Vietnam is a land of gorgeous vistas and vivid history, but when we cycle there, it’s the encounters with those we meet along the road that truly bring it to life, forming deep and unforgettable connections.For the Mekong Delta section of B&amp;R’s <a href="https://butterfield.com/trip/scheduled/cambodia-vietnam-biking" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Cambodia and Vietnam Biking</a> trip, we stay at the Azerai Can Tho, on a peaceful island in a tributary of the Mekong near the city of Can Tho. After breakfast, we take a scenic morning boat ride to get to reunite with our trusty bikes. We pass through floating markets where enthusiastic vendors tempt us with a huge variety of fruits and vegetables, and there are even little beverage boats selling water, juice, and beer (yes, it’s still morning, but you never know when the mood will strike).

Our captain steers us towards the shore with its shantytowns and rickety wharves among flotsam and water hyacinths, and we just manage to fit into a narrow canal, practically in the living rooms of the people who live on the banks. They don’t mind though; there are friendly smiles from every direction as our boat passes under low bridges with school children peddaling their bikes across. We soon see our own beautiful B&amp;R bikes parked in a neat row on the laneway above.We disembark from the boat and pedal along a concrete path just wide enough for bikes, scooters and pedestrians to safely pass one another. We pass through households that straddle this tiny roadway, gardens bursting with limes, oranges, pomelos, jackfruit, durian and many more of the fruits that thrive in the fertile soil of the Mekong DeltaNow it’s our turn to cross over the little bridges, which offer great viewspoints up and down the canals, where boats bear the heavy loads of fruit and other goods throughout this aquatic network.

As we round a bend, flanked by rows of coconut and banana trees, we can hear music and laughter through the vegetation ahead. Suddenly, an obstruction presents itself directly on the road ahead: a large, white, festive tent. We draw nearer, and beside the tent, we see a large photo of a happy young couple. It’s clear now: we are about to pass through a wedding!That’s right: in Vietnam, wedding receptions take place in these huge tents placed over the entire width of the road. You have two options: go directly through the event if space permits, or take a detour.Here, though, we are welcomed warmly to momentarily join in the celebrations! The bride herself greets us at the entrance. We congratulate her on her nuptials and pose for photos; it’s a moment to cherish. Our guide, Dinh, grabs the MC’s mic and sings, “Happy wedding to you! Happy wedding to you!”

Within the tent, the attendees sit at rows of tables laden with beer and ice, cheering the interlopers in helmets and bike gear and inviting us to join in a toast as we wheel through. It’s impossible to keep from dancing to the energetic beat emanating from the sound system that we pass on our way out of the tent. We ride out into the sunlight and birdsong once more, warmed and uplifted by this serendipitous encounter. The music recedes in the distance, but we still feel the rhythm for days to come.&nbsp;It’s the moments like this that make a bike trip through Vietnam so worthwhile. Part of their beauty is that we can’t predict their exact nature. We just know that they will happen, and that they will be the indelible impression of a place and a people that we will look back on with joy for years to come, spurring us to get in the saddle once more.

Cycling Through a Wedding in Vietnam

Hotels

See + Do

The Slow Road

Best Hotels

Kasbah Tamadot

Morocco

The Best Hotels in Morocco

Colombia

Reading for the Road

The Best Books About Colombia

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Holiday Gift Guide 2021: Active Travel Essentials

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Travelling Consciously with African Bush Camps Founder, Beks Ndlovu

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research

Notes from the Road: Scoping Out New Terrain in Morocco

Mallorca

Son Brull Hotel &amp; Spa Pollenca

Spain

<h2>A Family Affair </h2>
<img loading="lazy" class="size-medium wp-image-49711 alignright" src="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/2-480x300.png" alt="Son Brull Hotel Mallorca" width="480" height="300" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/2-480x300.png 480w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/2-250x156.png 250w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/2-768x480.png 768w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/2.png 960w" sizes="(max-width: 480px) 100vw, 480px" />Son Brull’s striking gold exterior and sophisticated detailing make for a regal façade at first glance. But the personalized greetings that each guest receives from the Suau siblings upon arrival create a welcoming atmosphere that embodies the laidback island lifestyle of Mallorca.
“Being the only family-run boutique hotel on the island makes a huge difference because we’re on the property every day, and most of our team has been with us for years,” she said. “We have a lot of regular guests who return year after year and see the same faces greeting them. Our staff remembers them and knows how they like their coffee in the morning and what kind of cocktail they drink. All of our staff are local from the surrounding villages, we train them ourselves, and they’ve been with us for many years.”
<h2>Continuing the Legacy of Son Brull</h2>
<img loading="lazy" class="size-medium wp-image-49731 alignright" src="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/1-480x300.png" alt="Son Brull exterior" width="480" height="300" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/1-480x300.png 480w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/1-250x156.png 250w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/1-768x480.png 768w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/1.png 960w" sizes="(max-width: 480px) 100vw, 480px" />For Mar, the business of hotels has always pulsed through her veins. And while being the daughter of a hotelier prompted her childhood to look a little different, she’s had the advantage of gaining experience in every aspect of the business. 
“When I was a kid, I didn’t play with dolls. I played hotels. I played the role of receptionist, cook, waiter. We were always at the hotel to be closer to our father because he was working all the time. He never planned for us to continue his legacy, but it just happened,” she said. 
Continuing her father’s legacy at Son Brull also meant continuing the legacy of the 17th c. monks who lived off the land and welcomed tired travellers in search of food and shelter. Three centuries later, the Suau family has restored the property into one of Mallorca’s top boutique hotels while maintaining its unique heritage and natural resources.
<figure id="attachment_49732" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-49732" style="width: 960px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" class="wp-image-49732 size-full" src="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/1-copy-2.png" alt="Son Brull Pool" width="960" height="600" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/1-copy-2.png 960w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/1-copy-2-480x300.png 480w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/1-copy-2-250x156.png 250w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/1-copy-2-768x480.png 768w" sizes="(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-49732" class="wp-caption-text">One of Son Brull&#8217;s four newly renovated Villa Suites</figcaption></figure>
All in all, a stay at Son Brull encompasses award-winning cuisine, a wealth of adrenalin-pumping activities, cozy interiors and <a href="https://sonbrull.com/en/spa/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">organic spa treatments</a>—all tied together with family-friendly service and an atmosphere brimming with environmental sustainability and Mediterranean magic.
If you’re feeling inspired to experience the rich heritage of Son Brull for yourself, <a href="https://www.butterfield.com/start-planning" target="_blank" rel="noopener">get in touch with Christine Tucker</a> to see how she can craft your ideal Mallorcan escape.

Son Brull Hotel & Spa: Embracing Sustainability in Mallorca 

Jordan

Our Favourite Hotels in Jordan

<h2>Since 1966: Continuing the Legacy</h2>
Butterfield &amp; Robinson continues to be a family-run business. We still meet with George &amp; Martha Butterfield weekly, and their children, Nathalie and David, sit on the Board of Directors, as does Luc Robinson, the son of Co-Founder, Sidney Robinson. 
<img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-48973" src="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Georgepennyfarthing.jpg" alt="George Butterfield on a penny farthing bike" width="762" height="497" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Georgepennyfarthing.jpg 960w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Georgepennyfarthing-460x300.jpg 460w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Georgepennyfarthing-920x600.jpg 920w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Georgepennyfarthing-768x501.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 762px) 100vw, 762px" />
We aim to extend this familial aspect to our team, our global community and the people who travel with us through trust. While a legacy develops naturally over time, trust is what makes it stick. Our travellers continue to rely on us to make the right decisions, whether they’re as small as choosing a restaurant or as big as making responsible travel choices.
We redesigned our website to breathe new life into our brand and show that we are still here, evolving and adapting to the changing needs and desires of our travellers and keeping up with the current climate while staying true to who we are. <a href="https://butterfield.com/who-we-are/our-story" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Learn more about our story</a> and <a href="https://butterfield.com/who-we-are/why-travel-with-b-and-r" target="_blank" rel="noopener">10 reasons to travel with us</a>.
<h2>About Butterfield &amp; Robinson</h2>
Butterfield &amp; Robinson designs, plans and guides trips of a lifetime all over the world. We go by bike, by foot, by water—whatever moves us. Our mantra is “Slow down to see the world.” We go slowly to soak up the very best a region has to offer. This has been our modus operandi since 1966, and we can’t imagine doing it any other way.
For media inquires or more information, please contact Christine Wilson at <a href="mailto:christine.wilson@butterfield.com">christine.wilson@butterfield.com</a>.

<h2>Slowing Down to See the World</h2>
<img loading="lazy" class="alignright wp-image-48974 size-full" src="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Chianti-Bicycling-1985-053.jpg" alt="Butterfield &amp; Robinson hot air balloon" width="380" height="252" />Butterfield &amp; Robinson was built on a simple concept: when you slow down to soak up your surroundings, you get more out of your travel experience. It’s a tale that’s been told many times—slow and steady wins the race, the tortoise and the hare—but it&#8217;s one that has become increasingly lost in our digital, fast-paced world.
&#8220;Slow down to see the world&#8221; has been our North Star since 1966 when we decided that travelling by bike or walking on two feet through a destination, rather than taking a car or bus, lets us move at a speed that allows us to see more.
In a more philosophical sense, it’s rooted in the belief that great things take time: the scenic road is a longer route than the highway, making pasta by hand is always better than store-bought, a vintage wine is worth waiting years for, and discovering life-altering events requires decades of building friendships, not a Google search. 
So what does it all mean for travel today, in an industry that’s becoming increasingly aware of acting responsibly for the betterment of the planet and the people within it?  
We boil it down to Slow Travel.  
<img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-48955" src="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/1990s_017.jpg" alt="Butterfield &amp; Robinson penny farthing" width="762" height="518" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/1990s_017.jpg 960w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/1990s_017-442x300.jpg 442w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/1990s_017-768x522.jpg 768w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/1990s_017-883x600.jpg 883w" sizes="(max-width: 762px) 100vw, 762px" />
Slow Travel is about being mindful of our intent and impact at every stage of each journey, paying close attention to the experiences we offer, why we offer them, how we deliver them and who we work with. It&#8217;s about lingering a little longer in a destination to minimize our movement and find out what makes a place really tick. 
We redesigned our website to bring this concept back into the forefront and have it be our constant reminder to be conscious of how we operate. <a href="https://butterfield.com/who-we-are/slow-travel" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Click here to learn more about B&amp;R and Slow Travel.</a>

<h2>Bespoke Travel: Imagine all the Possibilities</h2>
Biking and walking are our bread and butter. They’re what we&#8217;ve built our business on, and these modes of travel continue to be the core of what we do. But when you’ve been in business for as long as we have, you begin to build out some other talents.
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As people become increasingly savvy travellers and want to customize their travel experiences, Bespoke Travel has become a crucial part of our business. 
While we still love the small group Scheduled Trips that we&#8217;re known and loved for (and we still run!), there was a clear need to showcase all the other amazing activities we offer that bring out the best of a place and bring travellers closer to it—whether it’s a camel ride to a luxury camp in the Moroccan desert, a safari in the Serengeti or chartering a yacht to sail between the Adriatic Islands.
<img loading="lazy" class="alignright wp-image-48980" src="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/1990s_015-459x300.jpg" alt="" width="380" height="248" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/1990s_015-459x300.jpg 459w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/1990s_015-768x502.jpg 768w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/1990s_015.jpg 780w" sizes="(max-width: 380px) 100vw, 380px" />
Our global team has the chops to pull it all off. As the people who work with our travellers one-on-one to custom design private Bespoke journeys (you still won’t find any click-to-buy travel experiences here), we wanted to place them and their expertise front and centre.
You&#8217;ll see the face and name of an Experience Designer on every Scheduled Trip or Bespoke Travel inspiration page, as well as more stories about our partners around the world via stories on our blog.
We redesigned our website to provide more options and inspiration for travellers to pursue and showcase how resourceful our team is for all your travel needs beyond biking and walking. 
<a href="https://butterfield.com/who-we-are/meet-the-designers" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Learn more about the people who design our trips</a> and take a look at a sampling of our new Bespoke Travel inspiration pages for <a href="https://butterfield.com/trip/bespoke/amalfi-coast-bespoke" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the Amalfi Coast</a>, <a href="https://butterfield.com/trip/bespoke/greece-bespoke" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Greece</a> and <a href="https://butterfield.com/trip/bespoke/iceland-bespoke" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Iceland</a>.

What’s Old Is New Again: Butterfield & Robinson Launches a Redesigned Website

Vines &amp; Wines

Italy

Piemonte

Wine Regions

<h2>Revitalizing the Alpine Valley</h2>
Beyond the region’s general economic growth spurred by top-notch wineries, Silvia and Elio have also joined Insieme (together) with other winemaking families to give back to their community through projects that help people all over the world. Each year, 7 different wineries bottle a limited run of their own particular blend (often experimenting with different varietals) and donate the proceeds to fund community-based transformative projects, such as building a kindergarten in Burundi.
<figure id="attachment_48520" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-48520" style="width: 480px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img loading="lazy" class="wp-image-48520 size-medium" src="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/cheese-480x300.png" alt="Castelmagno DOP di Alpeggio" width="480" height="300" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/cheese-480x300.png 480w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/cheese-250x156.png 250w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/cheese-768x480.png 768w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/cheese.png 960w" sizes="(max-width: 480px) 100vw, 480px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-48520" class="wp-caption-text">Castelmagno DOP di Alpeggio</figcaption></figure>
The Altares also took up the challenge of revitalizing a nearby Alpine valley, the birthplace of a cheese that pairs brilliantly with Barolo: <a href="https://www.fondazioneslowfood.com/en/slow-food-presidia/mountain-pasture-castelmagno/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Castelmagno DOP di Alpeggio</a>. Thanks to their work with a handful of friends, the village of Campofei is coming back to life at the end of a dirt road in one of Piemonte’s most remote valleys. Planting a vast garden that supplies kilometre-zero vegetables, they’ve renovated a sprawling old stone house into an agriturismo, serving food from the garden and, of course, their cooperative’s Castelmagno cheese.
Together with nearby villages, the true high-alpine cheese is made at an altitude of 1,600 m (5,250 ft), creating a unique flavour thanks to the meadows’ endemic flowers and grasses which cows munch only from San Giovannni (June 24th) to San Michele (September 29th). One more delightful taste brought back from the brink of disappearance; now we can savour its hints of sweet hay and wildflowers, hopefully for years to come.
<h2>The Future of Barolo</h2>
<img loading="lazy" class="size-medium wp-image-48492 alignright" src="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Piemonte-dinner-480x300.png" alt="Dinner among Piemonte vineyards" width="480" height="300" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Piemonte-dinner-480x300.png 480w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Piemonte-dinner-250x156.png 250w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Piemonte-dinner-768x480.png 768w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Piemonte-dinner.png 960w" sizes="(max-width: 480px) 100vw, 480px" />Beyond the sublime cheese and wine pairings, what’s the future of Barolo? For Silvia, it’s not far from the self-actualization that 2020 gifted us —a reflective time to ponder and “find ourselves.” She would like to continue her work on Arborina hill, making deliciously drinkable wines to share with others without following snazzy market trends to continue being “true and original to ourselves and to our vineyards.”
Silvia hopes that future Barolo will be more personal and representative of the terroir. From the bright Dolcetto to creative Insieme to nobly structured Barolo, Altare wines—like all of our favourite winemakers’ in Piemonte and beyond—are most definitely personal, transmitting an unmistakable sense of place through their flavours, perfectly encapsulating the memories of drinking it there.
Silvia makes wine because she loves sharing something that makes people happy. This is precisely why we love bringing travellers to Piemonte, where art and agriculture entwine.
Feeling inspired to start planning your dream trip to Piemonte? <a href="https://www.butterfield.com/start-planning/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Get in touch with Marya</a> to see how she can craft your perfect culinary adventure.

