The Cultured Traveller, December 2022-February 2023 Issue 40

DUBAI PARIS WARSAW JAKARTA SEYCHELLES SINGAPORE PHNOM PENH BALI SIEM REAP MAKKAH MALDIVES SHENZHEN MANILA HAINAN ISTANBUL UDAIPUR COMING SOON - LONDON BOSTON MACAU JAIPUR JEDDAH DOHA

Fisherman's Bastion and Matthias Church on Castle Hill, Budapest, Hungary

44 HUNGARY’S MAJESTIC UNFINISHED SYMPHONY

From the lofty heights of Buda Castle to the tree-lined expanse of Andrássy Avenue, the Hungarian capital exudes grandeur and ceremony. A long and chequered history has dealt the city more than its fair share of highs and lows. But today, Joe Mortimer finds that grassroots producers, resurgent winemakers and an aspirational population are breathing new life into BUDAPEST.

74 THE MIDDLE EAST’S UNBREAKABLE CITY

Once the Middle Eastern playground of Hollywood stars, world leaders and the international jet set, BEIRUT’s struggles have been complex, protracted and well publicised. Yet, as Lisa Jerejian reveals, this Mediterranean metropolitan jewel refuses to surrender and is welcoming and giving again.

112 THE MOST HISTORIC OF CAPE WINERIES

Wine production has been indigenous to the lands around Cape Town for more than 350 years. Forty-five minutes’ drive from the Mother City in the heart of the Cape Winelands, Nicholas Chrisostomou visits one of the rainbow nation’s most historic wineries: LANZERAC ESTATE.

117 THE INCOMPARABLE MASTER OF PLEATS

Over the course of six decades, ISSEY MIYAKE built one of the world’s most recognised fashion brands and, in the process, defined an era in Japan's modern design history. Succumbing to liver cancer in August 2022, The Cultured Traveller looks back at the career of the first Japanese designer to show in Paris.

42 WIN A DECADENT THREE-NIGHT STAY IN DUBAI

Nestled between the Arabian Gulf’s turquoise waters and the city's skyscraping skyline on a 25-acre site, RAFFLES THE PALM is a palatial resort. Spend 72-hours immersed in hospitality decadence in a one-bedroom suite including all meals for two, a couple’s spa treatment, airport transfers and Raffles’ renowned butler service.

CONTENTS

10 EDITOR’S LETTER

12 NEWSFLASH

Throughout the year, on almost every day of every month, a traditional festivity, fascinating cultural event or vibrant festival is happening somewhere on Planet Earth. During the coming months, ghastly horned demons will rampage through the south Austrian town of Klagenfurt on KRAMPUSNACHT; Nassau's main Bay Street artery will be transformed into a sea of sight and sound for the annual Bahamian cultural festival of JUNKANOO; the grand VENICE CARNIVAL will lead revellers through the city’s ancient backstreets and canals to secret parties and extravagant costume balls; the festival of TAPATI RAPA NUI on Easter Island will commemorate the arrival of the island's first Polynesian settlers; SAUTI ZA BUSARA will showcase some of the

best emerging musical talent from across the African continent in Zanzibar, and Rihanna will headline SUPER BOWL 57’s HALFTIME SHOW!

26 REST YOUR HEAD

From Byron Bay to the Serengeti, The Cultured Traveller team checks out a dozen new hotels around the world, including the towering futuristic glass crescent which is home to RAFFLES

DOHA, Qatar’s first all-suite property; SCANDIC GRAND CENTRAL, which occupies a massive Art Nouveau building with huge historical value in the center of the Finnish capital; New Haven's landmark Marcel Breuer-designed brutalist building turned HOTEL MARCEL, which is America’s first completely fossil fuel-free hotel; a 20th century Italian castello which recently opened as boutique CASTLE ELVIRA after three years of restoration work, and new super-luxe resort CALI MYKONOS, which draws inspiration from traditional Cycladic architecture and Greek mythology’s muse, Calliope.

66 FIVE MINUTES WITH

From Bratislava to Brazil and everywhere

in between, humble and much-loved British soprano DEBORAH MYERS has performed with everyone from Alfie Boe to José Carreras during her decades-long career to date.

69

SUITE ENVY

Ensconced in the Lady Sophia Suite which was created during the property’s most recent refurb, Nicholas Chrisostomou enjoys attentive service and a wealth of culinary treats at probably the world’s most famous hotel: RAFFLES SINGAPORE.

90 TRAVELLER LOWDOWN

Dazzling travellers with its unique culture, breathtaking natural beauty and exotic ways for centuries, Alex Benasuli re-visits the charismatic ochre city of MARRAKECH, where Europe, the Middle East and Africa meet in captivating harmony.

104 TASTE & SIP REVIEW

A modern restaurant which draws upon more than a century of Finnish culinary heritage, Nicholas Chrisostomou reviews FINNJÄVEL SALONKI in Helsinki, where the skillful marriage of past and present is creating delectable new food memories.

108 TASTE & SIP NEWCOMER

Set within the world’s largest glass greenhouse on the edge of Singapore Bay, Nicholas Chrisostomou visits new contemporary fine dining restaurant MARGUERITE, that landed its first Michelin star within eight months of opening.

126 CHRISTMAS GIFT GUIDE

At the end of a somewhat turbulent 2022, from Siberian wool slippers and satin pyjamas to designer luggage and indulgent travel elixirs, Jackie Needleman hand-picks a range of divine gifts to bring smiles to the faces of your loved ones this Christmas.

135

LITTLE BLACK BOOK

Web addresses for everywhere featured in issue 40 of The Cultured Traveller.

136 SUITE WITH A VIEW

Occupying a 120-year-old tower atop Matild Palace in Budapest, the hotel’s Crown Tower Suite offers spectacular 360-degree views of the Hungarian capital.

JOE MORTIMER

➤ CITY FOCUS ON BUDAPEST

A UK travel writer and editor who specialises in luxury travel and high-end hospitality, and former editor of Destinations of the World News, Joe is an avid wine enthusiast who spent most of lockdown studying for his WSET Level 3 exams. When he is not operating a corkscrew, Joe can usually be found wandering around the Mendip Hills or planning his next great adventure.

CONTRIBUTORS

LISA JEREJIAN

➤ SPOTLIGHT ON BEIRUT

A spirited writer, traveller and dreamer, Lisa is a natural-born storyteller who seeks meaning in every journey. Her greatest joys in life include reviving old furniture, admiring art, volunteering and getting lost in nature. Having visited over 30 countries, Lisa is currently based in Beirut where she’s editor of Lebanon Traveler, a platform that champions the small Mediterranean country.

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF NICHOLAS CHRISOSTOMOU

PUBLISHER COCO LATTÉ DESIGN TAHIR IQBAL EDITORIAL JEMIMA THOMPSON ADVERTISING JEREMY GORING RETOUCHING STELLA ALEVIZAKI

THIS ISSUE’S CONTRIBUTORS

Joe Mortimer, Lisa Jerejian, Jackie Needleman, Howard Healy, Alex Benasuli, Rami Rizk, Dia Mrad, Joe Sokhn

WITH THANKS TO Lisa Jerejian, Selim Olmez, Máté Tolnai, Natasha Comerford

The Cultured Traveller is published by Coco Latté

Advertising and sponsorship enquiries: ads@theculturedtraveller.com

Editorial enquiries words@the culturedtraveller.com Subscription enquiries subscribe@theculturedtraveller.com

THE CULTURED TRAVELLER ➤ ISSUE 40 © 2022-2023 Coco Latté. All rights reserved

Reproduction in part or in whole of any part of this magazine is prohibited. No part of this magazine may be reproduced without written permission from the publisher.

The views expressed in The Cultured Traveller are those of its respective contributors and writers and are not necessarily shared by The Cultured Traveller Ltd. or its staff.

The Cultured Traveller always welcomes new contributions, but assumes no responsibility for unsolicited emails, articles, photographs or other materials submitted.

Download the digital edition of issue 40 of The Cultured Traveller magazine at ➤ www.issuu.com/theculturedtraveller/docs/ 40

JACKIE NEEDLEMAN

➤ CHRISTMAS GIFT GUIDE

An established, London-based fashion consultant, Jackie has been at the cutting-edge of high street retail for years. Her career has taken her to almost every continent and countless countries, where she enjoys shopping for designer brands and vintage pieces as much as she relishes uncovering rare finds in flea markets.

Follow The Cultured Traveller on

@theculturedtraveller @culturedtraveller

THE CULTURED TRAVELLER COCO LATTÉ

5 MERCHANT SQUARE LONDON W2 1AY UK

AS 2022 DRAWS TO A close, what is most memorable for me as a traveller, is that the skies are once again teeming with flights bound for destinations far and wide, the hospitality industry is regularly premiering chic new hotels and swanky, sprawling resorts and, by-and-large, the globetrotting public’s appetite for travel, adventure and discovery has been well and truly re-ignited.

AT A TIME OF THE YEAR TRADITIONALLY punctuated by tales of three wise men who travelled from east to west, in the spirit of discovery and going places in the new year, in issue 40, The Cultured Traveller highlights the stories of three intensely historic cities – one in Europe, one in the Middle East and one in Africa.

Once the epicenter of a kingdom that stretched from the Adriatic to Transylvania, Budapest is one of Europe’s most fascinating cities and exudes a unique grandeur. On his first ever visit, Joe Mortimer finds that an aspirational population, including dozens of winemakers, is breathing new life into the captivating Hungarian capital (page 44)

A destination close to my heart, Beirut’s numerous struggles have been much publicised, culminating in a catastrophic explosion in August 2020 which decimated large swathes of the city and brought about yet more pain and misery for the resilient Lebanese people. In a fascinating article illustrated with some exceptional photography, Beirut resident Lisa Jerejian reveals how the “unbreakable city” is gradually

being reborn, just over two years after the devastating port blast (page 74)

Morocco has been dazzling travellers for centuries, with Marrakech particularly bewitching visitors courtesy of its colourful exoticism. A charismatic city where Europe, the Middle East and Africa meet, now that many of us are travelling a little further again, Alex Benasuli rediscovers the inimitable ochre city and finds it still as utterly alluring (page 90)

AS THIS ISSUE GOES TO PRESS, MORE than 140 countries welcome visitors with no restrictions or entry requirements relating to Covid. And whilst navigating airports may not be as fun as it once was (largely due to how busy some of them are!), the memories one can make when discovering a new destination are incomparable amongst life’s experiences. So if you wish to give a present this Christmas that will payback for years to come, the gift of travel would surely be one of the most special.

Nicholas Chrisostomou Editor-in-Chief

From left to right: Majorelle Garden, Marrakech; Budapest; Beirut

Geneva’s lakeside home of haute living.

Sitting directly on the shores of Lake Geneva with awe-inspiring views of majestic Mont Blanc, the postHaussmann-style hotel dating back to 1901 has been transformed by world-renowned architect, Pierre-Yves Rochon. Beyond The Woodward’s historic façade, visitors encounter classic-meetscontemporary interiors, providing a super stylish city sanctuary with spectacular lake and mountain vistas. World-class dining experiences are driven by L’Atelier Robuchon (1-Michelin

starred restaurant) and Le Jardinier. The hotel with its 26 luxurious suites is also home to Club Woodward featuring a sumptuous 1,200m2 Guerlain Spa and a large indoor swimming pool. This private residence offers the most discerning of traveller a warm welcome that is both glamorous and authentic.

Quai Wilson 37 1201 Geneva reservations.twg@oetkercollection.com oetkercollection.com

KRAMPUSNACHT

DESCRIBED IN Austrian folklore as a horned, anthropomorphic half-goat half-demon which haunts the central European mountainous region that supposedly birthed the creature, Krampus comes alive during an annual festival which spreads some good old-fashioned preChristmas terror! Nowhere does this devil rampage more frighteningly than in the town of Klagenfurt on the eastern shore of Lake Wörthersee in south Austria. Here, the biggest and most rowdy Krampusnacht

FASCINATING CULTURAL EVENTS AND OUTSTANDING FESTIVALS HAPPENING AROUND THE WORLD IN THE COMING MONTHS

WINTER SOLSTICE

THE NORTHERN Hemisphere's shortest day and the Southern Hemisphere's longest day is the moment that the sun is directly above the Tropic of Capricorn in the Southern Hemisphere. This is the southernmost latitude it reaches during the year. After the winter solstice, the sun begins moving north again. Coinciding with the winter solstice, Yule is an ancient Pagan festival that brings crowds to the prehistoric monument of Stonehenge on Salisbury Plain in the UK for its longstanding connections with ancient astronomy. The site is also aligned in the direction of the sunrises on the annual solstices. With some dressed in Druid robes or bedecked with Pagan garlands, thousands gather early in the morning – some religious, some not – to a backdrop of drumbeats, chanting and songs to quietly watch the sunrise on the winter solstice and begin the festival of Yule. To date, English Heritage has been committed to providing free access to Stonehenge for solstice celebrations. 21 December 2022 www.english-heritage.org.uk

unfolds every year, brimming with ghastly demons quite literally everywhere. The highlight of Krampusnacht is essentially an alcohol fuelled Krampuslauf race, which winds through the pedestrian-friendly city centre of Klagenfurt, with a thousand alpinejogging contestants dressed as scary, horned devils. So terrifyingly demonic are //Krampus// costumes that a constant debate rages throughout Austria, involving a number of eminent psychologists and reputable schools, which want the creature altogether banned from society because it's so scary to children.

5 December 2022

KWANZAA

AN ANNUAL, WEEKlong African-American celebration of life held predominantly in the States, Dr. Maulana Karenga first introduced Kwanzaa in 1966 in response to the commercialism of Christmas, as a ritual to welcome the first harvests. Though often considered an alternative to Christmas, many people actually celebrate both, not least because Kwanzaa is a cultural holiday with a spiritual quality, rather than a religious holiday. Honouring African heritage in African-American culture, Kwanzaa is observed from 26th December through 1st January, culminating in a feast and gift-giving. Each day is dedicated to one of Kwanzaa's seven core principles, with seven candles used to represent concepts of the holiday: umoja (unity); kujichagulia (self-determination); ujima (collective work and responsibility); ujamaa (co-operative economics); nia (purpose); kuumba (creativity) and imani (faith).

26 December 2022 - 1 January 2023 www.officialkwanzaawebsite.org

JUNKANOO

YOU KNOW THAT IT’S Junkanoo when Nassau's main artery of Bay Street is transformed into a sea of sight and sound. Delighting and entertaining all who experience this annual happening and the high point of the festive season for all Bahamians, Junkanoo traces its roots back to the late 18th century music and dance spectacles of West Africa and is one of the oldest surviving street festivals in the Caribbean. Legend has it that slaves of old decorated themselves using

whatever scrap materials were available, the easiest to lay their hands on being paper and feathers, while flour paste was used to paint their faces. Nowadays, Junkanoo is a vibrant celebration of life and freedom and the major cultural festival of the Bahamas. But you'll need stamina to be part of Junkanoo because it is celebrated twice during the festive season, in the early hours of Boxing Day followed by the main event on New Year’s Day.

26 December 2022 + 1 January 2023

www.bahamas.com/junkanoo

HORNBILL FESTIVAL

Indigenous to the mountainous frontier between India and Myanmar, male members of a Naga tribe in the Indian state of Nāgāland line-up in readiness to perform at the annual Hornbill Festival, which sees the coming together of seventeen tribes to celebrate their unique cultural heritage.

1-10 December 2022

RHYTHM & VINES

THE FIRST PLACE IN the world to enjoy the first sunrise of 2023 will be New Zealand and what better place to see the back of another tumultuous year and welcome the new than Rhythm & Vines. Held at Waiohika Estate family vineyard close to the city of Gisborne and celebrating its 20-year anniversary this year, New Zealand’s vast, annual and multi award-winning music festival is spread across three days and multiple stages. Past headliners have included Calvin Harris and

Mark Ronson and this year’s line-up is no less impressive, headlined by British electronic music duo Chase & Status on day one, performing a DJ set, and Australian electronic dance music producer, DJ and singer Alison Wonderland topping the bill on New Year’s Eve. Also appearing at Rhythm & Vines 2022 will be Grammy-nominated Mike Di Scala and Dave Whelan, better known as British electronic duo CamelPhat, who together traverse various styles of deep house and techno. 29-31 December 2022

www.rhythmandvines.co.nz

PROTOTYPE

IT TOOK JUST FIVE YEARS for this festival of contemporary, multidisciplinary opera-theatre and music-theatre to prompt The New Yorker magazine to say that it was “essential to the evolution of American Opera". Indeed, PROTOTYPE today is almost certainly the most important presenter of innovative new operas, experimental theatre and musical works in New York, mounting both complete performances as well as works-in-progress through partnerships with local performing arts venues. Since launching, PROTOTYPE has produced and presented well over a hundred performances, shared the works of numerous local, national and international artists, exposed visionary work to tens of thousands of people and filled dozens of stages across New York City’s multiple boroughs. This year’s extensive programme includes rising star of the international folk music scene, Silvana Estrada summoning a new passage for her album Marchita via a limited number of intimately melodic performances. 5-15 January 2023 https://prototypefestival.org

Silvana Estrada

TIMKAT

SPREAD OVER THREE days and the most important festival for Orthodox Christians in Ethiopia, Timkat celebrates the baptism of Jesus Christ in the River Jordan by John the Baptist. Rich in colour and conducted with great pomp throughout, on the eve of Timkat, known as Ketera , sacred replicas of the Ark of the Covenant, known as tabots , are wrapped in luxurious cloth and placed on the heads of priests to be carried out of the

KEY WEST FOOD & WINE FESTIVAL

“FLIP FLOPS REQUIRED” is the motto of this annual Floridian foodie gathering which is widely regarded as one of best food and wine festivals in the States. Over the course of five flavour-filled days, Key West attracts epicureans from across the state who indulge in creative cuisine and an array of wines at a range of unique events which include waterfront tastings, winemaker and chef collaborations and gastronomic gatherings that showcase Key West. This year’s 14th outing of the festival kicks off with an exclusive tasting for just thirty

oenophiles of Malbecs from Argentina, France and America – “Malbec vs Malbec vs Malbec” will be hosted by Elizabeth Schweitzer, who is one of just 269 Master Sommeliers in the world today. Also standout will be the “Eva Perón Wine Lunch” held at gorgeous mid-19th century Audubon House, which was once the home of famed harbour pilot and master wrecker, Captain John H. Geiger. 25-29 January 2023 h ttps://keywestfoodandwinefestival.com

church in procession with the clergy. The pilgrimage halts just outside of the city at Fasilides’ Bath, whereupon a divine liturgy is celebrated at 2am, attended by crowds who bring picnics to eat by the light of oil lamps. At dawn, a priest extinguishes a candle burning on a pole set in a nearby river using a ceremonial cross. Many in the congregation then leap into the river. Escorted by horsemen, the tabots are then taken back to the churches while the festivities continue.

