National Geographic Traveller UK - September 2022

SEPTEMBER 2022 101

BRAZIL

S linking through the tall grass, by Sir David Attenborough, the project brought
the feline form ahead of us global attention to a vast area of Brazil few
is mesmerising. She moves people could pinpoint on a map.
lithely, graceful as a burlesque
mademoiselle, but her ability Wild, unpredictable and, in parts,
to vanish in an instant makes unfathomable, the Pantanal is the world’s
largest tropical wetland. Bigger than England,
her more nebulous than a it sprawls across two Brazilian states and
creeps into areas of Bolivia and Paraguay.
ghost. “Seeing this jaguar is During the summer rainy season, from
December to March, its network of waterways
even more special than seeing any other,” flood; in the dry season, the waters recede,
exposing vast savannahs and gallery forests.
says Mario Haberfeld, co-founder of Brazilian
After landing in Campo Grande, the capital
NGO Onçafari, who’s clocked up more big cat of Mato Grosso do Sul (the state that contains
most of the Pantanal), I’d driven for five hours
sightings than most. “Mainly because she to reach Caiman Ecological Refuge, where
Onçafari is based. Road signs gave way to
wasn’t supposed to exist.” creaking wooden gates demarcating ranches.
Six-banded armadillos rattled below their
Aracy, the rosetted beauty now crouched in fleshy plates of armour as they scuttled for
cover; pantaneiros (cowboys) herding cattle
front of us, is a symbol of hope for her species. stained the sky with amber clouds of dust.

The granddaughter of Isa, an orphaned jaguar Over 30 years ago billionaire Brazilian
conservationist Roberto Klabin added
successfully rewilded by Mario and his team in high-end eco-lodge Casa Caiman to his
family’s 204sq mile working cattle ranch.
2015, Aracy is living, breathing proof of nature’s Glossy photographs of the Pantanal decorate
Roberto’s former home, along with polished
ability to thrive if given a helping hand. Rescued sculptures of jaguars — the area’s A-list
species. Outside, a wooden platform leads to
by wildlife authorities when their mother was a pond, where caimans sun-bask on the shore
and jacana birds hop between lily pads.
accidentally killed after straying into an urban
Eleven years ago, Roberto invited Mario
area, Isa and her sister Fera were destined to to base his fledgling NGO on the farm after
realising the pair shared a passion: preserving
spend their lives in captivity. Reluctant to let the Pantanal’s fragile ecosystem. Although
mainly based between Miami and São Paulo,
that happen, Mario and his team embarked on a Mario also has a house at Caiman, where he IMAGES: SARAH MARSHALL
invites me for dinner, along with lead field
pioneering, year-long programme to release the biologist Lili Rampin. A paean to the cat he’s
devoted the past decade to protecting, it’s
big cats back into their natural habitat, training filled with jaguar paraphernalia: cups, saucers,
plates and even a soap dispenser in the
them to hunt and survive without developing a bathroom are daubed in the cat’s tawny shades
and distinctive, rosette-stamped livery.
dependency on humans.

Documented by the 2016 BBC documentary

Jaguars: Brazil’s Super Cats, with a narration

102 NATIONALGEOGR APHIC .CO.UK/ TR AVEL

Mario Haberfeld (at the wheel) and
his team attempt to locate collared
jaguars using a vehicle customised by
Land Rover to tackle Oncafari’s wetland

Left: A toucan, a common bird sighting
in the Pantanal, surveys the vegetable
gardens of Caiman

Previous pages: A caiman lurks in a
water hole; jaguar sightings at Caiman
have risen, with 99% of guests spotting
one in 2021 compared to 24% in 2014

SEPTEMBER 2022 103

10 4 NATIONALGEOGR APHIC .CO.UK/ TR AVEL

BRAZIL

IMAGES: ALAMY; SARAH MARSHALL On a shelf sits a 3D paper model of the by vehicle, ensuring they’d never become too Stumpy capybaras
predator made by an artist Mario found on familiar with humans. Esperança (whose name wade through
Instagram, while a customised big cat statue means ‘hope’ in Portuguese) was one of the first shallow lagoons,
greeting guests in the porch was bought at a animals Onçafari collared in 2012, allowing seemingly oblivious
charity auction as part of São Paolo’s annual them to track her with a telemetry device. The to crafty egrets
Jaguar Parade charity event. Verging on the lauded matriarch’s acceptance of humans has hopping on their
obsessive, the immaculately curated collection been inherited by a succession of cubs, making backs for a free ride
has — Mario assures me, with a wry smile Caiman Ecological Refuge arguably the best
— been amassed over many years. place in the world to see jaguars in the wild. Clockwise from top left: The Rio
Negro runs through the Santa Sofia
A retired racing driver, Mario doesn’t seem “In 2012, we had 35 sightings, but we see conservation area, where Mario
like an obvious candidate for a conservationist. that in a week now,” explains Lili, the elfin- Haberfeld hopes to start ecotourism
But after years spent travelling the world driven like powerhouse driving Onçafari’s ongoing projects; capybara with its young;
by a passion for spotting iconic species — from research work. two chestnut-bellied guans rest on
pandas in China to polar bears in Churchill a cow skull at Caiman; field biologist
— he felt compelled to do something for the The statistics say it all: in 2021, 99% of Diogo Lucatelli checks camera trap
animals in his own country. guests at Caiman saw a jaguar compared to footage as part of a project to study
24% in 2014. Plus, only a small proportion of and habituate tapirs
“I wanted to develop ecotourism based those were collared, indicating that a new
on animal sightings,” he tells me, setting a generation of wild animals feel comfortable SEPTEMBER 2022 105
jaguar-print napkin on his lap. “In particular, with the presence of vehicles.
I wanted to demonstrate that the jaguar is
worth more alive than dead by providing Tracking down the truth
employment opportunities for communities
and a model for others to replicate. We’re an To better understand the field work Lili and
NGO that wants our local partners to succeed her team are doing, I join a citizen science
because that’s the only way, in the future, day experience with Onçafari — available to
people are going to conserve.” guests at Caiman for a fee. At 6am, an open-top,
canary-yellow Land Rover collects me. The
Borrowing a habituation technique used company, which has donated several off-road
with leopards by Londolozi, a conservation- vehicles to Onçafari, recently launched a series
focused safari lodge in South Africa’s Greater of limited-edition vehicles in honour of the
Kruger, Mario recruited a team of biologists and NGO’s 10th anniversary. It’s one of several high-
embarked on a mission to familiarise reclusive
jaguars with vehicle engines. Distancing
himself from the practices of petting zoos or
domestication, he describes the process as “a
natural encounter”. “They don’t gain anything
from it, and they don’t lose anything from it,” he
insists. “We’ve never fed the animals.”

As for any risk involved in altering an
animal’s behaviour, he points to studies
carried out on both habituated and non-
habituated jaguars where little or no
differences were found.

His team would spend hours around the
cats, coughing each time they edged closer
so as not to startle them. The animals were
carefully monitored and only ever tracked

106 NATIONALGEOGR APHIC .CO.UK/ TR AVEL

BRAZIL

IMAGE: GETTY Water lilies at sunrise in the profile partnerships forged by Mario. Bushnell,
Pantanal wetland, which for example, provides camera traps, airline Gol
sprawls some 42 million Intelligent Airlines supplies select flights for
acres across Brazil, NGO workers and The North Face has designed
Bolivia and Paraguay the staff uniform.

“Since I was 12, I was racing go-karts and
I needed sponsors,” Mario explains, as we
leave the gated grounds of Casa Caiman, the
refuge’s main lodge (jaguars have become
such a frequent presence here, a perimeter
electric fence was installed last year as a safety
precaution). “What I learned in the racing
world, I applied here.”

Driving slowly through retired pastures
commandeered by forest, wire fences are
the only evidence this pristine area was ever
strictly managed. Fronds of donkey tail grass
glow strawberry-pink with the first rays of
daylight and delicate spider webs glisten in the
early-morning dew. Perched on the weathered
slats of a wooden gate, a roadside hawk scans
for his breakfast. Stumpy capybaras (the
world’s largest rodent) wade through shallow
lagoons, seemingly oblivious to crafty egrets
hopping on their backs for a free ride.

Around 200 jaguars have been registered at
Caiman Ecological Refuge in the past decade,
with an estimated 60 currently frequenting
the area. At the time of my visit, seven of those
have been collared (but that number is likely
to increase in the next few months). Holding
aloft a telemetry device, biologist Pedro Reali
tries to locate Tupa, a hulking male, whose
name — meaning ‘thunder’ in local Tupi
dialect — belies his silent, feather-light steps.
Beeps pinging through a receiver grow louder,
indicating the animal is close.

Unperturbed by our presence, he allows us
to follow him into the grasslands, while Lili
regales us with heart-warming anecdotes of
previous encounters with the big cat, including
the time she lovingly picked maggots from a
wound in his nose, ultimately saving his life.
Once Tupa vanished into the distance, Pedro
produces a bag of dental paste to create a cast of
his footprint as a memento for me to take home.

