Destinations: Four Seasons Hotel Gresham Palace Budapest

A Mother-Daughter Quest to Reconnect

Posted on by Krissy Rouse

My mother is everything to me. I was born when she was 23 years old. Although we had a small support system, it was mostly just the two of us. But I never felt that I was lacking another parental figure. That’s a testament to how amazing she is: Life was always an adventure.

She instilled in me a desire to chase experiences instead of objects, whether hiking in the summer, ice-skating in the winter or spending entire days daydreaming at the library.

As an adult, I’ve often felt that life is like pulling on a loose thread and worrying everything will unravel.

As an adult, I’ve often felt that life is like pulling on a loose thread and worrying everything will unravel. In the past two years, I’ve had the added pressure of devoting myself to work. I love my job – but working as a social media manager often goes beyond the standard nine-to-five. I feel I must be constantly answering direct messages from clients or e-mails from management.

A lot of times I feel the need to travel – it’s that sense of wanderlust and being away from it all.

Krissy in Budapest

Rediscovering What Matters

My mindset shifted with a surprise five-night stay with my mother at Four Seasons Hotel Gresham Palace Budapest.

Upon landing, we were greeted by Drew Clarke, Director of Marketing at the Hotel, who whisked us away to a handsome VIP lounge. He made our luggage appear within minutes. I knew then that the entire journey to come would be flawless.

It was impossible not to be excited. And I soon discovered it was impossible not to stand in awe of the Hotel, a restored palace steeped in history, with its millions of mosaic tiles and intricate wrought-iron peacock gate, Páva Udvar. After settling into our room, I couldn’t help feeling profoundly grateful as I looked out on the Chain Bridge along the Danube.

After settling into our room, I couldn’t help feeling profoundly grateful as I looked out on the Chain Bridge along the Danube.

The next morning, at the Spa, my mother and I received Omorovicza facials using luxurious local ingredients, followed by a traditional Hungarian facial massage. The experience was a firm reminder: Self-care is necessary. The treatments gave me a stretch of uninterrupted time to take a breath and reach for thoughts and ideas that I often feel too busy to dive into.

That sense of awareness and presence permeated the trip. One night, my mother and I, along with Katalin Czeller, a tour guide introduced to us by
Four Seasons, boarded a private sunset cruise on the Danube. Watching from the water as Budapest shifted from day to night is something I’ll always remember.

Instead of my phone, I held my mom’s hand, intoxicated by the cool air, the grandeur of the Hungarian Parliament Building staring back at us, and the light reflecting on the water.

Krissy Budapest

Finding Transformation

One of the best parts of the city is its ever-present creative buzz. Ruin bars, unused spaces converted into the city’s liveliest places to drink, are perfect examples of Budapest’s brilliant ability to rebuild and reinvent itself.

One afternoon, Drew took us to Szimpla Kert, an iconic ruin bar based in the Jewish Quarter of Budapest’s 7th District. Twenty years after my mom told me not to vandalize anything, she handed me a pen and said I should draw on the wall. I went over to the wall – already scribbled with thousands of notes – and left a part of myself there.

Four Seasons Hotel Gresham Palace Budapest

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I began to notice that my mom was somehow different, too. I’d never seen her so open and adventurous. So much happened on our trip: She relinquished control and let the chef and sommelier at the Hotel’s Kollázs – Brasserie and Bar give her a blind taste test of foie gras, Tokaji sweet wines and horseradish ice cream. Drew and Katalin taught her how to greet strangers in Hungarian. At the Workshop, a bar that embodies Budapest’s creativity, she drank shots of Unicum, a dark, bitter herbal liqueur that packs a punch, and relaxed with an artistic, laidback crowd.

I couldn’t have asked for a better travel partner or better arrangements. I already knew that would be the case, but it really hit me one morning when we were ice-skating together, the way we did when I was a kid.

