It goes without saying that a trip’s purpose will dictate where
you stay. For business, functional if a little dull will suffice –
providing there are plenty of plug sockets – but when romance
calls, a balcony with postcard-worthy views and late breakfast
hours suddenly takes precedence over the WiFi connection. From
dreamy castles on Lake Garda to glass-fronted Norwegian numbers,
family-run pensions in the Mediterranean to glittering
Abu Dhabi high-rises, this
two-volume tome runs the gamut
with accommodation inspiration to suit every type of traveller.

The idea of a refuge-style dwelling is, perhaps unsurprisingly,
seductive to the modern psyche. In the past decade, our material
existence and environmental footprint has grown exponentially,
causing us to seek solitude in havens that allow us to “get away
from it all”. Consequently, architects worldwide have become
interested in the possibilities of the minimal, low-impact and
isolated abode; it’s time to eschew excess in favour of a cabin, where fantasies of living out
a simple life can be fully realised. From an artist’s studio on the
Suffolk coast in England to eco-home huts in the Sahyadri
(“Benevolent Mountain”) region of India, a contemplative air of coexistence and a
return to nature flows throughout these pages.

An incomparable cultural capital, Rome has seen it all, done it all
and laid the foundation for a life fuelled by whimsy. A metropolis
of many guises, Rome: Portrait of a City captures
everything from the Spanish Steps almost void of crowds and
celebrities in glamorous gowns loitering along Via Veneto to
laundry lines in the working-class districts of Trastevere and
Testaccio. Through the camera lens of photographers including Henri
Cartier-Bresson, Peter Lindbergh and Slim Aarons you’ll clock the
equally famous faces such as Elizabeth Taylor, Sophia Loren and
Valentino.

A tranquil getaway that leaves you restored and uplifted may
seem a tall order (particularly from the vantage point of your
office desk) but allow yourself to be transported spiritually if
not physically to a farmhouse in Tuscany or beach in Mexico via the picture-filled
pages of Great Yoga Retreats.
Alternatively, make like the Beatles and head to Parmarth Niketan
Ashram in Rishikesh, the birthplace of yoga and a renowned
pilgrimage site (the band attended the Maharishi’s ashram here in
1968). One for the wellness warriors, expect an overarching feeling
of zen to follow a flick through this one.

While the swish Shinkansen (bullet train) is a godsend for those
with a demanding itinerary and only 10 days to explore the entire
country, we can’t help but lust after bygone train travel in the
era of Imperial Japan. Sixty-Nine Stations highlights
the historic Kisokaidō route between Edo (Tokyo) and Kyoto since its
ordination in the 1600s. From the busy starting post of Nihonbashi
to the castle town of Iwamurata and the peaceful banks of the Ota
River, the route catered to nouveau travellers eager to try local
delicacies and soak in hot-spring baths. Soak up suburbia through
the mastery of these print practitioners.