So there we were, on holiday in Calitri. The open French doors let in a cooling breeze and views of an open countryside of green valleys and forested hills. I was peering over a map of the region, as I am want to do when ‘exploring’ new territory.

Ever since I first arrived here and began studying the local maps, the name of Potenza seemed to be calling out to me – as it did on this particular occasion. I know, it’s just a dot on a map with a name beside it, like so many others on a fold-out atlas, but while Bari, Matera, Brindisi, Foggia, Benevento and Cassino are all still on my to-do list, Potenza had, well, the most potent pull of all. Read the rest of this entry »

In the heart of the old town there is an enchanting home that encapsulates the charm, elegance and the unique ambience of Tarifa.

This article first appeared in Essential magazine and is for sale with Tarifa Direct.
Words: Michel Cruz, Photography: pierrerichardsonphotography.com

Tarifa’s historic centre is a small but attractive maze of little streets and squares populated by white-plastered houses and stylish boutique hotels. Some are grand, others unassuming, but an occasional glimpse through an open door reveals the oasis of peace and fresh air created within the courtyard patios of even the humblest of homes. Read the rest of this entry »

Those of us who know Tarifa love it for its fresh, laid-back surfer’s paradise ambience untainted by the kind of mass-tourism that has blighted large parts of the world’s coastal regions.

Tarifa is a seaside resort with a difference. Instead of blocks of high rise apartments and hotels dotted with snack bars and souvenir shops, expect to find instead a funky little town that basks in a classic hippy chic atmosphere as much as it basks in the Spanish sun. Read the rest of this entry »

Where Spain is famous for its Costas, the most privileged coastal settings of France, Italy and Portugal, amongst others, are called Rivieras. The very word is synonymous with a classic sense of opulence and style, and though the term originated centuries ago to describe the Ligurian coastlines of France and Spain, it is with the Belle Epoque of the late 19^th century that Rivieras remain forever associated.

The making of  a Riviera
What sets a Riviera apart from a sunny coastal region popular with tourists is therefore a sense of classical elegance and pedigree. In the case of Portugal, it is the distinction between the Algarve, first ‘discovered’ by tourism in the 1960s, and the coastal resort towns of Cascais and Estoril, whose traditions stretch much further back. Situated close to Lisbon, where the Tejo River meets the Atlantic Ocean, the area began attracting sophisticates from Europe and beyond in the course of the 19^th century, in much the same way as San Remo, Biarritz and Cannes were doing at the time. Read the rest of this entry »

Having got to know Sunil and also met James Hewitt at the Polo House we were invited to a pre-opening sampling at Chowka, the new restaurant at the fantastic venue of the former Polo House.

Getting a peek before the official launch is always exciting, and the concept behind Chowka is an enticing one that blends modern Indian cuisine with the convivial Spanish tapas style of eating out. The first thing you notice is how the ambience has been given an Indian twist with subtle changes to the décor, yet the refined feel of the Polo House remains. Read the rest of this entry »