Innholdsfortegnelse for September 2025 i National Geographic Traveller (UK)

Sarah Gillespie I grew up in Fife, and my family would discuss which of East Neuk’s fishing villages was our favourite. Most said Crail, but I was most fond of Pittenweem, host of the Pittenweem Arts Festival, where my mum was an exhibiting artist for 15 years. EAST NEUK P.44 Amanda Canning The desert in northern Namibia confounded all my expectations — mainly because it didn’t look like a desert at all. Unprecedented rainfall after a 13-year drought meant the usually dry landscape was in bloom and wildlife had been drawn in to feast. NAMIBIA P.110 Simon Urwin The Mississippi Delta, birthplace of the blues, has to be one of America’s most atmospheric destinations. Gritty and unapologetically raw, it’s packed with civil rights history, hearty soul food and searing live…

Estonia might not be the first country that springs to mind when you think about booking a wine-based break, but that could be about to change. The Baltic state is home to a burgeoning viticulture scene and has just launched its own wine trail, helping visitors connect with some of the industry’s boldest innovators. There are 23 producers along the route, scattered across the mainland and the country’s outlying islands, and each has learnt to adapt to the country’s cool climate and unique conditions for fruit-growing. It’s not just grapes that get turned into wine either — everything from honeysuckle to pumpkin is considered fair game. The route highlights these and more traditional creations alongside tastings, tours, paired dinners and seasonal events. veinitee.ee WINE TRAIL HIGHLIGHTS An island adventure Situated…

Travellers have long been drawn to Greece’s largest island, both for the richness of its past and the beauty of its landscapes. In Chania, the two collide. Built on the site of an ancient Minoan settlement founded in 3650 BCE, the city lies surrounded by some of Crete’s most impressive natural sites — from the vertiginous cliffs of Samaria Gorge National Park to the pink sands of Elafonisi, regularly voted one of the world’s most beautiful beaches. Chania has changed hands many times over the centuries, and today its old town is punctuated by monuments left by Roman, Byzantine, Venetian and Ottoman conquerors. Take the Mosque of Kioutsouk Hasan, the city’s last surviving Turkish-era temple. Built in 1645, its pink domes dominate Chania’s 14th-century Old Venetian Harbour (1) — created…

There aren’t many gastronomic experiences that require muscle power, but as I pound some brown mustard seeds with a mortar and pestle, I conclude that making my own version of Dijon’s famous condiment is one of them. I’m at a workshop in a timber-beamed medieval house in central Dijon run by the city’s most celebrated condiment brand, Edmond Fallot. “After salt and pepper, mustard is the third most used seasoning in France,” says instructor, Deniz Kilic. “But the seeds for Dijon mustard can be grown anywhere in the world. Hence it’s known everywhere.” It may be eaten worldwide but the mustard’s origins are very much rooted in this eastern French city, and its history is intertwined with that of the region’s world-class wines. Since Roman times, mustard seeds have been…

FOOD IN NAPLES Naples celebrates its 2,500th anniversary this year, but pizza won’t be the only thing on the metropolis’s birthday menu. The city’s signature dish — fluffy and chewy-crusted, slathered with sweet tomato, flashes of herby basil and oozing orbs of melted mozzarella — is justly famous. But on the Culinary Secrets of Backstreet Naples tour you’ll also try ribbons of spaghetti with salty capers and anchovies, plus delicate, flaky pastry horns bursting with silken cream. This five-hour wander through the cobbled Centro Storico prioritises family-run joints where you can sample top-tier versions of local staples as well as more unexpected bites. Guides are brimming with suggestions for continuing your food-focused exploration. Book it: Five-hour tour with food and drink from £112 per person. culinarybackstreets.com APERITIVO IN MILAN Social…