Travelling with my mom and being cared for so well by the Hotel, I was able to let go
of the incessant pressures of work and actually be present. I was doing something familiar – made even richer by being in a new place – with the person who knows me better than anyone in the world.

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Budapest skyline

Take Your Time in Budapest

ONE MINUTE: Admire Fairy-Tale Views

Immerse yourself in the beauty of the gleaming lights of Budapest’s skyline while sipping a glass of sparkling wine from the comfort of your Danube River-View Room.


Krissy tea time

ONE HOUR: Take Tea at the Palace

Taste lavish cakes and savoury delights served in Herend hand-painted fine porcelain sets. Lean back in your comfortable armchair and enjoy live piano melodies under a magnificent glass cupola inside the Hotel’s historic Peacock Passage.


Budapest

ONE DAY: Tour and Taste

Learn the history and secrets of the city with our expert guides, followed by a blind taste test dinner, where the chef and head sommelier at the Hotel reveal a five-to eight-course meal paired with wine tailored just for you and your loved one.

Photography courtesy Muse Storytelling, Krissy Rouse, iStock

YOUR JOURNEY BEGINS HERE

How will you take your time?

City by river

6 Rooms, Pools and Lobbies
You Have to See to Believe

Posted on by Lenise Willis

If you’ve seen one Four Seasons hotel or resort, you haven’t seen them all. Each of our more than 100 properties reflects its own sense of place, innovation and style.

Through our international collection of awe-inspiring lobbies, dynamic restaurants and bars, re-energizing fitness and spa facilities, impressive event spaces, and perfectly appointed rooms, Four Seasons delights with design.

Here, marvel at some of our creative spaces, then get a behind-the-scenes look at the design process.

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A pool and spa that reflect tranquillity

At Four Seasons Hotel Kuwait at Burj Alshaya, the design for the pool, spa and fitness section was driven by the theme of peacefulness mixed with a specific sense of place. The glowing lanterns create a warm reflection in the pool (recently named the best indoor swimming pool in the Middle East by Prix Villageiture), and archways and alcoves create semiprivate, intimate lounging areas for guests.

“The fitness areas emphasize light, air and volume,” says Didier Jardin, General Manager at the Hotel. “In spas, dimmer lighting and quiet spaces are really conducive to relaxation.”

The grotto oasis aspect of this design by Yabu Pushelberg evokes a calming and inviting aura. “The Hotel was designed with a refined, well-travelled and culturally informed guest in mind and has a distinct connection to place in its design elements,” says co-founder Glenn Pushelberg.

Celebrating eccentricity at the bar

Bar Margot at Four Seasons Hotel Atlanta

Lead designer Meyer Davis used eclectic groupings of materials and furniture to create excitement in almost every vignette of Bar Margot.

Bar Margot in the Four Seasons Hotel Atlanta

Will Meyer, of design company Meyer Davis, says, “We asked ourselves if this idea of basing the design on the character of Margot Tenenbaum in The Royal Tenenbaums was crazy, and I said, ‘I think it’s so crazy that it’s the best idea I’ve ever heard.’”

It was the independent child prodigy Margot Tenenbaum, from the 2001 U.S. film The Royal Tenenbaums, who inspired the renovated bar at Four Seasons Hotel Atlanta. Bar Margot celebrates interesting people, individualism and eccentricity.

“The way you make a place ‘happening’ is with a strong sense of narrative and of place,” says Will Meyer, partner of Meyer Davis, which co-led the 2015 renovation.

Those familiar with the film will instantly feel transported into the world of Margot Tenenbaum upon entering the restaurant and bar. Throughout the velvety-rich space, tokens from the cult classic film adorn the walls, window ledges and bookshelves.

The Hotel completed a dramatic transformation of its meeting and event space this year. In collaboration with Hirsch-Bedner Associates, the total 17,436 square feet (1,620 square metres) has been revitalized to fuse the Hotel’s majestic opulence with the latest technology.

