On all of my previous trips to Switzerland, I bought a lot. Not just enough to fit a suitcase. I’m talking multiple suitcases, small fortunes spent in chocolate alone and coats packed full of goodies to bring back home to friends and family. It was a constant battle against weight limits and baggage allowances. A […]

Why is it that there never seems to be enough guacamole on the table? With the possible exception of a ‘shared’ basket of french fries, no other dish seems to disappear so quickly. Where: Salsalito Taco Shop, Sausalito, California What: There were other plates of other very delicious things on this table. But my memory […]

Time passes slowly outside of the city in Andalucia. The summer sun hangs endlessly overhead and the bulls appear as leisurely and slow as the burros. Yet, on the coast you can pass the long days with surprising swiftness and ease at one of Spain’s little lauded guilty pleasures, the chiringuito. The coast on the […]

As a self confessed ski addict, the end of the season leaves me with sweaty palms and in a mild panic, knowing that it will be a whole year before winter comes round again; a whole year before another trip to the snowy mountains. Of course there’s the option of the southern hemisphere, but the […]

The only view most people ever get of the Central Kalahari is the vast expanse of featureless, light brown plain you see out of the airplane window as you fly north to Maun and on to the Okavango Delta. If you pull out a map of Botswana (handily there’s one below this article), the Kalahari is […]

Pop-up restaurants are nothing new in places like New York, London and Paris, but in rural Andalucia the concept is just making its mark on the gastronomic underground. Wild boar and hares beware. When your favourite chef works exclusively on a freelance basis, what else is there to do but gather your best food loving […]

What: Lamb tagine with prunes Where: Ourika Valley, Morocco When I think of prunes, I don’t normally think of dinner. However, this gem of a dish brought me around to say the least. Juicy chunks of fresh lamb braised to perfection in a quintessential (and unbelievably delicious) Moroccan tagine. The prunes virtually melt from the slow cooking, […]

Over the last few years the general trend for a Botswana safari has been to offer more. More luxury, more comfort, more silver flatware and crystal stemware, more private plunge pools, more butlers (you can never have too many!), more…well, everything. Don’t get me wrong, this is not always a bad thing—let’s face it, everyone […]

At Trufflepig we often declare that “we know further afield better than close at hand”. But sometimes you don’t want to go all that far. The idea of sitting on an overnight flight for a short getaway seems daunting. You just need to relax and recharge a little closer to home. That’s just what I […]

If you find yourself lost in a city, seek higher ground to get a little perspective. And if there’s a pool atop that higher ground, you might as well relax in it for a little while. Where: Heure Bleue Palais Why: There’s no need to explain it; we all know why the rooftop pool is so cool. But […]

Legendary handmade Hoi An noodles come together with the freshest herbs and greens to make the perfect simple dish. Insider’s tip: order two bowls. You will eat both, trust me. Where: Trung Bac, 87 Tran Phu, Hoi An What: Cao Lau. If you have been to Vietnam, you have heard of it. The noodles have been made […]

As I laid in the hammam at Riad Fes, my thoughts now turned to survival. Steam hissed angrily from the walls, the intense heat unbearable. Beads of sweat flowed into rivers, puddling up on the hot marble beneath me. My vision blurred, breathing became increasingly difficult in the heavy humid air. I wasn’t sure how much […]

Since we’re friends, I’m going to tell you a secret—but you have to promise you’re not going to tell anybody. Here goes and remember, you promised—Greystoke Mahale, on the shores of Lake Tanganyika, might just be one of the greatest places I have ever been. Now, I know you want to hear about the chimps […]

They fly, crawl, swim and (rarely ever) bite. Heck, some even sneeze salt. What are we talking about? These are just a few of the incredible animals of the Galapagos Islands. And right now they’re offering their hangout time at a discounted rate. Nowhere in the world can you experience the same level of diversity […]

If you think about it, privacy is the ultimate luxury. Now that you’re a grown-up, you don’t have to share your toys anymore, and how lovely not to share your pool with anyone, either. Where:  Domaine de Murtoli, Corsica, France Why: Yes, there are some other people staying on this sprawling estate in the unspoiled French […]

Usually a sandwich requires some mayo, mustard or olive oil to grease the wheels, as it were. Not this one. Where: Pizzicheria de Miccoli, Siena, Italy What: Don’t be fooled by the name. An Italian ‘pizzicheria’ is not to be confused with a ‘pizzeria’. Whereas the latter serves pizza, the former is more like a […]