Editor’s Note
Summer is here and the world’s most beautiful Rivieras are heating up. From Ligurian Riviera’s Portofino to the all-glam French Côte d’azur to the sizzling beaches of Spain spread from Costa Brava all the way to Costa de la Luz, this is Mediterranean’s north coast at its finest and the preferred family holiday destination for 2018. This entire coastline encompasses all the key desirables of any family-trip: culture, cuisine, hospitality and entertainment. Ibiza parties & hautecouture shopping can easily be clubbed with cultural walkabouts, vineyard hopping, relaxing in the many deluxe resorts of the region or simply gliding along the river on a luxury barge. Our ‘Where to Stay’ department covers the very best of luxury villas in Europe, perfect for the family on the move looking for a stylish home away from home.
We indulge in a walkabout along the sun-dappled streets of central Madrid, an essential trip for any serious fashion connoisseur. On the shopping list are hand-painted silk scarves, trench coat style capes, yes CAPES!, ceramic-on-leather accessories and any other hand-crafted jewellery that pleases the eye. There are many!
This edition finds us delving further and exploring family-oriented destinations with a unique perspective. Florence, Rome, Provence, Paris all make the cut. More adventurous? How about Nicaragua, Galapagos, Iceland, Havana and Fiji? To top off the list let’s set sail from Lisbon, family on tow, aiming straight for New York and abruptly settling 1500km into our journey, in the remote Portuguese archipelago consisting of nine volcanos called The Azores. We find our family walking through a 10,000-year-old lava tunnel, whale-watching and surfing the swell blasts from the North Atlantic. Sweet!
Our annual ‘The 100 List’ 2018, featuring the best 100 hotels and resorts in the world is out! This definitive list takes shape after wide-ranging reviews by our editorial team, with lots of sieving through and condensing, bringing together exceptional properties that we know our readers are keen to explore and will appreciate. This year, we have included a regional dimension to this editorial chronicle. This will allow readers to focus on the destinations that complement their interest and immediately pinpoint the exceptional hotels and resorts that are featured.
We hope you enjoy our selection and we look forward to your comments and feedback on our 100 List.
Vishal Jain
Editor-in-chief
editor@wtravelmagazine.com