Four Seasons Hotel Atlanta

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Dining under glass


Castanyoles restaurant in Four Seasons Hotel Bogotá Casa Medina

The barrier between indoors and outdoors blurs in this restaurant and tapas bar, where a lush atrium courtyard and a retractable glass ceiling can swiftly create al fresco dining.

Neighbourhood chic meets rustic nature in the design of Castanyoles, at Four Seasons Hotel Bogotá Casa Medina. The Spanish restaurant and tapas bar, designed by local Saul Sasson, integrates warm colours, Spanish tiles and modern furnishings underneath a stunning glass atrium roof.

The restaurant – named for the traditional handheld percussion instruments also known as castanets – was designed to reflect the way people dine today.

“Castanyoles is the ideal spot to share a Spanish bite or a handcrafted cocktail,” says Mark Bingle, General Manager of the Hotel. “We have an amazing space that allows for indoor dining with open-air elements, enhancing the elegant atmosphere.”

Four Seasons Hotel Casa Medina Bogota

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Seaside sanctuaries

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Live outdoors on expansive terraces at Four Seasons Resort Los Cabos.

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Indoor-outdoor living provides easy access to view the vast sky, the shimmering Sea of Cortez and an endless stretch of white sand.

At Four Seasons Resort Los Cabos at Costa Palmas, it was the nearby ocean that fuelled the design team’s creation of livable luxury. The guest rooms incorporate oversized relaxation areas that seamlessly flow onto outdoor ocean terraces.

“We call our guest rooms ‘sanctuaries,’” says Borja Manchado, General Manager at the Resort. “It’s about welcoming guests and giving them the best night’s rest they’ve ever had.”

TAL Studio designed the guest rooms. “Four Seasons guests value artistry, craft, authenticity, cultural context and sincere hospitality that is truly anticipatory of their needs, and these values inform our design,” says studio founder Todd-Avery Lenahan.

Modernizing history in the lobby


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The lobby at Four Seasons Hotel Gresham Palace Budapest was imagined by Richmond Intl., and features this often photographed chandelier.

Long ago, the entrance of Four Seasons Hotel Gresham Palace Budapest included a horse-and-carriage drop-off. During renovations, the design team, led by Richmond Intl., enclosed the drop-off in a labour of love to expand the lobby.

Now, guests can spend the afternoon sipping craft cocktails and savouring an exciting blend of Asian and Hungarian cuisines at MÚZSA, the Hotel’s newest lounge. A raised piano platform adds a touch of theatre in the bar area, in contrast to the more intimate lobby.

Four Seasons Hotel Gresham Palace Budapest

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Meeting rooms that drive productivity


A conference room in the Four Seasons Hotel Seoul

Designed by LTW Designworks, the meeting spaces at Four Seasons Hotel Seoul channel the prestige of Four Seasons coupled with a sense of place.

Given the purpose of a meeting room, it’s important that the design motivates and invigorates. At Four Seasons Hotel Seoul, LTW Designworks followed through.

The meeting and event spaces are designed to encourage productivity and pleasure; the cosy sitting area and plush sofas evoke a residential feeling.

“Korean architecture is always conscious of the delicate relationship between a place and its environment, and strives for a harmonious interplay,” says Su Seam Teo, an LTW partner.

Four Seasons Hotel Seoul

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Your Journey Begins Here

What incredible space will you discover next?

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15 Photographs That Capture the Best of Europe

Posted on by Caroline McCoy

JB Qorz has spent his career creating beautiful images, acting as a special-effects artist for international brands such as Saint Laurent and Renault, and stepping behind the camera lens for the likes of Coca-Cola and Sony. The French-born photographer and perennial traveller has also earned acclaim through his Instagram feed, where nearly half a million followers admire his dreamy, atmospheric images.

I do not want to capture one second, but rather timelessness. Back home, a photograph is all I have left, between fantasy and reality. – JB Qorz

He shoots without a filter and often in the early morning hours, capturing rays of sunlight breaking through a pine forest or a streak of pink sky illuminating city streets. His aesthetic transcends language; he rarely titles or captions his work in great detail, preferring that his images communicate the essence of the places he visits.