19 January 2023

QUÉBEC WINTER CARNIVAL

WHILE MOST PEOPLE spend the winter months doing their best to avoid ice and snow, the inhabitants of the picturesque French-speaking province of Québec City do the very opposite and positively revel in the frigid surroundings, celebrating the joie de vivre of carnival season in freezing, sub-zero fashion. Québec City held its first large carnival in 1894, but the annual event was interrupted by two wars and an economic crisis before the first official edition of the Québec Winter Carnival took place in 1955. The largest

winter shindig in the world has been an annual event ever since and comprises parades, an outdoor amusement park, giant ice slides and snow sculpture competitions, not to mention a fair amount of eating, drinking and general merry making, plus traditional dogsled and canoe races. Not to be missed is the Ice Palace, constructed with compacted snow bricks and lit at night with thousands of coloured lights. 3-12 February 2023 h ttps://carnaval.qc.ca/en

Audubon House

MEVLÂNA FESTIVAL

Attracting visitors from all corners of the world, few people haven’t heard of Turkey’s mesmerising whirling dervishes or mevlevi . Accompanied by orchestral music and dressed in their voluminous white robes, their ecstatic, trancelike spinning and chanting make for a truly spellbinding spectacle.

VENICE CARNIVAL

THE WORLD’S OLDEST AND grandest carnival of all has led revellers through the ancient backstreets and canals of this wonderfully beautiful and vibrant Italian city for generations, revealing hidden parties, exclusive costume balls and multitudinous secret rendezvous. At its centre, in the city’s beating heart of Piazza San Marco, people dressed in magnificent 18th century costumes and beautifully ornate masks for Carnevale di Venezia parade around the square and stop in front of the colonnaded porticos and the domed basilica to pose and be photographed. By day, it’s fun to just wander the streets of Venice and take in the sheer glamorous and decadent atmosphere of it all. By night, steer clear of San Marco's busy streets and head to the areas of Cannaregio and Dorsoduro. Not to be missed is the carnival's spectacular official ball, held in the splendid Renaissance rooms of the majestic Ca' Vendramin Calergi Palace overlooking Venice’s Grand Canal. 4-21 February 2023 www.carnevale.venezia.it/en

TAIWAN LANTERN FESTIVAL

MARKING THE ARRIVAL OF spring after new year, held during the “Yuan Xiao” period and dating back decades, the annual lantern festival is one of the most important and romantic dates on the Taiwanese calendar. This year, the festival is returning to Taipei for the first time in 23 years; will be one of the first major events held in Taiwanese capital after the pandemic and is expected to be the biggest in the event's more than 30-year history with four exhibition areas, one central installation and six other major installations as part of a 300-lantern collection covering 168 hectares. Located at National Dr. Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall, the festival's central exhibition area will feature the main lantern, three other major lanterns and a number of themed displays, with innovative content combined with traditional lantern art and cross-discipline lighting technology expected to attract works by both local and international artists. While thousands of lanterns take to the skies, locals traditionally eat rice dumplings with sweet and savoury fillings known as tangyuan

TAPATI RAPA NUI

LYING 3,500 kilometres off the coast of Chile and renowned worldwide for its archaeological sites – including 887 monumental carved human moai figures with oversized heads – somewhat remote volcanic Easter Island is a Chilean territory in Polynesia. For two weeks every February, the festival of Tapati Rapa Nui is held to commemorate the arrival of the island's first Polynesian settlers and their supreme chief, Hotu Matu’a who together populated the then uninhabited island. Celebrated during the austral summer, which coincides with the high season of the southern hemisphere, Tapati promotes Rapa Nui ancestral customs through song, dance, arts, traditional dress and ancient traditions. An exotic and uniquely Polynesian festival like no other, visitors are encouraged to slide down steep slopes on banana trunks and participate in dance competitions, and the culmination of the festival is when two families boogie it out on the dance floor to crown the Queen of Tapati.

6-13 February 2023 h ttps://imaginarapanui.com

SAPPORO SNOW FESTIVAL

THE FIRST SAPPORO Snow Festival was held in 1950 and consisted of just six snow statues built in Odori Park by local high school students. Today the festival is one of Japan's most popular winter events and has snowballed into a sprawling white wonderland, attracting people from around the world to the capital of the mountainous northern Japanese island of Hokkaido, a popular ski spot also known for its beer. Known as Yuki Matsuri locally, the snow

festival centers on Odori Park in downtown Sapporo, where giant sculptures of snow and ice stand along a trail of more than a kilometre which is illuminated at night. There are two other sites: Tsudome, a community dome with large snow slides and a tobogganing zone, where the festival starts a few days earlier on 31st January; and Susukino Ice World, where visitors can touch and ride some of the sculptures. 5-13 February 2023 www.snowfes.com/english

RIO DE

JANEIRO CARNIVAL

Considered to be the world’s biggest and most glittering annual carnival, attracting hundreds of thousands of people onto the streets of the famous Brazilian city, the Sambadrome Marquês de Sapucaí hosts the marathon parade of Rio’s samba schools and lasts well into the following morning.

17-25 February 2023

SAUTI ZA BUSARA

LITERALLY MEANING ‘sounds of wisdom’ in Swahili but so much more than a music festival, Sauti za Busara showcases some of the best emerging musical talent from across the African continent and takes place in the old Stone Town part of Zanzibar City every February. Organised by a non-profit NGO, not only does Sauti za Busara send traditional African sounds around Stone Town’s historic Old Fort for three days and nights, providing an opportunity for local and international artists to perform side-by-side, but the festival also fuels the growth and professionalisation of the region’s creative sector and promotes Zanzibar as a destination for cultural tourism. Namechecked by the BBC as 'one of Africa's best and most respected music events’, film screenings and comedy shows fill the gaps between the many musical performances and daily networking sessions offer opportunities for artists, managers, promoters, media and other professionals to meet, connect and exchange.

10-12 February 2023

www.busaramusic.org

SUPER BOWL 57

THE MOST IMPORTANT day of the professional American football season, when millions of fans who can’t make it to the stadium are glued to the couch for the duration of what is often the most watched US television program of the year, Super Bowl LVII will be the 57th Super Bowl and the 53rd modern-era National Football League championship game. It will be played at the State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona and decide the league champions for the 2022 NFL season. Organised by the NFL, Pepsi and Roc Nation (a production company owned by Jay-Z) Super Bowl’s halftime show has always attracted major talent. Janet Jackson had her infamous wardrobe malfunction in 2004. Previous headliners have included Michael Jackson, Prince, Madonna, Lady Gaga and Beyoncé. This year, Super Bowl’s halftime show will serve as a massive showcase for Rihanna’s re-entry into music, in her first live performance in over five years. 12 February 2023

www.fl.com/super-bowl

BERLINALE

CELEBRATED ANNUALLY since 1978, having been founded in West Berlin in 1951, the 73rd outing of one of Europe’s most respected film festivals will be joined by the European Film Market (16-22 February), the Berlinale Co-Production Market (18-22 February), Berlinale Talents (18-23 February) and the World Cinema Fund taking place on the same site as the Berlinale. Like many global cultural institutions, via its directors Mariette Rissenbeek and Carlo Chatrian, the 2023 Berlinale stands in solidarity with Ukraine and the courageous protests and liberation struggles in Iran, and remembers victims of war, destruction and oppression all over the world. New for 2023, thanks to US industry publication Deadline and to highlight the artistic value of a form that has deeply influenced the way stories can be told, the festival will present a new Berlinale Series award for the best series production. 16-26 February 2023 www.berlinale.de/en

SAIDAI-JI EYO

HELD ANNUALLY IN the capital city of Okayama Prefecture in the Chūgoku region of Japan, Okayama’s Saidai-ji Eyo gets more international attention than most, for it is essentially thousands of nearly naked men scrambling to find lucky objects. Commonly known as 'Hadaka Matsuri’ ('Naked Festival’), in a ritual that started more than 500 years ago, the loincloth-clad men enter the temple in the evening to purify their bodies. Having stood in the cold until 10pm, the lights are

turned off and a priest throws a pair of wooden shingi (sticks) into the crowd. For the next few hours, the men jostle to be the first to carry one of the sticks out of the temple, be blessed with luck for a year and win a cash prize. While the shingi are the main object of desire, dozens of other lucky objects are also tossed into the crowd for good measure. The result is a mass, drawn-out scramble of male flesh which has been known to turn nasty! 18 February 2023

h ttps://ohmatsuri.com

ADELAIDE FRINGE

FOUNDED MORE than six decades ago and held in the South Australian beachside capital of Adelaide between mid-February and mid-March every year, the Adelaide Fringe is the second-largest annual arts festival on the planet and features more than 7,000 artists from Australia and around the world. Even during the midst of the pandemic in 2021, more than 600,000 tickets were purchased for the Adelaide Fringe. Being an open access festival, anyone brave enough to step on stage is literally welcome to perform. This means that originality and diversity are at the heart of the Adelaide Fringe, with audiences ranging from children to grandparents and performers coming from all walks of life. Indeed, the eclectic and vibrant range of events that fill the festival’s 31 days and nights include cabaret, theatre, comedy, circus, music, visual arts and workshops, offering something for everyone, complete with markets and a spectacular nightly animated 'Parade of Light’. 17 February - 19 March 2023

https://delaidefringe.com.au

rest your

RAFFLES DOHA

IT’S HARD NOT TO BE IMPRESSED BY THE FUTURISTIC GLASS crescent which is home to new Raffles Doha hotel, Qatar’s first all-suite property. Located about 20 kilometres from Doha's city centre in Lusail, just north of West Bay Lagoon, the swooping exterior of the shimmering building is intended as an architectural translation of the crossed scimitar swords of Qatar’s national seal. Unsurprisingly the building has already become something of a national landmark, its

arched towers hosting a 361-room Fairmont hotel as well as the 132-suite Raffles property. 49 Raffles branded apartments will also become home to permanent residents.

Inside, a soaring kaleidoscopic atrium, a collection of specially commissioned artworks, state-of-the-art entertainment and leisure facilities and hidden gardens set Raffles Doha apart from the plethora of other luxury properties which have opened during the run-up to the 2022 World Cup.

head

FROM BYRON BAY TO THE SERENGETI, THE CULTURED TRAVELLER TEAM CHECKS OUT A DOZEN NEW STANDOUT HOTELS AND

RESORTS AROUND THE WORLD

An ultra-luxury property which has been widely described as six-star, Raffles Doha’s suites range in size from an entry-level Urban Suite to a vast duplex Royal Suite that boasts a private pool, wine cellar, hammam and yoga studio.

Raffles Doha is also the brand’s first property to invite its guests to choose which scents are diffused within their suites, and bathroom amenities are courtesy of Frederic Malle, the nose behind niche fragrance

house Editions de Parfums Frederic Malle. Whilst there are a multitude of dining options in the building, Alba by Enrico Crippa at Raffles Doha is the first international opening of a Crippa restaurant outside of Italy. Crippa’s Piazza Duomo restaurant in Alba currently holds three Michelin Stars and is regularly name-checked as one of the World’s 50 Best Restaurants.

www. rafflesdoha.com

SON NET

ON THE SOUL STIRRING BALEARIC ISLAND OF MALLORCA, life is laid-back and the pleasures are simple. Pristine coves sparkle with crystal waters. Historic towns and medieval villages stand side-by-side with glam, seaside resorts and design-savvy boutique hotels. Culture and nature abound. A variety of accommodation options cater to every class of traveller. A charismatic capital is presided over by a glorious Gothic cathedral. And visitors don’t have to dig too deep to discover that Mallorca boasts much more than beautiful weather and gorgeous beaches.

Twenty minutes by car west of central Palma and a short walk from the mountain village of Puigpuñyent where there are a few shops, cafés and a weekly market, Son Net is an understated, art-filled Majorcan manor house set in the foothills of the Tramuntana Mountains on a private estate dating back to 1672. Now under the same management as the team behind award-winning Finca Cortesin – an enchanting Southern Spanish bolt hole in Andalusia – Son Net is gradually being lovingly and meticulously restored and will re-open in the spring of 2023 with 31 suites juxtaposing elegant, palatial architecture with tastefully transformed interiors boasting breathtaking views over citrus orchards and lush Mediterranean gardens. The interior transformation of this historic hideaway is preserving many of the building’s original features, including stone floors and archways, carved wooden ceilings, antique fireplaces, an original 17th century interior courtyard and a private family chapel.

Outside, sprawling grounds which include vegetable and herb gardens,

Net and ideal for hiking.

www.sonnet.es

a small farm and a private vineyard will feature multiple pools flanked by private shaded cabanas for guests to relax in nature and privacy. And for those who wish to explore more of the island, the spectacular nature reserve of Galatzo, where wild eagles, vultures and hawks live alongside brown bears, ostriches, emus, deer and donkeys is just four or five miles from Son

SCANDIC GRAND CENTRAL

FINLAND HAS REPEATEDLY BEEN NAMED THE WORLD’S happiest nation for a number of reasons, not least that Finns are surrounded by good design. From Marimekko fabrics and Iittala glassware to Aalto furniture and architecture, Finnish design is world renowned. On the ground, nowhere in Finland are the nation’s design talents more evident than its capital city, where good design is literally everywhere. From the striking Amos Rex museum, designed by three Finnish architectural students, to the Helsinki Central Library, commonly referred to as OODI, contemporary Finnish architecture is evident at every turn. Occupying a hugely significant site in central Helsinki and one of city’s largest ever design projects, OODI demonstrates successful service design combined with contemporary Finnish architecture. A stone’s throw from OODI, one of the city’s most historic buildings was recently converted into a new landmark hotel.

Centrally located at Helsinki Railway Station, providing easy access to every part of the city, when Scandic Grand Central opened last year it was the culmination of a years-long reimagination of a massive art nouveau building with huge historical value.

Designed by celebrated Finnish-American architect Eliel Saarinen, who was known for his work with art nouveau buildings in the early 20th century, his Finnish State Railways VR headquarters building was completed in 1909. An important part of the cityscape, culturally and historically significant and a protected building, it served as the railway administration headquarters for almost a century. Hence converting it into a hotel was a demanding, painstaking and time-consuming process.

For lots of space at a bargain price for central Helsinki, reserve a corner suite in the main building. Accessed via an incredibly wide corridor unadulterated from the 1909 floorplan, The Cultured Traveller’s corner suite offered plenty of space to spread out complete with armchairs, a large sofa and even its own sauna. And should you be catching a train to explore another part of beautiful Finland, the platform you’ll be departing from will be five minutes’ walk from Scandic Grand Central. www.scandichotels.com/hotels/finland

The result is a relaxed, deluxe hotel which has retained the character of the original building, is brimming with architectural details and offers a range of almost 500 rooms and suites to suit every budget, complete with a vibrant restaurant, a busy bar and an excellent gym. Plus you can literally walk everywhere from Scandic Grand Central.

BYRON BAY AUSTRALIA

THE SUNSEEKER

LESS THAN AN HOUR’S DRIVE FROM GOLD COAST AIRPORT

on the far north coast of New South Wales in southeastern Australia, the sun-kissed town of Byron Bay is known as much for its bountiful beaches, surfing and scuba diving as it is for its community spirit, innovative food scene, rainforest hinterland and Cape Byron State Conservation Park. Home to Australia’s most easterly point and iconic Cape Byron lighthouse, Byron Bay is something of a coastal paradise offering something for everyone in a relaxed atmosphere. And from June through November, humpback whales can be spotted from various viewpoints in the cape.

Reminiscent of a bygone era when Byron Bay was just a groovy surf town, The Sunseeker is a revitalised classic ’80s brick motel, somewhat hidden on Bungalow Drive ten minutes’ drive from the hustle and bustle.

Taking its design cues from fantastical Flamingo Estate in LA and transformed by a bevy of talented local makers, artists and designers, Sunseeker is a design-driven, modern retro no-frills bolt hole that conjures up nostalgia at every turn. Created by first-time hoteliers Dave and Jess Frid and their friends, everything has been lovingly picked, carefully restored or custom built to suit and throughout the property, artworks, furniture, vintage pieces and objets d’art hail from every notable creative in the vicinity.

Frequented by globetrotters in-the-know, sun worshipping couples, roadtripping families taking advantage of the good value spacious rooms and jet-setters living out their surf-shack fantasies, guests are accommodated in a dozen motel-style rooms which range from entry level standards to two-bedroom family suites. All are very generously proportioned and feature

walk-in showers and a patio or balcony overlooking the pool or gardens. The six stand-alone timber-clad bungalows, complete with a full kitchen, outdoor tub and barbecue, are perfect for a family get together.

Food and beverage wise guests can either order food hampers or barbecue meal kits from nearby Bay Grocer, or pull up a stool at the poolside tropical-tiki bar, which serves a range of small-batch beers and organic wines and has been styled with 80s wicker and zebra print in keeping with Sunseeker’s fresh and retro vibe.

www.thesunseeker.com.au

IMAGES: JAMES TOLIC

PATINA MALDIVES

JUST A 50-MINUTE SPEEDBOAT RIDE FROM VELANA International Airport, the Fari Islands is a man-made archipelago in the Maldives’ North Malé Atoll built by Singaporean real estate developer Pontiac. Purpose designed to host three luxury resorts and a social hub but delayed by the Covid pandemic (like so much hospitality construction was), the opening of Fari Islands in mid 2021 marked the unveiling of a second development of artificial islands in the Maldives. Yet the Fari Islands differ from fellow man-made Crossroads in that guests from each of Fari’s three resorts are able to criss-cross between them by boat to enjoy their numerous restaurants and peruse the art installations and shops on Fari Marina.

Occupying one of Fari's islands, Patina Maldives opened in May 2021 entering the market as a new sophisticated lifestyle brand. Neighbouring Patina, The Ritz-Carlton Maldives, Fari Islands opened in 2021 and Capella Maldives, Fari Islands is slated to open in 2025.

Featuring 90 contemporary villas that were constructed with renewable materials, all of which are fitted with solar panels on their roofs, Patina is an impressively sustainable low-lying resort designed with a great respect for nature, ensuring that its guests enjoy unbroken horizons and incredible vistas. Adding to Patina’s eco credentials, all water is preserved, filtered and recycled, there is no single-use plastic on the island and a zero-waste policy operates in its kitchens.

Guests choose between sunset, sunrise, beach or over-water villas and twenty studios. All enjoy their own open-air decks and private swimming pools, oversized outdoor bathtubs and hammocks in which to curl up. The

modern, earthy décor is neutral in colour throughout. Oversized beds are clad in Frette linen. Huge prints by Brazilian photograph photographer Cássio Vasconcellos adorn the walls. And when guests tire of swimming and relaxing, a comprehensive water sports centre features the latest equipment, with non-motorised activities offered complimentary for guests, and a holistic spa offers a variety of treatment suites including a couple’s hammam, a room dedicated to Watsu and a floatation zone to soothe mind and body in tandem.

https://patinahotels.com

MARUFUKURO

ONE OF NATION'S LARGEST CITIES AND ONCE ITS CAPITAL, Buddhist temples, ornate gardens, Imperial palaces, Shinto shrines and traditional wooden houses abound in Kyōto making it Japan's cultural hub. Many of Japan’s unique traditions also originate in the ancient capital and can be experienced in Kyōto’ s historic districts. Yet whilst countless globetrotters know and love Kyōto for its temples and gardens, fewer travellers may know that the city was also the birthplace of Nintendo.