<h2>The Grape Doesn&#8217;t Fall Far From the Vineyard</h2>
For Silvia, it’s simple. Great wine begins with great farming.
<img loading="lazy" class="wp-image-48493 size-medium alignright" src="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Piemonte-Silvias-father-238x300.jpg" alt="" width="238" height="300" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Piemonte-Silvias-father-238x300.jpg 238w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Piemonte-Silvias-father-768x969.jpg 768w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Piemonte-Silvias-father-476x600.jpg 476w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Piemonte-Silvias-father.jpg 1624w" sizes="(max-width: 238px) 100vw, 238px" />
“Wine has become so glamorous that we all forget: wine comes from working in the vineyard,” she said.
When she officially joined her family’s winery nearly 20 years ago (after a childhood of “farm slave labour” bringing water to the vineyard workers and playing labelling and loading games that dragged into long tasks), her father Elio Altare quickly squelched her visions of being sent to New York to pour for wine aficionados.
“No, you’re staying in the vineyards,” he said.
During her first few years of hard work, the physicality of working within the vine’s sweltering summer heat and scrubbing out barrels grounded her in the challenges of being a woman in the field and ensured she has mastered each (sweaty) step in making great wine.
<figure id="attachment_48499" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-48499" style="width: 240px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img loading="lazy" class="wp-image-48499 size-medium" src="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Silvia-Altare-240x300.png" alt="Silvia Altare" width="240" height="300" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Silvia-Altare-240x300.png 240w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Silvia-Altare-768x960.png 768w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Silvia-Altare-480x600.png 480w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Silvia-Altare.png 960w" sizes="(max-width: 240px) 100vw, 240px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-48499" class="wp-caption-text">Our friend Silvia hand-harvesting Nebbiolo grapes</figcaption></figure>
She became an expert in what truly needs doing—talented delegation—which serves her especially well as a new mother.
Winemaking wasn’t inevitable. Silvia’s parents encouraged her to do anything she wanted. Loving good food and drink, she worked in local restaurants and contemplated becoming a chef. Curious about other places on the planet, from age 14 she spent several summers with one of California’s most exceptional wine families, picking up a flawless west coast accent in the process. Interested in the financial realities of running a business, she studied economics in Turin. Intrigued by New World winemaking, she harvested grapes in Australia.
Her experience winemaking on a New World scale gave her confidence in the Langhe farming methods.
<img loading="lazy" class="wp-image-48530 size-medium alignright" src="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/1-480x300.png" alt="" width="480" height="300" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/1-480x300.png 480w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/1-250x156.png 250w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/1-768x480.png 768w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/1.png 960w" sizes="(max-width: 480px) 100vw, 480px" />“I realized that we were doing something right,” she said.
Silvia explains the lesson with an apt culinary metaphor.
“[If vineyard farming wasn’t done well] I could get okay grapes and then fix them…like maybe your pasta turns out to be too salty, then maybe you add, non lo so, sugar, then you add some other spices. But then fixing is not the same as starting with good ingredients…real success for us comes only if we get good grapes.”
<h2>Barolo, King of Wines</h2>
Her father Elio Altare was one of the revolutionary winemakers–the “<a href="https://vimeo.com/ondemand/baroloboysthemovie/375379190" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Barolo Boys</a> ”–whose curiosity, collaboration and desire to learn from other regions led to Barolo’s spectacular qualitative leap in the 1980s and 1990s. That daring generation evolved from barely-rinsed old barrels, ox-driven plows and taking shelter in their cars at night on research trips to sterilized rotary fermenters, toasted oak barriques and international accolades, actualizing Barolo’s potential into a truly world-class wine.
<img loading="lazy" class="wp-image-48521 size-medium alignright" src="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Barolo-cellar-480x300.png" alt="Barolo wine cellar in Piemonte" width="480" height="300" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Barolo-cellar-480x300.png 480w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Barolo-cellar-250x156.png 250w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Barolo-cellar-768x480.png 768w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Barolo-cellar.png 960w" sizes="(max-width: 480px) 100vw, 480px" />While Silvia feels the pressure of that legacy and of wine critics wondering whether she’ll take a chainsaw to the barriques and carry out her own revolution, she sees her generation’s winemaking simply as an evolution.
“I’m very lucky. We have a library downstairs with all the bottles going back to the 70s. And when I pull bottles from the 80s, from the 90s, I like those wines. It means that what he did back then works,” Sylvia explains.
The changes she brings to the cellar are more technological in nature to ease hard farm labour and to coax even better results: softer crushers, more efficient pumps and something as simple (and yet revolutionary) as weather apps.
<img loading="lazy" class="wp-image-48531 size-medium alignright" src="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/2-480x300.png" alt="Piemonte vineyards" width="480" height="300" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/2-480x300.png 480w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/2-250x156.png 250w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/2-768x480.png 768w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/2.png 960w" sizes="(max-width: 480px) 100vw, 480px" />“My dad was looking at the birds flying east and predicted that he might have rain. Now, I pull out my five different apps and see that it’s going to rain in two hours, time to harvest now!” She said.
The Langhe wineries’ excellence has transformed this whole part of Piemonte, drawing wine fans from across the globe to taste, explore and savour. Adding to the locally beloved, generations-old trattorie, chefs passionate about the local <a href="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/2016/01/05/slow-food/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Slow Food</a> movement and perfect wine pairings, culinarily adventurous travellers have flocked to the region, leading to a rare density of superb tables, both casual and gourmet. Engaging local hoteliers and a handful of winemaking families have opened their own boutique hotels that offer unique, intimate welcomes. Everyone has benefitted from the influx of interest in their beautiful corner of the world.

A Taste of Piemonte with Silvia Altare

Dolomites

Named a Top Travel Specialist for the Dolomites by Condé Nast Traveler

<h2>Santa Croce, Alta Badia</h2>
Activity Level: Easygoing to moderate
<figure id="attachment_47831" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-47831" style="width: 380px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img loading="lazy" class="wp-image-47831 size-full" src="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/fanes-3563069_1920.jpg" alt="best hikes in the dolomites" width="380" height="253" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-47831" class="wp-caption-text">Alta Badia</figcaption></figure>
Follow the pilgrim route or take a more gentle approach through a shady larch forest leading out of San Cassiano to reach the Santa Croce church and mountain hut. It will take about 2.5 hours each way. There is also a chairlift plus gondola option in addition to the paths.
Given its long history as a place of worship, there are still several summer processions leading to this spiritual gathering point. With its southern exposure and red rockface, this is a particularly spectacular to catch the sunset.

<h2>Sasso Piatto &amp; Sasso Lungo loop, Alpe di Siusi</h2>
<img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-47832 size-large" src="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/chairlift-900x600.jpg" alt="" width="900" height="600" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/chairlift-900x600.jpg 900w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/chairlift-450x300.jpg 450w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/chairlift-768x512.jpg 768w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/chairlift.jpg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" />
Activity Level: Moderate 
 
This hike takes anywhere from 6 to 7 hours in total. Circumnavigating the two massive rocks that tower over the Alpe di Siusi meadows, it offers a fabulous route that crosses many mountain huts along the way.
It&#8217;s also possible to hop a ride on a stand-up chairlift (space for two only; see photo on the right) to cut the route in half and loop around only one of the massifs. En route, you&#8217;re likely to pass grazing milk cows, sheep and marmots whistling enthusiastically.
<h2>Kaiserjager, Passo Falzarego</h2>
Activity Level: Moderate to challenging
Hike from Passo Falzarego to Piccolo Lagazuoi (the total time is about 2 to 2.5 hours). Along the way, you can pause to tackle a moderately challenging Via Ferrata that includes a suspension bridge. You&#8217;ll be rewarded with breathtaking, expansive views across the Alta Badia, including the peaks surrounding Cortina, the Marmolada glacier and Passo Gardena.
Stop for lunch at the Rifugio Lagazuoi hut then descend via cable car, wide gravel path or most exciting, through a WWI gallery with helmet and headlamp
<img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-47836 size-full" src="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/marmolada-3746435_1920-1.jpg" alt="" width="900" height="598" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/marmolada-3746435_1920-1.jpg 900w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/marmolada-3746435_1920-1-452x300.jpg 452w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/marmolada-3746435_1920-1-768x510.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" />
<h2>Alta Via 1</h2>
Activity Level: Challenging
The list wouldn’t be complete without the amazing hut-to-hut experience along this 125 km (77 mi.) route, which can be broken up into smaller legs. It&#8217;s said to take about 12 days to complete.
If you don&#8217;t have that much time, I recommend tackling Stages 2, 3 and/or 4 rather than the whole route. This would allow a couple of overnights and at least three days of trekking.
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Ready to take on the Dolomites? Get in touch with Georgia to <a href="https://www.butterfield.com/start-planning/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">start planning</a> your adventure.

The Most Incredible Hikes in Italy's Dolomite Mountains

Experts + Insiders

Biking

choosing a bike

<h2>The B&amp;R Bike Fleet: What We Use</h2>
<img loading="lazy" class="alignright wp-image-40896" src="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Bikers-960-fun-451x300.jpg" alt="" width="380" height="253" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Bikers-960-fun-451x300.jpg 451w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Bikers-960-fun-768x511.jpg 768w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Bikers-960-fun-901x600.jpg 901w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Bikers-960-fun.jpg 960w" sizes="(max-width: 380px) 100vw, 380px" />
For 2020, we designed a custom B&amp;R fleet with the help of Tim McDermott. Tim worked with us for three seasons as a mechanic and guide. He has since moved on to designing bikes, working with two high-end European bicycle brands: Focus and Ridley. Collaborating with Tim on a bespoke product allowed us to create bikes that fit our travel style and gave us access to the factories that build them.
We’ve taken the best components of our previous fleets, going through our list part-by-part and then sourcing top-of-the-line pieces from companies like Shimano and Mavec. We also made some improvements, such as moving from rim to disc breaks for a softer breaking dynamic and switched to compact gearing.
Here are some key points about our new bikes:
Flat Handlebar Hybrid Bike
-Light, fast-spinning Mavic wheels 
-High-performing Disc brakes by TPR 
-Shimano high-end Ultegra compact gearing 
-Ergonomic handlebar grips and adjustable stem
Dropped Handlebar Road Bike
-Light, fast-spinning Mavic wheels 
-High-performing Disc brakes by TPR 
-Shimano high-end Ultegra compact gearing 
-Gravel geometry for comfort and stability
E-Bike Fleet
-Made by Moustache, a French manufacturer that exclusively makes e-bikes 
-Light, fast-spinning Mavic wheels 
-High-performing gearing and hydraulic Disc brakes by Shimano 
-Sector-leading Bosch e-motor and 500Wh battery 
-8 kg lighter than our previous Scott E-bike Fleet 
&#8211;<a href="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/2020/01/15/crafting-our-e-bike-fleet-a-partnership-with-french-based-moustache-e-bikes/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Check out this article for more information</a> about our new e-bikes
As for our old fleet, we shared some with our local partners, donated some to a charity in Morocco and sold the e-bikes to our community in Beaune where our atelier is located.
We hope this has helped provide some insight on how to pick the right bike and that we will see you on one of our bike trips soon! If you have any other questions about biking or our trips, be sure to <a href="https://www.butterfield.com/contact-us/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">get in touch</a> with a member of our travel team.

Ask an Expert: How to Choose the Right Bike for You

Finding Creativity on the Road: In Conversation with B&R Guide, Sakis Mitsoulis

A Message About Travel from George Butterfield

Slow Travel

slow food

The Slow Fund: Replanting Trees in the Dolomites with Wow Nature

Condé Nast Top Travel Specialist 2020 for the Dolomites

Why Your Next Private Family Vacation Should Be to the Dolomites

Eat &amp; Drink

A Taste of Peru at Home: Mushroom Ceviche

film

latin america

9 Movies That Will Transport You to Latin America

Notes From the Road

Notes from the Road: The 5,000-Mile Journey Home During a Crisis

The Best Books for Armchair Travel, According to Our Experts

What Social Distancing Looks Like Around the World

Argentina

Cambodia

Chile

Exped

Japan

new zealand

Sri Lanka

Uruguay

Vietnam

Where to Travel this Fall and Winter to Escape the Cold

Culture &amp; Lifestyle

Wine

Winery

<h2><a href="https://ducalwines.com/en/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ducal</a> &#8211; Slovenia</h2>
Just across the border from Austria, in Slovenia, Ducal is producing exceptional natural wine according to the thousand-year-old Georgian method using qvevries. In clay amphoras dug deep into the soil, the grape ferments in to wine along with the skins and everything else the berries hold. After eight months the wine is transported to large wooden casks where they age for the next two to three years before bottling.
<img loading="lazy" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-46545" src="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Ducal_720x460-470x300.jpg" alt="" width="470" height="300" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Ducal_720x460-470x300.jpg 470w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Ducal_720x460.jpg 720w" sizes="(max-width: 470px) 100vw, 470px" />
The owner, Mitja Lo Duca, is a true character, obsessively working the vineyards with his son Tim. Imbued with a mountaineer&#8217;s perseverance (he once advanced as a promising alpinist in the former state of Yugoslavia), Mitja now funnels that energy into his award-winning business. As with Gut Oggau’s wines, Ducal&#8217;s wines are also served at NOMA in Copenhagen.
<img loading="lazy" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-46521" src="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/LePod_400x300-1-400x300.jpg" alt="" width="400" height="300" />
<h2><a href="https://www.podereleripi.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Podere Le Ripi</a> &#8211; Italy</h2>
Owned by Franceso Illy (yes, of the coffee fame) this innovative winery is truly special and a personal project of Franceso’s that’s become a stunning experiment in biodynamic viticulture.
Planted at an unheard-of density, the vineyards have incredibly deep roots and produce a dramatic amount of fruit.
Meanwhile, the cellar is its own feat of structural beauty: referred to as the ‘wine cathedral,’ it was constructed using ancient techniques and, unconventionally, made great strides to follow strict spatial ratios; its circular form essentially descends into the earth. For Franceso, the integrity of the wine is paramount and informed the decision to forsake traditional construction methods in favour of bio-architecture advances.
<img loading="lazy" class="size-medium wp-image-46519 aligncenter" src="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Podere-Le-Ripi_720x300-480x200.jpg" alt="" width="480" height="200" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Podere-Le-Ripi_720x300-480x200.jpg 480w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Podere-Le-Ripi_720x300.jpg 720w" sizes="(max-width: 480px) 100vw, 480px" />
Nearby, a wonderful vegetable garden is often host to garden tours with families or simple outdoor dinners with a Tuscan nonnna or Michelin-starred chef.

<h2><a href="http://bellawines.ca/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bella Wines</a> &#8211; British Columbia</h2>
Bella is a spirited winery in the Okanagan that&#8217;s producing some of the most exciting sparkling wines and capturing the natural essence of British Columbia&#8217;s fruit, all set within a postage stamp of acreage.
Wine couple, Jay Drysdale &amp; Wendy Rose, are transparent in their pursuit to &#8220;make expressive wine that truly reflects the land where it is grown and the conditions under which it is made, free from chemicals and excessive intervention.&#8221;
Along that vein, you&#8217;ll find animals from their farmhouse foraging between the vines, and a wholehearted approach to get back to basics using ancestrale methods. Their three styles of sparkling wine are an absolute treat and make Bella the only winery in BC producing sparkling exclusively.

What We're Drinking: Natural Wines of the World

Guides

Asia-Pacific

<h3>Why use an E-bike on a B&amp;R trip?</h3>
The way we see it, e-bikes are designed to flatten those challenging hills and ascents with ease, so your views aren&#8217;t ever compromised. You’ll confidently and comfortably scale those lofty heights from southern France to Tuscany to the Dalmatian Coast, and do it all in that classic B&amp;R style that you’ve always loved.
Power to the pedal, indeed!

Columnists

Norway

Europe

Though I no longer live in Norway, running in Oslo and throughout the country introduced me to the extended joys of both daylight and darkness.
The experience continues to serve as a reminder that, yes, life is meant to be lived outdoors.
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Feeling inspired to experience Norway&#8217;s raw beauty for yourself? Gabriella would love to <a href="https://butterfield.com/start-planning" target="_blank" rel="noopener">talk travel</a> (and everything else) with you.

<img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-46331 size-large" src="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/secondbanner1600x1000-960x600.jpg" alt="" width="960" height="600" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/secondbanner1600x1000-960x600.jpg 960w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/secondbanner1600x1000-250x156.jpg 250w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/secondbanner1600x1000-480x300.jpg 480w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/secondbanner1600x1000-768x480.jpg 768w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/secondbanner1600x1000.jpg 1600w" sizes="(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px" />
Within that experience—finding myself in a new setting, adjusting to new dynamics, without any strong relationships to lean on, I began to run. I ran around Oslo—following the forests and lakes that cradle the city centre; I ran at the ripe hour of 6 am—spikes protruding from my shoes to keep balance along quiet, cross-country paths; I ran to relieve my loneliness and also to mirror the determination that the very landscape inspired. I ran because a new place jolts you to new associations and a desire to push your boundaries a little further.
<img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-46342 size-full" src="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/oslostreets720x460.jpg" alt="" width="720" height="460" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/oslostreets720x460.jpg 720w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/oslostreets720x460-470x300.jpg 470w" sizes="(max-width: 720px) 100vw, 720px" />
I grew in personality and discipline. Slowly marathon running became an essential part of my life.
Along with that, I developed my career—incrementally at first, and without realizing it. To help pay for my studies abroad I worked at a local biking company in Oslo; I travelled for many years around the country appreciating the perfect cocktail of culture, people and nature and it slowly dawned on me that this could be a career.
It was an idyllic place to start my career in travel because the country reinforced many principles that still guide me today. One: the experience of darkness is not a limit—embrace it! That metaphor has, and can be, applied to many other realms in my life.
Second: I lived in a country with a truly special relationship with its green spaces. That’s reflected in the way the outdoors is optimized for use, but it’s also in the preservation.
Norway tracks well for high-end eco-conscious travel and this is intentional; eco-lodges are perched in the middle of forests, near fjords and shoulder organic, farm-to-table enterprises. The high cost of travel here keeps tourism at a manageable scale—the idea is to resist compromise; to make sure the preservation of the country&#8217;s pristine landscapes is first and foremost for the people who live here.
<img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-46344 size-full" src="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Countrysdie_720x460.jpg" alt="" width="720" height="460" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Countrysdie_720x460.jpg 720w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Countrysdie_720x460-470x300.jpg 470w" sizes="(max-width: 720px) 100vw, 720px" />

If it is embraced by the experts of a field, you can expect it to eventually becomes mainstream
The winds of change for the e-bike have also been gathering on the sidelines of elite cycling. As both mountain bikers and now road bikers embrace the technology—the e-bike has glided into the realm of normalized, if not lauded bike travel and recognized sport in Europe.
As Geoff our director of European operations notes, “e-bikes started in the mountain bike sector as a means of assistance for hard-core off-road riding and has really taken off in the past few years.” Part of the appeal lay in the offer of consistency and support when approaching a ride with an unknown variability of grade. “Now you can go out and really take off knowing that you’ll have assistance should you find yourself in a tough spot,” Geoff adds.
At many ski areas people rent e-bikes as a means to get their challenging rides in, which is a change in perception to be sure. Where there was once judgement that an e-bike was for people who couldn’t hack it—now people are seeking it out for the challenging opportunity it provides. With that simple switch in perception, e-bike mountain racing has grown tremendously in the last few years and now the e-bike road racing sector is following, closely, behind.
The re-branding of the e-bike owes a lot to the hardcore cyclists who have embraced it as a way to push their limits.
<figure id="attachment_46298" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-46298" style="width: 720px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" class="wp-image-46298 size-full" src="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Moustachebike3_720x460.jpg" alt="" width="720" height="460" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Moustachebike3_720x460.jpg 720w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Moustachebike3_720x460-470x300.jpg 470w" sizes="(max-width: 720px) 100vw, 720px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-46298" class="wp-caption-text">Our new 2020 e-bike was created in partnership with French-based Moustache Bikes</figcaption></figure>

The benefits:
*Approach any day with the desire for a work-out, but tailor it exactly as you please. When the mood strikes, simply apply a boost.
*Those who might have assumed they could not explore Alsace, Tuscany or Switzerland by bike, for example, now find the hills entirely in their grasp. The e-bike flattens the journey as needed. In this way, areas of travel by bike really open up for everyone.
*Provides more time to soak up the scenery and generally enjoy getting around on two wheels (breathe in that fresh air from the helm of your saddle not from a tour bus).
*No need to be left in the dust by your partner who takes to the road at a different pace than you—on an e-bike different skill levels can finally ride together and divert by, ahem, mutual choice.
*While the e-bike was once perceived as a tool to help you ‘keep up’—it’s equally sensible to assume it can be used as a tool to help you go further. See more.
Speed up, slow down—ultimately the e-bike provides more choice and lets you be the director of your day.
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Next – Read how we’ve <a href="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/2020/01/15/crafting-our-2020-e-bike-fleet-a-partnership-with-french-based-moustache-e-bikes/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">partnered with Moustache Bikes</a> to create a customized fleet for B&amp;R travellers.

