Six beautiful travel books from Monocle to guarantee a well-spent summer
1.
Thailand: The Monocle Handbook
The sixth installment in Monocle’s Handbook series takes you across Thailand’s stunning scenery. From mountainous Chiang Rai all the way down to tropical Phuket, we head to wellness retreats, restaurants serving fresh takes on traditional dishes, national parks, temples and envelope-pushing culture hubs to show you why this sunny nation remains the stuff of holiday dreams. Plus, if you’re interested in a permanent relocation there, we spotlight the neighbourhoods and islands where you can make a home and profile the architects and designers to commission for the job. So pack your bags and experience this special corner of Southeast Asia afresh.
2.
Greece: The Monocle Handbook
Making time for a weekend trip to the Hellenic world or planning to stay a little longer? We present our most treasured recommendations across the country, from rural tavernas to island retreats and Arcadian ski slopes. We’ve also scoured the country for its most skilled artisans, so take a trip and dive into our guide to Greek fashion, food and design. Plus: for those looking to put down roots we reveal the places to set up a home, the clubs to join and the architects to consult. It’s time to explore this ancient country afresh.
3.
France: The Monocle Handbook
Allow us to take you on a tour of our most cherished Gallic spots. We have traversed the mainland to scout out the creme de la creme of the nation’s bounty.
Come with us to Marseille and Montpellier, Biarritz and Brittany, with stop-offs in the Alps and along the rugged coast of Corsica. Break bread at both new and established bistros, visit luxury ateliers with a discerning eye for design and check in to Paris’s most storied hotels and metropolitan boltholes. Plus: we toast the nation’s vineyards, the cultural spots honouring France’s artistic heritage and the plucky retailers setting up shop in the country’s second cities. Fancy staying a while longer? We’ll take you through the places in which to linger, should you wish to put down roots. France is the world’s most visited country, and for good reason.
4.
Portugal: The Monocle Handbook
A practical guide that will introduce you to the best the country has to offer as we present our favourite spots across the country. We’ve travelled from north to south (via the islands) to find innovative retailers and traditional ateliers, the chefs turning out the tastiest dishes and the sleekest hotels – not to mention undiscovered beaches and world-leading cultural venues. We even reveal the best neighbourhoods to invest in should you wish to put down roots in this sunny nation, plus the plucky entrepreneurs who’ve already made the move. It’s time to pack your bags for Portugal.
5.
Spain: The Monocle Handbook
This sunny book looks beyond the tourist haunts to present Monocle’s favourite spots across from Madrid and Malaga to the Balearic and Canary Islands. Discover innovative retailers, culinary hotspots and cool hotels, as well as leading museums and galleries – and, of course, a beach or two. We also introduce the smartest neighbourhoods to relocate to, plus the design contacts to know, with advice from a few plucky entrepreneurs who have already set up shop. What are you waiting for? It’s time to pack your bags and discover this varied nation afresh.
6.
Swim & Sun
Here you’ll find our pick of the places in which to cool off when the mercury rises and plenty to get you dreaming about your next dip. We celebrate the joys of diving into the ocean, leaping into a river and allowing your limbs to stretch – and your mind to clear – as you simply swim. In its visually stunning pages, the guide celebrates the sunny pleasures on offer at our favourite beach clubs, urban pools and lakeside bathing spots. Pick up a copy and jump in. The water’s perfect.
The post Six beautiful travel books from Monocle to guarantee a well-spent summer appeared first on Monocle.