Close to Kyōto's Kamo and Takase rivers and just a five-minute drive from the city’s main railway station and transportation hub, in April 2022 Marufukuro hotel opened inside Nintendo's former headquarters, located in the same quiet Kagiyacho neighbourhood where the gaming company was founded by Fusajiro Yamauchi in 1889.

Spanning three structures including the Yamauchi family’s residence, all dating back to 1933 when the company was known as Yamauchi Nintendo and manufactured hanafuda (Japanese playing cards) and Western-style playing cards called karuta , Marufukuro was designed by renowned selftaught Japanese architect Tadao Ando to retain many of the building's original architectural details and fittings.

Outwardly the building's exterior remains largely unchanged, retaining elements such as old Yamauchi Nintendo entrance plaques and window grilles patterned with details from old playing cards. The new signage plays homage to Nintendo’s humble beginnings, incorporating the words karuta and toranpu . And the hotel’s name, Marufukuro, is an ode to the distribution company which continued the card-making business and eventually evolved into Nintendo.

Inside, eleven guestrooms and seven suites range from ornate art deco to minimalist and are spread across four buildings which include a new annex

designed Ando. For the annex, Ando adopted a more modern approach, with floor-to-ceiling windows and elements in raw concrete – the material he is most famous for using.

The hotel is also home to modern Japanese restaurant Carta, presided over by prominent chef Ai Hosokawa, and offers a variety of Japanese and Western-style dishes using fresh, seasonal ingredients.

For Nintendo fans, a library curated by the Yamauchi family is filled with a range of items which allow visitors to experience the history and origins of the Nintendo brand.

https://marufukuro.com/en

THE RITZ-CARLTON, AMMAN

THE METROPOLITAN GATEWAY TO THE DEAD SEA, PETRA and Wadi Rum, Amman is much more than the capital of Jordan, with plenty to persuade travellers to stay a while and enjoy its modern Middle Eastern vibe. A bustling city boasting numerous ancient ruins of its own, including the remains of the Roman Temple of Hercules and a spectacular amphitheatre that dates back to the 2nd century, there are art galleries and museums, cafés, bars and restaurants and leafy residential districts are home to a variety of hidden cultural gems.

Introducing a new level of hospitality luxury to the vibrant Jordanian capital together with a wealth of carefully curated experiences for its guests, the soaring new Ritz-Carlton hotel opened in Amman in May 2022 with an inventory of 226 refined guest rooms and 34 super-luxe suites, plus a massive ballroom and an array of leisure facilities and food and beverage venues.

Rising elegantly above the West Amman skyline and centrally situated on the prestigious Fifth Circle, the hotel’s design is inspired by the culture and history of Jordan. Designed by London’s Wimberly Interiors, the hotel’s bold interior architecture, tailored lighting, art deco touches and contemporary artistic elements draw inspiration from the Kingdom’s landscapes, from natural rifts of the sea and the earth’s saturated colours to the deep crevices of its caves and mountains. Petra is reflected in a series of vignettes while Roman and Nabatean architectural landmarks in Jordan are reinterpreted throughout the hotel.

Leisure facilities include indoor and outdoor swimming pools, a sumptuous spa and a start-of-the-art fitness centre. And for dinner with a view, the hotel’s signature 20th floor restaurant, Roberto’s, offers authentic Italian fare and panoramic views of Amman's skyline.

www. ritzcarlton.com

CASTLE ELVIRA

BOASTING EXTRAVAGANT CHURCHES FASHIONED

BY

Europe's finest architects, ancient towns heavy with history, seas of olive groves, centuries-old farmland and hundreds of kilometres of Mediterranean coastline, Puglia today is one of Italy's most famous and regions and has become increasingly popular with travellers as an alternative to Campania and Tuscany. A vibrant port city on the Adriatic northwest of Brindisi, the Puglian capital of Bari is a cultural wonderland of art and history with a gorgeous old town. Meanwhile Lecce is known as the 'Florence of the South' for its baroque architecture and dazzling architectural surprises around every corner.

Just outside of Lecce on St. Elia Ridge in Trepuzzi and set within 15 hectares of stunning parkland and Italian gardens, having literally been abandoned and left in ruins for almost 100 years, a 20th century castello recently opened as boutique hotel Castle Elvira after three years of careful restorations.

Entirely a passion project for married British LGBTQ+ couple Steve Riseley and Harvey B-Brown, who bought the site in 2018 and moved lock, stock and barrel from London to make Italy their permanent base, the castle's original architectural details were lovingly restored while contemporary furnishings and modern technology were added to create a design-led boutique hotel comprising four en-suite guest bedrooms with two dedicated private salons, two dining rooms (formal and informal), a bar/piano room, two lounges, a cinema and a business suite. A neighbouring groundskeeper’s cottage offers two additional guest bedrooms.

Facilities include a swimming pool, a 12-person jacuzzi and an on-site café serving breakfast, aperitivi and authentic cucina povera salentina for lunch and dinner, made with locally sourced seasonal produce alongside ingredients grown on the property’s own land.

Also owned and being carefully renovated under the watchful eye of Riseley and B-Brown, Castle Elvira’s sister residence, Tower Elvira will soon open providing additional guest rooms.

www.castleelvira.com

ITALY

NEW HAVEN UNITED STATES

HOTEL MARCEL

ONE OF THE NATION'S OLDEST CITIES AND HOME OF YALE university which was founded more than three centuries ago, New Haven is a modern, vibrant coastal city on the northern shore of Long Island Sound in Connecticut, a couple of hours and easily accessible from New York. Yet whilst New Haven is an internationally renowned centre for education, the energetic city is also a hub for art, science and history museums, and its energetic and inclusive vibe, thriving culinary scene and passionate connection to its past make it worthy of a day trip if you find yourself exploring Connecticut's stunning sliver of coastline.

Originally built in in 1969 as the headquarters and research labs for the Armstrong Rubber Company, New Haven's landmark Marcel Breuerdesigned brutalist building has become America’s first completely fossil fuel-free hotel and uses solar power to generate its own electricity for lighting, heating, cooling and hot water. Part of Hilton’s Tapestry Collection, Hotel Marcel is believed to be the first net-zero hotel in the United States, which is quite a feat for a structure that sat abandoned for more than two decades.

The new eco-friendly 165-room property is the result of the innovative vision of lead architect, developer and owner Bruce Redman Becker. Listed on the State and National Register of Historic Places, Becker purchased the iconic building, repurposed and modernised it with sustainability as the key focus throughout, creating a cutting-edge hotel which still nods to its history. Features of the building's transformation include a power-over-ethernet lighting system that reduces lighting energy use by more than 30% and repurposed building materials utilised throughout, including light fixtures and carefully restored wood-panelled walls. In addition, extensive upgrades to enhance interior temperature control and air quality have resulted in the building using significantly less energy per square metre than most hotels.

Breuer’s iconic Cesca chairs have been upholstered with fabric by Anni Albers, a renowned Bauhaus textile artist, and every guest room features custom furnishings designed by Dutch East Design. But the overriding sense of Bauhaus modernism really comes alive in the hotel’s guest suites on the eighth floor: once the Armstrong executive offices and conference rooms, those that face east boast sweeping waterfront views, whilst those that look to the west enjoy vistas of New Haven's skyline.

www.hotelmarcel.com

THE MADRID EDITION

ONE OF EUROPE'S MAJOR CULTURAL CAPITALS AND A CITY of elegant boulevards and manicured parks, Madrid is vibrant, cheerful and rich in European art. Undoubtedly Spain's arts and financial centre and famous for being an open city welcoming all kinds of people from all over the world, the Spanish capital is one of the most populous in the EU. Madrid is also a hugely cosmopolitan city where more than 180 nationalities live together. Combined with its warm climate, this makes visiting Madrid a colourful and bright experience and on the city’s bustling streets, art, food, history and culture come together in a flavourful, metropolitan melting pot.

Centrally located by a 16th century monastery yet next to the city’s main shopping area, to stay at Ian Schrager’s new 200-room EDITION in Madrid is to be based in the busy centre of the action yet feel secluded once inside the hotel.

Salvaged from an adjacent building, a decorative, reclaimed 18th century baroque portal greets arriving guests and the property is bedecked with refined touches by British architect John Pawson.

The minimalist all-white guest rooms are veritable cocoon-like retreats from the hustle and bustle of the outside world (and the hotel’s happening rooftop) and include 21 suites and two penthouses,

Crowned by a show-stopping 17-metre rooftop pool (the largest of any luxury hotel in Madrid) complete with a row of in-water sunbeds, The Madrid EDITION boasts an array of onsite eating and drinking options, including

restaurants helmed by Mexican chef Enrique Olvera and Peruvian Diego Muñoz who are behind Jerónimo and Oroya respectively. There are also three bars, a pretty decent gym and a spa with five treatment rooms, making The Madrid EDITION a luxe one-stop urban resort. www.editionhotels.com

CALI MYKONOS

IN THE CENTER OF THE CYCLADES, THE RENOWNED Greek island of Mykonos is probably most famous for its cosmopolitan atmosphere, vibrant nightlife, colourful parties and hedonistic nightclubs. This is a shame for non-party people who chose to avoid Mykonos, for the island is actually rather beautiful, somewhat magical and partying is not compulsory! The other face of Mykonos simply oozes peace and calm from its stone-paved alleys and whitewashed houses to its quaint chapels and picture-postcard villages and the island’s stunning beaches are some of the best in the Aegean. And the nearby rocky island of Delos, the mythological birthplace of Apollo, is an unmissable archaeological site when visiting Mykonos.

Conceptualised by a talented team intimately connected to Greece, luxury hospitality and sustainable design, designed by Athens-based architects STFN Labs and gastronomically helmed by renowned Greek chef Lefteris Lazarou, new deluxe boutique resort Cali Mykonos made its debut in July 2022, drawing inspiration from Greek mythology’s muse Calliope, traditional Cycladic architecture and Mykonos’ vibrance.

By way of the resort’s 40 suites and villas, which descend down a hillside towards the Aegean’s blue waters of Cali’s private beach, the resort is something of a Mykonian sanctuary which nurtures connections amongst its guests and their surroundings.

The resort’s 130-metre seawater infinity pool overlooking the sea, state-ofthe-art gym, Pilates studio, private yoga instructor and restaurant serving locally sourced food pave the way for guests to experience charming Mykonos in a new light, whilst Cali’s concierge team is on hand to arrange bespoke experiences and itineraries, including transportation via the resort's fleet of electric vehicles.

www.calimykonos.com

A HUGE, PROTECTED GEOGRAPHICAL AREA COVERING approximately 30,000 square kilometres of northern Tanzania, the Serengeti ecosystem is a World Heritage Site teeming with wildlife, including some 4,000 lions, 1,000 leopard, 550 cheetahs and more than 500 different bird species. It is also the location of the largest annual mammal migration on earth, known as the Great Migration, when roughly two million wildebeest trek some 800 kilometres across the

Serengeti. Beginning in the south of the Serengeti, with the birth of half a million calves between January and March, the timing of the migration coincides with greening of nutritious grasses on the short-grass plains during the wet season. When the drought comes in May, the herd moves north, towards the Masai Mara in Kenya, chomping down the high green grass, quickly followed by the gazelles and zebras. Seeing any part of this incredible natural wonder is an unforgettable sight.

Located on the banks of an oxbow lake formed by the seasonal Grumeti River in a secluded western part of the Serengeti National Park, andBeyond's Grumeti Serengeti River Lodge provides the perfect vantage point for witnessing the Great Migration from late May to early July when it passes through this area of the park.

After the original 1990s-built Grumeti Serengeti Tented Camp flooded in 2020, andBeyond decided it was time for a comprehensive upgrade. The newly reimagined 10-room luxury tented camp sits on the same footprint as the original structure, but has been drastically upgraded and injected with a

generous dose of grandeur.

Courtesy of interior designers Fox Browne Creative and architect Jack Alexander, the lodge’s new look is luxurious and contemporary whilst retaining the rustic and tactile nature of the original camp. Not least, the sweeping arc of the new guest areas follow the contours of the river, creating a natural flow of lounging, sitting and dining areas. And guest suites – now more than double their original size – feature deep soaking tubs and indoor showers as well as outdoor decks with private plunge pools.

www.andbeyond.com

NESTLED BETWEEN THE turquoise waters of the Arabian Gulf and the city's skyscraperfilled skyline on a 25-acre site, Raffles The Palm opened in 2021 occupying a prime beachfront piece of Dubai real estate.

Embodying the best elements of the iconic Raffles brand, this palatial resort offers ultra-luxe accommodations, a wealth of premium dining experiences and an array of facilities, including a private 500-metre beach and a Parisian Cinq Mōndes Spa with 23 treatment rooms, two spa suites and an indoor swimming pool.

Catering to seasoned globetrotters and discerning locals alike, the resort’s 388 keys range from ocean-view rooms to duplex and presidential suites and everything in between. All are elegantly styled with antique furnishings and offer uninterrupted panoramic vistas of the Arabian Gulf or Dubai’s glittering skyline.

Raffles The Palm is also home to a collection of ultra-luxe shoreline villas, each encapsulating the grandeur of the resort and staffed by Raffles’ famed 24hour butler service, as is every guest room in the resort.

A majestic Middle Eastern retreat crafted by Portuguese and Italian master craftsmen, affording everyone who checks in VIP treatment, Raffles

The Palm is a lavishly appointed and altogether decadent addition to Dubai’s entertainment, dining and leisure scenes.

BUDAPEST

BUDAPEST

EXUDING

HIGH ABOVE THE DANUBE, AN iron raven is perched on the gates of Buda Castle, a golden ring gripped in its black beak. Below, Budapest fans out in all directions, once the epicentre of a Kingdom that stretched from the shores of the Adriatic to the Romanian hinterland of Transylvania. Legend has it that the dark-feathered messenger appeared to 14-year-old Matthias Corvinus in the middle of the 15th century, beseeching him to return to Budapest, take his place on the throne and rebuild the Hungarian state. He did, and a golden age of prosperity began. Matthias I eventually became King of Hungary and Croatia and the symbolic bird was incorporated in the Corvinus family crest. Yet while the raven and its ring stand eternal on Castle Hill, the history of this great city continues to unfold.

THE MOST RECENT CHAPTERS OF BUDAPEST’S epic saga have been marked by a roller-coaster of events that started with the collapse of the Austro-Hungarian Empire at the end of World War I, which saw Hungary lose almost three quarters of its territory and all its Adriatic coast in the Treaty of Trianon. The Second World War turned most of Budapest into a ruined wasteland, and the subsequent Hungarian Soviet Republic era left a shellshocked and decimated post-war population disillusioned and thirsty for change.

Despite a heavy-handed response to the Hungary Uprising of 1956 – a bid for liberty that cost 3,000 lives – reforms ensued. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, Hungary became a member of NATO in 1999 and joined the European Union in 2003. In the relatively stable years since, Budapest has witnessed a resurgence. EU funding has seen many of Budapest’s most prestigious buildings undergo extensive renovations, restoring civil landmarks to their former glory.

Meanwhile, tourism has opened the doors to travellers from across Europe, many of whom have discovered Hungary’s rich cultural heritage for the first time. Real estate developers and hoteliers are queuing up to breathe new life into resplendent old buildings, and Hungarian producers – farmers, winemakers, artisans, chefs, distillers and contemporary artists ¬– have found an outlet for their talents. The long-buried story of Hungary’s epic history is once again being told.

THE CULTURED TRAVELLER

Looking down Andrássy Avenue from Heroes' Square

CITY FOCUS BUDAPEST

GEOGRAPHY AND POLITICS: NATURAL DIVISIONS

BUDAPEST IS A CITY OF TWO HALVES, separated by the relentless flow of the Danube. Ancient Buda stands proud on a series of hills on the west side of the river, while Pest occupies the flatland to the east.

Imposing Buda Castle, or the Royal Palace as it is sometimes known, is the seat of governance for those who pulled the strings of historical Budapest: a projection of power and ambition that was rebuilt extensively to match its Viennese counterpart after the two cities merged in the empire-forming Austro-Hungarian Compromise of 1867, kicking off a years-long process of aggrandisement that saw many of Budapest’s civil buildings reinvigorated.

Like most buildings in the city, the palace suffered extensive damage during WW2, its lofty setting providing a vantage point for the beleaguered Hungarian and German command and an obvious target for Soviet artillery. The Neoclassical-Baroque building is now home to Budapest History Museum, the National Gallery and the National Széchényi Library – a veritable vault of Hungarian history, art and culture – all nestled beneath the mighty dome that’s visible from all corners of the city.

https://budacastlebudapest.com

AROUND THE PALACE, THE SPRAWLING collection of buildings that make up the Castle Quarter (Varnegyed ) includes the elaborate Gothic fantasy that is Matthias Church, festooned with beautifully ornate designs and a diamond-patterned roof adorned with an army of gargoyles and another statue of Matthias’s raven, who keeps quiet watch over Budapest. www.matyas-templom.hu

Buda Castle

Matthias Church

Fisherman’s Bastion

Located within the Hilton Budapest hotel, which itself is set within the castle district right next to Mathias church, LÁNG Bistro is the perfect place to pit-stop for a relaxed lunch. Offering a range of delectable, authentic Hungarian fare and a good range of affordable local wines, if you reserve a table by the front windows, you will enjoy spectacular views as you sip and dine. www.langbistro.hu

THE CASTLE WALLS THEMSELVES WERE originally maintained by different city guilds. The section outside Matthias Church was the responsibility of the guild of fishermen, who lived in the shadow of the walls in the Danube-facing area known as Fishtown. Today, the seven stone towers of the Fisherman’s Bastion representing the Seven Chieftains of the Hungarians – the founding fathers who established Hungary in the Carpathian Basin in 895 – offer one of the most spectacular vantage points in the city.

Adjoining the castle and its warren of caves, Gellert Hill is another vantage point from which

anyone prepared to make the 20-minute climb is rewarded with breathtaking views of the city. Once a tangle of vineyards, shrines and clandestine meeting places, the hill now serves as Budapest’s back garden, criss-crossed with walking trails. The Liberty Statue on its summit, erected by the Soviets after WW2, is somewhat cynically referred to by locals as the world’s largest bottle opener.

AT THE FOOT OF THE HILL, the hulking Art Nouveau mass of the Gellert Hotel is an iconic landmark, home to one of the largest natural spring water bath complexes in Central Europe. Established in 1918, the spa houses 10 thermal pools of different temperatures, set in an elegant bathhouse festooned with elaborate mosaics, stained-glass domes and marble columns. While the hotel itself undergoes an extensive refurbishment and awaits a big-name hotel company takeover, bathers continue to visit the spa, which has a distinctly local feel compared to the better-known Széchényi Thermal Baths on the other side of the river. www. gellertbath.hu

Gellért Thermal Baths

LÁNG Bistro

CITY FOCUS BUDAPEST

STARTING ANEW: WELCOME TO PEST

UNSURPRISINGLY FOR A CITY CLEAVED IN TWO by a mighty river, Budapest has a penchant for bridges and vital lifelines connecting Buda with its younger sibling, Pest.