Collaring undoubtedly makes it much easier
to locate jaguars for visitors, but tracking
devices are also important tools for collecting
scientific data. Science has and always should
be the primary motivation, says Mario.

Back at Onçafari’s research centre, we scroll
through a database of videos taken from
camera traps over the years. “The standard
literature says jaguars are solitary,” Mario

SEPTEMBER 2022 107

BRAZIL

by Onçafari is open-source. “The more
information that gets published about these
animals, the better,” he says.

Clockwise from above: says, referring me to footage of multiple A land to protect IMAGES: AWL IMAGES; SARAH MARSHALL
Acerola fruit in the jaguars sharing a carcass. “We also believe
garden of cowboy Seu jaguars mate for pleasure or as a way to protect Once dispersed throughout the Americas,
Domingos Retiro Arara, their young by distracting threatening males.” jaguars have lost almost 50% of their range,
who’s worked at Caiman largely due to conflict with humans. Although
for decades; saddles Although many of these surprising findings the Pantanal is one of their last strongholds,
and stirrups hang inside have been detailed in academic papers, Mario almost 95% of it is privately owned farmland,
a stable at Caiman; admits the scientific community initially where the presence of an apex predator like the
six-banded armadillo scorned his efforts. “In the beginning, it was jaguar is seen as a threat to cattle.
sniffing the air for scent, very hard. People couldn’t understand what
a common sight in the the heck we were doing,” he says, recalling the A working ranch, Caiman Ecological
southern reaches of the surprised expression of government officials, Refuge is living proof cattle and jaguars can
Pantanal region when he revealed his only professional comfortably co-exist if the land is properly
experience was as a racing car driver. managed. Cattle grazing grounds are rotated,
sharing some areas with wildlife and on
“But a lot of people who criticised us in the average, only 3% of cattle are lost per year to
past have since become our partners because the big cats. But it takes more than numbers
they’ve seen what it’s possible to learn from to convince Brazil’s staunchly conservative
habituation. No one had ever followed jaguars pantaneiros to protect a perceived enemy.
in this way before.”
Eager to gauge local opinion, I head to a sub-
Over time, Onçafari has achieved station on the ranch, to meet a cowboy who’s
international acclaim. Working alongside been employed by Roberto’s family for decades.
conservationist Kristine Tompkins and the Welcoming me into his garden, which is filled
Rewilding Argentina Foundation, it helped with acerola trees, Seu Domingos Retiro Arara
reintroduce the first male jaguar into the Iberá courteously doffs his straw hat. As integral to
Wetlands, in northeast Argentina, in January his daily wardrobe as pants and socks is the
2022. A further stamp of scientific approval robust, leather ‘guaiaca’ belt around his hips,
was given when Mario was invited to become slung with a knife and sharpener — a sign he’s
a board member of Panthera, the only global rarely away from the field.
NGO devoted to wild cats.
Sitting down to a country breakfast of
Now respected as an expert conservationist, cassava, minced meat, rice, beans and deep-
Mario has generously made sure data collected fried cheese bread, he tells me the south
Pantanal is suffering its worst drought in a
century. Wildfires, he says, are the biggest
threat to farmers. Not jaguars. In fact, over
time he’s learned to live alongside the animals,
appreciate their value and realise there are far
bigger pressures jeopardising his way of life.

Attitudes across the country are also
changing. Until recently, most Brazilians
couldn’t understand why anyone would want
to visit a place ‘full of flies and insects’. But
— in line with a global trend — the pandemic
has fuelled an appreciation for nearby nature.
Another driver for the region’s newfound
popularity, Mario tells me, is the success of
Brazilian telenovela Pantanal (it regularly pulls

10 8 NATIONALGEOGR APHIC .CO.UK/ TR AVEL

SEPTEMBER 2022 109

Whether you’d like to enjoy a Christmas market in Vienna or a skiing trip in the breathtaking alps in Kitzbühel, you’ll
feel right at home at Kaiserhof Hotels, thanks to the professional and charming service.

Vienna, Austria

Located in the heart of Vienna, the classic a ractions along the
Ringstrasse boulevard and the central shopping streets are just
around the corner from this hotel. From mid-November until
Christmas, Vienna’s most beautiful squares are transformed into
magical Christmas markets where the aroma of Christmas bak-
ing, hot punch and toasted almonds wa s through the air.

Kitzbühel, Austria

Situated amid the stunning Alps, this hotel is only a few steps
away from the world-famous ‘Streif ’ downhill track. The Kitz-
bühel winter paradise not only makes an athlete’s heart beat
faster, but also convinces gourmets with its unmistakable com-
bination of enjoyment, nature, tradition and wellbeing.

Guarantee yourself the best price and conditions with the booking code ’Travel22’ at .hotel-kaiserhof.at

BRAZIL

IMAGE: RENATO GRANIERI Only one road runs in several million viewers), which follows the the Pantanal is South America’s answer to
through a tangled fortunes of a woman who morphs into a jaguar. Botswana’s Okavango Delta, he’s in talks with
forest of lofty palms, several African safari operators that want to set
broad ferns and Despite the area’s blossoming superstar up camps and has secured licenses to rewild
indeterminable tree status, the state offers little protection Pantanal fauna on site — injured or unwanted
species likely to send against the growing menace of agricultural domesticated animals that would otherwise
botanists into an cultivation. Instead, that responsibility end up caged in sanctuaries. Days trips between
excitable head-spin has been largely left to philanthropists like Santa Sofia and Caiman will start later this year.
Roberto and Mario.
Above: A Brazilian There’s certainly enough wildlife to justify a
cowboy leads a herd Working in collaboration with several safari. On a boat trip along the black-water Rio
of cows near Caiman private donors, Onçafari’s latest and most Negro, I watch kingfishers shatter the glassy
ambitious project has been the purchase of the reflections of mangroves; during a walk, I
neighbouring 135sq mile farm, Santa Sofia. look up to see a rainbow of scarlet macaws arc
Historically, the amount of water in this area overhead; and on one lucky, early-morning
of the wetlands has impeded development, drive, a family of elusive maned wolves saunters
Mario tells me during a 90-minute boat ride across the path in front of us. It’s proof jaguars
to reach the property. But 30% of the land has aren’t the Pantanal’s only animal attraction.
dried in the past 30 years, presenting worrying
possibilities. Currently, only one road runs All creatures great and small
through a tangled forest of lofty palms, broad
ferns and indeterminable tree species likely to Back at Caiman, I visit the Instituto Arara Azul
send botanists into an excitable head-spin. It’s (IAA), an NGO that’s been protecting hyacinth
a lost world so pristine in parts, I wonder if any macaws since 1990. Biologist Neiva Guedes
human has ever set foot here. started the project to boost populations of the
world’s largest parrot species, declining due
The former owner, a cantankerous old to the illegal pet trade and the destruction
woman who was once accused of illegally of slow-growing, cavity-filled mandovi trees
selling jaguar-hunting safaris, confined (favoured by the fussy birds as nesting sites).
herself to a small area, meaning under 2% of
the land has been touched. Fellow biologist Kefany Ramalho takes me
to see one of many artificial nest boxes on the
According to Mario’s masterplan, a mix of farm. Territorial birds swoop and squawk as
investments, including carbon and biodiversity her colleagues use ropes and harnesses to scale
credit, pasture rental and tourism will make ‘surrogate’ trees, checking to see if any of the
Santa Sofia self-sustaining. Confident that

