European Summer Travel Guide
Go And See
15 August 2021
Domaine de Murtoli
Tucked away from the world in 2,500 hectares on the ruggedly beautiful south-west coast of Corsica, the estate runs from forest to farmland, mountains to sea, and is dotted with a selection of refined rustic hideouts. This is where days spent lazing on driftwood armchairs at the bach, eating fresh seafood and indulging on a crisp glass of the estate’s own rosé transition to candlelight dinners taken in a cave.
Fabriken Furillen
Set at an abandoned quarry on a remote eastern peninsula, which untill 1990s was in military use, the hotel is the brainchild of photographer Johan Hellström. Explore this hauntingly beautiful terrain on a bicycle or for utter solitude, book one of the contemporary freestanding suites in the woods.
La Colombe d’Or
Once a weekend haunt for artists and sociablebon vivants, La Colombe d’Or is a boutique hotel with a fine arts pedigree. Former guests, which include Matisse, Miró, and Chagall, have all left their legacy on these walls—literally—in exchange for a night at the inn, making this charming, buckwheat-colored auberge snuggled between Nice and the Alpes Maritimes a worthy rival of any formal museum.
Maçakizi
Since its opening in 1975, Maçakizi has encapsulated the spirit of Bodrum. It is authentically Turkish while being international, charming and progressive. Whitewashed suites tumble down the hillside among oleander and palms, followed by deck after deck for eating, drinking and dancing, all the way to the sea.
Finca la Donaira
A short climb from rural town of El Gastor into classic Andalucían countryside, this organic farm and equestrian centre is set within breathtaking wooded mountains where Lusitano horses graze along the rust-coloured terrain. Founded on the principles of Rudolf Steiner, the godfather of biodynamic agriculture, the 1,500-acre La Dehesa farm practises these methods, guided by the cycles of the sun, moon and stars.
Chateau la Coste
Tucked away outside a village near Aix-en-Provence, Château La Coste is a brainchild of Irish real-estate whizz Patrick McKillen and his team. Formerly a local vineyard rebooted with a host of new biodynamic vines. The collaborating architects and artists who come and go at Villa La Coste reads like a who’s-who of the contemporary arts scene.
Monteverdi
Set on a hilltop with views across fields of gold and green, cypress trees and vineyards of Val d'Orcia, Monteverdi is a rare gem of boasting rustic-meets-modern aesthetic. The pace is slow; there's an infinity pool, a lavender garden and a wine bar, Enoteca at Monteverdi, which hosts weekly wine tastings.
Le Sirenuse
Perched on the cliffs of Positano, 70 mt above the sea, Le Sirenuse is an unbeatable oasis of peace and silence, with a breathtaking view. John Steinbeck, who visited in 1953, wrote 'Positano bites deep. It is a dream place that isn't quite real when you are there and becomes beckoningly real after you have gone.'
La Signoria
With its white sandy beaches framed by turquoise waters, Calvi is seen as one of Corsica’s most beautiful cities. Once onsite, the perfect place to set down your Métier bags is the hotel La Signoria.
Walters Hof
The most famous Friesian island, Sylt, most closely resembles the Hamptons. The view of the North Sea and the Wadden Sea sweeps over the heather and dunes of this long, narrow island. When the sun goes down on the horizon, be sure to catch the show on a terrace at Walter’s Hof.
La Residencia
Out in the foothills of the Tramuntana mountains, and overlooking a sleepy Majorcan village of Deia, is where La Residencia. The views from the hotel’s terraces are postcard perfect, a world of olive groves, citrus trees and, in the distance, the sparkle of the Mediterranean’s waters. The rooms are just as pleasing, comfortable, luxurious and with dark wood furniture and a light color palette which never distract from the view.
