Valeria Sandoval

Costa Smeralda is synonymous with superyachts and velvet ropes, but beyond the glossy marina of Porto Cervo lies a wilder, quieter coast that most visitors never find. Think hidden coves with no sunbed fees, family-run pizzerias where the owner pulls your Margherita from a wood-fired oven, and boat trips to granite islands where the only crowd is seabirds. This is my guide to experiencing The Emerald Coast the way it deserves to be seen.

137 Pillars House, one of the finest boutique hotels in Southeast Asia, is a lovingly restored 19th-century teak homestead with only 30 suites, exceptional service, and a deeply personal atmosphere that larger properties simply cannot replicate. It was the setting for my own destination wedding, an intimate celebration that was unconventional in every way, from the traditional monk blessing to the flower-filled family dinner in the courtyard.

Chobe Under Canvas was the experience that cemented my love for mobile camping, the perfect balance of wild and luxurious. Falling asleep to the sounds of the bush, with no screens or distractions, felt like a reset I didn't know I needed. Watching an elephant herd walk through camp under moonlight on our very first night reminded me why I fell in love with safari in the first place.

London rewards the curious. There is always another layer, another room, another street. This guide is for people who care about how things look, how they were made, and who made them. As a local with a deep love for the city’s creative and design culture, these are the places I keep coming back to and keep recommending.

I’m unashamedly animal-obsessed, and when I started researching Cape Town, wildlife was the first thing I looked into. What I didn’t expect was just how much there was to find. The land alone stopped me in my tracks. Cape Town is a buzzing city with extraordinary nature at its doorstep, and if you’re willing to venture just a little beyond it, the encounters are unlike anything else. Just make sure you go with ethical operators—these animals deserve to be treated with respect.