SEPTEMBER 2022 111

BRAZIL

Pantanal

Corumbá
Rio Negro
CAIMAN ECOLOGICAL REFUGE
Campo Grande

MATO GROSSO DO SUL

BRAZIL
Pantanal
Mato Grosso
do Sul

100 miles

Hyacinth macaws GETTING THERE & AROUND
using a custom-built British Airways flies daily, nonstop,
between Heathrow and São Paulo.
nest box, Caiman European carriers such as Air France,
Ecological Refuge Iberia, Latam Airlines and TAP Air
Portugal offer one-stop flights via their
wooden homes are occupied. Meanwhile, she their behaviour on camera. Eventually, he European hubs. ba.com airfrance.co.uk IMAGE: SARAH MARSHALL. ILLUSTRATION: JOHN PLUMER
downloads footage from a camera trap. “I don’t hopes one will step into a trap they’ve set, iberia.com latamairlines.com
know how many lifetimes we’d need to analyse allowing vets to dart and collar it. flytap.com
this data,” she sighs, as a pair of novelty, Average flight time: 12h.
macaw-shaped earring jangle from her ears. Despite using the same habituation To reach the Pantanal, fly nonstop from
technique applied to jaguars, the process is São Paulo to Campo Grande with Latam
But efforts have been rewarded: in the much slower with tapirs. “To feed them would Airlines or Gol Intelligent Airlines.
two decades since the IAA has been based at be much easier,” explains Diogo, during our voegol.com.br
Caiman, the local hyacinth macaw population stake out of one site. “But we don’t want to do It’s a four-five-hour transfer by road to
has risen from 80 to 400. Sadly, the ongoing that. We’ve chosen the hard way, because this Caiman Ecological Refuge, arranged
threat of fires and climate change means needs to be based on science.” through a tour operator or the lodge.
the birds could once again be classified as
endangered in 2023. Accordingly, we wait in silence as the sun WHEN TO GO
becomes a faint whisper and sounds of the night Winter (June to August) sees pleasant
While Kefany invites guests to monitor her intensify. Screeching louder than Grand Prix temperatures of 26-28C, rising to 30C
birds and plant native mandovi trees as part drivers burning rubber off the line, an army in the spring dry season (September
of a reforestation programme, Onçafari is of frogs dash to secure their nightly positions, to November), the best for spotting
busy on the other side of the ranch with more while acrobatic fishing bats splash like jaguars. The rainy season (December to
projects, including attempts to rewild injured skimming stones across the surface of a lagoon. April) renders some areas impassable
or unwanted pumas and habituate tapirs. Shining brighter than the lights of Manhattan, and brings intense mosquito activity.
Field biologist Diogo Lucatelli, who’s leading a million reptilian eyes stare back at us from the
the Tapirapé Project, takes me on an evening water — but our tapir is nowhere to be seen. For PLACES MENTIONED
drive to search for the shy, snout-nosed now, he remains lost in a lost world. Onçafari. oncafari.org
herbivores. Often referred to as ‘living fossils’ Instituto Arara Azul.
because they so closely resemble their earliest Driving back to Casa Caiman, I’m struck by institutoararaazul.org.br
ancestors, they put us to shame in terms of the irony of animals roaming freely on land
evolutionary longevity, having been around once dedicated to cattle farming. But Mario WHERE TO STAY
for 50 million years (we’ve been around for less and his team have shown that, if given an Caiman Ecological Refuge, from
than 1% of that time). opportunity, the natural world will find a way BR$3,852 (£596) a night all-inclusive,
to flourish. As trees grow taller and paw prints based on two people sharing a suite,
Having carefully identified several of their increasingly decorate trails, there’s every excluding alcoholic drinks, excursions
favourite routes, Diogo has created artificial chance the Pantanal could become even more and an environmental fee of BR$500
clay licks to lure the animals so he can record beautifully bewildering than it is today. (£77) per person. caiman.com.br

MORE INFO
Visit Brazil. visitbrasil.com
A Visitor’s Guide to the Great Wetlands
of Brazil (Bradt Travel Guides). £16.99

HOW TO DO IT
Abercrombie & Kent offers a seven-
night trip to Brazil, including five nights
all-inclusive at Caiman from £6,999
per person, based on two people
sharing. Includes flights, transfers
and two nights in Rio de Janeiro.
abercrombiekent.co.uk

112 NATIONALGEOGR APHIC .CO.UK/ TR AVEL

A WEALTH OF OPPORTUNITY

Enter the rarefied world of cask whiskey ownership. Once a sector reserved for a select few, Whiskey & Wealth Club
has opened up this opportunity to private individuals looking to take advantage of the growing global
whiskey market.

Whiskey & Wealth Club offers the chance to purchase premium casks of branded whiskey at wholesale prices. Straight
off the still, this New Make Spirit could see returns of 12% per annum.

When you choose cask ownership through Whiskey & Wealth Club, your purchase is inclusive of insurance and
storage in a government bonded warehouse. To find out more visit whiskeywealthclub.com.

AS SEEN IN

To explore your options for cask whiskey
ownership, learn more at whiskeywealthclub.com
or speak to an Account Manager on 020 3129 1639.

WHISKEYWEALTHCLUB.COM | +44 203 129 1639 | [email protected] | @WHISKEYWEALTHCLUB

| PAID CONTENT FOR TENUTA DI CARLEONE

A TRUE TASTE OF TUSCANY

Tenuta di Carleone

Five ways to get beneath the surface of Italy’s
most beautiful region. Words: Kiki Deere

| PAID CONTENT FOR TENUTA DI CARLEONE

W ith its rolling vineyards, TOP TUSCAN
frescoed churches and WINES
medieval hilltop towns,
Tuscany epitomises Italian Three top picks from
culture. Florence, the regional capital, is Tenuta di Carleone
widely regarded as the birthplace of the winemaker Sean
Renaissance and abounds with churches, O’Callaghan
galleries and museums displaying some
of the world’s finest works of art. Outside UNO
the city, the region’s fertile soil produces Created using prime
exceptional ingredients that burst with Sangiovese grapes, this
flavour and give life to award-winning elegant, award-winning
produce, from olive oils to cheeses and wine is one of our most
wines. For a new perspective on one of Italy’s popular products.
most popular regions, here are five ways to
get off the beaten track and uncover a new CHIANTI CLASSICO
side of Tuscany. A delightfully smooth
Chianti, with oak notes
IMAGES: GETTY; FRANCESCA PAGLIAI 1 TASTE TRUFFLES around the town’s small, compact centre, and a fruity finish. This is
Dominating the lower Arno valley where a delightful cluster of medieval a wine that truly captures
between Pisa and Florence, the hilly area of buildings and cobbled lanes offer gorgeous the essence of the region.
San Miniato is celebrated for its much-prized views of the surrounding landscape.
white truffles. These knobbly fungi thrive in ROSATO
the area’s shaded woodlands and damp soil, 4 FIND CONTEMPORARY ART This crisp, refreshing
so much so that the world’s largest white As you cruise along Chianti’s winding Tuscan rose is created
truffle, weighing 5.56lb, was discovered roads, you’ll spot contemporary sculptures using only Sangiovese
here in 1954. In autumn, tartufai, or truffle by national and international artists nestled grapes, picked early and
hunters, scour the forest floor accompanied among the vineyards, parks and hamlets. whole bunch pressed.
by hunting dogs — faithful companions who Sitting atop the ancient walls of San
are attracted to the truffles’ intense aroma. Casciano, Il Cervo is an aluminium-coated PLAN YOUR TRIP
Visit in November, when San Miniato’s sculpture depicting a deer, while in Radda
medieval streets host one of Italy’s most you’ll find dream-like botanical creations by Tenuta di Carleone offers
celebrated white truffle festivals, where you Leo Lionni. The Parco Sculture del Chianti accommodation in two sizeable
can sample handmade tagliolini topped at Pievasciata is home to a permanent villas exuding Tuscan charm:
with truffle shavings. exhibition of contemporary sculptures and Pianvecchio, a farmhouse with
is certainly worth a visit. Or you can walk a swimming pool surrounded
2 DRINK IN THE VIEWS the circular five-mile Slow Road connecting by countryside; and Castiglioni
Stretching from the hills south of Greve, San Cresci and Montefioralle, a (pictured above) the estate’s
Siena to Monte Amiata, Val d’Orcia boasts scenic route sprinkled with terracotta art beautifully restored medieval
some of the area’s most spectacular views. installations that harmoniously blend in hamlet with seven bedrooms.
Here, mist-covered hills carpeted in olive with the landscape. Travel by car from Florence, Pisa
groves and vineyards, punctuated by rustic or Siena (there are car charging
farmhouses and pastures, were inspiring 5 GO WINE TASTING stations at the villas) and there’s
Renaissance painters long before the The vineyards around Radda are also a private helipad on the
landscape was granted UNESCO World renowned for producing some of the best grounds. For more information,
Heritage status in 2004. Perched on a hilltop wines in the Chianti Classico wine-making visit tenutadicarleone.com
overlooking the valley, the small village region. The area’s hilly landscapes are
of Pienza is a Renaissance marvel that’s caressed by onshore winds and cool night
well worth a visit. Pope Pius II transformed breezes, giving life to elegant, delicate wines.
this humble medieval village into what he Nestled among the region’s wooded hills and
considered to be an urban utopia, with an fertile fields is Tenuta di Carleone, a small
ensemble of harmonious buildings that artisanal winery producing Sangiovese
remains one of the country’s most exquisite wines with a twist, farmed organically
examples of Renaissance architecture. following biodynamic principles. Enjoy a
vineyard tour and sample Uno, the Tenuta’s
3 SOAK UP SMALL-TOWN CHARM flagship wine, made using only the best
While Florence’s beauty is undeniable, grapes from the estate’s 50-acre vineyards,
the city often groans under the weight of aged for 18 months in tonneaux barrels,
tourists who flock here year-round to admire cement tanks and stainless-steel containers.
its Renaissance masterpieces. Instead,
escape the tourist crowds and head to Radda,
a charming hilltop town nestled among lush
Chianti vineyards. Defensive walls wrap

Wales

In the east of the Brecon Beacons National Park are the mighty Black
Mountains, straddling the border of Wales and England. It’s an area that’s
often overlooked, but those who find their way here discover a region that

belies its dark name: a greenscape of hills and valleys, home to thriving
wildlife and passionate, forward-thinking communities

WORDS & PHOTOGRAPHS: DANIEL ALFORD

116 NATIONALGEOGR APHIC .CO.UK/ TR AVEL

SEPTEMBER 2022 117

118 NATIONALGEOGR APHIC .CO.UK/ TR AVEL

WA L E S

Near the town of Crickhowell is the
Llangattock Escarpment, a craggy
limestone ridge that rises hundreds of
feet above the landscape. It’s a dramatic
glimpse into South Wales’s industrial
past: limestone was quarried here in
the 18th and 19th centuries and sent
down to the limekilns along the
Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal.
The lime was then used as fertiliser,
white wash or in the important iron-
making trade. The industry has long
gone, and the escarpment is now a
popular beauty spot, grazed peacefully
by sheep and wild ponies.

