwanda
One hour with mountain gorillas that changes the rest of the journey.
- Best time to visit:
- June to September, December to early February
- Suggested length:
- Four to six nights
Indian Ocean
Islands for journeys that are allowed to be simply restorative.
No. 13 — Indian Ocean
Seychelles
Islands with mountains, forest and granite — the opposite of an atoll.
- Best time to visit:
- April, May, October and November
- Suggested length:
- Seven to ten nights
No. 14 — Indian Ocean
Mauritius
An island with history, cooking and a reef all the way round.
- Best time to visit:
- May, June and September to November
- Suggested length:
- Seven nights
Asia
Culture, cooking and coastline — usually within one journey.
No. 15 — Bangkok, the Andaman Sea and the north
Thailand
A city on a river, a sea full of limestone.
- Best time to visit:
- November to early April
- Suggested length:
- Ten to fourteen nights
No. 17 — Sumba, Bali and the islands between
Indonesia
Seventeen thousand islands — you only need two.
- Best time to visit:
- May to October
- Suggested length:
- Ten to fourteen nights
An Invitation
Once a month: hotels, new openings and travel ideas
One hotel that convinced us. One new opening we are watching. And one travel idea for the right season. Carefully selected and reduced to the essentials.