Innholdsfortegnelse for April 2024 i National Geographic Traveller (UK)

Editorial Director: Maria Pieri Editor: Pat Riddell Managing Editor: Amelia Duggan Deputy Editor: Amanda Canning Commissioning Editors: Lorna Parkes, Georgia Stephens Assistant Editors: Sam Kemp, Angela Locatelli Senior Editor: Sarah Barrell Executive Editor: Glen Mutel Associate Editor: Nicola Trup Content Strategist: Berkok Yüksel Deputy Digital Editor: Karlina Valeiko Art Director: Becky Redman Deputy Art Director: Lauren Atkinson-Smith Art Editor: Lauren Gamp Senior Designers: Kelly McKenna, Dean Reynolds Designers: Rosie Klein, Tully D’Souza Junior Designer: Natalie Cornelius Picture Editor: Ben Rowe Picture Researcher: Aisha Nazar Branded Content Manager: Flora Neighbour Deputy Branded Content Manager: Megan Hughes Senior Editor, Branded Content: Sara Crossley Project Editors: Zane Henry, Emma Monk, Farida Zeynalova Assistant Project Editor: Sacha Scoging Head of Sub Editors: Olivia McLearon Senior Sub Editor: Hannah Doherty Sub Editors: Rory Goulding, Chris…

SNAPSHOT Chen Jinshui, Anchang, China I met Chen Jinshui while exploring the narrow streets of Anchang, one of four ancient towns in the city of Shaoxing in China’s eastern Zhejiang Province. A local master, he started learning how to pull sugar at the age of 13 and now passes the traditional technique on to future generations. By whipping air into a stiff lump of amber syrup, pulling and tossing it as though he were a dancer, he slowly alters its consistency and colour, creating a silken rope of the most brilliant white. Sugar made using this technique is a local speciality in Anchang. ZHONGHUA YANG • PHOTOGRAPHER @foodphotoaward Winner of The Philip Harben Award for Food in Action category of Pink Lady® Food Photographer of the Year 2023…

Vine excursions Minerva Wines was born in 2015 after local farmer Emma Rice was inspired by a trip to Beaune —which lies at the centre of Burgundy’s winemaking region —to plant some 10,000 vines at Corston Fields Farm in Somerset. A grape’s toss from Bath’s Georgian crescents and Roman pools, the vineyard is launching new experiences this April: visitors are invited to join supper clubs, partake in vine-side tastings of sparkling vintages and venture out on grape-picking excursions. It’s even possible to spend the night in one of the winery’s shepherd’s huts, which look out over rows of vines. minervawine.com Wine & dine The barley fields that blanket Norfolk have made the county a centre for beer and brewing, but it’s the region’s burgeoning wine industry that’s stealing the limelight…

Thompson Denver The Mile High City, so named because it stands one mile above sea level, is scaling new heights. Situated where the Great Plains meet the Rocky Mountains, Denver was founded as a gold-mining town in 1858 —a history commemorated by the gold-plated dome of the state capitol. Today, it’s known for its gleaming skyscrapers and is one of the fastest-growing cities in the US, with urbanites and travellers alike drawn to its art trails, craft beer and elevated food scene (featuring everything from cheese-filled khachapuri bread to beef tacos), plus its boundless opportunities for outdoor pursuits. Against this backdrop, a number of hotels have recently popped up across the city —and Thompson Denver, in LoDo (Lower Downtown), within walking distance of the Denver Art Museum, Urban Station’s upmarket…

A youthful energy pervades Kosovo. Europe’s youngest country is also home to the region’s youngest population, with 55% under 30. In the 20 years since the Kosovo War of 1998 to 1999, which culminated in the nation’s 2008 declaration of independence, Ottomanera villages have been rebuilt, Byzantine fortresses have been restored and nature tourism has taken off, with activities centred in the mountain ranges Kosovo shares with its Balkan neighbours. Prizren, the country’s cultural centre during the period of Ottoman rule (1455 to 1912), remains Kosovo’s most charming city. A 90-minute drive north, smaller Peja’s appeal lies in its location at the foot of the Rugova Canyon. Carved over millennia by a retreating glacier, the gorge has been central to the city’s rebirth as an adventure hub. These contrasting cities…

