GUIDES TO SELECTED DESTINATIONS
Regardless of destination – be it an island or a lake, a mountain top or a seaside resort, a large city or a remote rural area – these guides offer a new way of seeing, combined with a novel approach to travelling.
Some places are so familiar that they feel almost overexposed, while others might be unusual and unexpected, but all are treated with the same intent: to guide through cultural history and local flavour by emphasizing what is unique of each individual location.
GARDONE RIVIERA / ITALY / FLOWERS AND FASCISM
For more than a hundred years, Gardone Riviera has been celebrated as one of the most beautiful towns on Lake Garda. This side of the lake is known as the “Riviera dei Limoni”, full of luscious camphor trees, oleanders, bougainvillea and lemon trees.
ISLAND CULTURE
Most islands lack a permanent connection to the mainland. If the boats stop going, the island will be closed off.
Perhaps that is why islanders have a reputation for being a bit peculiar, having developed a distinct and individual way of life.
Island culture is original, different from what happens on the mainland. This is also its charm – without even travelling far, it’s possible to experience a completely different type of world.
MØN / DENMARK / NO FEAR OF HEIGHTS
Early mornings, Møn’s klint, 140 metres high and almost seven kilometres long, will reflect the rays of rising sun, making the white limestone appear almost luminous. The sunlight transforms the sea into a dark emerald green.
To reach the narrow beach, a set of stairs leads you over small waterfalls and through the forest’s vertical slopes, as you glimpse the sea through the leaves on your way down.
WEST MALLORCA / SPAIN / THE SLOWER SIDE
A long-time favourite among artists, writers and travellers, the west coast of Mallorca offers small towns, serpentine-shaped roads and hidden coves.
The sea is often only minutes away, the air is fresh and the mountains dramatic.
RÜGEN / GERMANY / NORTHERN SHORES
As one of the most popular holiday destinations in Germany, the island of Rügen – with its scenic landscape, sandy beaches, and many lagoons, bays and peninsulas – has attracted visitors for centuries.
Close to both Denmark and Sweden, the region is a cultural hybrid, where also echoes of the former DDR still can be heard.
LAKKA / PAXOS / GREECE / THE GREAT UNWIND
Barely a town, Lakka is more a gathering of small, white-washed buildings, situated in what could possibly be one of the most beautiful bays in all of Greece, if not Europe.
The rocks naturally protect the town from the sea, creating a peaceful and tranquil atmosphere.
ANTIPAXOS / GREECE / OFF GRID
According to Greek mythology, the islands of Paxos and Antipaxos were created by Poseidon when he wanted to create a place for peace, quiet and relaxation.
Still today, people come to Antipaxos mainly to escape the outside world..
CITY LIFE
Capital cities are the symbol of their countries, a concentration of power, influence and wealth. Visitors will want to see their palaces and cathedrals, the many riches and fortunes.
Second-tier cities develop in other and freer ways, not limited by the heavy responsibilities of the capital.
Both types of cities are equally fascinating, and tell the multifaceted story of their country from different points of view.
STOCKHOLM / SWEDEN / RAY OF LIGHT
Stockholm offers a strange and unusual play between light and dark, almost impossible to experience anywhere else but here.
The city has a unique geographical position, giving it an extreme relationship defined by the continuously shifting contrasts between sunlight and darkness.
ANTWERP / BELGIUM / THE HUMAN SCALE
Antwerp is distinctly Belgian. Situated in-between two strong and dominant neighbours – Germany and France – the country has been invaded more times than they can count.
As a strategic response, the Belgians have developed a strange and surreal kind of humour, noticeable in the everyday as a subtle quirkiness.
ROME / ITALY / LOOK BEHIND YOU
Rome has been one of the world’s most important centres of power, where dynasties have lived and worked, constructing palaces and even creating their own countries. However, not all of Rome’s wonders are hidden inside the gates of palaces, the city itself is a treasure, for anyone to explore.
SUMMER MOUNTAINS
Mountains are mysterious places. Difficult to access and not easy to leave, they exist in a parallel reality. Many ancient legends claim that mountains are home to legendary creatures, trolls, fairies, witches and gnomes, hiding in the shadows and only visible at certain times, for a select few.
Perhaps that is why going up the mountains feels like leaving reality behind, and entering a land of magic and wonder. In particular, visiting traditionally winter destinations in the summer is like seeing a completely different landscape – strange but soft and inviting.
DOLOMITES / ITALY / MONTI PALLIDI
Local legends often refer to the Dolomites as home to supernatural elements. The mountains influence everything in the Dolomites, from the serpentine-roads and breath-taking views to the distances you have to travel to get from one village to another.
