PRIVATE TRAVELLER COLLECTION

Fascination. As it poured straight down into the ocean,
the volcanoes' lava has turned into rocks that look as if
they were surging from the water. Especially at the island's North-West, around Porto Moriz, they create a surreal, fantastical landscape of natural pools.

Their peaceful and crystal-clear waters are very sought-after by swimmers, as much as sandy beaches. They are best enjoyed in the
spring, before the summer crowds come in.

Excitement. The levadas are just as spectacular. Those
canals have been dug to help the circulation of rain waters
 

from one side of the island to the other, allowing for the
irrigation of dry land. They are lined by small paths that have been turned into unusual trekking routes. There are 70 different routes of different difficulty levels, which feel just like you are in Indiana Jones!

Enigmatic. The most fascinating one goes through lush jungle, underneath a waterfall, over a small rope bridge and through majestic canyons.

All of this in the middle of gigantic trees,
sweet-scented flowers, giant ferns and to the song of finches.  
 

In Madeira, you will find Madeira wine of course. This unusual wine needs to be drunk when it is at least ten years old: otherwise it is too sweet. Some old  Madeiras, between fifty and a hundred years old, are an absolute delight and perfect for sharing with a special person. The main grape variety used for this wine comes from Venice: the Malvesia grape.

You can find its spicy and generous gentleness in the Malmsey. Unlike Bordeaux wines, which do not travel well, Madeira has been all around the

world: it was drunk by pirates, during the United States' declaration of independence but also at the court of Russian tsars who took it as a bounty during the napoleonic wars. Just read Arturo Perez Reverte again and again.

Today Madeira still is an elegant wine which is to be savored dry, from Boston to Moscow.

In the Açores and in Madeira, expect to eat a lot of fish. You will savor dishes that are both simple and chic: lobster, clams and goose barnacles are served with a glass of local wine.

Did you know that the Açores' deep waterbeds are the largest wildlife reserve of cetaceans in the world?

Whales, dolphins, sperm whales all thrive in its hospitable waters. If you are an adventure fan, you can dive and swim amongst them, or follow them with a telephoto lens aboard a sailing boat, like a wildlife paparazzo…

Sailing expeditions are also a great occasion for a day of fishing: the islands' waters
are on the migration route of the albacore tuna, which migrates from Ireland to

Senegal. Albacore is white tuna of course, and not closely protected unlike red tuna.

In spring, the whole island blossoms: a walk to the heart of the islands, up steep tracks, can be an exhilarating experience that will bring the wanderer back to the days of the first explorers.

On these islands, history is always round the corner, in the island's windmills or in the myth of Christopher Columbus who enjoyed
some happy days in the Açores.

Just like thermal towns in the 19th century, Madeira's refreshing climate made it a popular destination for cures: Chateaubriand went there, as well as the empress Sissi.

With its churches and baroque mansions, Madeira is a most romantic place, but never nostalgic.

Times sometimes feels like it has stopped, offering true escapism and relaxation: sports, culture and indulgence.

The island's spas offer
seaweed and plant-based treatments, perfect to recharge your batteries…

The Açores are also known as the flower islands: Madeira is an incredible garden in the middle of the sea, wildly beautiful and unique. A walk inland, a visit to its botanical garden and its French-style parks, will reveal the island's plants and endemic plants, which only grow on the slopes of this volcano in the middle of the sea and cannot be seen anywhere else.

Every year, two weeks after Easter, Madeira celebrates Spring with the day of flowers.This makes sense, as over 1,226 species of plants have been counted on the

island,including 150 that are endemic. The party begins with the construction of the wall of hope by the children on Funchal's main square.

On the next day, floats of flowers parade all around town while concerts and outdoors shows spring up everywhere.

In the jasmin-scented air, Madeira pays a passionate tribute to its emblematic
flower, a purple headed geranium, but also to its camelias, agapanthus, proteas, anturiums and giant orchids…

«I have always loved traveling. When I was
a kid, I used to travel far away by reading
Tintin’s adventures.

We used to go on holiday
in the mountains, un the sun… My brother and my dad are great skiers. I was more into
landscapes, chalets, the forests…

The summer holidays were always a joy. We usednto go to the South of France, or to
more exotic destinations. I already loved – and I still do - lazing in the sun to the sound of cicadas,

reading, smelling the heat and the pine treas. But as Marguerite Duras used to say: traveling around the world in 48 hours is not traveling.

To travel, you have to take your time. Each
destination is a new birth. And my holidays
are entirely dedicated to that.

For three weeks, I feed from my holiday and I take my time.

For me, sailing is the
best way to travel. I love the feeling of freedom and curiosity »

The villages of Lastovo and Lucica are a must-see. There, you must have lunch under the trees on the terrace of the restaurant Porto. The island of Korcula,
with its old medieval town, is also beautiful. Try the restaurant Konoba Mareta, that serves local, home-made cuisine, in the town’s small streets.
To experience local folklore, you need
to see the traditional dance of Korcula:
it is spectacular. That was a Thursday night to remember!