SEPTEMBER 2022 119

WA L E S

120 NATIONALGEOGR APHIC .CO.UK/ TR AVEL

At the top of Bryn Arw, a hill north of Abergavenny, Rob
Penn (third from left) leads a group of volunteers through
the ferns and foxgloves. A former lawyer, Rob co-founded
Stump Up For Trees, a tree-planting charity that aims to
enhance the area’s biodiversity and restore the mountain
to its natural woodland state. Here, in the drizzle, the
team are ‘bracken bashing’, which clears away dead or
dying bracken to allow hawthorn saplings to grow.

SEPTEMBER 2022 121

WA L E S

The handsome border town of Hay-on-
Wye is renowned for its literary heritage,
celebrated each year with its annual
arts and literature festival. The town,
tucked into the northernmost corner of
the national park, is steeped in history,
too: the castle was built during the
Norman invasion of Wales and was used
as a manor house until the 17th century.
Hay’s winding narrow streets are full of
cafes, bookstores and shops, including
Welsh Lavender, which stocks creams
and balms made with lavender grown
in the Welsh hills by Nancy Durham. It
also makes an ideal base for exploring
this rural corner of Wales, with river
walks along the River Wye’s grassy banks
offering plenty of opportunities for
swimming and wildlife-spotting.

12 2 NATIONALGEOGR APHIC .CO.UK/ TR AVEL

SEPTEMBER 2022 123

SPECTRAL:ON

Fast forward your future with more range, less weight
and more stoke. The new Canyon Spectral:ON is the
ultimate E-MTB allrounder for all those who can’t
possibly have enough fun. With top-tier suspension and
the power to reel off the biggest rides thanks to its low
weight and class-leading Canyon-developed 900 Wh
battery, the new Canyon Spectral:ON is the ultimate
combination of playfulness, capability and range.
Time to turn your Power:ON, Fun:ON.

canyon.com

WA L E S

The Black Mountains form a natural
frontier between Wales and England,
and were used to great effect by the 8th-
century Anglo-Saxon king Offa, who
had his eponymous dyke built here to
delineate Wales from his kingdom of
Mercia. The 177-mile Offa’s Dyke Path
follows the ancient earthwork along the
modern-day border. On the English side,
in Herefordshire, is Black Mountains
Botanicals. In the shadow of Black
Hill (also nicknamed the ‘Cat’s Back’)
the team craft gin in their barn using
locally sourced produce, from the clear
mountain water to the region’s many
different orchard fruits.

SEPTEMBER 2022 125

WA L E S

The hills around Llangorse Lake offer
incredible views westwards to the central
Brecon Beacons, including to South
Wales’s highest peak, Pen y Fan. These
mountains are by far the most popular
places to visit within the national park,
but the Black Mountains to the east
provide a calmer, more gentle escape,
with ancient oaks dotted along the valley
slopes, awe-inspiring priory ruins like
those at Llanthony, and welcoming
local pubs between remote villages.
It’s possible to walk for miles in this
green swathe of countryside, passing
only ponies, sheep and the occasional
feathered friend, too.

126 NATIONALGEOGR APHIC .CO.UK/ TR AVEL

BACKBATCKOTONNAATUTREURE

TakeTi iaskaeilifseastlyiflesbtyralendbrcaenndtrceednotrnedstyolnisshtycloismhfcoormt wfoitrht asntydlewainthdawpiathssaiopnasfsoirosnufsotarisnuasbtialintyability

TA K E I H O M E . C OMM

| PA I D CO NTE NT FO R IT S ITA LY

ITALY’S HIDDEN HEEL Aerial view of historic town
of Ginosa in south Italy
The pull of Puglia
Below: Tailor Angelo Inglese
Located on Italy’s heel, Caprarica di Lecce and Ginosa
are two slow-paced Pugliese towns that have slipped PLAN YOUR TRIP

under the tourist radar London-based ITS ITALY aims to simplify the
process of buying and managing property
CAPRARICA DI LECCE GINOSA abroad. Having signed a partnership with IMAGE: SHUTTERSTOCK
more than 60 municipalities across Italy,
Located a 15-minute drive south of Everyone raves about the UNESCO it aims to offer concrete opportunities to
duomo-crowned Lecce — dubbed World Heritage marvel that is Matera, invest and integrate with local communities,
‘the Florence of the South’ for its and rightly so. But just a half-hour while reinvigorating small towns and
extravagant baroque palazzis drive south, where Basilicata sneaks villages. Find out more at itsfor.it
— Caprarica di Lecce is more modest into Puglia, lies Ginosa. Teetering on
about its charms. A late-Renaissance the edge of a ravine, this is a town of
baronial palace presides over the extraordinary beauty, honeycombed
historic centre, where life revolves with ancient cave dwellings,
around simple pleasures like strolling churches, staircases, hanging
around the piazza, lounging on cafe gardens, cisterns and workshops
terraces and eating at traditional carved into the sheer limestone.
trattorias, where exquisite farm-to-
fork menus take centre stage. The pine-fringed golden sands
of the Ionian coast are a quick drive
Gentle country hikes unfurl on the south, but there’s plenty to keep you
doorstep and within 20 minutes, you in town, too: Piazza Orologio with
can be on one of the most ravishing its clocktower, the baroque Chiesa
stretches of the Adriatic coast at Madre church and a cliff-hugging
Roca’s sparkling turquoise Grotta Norman castle built to ward off
della Poesia (Poetry Cave), or among Saracen invaders.
the dunes, pines, soft sands and rock
stacks at Torre dell’Orso. ITS ITALY has also reinvested in
this town’s heritage and reignited its
Honouring traditional crafts, passion for traditional crafts. One
companies such as ITS ITALY have local legend is tailor Angelo Inglese
given the town a new lease of creative at Sartoria dal 1955 — G Inglese
life — and you really feel it when you Store, who hand cuts and sews shirts,
see artisans like Raffaele Verri at work. jackets, coats and ties of the finest
He skilfully sculpts everything from silk, wool and cotton, which have been
furniture and tiles to pendants using worn by everyone from Berlusconi
the soft, malleable local limestone, and David Beckham to Prince William
pietra leccese. on his wedding day.

PASSIONATE
ABOUT

YACHTS

@saltyfoxjourney Give yourself a gift and get a ride
www.saltyfoxjourney.com on our luxury Salty Fox yacht.
Transform special events into
magical memories of a lifetime.
Enjoy the amazing scenery and
view the mansions by water.
Let us know what you like to do,
and we’ll tailor-make the
perfect pastime for you.

CITY LIFE

SINGAPORE

The city-state’s roster of award-winning drinking dens includes stellar hotel
bars, sleek speakeasies and reimagined Chinatown shophouses. For a real taste