DODECANESE In the southeast Aegean, farthest from the mainland and often in sight of the Turkish coast, the Dodecanese only joined Greece in 1947 after decades of occupation. It’s this turbulent history that has given these islands their striking individualism — and what sets their culture and architecture apart WALK ON A VOLCANO NISYROS According to Greek mythology, it was Poseidon who seized a chunk of Kos and hurled it on top of a fiery Titan called Polyvotis — creating the volcanic island of Nisyros, with its enormous, sulphurous caldera. The volcano is active, but travellers can still walk across its warm crust — it last erupted in 1888 and is carefully monitored. It can be visited on a day trip from nearby Kos, but it’s worth sticking around to…

MORNING Begin by renting a bamboo bike and exploring the walled city of Intramuros, Manila’s seat of government during Spanish colonial rule. At its heart is Manila Cathedral, designed by Fernando Ocampo. Its pineapple finials are said to represent the death and rebirth of Christ but could apply to the structure itself: first built in 1571, it’s now in its eighth iteration after centuries of war and earthquakes. Pedal north west to Fort Santiago, where Filipino national hero José Rizal — an activist during Spanish rule — was imprisoned before his execution. bambike.com AFTERNOON Have a lunch of Spanish-Filipino cuisine at Ilustrado. Its paella is given a Manileño twist with annatto (a condiment derived from the seeds of the achiote tree) and eggs. Spend the rest of the afternoon museum-hopping…

I’m still two blocks away when I hear the samba beat, subverted by a deep, assertive bass. At the far end of a pedestrian lane paved in white tiles, a Beaux Arts villa called Casa de Francisca glows red and purple from within. Its tall second-storey windows are flung open to reveal hundreds of party-goers. Behind the villa, there’s São Paulo’s historic centre, the silhouetted at night. Once home to a musical instrument shop, then a radio broadcaster, before becoming an empty shell, the building now has more people inside than it’s ever hosted before. When I enter, it feels as though they’re testing the structural integrity of its Corinthian pillars. A fusion of black, white, mixed, Indigenous, macho and gender-fluid people, the crowd bounce and shout out lyrics, white…

THE EXPERTS Where would you suggest for a two-week family getaway to Sri Lanka, blending culture and adventure? A fortnight spent working your way to the south coast from the Cultural Triangle ticks all the right boxes for children. Start in the former heartland of the ancient Sinhalese civilisation. Built in the fifth century by King Kashyapa, the clifftop citadel of Sigiriya is a steep climb up a winding wooden staircase, but doable for most kids. Their reward: epic views from the crumbling palace at the top. Equally unmissable is UNESCO listed Polonnaruwa. At the entrance, rent a bike to explore the 12 thcentury garden city, its sacred pools and temples now colonised by macaques (Disney filmed the 2015 documentary Monkey Kingdom here). Bed down in one of Back of…

The fresh-faced school leaver, still in her teens, was as excited as she was apprehensive to be arriving in the east African village. Recruited to teach in the community school, the young Briton would be using her holiday to make, she hoped, a genuine impact. But she quickly found herself shunned by the villagers, who refused to engage with her teaching. After three distressing days, she packed up and left. Only later did it become apparent what had happened: to make space for this callow, enthusiastic and — most pertinently — free volunteer, the local teacher had been fired. Tales such as this, relayed by an industry insider who helped handle the fallout and wanted to remain anonymous, may be mercifully rare. But, still, they serve as a reminder that,…

