The Pure Voyage Edit — No. 03 — August 2026
The Late Summer
Seven observations from a month in which southern Europe empties and autumn becomes plannable.
August is rarely the month we recommend for Europe — which is precisely why it is worth discussing now. What feels crowded at the height of summer becomes, by September, one of the calmest seasons of the year.
This edition gathers houses that have occupied us lately, two journeys worth shifting by a few weeks, and one place we have been thinking about for some time without recommending it loudly.
In this edition
- 01Aman VeniceThe Return List
- 02Four Seasons Mallorca at FormentorHotels We Are Watching
- 03ParosEmerging Destinations
- 04Venice Simplon-Orient-ExpressRemarkable Train Journeys
- 05Die Villen von Castiglion del BoscoExceptional Villas
- 06Der Comer See im OktoberWorth The Detour
- 07Aman at SeaNew Yacht Experiences
01 — The Return List
Aman Venice
Venedig, Italien
Twenty-four rooms in a Grand Canal palazzo, with a garden that has few equals in this city. We return regularly because the house has grown quieter rather than louder in recent years.
- Why it matters
- Venice is difficult to experience calmly. A house with its own landing, its own garden and few rooms changes the rhythm of a stay entirely — the return in the evening becomes the best part of the day.
- Who it suits
- For travellers who know Venice and do not wish to work through it. Three nights, ideally in late October or February.
02 — Hotels We Are Watching
Four Seasons Mallorca at Formentor
Mallorca, Spanien
A house with almost a century of history that has found a new calm after a long restoration. We are watching how the service settles in its second season — that is usually when a house proves itself.
- Why it matters
- The setting on the island's northern tip is shielded from the rest of the coast. Travellers who have found Mallorca too busy will discover another version of the island here — pine, rock, a long beach.
- Who it suits
- For families or couples who value short flights and long afternoons. May to early June, September to mid-October.
03 — Emerging Destinations
Paros
Kykladen, Griechenland
Paros was long the island one passed by. Today it holds a handful of small addresses, carefully made, none of them shouting.
- Why it matters
- The island is large enough to carry a few days and retains a restraint the other Cyclades have lost. We would not send anyone in high summer — late May and September are the more interesting windows.
- Who it suits
- For travellers looking beyond Santorini who are content without grand hotels.
04 — Remarkable Train Journeys
Venice Simplon-Orient-Express
Paris — Venedig
One night between Paris and Venice in carriages from the twenties and thirties. The route is well known; what matters more is how it is framed.
- Why it matters
- As a journey in its own right it is short. As a hinge between two stays — a few days in Paris, then Venice or Lake Como — it takes on an entirely different logic.
- Who it suits
- For travellers who treat the way there as part of the journey. Spring and autumn nights are the most agreeable.
05 — Exceptional Villas
Die Villen von Castiglion del Bosco
Val d'Orcia, Toskana
Restored stone houses above a working vineyard, spread across a large estate — each with its own pool, kitchen and staff on call.
- Why it matters
- Villas of this kind only work when the infrastructure of a hotel stands behind them. Here you have both: the independence of your own address and the kitchen, service and cellar of the estate.
- Who it suits
- For two families or a group intending to stay a week. September and early October, during the harvest.
06 — Worth The Detour
Der Comer See im Oktober
Lombardei, Italien
Two nights on the western shore before the houses close for winter. The lake lies still, the ferries run less often, the light sits lower.
- Why it matters
- As an extension of a trip to Milan or Switzerland the detour costs little time and changes the character of the journey considerably. Most houses close in early November.
- Who it suits
- For travellers already in northern Italy who want a quiet close.
07 — New Yacht Experiences
Aman at Sea
Mittelmeer und Adria
A small yacht of fifty suites, run less like a ship and more like a floating house. The routes are deliberately short.
- Why it matters
- Large vessels impose a programme. Here the number of guests sets the pace: small harbours, late departures, whole days at anchor. For many it is the first form of travel at sea that does not feel like a cruise.
- Who it suits
- For travellers who know Aman and wonder whether the feeling carries onto water. It does.
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.