The destinations
Destinations
The place first, the house 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 houses 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, with our advice on suite and season. The openings that actually matter. And a destination at its best right now. No offers, no advertising.