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Get in touch inbox@natgeotraveller.co.uk Have a query about subscriptions? Get in touch at natgeotraveller@ subscription.co.uk or call 01858 438787 WIN A Fjällräven backpack worth £105! Made of a hardwearing, water-repellent fabric in recycled polyester, the Skule Top 26 is a very versatile backpack. There’s a main compartment with a padded laptop sleeve, plus a lid pocket and two open side pockets. Add a mesh back panel and padded straps for extra comfort, and you’ve got the ideal bit of kit for urban and wild adventures alike. fjallraven.com STAR LETTER Second time lucky Due to the Covid pandemic, I had to cancel an adventure in Argentina. The excellent article about the country (Cover story, Jan/ Feb 2024) caters for all needs and pursuits. As a foodie and wildlife enthusiast, the sections…

Sarah Reid I travelled to Kosovo seeking adventure and I certainly found it — from gnarly via ferrata routes to cave systems tucked behind thundering waterfalls, and some beautiful alpine hiking, too. SOUTHERN KOSOVO P.44 Stuart Forster Findlay Market is a great entry point for delving into Cincinnati’s historical Over-The-Rhine district, where 19th-century German settlers left grand, pastel-shaded buildings and excavated labyrinthine beer cellars far below the surface. CINCINNATI P.50 Monisha Rajesh Taking a sleeper train through Norway beneath the miraculous midnight sun is a oncein-a-lifetime indulgence. It’s a time to readjust your body clock, sip coffee into the small hours and watch from a dining car window as the fjords glide past. NORWAY P.110 Matt Dutile While I was travelling in eastern Bhutan, I was struck by the warmth…

All the clichés about the south of France are true. The light takes on new forms by the hour, adding beauty to the simplest pleasures. There are open-air markets selling sun-ripened produce, and there’s the surprisingly loud, surprisingly comforting sound of cicadas in late summer. Olive trees, lavender and sunflowers spread for acres, and cliffs drop into turquoise coves. And the food? It meets all expectations, from figs and Provençal melons to crispy panisse (chickpea flour fries) and rotisserie chicken. Plus, of course, the overwhelming variety of local cheeses and fresh seafood from the rivers and coasts. The southeastern region known as Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur is also where the French go on holiday — and where throngs of Europeans descend for summer vacances, doing their best French impression. While visitors may…

Palermo by night To beat the heat of the Sicilian capital in summer, try venturing into town after dusk for a guided night tour, when Palermo’s landmarks are magically illuminated. The walk can take in city highlights such as the medieval Kalsa district, the Arabesque domes of San Giovanni degli Eremiti, the Norman cathedral of Monreale and UNESCO-listed Zisa palace. getyourguide.com Gangster’s paradise Unpick the island’s deep-rooted connection with the Sicilian Mafia, known locally as Cosa Nostra, at Palermo’s No Mafia Memorial museum. It explains the origins of the crime cartel and the government’s efforts to quash the organisation after the Second World War. If you’ve got more time, there are also Mafia-related tours taking in the eastern villages of Savoca and Forza d’Agro, which were key filming locations for…

China in Seven Banquets A ‘fl avourful history’ of 500 years of Chinese cuisine via seven storied dinners. Food historian Thomas David DuBois shares his fi ndings from decades of travelling around China, revealing the country’s culinary character through meals including the ‘tail-burning’ banquet of the Tang dynasty, plus insights into food featured in Chinese literature and fi lm, a New Year’s buff et from 1920s Shanghai and a 21stcentury delivery menu. Reaktion Books, £18 Pocha Korean-born food writer Su Scott returns to her native Seoul to eat her way around the city’s pocha street stalls. Short for pojangmacha (‘covered wagon’), they include everything from a tarpaulin-covered stall to a makeshift bar where snacks are served. It’s a personal take on this lively destination, rendered through vibrant photography and 80…

The sun was rising through the dusty haze of a city waking up with a collective hangover: the result of a day of kite flying followed by beer and a night sky filled with ascending lanterns. Jaipur had been celebrating Makar Sankranti, the Hindu festival marking the sun crossing the Tropic of Cancer on 14 January, which coincides with its International Kite Festival. But now, with the party over, I began a journey that was to set me on a literary adventure I’d never expected to take. I’ve been growing crops pretty much my whole life and, ever since a chance encounter with a particularly wonderful pepper in Donetsk during the dying days of the Soviet Union, I’ve sought out delicious heritage vegetables that are part of local food cultures…

