In the name of print and travel

In a digital-first era, at the dawn of AI, we often ask ourselves about the future of printed books and, in our case, magazines. We’re naturally biased: we love the feeling of physically turning pages, the smell and texture of (sustainably sourced) paper, the look of inspiring photography in print.

In this edition, we want to celebrate our love of print by highlighting some of the most beautiful libraries (p148) you can visit around the world, many of them celebrated as much for their precious collections as for their magnificent ‘looks’. One of the finest examples is our cover star, Austria’s Admont Abbey, which is home to the largest monastic library in the world. It boasts not only fairytale-like Baroque architecture, but also an outstanding collection of manuscripts. What’s more, its location in the state of Styria is one of the many surprises that we delve into in this issue’s Austria trip planner (p164), taking you across a small-yet-jam-packed country with many unsung corners.

We have also been thrilled with the response to our recent reader survey; thank you for your feedback and ideas! Starting from this edition, we will be introducing a host of updates to our editorial coverage in print and online, from highlighting a greater variety of mid-range accommodation options to showcasing more of the UK and bringing in additional newsworthy content.

What you all seem to love about Wanderlust is our firm commitment to taking you down the road less travelled and uncovering hidden gems. This issue is no different, as we head from up-and-coming Albania (p96) to Melanesian New Caledonia (p72), to Indigenous Saskatchewan (p84) and on to 2024’s trio of European Capitals of Culture – Bodø in Norway, Tartu in Estonia and Bad Ischl in Austria (p114).

Last but not least, we’ve been working on our annual edition of The Travel Green List™, and we can’t wait to hear your suggestions for the world’s most promising sustainable travel champions (p37) in time for our next issue. Enjoy the read,

Take to the skies! (clockwise from top left) This issue, we’re pushing back the boundaries of travel. Join us for the first-ever trans-serengeti balloon flight in Tanzania (p60), go in search of the world’s most beautiful libraries (p148) and pay a visit to the spa town of Bad Ischl on a whirlwind tour of all three 2024 European Capitals of Culture (p114)