Innholdsfortegnelse for May 2024 i National Geographic Traveller (UK)

Adrian Phillips Le Mans is synonymous with fast cars, but it’s a place to slow down in, too, with a charming old town and restaurants. Venture beyond the city limits, and you’ll find master potters, an eccentric brush seller and a great spot for climbing trees. LE MANS & AROUND P.44 Lorna Parkes Returning to places that I loved in my backpacking days has been a recurring theme lately — and Fez didn’t disappoint. Negotiating its GPS-defying backstreets to interview female chefs and taste ancient recipes was a real joy. FEZ P. 50 Jessica Vincent Mexico has fascinated me since I first visited Yucatán as a child. The ancient Maya and Aztec cities, Indigenous cultures, fantastic food and landscapes that span Caribbean beaches to snow-capped mountains and desert lure me…

Sitting on the Balkan Peninsula of southeast Europe, North Macedonia is fairly selfcontained and self-sufficient —meaning it’s steeped in local food traditions. Agriculture weaves through society, and markets heave with independent farmers displaying rich cheeses, juicy olives, fresh fruit and veg and much more. By the side of the road, men sit on upturned beer crates selling plastic bottles of homemade rakija (grape brandy) or dried herbs from the fields surrounding their homes. Summer in North Macedonia is scorching hot, while winter is a time of snowfall, and we eat with the seasons —salty grilled meats and sweet tomato salads in the warm months and stews to get us through the cold. Then, there are almost mystical moments in the culinary calendar, such as making huge batches of yufki (egg…

Stargazing Around the World This collection of the world’s best stargazing spots covers 100 destinations across the world, taking in dark sky parks, observatories and remote mountains. Accompanied by jaw-dropping astrophotography, the guide is packed with practical information and travel tips about night sky tours, in places often backed by showstopping scenery right here on Earth. Lonely Planet, £19.99 Wild Service: Why Nature Needs You A clarion cry for a mass reconnection with the British countryside, this book explores how our loss and nature’s need are intertwined. Blending science, nature writing and philosophy from an array of experts, artists and writers, it encourages the reader to become a whistleblower against environmental destruction and shares inspiring stories of those defending our countryside. Bloomsbury, £20 Wild Guide South West The free-spirited guide…

| A N I M A L S | Here’s how whales can sing underwater without drowning Scientists have long wondered how baleen whales can sing while holding their breath underwater. New insights into their anatomy have now solved the mystery. natgeo.com/animals | E N V I R O N M E N T | The plastic pollution crisis It’s become one of the world’s most pressing environmental issues. Much of the planet is swimming in discarded plastic, which is harming animal and possibly human health. Can this crisis ever be solved? natgeo.com/science | H I S T O R Y | Why daylight saving time exists — and why it’s so controversial The idea behind the clock shift, often called daylight saving time, is to maximise sunlight in the…

Agave, or maguey in the ancient Nahuatl language of the Aztecs, has been part of Mesoamerican culture for thousands of years. This rosette plant with spiny, blue-green leaves can grow up to 10 feet high and is one of Mexico’s most revered plants. Throughout the country’s history, it’s been used as a source of food, clothing, medicine and, since the Spanish conquest in the early 16th century, to make spirits like tequila and mezcal. The ancestor of tequila, mezcal —derived from the word mexicali, meaning ‘cooked agave’ in Nahuatl —was born after the Spanish introduced distillation to Mexico. Today, most producers continue making mezcal using 16th-century methods: the heart of the plant is smoked underground for several days before being crushed by a millstone known as a tahona, usually drawn…

‘I gazed in amazement at the sight’ reads a photocopy of a 1976 National Geographic article on my lap. The words are bouncing on the page as the truck flies over steep mountain roads, but I can’t stop reading. ‘Butterflies —millions upon millions of monarch butterflies!’ The monarch’s wintering home —a mystery to scientists until the 1970s —was confirmed when Canadian zoologist Fred Urquhart and American entomologist Lincoln Brower were called to the northern Michoácan mountains in early 1976. Urquhart had spent 30 years studying their winter migration and the discovery made the cover of National Geographic a few months later, with a feature written by him. Almost 50 years on, I’m making the same journey to Mexico’s Central Highlands, hoping to see the world’s greatest insect migration for myself.…

With millennia-old pyramids, hallowed temples and intricately painted tombs worthy of an art gallery, Egypt has a mindboggling amount of history on show. Some of the first threads of human civilisation started here over 5,000 years ago, and Egyptians still call their country umm al dunya — mother of the world. Egypt offers the opportunity to timetravel like few other places. The past seems to keep careful watch over the present. The Pyramids of Giza — the last survivor of the original seven wonders of the ancient world — overlook cacophonous Cairo, the thirdlargest metropolis in Africa and the biggest in the Middle East. South along the River Nile, a temple built more than 3,400 years ago stands in the centre of the modern city of Luxor, which was once…