of Singapore’s spirit, there’s no better introduction than its cocktail scene

WORDS: DELLE CHAN. PHOTOGRAPHS: LAURYN ISHAK

130 NATIONALGEOGR APHIC .CO.UK/ TR AVEL

SEPTEMBER 2022 131

132 NATIONALGEOGR APHIC .CO.UK/ TR AVEL

SINGAPORE

It’s almost dinnertime in Singapore and I’m nonprofit organisation that promotes the city’s Q&A with Rusty
about to polish off an Oyster Omelette. I’m not craft cocktail culture. Cerven, bar manager
at one of the city’s celebrated open-air hawker at Manhattan
centres tucking into the beloved local dish — a Native isn’t the only bar in Singapore
glorious mass of crispy, gooey eggs studded spotlighting local and regional ingredients. HOW HAS SINGAPORE’S
with succulent bivalves — but I’m sitting in We visit nearby Sago House, another buzzy CR AFT COCKTAIL SCENE
a bar, enjoying a cocktail of the same name. watering hole in Chinatown. Occupying the E VO LV E D REC E NTLY ?
top floor of a shophouse near the Buddha The use of regional craft
The bright yellow concoction is creamy Tooth Relic Temple — a majestic red-and- spirits has grown, with the
and delightfully rich in umami — startlingly white structure built in the Tang dynasty style Philippines, South Korea and
reminiscent of the dish it pays homage to. As in 2007 — it offers a weekly rotating cocktail even Singapore producing
bartender Josh reveals, the cocktail’s base selection shaped by what’s available in local their own gins brimming with
is a distillate of oysters harvested from the markets. Scrutinising the menu options tropical botanicals. Local
waters off Pulau Ubin, a small island north- scrawled in marker pen across a windowpane, ingredients are now also
east of Singapore’s mainland. The drink is I plump for a highball containing Korean at the heart of our cocktail
topped with miso-cured egg foam, coriander Chuga soju, coconut vodka, citrus and culture. With all these
shoots, a smattering of Kampot pepper and tieguanyin, a Chinese oolong tea widely ingredients at our fingertips,
a dash of Shaoxing rice wine. And it’s served in enjoyed in Singapore. The cocktail is light there’s so much to work with
a cup made from oyster shells, no less. and smooth with a subtle vanilla undertone, and so many stories to tell.
making for easy drinking.
The oyster omelette is one of many WHAT’S THE SECRET TO
inventive tipples at Native, a laid-back, I glance around the small, dimly lit bar, A GREAT COCKTAIL?
two-storey bar in Singapore’s Chinatown, which is, unsurprisingly, a hive of activity A genuine smile! Anyone can
where colourful heritage shophouses sit in on a Saturday evening. It’s what Vivian make a good cocktail with
the shadow of the city’s soaring skyscrapers. describes as a “labour of love”: opened during some practice, but one that’s
Opened in 2016, the bar celebrates local and the pandemic, its three co-owners built made and served with great
regional spirits, ingredients and flavours, the interiors almost entirely by hand using hospitality will always be
while producing as little waste as possible upcycled materials, including coffee sacks impactful and unforgettable.
(which explains the creative barware). To salvaged from local roasters. The result is a
this end, many of its ingredients are cured, raw, eclectic space enlivened by a colourful WHAT ARE YOUR THREE
pickled or fermented to extend their shelf life. cartoon mural and an R&B-heavy soundtrack. FAVOURITE BARS IN
“In a small place like Singapore, sourcing can “It feels like I’m coming to a friend’s house,” SINGAPORE?
be a challenge,” says owner Vijay Mudaliar. says Vivian. “It’s not shiny, flashy or super No Sleep Club, Republic Bar
“Sometimes we get great produce, so I’m swish, but that’s part of the charm.” and Atlas [see page 139]. In
always thinking of ways to extract and that order, you’ll encounter
lengthen those flavours. And other times After draining our glasses, we step out into a friendly neighbourhood
we get produce that isn’t as fresh, but can be the muggy night, threading our way through bar, unparalleled service
fermented,” he adds, gesturing to the rows of bustling, lantern-festooned streets and past and hospitality, and jaw-
pickling jars lining the shelves. groups of elderly men playing Chinese chess dropping interiors. They’re
on the sidewalk. Our final stop this evening is all so different in their DNA.
This, along with the bar’s composting and one of Guoyi’s bars, Gibson, housed in a former nosleepclub.sg
upcycling efforts, has effectively created what huay kuan (Chinese clan association) building republicbar.com.sg
is practically a zero-waste operation. “The dating back to 1935. Guoyi’s late grandfather
amount of trash the bar throws out every night was the founding chairman of the Gan Clan Previous pages: Marina Bay, Singapore
could fit into the palm of your hand,” says cultural association here, and the family
Vivian Pei, a cooking instructor, writer and legacy lives on through Gibson today. Clockwise from top: Yugnes
senior academy chair of the annual World’s Susela, owner and bartender of
50 Best Bars list. She’s one of my guides for “For me, it was a natural decision to take Elephant Room; The Peranakan
the evening, the other being Gan Guoyi, on the property. One of the things I love about cocktail at Native Bar; grilling prawn
co-founder of the Jigger & Pony group, a local the building is its heritage, so I wanted to and mutton satay at Lau Pa Sa
hospitality behemoth. Both women also head retain its original facade and structure,” says
up the Singapore Cocktail Bar Association, a Guoyi, pointing to the beautiful stained-glass SEPTEMBER 2022 133
windows and antique ceiling. In the same

vein, Gibson’s back bar has been tiled with we could proudly call a Singaporean cocktail From left: The Cloud Forest at
(newer) stained glass, adding to the vintage bar.” He tells me that the bar’s menus always Gardens by the Bay; colourful heritage
vibe of the space. have something to do with Singapore. The shophouses near Chinatown; making
latest iteration features 10 tipples inspired by prata in Tekka Market in Little India
Like Native and Sago House, Gibson a traveller’s account of visiting the city.
sources many of its ingredients from local and Six Singapore
regional producers. This ethos shines through Singapore’s infamous chewing-gum ban establishments
in my cocktail of choice, Urban Farmer No. 3, is overtly referenced in the tongue-in-cheek feature on The
a light, fragrant medley of gin from Singapore- Can Bubble Gum?, a saccharine, mezcal-based World’s 50 Best Bars
based Brass Lion Distillery and passionfruit concoction topped with a light candy- 2021 list, with
marigold, granny smith apples and lime from flavoured foam. However, the cocktail that highest-ranking
local urban farm Edible Garden City. catches my fancy is Garden City, which is also entry Jigger & Pony
Singapore’s nickname. There’s a surprising coming in 9th.
Savouring my tipple, I reflect on just how amount of nature woven into Singapore’s
far Singapore’s craft cocktail scene has come. urban fabric, from tree-lined streets and
In the late 2000s, cocktail bars were few and verdant parks, to the Cloud Forest at Gardens
far between, with beer and whisky being by the Bay and the UNESCO-listed Singapore
the poison of choice for most drinkers. Fast Botanic Gardens. It’s an abundance of
forward 15 years and the city is peppered greenery encapsulated in the drink — a light,
with world-class venues, many of which are herbaceous tipple made with gin and Ayuuk (a
championing local and regional flavours in smoky spirit), and infused with musk melon,
their craft. As Guoyi puts it, these are places lime, shiso and a touch of honey.
where “you honestly won’t get a bad drink”.
I couldn’t agree more. The emphasis on place continues at
Shangri-La Singapore’s Origin Bar, a swish
A taste of the city space decked out in dark wood, gold accents
and peacock-blue tones. Here, bartenders
Over the next few days, I hit up yet more bars shake up creative cocktails inspired by
to find the city further reflected in inventive the city’s six key districts. Following bar
beverages. First on my list is Nutmeg & Clove, manager Adam Bursik’s recommendation,
a bright, airy space on Purvis Street known for I opt for two rum-based creations: ID Please,
its Singapore-inspired cocktails. a refreshing mix of Chalong Bay rum, cacao
white, yuzu and lemongrass; and Tropez, a
“When we opened eight years ago, there rich, smoky blend of chocolatey Matusalem
were a few cocktail bars in Singapore, but they rum, vermouth and Buddha’s hand (a fingered
were mainly quite international,” says owner
Colin Chia. “I wanted to set up something that

13 4 NATIONALGEOGR APHIC .CO.UK/ TR AVEL

SINGAPORE

INSIDER TIPS citron native to Asia). As Adam explains, both architecture). In the same vein, the shelves are
cocktails pay homage to the historic Balestier lined solely with Indian-made spirits, while
Bottled cocktails are booming in neighbourhood. “Balestier used to be a ingredients are sourced from Little India’s
Singapore, and you can easily get sugarcane plantation, hence the rum,” he says. markets on a weekly basis.
some delivered to your hotel room.
Smoke & Mirrors offers a wide Other offerings on the current menu include Yugnes wastes no time serving me his
range of ready-to-drink libations in the Crystal Moj!to, a contemporary take on bestselling drink, Buffalo Road: gin infused
three different sizes: 100ml, 250ml the classic cocktail. Instead of muddling with pink guavas purchased from the
and 500ml. smoke-mirrors-shop. mint leaves and lime juice, Adam distils both eponymous street in Little India. “Gin and
myshopify.com ingredients to create a clear concoction. It’s tonic was actually born in India, during the
an innovative technique that nods to the colonial era,” he says. “We decided to give it
Planning to spend an evening ultramodern Marina Bay district, which is a twist, adding a bit of vetiver [a grass native
bar hopping? It’s best to get known for its spaceship-shaped hotel and to India] to give it a woody note.” Next, he
around using Grab, the Singapore solar-powered Supertrees vertical gardens. offers me a taste of The Mango, a carbonated
equivalent of Uber, although you’ll rendition of mango lassi (a yoghurt-based
have to contend with price surges Over at The Elephant Room, the spotlight drink) topped with ginger foam. Yugnes says
during peak periods. grab.com is entirely on the vibrant enclave of Little that mangoes are considered a “celestial fruit”
India, where colourful markets are thick in some Indian cultures, often featuring at
Time your trip to coincide with the with the scent of spices, and street sellers important occasions such as weddings.
annual Singapore Cocktail Festival, hawk everything from flower garlands to
which is due to be held in late 2022 gold jewellery. According to co-founder “Many locals don’t really know very much
(dates TBC). Participating bars will Yugnes Susela, “everything in The Elephant about Little India beyond the Mustafa Centre
shake up themed concoctions, Room has some sort of reference point to [shopping mall], and that’s kind of sad,” says
and there’ll also be bar crawls and Little India”. For instance, the menus and Yugnes. “But when customers exit our door,
boozy brunches to look forward to. coasters are embroidered with fabric offcuts they learn something new.” Leaving the bar
singaporecocktailfestival.com from the neighbourhood’s sari shops, and an hour later, replete with yet more culturally
the bar counter is built on russet-hued inspired cocktails, I can declare that I
jaali (ventilation blocks common in Indian certainly feel enlightened.

