Stories

A pair of childhood friends explore the coastal landscape of their youth on the western tip of Cornwall

Once considered boring, our everyday interactions (as we remember them) have become the ultimate luxuries of 2020. Sticky carpets, recirculated air, cheap rosé? Businesses are capitalising on our fetish for the mundane and catering to a burgeoning community of “normads” – those who’d rather indulge in the ordinary than head out on a sublime adventure.

In many places across the world, the sweeping curves and nautical designs of art deco have shaped the way we experience the seaside. We trace the evolution of its architectural style from the 30s to present day, taking you from Margate to Miami Beach via Mumbai.

Ten authors divulge the destinations that inspire them to put pen to paper.

While the “gaycation” is an often mythologised aspect of LGBTQ+ culture, the idea of seeking liberation and taking a segregated holiday feels at odds. Speaking to queer travellers from across the world, we stitch together tales of hope and homophobia, pride and prejudice. A rainbow flag on a check-in desk just doesn’t cut it.

Skip Santorini and fun-loving Mykonos in favour of a slow-living escape in Greece’s Sporades islands. Movie buffs might recognise the archipelago from hit musical Mamma Mia!, but we’re here to guide you to the rustic-luxe hotels, quaint tavernas and the beaches loved by locals.

Returning to the Cotswolds where she grew up, our writer cherishes familiar territory as lockdown descends.

Has “overtourism” been eclipsed by “touriphobia”? At a time when tourist-centric economies need visitors more than ever, a counter-wave of touriphobes – those with an irrational fear of or aversion to tourists – seems to be rising. Should summer 2020’s tourists be revered or reviled?

A cultural hub and haven for creatives, Thessaloniki is often likened to San Francisco or Shoreditch. These comparisons only tell part of the story. In Greece’s second city, traces of the past and a cosmopolitan atmosphere born of diverse cultural influences form a dynamic metropolis with a rhythm of its own.

Lebanese photographer Gregory Buchakjian spent nearly a decade locating, documenting and photographing abandoned buildings across Beirut. Now he is surrounded by the rubble of those devastated buildings following the explosion that shook the entire city.

Happy childhood memories of summers in Mallorca have inspired a new retreat that draws deep on the island’s roots in slow food, artisanal crafts and abiding hospitality.

Coinciding with the launch of episode 5 of our travel podcast, The Upgrade, we’re sharing Marie Louise Sciò’s insider recommendations to one of our most beloved holiday haunts: Italy.

Is it possible to enjoy the feel-good factor of a far-flung getaway without getting eco-guilt for the plane ride there? In a post-pandemic world, virtual holidays may not be so novel. Considering their environmental impact and economic practicalities, we ask: will an online experience ever match up to travelling IRL?

In light of the recent disaster in Beirut, and in sympathy with those affected, we're retrospectively publishing this story from Volume 25: The Pioneer Issue.

Overqualified and underpaid, a Filipino travel journalist tries to get a break in the UK journalism industry. Is London’s creative community as diverse as it makes out? As a lack of Britishness holds back her career, she works hard to convince colleagues that she’s more than her passport.