Not long after leaving the town of Nuweiba, in Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula, the old-school white Datsun truck parts ways with the pavement, an abrupt final farewell to civilisation. My Bedouin driver barrels into the wadi, a dry valley with sheer, dark walls of towering granite mountains formed by long-extinct volcanoes that press ever closer the deeper we go. When we come to a halt, the cloud of dust that had been trailing the truck follows Newton’s first law of motion and carries on obliviously without us. The place where we stop seems monumental, but no signs mark the start of the Sinai Trail we’re about to embark on. I stumble out of the truck, and Musallem Abu Faraj, my guide, hands me a plastic-wrapped red-and-white chequered keffiyeh. I drape it…

It’s easy to forget how big Mexico is. The 13th-largest country in the world and 11th-most-populated, it offers such a breadth and depth of experiences that a fleeting visit to Mexico City and Puerto Vallarta on the west coast — I’m talking about me here — only served to whet my appetite for more. In this issue, we pick out a number of the country’s unique, often Indigenous, experiences, many of them easily accessible from the destinations that travellers traditionally visit. The Yucatán Peninsula — home to the ever-popular Maya ruins of Chichén Itzá and Tulum, as well as spectacular Caribbean beaches — is where you’ll find the Camino del Mayab, a long-distance hiking and biking trail. This 68- mile project, designed to preserve local culture and wildlife, reveals a…

Visitors to Miami will soon be able to take the plunge into a new world of art. The first phase of The ReefLine, an aquatic sculpture park, is set to open 600ft off the shore of South Beach this summer. When complete, the park will comprise sculptures by internationally renowned artists positioned along a sevenmile underwater gallery and snorkel trail. The aim is an innovative fusion of art and science that will both wow its flipper-clad visitors and act as a rallying cry for marine conservation. Swimmers will access The ReefLine by following the snorkel trail, which is linked by pathways built to resemble natural reef. The structures will incorporate eco-friendly materials to provide habitat for endangered reef organisms, promoting biodiversity and bolstering coastal resilience. Developed by the environmental organisation…

Nobu Hotel Sevilla Seville’s aesthetic history has been all about the blending of cultures, with Islamic and Christian influences sitting alongside contemporary architecture in the city centre. Nobu Hotel Sevilla followed in this tradition when it opened in the Spanish city in April 2023, taking on an elegant townhouse conversion and consciously blending Andalucian craftsmanship with contemporary design and the brand’s signature Japanese minimalism. The 25 guest rooms are furnished with mid-century armchairs, mirrors and coffee tables. Sleek grey-marble bathrooms with freestanding tubs betray the Japanese influence, while period features from the building’s early-20th-century heyday are retained in parquet floors and wood-panelled walls. There are unmistakably Andalucian features, too —particularly the geometric ceramics and Moorish wall niches in communal areas. Naturally, the ultra-luxe hotel is also home to a Nobu…

Lake Como conveys notions of easy elegance and the Italian art of slow living, and has come to stand for something bigger than it is. Officially called Lario, Italy’s third-biggest lake has been drawing visitors since the 18th century, when it was a popular stop for European nobles on their grand tours. More recently, it stepped into the spotlight as the backdrop for films including Ocean’s Twelve and Casino Royale. But the lake’s prestige dates to Roman times, when Julius Ceasar drained a swamp at its southwestern end, strategically located near Alpine passes, and funded the creation of a city known as Novum Comum. It laid the foundation for Como, the main hub to this day and the reason why the lake is commonly known as Como. This spring is…

To most people, ‘Le Mans’ means racing cars. For over a century, this medieval city in the Loire region of northwest France has hosted the annual 24 Hours of Le Mans, an iconic rally around the Circuit de la Sarthe that’s as much a test of stamina as speed. You’ll find plenty of nods here to this rich motoring history, from postcards of classic Aston Martins to a dedicated museum that displays numerous race cars. But you don’t need to be a petrolhead to fall in love with Le Mans; it’s a place with the most evocative of ancient centres, featuring cobbled alleys, some of the world’s best-preserved Roman walls and a blockbuster of a cathedral with beautiful stained glass. There are both intimate restaurants and busy al fresco bars…