While the 1849 Széchenyi Chain Bridge – the first and most elaborate of Budapest’s eight river crossings – undergoes structural repairs, the loveliest is Liberty Bridge: a Dollar-bill-green iron lattice linking Gellert Hill with the Great Market Hall area of Pest. This iconic structure is crowned with four statuesque birds of prey with outstretched wings; not Matthias’s raven, but a mythological creature called the Turul, which appears frequently in Hungarian folklore as a protector of the people. www.bridgesofbudapest.com

Eagle-eyed observers will notice a tiny statue on the north side of Liberty Bridge, a miniscule bronze figurine of Franz Joseph I – Emperor of Austria and King of Hungary in the 19th century – relaxing in a tiny hammock, nestled among the railings. It’s one of several diminutive statuettes by Ukrainian sculptor Mihály Kolodko that have popped up across the city in the last decade. Like a Hungarian Banksy, Kolodko’s works

are often political in nature, while others are more whimsical. Hungarian composer Franz Liszt, Kermit the Frog, Brexit and NASA’s Lunar Rover have all been depicted in these charming little statues, which can be found in unsuspecting corners all over the city.

https://kolodkoart.com

Emperor Franz Joseph by Mihály Kolodko

Liberty Bridge

IN THE EARLY 19TH CENTURY, PEST WAS completely redesigned: a new city purpose-built to accommodate the growing population, designed around a series of concentric circles and avenues similar to the layout of Paris. Certain rules were set in stone: as a symbol of the separation but equal importance of Church and State, it was decided that the two greatest buildings in Pest – St. Stephen’s Basilica and the Hungarian Parliament Building – would be limited to the same height, so neither was more prominent than the other.

That didn’t stop the architects of both from flexing their creativity.

Inside the hallowed sanctity of mighty St. Stephens, gleaming red marble columns, elaborate frescoes and a magnificent pipe organ look like they were built yesterday, the result of a 20-year refurbishment that was completed in 2003. The jaw-dropping dome, inlaid with beautiful frescoes and stained glass, soars 96-metres skywards, the exact same height as the Hungarian Parliament Building, a kilometre away. www.bazilika.biz

The Hungarian Parliament

Opened almost 30 years after the Austro-Hungarian Compromise of 1867, the Hungarian Parliament was a statement declaring Hungary’s ability to stand shoulderto-shoulder with other European capitals, particularly its constant rival Vienna. With its riverside location, Gothic buttresses, Renaissance details and soaring spires, it resembles a Central European Westminster, but its white icing façade and rows of ornate statues give it a softer and more allegorical appeal. www. parlament.hu

St. Stephens Basilica

St. Stephens Basilica

A few steps away, Shoes on the Danube Bank by Hungarian sculptor Gyula Pauer marks the spot where 3,500 Hungarian Jews were told to take off their shoes before local Arrow Cross Party militia shot them and threw their bodies into the river. The sixty pairs of bronze men’s, women’s and children’s boots and slippers are a memorial to them and the 564,000 Hungarian Jews killed in the war, most of them deported to Auschwitz: a powerful reminder of those dark times.

BUDAPEST STILL HAS A THRIVING JEWISH community, one of the largest in Europe. Pest’s Jewish Quarter has become the heart of the city’s nightlife, where locals and tourists alike gather in ruin bars, which are literally bars hastily set up in the wrecks of damaged buildings. Some, like Szimpla Kert, the original ruin bar, have evolved into thriving community and cultural centres, offering farmers markets, live music, food stalls and events, all nestled behind a crumbling façade. https://szimpla.hu

Shoes on the Danube Bank by Gyula Pauer

Dohány Street Synagogue is the third largest in the world after those in Jerusalem and New York, and the latter is an exact replica of Viennese architect Ludwig Forster’s Budapest masterpiece. Built in a jumble of styles that reflect the Middle Eastern roots of Judaism, the synagogue has two domed spires that evoke both the onion-domed spires of Orthodox churches and the minarets of Islamic mosques.

www.dohany-zsinagoga.hu

IN 1987, UNESCO RECOGNISED THE BUILDINGS that line the banks of the Danube and the elegant bridges that span its haunted waters as a World

Heritage Site. Buda Castle Quarter and Andrássy Avenue – a vital artery that connects St Stephen’s Basilica to Heroes’ Square and the Museum of Fine Art to the northeast – were later added to the inscription. One of the oldest streets in Pest, Andrássy Avenue is lined with elaborate mansions and opulent townhouses, but no building gleams quite so magnificently as the Hungarian State Opera. Another symbol of Budapest’s ambition and cultural importance, the opera house is a Neo-Renaissance confection of columns and statues filled with exquisite Italian marble, beautiful frescoes and a three-tonne bronze chandelier, a building so beautiful it lured kings and queens from all over

Heroes' Square

Europe. Beneath the elegantly shod feet of operagoers, the first underground railway in continental Europe has rumbled along since its inauguration in 1896.

www.opera.hu

A stone’s throw from the opera house and ideal for a pre- or post-dinner cocktail, Sfinx Bar is set within a historic 1880s building at no. 8 Andrássy. The Budapest home of award-winning Opera Gin and the brand’s flagship bar, under soaring ceilings and from a long, gleaming bar a variety of gin-based cocktails and signature libations are efficiently and artfully dispensed to a backdrop of DJ sounds at the weekends.

https://sfinxbar.com

Dohány Street Synagogue

Andrássy Avenue

Hungarian State Opera

CITY FOCUS BUDAPEST

LOCATED IN HEROES’ SQUARE AND WELL OVER a century old, Budapest’s imposing Museum of Fine Arts stands out amongst the city’s cultural institutions not least for being the largest museum in the country. Having been extensively renovated recently and housing one of the most important collections of European art from antiquity to the present day, it displays almost one thousand works in dozens of galleries and is worth visiting even if you drop anchor at only one of the city’s numerous museums.

www.szepmuveszeti.hu

Great Market Hall

Museum of Fine Arts

RETURNING TO THE LAND

IN A CONTINENT WHOSE CITIZENS RELY MORE and more on supermarkets to supply their daily needs, it is refreshing to walk into Budapest’s Great Market Hall shortly after lunch on a Friday and find its stalls teeming with local shoppers. Inside, the 125-year-old building resembles a central railway station or the balloon of a vast airship, its roof lined with wrought iron ribs and a thin orange skin that glows faintly under the autumn gloom.

Rows of stalls overflow with the produce of Hungary’s agricultural heartlands: salty salamis embellished with

local flavours like plum and sour cherry; cured local Mangalica pork, artisan cheese and homemade honey; and big bunches of red chilis, used to make Hungary’s famous paprika.

Down in the bowels of the market, the basement is home to the guardians of another Hungarian specialty. Colourful jars stuffed with pickled vegetables, root veg and alliums grace the walls of every stand; row upon row of digestion-enhancing crunch that brighten every meal.

Other stalls are loaded with the treasures of Hungary’s wine country: golden bottles of luscious Tokaji Aszú dessert wine, lesser-known Hungarian

grape varieties and the deceptively potent pálinka, a type of brandy that’s not for the faint-hearted.

AMONG ALL OF THE TRAGEDIES TO HAVE befallen Hungary in the last 500 years, the gradual disappearance of its viticultural legacy stands out as one that has had a particularly noticeable impact on its culture. Hungarians have been making wine for more than a thousand years, but the devastation of WW2 and the brutal Soviet years saw the country’s once-proud winemakers turn to industrial scale mechanisation in the pursuit of high-yield grapes, abandoning the centuries of viticultural nuance passed down from generation to generation. But things are changing.

While the wine lists of London restaurants may include the occasional bottle of dry Furmint – a refreshingly savoury incarnation of the grape predominantly used to make Hungary’s famously luscious Tokaji Aszú –Hungarian wines remain one of the country’s best-kept secrets. Dive into Hungary’s wine regions and you’ll discover a world a of grape varieties that you have never heard of, as well as plenty of household names that do particularly well in Hungary’s mostly cool-climate wine regions.

A FEW MILES OUTSIDE OF BUDAPEST IN THE Etyek-Buda region (often called Etyek, for short), one winemaker is drawing on a wealth of winemaking knowledge cultivated in the vineyards of Mendoza to elevate Hungarian wine to international standards.

Argentine winemaker Carlos Coelho established Haraszthy Winery in 1996 and now cultivates 123 hectares of vines, making it the second largest winery in Etyek-Buda. As well as international staples like

Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinot Noir, Haraszthy produces a bright cuvée that blends traditional grape varieties Királyleányka and Zenit with Szürkebarát (Pinot Gris) and Chardonnay, making aa refreshing sparkling wine for hot summer afternoons by Haraszthy’s pool. https://haraszthy.hu

In a bid to encourage more Hungarians to rediscover a passion for the country’s wines, Haraszthy recently opened the WineHub in Budapest; part shop, part tasting theatre. It is ventures like this that are helping Budapest reclaim its national pride and its rightful place on the world stage as a producer of exceptional quality goods. https://winehub.hu

BUDAPEST HAS BEEN AROUND FOR MORE than a thousand years. For its citizens, the wind of change has blown constantly through the ages and the city has existed in a constant state of flux. As one of the most aesthetically beautiful cities in Europe, it wears its history on its sleeve. But today it seems to be facing the future with a sense of renewed hope and courage.

While the finishing touches are put on urban renewal projects in the Castle Quarter and the beautification of public buildings and bridges adds a gilded edge to the banks of the Danube, there’s also a pivot back to agrarian roots and community spirit amongst the city’s creative communities. From the ruin bars of Pest’s Jewish Quarter and the barrel rooms of Etyek’s wineries to the hallowed surrounds of the Hungarian State Opera, there’s a sense that Budapest has turned a corner, hopeful for the future, but mindful of the past: a time

Pálinka

Haraszthy Winery

ARIA HOTEL BUDAPEST

YOUR ARRIVAL AT HOTEL ARIA BUDAPEST IS LIKE THE FIRST strains of a musical opus. It starts gently, with a discreet entrance on Hercegprímás in the historic heart of Pest, on the eastern side of the Danube, footsteps from the mighty facade of St. Stephen’s Basilica.

Inside, the tempo builds as black and white piano key floor tiles lead you gently into the check-in desk and onward into the Music Garden Courtyard, where a grand rhapsody of vibrant colours and grandiose floral arrangements indicate the first great movement of the piece. The piano key floor dashes ahead and turns quickly upwards towards the glass-covered atrium.

This convivial space is the day-time heart of the hotel, where local and international flavours shine at casual breakfasts and a pianist serenades guests every afternoon during a two-hour Hungarian wine and cheese reception. Warm gold fixtures and vivid lime green furnishings accent the black and white space. But it’s the piano that pulls focus: a full-size grand from the workshop of Hungarian pianist Gergely Bogányi, created by industrial designer Péter Üveges at the Liszt Ferenc Academy of music.

Aria’s melody dances across the guestrooms, which are all unique, inspired by musical legends. Most of the rooms are wrapped around the inner courtyard overlooking the glass roof of the Music Garden, with colourful yellow terrace furniture for sunny afternoons. The hotel’s music library, an archive of classical, opera and jazz albums and a collection of live performance DVDs, is in the process of digitisation, which will enable guests to select from the huge archive from in-room iPads.

The musical journey continues in Harmony Spa, where a neon-lit swimming pool surrounded by Arabian Nights-style cabanas is overlooked by a big-band mosaic, and treatments are accompanied by your own personally selected musical playlist.

The walls of Café Liszt are covered in mirrors, each one signed by a contemporary music legend – Placido Domingo, Lenny Kravitz and Rita Ora have all left their mark, amongst many others – and a menu of European dishes courtesy of chef Ferenc Jóvér includes a selection of Hungarian staples given an elegant, modern twist.

Aria finds its crescendo in the High Note SkyBar, a stylish rooftop lounge, bar and restaurant overlooking the magnificent dome of St. Stephen’s Basilica and the imposing outline of Buda Castle. A creative and surprisingly pirate-themed signature cocktail list created by bar manager Marcell Sárközi lures a well-heeled crowd from early evening, and a bar menu and wine list generously peppered with Hungarian wines keeps people there until the early hours. Bright, playful and oh-so musical, Hotel Aria hits all the right notes.

www.ariahotelbudapest.com

MATILD PALACE

IT IS RARE TO EXPERIENCE A HOTEL WHICH SO SKILLFULLY marries the yester-year glamour of a storied city such as Budapest with super-luxe and modern guest rooms, happening restaurants, buzzing bars and top-notch leisure facilities. But Matild Palace – part of Marriott’s Luxury Collection portfolio – has it all in spades and the attention to detail is exceptional. Obviously aimed at the most well-heeled and discerning travellers visiting Budapest today, when Matild Palace debuted in mid-2021 it undoubtedly set a new standard of luxury at the top of the Hungarian capital’s hospitality scene.

Occupying a beautiful Belle Epoque palace-like building erected in 1900 at the behest of Her Royal Highness Maria Klotild, arriving travellers enter Matild Palace via huge wrought iron gates into an impressive gold-accented lobby bedecked in rich greens and plush velvet furnishings. A bank of elevators whisks guests up to four floors of 130 rooms and suites designed by MKV Design to pay homage to the building’s former life and offer residents every luxury and mod-con. Tasteful Art-Deco touches abound. TVs are hidden behind giant mirrors. Beds are as sumptuous as they get. Bathrooms are gorgeous marble-lined havens with Aqua de Parma amenities. The finishing is universally superb - clearly no expense was spared by the hotel’s owners.

If you manage to reserve one of the hotel’s nine Elisabeth Bridge Suites – all of which feature soaring ceilings and bathrooms larger than some London flats – you will wake up to stunning views of the famous bridge, the mighty

Danube and Buda on the other side.

The guest rooms are sandwiched between food and beverage venues top and bottom, with Matild Palace crowned by The Duchess bar and lounge. Offering panoramic views from its outdoor decks, this is the place for an aperitif (or two) before heading down to dinner.

On the ground floor, Matild Café offers breakfast, lunch and dinner in chic, Parisian-like surroundings and, at the weekends, the theatrical double-height space plays host to live entertainment and cabaret shows. Also on street level, Wolfgang Puck has successfully transplanted to Budapest his famed Beverly Hills restaurant, Spago. A hive of activity over the weekends, Spago Budapest is already one of the city’s culinary hotspots and is packed on Friday and Saturday nights with a hip and well-heeled crowd feasting on modern Hungarian fare, complete with a superb wine list.

One floor down, guests can avail themselves of a large and very wellequipped gym, and a spa where thermal therapy, traditional Hungarian wellness experiences and Turkish-inspired bathing practices are combined in a menu of bespoke treatments.

With in-house guests literally wanting for nothing, if the city outside wasn’t so beautiful, it would be easy to spend a weekend at Matild Palace without leaving the property at all. Indeed, if Her Imperial and Royal Highness Maria Klotild of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha were alive today, she would surely give the hotel her royal seal of approval and grace its magnificent portals herself.

www.matildpalace.com

MINUTES WITH deborah myers

What sort of music was played in the Myers household when you were young?

Although not a particularly musical family, my mum loved classical music and my Dad was a jazz fan.

Which musicians influenced young Deborah?

I was four years old when I was taken to see The Sound of Music. After the film ended, I decided that I just had to be a nun, fell in love with Julie Andrews and watched everything she was in. Barbara Streisand was also an idol. As I began to sing more classically, I began to listen to Maria Callas, Lucia Popp and Kiri Te Kanawa.

Tell us about your first amateur performance?

I was 12 when I played the role of Gianetta in Gilbert and Sullivan's The Gondoliers. I felt so grown up. Most of the audience consisted of my family and friends. The tremendous support of my family and friends continues to this day.

Who first spotted your talent and were you encouraged?

My mummy always thought I had a beautiful voice, but I wasn't sure if she was slightly biased! Between her and my music teacher at school, I was very nurtured. When I was 15, I went for an advisory audition at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester. There and then I was offered a place at the conservatoire for when I turned 18.

Your career has taken you from Bratislava to Brazil and everywhere in between. What has been your most memorable performance to date?

I have been incredibly privileged to have performed in many, many wonderful places and each was special in its own way. But I will never forget my first professional performance abroad, at the 5,000-capacity Odeon of Herodes Atticus amphitheatre in Athens. The evening was dedicated to Leonard Bernstein, who is one of my

favourite composers. My entire family flew out especially, including my two elderly grandmothers. I went on to perform in Greece for many years, including just recently. Consequently, Greece has almost become like a second home for me.

Tell us about your involvement with the Horatio Alger Association?

The American Horatio Alger Association is an educational charity that assists high school students realise their dreams and further their education, which they wouldn't be able to do otherwise, and I am honoured to be an ambassador for such a worthwhile NPO.

to crossover and sing many types of music, whether it be a musical number from West Side Story or Mimi's aria from La Bohème. Recently I sung Never Enough from The Greatest Showman, which I really enjoyed, and one week later I was performing in Carmina Burana which was totally thrilling.

ever wanted the best for me. When the children were young it was a lot harder. I am a control freak and wasn't very good at leaving them, so I was very particular about which roles I would and wouldn't take. Now they are teenagers they are much more independent and so I am much more able to travel.

Your favourite concert venue on the planet?

The spectacular Odeon of Herodes Atticus in Athens, which was built between 160 - 174 AD.

Amongst many others, you have performed with José Carreras?

Performing with José Carreras was definitely a highlight of my career. To sing with a man I had admired and listened to for years was almost like an out of body experience. He put me at my ease and is an incredibly humble person.

Which songs or arias are your favourites to perform?

I enjoy performing many different musical genres and am lucky to be able

You recently performed a string of summer dates with Greek singer Mario Frangoulis Mario and I met in 1995 when we were cast as the young lovers in Rodgers and Hammerstein's The King and I. The connection between us was instant and we enjoy a very special on-stage chemistry. As much as I love performing with other singers, I have never had the same on-stage chemistry with anyone else. It was as if Mario and I were born to sing together and we have regularly performed together for the past 25 years.

Who would you love to duet with and why?

I would love to sing with Paul McCartney because he's one of the best songwriters in the world and a living legend. I would have loved to have dueted with Frank Sinatra, Nat King Cole and Sammy Davis Jr.

How do you juggle being a wife and mother of three with such a jet-set career?

I am very lucky to have an incredibly supportive husband who has only

How does Deborah Myers switch off? Like everybody else: Netflix!

What music do you listen to when you’re relaxing?

Depending on what mood I’m in, it can be anything from Madame Butterfly to Dear Evan Hansen to Abba.

Favourite place in the world to holiday? The Maldives with Thailand a close second. We were in The Maldives last Christmas and it was simply out-of-thisworld. You don’t actually believe that the sea is really that turquoise until you are staring at it.

What do you have planned for 2023?

Post pandemic, it is wonderful to see my 2023 diary filling up already with concerts in the States, France and the UK. I am also working on an album with Mario Frangoulis which will hopefully be released in the new year.

I will never forget my first professional overseas performance at the 5,000capacity Odeon of Herodes Atticus amphitheatre in Athens

Mario Frangoulis & Deborah Myers

CONSISTENTLY RANKED ONE OF THE world’s wealthiest n ions and renowned around the globe for its opulence and hospitality, in many ways Singapore is also a city of excess.

A huge Asian financial center with a high standard of living, the island state boasts dozens of Michelin-starred eateries ranging from street food outlets to high-end restaurants. And Singapore’s dining scene continues to grow.

