Let’s say you want to visit the Italian Lakes, but you can’t finagle an invite to Clooney’s place. Villa d’Este is sold out because an oligarch is tying the knot that very same week. Or maybe it’s the middle of March (when Italy is still springing back to summer). Or you’ve already been three times and […]
How is it that Asia’s knack for wonderful nosh basically bypassed Bhutan? It’s like the whole country didn’t get the memo. Yes, it’s remote, landlocked, and was for centuries shut to foreign travellers and influence. But still, you’d expect a country sandwiched between India and China to have at least some sense of gastronomy, some […]
Halfway to the sea from Montalcino, where Tuscany gets a little wilder and a little less visited, the Castello di Vicarello is tucked away at the end of a country lane, and is as good as any small hotel we’ve ever visited. With four suites and one villa, it’s a small, personal place. The thousand […]
Lodge-to-lodge trekking out of the Kasbah du Toubkal gives you access to some of the most beautiful parts of the Atlas, remote rural communities, and sweeping other-worldly landscapes. The well-known Kasbah du Toubkal has been doing up lodges, scattered in the hills and valleys around Imlil, which the lodge uses to put together multi-day treks beginning and […]
When Marrakech begins to overwhelm you with its smells and persistant sales pitches, click your heels three times and chant “there’s no place like Toubkal. There’s no place like Toubkal.” In a flash (relatively speaking—a 45 minute drive to be more precise) you will find yourself in a mountain retreat where the air is fresh, […]
It’s a commonplace that Paris is a great city of culture. But if you don’t speak French, and you’re bored of staring at paintings, traipsing around the shops and learning about the revolution, what exactly do you do? Actually I can think of many things, but few are as fun as a last-minute ticket to […]
First things first, it’s pronounced ‘Why-Hecky’. And it’s a tiny island in New Zealand. Not the North Island, nor the South Island, Waiheke is it’s very own dot on the map. Okay, so it’s more of a speck. I think everyone knows by now (or has been told ad infinitum) that New Zealand is a […]
If you can’t swing the fare (north of $200,000 USD) for Virgin Galactic’s forthcoming flights to outer space, perhaps it’s time for a visit to Turkey. Specifically, make your way to the central region of Cappadocia. Here you’ll find a landscape so surreal and magical you could easily feel you were on the moon. The […]
Don’t get me wrong – I love elephants as much as the next guy. Their behaviour is fascinating, their intelligence undeniable, and the little ones are just so darn cute. Observing them from the safety of a Land Rover is common on safari, though interesting as it is, one can’t help but feel removed. Walking […]
If ever you find yourself with a day in Nairobi, don’t panic; the city once referred to as ‘Nairobbery’ is much safer than it used to be. There are actually some cool things to see and do, like visiting the Kazuri Beads factory or taking high tea at Giraffe Manor. You may even have heard […]
An hour’s ferry away from the cruise-boat/fridge-magnet/tourist nightmare that Dubrovnik is rapidly becoming, is the quiet and tranquil island of Sipan. Happily, it’s also a 10 minute drive and a 15 minute speedboat ride for those who don’t have the patience for the ferry. Either way, it’s a world away. The reason to go? Marko’s […]