Among the dozens of flavoured spice rub blends arranged in tins at Colonel De Gourmet Herbs and Spices, I’ve singled out Ole’ Bourbon Trail. It seems the ideal souvenir from this stall in Cincinnati’s Findlay Market, which is set barely a mile from Ohio’s border with Kentucky, America’s ‘bourbon state’. It’s bold stuff: brown sugar and smoky paprika giving way to a burst of coriander, hickory and chilli. Established in 1855 to sell produce from surrounding farms, Findlay Market has evolved to offer significantly more. Across the central aisle, a woman buys chicken sausages from Neil Luken Meats, fresh in from Gerber’s Amish Farm, in northeast Ohio. A group of construction workers swagger past, seemingly immune to the warm, bready wafts of baking pizza at Bouchard’s. They opt instead for…

CHARLES SAKALA IS MILDLY OBSESSED WITH ANIMAL POOP. WE HAVE BEEN WALKING FOR ONLY HALF AN HOUR AND HAVE STOPPED SEVERAL TIMES TO STARE AT ASSORTED LUMPS OF WASTE ON THE GROUND. “See here,” he says, poking a stick at a low mound of shiny brown pellets. “Impala dung. Leopards roll in it to disguise their smell when they are hunting.” A few paces on, he stops to prod another specimen, this one a scattering of neat balls so white and bright they look artificial. “Hyena,” he says solemnly. “You can see from the colour that they eat a lot of bones.” We are in South Luangwa National Park, a protected swathe of land covering 3,490 square miles of eastern Zambia. The region was established as a game reserve in…

What do I need to take with me? As with all tropical countries, bring sunglasses, a hat, insect repellent and plenty of sunscreen. The sea can get choppy, so stock up on motion sickness tablets. On small-boat trips, bring a waterproof jacket and dry bags to keep your electronic devices safe. Where can I get local currency? The cheapest and easiest way to get Philippine pesos is from an ATM using a specialist travel card. ATMs are common in cities but rare on small islands, so get all the money you need before an excursion. Break large notes at the earliest opportunity; most businesses are cash-only and many don’t give change. How frequent are transfers between islands? Domestic flights and ferries are fast, cheap and frequent, but you’ll still need…

For travellers seeking the best of the USA, the draw of the East Coast is undeniable. Whether it’s taking in the iconic skylines of cities like New York and Philadelphia, indulging in the creative cuisine of Boston or the Carolinas, or exploring destinations that have played a crucial role in the nation’s founding history, an East Coast adventure is hard to beat. But a visit here isn’t just about the big-hitters. Look a little further and you’ll find insightful exhibitions in Virginia and flower-filled celebrations in Pennsylvania, as well as a raft of new openings and seasonal festivals taking place throughout the East Coast this year. 1 FANTASTIC FOOD FESTIVALS While headline-grabbing events like NYC Restaurant Week offer an opportunity to sample some of the East Coast’s most famous cuisines,…

TICKETS £15* *Price doesn’t include booking fee Don’t miss… New tasting workshops Whether you’re looking to curate your dream cheeseboard or savour chocolate like a professional, this is your chance to learn something new and treat your tastebuds while you’re at it. Fresh talent Head down to the star-studded Main Stage for live cooking demonstrations from Nadiya Hussain, Nisha Katona, Matt Tebbutt, Ravneet Gill, Richard Corrigan and more. Global street food Explore the Food Hall, where some of the UK’s finest street food vendors will be serving up everything from bao buns and duck wraps to homemade Persian pudding. Leading food writers Sit down with the authors behind some of the year’s most talked-about cookery books, including Yui Miles, Su Scott, Dina Macki, Özlem Warren and Coinneach Macleod. FOR MORE…