LAKE COMO BY VAPORINA Dark varnished wood, buffed to a bar-top lustre; curvaceous metallic detailing, glinting under sunlight; cushy leather banquettes, for kicking back with an icy glass — Lake Como’s vintage vaporinas are part-artwork, part-motorboat. The sightseeing mode of choice since the late 1800s, these vessels ferry visitors between opulent hotels, waterside towns and tucked-away villas in high style. Operators like Como Classic Boats offer driver-guides who’ll zoom you across the peak-ringed expanse of blue, pointing out landmarks such as palatial Villa del Balbianello, featured in the James Bond film Casino Royale. Book it: One-hour tour from €370 (£314). comoclassicboats.com TUSCANY BY VESPA Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck’s 1953 film Roman Holiday made the Italian scooter world famous, and the vehicle retains plenty of star power today. Its 1940s-era…

My taxi pulls to a halt, and I feel like I’m being watched. I wind down the window and a figure — one I can only describe as a monkey-like clown with a long, droopy nose — is staring me right in the eyes. He’s slouched in a plastic chair on the terrace of a roadside cafe, one arm slumped on the ground, the other gripping an empty bottle of whisky. His eyes, nose and lips are covered in multicoloured sequins. It’s a wild sight but one that turns out to be par for the course in Barranquilla, a city whose carnival spirit is alive and kicking all year round. The monkey-clown is a marimonda, a mischievous character originally created to poke fun at Barranquilla’s upper classes but now the…

To get a sense of Newcastle’s history, you need only look at its name. While there’s been a settlement here for around 2,000 years, ‘Newcastle’ dates back to the 11th century, when a Norman fortress was built here beside the River Tyne — sandwiched between the North Sea, the Northumberland moors and the Scottish borders in England’s far north. But stroll the city’s streets today and it’s the 19th century that looms largest. Between vast shipyards, a thriving coal trade and engineers George and Robert Stephenson’s railway workshops, the city boomed during the Industrial Revolution (1760–1840). And with all that wealth, Newcastle got a facelift, with an arresting neoclassical centre of wide avenues and honeyed sandstone. The mighty engines of industry only slowed a century later, following the Great Depression…

200,000,000L The amount of freshwater the river releases into the ocean every second. This makes it essential to the regulation of global sea levels and temperatures 385+ THE NUMBER OF RECOGNISED INDIGENOUS GROUPS IN THE AMAZON REGION, INCLUDING 70+ ‘UNCONTACTED’ GROUPS 4,000 The estimated length of the river in miles. It begins as snow melt in the Peruvian Andes and empties into the Atlantic 66 days How long it took Martin Strel, the first person to swim the entire length of the Amazon River, to complete his journey in 2007 THE NUMBER OF COUNTRIES IN THE AMAZON WATERSHED, INCLUDING BOLIVIA, COLOMBIA AND ECUADOR. TWO THIRDS OF THE AREA BELONGS TO BRAZIL 11 million years The approximate age of the river. According to a leading theory, its waters originally flowed east…

TAKE ON ERYRI (SNOWDONIA) For those looking to test their mettle, the 14 Peaks Experience from Adventure Tours UK offers the chance to hike the 14 highest peaks in Eryri National Park (Snowdonia) over three days. You’ll be accompanied by an experienced local mountain guide as you tackle rugged inclines and trek past serene lakes. Groups are capped at eight people and prices start from £785 per person, including four nights’ accommodation and some meals. adventuretoursuk.com DIVE INTO CUBAN HISTORY Responsible Travel’s women-only tour to Cuba is an eight-day romp through the country. After flying into Havana, you’ll visit Viñales for outdoor adventures, Cienfuegos with its Parisian-style boulevards, and Trinidad, known for its cobblestone streets. There’s also the option to join additional tours to meet Cuba’s female entrepreneurs, artists and…

PLUS A FREE HYDRO FLASK WORTH £38 This end-of-summer special offer includes 10 issues of National Geographic Traveller (UK) for £25, a saving of 58% on the shop price with free delivery to your door, plus a complimentary Hydro Flask worth £38. Visit CHECKOUT.NATGEOTRAVELLER.CO.UK/OFFERS and use code ‘DSEPT25’ or call 01858 438787 and quote code ‘DSEPT25’ T&Cs: Closing date for orders is 1 October 2025. The price shown is a UK Direct Debit offer. Your subscription will begin with the next available issue. If you do not cancel at the end of the subscription period, the subscription will auto-renew by Direct Debit annually at £38. All subscriptions are non-refundable. The Hydro Flasks are subject to availability and for UK subscribers only. Please allow up to four weeks for delivery of…