Love it or hate it, Singaporean architectural landmark, Marina Bay Sands hotel contains more than 2,500 rooms within its three towers. The entire Las Vegas-like complex was built on reclaimed land. Now a fourth tower is in the process of being built which will add a further 1,000 rooms to Marina Bay Sands’ inventory.

Even Gardens By The Bay, which has attracted more than 50 millions visitors since opening in 2012, boasts the world’s largest glass greenhouse, covering 1.28 hectares under its striking Calatrava-like roof.

Amidst such 21st century glitter, glamour and all things OTT, to stay at Raffles Singapore is a completely different Singaporean experience. No less glamorous but a great deal more refined and oozing history from every pore, the personalised service guests receive at Raffles Singapore must surely be some of the best in Asia.

AS I BEGIN MY THREE DAYS IN SINGAPORE, IT is evident from the get-go that I am staying at the hotel where the city’s renowned hospitality reputation was born and there is a lot more to this grand dame that meets the eye. Being the Raffles brand’s flagship property and the stuff of global hospitality legend, there are historical clues literally everywhere I turn.

GUESTS ARE IMMERSED IN AUTHENTIC OLD world splendour immediately upon entering the hotel’s spectacular three-storey lobby, which is lit from above by giant glass-panelled skylights and framed by a grand staircase. Exuding an atmosphere of lavish restraint and hushed opulence, the lobby is dominated by a massive yet inordinately chic Czech chandelier that glistens with more than 8,000 crystals. My first impressions are of a modest palace of hospitality luxury where history and modernity co-exist in tasteful harmony. Contrary to Marina Bay Sands, Raffles is for discerning and refined globetrotters – cultured travellers, if you will.

ONE OF JUST FOURTEEN SUITES IN THE MAIN building, I am able to ascend the gorgeous staircase or take the lift a few floors up to where the Lady Sophia Suite is waiting for me. There is something regal about coming down a staircase from one’s room to dinner, whether in a house or a hotel. Before long, I feel that staying in Raffles’ main building is akin to lodging in a room of a sprawling and intensely historic country house and I relish the prospect of descending to dine nightly in one of the hotel’s many restaurants.

ENTERED VIA A PAIR OF LOFTY VICTORIAN doors, the Lady Sophia Suite was named after the wife of Sir Stamford Raffles, the founder of modern Singapore. A recent addition to Raffles’ inventory, it was designed by Alexandra Champalimaud as part of the top-to-toe renovation of the entire property which was completed in 2019. Fashioned from a former boardroom, the suite consists of a parlour for living and dining, a well-equipped butler’s kitchen, a guest cloakroom, an airy triple-aspect bedroom with windows to three sides, an oversized Bianco Dolomite-clad bathroom and a private outdoor veranda which looks towards Singapore’s business district. The suite is essentially a swanky pied-à-terre in the heart of the city and is the perfect base for my Singaporean sojourn to follow.

NESTLED IN THE FRONT-MOST CORNER OF the main building overlooking the hotel’s main entrance and Beach Road, in the late 1800s, the Lady Sophia Suite would have been within a minute’s walk of Singapore’s beachfront. Today, high-rises and shopping malls stand between the hotel and the waters of the Singapore Strait, yet Raffles remains the most legendary property in Asia (if not the world) and I am embraced by its warmth and surrounded by its history. And from the windows in the lounge and bedroom I can observe the comings and goings on the hotel’s graveled driveway, which is the very same driveway that welcomed horse-drawn carriages a century ago.

EARLY

IN THE MORNING OF SINGAPORE’S

57th National Day, I get comfy on a rattan sofa on my veranda and gaze at the cloud-skimming skyline, sipping a cup of English Breakfast tea as the metropolis slowly wakes up.

Rich oak floors throughout lending my suite an intensely homely feel, it is not long before I begin to experience the personalised butler service that Raffles is famed for, when a pair of trainers I had planned to pick-up from a local shopping mall appear on the dining table with a hand-written note. Indeed, throughout my short but sweet stay, small gifts and delicious treats often appear in the suite and the fruit bowl is regularly refreshed with an exotic arrangement of nature’s bounty.

SUCH IS THE ARRAY OF FOOD AND BEVERAGE options at Raffles Singapore that it is possible to dine at a different onsite restaurant for days without leaving the property. I linger over long lunches at Osteria BBR by Alain Ducasse, which serves top notch Italian fare in a bright, relaxed and contemporary space presided over by an attentive team, and Yì By Jereme Leung, which is tucked away within Raffles Arcade. Here my tastebuds are entertained by some of the best Chinese food I’ve sampled for years and the crispy pork belly literally melts in my mouth.

Part of the hotel's history since 1892, I feast on a North Indian gastronomic banquet for one at Tiffin Room, just off the lobby, and on my final evening at Raffles, I relish the tasting menu with paired wines at La Dame de Pic, an offshoot of culinary maestro Anne-Sophie Pic's three Michelin-starred Maison Pic in southeast France. The complex and evocative flavours

of every course, the friendly staff and the superb cheese trolley make this modern fine dining restaurant the favourite food and beverage experience of my stay.

Whilst it is rude not to partake of a Singapore Sling while staying at Raffles, since the nation’s cocktail was created in 1915 by Raffles bartender Ngiam Tong Boon, after dinner at La Dame de Pic, I pull up a stool at Writers Bar for a leisurely digestif. Very much a grown-up space, I sip my drink at the brass bar beneath a sculptural chandelier overhead before retiring to the Lady Sophia Suite where the background music is classical, the lights are dimmed and a pair of embroidered cobalt blue slippers are waiting beside the bed.

THOUGHTFULLY REDESIGNED BY

Champalimaud Design during the hotel’s 2017-2019 renovation to restore the property’s social spirit and invite travellers and locals alike into its lovingly reimagined spaces, the Raffles Singapore I experience during my 72-hour stay is elegant and sophisticated yet engaging and warm. A rare example of an iconic and intensely storied hotel which successfully straddles the old and new, Raffles Singapore is truly one-of-a-kind.

A night in the Lady Sophia Suite at Raffles Singapore costs SGD 4,209 room only, excluding taxes. www. raffles.com/singapore

the unbreakablecity a tale of rebirth

ONCE THE MIDDLE EAST’S BEACON OF SUCCESS, BEIRUT’S STRUGGLES HAVE BEEN COMPLEX, PROTRACTED AND WELL PUBLICISED. YET, AS LISA JEREJIAN REVEALS, THIS MEDITERRANEAN JEWEL REFUSES TO SURRENDER AND IS WELCOMING AND GIVING AGAIN

IN THE EARLY 1920 S, THE RENOWNED Lebanese poet and philosopher Gibran Khalil Gibran wrote an ode to Lebanon, his birthplace. In it, he juxtaposed the magic he saw with a darker reality, “You have your Lebanon and its dilemma. I have my Lebanon and its beauty” is the poem’s powerful opener.

A FORMER PLAYGROUND FOR HOLLYWOOD stars, world leaders and the international jet set, Lebanon fell victim to a painful and bloody 15-year civil war. Until 1990 it devastated and divided the country.

Things finally began to look more promising for the culturally and historically rich nation in the mid-2010s, with 2017 declared Lebanon’s second-best year for tourism since 1951. Yet the cheery spell was short-lived, as corruption, sectarianism and a rapid deterioration in living standards saw millions of Lebanese people take to the streets in October 2019 in unprecedented nationwide protests, with Beirut’s iconic Martyrs’ Square playing host to some of the largest demonstrations. Although hopes were high, the popular uprising did not lead to any major change and the ‘revolution’ gradually lost momentum.

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it was the third-largest non-nuclear blast in history and one that claimed 218 lives, injured over 7,000 people and caused more than usd 15 billion of damage

an archetypal phoenix, the lebanese capital is courageously, albeit cautiously, rising from the ashes once again

Just a few months later on 4th August 2020, a massive explosion at Beirut’s main port saw the city previously dubbed the ‘Paris of the Middle East’ violently transformed into an apocalyptic nightmare, within a matter of minutes. It was the third-largest non-nuclear blast in history and one that claimed 218 lives, injured over 7,000 people and caused more than USD 15 billion of damage.

WITH WESTERN MEDIA QUICK TO SHARE

Lebanon’s misery with the world – something it has so often done – the Lebanese did what they do best: fight. Despite widespread trauma, a severe economic crisis, a paralysed government and a global pandemic, community-led initiatives almost immediately surfaced. Hundreds opened their homes to those who had lost everything; youth groups mobilised and industriously cleared away the millions of fragments of shattered glass from every inch of the city; strangers comforted one another in the streets and in hospital waiting rooms; restaurants handed out free meals, and NGOs and independent groups replaced the broken windows and doors of damaged homes. In short, it was the people who kept the city clinging to life in the aftermath of such an incomprehensible tragedy. And now, just over two years since it was razed to the ground, Beirut is catching its breath and signs of rebirth are evident.

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SWATHES OF RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL neighbourhoods have been rebuilt. Public staircases have been lovingly painted in bold and bright colours. Splendid street artworks adorn innumerable buildings, including some poignant graffiti. The intangible, dense mass that has been looming over the city since August 2020 does not feel as heavy anymore. Instead, hope now flickers in Beirut’s blue skies.

AN ARCHETYPAL PHOENIX, THE LEBANESE capital is courageously, albeit cautiously, rising from the ashes once again as expats and adventurers in their thousands are returning to soak up Beirut’s countless delights. Indeed, summer 2022 signaled renewed optimism for the country’s tourism industry.

THOSE DRAWN TO LEBANON’S MULTIFACETED character, as well as its layered history, will tell you that the country packs a big punch for its size: 225 kilometres of coastline, eleven Phoenician towns and cities, five UNESCO World Heritage Sites, almost sixty wineries, six ski resorts and an array of award-winning restaurants and bars. The list is long. Even the famous Lebanese saying, “ski in the morning and swim in the afternoon” is no myth; it is one of the many wonders of this Middle Eastern treasure. And with bustling Beirut no more than a two-hour drive from some of the furthest points of interest, such as the legendary Bacchus Temple in Baalbeck and Tyre’s Necropolis, it is easy to understand the allure of the capital as a base to explore the entire country.

IMAGE: JOESOKHN.DARKROOM.TECH

BEIRUT IS, QUITE SIMPLY, A MELTING POT OF cultures. Wander around and you will see a harmonious blend of French, Ottoman and Lebanese architecture styles that evoke romantic memories of the past, particularly in the artsy neighbourhoods of Gemmayze and Mar Mikhaël. In spite of degradation and the port explosion, these areas are still abundant in striking buildings, like Zanzoun.

A charming heritage-house-cum-guesthouse that’s located in a quiet yet convenient corner of Mar Mikhaël, within walking distance of art galleries, concept stores, cafes and trendy restaurants, Zanzoun is owned by Zeina. A keen traveller and explorer, she has lovingly restored the property to welcome guests from near and far.

Brimming with a medley of vintage, renaissance and Oriental pieces throughout, the ground floor comprises a library, salon, dining room, reading area, kitchen and shaded terrace where guests can enjoy breakfast in peace.

On the first floor, reached via stairs or a modern lift, another inviting common area can be found, in addition to Zanzoun’s three bedrooms. Although two of the rooms are slightly larger, with their own private balconies, all three are spacious and elegantly designed, with mother of pearl inlaid furniture, opulent fabrics and soothing colour palettes.

Friendly manager Mario (himself an accomplished artist) will proudly show you the murals he has painted in Zanzoun while he talks about the history of the area, as well as how, within three weeks of the port explosion, Zeina and the team got the guesthouse up-and-running again.

Mario routinely offers guests his WhatsApp number so they can contact him any time of the day or night with any questions and requests. What’s more, thanks to a recently installed solar system, Zanzoun has electricity 24/7, which is something of a blessing in Beirut! www.hotelibanais.com

wander around and you will see a harmonious blend of french, ottoman and lebanese architecture that evokes romantic memories of the past

Zanzoun

THROUGH THE LENS OF ART AND PHOTOGRAPHY, Beirut’s fragile rebirth is being realised and an array of galleries can be found along Armenia Street, Gouraud Street and the roads nearby, several of which have opened since the blast. These include LT Gallery, that exclusively showcases works by renowned and emerging Lebanese talent; @theltgallery Août Gallery, named ‘August’ to commemorate the month of the port explosion and pay tribute to the city's lost art scene https://aoutgallery.com and Art District, which showcases the powerful works of Lebanese photographers. @artdistrictbeirut

HISTORY HAS SHOWN THAT REGARDLESS OF HOW turbulent the times, the residents of Beirut, particularly those who live in upscale Achrafieh, have an insatiable

appetite for social gatherings. This indomitable joie de vivre can be witnessed firsthand at decadent Hotel Albergo, which has long attracted well-heeled Beirutis and their foreign guests for fancy breakfasts, afternoon coffees and evening drinks. These days, it is the pretty courtyard of the boutique hotel’s Lobby Café that attracts the most stylish city dwellers by day, while a cool crowd congregates at the fashionable rooftop Swim Club after dark. https://albergobeirut.com

BEIRUT COMES ALIVE AFTER SUNSET AND PARK by Elefteriades, perched atop Zaitunay Bay’s yacht club, is the perfect place to kick-off a night of rediscovering Beirut’s nocturnal attractions. Take a seat, order a cocktail and start your weekend at Park.

the intangible dense mass that has been looming over the city since august 2020 does not feel as heavy anymore

Park by Eleftheriades

Albergo

MusicHall Starco

Typical of Elefteriades’ theatrical genre, the chic rooftop bar and chill-out venue affords a multitude of different places to sit (including amongst the greenery) and enjoy panoramic vistas of the Mediterranean, the marina, yachts and Lebanese hospitality icon Phoenicia opposite, which recently reopened after a two-year restoration.

@thepark_byelefteriades

NO EVENING IN BEIRUT IS COMPLETE WITHOUT a visit to happening Centrale, with its futuristic 17-metre tunnel-like bar suspended over its restaurant, all nestled within the rescued ruins of a protected 1920s residential house. Not only is the Bernard Khoury-designed bar an architectural gem, but bar manager Michel and his team consistently impress with their superb hand-crafted cocktails and the top-notch fare served to guests as the roof retracts above them to let the sultry night in. Centrale’s Lychee Martinis are addictive and the vitello tonnato is not to be missed.

@centralebeirut

EXPERIENCING MICHEL ELEFTERIADES ’

MusicHall Starco at least once is an absolute must. It is, in no uncertain terms, Beirut’s entertainment compass, where Lebanese of all ages come together to celebrate and commiserate with live music, food, drinks and dancing until the early hours. The July 2022 resurrection of this landmark nightlife venue, where nieces and grandmothers routinely hang out and party together, marked yet another important step for Beirut, reaffirming its effervescence and urban immortality.

www.themusichall.com

BEIRUT’S HEART IS UNDOUBTEDLY SCARRED yet its spirit to survive is perhaps today stronger than ever before. A new wave of energy is driving the city in a positive direction, particularly in terms of its hospitality and tourism offerings. And while dilemmas have weaved their way into the precious fabric of Beirut and the great nation of Lebanon, the tapestry itself is still achingly beautiful and worthy of admiration, just like Gibran said, one hundred years ago, in his poetic verse.

WITH THANKS TO PHOTOGRAPHERS:

RAMI RIZK RAMI-RIZK.COM DIA MRAD DIAMRAD.COM JOE SOKHN JOESOKHN.DARKROOM.COM

just over two years since it was razed to the ground, beirut is catching its breath and signs of rebirth are evident

KEMPINSKI SUMMERLAND

HOTEL & RESORT

FIRST OPENED MORE THAN HALF A CENTURY AGO BY RAJA Saab, a prominent Lebanese businessman, the original Summerland quickly became a place where people could stem the tide of worry brought on by the grim reality of the country’s long and bloody Civil War. If you ask almost any long-term Beirut resident about Summerland, they will get all misty eyed before recounting a childhood memory involving the cascading waterfalls, the hotel’s legendary nightclub or attending a wedding on the beach. Countless stories abound about this historic resort.

Summerland closed towards the end of 1990s for maintenance but largely stayed that way until reopening in 2016 after a massive transformation project which reputedly cost USD 600 million. Today owned by a SaudiLebanese joint venture, the complex's current incarnation is managed by Kempinski, Europe’s oldest luxury hotel group, established since 1897.

Just twenty minutes in a taxi from downtown Beirut and ten minutes from the airport, Kempinski Summerland offers a swish waterside lifestyle encompassing upscale apartments, a private marina, various food and beverage venues, a range of leisure facilities and a deluxe five-star hotel.

The resort's private sandy beach is nestled around a lagoon adjacent to a vast, sprawling freeform swimming pool which must surely be the largest in the Lebanese capital.

Whilst the resort's structure, look and feel were greatly changed and updated from the original Summerland, many key features with which locals had emotional ties were retained, including hundreds of private pool cabins which are still owned by their original owners.

When reinventing Summerland, its lead designer, David T’Kint and his team took inspiration from natural Lebanese elements, such as the cedar tree forest, sunshine and blues of the Mediterranean Sea. Various aspects of Lebanese culture were also reinterpreted to create a continuous thread throughout the property. These delightful touches are evident everywhere, from the beige flooring at the hotel’s entrance – cut to include an eightpointed Rub el Hizb star pattern – to walls in the lobby, fully clad with grey wood, inspired by the country's cedar tree forests. Meanwhile a staircase that leads guests down to the bar and all-day dining restaurant has a handrail inspired by the branch of the cedar tree.

The countless, thoughtful references to Lebanon's natural beauty throughout Kempinski Summerland transform what might otherwise have been an over-sized hotel into a warm and inviting place to unpack, relax, recharge and enjoy life.

www.kempinski.com

THE SILK VALLEY

AARBÂNÎYÉ, LEBANON

PUNCTUATED BY GROVES OF OLIVE TREES AND TOWERING pines as far as the eye can see, the peaceful and unspoilt surroundings of Lebanon’s scenic Aarbânîyé region are in stark contrast to Beirut’s bustling metropolis yet are just forty minutes’ drive from the capital. Indeed, after a hectic weekend in Beirut, there is almost certainly nowhere better to relax and unwind than Lebanon's Mont-Liban range, which crosses the country from north to south, parallel to the Mediterranean and The Silk Valley resort is set in the very heart of it all, completely surrounded by nature.

Opening its doors in the mid 1800s, the Hamada Silk works in Aarbânîyé were one of many such works in Lebanon which afforded widespread social and economic change, as silk production became one of the country’s staple industries. Teams of skilled spinners were brought from France to train young Lebanese women who, for the first time, left their homes to work and produce silk.

The Hamada Silk works closed sometime during WWI and lay deteriorating and derelict for decades, until one man, who was born in the nearby village of Baabdat, bought the property and took on the massive task of breathing new life into the historic site. Today the works are known as The Silk Valley.

The passion project of Albert Aoun and his family, The Silk Valley is a unique resort located some twenty kilometres’ drive from central Beirut in an area of intense natural beauty. Dominated by a towering, brick chimney stack, over a period of some years, Aoun has lovingly overseen the gradual transformation of the dilapidated old works into a warm and welcoming retreat-like hotel, restaurant, conference and leisure complex, all nestled within the bones of a variety of old structures, set-out something like a selfcontained mini village.