Changing Course: The E-bike's Ascent Toward the Mainstream

Expedition

Mongolia

All male, female, and child archers wear elegant traditional costumes called &#8220;deels.&#8221; Different styles of deel are worn year-round by nomads, as they offer protection from the elements in this rugged country.
<img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-46137 size-full" src="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/archerybetter720x460.jpg" alt="" width="720" height="460" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/archerybetter720x460.jpg 720w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/archerybetter720x460-470x300.jpg 470w" sizes="(max-width: 720px) 100vw, 720px" />
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<img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-46158 size-full" src="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/TESt.jpg" alt="" width="1440" height="920" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/TESt.jpg 1440w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/TESt-470x300.jpg 470w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/TESt-768x491.jpg 768w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/TESt-939x600.jpg 939w" sizes="(max-width: 1440px) 100vw, 1440px" />
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Atop of this mountain is an ovoo, a sacred cairn traditionally used for shamanic worship but also used in Buddhist ceremonies. You will find ovoos at important places, such as mountain passes and vantage points. For good fortune, you should pick up a stone from the ground and add it to the pile, then walk around the ovoo clockwise three times!
<img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-46164 size-large" src="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/TEST2_gobi-939x600.jpg" alt="" width="939" height="600" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/TEST2_gobi-939x600.jpg 939w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/TEST2_gobi-470x300.jpg 470w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/TEST2_gobi-768x491.jpg 768w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/TEST2_gobi.jpg 1440w" sizes="(max-width: 939px) 100vw, 939px" />
In the Zöölöön Mountain Range, the desert landscape is often dotted with nomadic herders moving their flocks of camels, horses, sheep, goats and cattle.
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<img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-46135 size-full" src="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/meadow720x460.jpg" alt="" width="720" height="460" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/meadow720x460.jpg 720w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/meadow720x460-470x300.jpg 470w" sizes="(max-width: 720px) 100vw, 720px" />
The Upper Tuul River Valley is part of a vast, protected region in the Khentii Mountains, extending all the way to the Russian border. Herdsfolk keep their livestock in the southern areas, following a lifestyle virtually unchanged since the times of Genghis Khan.
<img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-46171 " src="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/TEST4_stupa-939x600.jpg" alt="" width="834" height="533" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/TEST4_stupa-939x600.jpg 939w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/TEST4_stupa-470x300.jpg 470w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/TEST4_stupa-768x491.jpg 768w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/TEST4_stupa.jpg 1440w" sizes="(max-width: 834px) 100vw, 834px" />
Deep in a hidden valley, steps lead skywards to a pilgrimage site and temple dedicated to the Green Tara, a Buddhist deity.

Asia Travel Expert & Condé Nast Top Travel Specialist

<h3>March</h3>
<img loading="lazy" class="alignright wp-image-45505 size-medium" src="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/angkor-thom-asia-blog-post-450x300.jpg" alt="Best Time to Travel to Asia" width="450" height="300" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/angkor-thom-asia-blog-post-450x300.jpg 450w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/angkor-thom-asia-blog-post-768x512.jpg 768w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/angkor-thom-asia-blog-post-900x600.jpg 900w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/angkor-thom-asia-blog-post.jpg 960w" sizes="(max-width: 450px) 100vw, 450px" />For those who want to feel the rush of wind through their hair but aren’t sure how committed they are to pedalling every day, I designed the <a href="https://www.butterfield.com/trip/cambodia-e-biking-private/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Cambodia E-Biking</a> trip, a private itinerary. Although the area surrounding the sprawling Angkor Park is generally flat, it is almost always hot in this region, so the bump of an e-assist can be incredibly valuable. Additionally, you won’t be daunted to head toward the more distant (and less-crowded) temples farther from the entrance of the park.
<h3>April</h3>
Aboard the Aqua—a sophisticated floating hotel—you’ll get to see Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia from an entirely different perspective. The <a href="https://www.butterfield.com/trip/mekong-river-biking/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mekong River Biking</a> trip offers insight into seldom explored regions while keeping the luxe vibe high. To continue along that vein, you could always customize this private trip with a few days at the new Shinta Mani Wild tacked on at the beginning of your journey.
If you’d like to know more, I&#8217;m happy to help you sort through the best months to travel to Asia taking into consideration what you want out of the experience. If nothing above appeals to you, it might be worth chatting about a customized trip to suit your style.

<h3>October</h3>
October is a great month to travel to South East Asia. The crowds are light, and the landscapes are verdant <img loading="lazy" class="alignright wp-image-45506 size-medium" src="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/laos-asia-blog-post-444x300.jpg" alt="Best Time to Travel to Asia" width="444" height="300" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/laos-asia-blog-post-444x300.jpg 444w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/laos-asia-blog-post-768x519.jpg 768w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/laos-asia-blog-post-888x600.jpg 888w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/laos-asia-blog-post.jpg 960w" sizes="(max-width: 444px) 100vw, 444px" />and lush as the region is just emerging from the rainy season.
I designed the <a href="https://www.butterfield.com/trip/indochina-grand-journey/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Indochina Biking trip </a>to visit three counties—Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos—as a seamless experience by bike. This guaranteed small-group trip explores the limestone pinnacles of Northern Vietnam, the winding Mekong in Laos and the spectacular Angkor Wat in Cambodia.
<h3>November</h3>
Vietnam is a long, narrow country stretching north to south; in November the southern part of the country can experience a lot of rain, while the north remains unphased (and flush with sunny days).
With that in mind, I made sure this private <a href="https://www.butterfield.com/trip/vietnam-walking-private/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Vietnam Walking Trip</a> targeted the drier part of Vietnam to take advantage of this good weather and the best time of year to visit the Rice Ninh Binh (Ha Long Bay on the land) and scenic rice terraces of Sapa.
If an off-the-beaten-path destination appeals to you, Laos offers miles and miles of calm Mekong-side riding at a time of year when the weather is warm and dry (for those who dislike humidity, this is especially relevant). On this <a href="https://www.butterfield.com/trip/laos-biking-private/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Laos private trip</a>, you’ll hit all the spots (geographical and hotel, alike) that are making Laos an emerging travel destination. Get there before everyone else.

<h3>December</h3>
For a great vacation away from the demands and drama of the holiday season, the <a href="https://www.butterfield.com/trip/vietnam-and-cambodia-biking/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Cambodia and Vietnam biking</a> trip is a group departure that harmonizes the best of both countries: you’ll cycle from culture-rich <img loading="lazy" class="alignright wp-image-45500 size-medium" src="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/hoi-an-lantern-asia-blog-post-450x300.jpg" alt="Best Time to Travel to Asia" width="450" height="300" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/hoi-an-lantern-asia-blog-post-450x300.jpg 450w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/hoi-an-lantern-asia-blog-post-768x512.jpg 768w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/hoi-an-lantern-asia-blog-post-900x600.jpg 900w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/hoi-an-lantern-asia-blog-post.jpg 960w" sizes="(max-width: 450px) 100vw, 450px" />Angkor Wat to the serenity of the Vietnamese countryside, resting in lauded accommodation along the way.
On <a href="https://butterfield.com/trip/scheduled/cambodia-and-vietnam-biking" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Vietnam &amp; Cambodia Biking</a>, another group departure, you get to merge with other families who also want to experience the country through a wide variety of kid-focused activities during seasonally ideal times.
Many years ago, my friend Anh told me, The Vietnamese like to eat fast, walk slow and laugh at nothing. Today, as a parent of children, I feel like they are just the same. That is just one of the many reasons I think Vietnam is perfect for families.
<h3>January</h3>
Looking to kick off the New Year in a new spot? January is the perfect month to visit Sri Lanka on a small-group departure. The <a href="https://www.butterfield.com/trip/sri-lanka-biking/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sri Lanka Biking</a> trip is designed to take advantage of all the things I love: minimal crowds, flat and pleasant bike riding and top-tier hotels that cater to every palate (think: wellness, design, food). On top of that, this country is poised to become the next big thing. Don’t wait.
<h3>February</h3>
The past decade has seen an increase in tourism and economic growth in Vietnam, which means the roads may be smoother, but the routes can get busier. I’ve designed B&amp;R&#8217;s new small-group trip, <a href="https://www.butterfield.com/trip/vietnam-biking/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Vietnam Biking</a>, to keep us on quiet roads spinning through Central Vietnam and the miles of flat biking available in the Mekong Delta. It was my intent to craft a trip with relaxed rides, so you can keep your eyes on everyday Vietnam with its engaged locals, vibrant markets and happy children biking to school, rather than worrying about the traffic.

Your Definitive Guide to the Best Time to Travel to Asia

Safari

Rwanda

Because we are a travel company chasing a love of new things and knowledge we must ask: Where was the last place you visited that really tossed your hair back and reminded you of the power and importance of travel?
Luke: Seychelles has always intrigued me. Due to the importance of tourism on the economy, they’ve been careful to stick to the responsible tourism model, limiting tourist numbers. The ecology and environment take precedence. Their management of the outer islands is a great example of this.
And, finally, when can we get you and your family on a biking trip with Butterfield &amp; Robinson?
Luke: This is high on my list to do. Ever since I spoke to a past client of yours, who could not stop raving about it. I would love to do this in Italy/France/Scandinavia.

Under the direction of Cape-town based chef Liam Tomlin, and Executive Chef, Andrew Nicholson, Singita reconceptualized their approach to food—uniting all 15 properties thematically by kitchen. Part of the genesis of that decision was rooted in creating the Singita Community Culinary School– a mentorship and training program based at Singita Lebombo Lodge for members of the community with the long-term goal of ushering in a new generation of head chefs. Do you envision this project expanding into Rwanda?
Luke: We also have a community culinary school in Singita Grumeti. Another school in Rwanda is a possibility in the future, and we are already thinking about this.
<img loading="lazy" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-45562" src="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Singita-School-of-Cooking_blogpost-470x300.jpg" alt="" width="470" height="300" />
The volcanic soil around Volcanoes National Park is exceptionally rich and fertile, so the quality of fruit and vegetables available has exceeded our expectations. There is a huge emphasis on food at Singita Kwitonda Lodge and Kataza House, as with other Singita lodges. The design of the kitchen overlooks the restaurant and guests can see in and interact with chefs and kitchen staff. Liam and our entire team have been excited to present Rwandan-inspired food to our guests in our farm-to-table approach.
<img loading="lazy" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-45552" src="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Food-image_blogsized-1-470x300.jpg" alt="" width="470" height="300" />
Featuring largely vegetable-based dishes and local Rwandan favourites, the on-site herb and fruit garden supplies the lodge kitchens with an array of fresh ingredients. Other highlights of the food journey include tailor-made trekking lunchboxes, flexible mealtimes and a signature “bar-deli” which offers fresh fruit and small snacks, enabling guests to help themselves throughout the day.
Many large-scale conservation efforts can be at odds with local communities and ultimately lead to their displacement. How do you respond to that and/or try to mitigate it?
Luke: Conservation efforts are not at odds with communities.
<img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-46085 size-full" src="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/New-elephant-crossing_720x460.jpg" alt="" width="720" height="460" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/New-elephant-crossing_720x460.jpg 720w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/New-elephant-crossing_720x460-470x300.jpg 470w" sizes="(max-width: 720px) 100vw, 720px" />
At Singita, our 100-year purpose is to preserve and protect large areas of African wilderness for future generations. It follows that conserving the continent’s precious biodiversity is our primary reason for being and is an area in which we invest significant resources. However, we recognize that wilderness and wildlife will not exist for long unless the people living near them derive benefits from their existence. We therefore support the wellbeing of our neighbouring communities directly through local employment, and indirectly through our Community Partnerships Programme, where we invest enterprise development. At the same time, we use our tourism business to support our conservation mission, we strive to minimize negative impact on these landscapes, as well as the broader environment. Our conservation model therefore incorporates the three pillars of Biodiversity, Community and Sustainability.
<img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-46087 size-full" src="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/New_kids-reading_720x460.jpg" alt="" width="720" height="460" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/New_kids-reading_720x460.jpg 720w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/New_kids-reading_720x460-470x300.jpg 470w" sizes="(max-width: 720px) 100vw, 720px" />
Sustainability – operating in an environmentally conscious way at every level of the business – is a key component of Singita’s conservation success, alongside maintaining the integrity of its reserves and their ecosystems and working with local communities to ensure that they thrive because of the lodges.
The Singita model is based on an interrelated relationship between sustainability, conservation and community. We have identified three areas of focus in Rwanda
<ol>
<li>Early Childhood Development (ECD) where there is a great need</li>
<li>Small and medium enterprise development</li>
<li>Environmental Education / Reforestation of the park. We plan to expand our land to 230 acres and continue reforestation, which will ultimately lead to a larger habitat for the endangered mountain gorilla and other wildlife.</li>
</ol>
Are there any other sustainable, viable businesses – or grass-roots projects for that matter – that really interest you in Africa?
Luke: See above for our focus areas of grass-root projects.
Singita has been on a steep learning curve for the past 26 years and we’ve narrowed our focus on the above three areas for communities. This is mostly due to Africa’s rapidly growing population – from 1.3 billion to 4.4 billion by the end of the century – which puts untold pressure on pristine wild areas. This is of grave concern to me.
Also, I believe it is crucial for people to adopt more sustainable living practices. This is another principle that runs deep within the Singita brand, and all lodges and offices follow the One Planet Living sustainability framework (a set of 10 principles that guide our decision making).

Q&A with Luke Bailes, Founder & Executive Chairman, Singita

Puglia

Despite being on the tourism radar (there’s lots of investment in Puglia right now—especially with UNESCO recognition increasing), I’m still drawn to the small delights of the region and its ability to maintain Old World charm: Quiet biking routes zig-zag all over the map; olive grove lanes with farmers driving Ape trucks; unobserved hamlets where older men play cards in the piazzas drinking a little glass of wine; nonnas who are constantly rolling out fresh pasta and asking you to come inside for a chat.
One of my last meals on this visit was near the end of October when the days hover 20 degrees Celcius (68 F) and the nights feel a tad crisp and I found myself tucked into a surprising comfort meal of chicken gnocchi smothered in sauce and accompanied by a stemless chalice of chicken broth. The broth was meant to be consumed alongside your glass of red wine. An alternation of the hearty and the soulful. I sipped my wine; I sipped my broth. And on I went.
<img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-49511 size-full" src="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/christina-cain-matera.png" alt="Christina Cain Matera" width="960" height="600" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/christina-cain-matera.png 960w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/christina-cain-matera-480x300.png 480w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/christina-cain-matera-250x156.png 250w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/christina-cain-matera-768x480.png 768w" sizes="(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px" />

Cooking dinner is a practical evaluation of options—you go out and pick what is seasonally available! You aren’t going to pull out fresh tomatoes in November, it just doesn’t happen as greenhouses are not in mainstream use.
That’s not to say that there aren’t talented chefs doing splashy and creative things with food. In, Lecce, for example, a young chef, Solaika Marrocco, is gaining recognition as the new, fresh face of cuisine in the region. One of my favourite appetizers was a dish prepared by her that featured tomato skin in carpaccio-style thinness (essentially an ironed-out blanket of tomato) draped over vegetables.
Her dishes tell a story and that story is always rooted in Puglia and the experience of a meal. As Solaika says, “At home, I never think of simply eating; at my family house, behind every meal, there was history, culture and responsibility.” Watch out for her first Michelin star any day now.
<img loading="lazy" class="alignright wp-image-46017 size-medium" src="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Solaika_500x400-376x300.jpg" alt="" width="376" height="300" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Solaika_500x400-376x300.jpg 376w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Solaika_500x400.jpg 500w" sizes="(max-width: 376px) 100vw, 376px" />
After that meal, I found myself back on the road for the easy-going return to my accommodation and, again, the smell of smoke was pleasantly present in the air. With the fall months ushering in cooler evenings, by mid-afternoon, it&#8217;s not unlikely to see smoke puffing out of stacked chimneys, as fireplaces are lit to keep farmhouses nice and cozy for the evening.
During the afternoons, too, you’ll see barbecues blazing as food is prepared en-mass for the grape harvesters. During this time, when the grape has just been pressed and mixed with wood and placed within stainless-steel barrels, any cantinas (wine cellars) that you pass will likely emit a strong mosto (must)—essentially the aromas of a grape juice right before its journey to fermentation.
On another day I went to check in on my friend Sandro, a lauded chef who works for the owners of a gorgeous hotel and a private gallery in Lecce. Equipped with a functioning kitchen, the gallery has served many great purposes on past B&amp;R trips. At times Sandro has nipped around the kitchen providing cooking demonstrations; on others, a local art expert has added context to the historic buildings under the family&#8217;s purview (two hotels and the art gallery) to guide us through the fascinating structures before we sit down to a catered dinner in the courtyard of the gallery, a string trio off to the side.