1 City slicker Travel between Malaysia and Thailand is about to get a whole lot smoother thanks to the revival of the Kuala Lumpur-Bangkok train. Set to link the two capitals by way of Butterworth and Padang Besar, services could be up and running by the end of 2025. Thailand’s latest sleeper, a meticulously restored 1960s train called Blue Jasmine (pictured), is also expected to start running between Bangkok and Chiang Mai this November. dth.travel 2 NIGHT RIDER In bookshops this month, Moonlight Express is a love letter to the world’s sleeper trains. Packed with inspiration for anyone looking to slow down and feel more, it follows author Monisha Rajesh as she rides the Silver Meteor to New York, samples reindeer stew in Scandinavia and sips pisco sours aboard the…

Pakistan stretches from the Arabian sea to the Himalayas, touching Afghanistan, China, India and Iran. The terrain switches from bucolic plains fed by the country’s six major rivers to the rolling Cholistan Desert. The Pakistani table is a mosaic of flavours that reflects the country’s diverse geography and the history of its dozens of ethnic communities. Globally, Pakistani cuisine is often seen as meat heavy and spicy. With signature dishes like Lahore’s tangy tawa chicken, prepared on a South Asian-style griddle, or Karachi’s sharply spiced nihari beef shank stew, it’s easy to see why. But the bold, rich food of the country’s two largest cities is far from the whole story. Travel west to Quetta, the provincial capital of Balochistan, and you’ll stumble upon dishes that are informed by its…

1 ANKER LAPTOP POWER BANK Keep your devices running with this power bank, which is powerful, universally compatible and able to charge up to four items at once, including laptops. It’s as compact as a drink can, comes with two built-in cables (one extendable up to 2.3ft) and safe to use in the air. The display keeps you updated on the battery; it’s quick to recharge when you land. £89.99. anker.com 2 BOSE QUIETCOMFORT ULTRA HEADPHONES Offering superb noise cancellation, these Bluetooth headphones are ideal for long plane rides. The three levels include ‘aware’ (so you can still hear cabin announcements) and ‘immersive’ (which shuts everything out). When you consider the 24 hours’ battery, crisp audio and comfortable padded ear cups, you won’t want to take off without them. £349.95.…

Switzerland might be famous for its postcard-perfect trains and serene mountain vistas. But scratch the surface and you’ll uncover a country with an endearing fondness for the bizarre. Across its cantons, age-old traditions persist in festivals that veer from the charmingly offbeat to the gloriously odd. Some honour ancient folklore, others mark seasonal shifts or revolutionary moments — but all offer a window into the country’s rich regional identities. From onion-hurling parades and fiery snowmen to cheese-fuelled fun and midwinter lantern processions, here’s how to celebrate the surprising side of Switzerland, one month at a time. HARDER-POTSCHETE, INTERLAKEN PEAK MISCHIEF Gaze up at the cliffs of Harder Kulm above Interlaken. Do you see it in the rock? That craggy face is the Hardermannli, an impish mountain spirit. Each 2nd of…

Sandwiched by the Great Lakes to the north and south, and carved by rivers both east and west, Niagara Parks is a land defined by water. Here, you’ll find Niagara Falls — a raw spectacle of nature’s unyielding power that gushes 168,000 cubic metres of water over its crest each minute, enough to fill 67 Olympic-size pools. While the Falls are an obvious draw, the Niagara Parks landscape — just over an hour’s drive from Ontario’s capital, Toronto — has much more to explore. With its historic forts, outdoor adventures and exciting food scene, Niagara Parks offers plenty of reasons to linger. Here are just a few of its highlights. WHAT TO SEE Niagara Parks is known for its natural beauty, and particularly for Niagara Falls — one of the…