“For me, photography is sharing emotions or even ideas that words cannot express,” Qorz says. Despite his serious talent, Qorz doesn’t take himself too seriously. “Creation is about living the moment,” he says. “It is all about revealing [a feeling] rather than trying to intellectualize it.”

The artist recently returned from a 10-city tour of Europe, during which he captured quiet corners and iconic landmarks with the nuanced perspective that continues to draw fans. We asked him to share some of his favourite shots, from the banks of the Bosphorus to the narrow streets of Florence. Here, he reveals the best of Europe through his lens.

Starlight at sunrise in Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, France


The gardens at Grand-Hôtel du Cap-Ferrat, A Four Seasons Hotel

“If hundreds of people walk through [a place],” Qorz says, “what would they have in common?” With this image, the photographer attempted to capture both the fantasy and the reality of a stroll through the gardens.

Photography courtesy of JB Qorz

On a quiet peninsula between Nice and Monaco, the historic Grand-Hôtel du Cap-Ferrat, A Four Seasons Hotel, fronts the Mediterranean Sea. Qorz captured this image of the Hotel’s fragrant gardens just before daybreak. “I can see both the sun and the stars!” he remembers.

Grand-Hotel du Cap-Ferrat, A Four Seasons Hotel

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Ancient meets modern in Istanbul


Ortaköy Mosque

At 160 years old, the Ortaköy Mosque is one of Istanbul’s newer landmarks. The ornate structure replaced the mosque that was destroyed during a civic uprising at the end of the Tulip Period in 1730.

Photography courtesy of JB Qorz

The 19th-century Ortaköy Mosque stands at the water’s edge very near Four Seasons Hotel Istanbul at the Bosphorus. The photographer was compelled by the juxtaposition between the neo-Baroque architecture of the mosque and the modern bridge that stretches behind it. “Istanbul is a city of many contrasts,” he says. “Sports cars and carriages, ultramodern bridges and old streets and mosques . . . it is a rich blend.”

Four Seasons Hotel Istanbul at the Bosphorus

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Streetcar scenes in Lisbon


Streetcar in Lisbon

Lisbon’s early streetcars were crafted in Philadelphia by J.G. Brill Company. Its newer cars maintain the Brill aesthetic, which you can still see today.

Photography courtesy of JB Qorz

Lisbon’s streetcars are iconic. For Qorz, capturing one in motion required a quick eye and some daredevil collaboration. “Here’s the tip,” he says. “Travel with your partner. Once you have found the right angle . . . [your partner] crosses the street and drops an item in the road to block traffic. Then you only have to take the picture and check that your partner is all right!” Our tip: Snap your streetcar photos from the safety of a sidewalk.

Four Seasons Hotel Ritz Lisbon

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Famed landmarks in London


London's Big Ben and the Palace of Westminster

“We cannot see the face of the character in the photo,” says Qorz. “I always try to make it possible for everyone to identify with the person featured in a picture.”

Photography courtesy of JB Qorz

Qorz’s many fans admire his ability to find a new perspective on oft-photographed destinations. “My goal is not to achieve a completely realistic photo,” he says, “but rather to . . . amplify travel through [a sense of timelessness].” The layered perspective of this image lures the viewer into the scene, which is, of course, London’s famous Big Ben and the Palace of Westminster.

Four Seasons Hotel London at Park Lane

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Perspectives in Paris


Eiffel Tower

Qorz says he dealt with the prestige of the landmark by approaching it as he would a nondescript landscape.

Photography courtesy of JB Qorz

Though he was not born in Paris, Qorz spends much of his time there. Seeing the city with the fresh eyes of an artist “is a very interesting exercise,” he says. “Being confronted with a well-known place is like being confronted with oneself.” To capture this image of the Eiffel Tower, he pretended he was seeing it for the first time.