The Nose Must Travel: A Research Trip in Puglia

Expedition-style accommodation explained 

In keeping with the freedom and openness of Mongolian life, our activity schedule is spontaneous and adaptable to the personal preferences of travellers. While we do have planned walks and activities in the diverse natural landscapes with our local guides, and excursions to historical monuments and hidden cultural gems in Ulaanbaatar, there are many opportunities for kayaking in the Tuul River, cycling across the Gobi, horseback riding on the open plain, or roaming the Khentii Mountains on foot—and even the odd camel ride, or a tasting of Mongolian specialties in the tent of a local family.
First-time travellers to Mongolia often find it startling to be situated in a landscape almost entirely devoid of human activity. Ambling through the country we&#8217;ll be able to appreciate the pristine wilderness, at a pace and rhythm of our choosing.
<img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-45801 size-full" src="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/drinks_outside_900x550.jpg" alt="" width="900" height="550" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/drinks_outside_900x550.jpg 900w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/drinks_outside_900x550-480x293.jpg 480w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/drinks_outside_900x550-768x469.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" />
Trips to Mongolia begin and end in Ulaanbaatar, the increasingly cosmopolitan capital. At the Shangri La Ulaanbaatar, the full array of spa treatments is meant to refresh and energize your body after a few days of ‘roughing it,’ and allow for a nice bookend to a journey that at heart should feel immersive and transcendent.
Travelling through Mongolia you can’t help but be enthralled by the surreal landscapes, racing skies, and the solitude that brings you closer to spiritual truth. Trust me, whether you are a spiritual person or not, you can’t help but feel something.

And move we do—from desert, to grassland, to forest, staying in properties that accentuate, and are built in line with, the natural characteristics of their surroundings.  In the Gobi and in Terelj National Park, we have off-grid camps, beautifully crafted gers (“yurts”), constructed specifically for us. The enterprise is sustainable but means a few compromises—bathrooms are shared at two of our ger camps, a small price for a truly rare experience.
Our superb camp chef cooks delicious Mongolian cuisine, with options for vegan or other dietary preferences. As night falls, we look above our campfire to a dark sky, strewn with dazzling stars.
<img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-45837 size-medium" src="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Jalman-Meadows-Private-Camp720x460-470x300.jpg" alt="" width="470" height="300" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Jalman-Meadows-Private-Camp720x460-470x300.jpg 470w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Jalman-Meadows-Private-Camp720x460.jpg 720w" sizes="(max-width: 470px) 100vw, 470px" />
Like the dwellings of the nomads, our camps will leave no footprint on the landscape when we move on to our next destination. For many of us, this hearkens back to an enchanted time in our lives, of childhood camping and adventure.
I&#8217;ve found that the complete absence of sound and light pollution, alone, can have a profound effect on your well-being.

We also stay at Three Camel Lodge, a South Gobi icon. This eco-lodge features a beautiful wood and stone, fully-electrified central lodge which houses the restaurant, bar and lounge area, sheltered by a hill of volcanic rock. The lodge has a view out onto the sweeping prairie landscape and the Gurvansaikhan Mountains in the background.
<img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-45792 size-full" src="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/ThreeCamel_900x550.jpg" alt="" width="900" height="550" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/ThreeCamel_900x550.jpg 900w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/ThreeCamel_900x550-480x293.jpg 480w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/ThreeCamel_900x550-768x469.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" />
These gers have running water and en-suite bathrooms, emphasizing the luxury element while retaining the essence of the Mongolian experience. Every aspect of Three Camel Lodge, from its library area bathed in natural light, to its massage ger, displays respect for local handicrafts, natural materials, and the awe-inspiring vistas that sweep out in every direction.
Three Camel actively works to preserve its natural setting and connection with the local nomadic community. Staying here is an awe-inducing experience and an exercise in perspective to say the least.

Mongolia and the Desire to Disconnect 

family

Tanzania

Different personalities thrive in such a setting: Grandma could be active or sedentary as she pleased; for her, the best part was watching her grand-kids interact with everything in their sight-line, people and lodge alike; after bonfires and sundowners with the whole family, her brother could stay up late with other guests at the lodge; parents could elect to jump on safari or not depending on energy levels, meanwhile the kids scrambled around the lodge-making friends with the kitchen staff and learning to stumble a bit. As a parent Christine felt she could be a little more hands-off in this environment allowing her daughters to feel more resilient as a result.
<img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-45740 size-large" src="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/kids-w-community-900x600.jpg" alt="" width="900" height="600" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/kids-w-community.jpg 900w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/kids-w-community-450x300.jpg 450w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/kids-w-community-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" />
“Everyone gets something out of it without it being a huge orchestrated event.”
“The safari setting made everyone feel so comfortable and taken care of. It was thrilling to watch the kids be blown away by everything they love and for us, as parents, not to have to think about meals or where to eat.&#8221;
Despite usually despising car rides her children loved the freedom of the safari jeep and could spend large parcels of time out with the guides seeking out big animals, becoming versed in the craft culture of Tanzania, taking in the differently shaped trees.
The beauty of travel is that it jars us from the usual. It has the power to elevate quotidian events—so that a lingering meal becomes entirely memorable, enhanced in this case by a panorama of the Serengeti, as the sun tucks into the horizon.
<img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-45751 size-large" src="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Fam-on-rock_banner-1-960x600.jpg" alt="" width="960" height="600" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Fam-on-rock_banner-1-960x600.jpg 960w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Fam-on-rock_banner-1-250x156.jpg 250w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Fam-on-rock_banner-1-480x300.jpg 480w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Fam-on-rock_banner-1-768x480.jpg 768w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Fam-on-rock_banner-1.jpg 2000w" sizes="(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px" />
You experience a culture by immersing yourself in the sensory milieu. Children do this intuitively. Sometimes we must remind ourselves to.
Part of the work of Trip Designers is the continued cultivation of their own awe; how that sense of earnestness and excitement toward the wonders of the world must be preserved and continually evaluated. Having kids along with you forces you to do a better job of that—in your day-to-day life and in your professional role as well.
Travelling with children, no matter the age, goes beyond showing them the world. It reminds you how to see the world too.

An American ex-pat living in Switzerland with her young family, Christine has nurtured an itinerant lifestyle most of her adult life. It seems more than likely that that will be passed onto her children; her kids have joined her on the road from a young age. At six months Remie was touring Andalucia, a moon-faced accomplice, as they vetted hotels and lunch spots.
The benefits of travelling with your children are great at any age, but as with anything child related, there must be balance.
<img loading="lazy" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-45743" src="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/feet-and-elephants-450x300.jpg" alt="" width="450" height="300" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/feet-and-elephants-450x300.jpg 450w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/feet-and-elephants-768x512.jpg 768w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/feet-and-elephants.jpg 900w" sizes="(max-width: 450px) 100vw, 450px" />
On a recent phone call with a traveller she was planning a trip for, Christine recalls trying to dissuade the traveller from changing safari lodges with her two young kids, every two nights. The traveller, understandably, was grappling with the desire to hit all the best spots in a certain amount of time. With kids on the journey as well, Christine knew that moving that frequently would likely tire them out; that the family would need to find their stride and that staying at a lodge a few more nights would help bring that out.
Why safari works so well for generational travel 
There’s the constant balance of knowing your kids (and their limits) and giving them enough room to relax around a place, taking time to flit about some morning without a hard-wired schedule. Trying to cram in too much can cause over-stimulation. In fact, Christine often advises just the opposite “don’t try to see everything, instead slow down to the rhythm of where you are.” Often just a change from your everyday life is enough to spark new associations in a child.
Keeping it simple in terms of ground covered is one of the reasons Christine loves to choose safari for family trips. It’s the format that best serves a large group of divergent ages, expectations and interests.
<img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-45748 size-large" src="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/pool-time-900x600.jpg" alt="" width="900" height="600" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/pool-time.jpg 900w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/pool-time-450x300.jpg 450w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/pool-time-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" />
Last year, Christine arranged for her extended family to get together to take in the wonders of Northern Tanzania. Trying to gather and accommodate her partner (an individual with a strong desire not to be in a car for more than 5 hours at a time), her two young daughters (4 and 8), her almost eighty-year-old mother (agile, yet looking for less rigour than, say Christine) and her brother (who generally angles for trips that celebrate late nights), made it clear that the exercise was less about where to go but how to go.
Safari operates with the same underlying principle as a Butterfield &amp; Robinson trip: everything is taken care of so that you don’t have to worry about a thing. There’s a schedule, but you can scrap it or modify it as you please. There’s an emphasis on slowing down to move at a pace that allows discovery on your own time. You are there to soak it up—not cruise through.

Notes from the Road: A Generational Trip to Tanzania

North America

Canada

<h4>The Weber Family</h4>
As owners of three fly-in camps, the Webers—a family of four, all involved in the family business—live interesting lives. Richard and Josée Weber (the parents) have led expeditions to the North and South Poles since the 80’s and are both incredibly skilled polar explorers. I’d suggest you look up their combined accomplishments (and awards). Their two sons have followed in their footsteps: Nansen is a wildlife photographer who has worked with Netflix and National Geographic; and Tessum holds the world record as the youngest person ever to ski from land to the North Pole. He completed the feat when he was 20.
<img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-45722 size-full" src="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/icewalk_900x460.jpg" alt="" width="900" height="460" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/icewalk_900x460.jpg 900w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/icewalk_900x460-480x245.jpg 480w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/icewalk_900x460-768x393.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" />
<h4>Activity in the High Arctic</h4>
Days are spent on land or water exploring remote, stark beauty. Most activities range from moderate to easy-going, but there are always ways to extend activities and make them more rigorous. In the patch of land near the camp the coastline is generally quite flat (all the better to see far into the horizon) with some ups-and-downs along canyon walks. All active adventures are well-supported by 4&#215;4 vehicles and ATVs, so it’s easy to roam far knowing you’re covered and can opt-out when you see fit.
<figure id="attachment_45720" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-45720" style="width: 470px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img loading="lazy" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-45702" src="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/DaneATV_470x300-470x300.jpg" alt="" width="470" height="300" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-45720" class="wp-caption-text">The author exploring the terrain with his ATV</figcaption></figure>
For some, arriving to the Arctic would be adventure enough and there’s no push to overdo it with activity every day. Sometimes just casually observing the wildlife and unusual geography is excitement enough. To that end, the camps’ working months are July and August so travellers can take in the best of the region and fully appreciate the midnight sun.
Truly an experience unlike any other.
&nbsp;

<h4>Arctic Watch Wilderness Lodge, Somerset Island, Nunavut</h4>
Arctic Watch Wilderness Lodge is the most northerly fly-in lodge on earth so I was assuming I would be roughing it with little more than a tent on the tundra. While that was certainly not the case, the accommodations are rustic (it’s the High Arctic after all!), but the stay is entirely comfortable. A trip to this part of the world involves a little compromise—you won’t have every amenity at your bedside, but you are dropped into a dramatically isolated and singular place.
The common space is fitted with a constantly crackling woodstove—around which people congregate in the evening to regale each other and relive the day. A real epicenter and anchor to the camp. When this far from roads and traffic lights, you can’t help but feel a real sense of comradery in the shared experience.
<img loading="lazy" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-45697" src="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/dessert_400x350-343x300.jpg" alt="" width="343" height="300" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/dessert_400x350-343x300.jpg 343w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/dessert_400x350.jpg 400w" sizes="(max-width: 343px) 100vw, 343px" />
With menus that are designed to highlight gourmet fare inspired by each province in Canada, the food far surpassed my expectations. To be clear, my low food expectations were entirely based on the location and the lack of easy access to fresh produce, but with some clever planning and a weekly food drop from Yellowknife, the staff were able to provide an incredible culinary experience with a Canadiana slant. The on-tap craft beer and BC wine selection was a nice treat as well!
Best of all? There is a bakery on-site (a rather unexpected luxury, but absolutely coveted). Who can resist the smell of freshly baked sourdough? Co-owner Josée, an incredible chef who hails from Quebec, surprised us with fresh-baked sugar pies for our final evening together. A true delight.

Elemental Arctic

Wellness

The Slow Road: Do you plan to extend your small group Wellness portfolio into more regions?
Absolutely. This is our first direct foray into the wellness arena, and we want to proceed mindfully (yes, we’re applying the concept everywhere) and with an eye to what is working for our travellers. Hopefully in the future we are combining more niche activities with a broader range of regions. Stay tuned!

Wellness Q&A with Ernesto Fucci

Need to Know

Australia

Australia and New Zealand

Featured

<h2>Cradle Mountain Huts Walk</h2>
What’s better than walking and wine? Walking and wine with friends, of course! On a recent trip with a few girlfriends, we decided to really challenge ourselves and strike out along a hiking route that bows to the majestic views of Cradle Mountain, in Tasmania. We spent six days ambling the varied terrain—a smattering of alpine meadows, dramatic moorland, lush pastures and temperate rainforests—all the while catching up on each other’s lives and getting our heart rate up.
At day’s end, we were nourished by hearty meals and cozied into our private rooms (two to a room) set a little way back from the main trail. Each day brings a new hut and a new location, but the guides manage the change seamlessly, with the smell of freshly-baked goods for afternoon tea wafting through the air on arrival each afternoon. While not as sparkly as the other luxury accommodation on the walks I’ve mentioned above—these lodgings still qualify as luxe lodges boasting hot showers and other coveted hiker perks, all the while functioning under a mandate of sustainability. Take for example the renewable energy design of the huts—rainwater is directed toward water tanks, the loos are self-composting, and gas and solar remain the only sources of power. This is remote Australia.
<img loading="lazy" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-45436" src="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Cradle-Mountain-walk_friends600x500-361x300.jpg" alt="" width="361" height="300" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Cradle-Mountain-walk_friends600x500-361x300.jpg 361w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Cradle-Mountain-walk_friends600x500.jpg 600w" sizes="(max-width: 361px) 100vw, 361px" />
While a tad more “rugged” than the other walks I’ve profiled, this is a truly enchanting experience made all the richer with a pack of good friends.
Depending on your desire for difficulty, the route can be complemented with add-ons. One such side trip takes you up to Mt Ossa—Tasmania’s highest peak.
6 days/5 nights
<h2>Twelve Apostles Walk</h2>
If you don’t hail from Australia, and only know a bit about our natural monuments, this walk may be the one that pulls you in. Set in the Great Ocean Road region—a national treasure that hugs the coast for more than 100km—this four-day hike traces the last 55 km of Australia’s Great Ocean Walk and reveals abundant wildlife.
<img loading="lazy" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-45464" src="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Twelve-Apostles_600x500-360x300.jpg" alt="" width="360" height="300" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Twelve-Apostles_600x500-360x300.jpg 360w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Twelve-Apostles_600x500.jpg 600w" sizes="(max-width: 360px) 100vw, 360px" />Walk highlights include the Twelve Apostles, a cluttering of limestone stacks just offshore; remote and beautiful beaches with evidence of ancient shipwrecks; sheer, brooding cliffs and Southern Ocean views that are entirely sublime. Yes, drink it in. (Then, obligingly, retreat to the creature comfort of your base lodge.
Each night you return to the same eco-luxe accommodation, The Twelve Apostles Lodge, where you can unpack once and then casually depart every morning with your daypack to amble along one of the great coastlines of the world, un-hindered. Come evening, hearty regional meals are paired with Victoria’s illustrious wines and a good dose of day-trip reliving. Earlier in the evening, I’d suggest checking out the foot spa—you deserve it!

<h2>Maria Island Walk</h2>
Another walk lovingly road-tested by my offspring, my daughter Charlotte joined me on this fabulous four-day walk when she was just nine years old, and it’s still one of her favourite travel memories three years on. This is my favourite walk if you’re keen to see wildlife, with plenty of opportunities to get up close and personal with a huge range of our iconic Australian animals.
<img loading="lazy" class="size-medium wp-image-45432 alignright" src="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Maria_walk510x425-360x300.jpg" alt="" width="360" height="300" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Maria_walk510x425-360x300.jpg 360w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Maria_walk510x425.jpg 510w" sizes="(max-width: 360px) 100vw, 360px" />
Lying just off the coast of Tasmania, Maria Island (pronounced Mar-EYE-a) has a fascinating history of convicts, eccentric and enthusiastic Italian entrepreneurs, and wildlife conservancy. Its current conservancy status means that it’s become a refuge for endangered species from the mainland, and it’s absolutely replete with wildlife from wombats, to kangaroos, wallabies, Cape Barren Geese, and even the endangered Tasmanian Devil. For bird enthusiasts, you’ll find all Tasmania’s endemic species here, as well as the rare Forty Spotted pardalote and the Swift parrot.
Walks vary from long, white beaches, to bushlands and rocky mountains, with two hidden bush camps providing a simple but cozy refuge. On the final night, you’ll stay in a quaint heritage cottage in the historic Darlington settlement, once home to over 600 convicts in Tasmania’s penal days. Candlelit dinner at the dining table was the prelude for Charlotte and I to wander to a nearby hilltop to search the night skies for the lights of the Aurora Australis—we didn’t spot it that night, but the memories of gazing at the stars while sipping on hot chocolate stay fondly with us! <img loading="lazy" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-45434" src="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Maria_walk_daughter600x500-360x300.jpg" alt="" width="360" height="300" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Maria_walk_daughter600x500-360x300.jpg 360w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Maria_walk_daughter600x500.jpg 600w" sizes="(max-width: 360px) 100vw, 360px" />
PS This walk dove-tails beautifully with a post-walk stay at the spectacular Saffire lodge on the Freycinet Peninsula. The perfect place to rest your feet and indulge!
On private, or selected departures, a ‘pack-free’ option is available to transfer your luggage between camps
<h2>Cape to Cape Walk</h2>
If walking and wine go together for you like peas in a pod, then the Margaret River Cape to Cape Walk in Western Australia might just be your thing! This civilized walk means you won’t be compromising any of your luxuries, with accommodation each night in private beach-side luxury villas, with your own plunge pool—naturally! Short drives each day bring you to a new section of the Cape to Cape Track, so you can stay based at the one lodge, and need only carry a day-pack each day.
<img loading="lazy" class="alignright size-medium wp-image-45447" src="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Margaret-River_vineyard600x500-360x300.jpg" alt="" width="360" height="300" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Margaret-River_vineyard600x500-360x300.jpg 360w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Margaret-River_vineyard600x500.jpg 600w" sizes="(max-width: 360px) 100vw, 360px" />
Throughout the four days, you’ll be taking in spectacular views that vary from vineyards to coastal cliffs, long beaches, limestone caves and karri forests. There’s something really special about combining wine-tasting with whale-spotting, as you gaze out over the Indian Ocean!
Once again, this walk offers incredible food and wine, with a combination of fabulous restaurant dinners, winery lunches, gourmet breakfasts to have at leisure in your villa, and picnics of fresh produce to enjoy along the track. This is a great walk to combine with a visit to Perth, or time it (between March and July) to tie in with a trip up to stunning Ningaloo Reef to swim with the Whale Sharks—priceless!