It’s an indescribable feeling, plunging into cool, clear water after walking for hours through the Yucatán jungle. I’m surrounded by the tall overhanging cliff walls of a cenote —a type of freshwater sinkhole believed by the ancient Maya to be portals to the underworld, and often used as sacrificial sites. The water is a mix of emerald green and turquoise, with large lily pads floating on the surface and thick alamo tree roots plunging to its depths from the cliffs like giant eels. It’s day one of my five-day hike along Mexico’s Camino del Mayab —a long-distance hiking and biking trail opened in late 2020 —and the 32C heat and 80% humidity is getting to me. But with 11 miles to walk before sunset, there’s only so much time for…

KOSHARY At first glance, koshary is an odd assortment that shouldn’t go well together: a heaped bowl of pasta, lentils, rice and chickpeas topped with fried onions and spiced tomato sauce. But all it takes is one taste to get hooked on Egypt’s national dish. This carb-loaded vegetarian meal is often sold from street stalls. FUUL MEDAMES Another filling street snack, this thick stew of mashed fava beans seasoned with cumin, garlic, olive oil and lemon juice is often served from large copper pots. As street food, fuul medames is usually ladled into pitta bread and eaten as a sandwich on the go, but it’s also a common guest at the breakfast table, served in a small bowl. TA’AM EYA Egyptians love their fava beans, so much so that the…

THE EXPERTS How easy is it to travel independently in Greenland and can you suggest a good itinerary for a solo adventure? While solo adventuring is possible in Greenland, many attractions are only reachable by boat, so you should expect to spend some time on guided tours. Start in Nuuk, the capital, and visit the Greenland National Museum and Archives, which houses the 500-year-old Qilakitsoq mummies, plus exhibitions documenting the island’s Indigenous Inuit and colonial history. en.nka.gl In summer, sail across the vast Nuup Kangerlua fjord to Camp Kangiusaq, a glampsite that offers kayaking and paddleboarding tours between icebergs. From 3,750 DKK (£430), full board, including boat transfers to and from the camp. watertaxi.gl From Nuuk, fly north to Ilulissat, Greenland’s adventure capital. Situated at the entrance to the UNESCO-listed…

Travel has incredible potential for good. It can boost local economies, provide much-needed funds for conservation and offer employment opportunities. But not all companies operate in a way that benefits the regions they work in, and over recent years this is an issue that’s been thrown into the spotlight. Travellers have increasingly been seeking more responsible experiences. According to Booking.com’s 2023 Sustainable Travel Report, 76% of respondents want to travel sustainably over the next 12 months, while 2021 research by Google found that 71% of people think travel companies should offer more sustainable choices. But while a majority of travellers want to book more responsible trips, only about a quarter do. This is known as the ‘intention gap’. Factors such as price and convenience play into this, but it can…

‘Master Lee’ is one of the few remaining practitioners of a dying art: Chinese signboard carving. During a morning walk in George Town, Penang’s capital, I spotted him giving someone a carving lesson at the entrance to his workshop. I introduced myself and was struck by his friendly smile. Over the next few days, I returned to take photos and discuss the intricacies of his work. In addition to these engraved, gold-leaf signs, he carves Chinese deities and ancestral tablets for temples, earning him the title ‘living legend of Penang’.  fernandocortesphoto.com @bigfernowski…

NUIT BLANCHE, PARIS This year’s ‘white night’ — when the French capital is sprinkled with installations, sculptures, projections, concerts and trails — will be a bumper one to honour France’s hosting of the summer Olympics. 1 June parisjetaime.com LANGE NACHT DER MUSEEN, BERLIN  The ‘Long Night of the Museums’ in Berlin sees cultural venues stay open until 2am. A single ticket gives access to around 75 museums and 750 exhibitions, and under-12s go free. 24 August lange-nacht-der-museen.de NOTTE BIANCA, MALTA See the island capital Valletta transformed with art exhibitions, after-dark theatre and dance and music performances in its streets and piazzas. Food stalls cater for late-night munchies. 5 October festivals.mt…

It’s been two days since we left the glittering skyscrapers and flashy hotels of downtown Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia’s capital, and began our journey to the northeastern Khentii province — the birthplace of Chinggis (or Genghis) Khan, the founder of the Mongol Empire of the 13th and 14th centuries, the largest contiguous empire in history. Driving through the Mongolian steppe, there are no roads to speak of, only sporadic tracks carved into the dirt by other vehicles. Out here, it’s just open landscape, horses, cows, yaks and other animals roaming free. In the distance, nomadic gers (yurts) stand out like white dots in the vast rolling grassland. The sun is about to set when we reach our destination, the home of a nomadic herder family. Standing outside their ger, the steppe seems…