Four Seasons Hotel George V, Paris

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A view of Brunelleschi’s Duomo in Florence


The narrow streets of Florence

The narrow streets of Florence beckon travellers with Old World charm. Qorz urges the guest to set out on foot and wander.

Photography courtesy of JB Qorz

Just a sliver of the city’s most iconic landmark, peeking from beyond a quintessentially Italian street, “illustrates very well the moment I first saw Brunelleschi’s Duomo,” says Qorz.

I love the feeling of seeing things that have been seen by thousands of people before me; it is a kind of communion.

This view invites a long look at the city’s quieter, more charming side, and conveys the experience of stumbling upon something magical while exploring a new destination.

Four Seasons Hotel Firenze

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Life on the Vltava in Prague


The Charles Bridge in Prague

The Charles Bridge, the oldest of the city’s bridges, was constructed in the 14th century, and was the only connection between Prague Castle and Old Town until 1841.

Photography courtesy of JB Qorz

As much as the photographer enjoys the improvisation of his craft, many of his shots require careful research and a lot of walking. To capture this image, he climbed above the city and waited for the boat in the foreground to come into view. The series of bridges that stretch across Prague’s Vltava River emphasize the city’s beauty and historic significance as a trading route between Eastern and Western Europe.

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Building a story in Budapest


The Chain Bridge

The Chain Bridge, which extends from the entrance of Four Seasons Hotel Gresham Palace Budapest, connects the Buda and Pest sides of the city.

Photography courtesy of JB Qorz

During his visit to Budapest in early December, Qorz came upon a father and son feeding a pair of gulls by the Chain Bridge at the bank of the Danube River. “In the morning I . . . discover what I did not see at our arrival by night. I hurry because I know it will be possible to capture the birds and the bridge at the same time. The bridge alone would not be enough. I have to build a story.”

Four Seasons Hotel Gresham Palace Budapest

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Explore more of Europe through Qorz’ eyes

In Budapest, Qorz photographed the Hungarian Parliament Building from a perch across the Danube at the Buda Castle.

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During a sunrise stroll on the grounds of Grand-Hôtel du Cap-Ferrat, A Four Seasons Hotel, Qorz captured a young man preparing the famous pool for the day. “The pool and the Mediterranean Sea mix up,” says the photographer. “A beautiful memory.”

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Of the pool at Four Seasons Hotel Istanbul at the Bosphorus, Qorz says, “I have seen a lot of pools, [but] you cannot help but be impressed at the sight of this one.”

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Qorz snapped this perspective of Lisbon’s Bélem Tower during a photography tour, from the sidecar of a vintage motorcycle.

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An aerial view of Prague’s Old Town Square captures the city’s history and charm.

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“This couple in front of the Louvre embodies this popular imagery of Paris, the romantic city,” Qorz says.

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Follow in Qorz’ footsteps and pick a destination to explore

pool at Four Seasons Hotel Ritz Lisbon

From Prague and Budapest, With Love

Posted on by Natalie Bogan Morgan

Dan Calle has amassed a loyal Instagram following that can’t seem to get enough of the Toronto-based talent’s travel and art snapshots. When he’s not dabbling in industrial design or graphic design projects, Calle enjoys jet-setting the globe with his camera in tow.

“Travel photography is my passion. The more I travel, the more I’m influenced creatively,” he says. “It inspires me to photograph the beauty and diversity of the world.”

Recently, Calle – one of three winners in the Focus on Four Seasons Instagram contest – and his girlfriend, Mrinali, spent six days enjoying the red-carpet treatment at the historic Four Seasons Hotel Prague and Budapest’s Four Seasons Hotel Gresham Palace Budapest. Now he is back to share his romantic and history-infused vacation images.

“It was my first time in Budapest and Prague,” he says. “I’d always heard great things, so it was what I expected and more. I truly got to see the best parts of the cities in the best way possible.”