A cruise in Croatia is a real joy. I remember reading again all of
Françoise Sagan and Jean d’Ormesson: two authors who remindme of the dolce vita. Nothing is more pleasant than reading

in the sun and
hearing the sound of the waves. The sailing conditions are good compared with Greece: sailing out of the harbor of Mykonos can be a challenge!

The landscapes and the islands are stunning, the water is crystal-clear and, most important for me, the food is divine!

I remember shopping on the markets: the struklis, a sort of cheese doughnut, are amazing, the vegetable
are beautiful, the olive oil tastes wonderful, the famous Svinjentina,
roasted suckling pig, is a delight… And the fish! I love cooking. I used to cook pretty much all the lunches and dinners on the boat.

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Discover the blue Danube and its wines :

In Austria, the Wachau estates offer beautifully preserved castles and
baroque abbeys: the region is listed as UNESCO world heritage. In Blugaria,
some spectacular medieval wine cellars are open to the public.

Experience harvest season In most countries of the valley,
harvest season is celebrated between late August and November. That can be

a great time to travel around the region:a time of open cellars, village dances and other festivities. Austria offers many
wine festivals.

The small town of Retz,
in the stunning Thaya valley, hosts a celebration during the Third week of
Septemner. The country also celebrates Saint Martin's day: an occasion for people to raise their glasses to the year's new vintage.

The hippest: INNIO is a trendy wine
bar with a sophisticated decor, which
serves an excellent selection of
Hungarian wines.

My favourite: BOCK, a wine bar that
is also a cellar and makes its own
wines. It serves great hungarian
cuisine, cooked by a famous TV chef.
More than 150 wines are on the menu,
including those produced by the owner.

DOBLO is a more casual affair. It is
 located in the Jewish neighbourhood,
which is the young, happening area.

The owner serves a selection of wine from small producers. He is lovely and will talk to you at length about his passion for Hungarian wines.

In the theatre area, PESTI DINZNO (or "the pig from Pest") serves a great
selection of wines accompanied by Hungarian tapas. Hungarian dishes
are usually huge and very filling, so this is a good occasion to sample a few different ones.

Where to find them:

INNIO : 9 Október 6 Street, 1051 Budapest

BOCK : Erzsébet körút 43-49, 1073
Budapest

DOBLO : 1072 Budapest  Dob St 20

With Tom Dixon, a lamp is not just for making light: it creates a whole fluid, changing atmosphere.

The British designer presents
his new collection "Rough and
Smooth" at the Milan Furniture
Fair. Faceted like gemstones,
mixing vintage and technology,
each piece is a work of art.

Do not miss his cocktail bar
furniture, with glamorous
champagne glass shapes, and
his sportswear collaboration with
Adidas, which will go on sale in
January 2014.

www.tomdixon.net

Atelier Amaro is the first Polish
restaurant to receive a star from
the Michelin guide. Trained by
Ferran Adria, Yannick Alleno and
René Rezdepi, Wojcieck Amaro
reflects the rebirth of Poland's
culinary tradition - which is not
just all about cabbage. No surprise that last summer, the latest generation of up-and-coming chefs specialising in raw foods met up by the Vistula river for a wild culinary experience. A member of the Slow Food movement, Wojcieck Amaro combines the past and the present, with a menu that includes flowers, meats, fishes and seasonal mushrooms.
www.atelieramaro.pl

Iceland is known for its vibrant musical scene, which gave us
artists like Björk or Sigur Ros,
both inluenced by the island's
grandiose natural sites and the
poetry of its legends. The
Airwaves festival was created in
1999 in an airplane hangar in
Reykjavik.

Every year, it brings
together over 250 artists in all
sorts of venues: bars and night
clubs, but also bookshops and
hairdressing salons… The festival
has become the annual meet-up
for lovers of cutting-edge music,
who are attracted by the city's
party atmosphere. The 2013
edition will take place from the
30th October to the 3rd November.

The perfect occasion to discover
the local scene's freshest bands.
Make sure you check out young
local band Múm and their
experimental folk. There will also
be a few international headliners,
amongst which Kraftwerk.

www.icelandairwaves.is

After twenty years' silence: a new

album and a rétrospective at the
Victoria and Albert Museum.
His glam-rock legacy has been
undisputed since 1978 in music,
video and cinema, but also in fashion. His Ziggy Stardust costumes have inspired Chanel and Guerlain's latest make-up collections. He has collaborated with Kansai Yamamoto and Hédi Slimane, and has long been
acquainted with fellow dandy Paul Smith, who makes his suits for everyday life. David Bowie is far from being out of fashion: 42,000 tickets for the exhibition have been sold even before it opened.

From the 22nd March to the 11th
August

Bookings: www.lovetheatre.com