Well-trodden: Annalise Andrews provides her take on Australia's Top Multi-day Hikes

Madagascar Travel Expert (and born-and-raised South African)

<h2>Continue your travels in Africa</h2>
A retreat at Miavana works well as an add-on to either an East Africa or Southern Africa safari experience. Take a look at <a href="https://www.butterfield.com/experts/michele-harvey/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">my trip portfolio</a> for inspiration: I&#8217;d be delighted to speak with you about any of these destinations, too!<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-44974 alignright" src="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/poolside-miavana.jpg" alt="Madagascar Miavana Luxury Resort" width="380" height="253" />
Miavana also works wonderfully as a stand-alone destination lodge. My suggestion is a 5 to a 7-night stay.
With its ample activities and serene setting, you can create your own adventure here that&#8217;s at once exhilarating and effortless.

<h2>Madagascar&#8217;s Unparalleled Biodiversity</h2>
From the world’s tiniest chameleon to the Crowned Lemur conservation efforts and the many turtles in between, Miavana’s raison d’etre is clear, making this more than your average beach destination. During my visit, I gained a real appreciation of how special the environment and wildlife here is. 
<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-44978 alignright" src="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/madagascar-lemur.jpg" alt="" width="380" height="253" />
Of course, Madagascar&#8217;s unofficial mascot, the lemur, is a crucial part of any visit. Nosy Ankao is known for the endangered Crowned Lemur, which you can spot on a stroll through the island&#8217;s forests. For more lemur adventure, they offer treks on the mainland via a helicopter excursion.
I also had a brief swim with dolphins. They were hunting, but we got to be with them for a short while before they charged off. During whale season, whales can be seen breaching in front of the lodge, and you can catch whale sharks at various times throughout the year, too.
<h2>The Activities at Miavana</h2>
Kite-surfing, stand-up paddleboarding, snorkelling and scuba – the well-rounded activities at Miavana cover water, underwater, land and air.
<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-44983 alignright" src="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/snorkelling-miavana.jpg" alt="Madagascar Miavana Luxury Resort" width="380" height="253" />You can set sail on fabulous boat excursions to other islands in the archipelago and snorkel at different sites, and anglers can cast their reels for some ocean fishing.
No matter what you choose, the lodge&#8217;s guides are passionate and engaging. The calibre of the staff here is truly beyond compare: they would probably go to the ends of the archipelago to please every guest. Plus, the naturalist guides are like walking encyclopedias!

<h2>The Accommodations</h2>
Villas with one, two or three bedrooms come with a lounge area, butler service, a stocked kitchenette and a private, sea-side pool. These guest sanctuaries are spacious, with the smallest coming in at a generous 450 square metres (4,843 square feet).<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-44989 alignright" src="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Room-miavana.jpg" alt="" width="380" height="242" />
The decor is reflective of the beachy vibes that permeate the throughout the island: bright and fresh, with crisp whites, pops of blue and ocean views at nearly every turn.
For families and large groups, each villa has an additional bathroom along with a study which can be flipped into a kids room. Guests can navigate the resort and explore the island using the property&#8217;s complimentary bicycles or electric buggies.
<h2>Getting to Madagascar&#8217;s Miavana Luxury Resort</h2>
There are two &#8216;launching&#8217; points from the mainland to Nosy Ankao. I flew from Johannesburg to Nosy Be, but the other option is to head to Diego Suarez from Antananarivo, Madagascar&#8217;s capital.
From Diego Suarez or Nosy Be, the Miavana&#8217;s helicopters whisk you away. The helicopter ride was an unexpected highlight for me; I saw more of Madagascar’s diversity during the 1-hour flight from Nosy Be to Nosy Ankao than I did during my entire 15-day research trip last year!<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-44987 alignright" src="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/helicopter-miavana-1.jpg" alt="" width="380" height="253" />
The pilots give brilliant commentary as you swoop past points of interest. You gain a tremendous understanding of the country&#8217;s biodiversity as you fly over so many different landscapes – from sea to tsingy (karst mountain formations) to agriculture to seaweed farms, forest and mangroves.
The helicopter flights give you great insight to the northern region and the complexities of the island’s biodiversity, history and social-economic challenges.

Miavana: Madagascar's Luxury Island Escape

Portfolio

7 Simple Ways to Take Great Travel Photos with Your Phone

<h2>The Food</h2>
<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-41400 alignright" src="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/food-450-small-plate.jpg" alt="" width="450" height="338" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/food-450-small-plate.jpg 450w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/food-450-small-plate-399x300.jpg 399w" sizes="(max-width: 450px) 100vw, 450px" />The morning and afternoon meals are reminiscent of home-cooked fare; unfussy, yet delicious and satisfying. Each day begins with à la carte breakfast options such as granola and fresh fruit and eggs benedict, along with a selection of smoothies and fresh-pressed juices. 
While there is an indoor dining room for iffy weather, meals are best enjoyed on the large outdoor deck that faces the river. (Though keep an eye out for cheeky monkeys that want to steal your bagel—I speak from experience!) You could also order room service and enjoy your meal seated at the marble and iron table of your private deck. 
Lunch and dinner are dishes typical of the area: lamb is the meat of choice, and you’ll likely find in the form of a flavourful curry—a nod to South Africa’s Indian population. Plating is contemporary and elegant. Meals are paired with a selection of vintage wines, which are included in your stay. The dining staff shared with me that serving farm-to-table fare is paramount for them, and specified that they use only local farmers to supply their meats and produce, translating to you always getting a meal that is fresh and in season.
<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-41401 aligncenter" src="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/table-732.jpg" alt="" width="732" height="489" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/table-732.jpg 732w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/table-732-449x300.jpg 449w" sizes="(max-width: 732px) 100vw, 732px" />
About every third night, the lodge hosts a traditional boma dinner. During this camp-style cookout, guests and staff gather around a fire pit beneath the night sky and feast on a spread of barbecued meats and veggies, while members of the Shangaan community serenade with song and dance. 
<img loading="lazy" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-41402" src="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/Boma-table-night-960.jpg" alt="" width="960" height="641" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/Boma-table-night-960.jpg 960w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/Boma-table-night-960-449x300.jpg 449w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/Boma-table-night-960-768x513.jpg 768w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/Boma-table-night-960-899x600.jpg 899w" sizes="(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px" />
<h2>The Rooms</h2>
<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-41408 alignright" src="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/Singita-small-room-450.jpg" alt="" width="450" height="300" />There are a total of twelve (totally dreamy) stand-alone suites built in a safari-tent style, elevated with modern flourishes like glass walls and an ensuite bathroom with a four-claw bathtub and separate shower area. A large four-post bed anchors the room, while a spattering of vintage lacquered furnishings from the family&#8217;s private collection, glamorous animal prints, artwork from the local tribes and sepia-toned photographs fill the surrounding space. 
My favourite part of my suite was the private game-viewing deck that watched over the river, complete with a heated plunge pool. From here I’d look on in wonder as—each day at the same time—a giant herd of elephants would cruise past, pausing along their route for the babies to frolic in the water or to snack on some trees. 
Individual suites are best-suited for couples and solo travellers. There are two family suites, which offer an en-suite master bedroom and en-suite twin bedroom, plus a dining area, a lounge area, and a private deck with a plunge pool. Larger groups can opt for the villa, which is comprised of two family suites in addition to a lounge, a swimming pool, a personal guide and vehicle, a chef, wait staff and a private entrance. For families with teenage children, your best option is to book the Lewis suites, which are located next to each other and close to the main lodge.
<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-41409 aligncenter" src="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/Singitaroom-960.jpg" alt="" width="960" height="640" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/Singitaroom-960.jpg 960w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/Singitaroom-960-450x300.jpg 450w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/Singitaroom-960-768x512.jpg 768w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/Singitaroom-960-900x600.jpg 900w" sizes="(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px" />
<h2>How to Get Here</h2>
A multi-season destination, you can come home to the Singita Ebony Lodge year-round. There are daily direct flights to and from the Singita Private Game Reserve from Johannesburg, South Africa, and scheduled commercial flights from Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban to Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport (KMIA) in Nelspruit, which is about an hour from the lodge. There’s also a private airstrip on the lodge grounds so that private planes can be flown in.
<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-41411 aligncenter" src="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/singita-sunset-960.jpg" alt="" width="960" height="640" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/singita-sunset-960.jpg 960w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/singita-sunset-960-450x300.jpg 450w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/singita-sunset-960-768x512.jpg 768w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/singita-sunset-960-900x600.jpg 900w" sizes="(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px" />

A South African Original: Singita Ebony Lodge

England

<h4>St Ives, Cornwall</h4>
<img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-40517 size-full" src="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/st-ives-960px.jpg" alt="" width="960" height="600" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/st-ives-960px.jpg 960w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/st-ives-960px-250x156.jpg 250w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/st-ives-960px-480x300.jpg 480w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/st-ives-960px-768x480.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px" />
Give St Ives an ‘A’ for art and culture: this picturesque harbour town has it all. Named after the Irish saint Ia of Cornwall, this former fishing town boasts a branch of the Tate Modern, along with a glut of galleries, exhibitions, and local artisans working in ceramics (Leach Pottery, the ‘father of British studio pottery’) and practically everything else.
The nearby Barbara Hepworth Museum and sculpture garden is another notable museum. But the simplest delights are the white-sand beaches, azure seas, narrow cobbled streets, and traditional pubs. (Look out for seals popping up in the harbour, too.)

<h2>Coastal Towns</h2>
<h4>Burgh Island, Devon</h4>
This teensy-weensy tidal island was once a significant port for tin trading, and if the tides are low enough, you can walk across from Bigbury-on-Sea on the mainland to the island itself. It’s believed a monastery once stood here, as there are remains of a little chapel that was subsequently occupied by pilchard (sardine) fishermen. During the Second World War, due to fears of Germans landing and creating a beachhead, a pillbox and defensive fortifications were built. Today, though, it’s the site of the Art Deco-style Burgh Island Hotel. The island was also the inspiration for some of Agatha Christie&#8217;s settings; the author herself was from Devon.
<h4><img loading="lazy" class="alignright wp-image-40528 size-full" src="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/ilfracombe-caroljd123-400px.jpg" alt="" width="400" height="504" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/ilfracombe-caroljd123-400px.jpg 400w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/ilfracombe-caroljd123-400px-238x300.jpg 238w" sizes="(max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px" />Ilfracombe, Devon</h4>
Situated on the North Devon coast, the small fishing town of Ilfracombe is known for its picturesque working harbour, graced by some modern accoutrements: the twinned conical chimneys of the award-winning Landmark Theatre, and Verity, a 66-foot-tall bronze sculpture by bad-boy artist Damien Hirst (who lives in nearby Combe Martin). From Victorian and Regency architecture, everywhere there’s a pretty view, a cozy pub and the chapel of St. Nicholas on the hill, where you’ll find the oldest working lighthouse in England.
<h4>Plymouth, Devon</h4>
The largest city on England’s south coast, Plymouth is filled with maritime history. One of the world’s natural harbours, you’ll see a number of yachts, kayaks, sailing ships, fishing and naval vessels in the waters. Sir Francis Drake sailed from Plymouth to defeat the Spanish Armada in 1588, and the pilgrims left Plymouth in 1620 on the Mayflower to start one of the first colonies in America. (Once a thriving wool port, Plymouth was also where Sir John Hawkins and other maritime traders led England into the Atlantic slave trade). Visit the public park of Plymouth Hoe to see the statue of Sir Francis Drake, or pop into the Barbican district, with the largest concentration of cobbled streets in the country, see the Mayflower Steps, or visit the National Marine Aquarium, the largest in Britain and the deepest in Europe.
<img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-40512 size-full" src="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/plymouth-960.jpg" alt="" width="960" height="611" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/plymouth-960.jpg 960w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/plymouth-960-471x300.jpg 471w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/plymouth-960-768x489.jpg 768w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/plymouth-960-943x600.jpg 943w" sizes="(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px" />
<h4>Exeter, Devon</h4>
The last place where the Romans settled in southwestern England, Exeter is a cathedral city with a rich history. A religious centre during the Middle Ages through Tudor times, its cathedral was built in 1050, along with St Nicholas Priory (1087), a monastery, and one of Britain’s oldest synagogues, it is set upon the River Exe with many other secular buildings of historical note such as Rougemont Castle (also known as Exeter Castle). From its lively Quayside to its Underground Passages, the remains of the city’s medieval-era aqueducts, and the Royal Albert Memorial Museum detailing the history of the city, it’s also family-friendly.
<img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-40513 size-full" src="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/exeter-960.jpg" alt="" width="960" height="640" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/exeter-960.jpg 960w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/exeter-960-450x300.jpg 450w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/exeter-960-768x512.jpg 768w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/exeter-960-900x600.jpg 900w" sizes="(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px" />
<h4>Land’s End, Cornwall</h4>
Welcome to the most southwesterly point of mainland Britain, one of the country’s landmarks. Dramatic, 200-foot-high granite cliffs rise sheer out of the Atlantic Ocean, and you’ll be able to see the nearby Isles of Scilly, the Longships lighthouse, and (maybe if you can squint hard enough), North America. The region has been a popular tourist spot for over 300 years. It&#8217;s also one of the famous starting (or end) points for an ‘end-to-end’ journey with John o’Groats in Scotland, the far northeastern tip of the British mainland, a 1410-kilometre (876-mile) route is popular with bikers and travellers.
<img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-40514 size-full" src="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/lands-end-960px.jpg" alt="" width="960" height="640" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/lands-end-960px.jpg 960w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/lands-end-960px-450x300.jpg 450w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/lands-end-960px-768x512.jpg 768w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/lands-end-960px-900x600.jpg 900w" sizes="(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px" />
<h4>Looe, Cornwall</h4>
<img loading="lazy" class="alignright wp-image-40530 size-full" src="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Looe-400.jpg" alt="" width="400" height="503" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Looe-400.jpg 400w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Looe-400-239x300.jpg 239w" sizes="(max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px" />Still a working fishing port, Looe features family-friendly beaches and tidal pools teeming with aquatic wildlife. It’s also connected to the South West Coast Path and near the countryside for excellent walking. A popular day trip to Looe Island Nature Reserve gives you the opportunity to spot the resident grey seals, a large nesting gull population, along with wildflower meadows and sheep.
<h4>Mevagissey, Cornwall</h4>
Known as Lannvorek in Cornish, this gorgeous city by the sea is built on the site of a medieval quay. Named after a Welsh male saint (St. Mevan) and an Irish female saint (St. Issey), it’s a scenic tourist town that was once known for its fishing industry (mackerel, herring, and sardines) and was a notorious port for smuggling. Nearby, you’ll find one of the U.K.’s most popular botanical gardens, the Lost Gardens of Heligan, recently restored in the 1990s after being abandoned during the Great War, located on the estate grounds of Heligan House.
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In Deep: Devon & Cornwall

<h2>Soaring Mountains</h2>
Morocco&#8217;s diverse landscapes showcase the beauty of the High Atlas Mountains. Here, you’ll find remote Berber villages, exceptional walks and hiking without the press of the crowd (imagine the throng of people at the central markets!) Stretching 2,500 kilometres (1,600 mi.) across Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia, the Atlas Mountain range serves as a natural barrier between the coast and the Sahara Desert. Morocco has the tallest two peaks in North Africa, Mount Toubkal, at 4,167 metres (13,671 ft.), and Ighil m’Goun, at 4,071 metres (13,356 ft.).
<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-40329 aligncenter" src="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Atlas-Mtns-960px.jpg" alt="" width="960" height="675" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Atlas-Mtns-960px.jpg 960w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Atlas-Mtns-960px-427x300.jpg 427w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Atlas-Mtns-960px-768x540.jpg 768w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Atlas-Mtns-960px-853x600.jpg 853w" sizes="(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px" />
<h2>Shopping &amp; Crafts</h2>
From traditional crafts like silverwork, leatherwork, ceramics, weaving (of almost anything: textiles or baskets and leather), many of Morocco’s talented artisans are making both classic/traditional and contemporary-styled items. From soaps to homewares, jewelry or antiques of all sorts, Morocco is a true boon for fashionistas and talented decorators with a flair for the truly unique.
<h2>Desert Days &amp; Nights</h2>
The spectacular stillness, silence, and isolation of the desert is something that everyone should experience, especially when dusk shifts to the pitch black of night. Time seems to stretch on forever, and it’s something you may wish for, especially when your ‘hotel’ for the night is a luxury desert camp. From a canopy of twinkling stars on a cloud-free night to the moon shining over an endless sea of rippling sand dunes, the desert is full of mystery and wonder. During the day, there’s much to experience: joining a camel caravan, sand-surfing, dune-buggying or exploring the green miracle of an oasis.
<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-40330 aligncenter" src="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/camels-960px.jpg" alt="" width="960" height="540" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/camels-960px.jpg 960w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/camels-960px-480x270.jpg 480w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/camels-960px-768x432.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px" />
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5 Reasons Why Morocco Will Captivate You