Exploring Prague

The Petrín Lookout Tower, one of Prague’s most prominent landmarks, as seen from the castle gates. “It was an interesting view, since various examples of 18th-century work are seen in the image: decorative 18th-century statues, the gate’s forged metal details, and the Petrín Lookout Tower, inspired by the famous Eiffel Tower.”

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“I’m a sucker for symmetry and detail in architecture, and this awesome corner building, where Bakeshop Praha is located in Old Town Prague, is a lovely Art Nouveau creation that offers both.”

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“Prague’s architecture, the history, the landscapes and the people, everything comes together, and I feel like it creates this notion of romance in the city.”

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The astronomical clock at Old Town Square is one of Prague’s most famous attractions. It indicates the sun’s movement; phases of the moon; the equinoxes, seasons and zodiac; and the day.

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See the sights of Prague from below, along the Vltava River. Four Seasons Prague offers 50-min excursions abroad the Hotel’s 12-person boat. Each trip includes Prosecco and promises picture-perfect views.

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“The most memorable experience in Prague would have to be the private tours,” says Calle. “Both the walking tour and the vintage car tour were amazing, rich with culture and architecture. I couldn’t stop looking up at the buildings and snapping photos of all the details.”

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CottoCrudo, the modern Italian restaurant inside Four Seasons Prague, is known for its chic urban setting and authentic dishes. “A beautiful view of the Vltava River, eating jamón ibérico Joselito and drinking local brews — this became my afternoon routine during my stay in Prague. It was perfect to enjoy lunch while watching people stroll through the city.”

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“The mix of architectural styles found in Prague is definitely a clear asset of the city – the Gothic castles mixed with old fairy-tale European charm and modern standouts. At times I felt overwhelmed, because I didn’t know what to focus on and I wanted to capture every single detail in every corner of the city.”

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Completed in 1735, St Nicholas Church at Prague’s Old Town Square is a Baroque edifice inspired by the chapel of St Louis-des-invalides in Paris. Peter Adam executed the frescos, which Calle captured during a walking tour.

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In addition to serving as a place of worship, St Vitus Cathedral is also a prominent museum, a mausoleum of Bohemian kings and a popular point of interest for Prague visitors.

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“The suite at Four Seasons Prague could not have had a better view – the Charles Bridge was in full display and the sunsets were surreal,” remembers Calle. “I was in awe throughout my entire experience.”

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The best of Budapest

“I loved walking and exploring narrow alleyways, cobblestone streets, and admiring the architecture as a whole. There’s something about visiting cities with so much history that I find truly inspiring.”

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“Budapest offered a mix of architectural styles, with the buildings having a more rugged appeal yet full of character and history. The way these structures light up at night adds another layer to the already grand and majestic buildings — it feels like the city is putting on its best for a night out, and looks awesome doing it.”

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Four Seasons Hotel Gresham Palace Budapest is centrally located, at the end of the renowned Chain Bridge, which means great perspectives on the Danube and the hills of Buda.

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“The Széchenyi Thermal Baths were the perfect way to end the day after a busy day of sight-seeing around Budapest.”

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“Just before the baths closed was a good time to take a photo of the usually crowded and busy outdoor pools. The moonlight peeking through the clouds was an ideal backdrop for the beautifully lit baths. It was a chilly night, which made the thermal baths even more enjoyable.”

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St. Stephen’s Basilica (Szent istván Bazilika) is the largest church in Budapest. Visitors can go up the cupola and take in sweeping views of Budapest from above. The lookout tower is open to visitors from spring through autumn.

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Calle was not the first photographer to be drawn to the grand Art Nouveau ceiling and chandelier at Four Seasons Hotel Gresham Palace Budapest.

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“I was inspired by the history and European charm the city had by day and how it transformed at night.”

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Built in 1894, Budapest’s eight-story House of Photography (Mai Manó Ház) is a historic landmark that hosts world-class exhibitions by Hungarian and international artists. Located in the city’s theatre district, the building also features a bookshop, library and cafe.