Tell us about this image. During my trip to the islands of St Vincent and the Grenadines, I was invited to watch a rehearsal at the Ashton Community Center on Union Island, where the Imani Cultural Organization seeks to preserve Ghanaian folk culture, highlighting the legacy of West Africans in the area. Here, group member Neola Laborde performs a traditional dance accompanied by drumming and singing in Swahili, a language now taught in Ghana. How did you achieve the shot? I decided to shoot this with a full-frame Nikon D750 and my favourite Nikkor 50mm F1.4 prime lens. I used the first few shots to test the light, background and angles, and then spent some time observing the dancers and the patterns of their movement. I settled on a frame…

ISSUE 121, APRIL 2024 The Greek islands are so familiar to most that the mere mention of the Aegean Sea jolts the memory and senses, instantly bringing the smell of jasmine or pine and the sight of a whitewashed village to mind. With their ubiquitous olive groves, sandy coves and azure waters, it’s easy to forget how distinct each Greek island is. Each one’s history and culture reflects the shifting sands of the centuries before modern Greece’s existence — the Venetians, Ottomans and Knights of St John, among others, who have shaped these Mediterranean outposts. But of the 227 inhabited islands and the thousands spread across the six main groups, how many do you really know? Corfu, Rhodes and Santorini maybe, but Syros, Lemnos and Milos? How about Skopelos, Poros…

1 WANTED RECORDS Start the day at St Nicholas Market, Bristol’s oldest, held in a cathedrallike structure that’s been a place to trade, snack and shop in since 1743. In the heart of the Old City, surrounded by handsome Georgian buildings and indie boutiques, the market is a must for vinyl vultures. Wanted Records buys and sells jazz, reggae, psychedelic and progressive rock, hip-hop, folk and myriad sub-genres, including collectible items. wantedrecords.co.uk 2 ST GEORGE’S BRISTOL Head to church —a former one that functions as a top venue for classical, jazz and folk music. An extension to the Greek Revival building in 2018 added a pavilion for art exhibitions and performances, plus a cafebar whose leafy courtyard is a great pit-stop for coffee, cake or toasties after a stroll around…

The gateway to the beaches of the Polish Riviera and once a major seaport for northern Europe’s Hanseatic League merchants, Gdańsk is a city framed by water and defined by proud maritime traditions. Famed as the birthplace of the European Solidarity labour movement in the late 20th century, its former worker neighbourhoods, islands and Baltic port districts have undergone a transformation in recent years. To understand the city, you need to explore its past. Start in the central Śródmieście district, which incorporates parts of the Gdańsk waterfront and its Old Town. The area’s pedestrianised Royal Way is a legacy of the period before the 18th century when Poland had a monarchy and Gdańsk was one of the country’s three royal cities. Stroll past its mansions and former merchant houses, many…

Black coffee warming my palms, I breathe in the smell of hot dogs rotating on the worktop stand and decide that now’s not quite the time for one. The attendant, Tor Helge, potters around the dining car, his whistling presence companionship enough as I look out onto the Gudbrandsdalslågen, one of Norway’s longest rivers, its waters twinkling in the light. Like Christmas trees on stilts, pencil-thin pines fringe its banks and a sandy islet rises up like a backbone between the flow. Whispering alongside, the train leans into a turn before we swing wide and I edge towards the window, spotting a handful of people flyfishing for trout, pike and perch, waders up to their thighs. Hikers appear on a pathway and a group of cyclists glance sideways as we…

Craving a holiday with the freedom to escape the crowds and explore hidden coves, secluded bays and uninhabited islands? Looking to anchor somewhere to take a dip without another person in sight? Sailing enables you to access remote spots that are often inaccessible by land and to experience the diversity of a region, exploring islets, villages and marine parks in a single trip. Whether you’re just starting out, or keen to set out with little ones in tow, these itineraries suit every type of sailor. 1 BEST FOR FAMILIES: CROATIA The calm, clear waters of the Adriatic combined with favourable weather conditions in summer provide easy sailing for families and, with more than 1,000 islands dotted along the Dalmatian Coast, there’s a range of activities and attractions with short hops…