Latin America

<h3>The Mapuche People</h3>
The Mapuche indigenous people have been around since at least 600 years BCE, and are the most numerous first peoples in South America, at more than 1.5 million people. Most Mapuche live in south-central Chile, southwestern Argentina and parts of present-day Patagonia. There was conflict as the Spanish conquistadors arrived in the 16th through to the 18th centuries, with much resistance from the Mapuche. As the Spanish gave way to Chilean independence, the Mapuche were moved to reservations and their traditional lands used for agriculture, with some land disputes continuing to this day.
A collection of various groups of people linked by their common language, Mapudungun, Mapuche means ‘the people of the earth’. Truly connected to the land, much of the culture features healing ceremonies and the use of traditional herbal medicine. There are traditions of the Mapuche shaman, the machi (usually female), who perform ceremonies to heal and ward off enemies or evil. There is also a rich tradition of textile-making (woven blankets or ponchos) that is passed down from one generation to the next, along with silverwork due to trade with Spaniards and Chileans.
<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-40209 aligncenter" src="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/mapuche-people-732.jpg" alt="" width="732" height="485" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/mapuche-people-732.jpg 732w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/mapuche-people-732-453x300.jpg 453w" sizes="(max-width: 732px) 100vw, 732px" />
<h3>Nahuel Huapi National Park</h3>
The oldest national park in Argentina, established in 1934, it’s also one of the largest in the region, encompassing several ecozones in the foothills of the Andes and Nahuel Huapi Lake. The altitude of the park rises up to 3,574 metres (11,726 feet) and spans nearly 2 million acres of land. From white-topped peaks that feature year-round snow, this is the perfect place to explore the lakes, rivers, waterfalls, glaciers and deep forests of the Andes; on its western side, the Chilean border trims it.
<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-40213 aligncenter" src="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Nahuel-Huapi-lake-and-park-732px.jpg" alt="" width="732" height="490" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Nahuel-Huapi-lake-and-park-732px.jpg 732w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Nahuel-Huapi-lake-and-park-732px-448x300.jpg 448w" sizes="(max-width: 732px) 100vw, 732px" />
<h3>Nahuel Huapi Lake</h3>
Located in the lake region of northern Patagonia and within the Nahuel Huapi National Park, this vast glacial lake takes its name from the Mapuche language, meaning “Island of the Jaguar”. A Jesuit mission was established here from 1670-1673, and another one in 1703, destroyed in 1717 due to a local dispute. There are seven branches in this lake, along with two islands: Isla Victoria and Isla Huemul. The lake is stocked with non-native fish (rainbow, brown and brook trout) ideal for recreational fishing, along with other outdoor activities like kayaking. According to legend, there is a giant cryptid living in the lake, called ‘Nahuelito’, and its sightings reportedly predate Nessie. In nearby Chile, the Puyehue-Cordón volcano complex (of four volcanoes) erupted in the year 2011, blanketing the lake’s surface in volcanic ash for a brief time.
<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-40207 aligncenter" src="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Bariloche-lake-960px.jpg" alt="" width="960" height="504" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Bariloche-lake-960px.jpg 960w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Bariloche-lake-960px-480x252.jpg 480w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Bariloche-lake-960px-768x403.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px" />
<h3>Yerba Mate and tea culture in Argentina</h3>
<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-40210 alignright" src="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/yerba-mate-250px.jpg" alt="" width="250" height="376" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/yerba-mate-250px.jpg 250w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/yerba-mate-250px-199x300.jpg 199w" sizes="(max-width: 250px) 100vw, 250px" />The national drink of Argentina, the highly caffeinated herbal tea, yerba mate, is derived from the ground leaves of the plant ilex paraguariensis, actually a member of the holly family. Rich in caffeine as well as antioxidants, cholesterol-lowering properties and the vitamins B1, B2 and C, it is considered a healthy drink with medicinal properties by indigenous South Americans.
First cultivated and consumed by the indigenous Guarani people in Southern Brazil, the drink spread with European colonization, with Jesuits first successfully cultivating it commercially (although they tried to ban it in Argentina at first). Traditionally served loose-leaf in a hollow gourd and drunk through a perforated metal straw called a bombilla, the serving style is to pass the gourd to each person, drinking it communally; it is refilled continuously and shared. Being highly caffeinated, it is often drunk as a morning beverage. You’ll also find a variation of yerba mate called mate cocido, which is brewed from a tea bag and served with milk and sugar.
In Buenos Aires and in the Welsh regions of Patagonia, a fascinating mash-up of British and Argentine tea culture has sprung up with tea sandwiches and a late afternoon ritual, following the British tradition.
<h2>Where to Stay</h2>
<h3><a href="http://llaollao.com/en/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Llao Llao Resort, Bariloche</a></h3>
The most exclusive resort in Argentine Patagonia, Llao Llao boasts breathtaking views of the surrounding lakes, forests, and the soaring Andes mountains. A magnificent indoor and outdoor pool, 18 holes of golf, and an amazing spa are just some of the amenities on offer at this grand hideaway.
<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-40215 aligncenter" src="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Llao-Llao-hotel.jpg" alt="" width="960" height="638" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Llao-Llao-hotel.jpg 960w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Llao-Llao-hotel-451x300.jpg 451w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Llao-Llao-hotel-768x510.jpg 768w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Llao-Llao-hotel-903x600.jpg 903w" sizes="(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px" />
<h3><a href="http://lasbalsas.com/en/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Las Balsas Hotel</a></h3>
The prestige of this Relais &amp; Chateaux property set amidst the breathtaking Patagonian landscape is an opportunity to encounter Argentina at its natural best. Las Balsas is a haven for those who seek the serenity of wide open spaces, whether finding refuge in the hotel’s spa or pursuing a more active agenda in the surrounding countryside.
<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-40216 aligncenter" src="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Las-Balsas.jpg" alt="" width="960" height="480" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Las-Balsas.jpg 960w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Las-Balsas-480x240.jpg 480w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Las-Balsas-768x384.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px" />
<h3><a href="https://www.andbeyond.com/our-lodges/south-america/chile/lake-district/andbeyond-vira-vira/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Hotel Vira Vira</a> </h3>
Set in a marvellous park and surrounded by stunning volcanoes, Vira Vira sits proudly on the shores of the peaceful Liucura River. Its gourmet restaurant uses wonderfully fresh produce from the property’s farm to design the daily menu. The cozy ﬁreplace is the perfect spot to curl up with a glass of Chilean Carmenère in the evenings.
<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-40217 aligncenter" src="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Vira-Vira.jpg" alt="" width="960" height="679" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Vira-Vira.jpg 960w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Vira-Vira-424x300.jpg 424w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Vira-Vira-768x543.jpg 768w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Vira-Vira-848x600.jpg 848w" sizes="(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px" />

Lakes & Volcanoes: A New Way to See The Andes

Holland

<h2>Film and Photography</h2>
<h3><a href="https://www.eyefilm.nl/en" target="_blank" rel="noopener">EYE Filmmuseum</a></h3>
You won’t be able to miss this sleek white building on the northern waterfront’s edge. Indeed, you will also find a place to get your fix of cutting-edge cinematic exhibitions, retrospectives, and edgy contemporary movies here. The most important centre of cinema in the country, it’s worth the free ferry ride alone.
<img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-40160 size-full" src="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Eye-960px.jpg" alt="" width="960" height="542" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Eye-960px.jpg 960w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Eye-960px-480x271.jpg 480w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Eye-960px-768x434.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px" />
<h3><a href="https://www.foam.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img loading="lazy" class="alignright wp-image-40170 size-full" src="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Foam-Museum-350px.jpg" alt="" width="350" height="216" />Foam</a></h3>
This well-regarded photography museum highlights works from major photographers such as Diane Arbus, Anton Corbijn, Cy Twombly, Helen Levitt, and more in a renovated canal house. Various exhibitions are rotating throughout the year, along with children’s workshops and activities.
<h2>Great for Families</h2>
Here are a few picks that are great if you’re travelling with the family, with interactive exhibits and plenty of entertainment and learning for the little ones.
<h3><a href="https://www.amsterdammuseum.nl/en" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Amsterdam Museum</a></h3>
Highlighting the story of Amsterdam through art, artifacts, household objects and archaeological discoveries, the rich history of Holland’s capital can be discovered here, housed in a former orphanage and convent. There are more than 70,000 artifacts to be found, with colourful interactive displays and multimedia exhibits that bring the city to life.
<h3><a href="https://www.hetscheepvaartmuseum.nl/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img loading="lazy" class="alignright wp-image-40174 size-full" src="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/MAritime-Boat-350.jpg" alt="" width="350" height="197" />National Maritime Museum</a></h3>
A major part of Dutch history, the maritime exploits of the country, are unfurled here. Housed in a former naval storehouse, paintings, scale models, weapons and world maps highlight the explorers, cartographers and more, from the worlds of shipping and sailing. You’ll find a life-sized replica of the Dutch East India Company’s ship, the Amsterdam, moored at the dock alongside the museum, along with interactive children’s exhibits.
<h3><a href="https://www.nemosciencemuseum.nl/en/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NEMO Science Museum</a></h3>
A favourite with families, this science and technology museum will entertain the kids all day long, with all kinds of interactive and hands-on exhibits, videos, and activities. From discovering the furthest edges of the universe to an innovation gallery and a science lab where you can build, play, and learn, the museum is always changing things up to keep it fresh and new.
<img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-40173 size-full" src="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/NEMO-museum-960.jpg" alt="" width="960" height="354" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/NEMO-museum-960.jpg 960w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/NEMO-museum-960-480x177.jpg 480w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/NEMO-museum-960-768x283.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px" />
<h3><a href="https://www.tropenmuseum.nl/en" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tropenmuseum</a> of World Culture</h3>
Within the greenery of the Oosterpark, you’ll find the grand building of the Tropenmuseum, with its beautiful light-filled hall, characterized by open balconies and a grand staircase. The museum specializes in the stories of collective humankind and universal themes, particularly from non-western cultures. An offshoot of the museum, the award-winning <a href="https://www.tropenmuseum.nl/en/about-tropenmuseum-junior" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tropenmuseum Junior</a> was created for kids aged 6 to 13, with interactive exhibits designed to engage and educate.
<img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-40172 size-full" src="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Tropenmuseum-kids-600.jpg" alt="" width="611" height="334" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Tropenmuseum-kids-600.jpg 611w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Tropenmuseum-kids-600-480x262.jpg 480w" sizes="(max-width: 611px) 100vw, 611px" />
<h2>The Natural World</h2>
Dive into the natural world with two of these intriguing places, also great for older kids.
<h3><a href="https://www.artis.nl/nl/language/visitors-information/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ARTIS Amsterdam Royal Zoo</a></h3>
Established in 1838 and the oldest zoo in the Netherlands (not to mention in continental Europe), there are 27 historic buildings on-site to wander throughout. With an aquarium, a planetarium, an arboretum and even an art collection, there is surprisingly more here than one expects. (An odd fact: the world’s last quagga, a now-extinct subspecies of zebra, passed away at the zoo in 1883, although there are breeding programs now to recreate it).
<img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-40179 size-full" src="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/artis-gardens-732px.jpg" alt="" width="732" height="412" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/artis-gardens-732px.jpg 732w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/artis-gardens-732px-480x270.jpg 480w" sizes="(max-width: 732px) 100vw, 732px" />
<h3><img loading="lazy" class="alignright wp-image-40181 size-full" src="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/hortus-botanicus-300px.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="373" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/hortus-botanicus-300px.jpg 300w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/hortus-botanicus-300px-241x300.jpg 241w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /><a href="https://www.dehortus.nl/en/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Hortus Botanicus</a></h3>
One of the oldest botanical gardens in the world, it was first established in 1638 as a herb garden for doctors and pharmacists of the city in the days of the plague. Step into the world of exotic plants. With more than 4,000 species from all over the world, wander through its greenhouses, marvelling at Victoria, the garden’s 150-year-old water lily who opens her blooms daily at dusk, a delightful butterfly conservatory, and a centuries-old agave plant that dates back to the Roman era.
<h3><a href="https://www.micropia.nl/en/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Micropia</a></h3>
Weird and wonderful, look at the world through the tiniest lens of all at Micropia, a museum devoted entirely to microbes! It was Dutchman Antoni van Leeuwenhoek, an amateur microscope enthusiast (and draper by trade) who was the first person in the world to view bacteria. Dive into his world with some excellent interactive exhibits and a fascinating look at our everyday world, from the most diminutive perspective.
<img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-40145 size-full" src="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/micropia-960px.jpg" alt="" width="960" height="548" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/micropia-960px.jpg 960w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/micropia-960px-480x274.jpg 480w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/micropia-960px-768x438.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px" />

17 Best Museums in Amsterdam

Veneto

<h3><img loading="lazy" class="alignright wp-image-39966 size-medium" src="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Gondolier-300px-225x300.jpg" alt="" width="225" height="300" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Gondolier-300px-225x300.jpg 225w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Gondolier-300px.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 225px) 100vw, 225px" /></h3>
<h2>Shoes</h2>
<h4><a href="https://giovannazanella.com/eng/aboutme/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Giovanna Zanella</a></h4>
Make a stop by Giovanna Zanella’s shop for made-to-measure shoes. Zanella works in the shop alongside her apprentice (she also learned under the tutelage of a master shoemaker) and can create custom shoes—ready in two months—after measuring your feet in the shop. From there, you can order online or by phone, but only after she takes your measurements in person.
<h4>La Friulana</h4>
Many of the shoes worn by the gondoliers of Venice today are made cheaply overseas. If you’re in search of the real thing marked by Made in Italy, Le Friulana is the place to go. From velvet to silk or linen and colours both bold or muted, you may be able to find something here that piques your interest.
Phone: +39 041 523 9833 
Address: Calle del Scaleter, 30125 Venice VE, Italy
<h2>Lace</h2>
Lace in Venice is most closely linked with Burano, the colourful island found to the north of the mainland. This dainty fabric was at one time the prized possession of European nobles; it was used in dowries and outfitted the most prestigious of royals such as Marie de’Medici and King Louis XIV.
The legend goes that lacemaking first made an appearance in Venice when a smitten sailor gifted a Venetian girl with a plant called trina delle sirene, otherwise known as mermaid’s lace. Enchanted by the plant’s beauty, the girl aimed to recreate its intricate design using delicate thread, and the art was born. Lacemaking was always deemed a ‘woman’s task’, particularly suited for convents; the work behind crafting Burano lace is painstaking and the art of making it was deemed fit for women who lived a cloistered and contemplative life. Despite its labour-intensive nature, lace continues to be a mainstay of Venice. Here’s where you can take home a bit of Venetian history with a lace-made piece.
<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-39941 aligncenter" src="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Burano-960px.jpg" alt="" width="960" height="701" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Burano-960px.jpg 960w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Burano-960px-411x300.jpg 411w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Burano-960px-768x561.jpg 768w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Burano-960px-822x600.jpg 822w" sizes="(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px" /><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-39943 alignright" src="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/emilia-burano-showroom-300.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="302" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/emilia-burano-showroom-300.jpg 300w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/emilia-burano-showroom-300-298x300.jpg 298w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/emilia-burano-showroom-300-150x150.jpg 150w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />
<h4><a href="http://www.emiliaburano.it" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Emilia Burano</a></h4>
This is the shop for Burano lace, from fine lingerie to dresses and home decor. Carrying on the family legacy, Emilia took on the craft at her grandmother’s knee. Now in its fourth generation, the business has extended into bespoke home linens as well. There are two boutiques found on Burano Island and one in Venice inside the Belmond Hotel Cipriani.
<h2>Boats</h2>
<h4><a href="http://www.veniceboats.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Gilberto Penzo</a></h4>
A symbol of Venice, gondola-making is a long-standing tradition passed on through family generations. Gilberto Penzo, who comes from a family of boat builders, translated his craft to miniature models of gondolas, the vaporetto and other Venetian boats. Along with his incredibly detailed, pre-made models, he also offers kits for do-it-yourselfers.
<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-39980 aligncenter" src="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/gilberto-penzo-boats-732.jpg" alt="" width="732" height="303" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/gilberto-penzo-boats-732.jpg 732w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/gilberto-penzo-boats-732-480x199.jpg 480w" sizes="(max-width: 732px) 100vw, 732px" />
<h4><a href="http://tramontingondole.it" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tramontin</a></h4>
At Tramontin you can go big and go home…with a full-sized gondola. Building this traditional vessel since 1884, the Tramontin family hasn’t changed their technique since and use only cured, solid wood to assemble their boats. After dropping a cool $30,000 and a two-month construction time, you can live out your romantic fantasies well after your trip to Venice. An appointment is necessary, so be sure to call ahead.
<h3><img loading="lazy" class="alignright wp-image-39981 size-thumbnail" src="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/T-Fondaco-Rooftop-Hat-Lady-350px-250x156.jpg" alt="" width="250" height="156" /></h3>
<h2>For A Break&#8230;</h2>
<a href="https://www.dfs.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">T Fondaco dei Tedeschi</a>
If you need an air-conditioned respite from the outdoors, head to T Fondaco dei Tedeschi. A former roadside inn for traders, it’s now a luxury shopping mall that sees free art shows on its top floor and views over Venice from the rooftop terrace. Even if you’re not looking to shop their selection of international labels, the restaurant café, AMO, is a great place for a bite or espresso break. Designed by French designer, Philippe Starck, AMO is headed by Massimiliano Alajmo, the youngest chef in history to earn 3 Michelin stars.