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A view of Four Seasons Hotel Gresham Palace Budapest.

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The Hungarian Parliament Building, one of Europe’s oldest legislative buildings, lies in Lajos Kossuth Square, on the bank of the Danube. It’s within walking distance of Four Seasons Budapest.

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Four Seasons Hotel Gresham Palace Budapest

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Follow the other winners of the Focus on Four Seasons Instagram contest to Hawaii and California.

YOUR JOURNEY BEGINS HERE

Start planning your picture-perfect escape to Budapest and Prague now

City by river

The Best Destinations for Solo Travellers

Posted on by FourSeasonsMagazine.com

A lot of us take vacations because we need to get away from home. Winter is too long, work is too stressful, or we just need a change of scenery. But then there’s another kind of vacation: the one where you need to get away from being you.

Some vacations don’t get rid of those home-thoughts. You sit on a beautiful beach and keep worrying about work or how much screen time to give your kids, and then you get mad at yourself for not feeling at peace in that beautiful place. You feel like your vacation isn’t working.

There is one way to guarantee that your vacation will come with a mental restart: Travel alone.

In the U.S., 11 percent of adult leisure travellers go it alone. And in much of the world over recent years, solo travel for women has become something of a cultural phenomenon.

We talked with three frequent travellers about their motivation to travel solo and why they feel it’s so valuable to the modern-day globetrotter. Read on to hear what Kristin Newman, author of What I Was Doing While You Were Breeding; David Farley, author of An Irreverent Curiosity: In Search of the Church’s Strangest Relic in Italy’s Oddest Town; and Elizabeth Carlson of Young Adventuress have to say about independent travel.

Kristin Newman: Newly single and ready to explore


Kristin Newman

TV writer and world traveller Kristen Newman found that travelling alone was the best way to get a fresh perspective and a mental restart.

Photography courtesy Kristin Newman

The first time I travelled alone, I was 31, between jobs, and newly single after breaking up with a great guy because I wasn’t ready to settle down. If I was going to give up a relationship to keep my freedom, I figured I should do something with that freedom.

So I went to Argentina by myself for two months. I knew no one in South America, I didn’t speak Spanish, and the whole thing was pretty terrifying. Despite my fear of the unknown adventure ahead, I got on the plane, found an apartment in Buenos Aires, took Spanish and tango lessons, and met travellers and locals who took me in and became a new family of friends.

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The overwhelming nature of just moving through the day when I’m on my own far from home completely took over, and that’s the special sauce that always delivers a new outlook.

I have learned that when you travel alone you not only get to think a little different; if you want, you can even be a little different. Finding that alternate version of yourself is hard to do when you’re travelling with a buddy. I’ve taken trips with significant others, and girlfriends, and had magical times on those, too. But they didn’t transform me the way my trips alone did, because they didn’t deliver the greatest vacation of all: the vacation from myself.

Newman’s favourite places to visit solo

Rice fields in Bali

Bali, Indonesia: Just north of Ubud, the Tegallalang Rice Terraces provide beautiful panoramas amid Bali’s tropical climate.

Photography courtesy Thinkstock

London West End

London, England: Take yourself on a theatre binge in London’s West End and feel great about how cultured you are, even when no one is watching.

Art in Buenos Aires

Buenos Aires, Argentina: It has the glamour of a European city and the warmth of Latin America. Take a tango lesson at La Viruta and a milonga in the basement of the Armenian Cultural Center, then stay late to watch the cool kids dance.

Photography courtesy Peter Adams Photography Ltd/Alamy

Queenstown New Zealand

Queenstown, New Zealand: New Zealand wins in my book for best place to travel alone. It’s safe, gorgeous, and exotic, yet easy, and crowds are nearly non-existent, so you don’t have to make a single plan ahead of time. Hike lodge to lodge on the Milford Track, kayak beach to beach in Abel Tasman National Park, or swim with wild dolphins in Kaikoura.

