Odessa (Russian: Оде́сса [ɐˈdʲesə]) or Odesa (Ukrainian: Оде́са [oˈdɛsɐ]) is is the third most populous city and municipality in the south-west of Ukraine, on the northwestern shore of the Black Sea. A major seaport and transport hub, the city is also the administrative centre and multi-ethnic cultural centre. Under the Russian Empire and Soviet Union, Odesa is sometimes called the "pearl of the Black Sea. In 2021, its population was 1,015,826.
ISCHIA IS A volcanic island in the Tyrrhenian Sea, located at the northern end of the Golfo di Napoli (Gulf of Naples), part of the Campanian Archipelago, about 30 kilometres (19 miles) from the city of Naples. It is one of the most picturesque islands in the bay, with exotic scenery, flowering hills and rocky beaches. It's also known for mineral-rich thermal waters and natural springs ...
THIS PAST YEAR we've introduced you to some beautiful places to stay, from a chic one-bedroom seaside apartment in Trouville-sur-Mer to a family-run B&B in Tuscany; a private nature reserve in South Africa, and even a remote Airbnb in Tasmania. Today, we whisk you away to this charming weather-beaten fisherman's cottage in Mousehole, Cornwall
Bobbejaanskloof Private Nature Reserve in South Africa lies on a plateau at the foothills of the Tsitsikamma Mountains, on a working Nguni cattle farm, 18km from Plettenberg Bay. From the stoep (veranda) of the main house, there's a wonderful view overlooking grassland, fynbos (small belt of natural shrubland or heathland vegetation) and forests of yellowwoods, milkwoods, ironwoods, white pear, stinkwood and Scotia pines, out toward Formosa Peak and of course, the mountains.
IF YOU ARE LOOKING to truly get away from everything, look no further than Captains Rest, possibly one of the most remote Airbnbs in Australia—an 80-year-old heritage listed absolute waterfront cottage in Lettes Bay Village, just outside of Strahan, Tasmania, with its own jetty at the front to be precise. Lettes Bay Village itself is a heritage shack community—busy in the summer and quiet in the winter ...
YES, WE KNOW, it's only been officially autumn for a month, but with the nights drawing in so quickly now, the bright yellow leaves falling off the trees, the wet gloomy skies, and British Summer Time ending at the end of the month, we're already dreaming of sunnier times and warmer days. If the dark days of autumn and the dreary days of winter must be tolerated, then we'll do it with cosy evenings fireside, and also through plenty of daydreaming. These images, that came floating through our feed this week, of places around Mallorca are a perfect place to start ...
I stumbled across some photos of this beautiful castle in Umbria that is now a heritage hotel, and marvelled at how incredible the restoration of this 1000-year-old structure was and how the characteristics of the ancient castle and surrounding buildings were kept in intact while still offering modern comforts.
The Château de Versailles, the royal residence where Marie Antoinette lived, was once a modest hunting lodge built by Louis XIII in 1623. His son, Louis XIV, extended and transformed it when he installed the Court and government there in 1682, creating a magnificent palace that is now renowned throughout the world. Over the course of more than 100 years, a succession of kings—including Louis XIV, Louis XV and Louis XVI—continued to embellish the palace up until the French Revolution. Now considered one of the finest achievements of French 17th century art, the Palace of Versailles remains a cultural symbol of royal splendour that has been listed as a World Heritage Site for 30 years.
LAST WEEK WE featured the Hudson Valley home of Deborah Needleman and while we were researching her place, we came across Villa Arniano on Needleman's Instagram: "Back from a week at the house of my dreams—the Tuscan idyll of @camillaguinness. Spent a few days with @jacobwe, @skyegyngell, @davidprior, @holly_gore and my daughter Lily Weisberg who doesn’t bother herself with social media, and then a few days with #camillaguinness, @amberguinness and @macmillandavidmb languorous, long summer days eating (really well) reading, chatting , swimming and napping. I was so blissed out I didn’t take any pictures, so these are lifted from Camilla and Amber’s Instagram as well from @arnianopaintingschool the week-long painting workshops Amber runs here with her friend @willropercurzon"
RATHER THAN sit around watching the terrible progression of Russia's invasion of Ukraine and waiting for the awful news that seems all but inevitable, we're keeping ourselves busy with work as the distraction of choice. It's also made us realise that we've haven't had a chance to visit any places in Eastern Europe yet, despite the fact one of our writers was from Ukraine...
IF YOU'VE NEVER dreamed of running away to Italy to open a B&B with your husband, Valdirose will change your mind. A family-run Bed & Breakfast situated among the hills of Lastra a Signa, not far from the centre of Florence this beautiful place to stay is situated in a 19th-century building 14 km from the 15th-century Basilica of Santa Maria Novella and Boboli Gardens ...
Happened across the Instagram page of an old friend by accident this weekend and discovered that she was renovating a house in San Miguel de Allende. Of course, the internet decided then that I wanted to know about all things Mexico-related and I came across this place, Casa Aviv, in Tulum, Quintana Roo, Mexico ...
Thyme is a restored historic Southrop Manor Estate dating from Roman times in Gloucestershire, a county in South West England that comprises part of the Cotswold Hills, part of the valley of the River Severn, and the entire Forest of Dean
WE HAPPENED UPON The Sparrow Hotel on Victoria's Secret model Elsa Hosk's Instagram feed, the warm pink walls, marble fireplace and crystal chandelier drawing us in to take a closer look. Located in a restored fin de siècle building by Stureplan, Stockholm's landmark square, the 73-room 4-star boutique hotel is right in the city centre. Humlegårdsparken park is nearby, and Djurgården, with its museums and cafés is just a walk away.
THIS INSTALMENT OF 10 IMAGES features the beautiful photos of Rome, Italy by photographer Daniele Bianchi (@dani_bi90). It is a place we still haven't yet managed to visit despite traipsing all over Europe. Bianchi's focuson architecture and ornamentation was what caught our eye, as well as his affinity for soft colour and golden light...