In this strange but beautiful landscape, it would not be surprising to meet witches with magical powers, ogres and fairies.
HALLSTATT / AUSTRIA / SALT OF THE EARTH
“The place gives the impression of being vigorously shaken by a giant hand and thrown and stuck on to the perpendicular cliffs rising from the black lake. Where the roofs finish, the roads begin; in no other town on earth must it be so dangerous as here to get drunk.”
– Josef August Schultes
SUN, SEA AND SAND
There are certain places that seem to be made to visit in the warm months, beginning in late spring and lasting until early autumn.
It could be a small seaside town on the Italian Riviera, such as Bordighera, or a stylish classic destination, like Cassis.
The scents from fresh flowers linger in the air, the food tastes better, and even the colours are more intense than in other places and at other points in time.
CÔTE D’AZUR / FRANCE / TENDER IS THE NIGHT
On the French Riviera, the lives of the world’s financial and cultural elite have definitely left a mark.
And while Côte d’Azur might have been immortalized by both writers and artists, it is also appealing in its own right.
CASSIS / FRANCE / OLD WORLD CHARM
In Cassis, mythical home of the calanques, the Mistral brings cool temperatures from the sea, the rock formations are majestic, and the turquoise sea is crystal clear.
Stay for a day, a week, a month or why not two?
BORDIGHERA / ITALY / LA REINE DES PALMIERS
Bordighera benefits from a special microclimate. Because of its location between the Alps and the Ligurian Sea, it is protected from cold winds, making winters here warmer and more temperate, which explains why it was so popular among European royalty, who would build their lavish holiday homes here, by the Ligurian Sea.
SAFE FROM THE WORLD
In ancient times, villages were placed in the mountains as a form of protection. Staying in the hills meant being safe from danger.
To maintain the manmade terraces and traditional narrow buildings, the local population has had to be resilient and strong, continuously fighting to preserve their home from the forces of nature.
Today, these villages are picturesque remnants of a turbulent past, sleepy towns with rustic houses and spectacular views.
GASSIN / FRANCE / WHY DON'T YOU..?
Perched on a hilltop in the Maures mountain chain, connecting Hyères with Fréjus, Gassin is 200 metres above sea level, with a breath-taking view of the Gulf of Saint-Tropez.
Founded in order to escape pirates, today it offers a break from the hustle-and-bustle of neighbouring Saint-Tropez.
CINQUE TERRE / ITALY / LESS IS MORE
The vertical towns of Cinque Terre defy gravity. Maintaining the terraced vineyards and narrow buildings has been a struggle for thousands of years.
Many consider the Ligurian population particularly resilient, used to fighting the forces of nature to preserve their home.
MINERVE / FRANCE / PAST AND PRESENT
Mountain villages are different from other kinds of towns.
Slightly removed from the outside world, with a bird’s view of what is happening around them, they offer solitude and tranquillity.
BEYNAC-ET-CAZENAC / FRANCE / VERTICAL HAMLET
During the Hundred Years War, the fortified Château de Beynac was one of the most important strongholds of France, and at one time even home to Richard the Lionheart, when the river marked the border between England and France.
Today, it is a picturesque village and perfect base for exploring Périgord Noir.
THE TRIPLET TOWNS
The towns Biarritz, Guéthary and Saint-Jean-de-Luz are closely related, some would even consider them siblings.
Like all siblings, they share traits but also have their own distinct characteristics. Biarritz acts like the oldest and most mature of the trio, a formerly royal resort and one of France’s most popular destinations.
Because of its illustrious and seminal role in French history, Saint-Jean-de-Luz has a proud and regal personality, a kind of place that exists slightly out of time.
Guéthary, on the other hand, tends to fly slightly under the radar, perfect for those looking for a discrete hideaway.
BIARRITZ / FRANCE / THE OCEAN IS FOREVER
Formerly a royal resort, Biarritz is today a surfer’s paradise. The unusual combination of aristocratic splendour and laid-back surf vibes, with the dramatic Basque landscape as backdrop, has made the town one of the most popular destinations in France.
SAINT-JEAN-DE-LUZ / FRANCE / BONJOUR TRISTESSE
Saint-Jean-de-Luz is a rare gem, a seaside town that has kept its allure and distinct personality.
Nestled in the heart of a large bay between ocean and mountains, the town has gone through several reincarnations through the years, from being a fishing port to a wellness destination, all the while remaining true to its Basque history and charm.
GUÉTHARY / FRANCE / ANTECHAMBER TO PARADISE
"Everyone who has visited the Basque country longs to return; it is a blessed land."
– Victor Hugo