Facing the beautiful Aarbânîyé-Broumana Valley on one side of which the resort is perched, modern guest rooms and duplex lofts offer spectacular, expansive vistas of pristine forests. The morning air in this part of Lebanon is perhaps the freshest in the country. A spacious two-bedroomed villa known as the ‘Blue House’ sits in an upper, secluded part of the resort, offering discerning guests private designer lodgings for an intimate break.

Within the vast, main characterful building, chef Eddi Eid prepares unfussy and hearty fare made from the freshest local produce, with almost all of the fruit and vegetables used in his cooking hand-picked from The Silk Valley’s own gardens and orchards.

Excellent local hiking and a host of onsite leisure facilities – including a gorgeous infinity pool, boasting panoramic views from the water – make The Silk Valley a one-stop must-stay Lebanese destination in its own right.

https://thesilkvalley.com

morocco’s

inimitable ochre city

Morocco has been dazzling travellers with its unique culture, breathtaking natural beauty and exotic ways for centuries. Its inimitable identity – a unique mélange of original Berber tribesmen, Arab conquerors and the remnants of the country’s French colonial era – is evident in a society rich in history and character, complete with a globally appreciated design aesthetic and distinctive, flavourful cuisine. And there is no better place in the country to experience the diversity, vibrancy and spirit of Morocco than Marrakech.

AS ONE OF MOROCCO’S FOUR, HISTORICAL imperial cities – along with capital Rabat, Fes and Meknes – Marrakech stands apart as the most visited metropolis in the kingdom, filled with hidden palaces, bustling souks and botanical gems. Above all, Marrakech has been a cultural, religious and trading centre for all of Morocco and North Africa for over a millennium and remains today as cosmopolitan, alluring and captivating as ever.

WHILST THERE ARE SIGHTS TO SEE AND shopping to be done in Marrakech, there are also numerous gardens, olive groves, parks and courtyards in which to stop, unwind and relax. Amongst the city’s most famous are the Menara Gardens, boasting forty varieties of olive trees, and the sprawling 12th century walled Agdal Gardens which form the city’s oldest preserved park. www.jardin-menara.com

Not to be missed and known as Yves Saint Laurent’s garden, Jardin Majorelle’s origins are 1920s French colonial art deco. The garden was the brainchild of its original owner, celebrated French painter Jacques Majorelle. Saint Laurent purchased the site from Majorelle in the 1960s and later gifted it to the city. A veritable oasis of calm and beauty in the middle of the trendy residential district of Guéliz, the meticulously maintained garden is most famous for the electric blue cubist villa at its heart, which is today home to the Islamic Art Museum of Marrakesh and houses a personal collection of artifacts owned by Saint Laurent and his life partner, Pierre Bergé. www.jardinmajorelle.com

DURING THE FRENCH OCCUPATION OF THE country from 1912 to 1956, Marrakech developed a decadent undertone. Winston Churchill, Paul Bowles and Saint Laurent all spent time here. A few years later, the city earned its hippie-chic credentials in the 60s and 70s when musicians including Jimi Hendrix found inspiration in the fabled city. Today, more than ever, Marrakech is an effortlessly fashionable and stylish yet authentic destination, with new boutique and luxury hotels opening often. To spend any amount of time in Marrakesh – be it just a weekend or longer – is to be swept up in a deeply sensory North African adventure.

THE DEFINING FEATURE OF MARRAKECH IS its reddish-pink beaten clay ramparts surrounding the extensive medina, the old city. The medina was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1985.

Menara Gardens

Jardin Majorelle

Dating back to the 1100s, its sprawling walls carve impressive lines throughout the city. The reddishpink colour saturates almost all of Marrakech, even the newer districts. Hence Marrakech is known by many as the ‘red city’.

Along the outside of the old fortress walls are pedestrian boulevards landscaped with rows of rose bushes. As the sun sets and the heat of the day wanes, throngs of locals take to the park-like boulevards for their evening strolls. Women eschew Western dress in favour of kaftans and headscarves while many men wear flowing djellaba-like robes. Car traffic competes with donkey carts and bicycles for right of way. In Marrakech, beauty and chaos co-exist in a kaleidoscope of colour, energy and harmony.

THERE IS NO BETTER PLACE TO IMMERSE oneself in the exotic cacophony of Marrakech than Jemaa el-Fna, the city’s main public square and claimed by many to be the largest in North Africa. Historically and to this day, the square acts as both a crossroads and marketplace for Bedouin tribesmen from different parts of the country, from the High Atlas Mountains, Sahara Desert and even parts of Sub-Saharan Africa to the numerous oases and agricultural centers around Marrakech.

By day, Jemaa el-Fna is predominantly occupied by orange juice vendors and stalls selling figs, dates and every type of nut. Interspersing them are snake charmers and Barbary apes that perform tricks for a fee. Ad hoc street dentists with huge pliers are available should you require a sudden extraction. However, it is at night that Jemaa el-Fna really

explodes with life.

Once the sun has set, magicians, acrobats and storytellers jostle for attention with dancing boys, healers and fortune-tellers. Dozens of food stalls serve street food to locals and tourists alike. As most of the people participating in the square’s day-to-day life are locals, it can sometimes feel a tad overwhelming as a tourist. However the sights, sounds, colours and dynamism of this real life performance ooze the essence of the city and no visit to Marrakech, or Morocco for that matter, would be complete without experiencing Jemaa el-Fna. www.morocco.com/attractions/djemaa-el-fna

ONCE JEMAA EL-FNA HAS BEEN experienced, the rest of Marrakesh makes more sense and seems a lot less daunting, particularly the souks of the medina. For many visitors, bargaining and shopping in the souks of the old city represents the quintessential Marrakech experience. Access to the souks can be reached directly from Jemaa el-Fna via the many gates that break up the continuity of the old city walls. Amongst the best preserved, the 12th century stone Bab Agnaou gates to the medina are worth seeing.

Whether you are a keen shopper or not, meandering through the medina’s maze-like tangle of streets and gazing upon stall upon stall of fresh fruit and local crafts and pharmacies filled with exotic spices, potions and lotions is a Marrakech experience to be embraced. It is also in the souks and in the medina that one begins to get an appreciation for Moroccan design, which has greatly evolved over centuries.

Bab Agnaou

From carpets to ceramic pottery, geometric metal lighting fixtures to silver and amber jewellery and so much more, one could furnish and decorate an entire house in the souks, or just purchase a few keepsakes to take home. Most of Marrakech’s historical sites can also be found close to the medina, including Koutoubia Mosque with its 77-metre minaret, the city’s largest mosque, and floor-to-ceiling extravagant 19tth century Bahia Palace.

https://bahia-palace.com

DISCOVERED IN 1917, THE SAADIAN TOMBS offer a glimpse into another world. Constructed in the late 16th century by Sultan Ahmed el Mansour as a burial ground for his descendants and he, the tombs boast some of the most impressive woodwork in the entire country. In fact, much of the finest traditional Moroccan craftsmanship is on display here, with domed ceilings, marble carvings, cedar doors and intricate gilded honeycomb plasterwork in abundance. Literally every centimetre of this architectural and historical jewel incorporates elements of handcrafted design work.

www.morocco.com/attractions/saadian-tombs

TO GLIMPSE ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF stunning traditional Moroccan architecture, Ben Youssef Madrasa must be on your list. Located within the medina walls, it is the largest Madrasa in all of Morocco and was originally one of the biggest Islamic theological colleges in North Africa. Constructed in the late 16th century, it closed as a college in the 1960s and is now open to the public.

A carved cedar doorway gives way to a large courtyard, replete with mesmerising geometric

Saadian Tombs

tiling, ribbons of painted Islamic calligraphy and intricate plasterwork upper walls and ceilings. A large, central courtyard pool reflects all of this immense beauty. For a small fee, a local guide can help you understand the historical and design links to the best examples of Iberian Islamic architecture, such as the Alhambra in Granada and the Alcázar of Seville.

DESPITE SUCH INCREDIBLE LOCAL craftsmanship widely on display throughout the city, Marrakech is much more than a living museum or an example of colourful and chaotic North African life. Foreigners have also been flocking to the city to

relax, unwind and be pampered since the time of the French protectorate. And apart from high summer, Marrakech’s year-round continental climate makes it an ideal place to kick back and unwind.

Warm sunny days in winter, autumn and spring are tempered with cool nights. Rains rarely last more than a few days at a time. On clear days, of which there are many, the peaks of the High Atlas, often snow-capped, form a picturesque backdrop. And there is no greater pleasure than decamping to the roof terrace of a smart riad, or spending time in the gardens of legendary La Mamounia, gazing at the mountains while enjoying tea and Moroccan pastries or sipping local wines which happen to be rather good.

Nestled in a natural landscape of 231 hectares of palm, olive and orange trees, lying in the shadow of the snow-capped peaks of the Atlas Mountains, Fairmont Royal Palm is the ultimate oasis of luxury, located only twenty minutes from the vibrant medina of Marrakech.

Whether you are here for a private getaway, family treat, business retreat, fine tuning your Golf swing or exploring the wonders of Marrakesh, Fairmont Royal Palm promises to make you experience the grandest of sensations.

Km 12, Route d’Amizmiz BP 2470 . Marrakech . Morocco T +212 5 24 48 78 00 - marrakech@fairmont.com www.fairmont.com/marrakech

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Fairmont Royal Palm Marrakech Fairmont Marrakech Fairmont RPM

IN THE OLD CITY THERE ARE MANY boutique hotel-style riads that boast beautiful architecture, contemporary design and intimate service. A little out of the centre, in the Palmeraie district in the north east of the city between the Route de Fes and the Route de Casablanca, palm and fruit trees have been cultivated for hundreds of years and a cluster of large deluxe resorts boast extensive grounds, multiple swimming pools, a range of leisure facilities and sumptuous spas.

TO PROPERLY COMPLETE YOUR Marrakech immersion, one must indulge in an authentic cleansing and relaxation hammam ritual.

After lying down on a stone bed in a humid steam chamber, an attendant or tellak will bathe you from head to toe, apply various oils and then proceed to scrub and exfoliate your entire body using a kessa glove to remove unwanted dead skin, dirt and grime. A thorough rinse is usually followed by a short, relaxing massage and then you’re good to go!

Hamman newbies have been known to become addicted after their first visit not least because

many Moroccan hammams are themselves veritable architectural works of art, typically consisting of marble and alabaster caverns punctuated by shafts of light piercing the stone from outside.

OFFERING SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE, it’s easy to see why Marrakech has remained such a desirable destination for so long. For adventure seeking history buffs to design connoisseurs, foodies, shopaholics and even those who just want to relax in an interesting location complete with service fit for a king, Marrakech is a versatile and exotic destination. And for those wishing to see more of Morocco, day trip possibilities abound from Marrakech, the surrounding mountains and verdant valleys providing excellent hiking and calm respite from the heat, hustle and bustle of the city.

With so much on offer, visiting Marrakech can be a once-in-a-lifetime adventure, or a destination cultured travellers return to, year after year, to uncover a touch more Moroccan magic each time.

Jemaa el-Fna Marrakech's souks

I’M SAD TO SAY THAT I’VE EATEN in too many much-lauded fine dining restaurants which felt more like a museum than a social venue. Lacking soul and life and being presided over by stiff staff is not a recipe for an enjoyable and fulfilling dining experience. In an industry suffering a distinct shortage of well-trained staff post pandemic, even the operation of a fine dining restaurant is not straightforward in this day-and-age. Yet despite the staff shortages, there are still many excellent all-round restaurants in Europe that serve exceptional food and are rightly deserving of their accolades. As always, one just needs to pick the right one. A carefully considered and lovingly executed restaurant serving thoughtful and delectable cuisine in the heart of Helsinki, Finnjävel couldn’t be more different to the fine dining stereotype. And since realising that he knew embarrassingly little about the history of Finnish food, Finnjävel’s driving force, chef Tommi Tuominen, has been a man on a gastronomic mission.

THE BRAINCHILD OF TWO Finnish chefs, Tuominen and Henri Alén, Finnjävel was conceived and born some seven years ago as a pop-up.

Since the word jävel means devil, literally translated the restaurant's name means ‘Finnish devil’. A derogatory term used by the Swedes in the 1950s and 60s to refer to Finnish immigrants who mass-migrated to Sweden in search of a better future, today the word finnjävel is taken as complimentary by most Finns, and is on a par with the Finnish word sisu.

The Finnjävel pop-up garnered a great deal of local and international support during its two years of trading. So much so, that by the time Finnjävel was due to close in 2018, the restaurant’s success had taken even its owners by surprise. So after some deliberation, Tuominen and Alén decided to re-open Finnjävel as a permanent venue in 2019.

SOMETHING OF AN HOMAGE TO the bygone masters of Finnish cuisine and a culinary cultural statement presented in the form of a restaurant, the foundation of Finnjävel is relatively simple, as many of the best concepts often are.

Inspired by Finnish home cooking and the historic creativity of Finns to cook hearty meals with limited ingredients, Finnjävel’s dishes are based on the type of food that Finns would have eaten a century or more ago. Finnjävel essentially recreates Finnish culinary classics for the 21st century

Tommi Tuominen

Salty Fish

using recipes passed down through generations, embodying a multitude of eras and flavours and employing many traditional Finnish food preparations.

Meats are sourced from carefully selected Finnish farms and fish comes from Finland’s lakes. The herbs, mushrooms and berries used in Finnjävel’s dishes are more often than not foraged by hand. And vegetables and fruits come from organic producers across the country.

CONSISTING OF TWO ADJOINING restaurants within landmark Helsingin Taidehalli (Kunsthalle Helsinki)

– a classic 1920s Nordic building dedicated to exhibiting contemporary art – Finnjävel is located on the edge of Helsinki’s Design District.

Whilst both restaurants positively celebrate Finnish cuisine, design and craftsmanship, Finnjävel Sali is a relaxed brasserie serving a menu of satisfying dishes. Sali is the perfect place for a casual lunch, dinner or family gathering.

A more sophisticated and altogether finer dining experience open five nights

per week, to dine at one Michelinstarred Finnjävel Salonki is to enjoy the finest elements of Finnish design and indulgent, well-considered food. Yet whilst the food is presented in a chic dining room fashioned by renowned Finnish brother and sister team, Kivi and Tuuli Sotamaa of Ateljé Sotamaa, and much thought and attention to detail has been obviously invested in Finnjävel Salonki, the dining experience is not stuffy. Special, yes, but not pretentious. Indeed, there is no dress code or even suggestions as to what Salonki diners should wear, which sets the mellow tone for The Cultured Traveller’s visit on a Friday evening in August.

MANY FINNS ARE OUT OF Helsinki for the month of August, either travelling or hanging out in their summer cottages. Nevertheless, both of Finnjävel’s restaurants are busy when we arrive and a relaxed sense of indulgence is palpable as we enter Salonki's dining room. Holding just twenty-eight people, there is no real ‘entrance' to be made when we

take our seats. A muted funky musical soundtrack is a welcome background in a fine dining establishment and the dimmed lighting and deep rich colour palette make for an inviting combination, as does a glass of Legras & Haas Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Brut which is poured almost immediately by affable sommelier, Otto. On the menu, the restaurant’s division of its two wine packages into “good wines” and “better wines” says everything about Finnjävel’s lack of pretention.

ONCE COMFORTABLE IN OUR seats, it is obvious that an extraordinary amount of care has been taken in the selection of every item on the table before us, not to mention the furniture and fittings all around. From floor-to-ceiling, everything was forged, made or built in Finland to showcase Finnish design and craftmanship, including, most importantly, the cutlery, knives and crockery. And an ingenious system built into the tables allows for directional lighting to be focused on the food during the course of the meal.

Veal Olive

Comfortable and relaxed, we embark upon a five-course tasting menu which I feel is just the right number.

THE FIRST AMUSE BOUCHE IS A playful arrangement of small fresh vegetables served with a moreish herbal yoghurt dip. This is followed by a profiterole of caramelised onions presented on a small wood podium, served with a bowl of crayfish consommé. Light and flavourful, the two amuse whet our appetites perfectly.

The suolakala first course of slightly salted salmon (cured in-house) and served with salmon roe, potato salad and dill sauce is typically Finnish yet presented in a contemporary style. A powerful German Silvaner from Franken, oozing citrus and floral aromas, is the perfect pairing for the salmon starter.

A little light table theatre is introduced with the delivery of the second course, as the pinaattikeitto or spinach soup is delicately dispensed around a smoked confit egg yolk surrounded by cubes of egg white and fragments of pork. The Silvaner works equally well with the spinach soup.

A third course of pork neck in aspic, or tytinä in Finnish, is bursting with flavours and is accompanied by a dense and intensely mineral Riesling that brings out its meaty richness, although I wish there was more!

The succulent organic beef tenderloin main is beautifully crusted with crispy wheat and a few flowers and garnished with roasted carrots and chanterelles. Paired with an intense and fullbodied 2017 Lemberger from Dautel in Bönnigheim, the fourth course is the highlight of the meal, although the two desserts which follow come a close second.

A PRE-DESSERT OF FRESH Finnish raspberries served with whipped cream is a few mouthfuls of pure sweet indulgence. Whilst a berry crumble, served with vanilla cream and a light yoghurt sorbet is the perfect ending to the meal, particularly paired with an exceptionally palatable Finnish raspberry wine from Ainoa Winery in Southern Finland.

HAVING OBVIOUSLY DUG DEEP into Finland's culinary past in order to create its culinary future, Finnjävel's creators have founded a modern gastronomic institution which is perhaps unsurpassed anywhere in Finland. A historical Finnish gastronomic road-trip presented on a series of painstakingly well considered plates, a visit to Finnjävel Salonki delivers the culinary heart of the country in one meal and is surely a must for any serious foodie who appreciates high-end Nordic fare.

FINNJÄVEL SALONKI

ATMOSPHERE FOOD

EXECUTIVE CHEF: Tommi Tuominen

ADDRESS: 3 Ainonkatu, Helsinki 00100, Finland

TELEPHONE: +358 300 472 340

EMAIL: salonki@finnjavel.fi WEBSITE: www.finnjävel.fi

CUISINE: Modern Finnish

OPENING HOURS: Tuesday - Saturday 17:00 - 23:00

DINNER PRICE: EUR 98 or EUR 126

IDEAL MEAL: Five-course tasting menu EUR 98

RESERVATIONS: Essential

WHEELCHAIR ACCESS: Yes

CHILDREN: Children welcome. Highchairs available. No kids menu

CREDIT CARDS: All major PARKING: On the surrounding streets

TCT REVIEWER: Nicholas Chrisostomou for dinner

Star ratings out of five reflect the reviewer’s feedback about the food and service and, separately, the atmosphere in the dining room

SET WITHIN THE WORLD’S LARGEST GLASS GREENHOUSE ON THE EDGE OF SINGAPORE BAY, NICHOLAS CHRISOSTOMOU VISITS A NEW CONTEMPORARY FINE DINING RESTAURANT THAT LANDED A MICHELIN STAR WITHIN EIGHT MONTHS OF OPENING

NEWCOMER

➤ SINGAPORE

SOME MIGHT SAY that Singapore’s famed Gardens by the Bay – filled year-round with tens of thousands of tourists and brimming with cafés and gift shops – are an unlikely location for a sophisticated gastronomic establishment. Merely navigating the crowds may be enough to put anyone off their dinner, let alone act as a prelude to a standout culinary experience. But right in the

heart of this global tourist attraction, semi concealed beneath a gigantic greenhouse, is Melbourne-born chef Michael Wilson's latest venture and perhaps, with hindsight, the location is perfect.