136 NATIONALGEOGR APHIC .CO.UK/ TR AVEL

SINGAPORE

TOP 8

Creative cocktail bars

ATL AS ANALOGUE

BEST FOR: GIN GALORE BEST FOR: VEGAN TIPPLES
This stylish bar is renowned for its opulent The brainchild of Native’s Vijay Mudaliar, this
art deco interiors and enormous 26ft-tall vegan bar was a first for Singapore when it
drinks cabinet, which houses around 1,300 opened in 2021. Sustainability is at its heart,
varieties of gin from as far afield as Iceland, from the tables fashioned out of recycled
Moldova and Argentina. The sheer scale of its plastic and mycelium (a type of fungus) to the
encyclopaedic menu can be overwhelming, 100% plant-based menu. Try the refreshing
but you can’t go wrong with one of the classic Cactus — a mezcal-based concoction made
juniper-based tipples like the Martini with prickly pear, pink dragon fruit and aloe
— shaken by a spiffily suited mixologist who vera — which pairs perfectly with dishes
looks like they’ve stepped straight out of such as pumpkin dumplings and celeriac
The Great Gatsby. atlasbar.sg ratatouille. analogueinitiative.com

Clockwise from top left: The Dai-Ginjo MR STORK 28 HONGKONG STREET
cocktail at Gibson Bar; Jay Gray making
a cocktail at Sago Club; Buddha BEST FOR: DRINKS WITH A VIEW BEST FOR: SPEAKEASY VIBES
Tooth Relic Temple, built in the Tang Perched atop Andaz Singapore, Mr Stork Also called 28HKS for short, this atmospheric
dynasty style in 2007 in Chinatown; certainly delivers when it comes to venue is often credited with putting
street market in Chinatown, where spectacular views. Here, you can drink in Singapore’s cocktail scene on the map. Like
shophouses have been reimagined as expansive vistas of the Singapore skyline most speakeasies, it’s pretty much hidden
intimate bars and restaurants while sipping on creative cocktails such as from plain sight, tucked behind the unmarked
the Balinese-inspired Barong — a mix of door of a nondescript 1960s shophouse. But
spiced rum, palm sugar, pineapple, lime once you seek it out, you’ll be rewarded with
and bitters. Book one of the bar’s in-demand US comfort food and top-notch tipples such as
teepee huts, which are ensconced among the Lazy Bear (gin, vermouth, peach liqueur
tropical greenery in a nod to how storks build and French herbs), all served to a ’90s hip-hop
large stick nests in the trees. hyatt.com soundtrack. 28hks.com

SEPTEMBER 2022 137

SINGAPORE

1 mile Balestier

Singapore Little
Botanic Gardens India

SINGAPORE

Singapore
River

Chinatown Supertrees

CBD Marina
Bay
Singapore

Harbourfront Strait

Sentosa SINGAPORE
Island

Chinese checkers is a game GETTING THERE & AROUND
played every day in Chinatown Singapore Airlines offers nonstop
flights from London Heathrow and
JIGGER & PONY PAPA DOBLE Manchester. British Airways and ILLUSTRATION: JOHN PLUMER
Qantas also operate a direct London
BEST FOR: A CONVIVIAL ATMOSPHERE BEST FOR: LITER ARY LIBATIONS to Singapore route. singaporeair.com
This beloved hangout ranked second on Asia’s Formerly The Old Man Singapore (an outpost ba.com qantas.com
50 Best Bars 2021 list, and for good reason. of the original in Hong Kong), the newly
The drinks are superb, and the menu (loosely rebranded Papa Doble continues to celebrate Average flight time: 13h30m.
styled on an issue of Monocle magazine, the life and work of Ernest Hemingway, To get around, you can rely on
complete with full articles and photoshoots) is who was affectionately known as ‘Papa’ in Singapore’s comprehensive — and
perhaps the most creative around. But it’s the Cuba, where he lived for some 20 years. Its extremely clean and comfortable
ambience that’ll keep you coming back. You’ll experimental drinks menu is inspired by — public transport network, which
find that the atmosphere is relaxed but never the author’s experiences — try the #1927 comprises MRT (Mass Rapid Transit)
raucous, while the friendly bartenders are (Rémy Martin, Madagascar bean vermouth, trains and buses. Alternatively, hail a
more than happy to engage in conversation. maraschino and bitters), a bold, robust metered taxi or download the Grab
jiggerandpony.com cocktail that pays homage to the writer’s rideshare app.
vivacious second wife, Pauline Pfeiffer.
M ANHATTAN papadoblesg.com WHEN TO GO
Hot, humid Singapore is a fantastic
BEST FOR: BARREL-AGED COCKTAILS PL ATFOR M year-round destination, with
Manhattan isn’t your typical hotel bar. It’s temperatures consistently hovering
fancy, sure, with lots of leather and dark BEST FOR: LOW-ALCOHOL OPTIONS between 25C and 33C. Because of
wood, inspired by the glamour of 1920s New Head to this minimalist space for low-alcohol the city’s tropical rainforest climate,
York. However, its drinks menu — ‘a pictorial beverages; nothing on the menu is above 11% showers and even thunderstorms are
essay of cocktails’ showcasing famous ABV. Its spritzes focus on ‘the art of dilution’, a regular phenomenon, especially in
Manhattanites — is a cut above the rest. Home exploring how melting ice can change the the afternoons, so remember to pack
to the world’s first in-hotel rickhouse (whisky- character of a drink over time. Go for the Spicy an umbrella.
ageing cellar), the barrel-aged cocktails are a Pepper 04, which features ripe mango, green
must-try. The Rickhouse Trolley tasting flight cardamom, togarashi salt and black pepper WHERE TO STAY
includes the Paper Plane (Maker’s Mark 46 wine. It’s a punchy but light-profile drink you The Fullerton Hotel Singapore, Central
bourbon, Amaro Montenegro, Aperol, lemon). won’t feel guilty downing at noon, when the Business District. From £248, room only.
manhattan.regentsingapore.com.sg bar opens. platformstudio.co fullertonhotels.com
The Warehouse Hotel, Robertson
Quay. From £171, room only.
thewarehousehotel.com

MORE INFO
Visit Singapore. visitsingapore.com
Lonely Planet Singapore, £13.99

HOW TO DO IT
Hayes & Jarvis can personalise a
Singapore and Bangkok tour, during
which you have three days to explore
the Lion City at your leisure before
boarding the luxury Eastern & Oriental
Express train to Thailand. From £5,199
per person for 10 days in 2022 (prices
for 2023 TBC). hayesandjarvis.co.uk

138 NATIONALGEOGR APHIC .CO.UK/ TR AVEL

| PAID CONTENT FOR AVALON WATERWAYS

FIVE ACTIVE EXPERIENCES

River cruises

River cruises are a slow-travel option for exploring Europe’s valleys, but they
also offer fast-paced adventures for active travellers. Words: Samantha Lewis

1 KAYAK THROUGH A CANYON 3 JOIN A BIKE SAFARI Above: The medieval Golubac
The Gorges de l’Ardèche is a series of At the Netherlands’ Hoge Veluwe Fortress on the Danube River
limestone cliffs carved by the Ardèche River National Park, 25 miles of cycle trails weave marks the entrance to Serbia’s
over millennia, forming an 18-mile canyon through an ever-changing landscape, from Djerdap National Park
in the south west of France. Much of this woodlands and dry heaths to shifting sand
nature reserve is only accessible by water: dunes. Discover it on a ‘bike safari’, keeping PLAN YOUR TRIP
paddle past the Pont d’Arc, a natural bridge your eye peeled for the park’s ‘big four’: red
that serves as a gateway to the canyon, and deer, roe deer, wild boars and mouflons. All experiences are available via Avalon
along this Rhone tributary, keeping an eye Waterways’ Active & Discovery river
out for otters and kingfishers, as well as 4 TAKE A GRAFFITI-THEMED WALK cruise concept, which offers activities
vultures, falcons and eagles soaring above. A key player in the Flemish Renaissance, for travellers of all fitness levels. With its
Ghent has expanded its cultural credentials spacious Panorama Suites and a limited
2 CLIMB UP TO A CLIFFTOP to include a thriving street art community. number of guests on each vessel, its Suite
MONASTIC COMPLEX Take a tour of the Belgian city’s art scene, Ships provide a relaxed experience along
A UNESCO World Heritage Site in northeast including its aptly named Graffiti Street Europe’s rivers. Visit avalonwaterways.co.uk
Bulgaria, the 20 medieval churches and — a canvas for muralists where everyone is
IMAGE: ALAMY chapels forming the Rock-hewn Churches welcome to leave their own mark.
of Ivanovo monastic complex were dug
out by Christian hermits from the rocky 5 HIKE AND REFUEL
banks of the Rusenski Lom River. There’s Serbia’s Djerdap National Park is home to
a bit of a climb to reach Holy Virgin’s Rock the Iron Gates, the Danube’s longest, deepest
Church, the only cave open to the public, gorge through the heart of the Carpathian
but its beautifully preserved 13th- and 14th- Mountains. Discover it on a hike, stopping to
century frescoes are worth the effort. What’s refuel with traditional specialities along the
more, you’ll be able to enjoy panoramic way (the area’s cuisine bears influences from
views of the surrounding natural park. Romania, Turkey, Hungary and Greece).