In northwest Spain, between wild Atlantic beaches, verdant river valleys and towering mountain peaks, you’ll find another spectacular landscape — rows of apple orchards. There’s evidence that cider, or sidra, has been produced here since pre-Roman times. Today Asturias produces more than 40 million bottles a year — 80% of Spain’s total production. Made from native Asturian apples using a natural fermentation process, this cloudy dry cider with a light fizz is as distinct as the traditions and rituals that surround it. THE PROCESS Across the northeast pocket of Asturias, known as Cider Shire, more than 500 varieties of apples are grown among the rolling countryside. It’s here, during the October and November harvest, that the apples are hand picked from the centuries-old orchards. Gathered in baskets, crushed into pulp…

30 SEPTEMBER 2025 WHY BOOK Are you at the start of your travel writing journey? If so, join us this autumn for the latest instalment of The Masterclasses by National Geographic Traveller (UK) — a special evening of sessions designed to point aspiring travel journalists in the right direction. Hosted by a panel of established travel writers, the three 50-minute workshops are designed to equip ambitious creatives with the skills and knowledge they need to succeed. THE SESSIONS • How to pitch travel editors • The dos and don’ts of travel writing • How to be a travel writer (your questions answered) WHEN: 30 September, from 6pm  EARLY BIRD PRICE: £50 (save £10) *  MORE INFO: natgeotv.com/uk/special/events EARLY BIRD OFFER * Ticket offer: £50 (full ticket price £60, including booking…

ON THE RADAR • WHAT’S NEW • FOOD • EXPERIENCE • INSIDE GUIDE • FAMILY • UK BREAK • BOOKS • KIT LIST Royal guard at the Korea Heritage Agency, South Korea Seoul’s Gyeongbokgung Palace was the first place I stopped on my three-month journey through South Korea. I arrived just in time for the changing of the royal guard — a recreation of a ceremony dating back to the days of the Joseon dynasty (1392 CE to 1897 CE), when elite soldiers protected the palace gates. I was captivated by the main guard, his striking attire and solemn expression rich in visual drama. nancylova.com @nancylova_…

Walking around London, it’s not uncommon to turn a corner and enter another age. This is a city of time slips — a place where Georgian townhouses lie a short stroll from brutalist arts venues, and gleaming skyscrapers tower above Tudor churches. The prospect of time travel is a large part of what makes the capital’s latest wave of hotel openings so exciting. Over the coming months, visitors will find new opportunities to bed down in some of London’s most treasured properties, each offering an insight into its hidden history. Chancery Rosewood, the luxury brand’s second London establishment, welcomes its first guests in September. The 144-room hotel occupies the former US Embassy on Grosvenor Square, a slice of striking 1960s modernist architecture in London’s ‘Little America’. Preservation and reinvention go…

The scene Formed by glacial erosion and meltwater during the last ice age, Windermere is England’s largest lake. It’s been popular with travellers since the Napoleonic Wars, when the upper classes couldn’t travel abroad and it became part of an English equivalent of the Grand Tour. Family-owned stone boatsheds still dot its shores, as do the grand mansions of English lords, ladies and millionaires, some dating to the 18th century. William Wordsworth, Beatrix Potter and Arthur Ransome are just some of the famous wordsmiths who have been touched by the romance of Windermere over the centuries. Today, the east-shore towns of Windermere and Ambleside — with their cafe terraces and upmarket shops — still attract nature-lovers, with high fell walking trails accessible on foot from many back doors. Meanwhile, small…

Portmeirion must be the most distinctive village in the UK. It’s a fairytale folly of pastel cottages, soaring spires and classical statuary; a slice of the Italian Riviera on the north Welsh coast. The passion project of amateur architect Sir Clough Williams-Ellis, Portmeirion was built in stages between 1925 and 1975 — not for residents but as an experiment to prove that buildings could enhance, rather than spoil, nature’s beauty. The result is as eclectic as it is colourful, the village’s shops, cafes and restaurants reflecting baroque, gothic and Arts and Crafts influences. The setting is equally enchanting. Portmeirion sits on a cliff side overlooking the tidal estuary where the River Dwyryd meets the sea, and beautiful coastal views can be enjoyed throughout the village. Enclosing it is the Gwyllt,…