DESIGNED BY BRITISH architects Wilkinson Eyre and something of a Singaporean landmark, the cavernous Flower Dome is the world’s largest glass greenhouse. Within its vast, glazed confines, a variety of lush gardens are dedicated to the world of Mediterranean plants and the planet’s semi-arid areas. Literally bringing together countless seasons

and the world’s flora under one gigantic metal and glass roof, the massive greenhouse is geographically located in the center of one the world’s fine dining hubs, where literally dozens of much lauded restaurants are concentrated. So conceivably nowhere was more appropriate than the Flower Dome for Wilson to unveil his first fine dining restaurant as its chef patron.

A CHILDHOOD SPENT IN Australia's culinary capital of Melbourne, which boasts a wide variety of international cuisines, provided young Wilson with early introductions to much that the gastronomic world has to offer.

MARGUERITE

NEWCOMER

Following two decades spent working in the food and beverage industry, from washing dishes in a local restaurant to working at Melbourne’s oldest fine dining establishment, Wilson was appointed executive chef of the Puli Hotel in Shanghai. Here he developed Phénix, serving inventively reimagined French cuisine. The restaurant was awarded a Michelin star just five months after opening.

TOWARDS THE END OF 2019, Wilson teamed up with hospitality group Unlisted Collection to transform a cluster of spaces within Gardens by the Bay which were formerly occupied by POLLEN.

Chef patron Michael Wilson

Afforded complete creative license by Unlisted, Wilson first opened an authentic pet friendly gelateria at Gardens by the Bay, named after his Golden Retriever, Mylo. This was followed by a casual Mediterranean sharing concept restaurant, Hortus.

Two years in planning and named after the French word for ‘daisy’, which is derived from the Greek word margarite that means ‘pearl', Marguerite opened in November 2021 firmly rooted amidst the Flower Dome’s gardens, showcasing the seasons’ best produce via lovingly crafted tasting menus of contemporary cuisine which veritably celebrate every ingredient.

IT IS A BALMY SINGAPOREAN Sunday evening when I arrive at Marguerite via the restaurant’s dedicated buggy service, literally fresh off a plane from Europe. Offered to every guest with a lunch or dinner reservation, a buggy and driver await as my car pulls-up in Gardens by the Bay’s arrival plaza. The buggy whisks me through the throng, darting around tourists directly to Marguerite’s front door. My slick and somewhat theatrical arrival is perhaps a taste of things to come.

DESPITE BEING A TAD SLEEP

deprived as I enter Marguerite, what I notice almost immediately are three long kitchen islands, parallel to each another and in full view of diners, where I soon establish that more than 60 percent of dishes are prepared. This instantly bonds diners with the chefs preparing their food whilst providing an active, visual backdrop to the dining room. Fine dining establishments are so often filled will guests eagerly anticipating the appearance of their plates from

hidden kitchens, that this refreshing, understated element of live culinary theatre lifts me from my jet lag and engages me with the gastronomic experience ahead.

Also standout, a pair of huge boulders in the dining room cleverly bring the outdoors in and give diners a sense of place, whilst slick Scandinavian-style furnishings and white marble-topped tables provide a neutral canvas for the culinary creativity to follow. The entire space is fresh, unpretentious, warm and inordinately comfortable for a fine

dining restaurant, which in itself is an achievement, even before I sample a morsel.

THE AMUSE-BOUCHES AND courses that follow appear relatively simple and unfussy but unravel in my mouth, tantalising my tastebuds.

Of the array of hors d'œuvres presented on individual wooden dishes (or ‘snacks’ as they are casually termed), a petite pastry cone filled with a blend of chicken liver and foie gras parfait, a touch of prune purée and a smattering

of walnut fragments is a mouthful of heaven. And a mini aged kingfish and Amur sturgeon caviar tart is not only beautiful to behold but tastes sensational. With such thought and love obviously devoted to the amuse-bouches, my palette is alive and I am keen to taste and sip the main event.

WHAT FOLLOWS IS A meticulously crafted seven-course tasting menu of contemporary dishes that focus on showcasing the season’s best produce in a creative

yet constructive way. Yes, the dishes are intricately prepared and the presentation is exquisite, complete with handmade crockery fashioned by local craftsmen. But each dish is skillfully constructed in such a way that every ingredient has room to shine and the star attraction is not over-powered by the supporting accoutrements. A case in point is Wilson’s outstanding Dungeness Crab dish.

Served as a duo of dishes, the crab is cooked sous vide and simply dressed with olive oil, salt and pickled shallots, allowing the sweetness of the crab to shine through. It sits atop a delicate cucumber meringue garnished with herbs and flowers. In a separate bowl, a savoury cucumber sorbet is finished with wood sorrel and surrounded by a refreshing lettuce gazpacho, which is poured tableside for a touch of drama. The two dishes work in perfect harmony as a course.

THE REST OF THE MEAL proceeds in the same fresh, bright and creative vain, each plate revealing differing layers of textures and flavours. And whilst most courses are paired with fine wines, some are married with non-alcoholic beverages of clarified juices and fermented teas, which do a great job of breaking up what would otherwise be a constant flow of vino.

SINCE EVERYTHING I AM SERVED infuses my mouth with a different taste sensation, it is obvious that Wilson is a master at extracting, concentrating and intensifying flavours from the ingredients he uses to create intensely tasty and thoughtful dishes. It is perhaps unsurprising therefore, that a mere eight months after opening, Marguerite was awarded a Michelin star. Yet this is a Michelin-starred restaurant with a difference, for it is devoid of pretentiousness, the atmosphere is relaxed and the food is absolutely delicious. For these reasons, not to mention the warm and attentive service, I would return to Marguerite jet-lagged and sleep deprived in a flash.

www.marguerite.com.sg

Chef patron Michael Wilson

EXPERIENCE

1959 Lanzerac Pinotage

FORTY-FIVE MINUTES’ DRIVE FROM THE MOTHER CITY IN THE HEART OF THE CAPE WINELANDS, NICHOLAS CHRISOSTOMOU VISITS ONE OF SOUTH AFRICA’S MOST HISTORIC WINE ESTATES

LANZERAC ESTATE STELLENBOSCH , SOUTH AFRICA

WINE PRODUCTION

has been indigenous to the lands around Cape Town for more than 350 years. Soon after the Dutch first settled in South Africa in the mid 1600s, wine farms began to spring-up in-and-around the Mother City. Today, the Cape Winelands and its history of viticulture are one of South Africa’s most popular draws and few visitors to the rainbow nation pass up the opportunity to visit its wineries. And quite rightly so, for the Cape Winelands are gorgeous and the main wine-producing areas of Stellenbosch, Franschhoek and Paarl are responsible for some seriously fine wines.

LYING EAST OF CAPE TOWN IN the fertile Eerste River valley bordered by mountains to the east, Stellenbosch was founded in 1679 by the then Governor of the Cape, Simon van der

Stel. Partly commemorating his own name, he named Stellenbosch after a little island in the Eerste River and the wealth of natural vegetation growing in the valley. Within a year, a number of farmers had settled in Stellenbosch.

ESTABLISHED IN 1692 BARELY a dozen years after Stellenbosch was founded, Lanzerac’s first owner, Isaac Schrijver, planted the farm’s first vines. Surrounded by stunning scenery, Schrijver named his farm Schoongezicht meaning 'wonderful view’. This was to be the beginning of the estate’s long and continuing history, punctuated in 1961 by Lanzerac bottling the first Pinotage, a 1959 vintage. The first-ever monovarietal Pinotage bottled and released in South Africa and a blend from two Stellenbosch vineyards (Bellevue Estate and Kanonkop), the wine won the trophy at the Cape Young Wine Show in 1959.

EXPERIENCE

THE THIRD OLDEST FARM IN THE area, Lanzerac is deeply storied with history literally bursting from every corner of the estate, making it one of the most enticing and enchanting wineries to visit in the Western Cape today.

THE TONE FOR THE CULTURED Traveller’s visit to Lanzerac is set when a Bentley Continental Flying Spur pulls up in front of our Cape Town hotel to drive us to Stellenbosch. A combination of classic and modern in all the best ways, the Bentley’s engine is almost absurdly powerful as we are whisked towards the winelands in supreme comfort. Forty-five minutes later we coast into Stellenbosch.

One knows when one arrives in Stellenbosch for its streets are lined with majestic oaks and restored 18th and 19th century Cape Dutch architecture abounds. It’s a picturesque city in every way.

To get to Lanzerac we pass through residential streets towards the outskirts of the city, where a long driveway lined in tall trees marks its entrance. As we pass through the gates and seemingly glide between ancient oaks towards our final destination, we enter a realm of oldworld charm saturated with a rich sense of Cape heritage. Nestled in the foothills of Jonkershoek Valley, flanked by vineyards on both sides and mountains to the right, Lanzerac's setting impresses

immediately. We alight the Bentley beneath a small portico at the main entrance to the hotel.

FORMERLY A WORKING WINE farm until the Rawdon brothers adapted the estate almost 65 years ago to receive overnight guests, soon after arriving, we discover that the main building we enter was ravaged by a massive fire in May 2017. In fact, the fire so severely damaged the property’s operational areas that Lanzerac was forced to completely close to the public for more than a year.

WHEN GENERAL MANAGER

Emile Langenhoven recounts that fateful Sunday morning some five years earlier and we hear about the extent of the devastation, it is miraculous that the estate re-opened at all, let alone just thirteen months later. Thankfully out of many fires a phoenix rises and Lanzerac is no exception, for when the estate re-opened it did so with renewed gusto and a fresh outlook, absorbing the fire into its colourful 330-year history as a moment in time.

A TOUR OF LANZERAC’S HISTORIC buildings, conference rooms, restaurants, bustling deli and elegant bars reveals a wealth of fascinating history and an array of architectural treasures, punctuated by antique furnishings and valuable artworks throughout, not to mention the estate’s most imposing building, a white gabled Cape Dutch manor house. Something of a national treasure, the manor house was built in 1830 by Coenraad Fick and exhibits an unusually high level of sophistication for architecture of the period.

Feeling more like a country house estate rather than a working winery, as we head towards the guest accommodation, everywhere we turn is teeming with character and warmth. Hence settling-in is almost instantaneous once we reach our room.

GUEST ROOMS AND SUITES AT Lanzerac afford residents space to spread out, lavish bathrooms and every conceivable amenity, including, in many cases, secluded outside areas, private pools and stunning surrounding views. One half of an old outbuilding that was converted in 1959, The Cultured Traveller’s plush suite – room number 210 – is spacious and homely with a comfy sofa and armchairs and a working fireplace. Upstairs, a lounge with a well-stocked minibar filled with complimentary wines, drinks and snacks boasts windows which look out across the estate. Outside a private pool is surrounded by well-tended gardens. The overall set-up is perfect for a relaxing break in the Cape Winelands and even the most well-travelled visitor could not possibly want for more.

AFTER A DELIGHTFUL AL-FRESCO lunch under the dappled spring sunlight, followed by an hour of down-time spent unwinding in the hands of an expert therapist in Lanzerac’s sumptuous spa, our attention shifts to sampling the

nectar that Lanzerac is famous for. Wine tastings can sometimes be overly formal, with makers talking at those doing the tasting rather than interacting in a convivial fashion. With decades of experience, it is perhaps unsurprising that the Lanzerac team knows exactly what it’s doing. Pitched just right and hosted by spirited Zia van Rooyen du Toit within the bowls of cellars which date back to 1815, our tasting is informative and fun with interludes of sober conversation and an exchange of views. We sample ten wines in total, of which a 2020 Mrs. English Single Vineyard Chardonnay’s oaky notes of butter and vanilla and wealth of citrus on the nose make it stand out amongst Lanzerac’s whites. A complex and well-rounded wine, it is surely capable of being paired with almost anything except red meat.

Of the red wines we sample, two are exceptional: a 2016 Pionier Pinotage and a 2018 Le Général Left Bank Blend. Silky smooth and refined with intense flavours of leather and smoke and a sophisticated and lingering

finish, the Pionier Pinotage is a wine to be lingered over, sipped slowly and appreciated. An altogether different red, being a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Petit Verdot and a touch of Merlot, the full-bodied 2018 Le Général Left Bank is more rich and powerful but equally as palatable as the Pinotage.

After the wine tasting, pre-dinner cocktails in atmospheric Craven Lounge, to a backdrop of a crackling fire, precede a flawless meal of flavourful dishes in the hotel’s Manor Kitchen restaurant complete with friendly and attentive service, thus concluding the day’s proceedings on a gastronomic and oenological high.

SET WITHIN BEAUTIFUL grounds in the most spectacular location and so much more than a vineyard, to visit Lanzerac is to eat and breathe wine, gastronomy and five-star hospitality at a passionately run property brimming with genuine warmth from every pore. When in Cape Town, make time to visit Lanzerac Estate and you will undoubtedly leave with a deeper understanding and appreciation of South African winemaking together with memories of a stay at a unique and inordinately hospitable destination winery.

https://lanzerac.co.za

Situated on a private quay uniquely poised between Cape Town’s vibrant V&A Waterfront and the tranquil yacht marina, Cape Grace is the ideal retreat from where to enjoy the splendor of the Mother City’s natural and cultural beauty, as well as the warmth of our people.

Cape Grace Managed by Accor capegrace.info@accor.com

V&A Waterfront, Cape Town, South Africa

You have to stay here at least once in your lifetime.

the incomparable master of pleats

OVER THE COURSE OF SIX DECADES, ISSEY MIYAKE BUILT ONE OF THE WORLD’S MOST RECOGNISED FASHION BRANDS AND, IN THE PROCESS, DEFINED AN ERA IN JAPAN'S MODERN DESIGN HISTORY. SUCCUMBING TO LIVER CANCER IN AUGUST 2022, THE CULTURED TRAVELLER LOOKS BACK AT THE CAREER OF THE FIRST JAPANESE DESIGNER TO SHOW IN PARIS

NEVER ONE TO EMBRACE TRENDS,

Issey Miyake was globally renowned for using fabric manipulation to create origami-like pleated garments that allowed the wearers to express their own individuality and freedom, his dynamic spirit driven by a relentless curiosity and constant desire to convey joy via his designs. A true pioneer, whilst Miyake embraced traditional handcrafts and drew on ancient traditions – the folding of paper, the drape of fabric – to create timeless yet completely modern looks, he also looked to the latest technology and newest solutions, constantly driven by research and development. By the 1980 s, this made his name a byword for Japan's design and fashion prowess. By the turn of the millennium, Miyake was renowned for his technology-driven clothing designs, exhibitions and hugely successful fragrances, including his first, L'eau d’Issey, which was launched twenty years ago, is still an international best seller and spawned a range of spin-off scents.

BORN ON 22 ND APRIL 1938 IN Hiroshima, Miyake was seven years old when the atomic bomb was dropped on the city, while he was in a classroom. Surviving the bomb but developing a bone-marrow disease a few years later, his mother died of radiation poisoning in 1941, when he was 10. In 2009, Miyake wrote in The New York Times, “‘When I close my eyes, I still see things no one should ever experience: a bright red light, the black cloud soon after, people running in every direction trying desperately to escape. I remember it all. Within three years, my mother died from radiation exposure.” In the same piece he continued, "I have never chosen to share my memories or thoughts of that day. I have tried, albeit unsuccessfully, to put them behind me, preferring to think of things that can be created, not destroyed, and that bring beauty and joy.”

Issey Miyake

anything that’s ‘in fashion’ goes out of style too quickly

Grace Jones wearing Issey Miyake

curiosity and happiness are at the core of my work Issey Miyake

Paris Fashion Week 2016

MIYAKE FIRST DEVELOPED AN interest in design after discovering the Peace Bridge and West Peace Bridge in his home city, which were designed by American sculptor Isamu Noguchi to symbolise Hiroshima’s recovery from the atomic bombing. As Miyake grew into adulthood, he found himself gravitating towards the unlikely field of fashion design, which was a creative discipline he viewed as "modern and optimistic".

AT 21, MIYAKE ENROLLED AT Tama Art University in Tokyo where he graduated in in graphic design because fashion was not offered there as a course of study. Before his graduation in 1964, he produced a show titled A Poem of Cloth and Stone at the Tokyo Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Its aim was to demonstrate that clothes can be both visual creations as well as purely utilitarian items, thus setting the scene for a future of unconventional and ground-breaking shows.

Within two years, Issey Miyake had moved to Paris, where he apprenticed in the studios of iconic French fashion designers Guy La Roche and Hubert de Givenchy, mastering draping and classic tailoring to create beautiful couture clothes. At the same time he also regularly travelled to London, fascinated by boutiques such as Biba, which were shaking up Britain’s fashion scene.

When Miyake was caught up in the French student riots of 1968 , he was inspired to make clothes for everyone, rather than just the elite. “I realised that the future was in making clothing for the many, not the few. I wanted to make clothing that was as universal as jeans and T-shirts,” he said.

IN 1969, MIYAKE MOVED TO NEW York City where he met influential artists including Christo and Robert Rauschenberg. He enrolled in English classes at Columbia University and worked on Seventh Avenue for a short while as Geoffrey Beene’s assistant, who was one of America's most famous fashion designers at the time.

RETURNING TO TOKYO IN 1970, he founded the Miyake Design Studio, a high-end producer of women's fashion, showing his first collection in New York in 1971. Because Miyake’s garments were so different to anything else and were in many cases closer to art and architecture than clothes, magazine editors loved his creations, almost from the very start. And from the early days of Miyake’s career, his clothes were widely exhibited in galleries and museums. He once said of his work, "Curiosity and happiness are at the core of my work. Design is never static, but it is only possible after constant exchanges of ideas, aesthetics and sensibilities.”

Paris Fashion Week 2016

TECHNOLOGY-DRIVEN, TEXTILEfocused and endlessly inventing, Miyake experimented with a range of materials, fabric manipulation and construction techniques to cultivate fashion innovations, whilst at the same time reviving virtually lost traditional production methods to facilitate the manufacture of his unique garments.

BY DEFINING A JAPANESE VISION that was unique from the West, by the mid 1970s, Miyake had become a star amongst a generation of designers and artists who had attained global fame. Yet he often emphasised that he was not “a fashion designer”, choosing not to identify with what he considered to be frivolous and trend dependent.

IN 1976 HE PRESENTED AN entirely new type of fashion show named Issey Miyake and Twelve Black Girls which combined theatre, dance and performance art. The cast was exclusively black and featured the then unknown Grace Jones who Miyake cast in the leading role. The show catapulted Jones into the limelight and their creative partnership would become a lifelong friendship.