SEE MORE ONLINE AT NATIONALGEOGR APHIC .CO.UK/ TR AVEL

14 0 NATIONALGEOGR APHIC .CO.UK/ TR AVEL

CITY LIFE

ANTWERP

An arresting clash of old-world grandeur and industrial
power plays out across Belgium’s unpretentious second
city, home to historic dockyards, award-winning cuisine,
captivating museums and some of the country’s best beer

WORDS: DANIEL STABLES. PHOTOGR APHS: KE VIN FAINGNAERT

Antwerp has long been at the centre of things. to fortune, of course; before that, in the 16th
Belgium’s handsome northern city grew and 17th centuries, the city was famed for the
wealthy on the profits of its port, trading riches of its citizens. A wealth of grand Flemish
since the 16th century in glittering diamonds, buildings survive from this era, including the
priceless works of art and the spices and spoils home of Peter Paul Rubens, the masterly painter
of assorted empires. The Port of Antwerp whose work remains the pride of Antwerp.
remains extraordinary: a Blade Runner-esque
noirscape of industrial architecture, where the Despite this grand past, the city is a
rusted hulks of old trade ships sit side-by-side straightforward kind of place, where bustling
with space-age modern buildings, presided cosmopolitanism and commercialism can still
over by a steel canopy of creaking girders and be felt everywhere. Car-boot traders cheerfully
looming cranes. Nothing encapsulates the set up shop in the grand squares of the historic
port’s double-edged character like the Zaha core, and the boxy post-war architecture south
Hadid-designed Havenhuis, where a futurist, of the train station makes a humble setting for
diamond-like building glitters atop a historic the world’s most lucrative diamond district
former fire station. In the midst of it all are
remnants of the port’s pre-industrial life The character of the city also reveals itself
— lonely church towers, frozen windmills and, through food: even with a galaxy of Michelin
most charming of all, the village of Lillo: a stars, the favoured local dish remains,
pocket of Old Flanders marooned among reed reassuringly, a steaming pot of moules with
beds and duckboard walkways. a bucket of frites. This unpretentious spirit
pervades the city, whether you’re dining by
Today, most visitors arrive in Antwerp by lamplight in the rarefied surrounds of the
train, with the city’s heritage on show in the historic stock exchange or rubbing shoulders
cavernous marble hallways of Antwerpen- with the bright young things of Belgium’s most
Centraal railway station, a masterwork of vibrant nightlife scene.
art nouveau architecture. This style crops
up throughout the city, most notably in the Antwerp’s broad, leafy boulevards and
fashionable district of Zurenborg, where outdoor cafes might evoke those of Paris,
eye-catching houses are testament to a boom but in the cobbled, 16th-century alleyways,
during the late 1800s. Antwerp is no stranger Flemish townhouses and sprawling, retro-
futurist port, Antwerp shows its true face: one
which is all its own.

SEPTEMBER 202 2 141

142 NATIONALGEOGR APHIC .CO.UK/ TR AVEL

ANTWERP

SEE & DO Jean Fouquet’s Madonna Surrounded by A girl’s best friend
Seraphim and Cherubim. kmska.be About 84% of the
C AT H E D R A L O F O U R L A DY: Among the RU B E N S H U I S : The stereotype of the artist world’s rough-cut
treasures in Antwerp’s Gothic cathedral starving in a dark garret wasn’t for painter diamonds pass
are two vast Peter Paul Rubens triptychs Peter Paul Rubens, as his former home and through the city’s
— including his masterwork, The Elevation workplace attests. Buying the grand property Diamond Quarter to
of the Cross. Little chapels branch off from in 1610, he transformed it into something the tune of billions of
the ambulatory, adorned with kaleidoscopic akin to an Italian palazzo, with a neoclassical dollars every year. The
stained glass that floods the marble in courtyard and even a miniature ‘Pantheon’ industry is dominated
technicolour on sunny days. You can also room. Rubens’ own works are also exhibited by a small community
worship at the altar of Belgian beer at De Plek, here, of course; meet the artist’s gaze in his of Jains, who began
the cathedral’s bistro-bar. dekathedraal.be self-portrait. rubenshuis.be moving from India to
M U S E U M P L A N T I N - MO R E T U S : For a vivid R E D S TA R L I N E M U S E U M : Antwerp’s Belgium in the 1960s
illustration of the wealth that flowed through most captivating human-interest museum
Antwerp in the 16th century, visit the former chronicles the lives of some of the two million Previous pages: The grand, art deco
home and workshop of printing magnate passengers who departed Europe for the US Antwerpen-Centraal railway station
Christophe Plantin. Gorgeous rooms, decked on the Red Star Line ships, including Albert
out in dark wood, harbour magnificently well- Einstein and Irving Berlin. The museum Clockwise from top: Handschoenmarkt
preserved artifacts of the printing revolution, outlines the struggles and indignities faced square, near the Cathedral of our
including the world’s two oldest surviving by the passengers, who endured stringent Lady; Vrijdagmarkt square, home to a
printing presses, dating from around 1600. medical examinations and rough living Friday antiques market; kicking back at
There are also priceless manuscripts, conditions on the journey. redstarline.be Luddites Books & Wine; dinner is served
including the grandly illuminated Wenceslas M A S M U S E UM : This angular, red sandstone- at Invincible reastaurant
Bible. museumplantinmoretus.be and-glass confection is the city’s largest
ROYAL MU SEUM OF FINE ARTS (K MSK A): museum, with its varied exhibitions spanning SEPTEMBER 2022 143
Reopening in September 2022 after being everything from Antwerp’s food scene to
closed for over a decade, the neoclassical pre-Columbian art. Those interested in the
building that houses the Royal Museum of mechanics of museums will be fascinated
Fine Arts has had a top-drawer makeover and by ‘A Look at the Collection’, which tells
will once again be the best place in Antwerp the human stories behind chosen objects,
to admire the works of the Flemish Masters. including who made, used and collected
Collection highlights include Hans Memling’s them. mas.be
Portrait of a Man with a Roman Medal and

ANTWERP

LIKE A LOCAL

K U L M I N ATO R : Hundreds of Belgium’s
famous beers can be sampled at this under-
the-radar bar, where the elderly proprietors
will only deign to let you in if you ring the bell
then utter the password, “I am here to taste
beer.” Inside are board games and a quiet
atmosphere. One for the purists.
facebook.com/kulminator.friends
E XOT I C M A R K E T: The rather vaguely named
Exotic Market sees locals descend every
Saturday on the Oudevaartplaats, not far
from the Rubenshuis, for a worldwide street
food tour. Alongside Belgian classics (shrimp
croquettes and stroopwafels) are stalls selling
French cheese and charcuterie, Moroccan
small plates, Mexican quesadillas and more.
D E ROM A : A sumptuous art deco auditorium
is the centrepiece of this 1920s former
cinema, which now serves as a multipurpose
performance venue. Local bands and singers
grace the stage along with international acts
on tour; indie films are shown; and there
are expos and events on issues as diverse as
refugees and mental health. deroma.be
S E E F B R E W E RY: There are several great
brewery tours to choose from in Antwerp
(including at the legendary De Koninck), but
Seef’s is the best. Owner Johan Van Dyck is a
colourful character who will talk you through
his revival of Antwerp’s historic Seefbier, a
cloudy buckwheat blonde known as ‘working
man’s champagne’. The tour is followed by
tastings, naturally. seef.be

Right: The Grote Markt statue that depicts the city’s
foundational myth in which Brabo, a Roman soldier,
throws a giant’s hand in the Scheldt River