The Best 22 Shops in Venice

France

Île-de-France

<h3><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-39871 alignright" src="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/rouenFlag300px.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="302" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/rouenFlag300px.jpg 300w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/rouenFlag300px-298x300.jpg 298w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/rouenFlag300px-150x150.jpg 150w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />Rouen: A Medieval Stronghold </h3>
The capital of Normandy, Rouen has held serious clout as far back as the Middle Ages. One of the largest and wealthiest towns in medieval Europe, it was the seat of the Exchequer of Normandy and a capital of the Anglo-Norman dynasty, which ruled England and various parts of France from the 11th to the 15th centuries. With such concentrated wealth and infrastructure, its town is filled with curiosities, museums, and important historical sites: the Tour de Beurre (Butter Tower) built from a sale of indulgences to consume butter during Lent; an astronomical clock from the 14thC; Rouen Castle, where Joan of Arc was briefly held, and the site of her pyre, at the Place du Vieux Marche. Along with that, the city is rich in museums and culture, from fine arts, ceramics, to maritime history, and has a noted botanical garden that was once owned by Scottish economist John Law.
<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-39868 aligncenter" src="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/rouen-732px.jpg" alt="" width="732" height="487" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/rouen-732px.jpg 732w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/rouen-732px-451x300.jpg 451w" sizes="(max-width: 732px) 100vw, 732px" />
<h3><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-39869 alignright" src="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Jumieges1.png" alt="" width="300" height="304" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Jumieges1.png 300w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Jumieges1-296x300.png 296w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />Abbey of Jumièges: Wealth and Power</h3>
The ruins of a once-powerful monastery founded in the year 654, the Abbey of Jumièges enjoyed a remarkable privilege and standing. At the height of its powers, nearly one thousand monks lived here, enjoying the patronage of the wealthy Dukes of Burgundy. Rising to become one of the most influential monasteries in the country, Jumièges was a renowned centre of religion, education, and influence, not to mention tremendous alms and charity for the poor. Razed by the Vikings in the 9thC, but rebuilt and consecrated in 1067 (in front of an audience that included William the Conqueror), it ceased to be a working abbey during the French Revolution, but one thing that continues to live amongst the ruins is a 500-year-old yew tree in the middle of the former cloister, a silent witness to history.
<h3>Honfleur: Maritime Trade &amp; Exploration 
</h3>
The <a href="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/2015/06/11/things-to-do-in-honfleur/">beautiful Norman town of Honfleur</a> is known for its picturesque inner harbour. Situated on an estuary on the left bank of the Seine, Honfleur was the ideal port for shipping goods from Rouen over to England. This strategic location also meant that during the Hundred Years’ War between England and France (and throughout), Honfleur switched hands often between the two powers. Trade thrived in the 1600s with Canada, the West Indies, the coasts of Africa and the Azores in Portugal, along with its dubious status as one of the five main ports for France’s slave trade. A number of explorers departed from the port, including Gonneville’s 1503 expedition to Brazil, Jean Denis to Newfoundland and the St. Lawrence River in 1506, and Samuel de Champlain in 1608, who went on to found Quebec City.
<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-39855 aligncenter" src="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/honfleur-732px.jpg" alt="" width="732" height="487" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/honfleur-732px.jpg 732w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/honfleur-732px-451x300.jpg 451w" sizes="(max-width: 732px) 100vw, 732px" />

Secrets of the Seine

<hr />
<h2>ISLAND DINING</h2>
<h3><a href="https://www.venissa.it/en/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img loading="lazy" class="size-medium wp-image-49250 alignright" src="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/venissa-480x300.png" alt="Venissa" width="480" height="300" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/venissa-480x300.png 480w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/venissa-250x156.png 250w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/venissa-768x480.png 768w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/venissa.png 960w" sizes="(max-width: 480px) 100vw, 480px" />Venissa—Mazzorbo Island</a></h3>
Nestled on Mazzorbo Island in the northern part of the Venetian Lagoon, Venissa offers an unforgettable 1-star Michelin dining experience with its seasonal dishes sourced from local ingredients. Surrounded by a peaceful walled vineyard and vegetable gardens, Venissa is the perfect spot to enjoy lunch, dinner or a rare vintage cultivated from white-wine grapes grown exclusively around Venice.
<h3><a href="https://www.gattonero.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Trattoria al Gatto Nero—Burano Island</a></h3>
Located on Burano island, Trattoria al Gatto Nero has been a family-owned, family affair since 1965. This idyllic island restaurant offers some of the freshest seafood in Burano, and its bright blue facade and the ever-present lineup of hungry guests outside its door can be spotted from a mile away.
<h3><a href="https://www.locandacipriani.com/en/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img loading="lazy" class="size-medium wp-image-49251 alignright" src="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/aaa-locanda-480x300.png" alt="Locanda Cipriani" width="480" height="300" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/aaa-locanda-480x300.png 480w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/aaa-locanda-250x156.png 250w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/aaa-locanda-768x480.png 768w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/aaa-locanda.png 960w" sizes="(max-width: 480px) 100vw, 480px" />Locanda Cipriani—Torcello Island</a></h3>
Still owned by the Cipriani family today, Locanda Cipriani first opened its doors as a modest inn and restaurant in 1934. With its typical Venetian cuisine, vegetable gardens and charming views of the churches of Torcello, Locanda was a favourite spot among celebrities and royals alike, having hosted Queen Elizabeth II, the Duke of Edinburgh and Ernest Hemingway, who first visited in 1948 and spent an entire month writing his novel Across the River and Into the Trees at his table alongside a rustic Valais fireplace.

<hr />
<h2>DINNER ONLY</h2>
<h3><a href="http://ristorantealcovo.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Al Covo</a> 
</h3>
Tradition and locally sourced ingredients are the focus of this family-run establishment that’s been in business since 1987. Extra virgin olive oil and their list of over 240 wines are carefully selected to match their thoughtful menu that uses only ingredients from small-scale producers.
<img loading="lazy" class="alignnone wp-image-40086 size-full" src="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Venice-BR.jpg" alt="" width="960" height="521" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Venice-BR.jpg 960w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Venice-BR-480x261.jpg 480w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Venice-BR-768x417.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px" />
<h3><a href="https://www.ristorantedafiore.com/en/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Da Fiore</a></h3>
The art of cooking a great meal was passed down to Chef Mara from her grandmother, and today she shares her gift with her welcomed guests at Da Fiore. At one time a Venetian tavern, today this gastronomic address houses a refined dining room matched by high-end service.
<h3><a href="http://www.alajmo.it/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img loading="lazy" class="size-medium wp-image-40100 alignleft" src="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Gondola-200x300.jpg" alt="" width="200" height="300" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Gondola-200x300.jpg 200w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Gondola.jpg 250w" sizes="(max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px" />Il Quadri</a></h3>
Awaken your taste buds at Il Quadri, where traditional Italian dishes get a modern update, as seen in their penne with cuttlefish, ginger, and spring pea ragu and a ricotta cheese cannolo served with pepper tonka bean and cocoa jam.
<h3><a href="http://www.doforni.it/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Trattoria Do Forni</a></h3>
Do Forni rests on the site of a former bakery that provided bread and sweets for the Doge’s Palace. Nowadays, its opulent dining room sees guests enjoy plates from a menu with a large selection of pasta, risottos, fish and meats.<img loading="lazy" class="size-medium wp-image-40092 alignright" src="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Venice-at-nightt-239x300.jpg" alt="" width="239" height="300" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Venice-at-nightt-239x300.jpg 239w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Venice-at-nightt.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 239px) 100vw, 239px" />
<h3><a href="http://www.ilridotto.com/en/home-en/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Il Ridotto </a></h3>
Il Ridotto has been proudly wearing a Michelin star since 2013. Indulge in multi-course tasting menus or an à la carte selection of new takes on classic meals. The minimalist dining room ensures to place all the emphasis on the high-quality fare.
<h3><a href="http://www.estrovenezia.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Estro Vino e Cucina</a></h3>
This buzzy wine bar and restaurant is the perfect locale to sip on a local Soave or glass of Prosecco. An all-day establishment, you can grab a simple yet divine Italian sandwich for a quick lunch during the day, nosh on some light snacks aperitivo or settle into a full meal for dinner.
<img loading="lazy" class="alignnone wp-image-40093 size-full" src="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/VE-PS.jpg" alt="" width="960" height="640" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/VE-PS.jpg 960w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/VE-PS-450x300.jpg 450w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/VE-PS-768x512.jpg 768w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/VE-PS-900x600.jpg 900w" sizes="(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px" />

The Best 15 Restaurants in Venice

<h3><img loading="lazy" class="size-medium wp-image-39989 alignright" src="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Outside-296x300.jpg" alt="" width="296" height="300" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Outside-296x300.jpg 296w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Outside.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 296px) 100vw, 296px" />Family Dining</h3>
<a href="http://www.starbelly.ca/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Starbelly 
</a>In the southeastern suburbs of Calgary, the farm-to-table initiative of Starbelly sees a healthy and sustainable menu using in-season ingredients perfected by expert cooking. Don’t miss their Waffle Station on Sundays, a sure hit with kids.
<a href="https://cibocalgary.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-40013 alignleft" src="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/cibo.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="249" />Cibo 
</a>A brightly-lit space housed in a beautiful brick building, enjoy old-fashioned Italian food served family-style at Cibo. Keeping things local and fresh, dishes are enhanced by ingredients such as greenhouse-grown micro basil and boar bacon from nearby producers.
<h3>Cafes &amp; Desserts</h3>
<a href="https://www.maribakeshop.ca/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mari Bakeshop 
</a>The inspiration for Mari Bakeshop come on a dreary weekend in 2016, when Chef Douglas Gregory (formerly from the <a href="https://www.thomaskeller.com/tfl" target="_blank" rel="noopener">French Laundry</a> in California) saw past the winter drudge and fell in love with the fervour of Calgary’s East Village. He and his partner/pastry chef, Lauren Ahn, decided to open their bright and minimal-modern shop in this rising part of town, specializing in rolled cakes, choux cream puffs, and Parisian-style bread.<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-39999 alignright" src="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Bread.png" alt="" width="300" height="226" />
<a href="http://sidewalkcitizenbakery.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sidewalk Citizen 
</a>Once upon a time, this 106-year old building housed a mattress factory; now, it’s the home of Sidewalk Citizen. Specializing in fresh bread, like organic sourdough, as well as flaky pastries, this bakery-café is a great spot to grab a sandwich or pizza for a quality, quick and tasty lunch.
<a href="http://www.byollia.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img loading="lazy" class="size-medium wp-image-40004 alignleft" src="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Biscoito-248x300.jpg" alt="" width="248" height="300" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Biscoito-248x300.jpg 248w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Biscoito.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 248px) 100vw, 248px" />Ollia 
</a>Ollia combines traditional culinary practices with modern techniques to concoct some of the most delectable (and intricate) pastries in the city, especially the beloved macaron. Either pick up some of the delicate French cookie to go, or sample the gamut of flavours from the shop paired with a tea from their wide selection.<img loading="lazy" class="size-medium wp-image-40003 alignright" src="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Ice-Cream-208x300.jpg" alt="" width="208" height="300" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Ice-Cream-208x300.jpg 208w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Ice-Cream.jpg 250w" sizes="(max-width: 208px) 100vw, 208px" />
<a href="https://www.madebymarcus.ca/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Made by Marcus 
</a>Made by Marcus began when owner Marcus Purtzki found himself with excess egg yolk after making macarons (his original passion) and turned them into mouth-watering ice cream. Shortly thereafter, he superseded his macaron-making reputation, with people flocking to his micro-creamy opened in the summer of 2016. Try one of his unique flavours like matcha white chocolate or stick to a classic with an updated spin like Tahitian vanilla bean.
<h3>Hot Spots</h3>
<a href="https://www.calcuttacricketclub.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Calcutta Cricket Club</a> 
It won’t take long for you to notice that Calcutta Cricket Club is not your average Indian restaurant. Looking like a scene out of a Wes Anderson film, vibrant hues of pink, green, and orange combine with wickered walls and a tiled bar and floor of clashing patterns. Head here for a Bengalese-inspired menu featuring flavourful curries, Indian-style pub food, and exotic fruity cocktails.<img loading="lazy" class="size-medium wp-image-40022 alignleft" src="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Chinese-242x300.jpg" alt="" width="242" height="300" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Chinese-242x300.jpg 242w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Chinese.jpg 300w" sizes="(max-width: 242px) 100vw, 242px" />
<a href="http://www.twopenny.ca/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Two Penny</a>
Serving classic Chinese food with a modern twist, this restaurant and bar mixes traditional Shanghai and Cantonese-inspired dishes with Albertan ingredients. A tea room hidden in the basement showcases another side Two Penny as a speakeasy-style cocktail bar with a menu of small plates and bao sandwiches.
<a href="http://shokuninyyc.ca" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Shokunin<img loading="lazy" class="size-medium wp-image-40018 alignright" src="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/sushi-1-244x300.jpg" alt="" width="244" height="300" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/sushi-1-244x300.jpg 244w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/sushi-1.jpg 250w" sizes="(max-width: 244px) 100vw, 244px" /></a>
With five younger siblings and a single-parent household, Albertan Chef Darren MacLean honed his cooking skills from a young age. Following a culinary tour through Japan, he returned home inspired to open Shokunin. Aiming for authenticity in all he does, Shokunin uses fresh ingredients and house-made sauces in flavourful small plates of Japanese fare.
<a href="http://www.unapizzeria.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-40017 alignleft" src="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/pizza.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" />Una 
</a>A great spot for a late-night snack, Una is famed for their California-style thin crust pizza adorned with locally sourced toppings, such as their rich and creamy formaggi (cheese) pizza drizzled with honey from the owner’s beehives.
&nbsp;

20 Best Calgary Restaurants

Boats

River Cruises

Austria

Germany

Hungary

<h4>The Emerging Heart of Central Europe: Bratislava, Slovakia</h4>
With a charming Old Town and inescapable views of Bratislava Castle sitting sentry above the Danube, Slovakia’s capital makes for an utterly pleasant visit. This underrated city of 450,000 is often overshadowed by its neighbours in Austria and the Czech Republic, but it’s a true gem of Central Europe. A walkable city fringed by forests, complete with beautiful hiking and biking paths along the Danube, Bratislava also has some interesting buildings such as the Little Blue Church, remnants of Communist-era architecture and a less crowded, more authentic vibe than larger cities on the tourist trail.
<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-39759 aligncenter" src="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Bratislava-with-CAstle-960px.jpg" alt="" width="960" height="458" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Bratislava-with-CAstle-960px.jpg 960w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Bratislava-with-CAstle-960px-480x229.jpg 480w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Bratislava-with-CAstle-960px-768x366.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px" />
<h4>Panoramic Views and Prayers: Esztergom, Hungary</h4>
While its name may not roll off your tongue, there is one building in the city of Esztergom that is not to be missed: the impressive Esztergom Basilica, consecrated in 1856. The largest church and the tallest building in Hungary, with its dome standing about 72 metres (235 feet tall), it is the seat of the Catholic Church in Hungary. Its gigantic bell, when rung, can be heard for miles around, and from the top of the dome, visitors will be able to see the Danube valley and several mountain ranges. Within, you will find the largest painting in the world on the altarpiece—the Italian painter Grigoletti’s version of the Assumption of Virgin Mary, measuring 13.5 by 6.6 metres (44 feet by 22 feet)!
<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-39760 aligncenter" src="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/esztergom-960px.jpg" alt="" width="960" height="511" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/esztergom-960px.jpg 960w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/esztergom-960px-480x256.jpg 480w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/esztergom-960px-768x409.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px" />
<h4>A Bathing Beauty: Budapest, Hungary</h4>
The <a href="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/2015/05/11/insiders-guide-the-top-6-things-to-do-in-budapest/">elegant Hungarian capital</a> is also known as “the pearl of the Renaissance”. From its astonishing Parliament building to the massive Buda Castle, and a fantasy mishmash of architectural styles from neo-Gothic to Baroque, Romantic and more, your eyes (and camera) will be delighted in this visually striking city. Uniquely Hungarian and soothing for your other senses are the therapeutic mineral waters found all around town—<a href="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/2017/11/21/insiders-guide-budapest-baths/">here’s our guide to navigating them</a>.
<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-39757 aligncenter" src="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Budapest-960px.jpg" alt="" width="960" height="541" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Budapest-960px.jpg 960w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Budapest-960px-480x271.jpg 480w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Budapest-960px-768x433.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px" />