IN THE 1980 S, INSPIRED BY THE togas of Ancient Greece and the Fortuny gowns of 19 th century Venice, Miyake began to experiment with new methods of pleating that would allow flexibility of movement for the wearer, his origamilike pleats transforming crass polyester

into something altogether chic. Once he had perfected his technique of pleating by wrapping fabrics between layers of paper and putting them into a heat press, creating garments that held their pleated shape, and he had tested them on dancers, he launched his signature Pleats Please line in 1988

Light and wrinkle-proof, combining functionality with a versatility, not needing to be dry-cleaned and able to be machine-washed and lasting for decades without losing their shape, the line was wildly successful. Routinely featured as part of his mainline collection, Pleats Please became a separate brand in 1993

Miyake considered Pleats Please garments to be an example of a great product rather than great fashion. Of

Pleats Please, he said, “I wanted the clothes to move when people moved. The clothes are also for people to dance or laugh.”

Following the success of Pleats Please, again and again Miyake returned to his fundamental concept of starting with a single piece of cloth, be it draped, folded, cut or wrapped.

NEXT CAME HIS REVOLUTIONARY A Piece of Cloth line launched in 1998, or A-POC for short. Akin to a stocking, each A-POC item was a seamless piece of cotton, nylon, and polyurethane fabric woven in a tubular shape on an industrial knitting machine from a single thread.

SINCE EACH ITEM WAS DESIGNED to be slightly oversized when cut from the roll, wearers could cut and customise their garments with a pair of scissors without the hems unravelling. By making the wearer the ultimate designer of the outfit, Miyake’s quick, efficient and customisable A-POC system pushed conventional textile technology and created everyday clothing that transcended passing fashion trends, revolutionising the process of dressmaking in the process.

When Miyake introduced A-POC to the world at his S/S show at the

design is not for philosophy, it’s for life

Issey Miyake

Fall 2020 Ready To Wear

Fall 2020 Ready To Wear

École des Beaux-Arts in Paris in 1999, models slowly padded down the runway connected together in a long, red A-POC tube, much like a caterpillar. New York’s Museum of Modern Art in New York almost immediately acquired an A-POC item for its permanent collection. “Anything that’s ‘in fashion’ goes out of style too quickly,” Miyake told Paris Voice magazine in 1998. “I don’t make fashion. I make clothes.”

A CONTINUATION OF MIYAKE'S experiments with fabric and construction, the Bao Bao Issey Miyake accessories collection launched in 2000 with a now iconic bag. Perfectly suited to busy and modern lifestyles, the articulated, flexible and functional Bao Bao bag quickly became a favourite amongst architects, designers and trend-setters, with the bag's triangles creating different shapes when it is moved or placed on surfaces.

Celebrated architect Zaha Hadid was a fan of Miyake’s designs, often carried a Bao Bao bag, and one of her favourite creations of his was a padded kimono jacket that she preferred to wear upside down.

One of Miyake’s most enduring designs – with new shapes, sizes and fabric variations released yearly - there are dedicated Bao Bao Issey Miyake stores across Japan and China.

THROUGHOUT HIS LIFE, MIYAKE never stepped back from the process of making things, which he loved, over the years taking inspiration from a variety of cultures and societal motifs, as well as everyday items, including plastic, rattan, traditional Japanese washi paper, jute, horsehair, foil, yarn, batik, indigo dyes and wiring, to name but a few.

INTRODUCED BY MIYAKE IN 2010 using computer technology to create apparel, new design concept 132 5 was one seamless piece of three-dimensional fabric reduced to two, with the fifth dimension emerging when the garment was worn. When folded, the clothes are in flat, geometric shapes. Unfolded -

thanks to shapes and darts made by sharp creases and folds - they become dresses, blouses, and pants. “These clothes are very light, like air and are season-less,” Miyake said of the concept.

A FAMOUSLY PRIVATE PERSON, Miyake was nevertheless known for his close relationships with his longtime co-workers and collaborators, whom he credited with being essential to his success.

Midori Kitamura met Miyake in 1974 when she was just over 20 years old, visiting his Tokyo studio as a fit model. Working with him for decades, today Kitamura is the quietly influential president of the Miyake Design Studio.

TODAY AND PERHAPS FOR decades to come, the fact that Pleats Please garments are so deeply entrenched in the daily lives of modern women is testament to the endurance of Issey Miyake’s fundamental concept that “design is not for philosophy, it’s for life.” A constant lover of consistency and the reason he believed his garments to be so successful, he said of his most famous line, “I designed Pleats Please based on modern technology and engineering, but at the same time I wanted

it to be something that made people feel free and happy.” Miyake will perhaps therefore be best remembered for his work which was always more craft and technological feat than fashion, and for being a designer who successfully and uniquely married comfort and style in his garments.

Zaha Hadid wearing Issey Miyake

Mary-Kate Olson wearing Issey Miyake

christmas gift guide

AT THE END OF A SOMEWHAT TURBULENT 2022, FROM SIBERIAN WOOL SLIPPERS AND SATIN PYJAMAS TO DESIGNER LUGGAGE AND INDULGENT TRAVEL ELIXIRS, JACKIE NEEDLEMAN HAND-PICKS A RANGE OF DIVINE GIFTS TO BRING SMILES TO THE FACES OF YOUR LOVED ONES THIS CHRISTMAS

OSANNA VISCONTI ALGA CANDLEHOLDER

IT IS OFTEN SAID THAT THE pieces Osanna Visconti creates today are inspired by the wonderful memories of playing with her sister as a child in Rome. Molded as organic stems and cast in an Italian foundry in natural bronze using the lost wax technique, each of these gorgeous Alga multi candleholders is a unique, one-of-a-kind piece and will surely be the focus of the Christmas table, at least until the food arrives! GBP 2,220 https://osannavisconti.com

BRITISH BOXERS MEN’S PYJAMAS

THESE EYE-CATCHING SATIN PYJAMAS for him, in a regimental stripe, were designed by British Boxers especially for the brand’s luxurious Christmas collection. Channeling deluxe home comfort and fashioned from crisp cotton with a satin sheen, they’ll keep you cosy against the harshest of nights. The collection includes a number of other pieces including nightwear for women, so you can wear super chic matching his and hers PJs on Christmas morning if you wish! GBP 99 www.british-boxers.com

JIKONI HUG IN A BOX HAMPER

A COSY KITCHEN-STYLE restaurant serving Asian comfort food with British, African and Middle Eastern twists, award-winning chef patron of Jikoni in Marylebone, Ravinder Bhogal has put together this Christmas hamper with a difference. A scrumptious gift for someone who appreciates global flavours, Bhogal’s ‘Hug in a Box’ contains her addictive Jikoni mix, three jars of chutney, a bottle of South Pickenham English sparkling wine and some paan and cashew fudge.

GBP 95 www.oikonilondon.com

YOKO WOOL SIBERIAN SLIPPERS

YOKO WOOL CONNECTS CUSTOMERS WITH THE heart and soul of the Irish landscape via luxurious woolen clothing and accessories. These lightweight, soft and fluffy Siberian wool slippers will keep your feet toasty without overheating whilst also allowing them to breathe. EUR 25 https://yokowool.com

PRAWN ON THE LAWN COOKBOOK

WITH CHAPTERS INCLUDING Cold Tapas, Hot Tapas, Large Plates, Sides, Desserts and Cocktails, this Prawn on the Lawn cookbook provides simple techniques for creating amazing fish and seafood dishes with maximum impact. Ideal for a foodie who loves entertaining and wants to produce fuss free restaurantquality food at home. GBP 16.05 www.amazon.co.uk

STAND STUDIO NANI FAUX-FUR JACKET

FOUNDED IN 2014 BY NELLIE KAMRAS, this Scandinavian brand creates seasonal collections and has become synonymous for producing delicate leather, wool and faux-fur pieces for style-savvy women. This fun and fabulous contemporary ‘Nani’ jacket, in a neutral checkerboard pattern, is cut in a relaxed fit and will surely become a wardrobe staple for the lucky lady who receives it. GBP 499 www.standstudio.com

DESIGNED IN GB AND BUILT IN Switzerland, Vertex’s sexy new DLCcoated M60C takes its inspiration from the historic brand’s original 1950s and 1960s dive watches, updated with a state-of-the-art spec that surpasses the Swiss ISO 6425 rating. Water resistant to 600 metres, the same exacting design that makes the M60C waterproof to any depth also makes the watch robust enough to withstand almost anything thrown at it. The M60C is an elegant but practical gift for an active yet unpretentious man. GBP 2,940 www.vertex-watches.com

STUDIO ARHOJ INCENSE BURNER

THE GLAZE ON THIS ‘SMOKE MOUNTAIN ’ mini volcano incense burner by Studio Arhoj is named after the 2010 Eyjafjallajökull eruptions in Iceland that caused enormous disruption to air travel across Western Europe. Hand-thrown in pitch black clay, it can handle incense sticks, blocks and pyramids, all of which will fill your house with a festive scent over Christmas. GBP 56 https://coloursmayvary.com

GLOBE-TROTTER CENTENARY CARRY-ON

SYNONYMOUS WITH THE golden age of travel, the iconic Globe-Trotter luggage brand has been established since 1897 and many of its designs remain largely unchanged to this day. Every piece is still handmade to order. In celebration of a suitcase that has become one of the most recognisable in the world, the Centenary Collection includes a covetable 4-wheeled carry-on which is ideal for a weekend away and is accepted by most airlines in the cabin. GBP 1,495 www.globe-trotter.com

ASSOULINE IBIZA BOHEMIA BOOK

THE BALEARIC ‘WHITE ISLE’ HAS served as an escape for artists, creatives, and musicians for decades and many have reinvented themselves on the island. This beautiful coffee table book is filled with photos, quotes and anecdotes curated by fashion stylist and editor Renu Kashyap and travel writer Maya Boyd, and explores everything from the legendary magnetic rock of Es Vedrà to Ibiza’s decadent nightlife, with a hippie-chic bohemian vibe at the book’s core.

GBP 70 www.net-a-porter.com/en-gb

VIDA GLOW MARINE COLLAGEN

VIDA GLOW’S HARD-WORKING INGESTIBLE BEAUTY supplements start below the surface to promote firm, youthful-looking skin, thick hair and strong nails and support the natural ageing process. Clinically proven to smooth fine lines and wrinkles and enhance skin elasticity, these one-a-day sachets are flavourless so they can be mixed into any food or drink and absorbed on-the go to glow as you travel the globe. GBP 39 https://uk.vidaglow.com

SUMMERHILL & BISHOP GLASS BUMBA JUG

AVAILABLE IN A VARIETY OF colours and perfect for preparing and serving drinks, no two of this gorgeous and versatile 3-litre white-rimmed jug are the same because they are handblown exclusively for Summerhill & Bishop in the South of France. Matching glasses are also available.

GBP 255 www.summerhillandbishop.com

SANGRE DE FRUTA TRAVEL COLLECTION

WITH DEEP RESPECT FOR THE WONDROUS LIFEFORCE OF all living things, Sangre de Fruta’s exquisite botanicals are sustainably sourced and handcrafted in small batches to create sensory potions that nurture, protect and meaningfully connect people and nature. For those travelling near or far, this organically produced capsule collection features a range of heavenly and indulgent travel elixirs for the face, body and hair. USD 100 www. s angredefruta.com

SEVENTY ONE GIN

CREATED BY LEGENDARY FASHION

photographer and artist Mert Alas and made with the finest botanicals, every small batch of SEVENTY ONE gin is touched by the rare flower from the Queen of the Night cactus before resting for 71 nights in a mix of virgin Spanish oak casks, ex Pedro Ximenes sherry casks and ex-cognac casks, allowing the hand-picked botanicals to gently marry and imbuing the spirit with an amber glow. Released in limited batches, SEVENTY ONE is the perfect gift for a gin aficionado. GBP 168 www. seventyonegin.com

FORTNUM AND MASON BALLOON BAUBLE

‘THE WORLD’S MOST FAMOUS CORNER SHOP’ remains an essential destination for those in search of extraordinary food and tantalising treats that universally cheer up the lucky recipients. Inspired by Fortnum’s globaltrotting hot air balloon, this cute bauble in the brand’s signature colours deserves pride of place on the Christmas tree and will surely become a family heirloom. GBP 21.95 www.fortnumandmason.com

ADEELA SALEHJEE LONDON SCARF

FOUNDED IN LONDON IN 2016, ADEELA Salehjee specialises in versatile, modern and timeless pieces with a focus on working with natural fibres. This elegant and super soft, degrade-dyed three-colour woven 100% cashmere scarf will make an ideal gift for a professional friend who appreciates quality. Available in a range of colours. GBP 145 www. adeelasalehjee.com

FRÉDÉRIC MALLE

MUSC RAVAGEUR

BORN IN PARIS IN 1962 TO A FAMILY IN THE perfume industry, Frédéric Malle is the man behind the niche fragrance house Editions de Parfums Frédéric Malle, which was founded in 2000 to feature the name of the perfumer on the packaging of each scent. At the time, this was a first in the industry. Created by perfumer Maurice Roucel, Musc Ravageur is an oriental fragrance different from all others in its explosive combination of bergamot, mandarin and cinnamon against a languorous background of vanilla, musk and amber. An elegantly indulgent fragrance for both sexes. EUR 210 www. fredericmalle.co.uk

LEATHEROLOGY LAPTOP SLEEVE

DESIGNED TO LAST FOR YEARS, Leatherology uses high-quality materials and incorporates thoughtful details to elevate everyday classic designs with simple silhouettes. Beautifully minimal, this chic laptop case is made from full grain leather, has a lightly padded interior lined in microfibre and can be personalised by Leatherology’s in-house artists using trapunto, deboss or hand painting techniques. USD 95 www. leatherology.com

COCOON&ME CHITA BAG MACRAMÉ KIT

COCOON&ME WORKS WITH PLANET friendly materials such as cotton and jute and uses macramé, crochet and knitting to celebrate the therapeutic benefits of hand crafting. For someone with a creative spirit, this kit to make an eye-catching and eco-friendly macramé ‘Chita’ bag comes with step-by-step photo instructions and access to a 30-minute video tutorial. GBP 64 www. cocoonandme.com

SLIP PURE SILK SLEEP MASK

MADE FROM THE HIGHEST-GRADE long fibre mulberry silk, this awardwinning cult sleep mask was specially commissioned to exacting standards and refined over a decade to provide the ultimate combination of shine, softness and durability. Available in a range of colours, this mask is the perfect present for a globetrotting friend who likes to sleep on long-haul flights. GBP 50 www. slipsilkpillowcase.co.uk

SWEET WILLIAM DOG WALKER REVIVAL KIT

BRIMMING WITH BRITISH WIT and Inspired by the brand’s founder Emma Wood’s black Labrador, William, this cute gift set contains a range of luxuries to revive a dog walker, including a luxurious hand cream. Strictly for humans and not our four-legged friends, this kit is the perfect gift to pamper a dog owner GBP 50 www. sweetwilliamdesigns.com

LITTLE BLACK BOOK

WEB ADDRESSES FOR EVERY DESTINATION AND VENUE MENTIONED IN ISSUE 40 OF THE CULTURED TRAVELLER MAGAZINE

AALBERGO ➤ https://albergobeirut.com

ANDBEYOND GRUMETI SERENGETI RIVER LODGE ➤ www.andbeyond.com

AOÛT GALLERY ➤ https://aoutgallery.com

ARIA HOTEL BUDAPEST ➤ www.ariahotelbudapest.com

HHARASZTHY WINERY ➤ https://haraszthy.hu

HOTEL MARCEL ➤ www.hotelmarcel.com

HUNGARIAN PARLIAMENT ➤ www.parlament.hu

HUNGARIAN STATE OPERA ➤ www.opera.hu

MUSEUM OF FINE ARTS, BUDAPEST ➤ www.szepmuveszeti.hu MUSICHALL ➤ www.themusichall.com

PPATINA MALDIVES ➤ https://patinahotels.com

BBAHIA PALACE ➤ https://bahia-palace.com

BUDA CASTLE ➤ https://budacastlebudapest.com

BUDAPEST’S BRIDGES ➤ www.bridgesofbudapest.com

IISSEY MIYAKE ➤ www.isseymiyake.com/eN

JJARDIN MAJORELLE ➤ www.jardinmajorelle.com

JOE SOKHN ➤ https://joesokhn.darkroom. com

RRAFFLES DOHA ➤ www.rafflesdoha.com

RAFFLES THE PALM ➤ www.rafflesthepalmdubai. com

RAFFLES SINGAPORE ➤ www.rafflesingapore.com

RAMI RIZK ➤ www.rami-rizk.com

CCALI MYKONOS ➤ www.calimykonos.com

CASTLE ELVIRA ➤ www.castleelvira.com

DDIA MRA ➤ www.diamrad.com

DOHÁNY STREET SYNAGOGUE ➤ www.dohany-zsinagoga.hu

KKEMPINSKI SUMMERLAND HOTEL & RESORT ➤ www.kempinski.com

LLÁNG BISTRO ➤ www.langbistro.hu

LANZERAC ESTATE ➤ https://lanzerac.co.za

SSCANDIC GRAND CENTRAL ➤ www.scandichotels.com

SFINX BAR, BUDAPEST ➤ https://sfinxbar.com

SON NET ➤ www.sonnet.es

ST. STEPHEN’S BASILICA ➤ www.bazilika.biz

SZIMPLA KERT ➤ https://szimpla.hu

FFAIRMONT ROYAL PALM MARRAKECH ➤ www.fairmont.com/ marrakech

FINNJÄVEL SALONKI ➤ https://finnjavel.fi/en/

GGELLERT THERMAL BATHS ➤ www.gellertbath.hu

MMARGUERITE ➤ https://marguerite.com.sg

MARUFUKURO ➤ https://marufukuro.com

MATILD PALACE ➤ www.matildpalace.com

MATTHIAS CHURCH ➤ www.matyas-templom.hu

MENARA GARDENS ➤ www.jardin-menara.com

MIHÁLY KOLODKO ➤ https://kolodkoart.com

TTHE MADRID EDITION ➤ www.editionhotels.com

THE RITZ-CARLTON, AMMAN ➤ www.ritzcarlton.com

THE SILK VALLEY ➤ https://thesilkvalley.com

THE SUNSEEKER ➤ www.thesunseeker.com.au

suite with a view

CROWN TOWER SUITE ➤ MATILD PALACE, BUDAPEST, HUNGARY

IT IS ON ONE OF BUDAPEST’S grand thoroughfares that you’ll find the latest addition to the Hungarian capital’s collection of luxury hotels, Matild Palace.

Built in 1900 during the Belle Epoque era at the behest of Her Imperial and Royal Highness Maria Klotild of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, the hotel occupies one of a pair of identical palaces that were designed to act as a grand gateway when entering

the Pest side of the city using the then new Elisabeth Bridge.

Atop Matild Palace, occupying a lovingly restored tower of some fifty metres in height, the hotel’s unique Crown Tower Suite is spread over three floors and includes a living room, bedroom, lavish bathroom and cocktail lounge. The suite is crowned by a viewing room, set high within the tower, which offers spectacular 360-degree views of Budapest. www. matildpalace.com

WINTER IN HELSINKI, LÖYLY STYLE

An architectural sauna complex in the heart of the Finnish capital on the edge of the Baltic Sea, Löyly was name-checked by Time magazine as one of the World’s 100 Greatest Places.

Follow us @loylyhelsinki www.loylyhelsinki.fi