14 4 NATIONALGEOGR APHIC .CO.UK/ TR AVEL



ANTWERP

E AT BUY What’s in a name?
One local legend says
£ F I S H A’G O G O : It’s a crowded field, L U D D I T E S B O O K S & W I N E : Urbane ‘Antwerp’ is a derivative
but this legendary street shack just off the travellers will feel right at home in this of the Dutch for ‘hand
Grote Markt does the best fish and frites in charming bookshop, which has a decent throwing’, named after
Antwerp. Perch at a tiny sea-blue wooden table English-language selection among its cookery a malevolent giant who
and chair and order the house specialities books, novels, poetry and assorted non-fiction. would sever the hands
— mussels in white wine sauce or shrimp Shopping done, head upstairs to the laid-back of sailors until he was
croquettes, served with that most Belgian bar, where you can enjoy a glass of wine while dealt the same fate
of accompaniments: chips and mayonnaise. leafing through your purchases. luddites.be by a Roman soldier.
Oysters, when in season, are also a fantastic T H E C H O C O L AT E L I N E : Self-described A bronze fountain in
choice. fishagogo.be ‘shockolatier’ Dominique Persoone puts a the Grote Markt depicts
£ £ I N V I N C I B L E : This relaxed restaurant modern, vibrant spin on traditional Belgian the myth
has a reassuringly slim menu: a creamy chocolate. The purple selection boxes offer
pancetta pasta, rich bouillabaisse and lamb a rotating medley of Dominique’s creative Clockwise from top: Walking along
sausage are the mainstays, alongside what offerings, which include treats infused with the Scheldt beside The View Antwerp
may just be the finest steak in Antwerp. Opt matcha and bergamot, calamansi and pine observation wheel; at work in at the
to sit at the bar surrounding the open kitchen nuts, and more. They all look and taste like Chocolate Line; the courtyard of Museum
for a lively, sociable dining experience. tiny works of art. thechocolateline.be Plantin-Moretus, which focuses on 16th-
invincible.be D R I E S VA N N OT E N : The ‘Antwerp Six’ are century printing; Jazzcafe De Muze, which
£ £ £ F I E R A : The grand surroundings the most prominent movers and shakers on hosts live music five nights a week
of Antwerp’s former stock exchange form the city’s world-renowned fashion scene.
the backdrop of this elegant city-centre Among them, Dries van Noten has garnered
restaurant, all ornately carved stone archways particular appeal for his colourful threads. His
and wood panelling worthy of a cathedral. flagship shop is on Nationalestraat, just a few
Just as spectacular as the setting is the food, steps from the ModeMuseum, where you’ll find
including mouth-melting kobe beef and truffle an informative exhibition of the finest work by
pappardelle. fiera.be Antwerp’s designers. driesvannoten.com

14 6 NATIONALGEOGR APHIC .CO.UK/ TR AVEL



ANTWERP

Port of Antwerp Antwerp
Havenhuis BELGIUM

Red Star Line Museum

MAS Museum
c
h
e
l
dt
Cathedral of Our Lady Antwerpen-Centraal

Museum railway station
Rubenshuis

Plantin-Moretus

ANTWERP Diamond

Quarter

S Royal Museum
of Fine Arts

500 yards

Lounge space in the GETTING THERE & AROUND
stylish Yust hotel The quickest and most comfortable
way to get to Antwerp from the UK is
AFTER HOURS SLEEP to travel by Eurostar from London St ILLUSTRATION: JOHN PLUMER
Pancras to Brussels and then take one
JA Z ZC A F E D E M U Z E : Hang out with £ Y U S T: Combining sociability with an of the many regular trains onwards to
Antwerp’s hepcats at this glorious, cavernous eye for design, this ultra-stylish hostel has Antwerp. eurostar.com trainline.com
jazz bar, which resounds with live music five bookcases lined with arty books, plush Average journey time: 2h40m.
nights a week. Pull up a chair at one of the banquettes bookended with houseplants and British Airways, Brussels Airlines,
wooden tables, spread across two floors, and a breezy rooftop garden complete with sofas. Lufthansa and Ryanair fly from UK
soak up the lounge-like atmosphere while The dorms are charming, too, with recessed airports, including Manchester
sampling a wide selection of beers, wines and wooden bunks and cosy window seats. Large and Heathrow, to Brussels, but not
spirits. jazzcafedemuze.be private rooms are also available. yust.com directly to Antwerp. ba.com
DAVA I : If you need a break from Belgian £ £ H OT E L RU B E N S : Down a quiet side street brusselsairlines.com lufthansa.com
beer, look no further than this voguish off bustling Grote Markt, Hotel Rubens promises ryanair.com
cocktail bar, decked out with wooden pallets, the best of both worlds. The rooms and stylish Average flight time: 1h20m.
potted plants and bare bulbs. The menu spans communal areas have an airy, modern feel that It’s possible and enjoyable to explore
dozens of classic and creative cocktails; try the belies their historic surroundings, and some the majority of Antwerp’s attractions
oriental blossom, with rum, elderflower and overlook the baroque tower of St Paul’s Church. on foot. For sights further afield, use
ginger. davai.be hotelrubensantwerp.be the efficient De Lign transit network
A M P E R E : Antwerp’s clubbing scene £ £ £ B OTA N I C SA N C T UA RY: This — tickets, bought online or at stops,
outperforms that of sedate Brussels, and exquisite hotel, set in a 12th-century can be used on buses and trams — or
Ampere is one of the city’s finest institutions. monastery and surrounded by botanical Antwerp’s waterbus. Bikes can be
The emphasis is on house and techno, with gardens, is the epitome of peace and quiet. rented using the Velo network.
world-leading international acts such as Rooms feature splendid wooden beams and delijn.be portofantwerpbruges.com
Nina Kraviz and Joris Voorn appearing period windows, but are otherwise modern velo-antwerpen.be
alongside Belgian veterans like Marco Bailey. and understated, with an earthy colour palette
Workshops in music production, video and and in-room greenery. There are four excellent WHEN TO GO
photography are held here during the day. fine-dining restaurants, including traditional Summer is pleasant, with plenty of
ampere-antwerp.com Belgian offerings at 1238. botanicantwerp.be sun and temperatures generally
falling between 20C and 25C. Rainfall
is a possibility year-round, and in
fact is slightly higher in the summer
months, so a waterproof layer is always
advisable. Spring and autumn are
relatively mild, while December is also
a good time to visit as the traditional
Christmas markets open.

MORE INFO
Antwerp Tourism. visitantwerpen.be
The Rough Guide to Belgium &
Luxembourg, £9.99

HOW TO DO IT
Eurostar offers three nights in
Antwerp at the NH Collection Antwerp
Centre hotel B&B, including trains
from London, from £310 per person.
eurostar.com

14 8 NATIONALGEOGR APHIC .CO.UK/ TR AVEL

FLY NOW,
PAY IF OKAY!

GET THE APP
www.colibra.io

TR AVEL TALK

ASK THE EXPERTS

NEED ADVICE FOR YOUR NE X T TRIP ? ARE YOU AF TER RECOM MENDATION S,
TIPS AND GUIDANCE? OUR EXPERTS HAVE THE ANSWERS…
THE
EXPERTS

Jonny Bealby
Founder, Wild
Frontiers

John Walton
Aviation journalist

Richard Hammond
Founder,
Green Traveller

Connor McGovern I’m keen to start planning a minarets and glittering palaces Rabat. This combination of Silk IMAGES: GETTY; ALAMY; SANDY STEELE-PERKINS
Commissioning editor, Silk Road trip for 2023. What and madrasas will give you an idea Road architecture in Uzbekistan
National Geographic highlights would you suggest of just how much wealth flowed and nomadic culture in Kyrgyzstan
Traveller (UK) for a two-week tour? through this area. Uzbekistan is the is hard to beat.
quintessential Silk Road country,
From left: Poi-Kalyan minaret Not only is the Silk Road a with its caravanserais, impressive For something more out-there,
and madrasa in Bukhara, fascinating part of the world, monuments and various cultural you could combine Uzbekistan with
Uzbekistan; Mallinson’s but it also offers a real sense of influences, and Registan Square Turkmenistan. This itinerary would
Woodland Retreat a ‘journey’ as you follow in the in Samarkand is one of the most include the Silk Road cities of
footsteps of countless traders, iconic sites on the route. Uzbekistan, but also take in some
pilgrims and warriors who trod this of Turkmenistan’s most impressive
path between the 2nd century BC Kyrgyzstan, meanwhile, offers sights, including the Darvaza gas
and the 15th century AD. You can a great introduction to rural life crater, the ancient city of Merv
get a reasonable sense of the area in Central Asia. Here you can stay and the curious capital, Ashgabat.
in two weeks, but I’d probably with semi-nomadic people in yurt With more time I’d recommend the
recommend sticking to just two of camps by Song Köl Lake or Lake Pamir Mountains in Tajikistan and
the ’Stans (you could cover more in Issyk-Kul, meet eagle hunters, the wild scenery of Kazakhstan,
a longer three- or four-week trip). catch a game of kok boru (polo too. Whichever countries you
played with a goat’s carcass) and choose, the best way to experience
Of these countries, I’d suggest ride horses through a staggeringly the region is on a group or bespoke
combining Uzbekistan with beautiful landscape — all turquoise tour, with itineraries focused
Kyrgyzstan, with a week in each. In blue lakes, snow-capped mountains on your interests. Don’t forget
Uzbekistan, take in the three main and walnut forests. Kyrgyzstan has to check gov.uk before travel.
Silk Road cities — Khiva, Bukhara Silk Road sites of its own, too, such wildfrontierstravel.com
and Samarkand — where turquoise- as the ancient caravanserai of Tash
tiled mosques, impressive JONNY BEALBY

150 NATIONALGEOGR APHIC .CO.UK/ TR AVEL