“You need to be in a relaxed mood to make couscous,” says chef Nezha Bouayadi, hair neatly tucked into her black hijab. Arabic R&B music echoes around the walled patio of The Ruined Garden, a restaurant in Fez that champions local Fassi food culture. Like many businesses in the city’s eighth-century medina, this leafy patio restaurant is hard to find, but the successful are rewarded with dishes that rarely make it onto menus —and the chance to see couscous made from scratch every Friday. Nezha massages grains of semolina through a fine wooden sieve. Then, alternating between fingertips and palms, she instinctively adds splashes of water and flour, rolling the grains around a rough basket until she’s got that couscous texture. Some 20 minutes later, it’s ready to be steamed…

The town’s central market is in full swing when we reach Tlacolula de Matamoros, around 18 miles east of Oaxaca City. Through a fog of sun-lit smoke, I see women —their black, plaited hair threaded with green and gold ribbon to their waist —throwing slabs of meat onto fire-licked griddles. Tripe, tongue and strings of chorizo hang beneath white strip lights, while families dip pan de yema —a Oaxacan sweet bread similar to brioche —into bowls of frothy hot chocolate. Since the time of the ancient Zapotecs in 500 BCE, my guide Maria Itaka explains, millions of Oaxacans have made the weekly journey to Tlacolula to buy and sell their goods, facilitating more than 2,000 years of Indigenous trade. “The Spanish created Oaxaca City because they couldn’t conquer Tlacolula,” says…

Kayak the ancient canals of Xochimilco Before the Spanish conquest in 1521, Mexico City, then called Tenochtitlán, was built on two small islands inside Lake Texcoco. Surrounded by water, the Aztecs built canals and floating farms called chinampas to feed and house its growing population. Today, all that remains of these ancient waterways are in Tláhuac and Xochimilco, a neighbourhood 15 miles south of Mexico City’s Centro Historico. Flat-bottomed party boats called trajineras cruise Xochimilco’s canals daily, but a guided kayaking trip offers a more tranquil —and environmentally friendly —visit. Tours offer the chance to spot Xochimilco’s wildlife, including the critically endangered axolotl salamander and more than 200 bird species, while learning about the history and science behind chinampas, which still provide food for Mexico City residents today. abnb.me/tD5Q0J9WmHb Sip…

Gripping the roof handle and staring silently over the dashboard, I avert my gaze from the 160ft drop to my left. There’s just six inches of dirt road standing between us and the cliff edge: one wrong move from our driver, and the pickup truck we’re in is going straight into the Sea of Cortez. The first time I visited Mexico’s Baja California, the world’s second-longest peninsula, it was on a backpacking trip through Central America. I hitchhiked and bussed over 650 miles from Tijuana, on the border with the US, to Todos Santos, just short of Baja’s most southerly point, Cabo San Lucas. Travelling along the Carretera Transpeninsular, I stopped at every major town along Baja’s main highway, wine-tasting in Ensenada, whalewatching in Guerrero Negro and swimming with sea…

The frozen continent, once only the domain of valorous explorers like Ernest Shackleton and Roald Amundsen, has seen a rise in visitors over the past decade thanks to a spate of new expedition vessels. Travellers come to explore both the fragility and endurance of life in this inhospitable region at the southern end of the world. It’s possible to lose hours on deck, watching the passing of giant icebergs or glancing down to find a view of penguin prints on the sea ice. There’s a chance to get closer, too —to kayak amid chunks of ice in places like Neko Harbour or to take an inflatable Zodiac boat to shore, watching as Adélie penguins waddle between the water and their rookeries. Birds have perhaps adapted to and persevered in Antarctica…

Everything changed for Birmingham with the arrival of the Commonwealth Games in 2022, the biggest in the event’s history. With athletes and delegates from 72 nations descending on the region and more than 1.5 million tickets sold, it gave England’s second city a chance to prove its mettle on the world stage. And so it did. The opening and closing ceremonies rolled out Birmingham’s multifaceted past, proudly celebrating the city’s long-standing multicultural residents —often referred to as ‘Brummies’ —and manufacturing heritage as reggae, rock and grime artists shared the stage. It’s no surprise that this former industrial powerhouse chose to showcase its roots. From around the 16th century, the city became lauded for its metal-working industry, earning it the nickname of the ‘workshop of the world’ by the 18th century.…

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 pair of Hanwag boots worth £235! Hanwag has been crafting outdoor footwear for over a century, and this expertise has informed the design of the Banks GTX walking boots, the perfect sidekick for hiking adventures. The Gore-Tex lining keeps your feet dry in all conditions, while the supportive midsole and grippy outsole provide shock-absorption and stability on all terrain. Available in a range of fits to suit the length, width and shape of your feet. hanwag.com STAR LETTER Unexpected pleasures I found your magazine in the MRI waiting area of my local hospital. I was, as they say, transported. I enjoyed the shorter articles — I managed to read…