9 Must-Sees Along the Danube River

<a href="http://www.kenforresterwines.com/Wine.aspx?WINEID=41794&amp;CLIENTID=3155" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Eben Sadie Columella 2014</a>
Since releasing his first wine in 2000, <a href="http://www.kenforresterwines.com/Wine.aspx?WINEID=41794&amp;CLIENTID=3155" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Eben Sadie</a> has built a reputation as an innovative and inspired winemaker, at once modern and traditional. His signature wine is this Columella, a multi-grape blend led by Syrah, Grenache and Mourvedre.
<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-39640 alignright" src="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/babylonstoren-white-table-food-350px.jpg" alt="" width="350" height="259" /><a href="http://www.kleinconstantia.com/our-wines/estate/methode-cap-classique-brut/2014" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Klein Constantia MCC Brut 2014</a>
Famed for its sweet dessert wine, Vin de Constance, of which Napoleon was an avid fan, much of the vineyards fell into neglect but have since been replanted. This sparkling wine is made in the traditional Champagne method from 100% Chardonnay.
<a href="http://www.kleinconstantia.com/our-wines/estate/methode-cap-classique-brut/2014">Boekenhoutskloof The Chocolate Block 2015</a>
From the Franschhoek Valley, <a href="http://www.lcbo.com/lcbo/product/the-chocolate-block-2015/129353#.WwxVUlMvwfw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Boekenhoutskloof’s “classic” blend</a> is made of Syrah (71%) and small amounts of Grenache Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cinsault and Viognier. Winemaker Mark Kent also makes highly regarded white wine from Sémillon, as well as a range of entry-level wines under the names Porcupine Ridge and The Wolftrap.
<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-39641 aligncenter" src="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/panorama-wine-732px.jpg" alt="" width="732" height="549" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/panorama-wine-732px.jpg 732w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/panorama-wine-732px-400x300.jpg 400w" sizes="(max-width: 732px) 100vw, 732px" />

7 Best Wines from South Africa

New Zealand

<h4>Tip #4: Enjoy Every Day </h4>
As someone once said: life is what happens when you’re busy making other plans.  Just a few days before I was guiding a B&amp;R trip in New Zealand, I was caught in the 2011 <a href="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/2017/01/18/things-to-do-in-christchurch/">Christchurch</a> earthquake with my co-guide, <a href="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/author/erin-reed/">Erin Reed</a>. Literally, chunks of buildings were falling all around us (including the building we had just stepped out of), we saw the top of the Christchurch Cathedral crash into Cathedral Square and people were running in the streets, with aftershocks continuing constantly—and that day, we were picking up a group of B&amp;R travellers. Needless to say, everyone was safe and sound and accounted for, and after some serious deliberation, we decided to run the trip. It was a hugely emotional experience for us all, which reminded each of us to be grateful for what we do have. We’ve got it all in New Zealand: glaciers, mountains, forests, the ocean, the beach, a thriving Maori culture, and the best people on earth. What more could you ask for?
<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-39575 aligncenter" src="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/nz-maori-960px.jpg" alt="" width="960" height="554" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/nz-maori-960px.jpg 960w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/nz-maori-960px-480x277.jpg 480w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/nz-maori-960px-768x443.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px" />
<h4>Tip #5: Don’t Forget to Indulge</h4>
While your eyes are feasting on the mind-blowing scenery, don’t forget that we also have some of the best food (<a href="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/2015/04/15/the-10-best-new-zealand-wines/">and wine</a>!) in the world. From fresh seafood or something as simple as a steak or biting into a farm-fresh and flavourful apple, New Zealand’s food is something you’ll look forward to on the daily. (I also feel it is my national duty to mention our sweets: from Whittaker’s Chocolate to Jaffas to Pascal’s Minties and pineapple lumps, your active days will almost certainly cancel out these quintessential Kiwi must-try treats)!
<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-39580 aligncenter" src="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/NZ-wineland-732px.jpg" alt="" width="732" height="487" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/NZ-wineland-732px.jpg 732w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/NZ-wineland-732px-451x300.jpg 451w" sizes="(max-width: 732px) 100vw, 732px" />
<h4>Tip #6: Embrace the Adventure</h4>
From meeting longtime sheep ranchers in the Canterbury region, to a thrilling jet boat ride with white-peaked mountains as your backdrop. To venturing into an icy blue glacier or simply relaxing at an off-the-grid luxury lodge and right down to stargazing in one of the dark sky capitals of the world, every day is an adventure waiting to unfold in New Zealand. I invite you to my wild and wonderful homeland to experience it all!
<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-39632 aligncenter" src="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/AK08-Abel-TasmannNP-Nelson-Gareth-Eyres960px.jpg" alt="" width="960" height="429" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/AK08-Abel-TasmannNP-Nelson-Gareth-Eyres960px.jpg 960w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/AK08-Abel-TasmannNP-Nelson-Gareth-Eyres960px-480x215.jpg 480w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/AK08-Abel-TasmannNP-Nelson-Gareth-Eyres960px-768x343.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px" />

A Kiwi's Guide to Enjoying New Zealand

Provence

<h2><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-39536 alignright" src="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/La-Vie-Est-Belle-EXT-350px.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="373" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/La-Vie-Est-Belle-EXT-350px.jpg 300w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/La-Vie-Est-Belle-EXT-350px-241x300.jpg 241w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />Where to Shop</h2>
In any of these little towns, shops are bound to catch your eye! Menerbes is tiny, but has more than a few stores that we love. 
<a href="http://www.lveb.ovh/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">La Vie Est Belle</a>
A gorgeous shop that calls itself an “antique boutique and bizarre bazaar”, you are sure to find something unique here, whether it’s a one-of-a-kind oddity, antique, or reworked antiques with a modern twist. High-quality, beautifully designed items from France and around the world round out their offerings. Every piece tells a story&#8230;what will you find?
<a href="http://www.sachamode.fr/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sacha Decoration</a>
<a href="http://www.sachamode.fr/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-39537 alignleft" src="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/SACHA-MODE-350px.jpg" alt="" width="350" height="263" /></a>With beautiful clothing in cool neutral tones and relaxed (yet crisp) linen, this sophisticated store offers men’s and women’s clothing, along with homewares. Bring something elegant home that will always remind you of Provence!
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/La-Maison-de-Marie-437003303010736/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">La Maison de Marie</a>
A tiny little shop, it has the best ice cream in town with some well-crafted flavours, from salted caramel to rich chocolate. Even better, you can browse for fine clothing at their excellent little boutique to boot!
<h2>Where to Eat</h2>
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/Bistrot-Le-5-815876361895020/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-39540 alignright" src="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/BIstro-le-5-350px.jpg" alt="" width="350" height="263" />Bistrot le 5</a>, Menerbes
A lovely view over the valley from this restaurant, you’ll want to make a beeline for the open terrace with its truly expansive view. A little glass of wine, a bit of charcuterie, and warm sun with a bit of umbrella shade? Kick up your heels and relax—there’s no such thing as hurrying here. You’ll also find the occasional live music event here as well. 
 
<a href="http://www.laromerestaurant.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> L’Arôme</a>, Bonnieux
A restaurant specializing in regional dishes and seasonal offerings, this husband-wife team serves up artfully plated and sophisticated fare in a lovely atmosphere. A number of prix fixe menus and seasonal tasting courses are offered. Book in advance and call ahead.
<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-39541 aligncenter" src="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/LArome-2-Bonnieux-960.jpg" alt="" width="960" height="592" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/LArome-2-Bonnieux-960.jpg 960w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/LArome-2-Bonnieux-960-480x296.jpg 480w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/LArome-2-Bonnieux-960-768x474.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px" />

10 Best Markets & Shops in Provence

<h3>Mana Pools National Park</h3>
<img loading="lazy" class="alignright wp-image-39303 size-full" src="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/leopard-singita-350px.jpg" alt="" width="250" height="376" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/leopard-singita-350px.jpg 250w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/leopard-singita-350px-199x300.jpg 199w" sizes="(max-width: 250px) 100vw, 250px" />A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Mana Pools spans 219,600 hectares of land along the lower Zambezi River, a land of transition from floodplain into rainy-season lakes. As the cycle of summer returns, these lakes gradually dry up once more, as the ebb and flow of nature continues its eternal cycle. During the rainy season, the park attracts a wide range of animals who congregate where the waters gather, and is one of the continent’s richest game-viewing hotspots. The largest concentration of hippos and crocodiles in the country is found here; in the dry season, you can expect to find massive herds of zebra, elephant and Cape buffalo. Other species to be found here include the lion, cheetah, Cape wild dog, brown hyena and leopard.
There are four large permanent pools formed by the middle Zambezi River, spanning 2,500 square kilometres (965 square miles) filled with islands, riverbanks, pools and sandbanks. The vegetation is rich in wild figs, mahogany, ebony trees and baobab trees.
<img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-39334 size-full" src="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/johns-camp-mana-pools.jpg" alt="" width="732" height="487" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/johns-camp-mana-pools.jpg 732w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/johns-camp-mana-pools-451x300.jpg 451w" sizes="(max-width: 732px) 100vw, 732px" />
<h3>Matusadona National Park</h3>
<img loading="lazy" class="alignright wp-image-39319 size-full" src="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/kudu-kariba-350px.jpg" alt="" width="350" height="227" />This national park sits on the southern shore of Lake Kariba (the world’s largest man-made reservoir), in the north end of the country. The national park’s name has been taken from the nearby Matuzviadonha Hills. First proclaimed a non-hunting area in 1958, a game reserve in 1963, then a national park in 1975, it is comprised of 1,400 square kilometres (540 square miles) of plains and mountains.
Since 2019, Matusadona has been under the management of <a href="https://www.africanparks.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">African Parks</a> who&#8217;s goal is to revitalize and reestablish the park as stronghold for black rhino and elephant. With increased programs to monitor and mitigate human-wildlife conflict, reintroduction of key species and a long term vision for the region, this park is undergoing an exciting transformation and set to become one of the country&#8217;s prime wildlife havens once again.
From grasslands to woodlands as well as rugged escarpment, this remote park is one where few tourists visit. It is best accessed by boat or small aircraft, but it is worth the visit!
The park is also notable for a fascinating wildlife rescue operation that has largely gone forgotten. When the Kariba Dam was constructed in the late 1950s, flooding the Zambezi Valley, a wildlife rescue operation took place to relocate more than 6,000 animals to new homes over five years, from elephants, antelopes to the smallest animals like birds and snakes. Without the technology they had today, conservationists and volunteers were literally catching animals, transporting them on rowboats(!) and taking them to higher, drier land, now the national park.
<img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-39321 size-full" src="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/ellie-behind-960px.jpg" alt="" width="960" height="639" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/ellie-behind-960px.jpg 960w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/ellie-behind-960px-451x300.jpg 451w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/ellie-behind-960px-768x511.jpg 768w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/ellie-behind-960px-901x600.jpg 901w" sizes="(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px" />
<h3>Where to Stay in Zimbabwe</h3>
<a href="https://africanbushcamps.com/camps/bumi-hills-safari-lodge/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bumi Hills Safari Lodge</a>
Blended among the stunning Zambezi escarpment and resting on a hillside overlooking Lake Kariba, this African Bush Camps property boasts one of the continent&#8217;s finest wilderness locations. The lodge’s proximity to Matusadona allows animals to roam freely between the national park and Bumi Hills’ private concession, creating endless game-viewing opportunities.
<img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-51525 size-large" src="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Bumi-Hills-Safari-Lodge_Lake-Kariba_Zimbabwe_Luxury-Safari-Lodge_-Infinity-Pool-Area_-Sunset_-African-Bush-Camps-21-1200x750-1-960x600.jpeg" alt="Bumi Hills Safari Lodge Zimbabwe" width="960" height="600" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Bumi-Hills-Safari-Lodge_Lake-Kariba_Zimbabwe_Luxury-Safari-Lodge_-Infinity-Pool-Area_-Sunset_-African-Bush-Camps-21-1200x750-1-960x600.jpeg 960w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Bumi-Hills-Safari-Lodge_Lake-Kariba_Zimbabwe_Luxury-Safari-Lodge_-Infinity-Pool-Area_-Sunset_-African-Bush-Camps-21-1200x750-1-480x300.jpeg 480w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Bumi-Hills-Safari-Lodge_Lake-Kariba_Zimbabwe_Luxury-Safari-Lodge_-Infinity-Pool-Area_-Sunset_-African-Bush-Camps-21-1200x750-1-250x156.jpeg 250w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Bumi-Hills-Safari-Lodge_Lake-Kariba_Zimbabwe_Luxury-Safari-Lodge_-Infinity-Pool-Area_-Sunset_-African-Bush-Camps-21-1200x750-1-768x480.jpeg 768w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Bumi-Hills-Safari-Lodge_Lake-Kariba_Zimbabwe_Luxury-Safari-Lodge_-Infinity-Pool-Area_-Sunset_-African-Bush-Camps-21-1200x750-1.jpeg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px" />
<a href="https://www.butterfield.com/stays/somalisa-camp/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Somalisa Camp</a>
<img loading="lazy" class="alignright wp-image-39309 size-full" src="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/somalisa-elephant-350px.jpg" alt="" width="350" height="233" />Pitched along the edge of an ancient seasonal floodplain, Somalisa Camp, in the heart of Hwange National Park, bears witness to one of few remaining great elephant sanctuaries in Africa. Lucky for you, in this authentic bush camp elephants brazenly sidle up to the “Elephant Hole” at the edge of the camp’s wooden deck and take their fill. A natural watering hole just a few metres beyond allows for larger crowds to congregate (again, of the elephant variety). Don’t worry, plunge pool, open-deck homestyle dining and tented residences that are infused with old-world charm all mean that those of the human variety also get to have some fun.
<img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-39308 size-full" src="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/somalisa-deck-960px.jpg" alt="" width="960" height="641" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/somalisa-deck-960px.jpg 960w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/somalisa-deck-960px-449x300.jpg 449w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/somalisa-deck-960px-768x513.jpg 768w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/somalisa-deck-960px-899x600.jpg 899w" sizes="(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px" />

Our Favourite Safari Spot Right Now: Zimbabwe

Travel Tips

Our Favourite Hotel Bars in the Americas

<h3>Desert Dreaming in the Kalahari</h3>
More and more people are being drawn to the deeply spiritual feeling that deserts often invoke. It seems to have something to do with a sense of space and self. It has to do with vast horizons, the huge inverted bowl of the sky, the uninterrupted sweep of the simple landscape beneath it—as featureless as a saucer, with you at its centre. Somehow, it is both humbling and centring. You realize how puny you are, and at the same time, that you are all there is. As American poet E.E. Cummings put it, &#8220;when skies are hanged and oceans drowned, the single secret will still be [humanity]&#8221;.
Humans have been present around these pans from time immemorial. Indications of a bushman village date the earliest occupation back to 500 BCE. There are bushman hunting shelters probably built and used in the 20th century, made of calcrete boulders that contain fossilized antelope bones and embedded Stone Age tools. The shorelines of Makgadikgadi, for it was more than once a vast inland sea, are littered with the archaeological relics of continuous but scattered human presence. Even when the waters finally receded two million years ago and left these shallow depressions of saline clay and silt to catch the sparse summer rain, the rich herds of wildlife—zebra, wildebeest, eland, gemsbok, springbok, hartebeest—would wander across the plains in ceaseless pursuit of water and grazing. Their presence inevitably drew their following of carnivores—lion, cheetah, leopard, wild dog, and hyena—which of course attracted their own following—the early hunters.
<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-39167 alignright" src="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/23Hyena-Pan-Starlings-350px.jpg" alt="" width="350" height="233" />During the dry season, today&#8217;s diminished herds of game tend to concentrate in the west, in the vicinity of the Boteti River. With the onset of the rains, they usually disperse to the east and the north, to Nxai Pan and beyond. It is not uncommon to see game far out on the pans eating the mineral-rich silt, as if up to their knees in water as the heat shimmers a mirage across the surface of the pans.
The birdlife is a specialist&#8217;s dream: white-backed and lappet-faced vultures, bateleur, ostrich, kori bustard, black korhaan and bronze-winged courser, four species of sandgrouse and a startling variety of larks. In the wet season flamingos, pelicans, avocet and a huge range of ducks move into the area. Sowa Pan, near the town of Nata, is a birdwatcher&#8217;s paradise when in water.
<img loading="lazy" class="size-full wp-image-39166 aligncenter" src="https://www.butterfield.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/sunset-desert-960px.jpg" alt="" width="960" height="640" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/sunset-desert-960px.jpg 960w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/sunset-desert-960px-450x300.jpg 450w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/sunset-desert-960px-768x512.jpg 768w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/sunset-desert-960px-900x600.jpg 900w" sizes="(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px" />

In Botswana, the Ultimate Safari Awaits

Bordeaux

<h2>People-Watching and Neighbourhood-Hopping</h2>
Mingle amongst the locals, taking advantage of Bordeaux&#8217;s typically mild climate on a terrasse or along the riverside. Make your way to the newly renovated Marché des Capucins on a weekend and mingle amongst the hipsters buying their farm-fresh produce in the nouveau district of Saint Michel, as you grab a light lunch and perhaps linger over an afternoon coffee. Immerse yourself in the cultural underground (literally!) of Bordeaux in the Bassins à Flot neighbourhood to check out a new cultural hub: <a href="https://www.bordeaux-tourism.co.uk/Discover-Bordeaux/What-do-you-feel-like/A-cultural-stay/The-Submarine-Base" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a former submarine base</a> originally from the Second World War, which has been transformed into modern and contemporary art, theatre and dance space. 
Another example of the new Bordeaux, repurposing buildings and turning them into public spaces for good, the <a href="http://darwin.camp/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Darwin Ecosysteme</a> is a one-hectare collective space, located in former warehouses and military barracks, with an eye to creating an eco-friendly community open space, with a grocery store/restaurant, urban farm, a ‘bike polo field’, a BMX track, and an artists’ residence all open to the public.
<img loading="lazy" class="aligncenter wp-image-39105 size-full" src="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/darwin-skate-700-px.jpg" alt="" width="732" height="487" srcset="https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/darwin-skate-700-px.jpg 732w, https://blog.butterfield.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/darwin-skate-700-px-451x300.jpg 451w" sizes="(max-width: 732px) 100vw, 732px" />
Another thing Bordeaux boasts, which is completely unexpected, is the largest public skatepark in France. So make your way to the hip Chartrons neighbourhood, just by the Garonne, and get lost in the acrobatics—even more striking at magic hour, just before the sunsets.

The Slow Road

Blog posts for 'The Slow Road'