It was a wolf who decided the journey for me. Slavc was just 18 months old when Hubert Potočnik, a researcher at the University of Ljubljana, collared him with a GPS tracker in the summer of 2011. They trapped him below the summit of Slavnik Mountain, a peak in the southwest of Slovenia that towers to a height of 3,373 feet. A decade later, at the end of winter, I followed Hubert through these tumbling landscapes of beech and oak, on the way to see the den where Slavc — now thriving across the Alps in Italy — was born. Hubert had not been there for more than 10 years himself, but he made for the place like a dog on a scent. We clambered over the limestone karst, across…

Named after the Scots word for ‘nook’, the region of East Neuk is an arc of blustery beaches and volcanic cliffs in east Scotland. Its villages seem to sprout from the seaweed, blurring the line between land and sea. It’s a place built on fishing, where, between the 15th and 20th centuries, ships from mainland Europe swept into harbours to snap up barrels of salted herring. People, too, flowed along these trade routes — particularly Flemish artisans, who added Low Countries flair to the architecture. Today, there are more pleasure boats than fishing boats, but the East Neuk’s free-spirited nature finds new expression in art galleries and open-air sculptures. The villages have watercolour-box houses, while the marriage of Fife farming heritage and the teeming Firth of Forth estuary makes for…

L’ALTRO BAFFO, OTRANTO In a modern, understated restaurant near Otranto’s ancient ramparts, homegrown chef Cristina Conte reinterprets Salento’s seafaring traditions with dishes like sea urchin carbonara or amberjack tartare. A five-course tasting menu takes diners on a journey through Puglia, as does the well-balanced wine list. laltrobaffo.com TAVERNA DEL PORTO, PORTO DI TRICASE This chic yet soulful spot is tucked into Tricase’s working marina, steps from the lapping waves. Fish arrives straight off the boat and each dish — from grilled scampi to raw red prawns dressed with salt and citrus — is a love letter to the sea. instagram.com/tavernadelportotricase LE ZIE TRATTORIA, LECCE A city institution hidden behind unmarked doors, the intimate, candlelit dining room at ‘the aunts’ evokes a private family home. Expect orecchiette pasta with turnip tops,…

PATH OF THE GODS AMALFI Traversing Italy’s most famous coastline on foot is an almost religious experience, every step on the cliff-hugging route bringing you closer to the celestial realm. The well-marked path offers sweeping coastal views; as it’s mostly unsheltered and features lots of steep drops and climbs, it’s best tackled in the cool of early morning. There are various alternative trails from the start in Bomerano, but all are roughly 4.5 miles and end with the same dramatic finale: 1,700 stone steps down to the pretty town of Positano. With good shoes, plenty of water and a fair wind, you might complete it in three hours. ST FRANCIS WAY UMBRIA Following in the footsteps of Italy’s patron saint, Via di Francesco stretches from Florence in the north to…

THE EXPERTS I’m planning a beginners’ surfing holiday with friends. Where would you suggest? For novices, it’s all about mellow waves, warm waters and a laid-back beach scene — plus expert guidance to get you and your friends catching your first breaks. With that in mind, I’d look towards Southern Asia. Weligama, a long stretch of golden sand on Sri Lanka’s south coast, is made for first-timers. The bay’s gentle break is consistent year-round, with long, slow waves ideal for riding in as a group. Check out Surf’n’ Lanka, a longstanding local favourite offering 90-minute group lessons for LKR 4,500 (£11), including board and rash vest rental. The company also runs a budget guesthouse just across from the beach, with breezy rooms that have their own balconies, from LKR 6,000 (£15).…

Women are pivotal to shaping the travel industry. From deciding which destinations to visit to booking the trip, they make 82% of all travel decisions, according to Skift Research’s 2024 The Woman Traveler report. Women also travel more frequently than men — the same Skift report stated that 64% of travellers globally are female. So, as female travellers increasingly lean towards women-only tours, the travel industry is leaning with them. Over the last few years, the Adventure Travel Trade Association has seen a 230% increase in the number of travel companies catering specifically to women. Meanwhile, existing operators are expanding their product ranges. For those already in operation, bookings are on the up. Responsible Travel has seen an 18% increase in interest for its women-only holidays over the last three…