Photography courtesy Thinkstock

Siem Reap Cambodia

Siem Reap, Cambodia: Pretend you’re Indiana Jones or Lara Croft while scrambling alone in the ruins and jungles of the UNESCO-inscribed Angkor Archaeological Park – including the famous Angkor Wat. It’s just about as romantic a solo adventure as you could hope for. After, belly up to an expat bar and meet people from around the world who chose to move here.

Photography courtesy Thinkstock

David Farley: Travels to learn about the world, and himself


David Farley

For meaningful personal growth, journalist David Farley (pictured here in Istanbul) finds that solo travel helps him to break out of his comfort zone.

Photography courtesy David Farley

During my first year of college, I had become infected with a desire to learn in ways that I didn’t have the opportunity to in high school. When my humanities professor announced a group trip to Central Europe over the summer, I begged my parents for the money to go. They agreed. And it changed my life.

I discovered the best beer in the world in Prague. I ate goulash in Budapest. I saw Prince in concert in Munich.

When the group tour was over, I visited Paris for a few days on my own. As the train rolled into the city, I had my first look at the Eiffel Tower from a distance. I was star-struck. Or, rather, landmark-struck. I spent a couple of days wandering around the City of Light, never really terribly comfortable.

I was 19 years old, alone in the world for the first time, in a country where everything was foreign to me. – David Farley

It wasn’t until I got home to Los Angeles a couple of weeks later, with my friends circled around me, hearing my tales from Paris, that my time there seemed a lot more fun and stress-free than it actually was.

“Travel is glamorous only in retrospect,” writer Paul Theroux once said.

Solo travel is a great metaphor for many other aspects of life. You can’t just move through time and space like a sloth, hoping other forces will step in and take care of it. When things go wrong on the road – and they often do – it’s up to you to fix it.

That’s why solo travel is so important for our personal growth. When you’re travelling with another person or people, you’re essentially bringing your quotidian world, your comfort zone, with you across the planet.

When you’re alone, the habitual you is peeled away because your mind can’t rest in the familiar. Your soul is stripped bare, and you have to resort to being a child again, asking for help from others and using the rational side of your brain to figure out how this new world works.

When I’m on my own, I end up feeling quite lonely after a few days, propelling me to crack open my shell and talk to people. If I haven’t arranged to meet friends of friends in the place – always a great way to get to know the city you’re visiting – then I go to an event, like an English-language stand-up comedy show where you can chat about the performance with other attendees afterwards.

Farley’s favourite places to explore alone

Prague Czech Republic

Prague, Czech Republic: To foreigners, Czechs may appear to have a frosty exterior. This quickly melts away with one tiny attempt at conversation. Within minutes, you’ll be clinking pints of beer in a pub or chatting about the best restaurants in town. Hang out in cafés, restaurants and bars away from Old Town – namely Žižkov, Vinohrady and Karlín – to maximise your chance of meeting locals.

Dublin Ireland

Dublin, Ireland: There may not be a more welcoming, less intimidating place on the planet than Ireland. Sit in a pub in Dublin – John Kavanagh, aka “Gravediggers,” on the north side, or O’Donoghue’s on the south side – and someone is certain to strike up a conversation before you can drink half your pint of Guinness.

Photography courtesy Thinkstock

New York City

New York City, New York: The Big Apple’s reputation as a bastion for rude or different behaviour may precede it, but it’s not necessarily accurate. New Yorkers, crammed into a tiny piece of land together, are really just giving you mental space. Engage them, and you’ll encounter some of the warmest people in the United States. Drinking spots, particularly in the West Village, East Village and Lower East Side, are great places to sidle up to the bar and chat with your neighbours.

Mumbai India

Mumbai, India: Big, bustling Bombay, as some locals still call it, is sensory overload. But the people are curious and friendly enough that travelling solo here is a lot easier than in other places around the globe. Hang out in the expat spot Leopold Café, or stroll around the food hub Crawford Market, and you’ll be chatting with locals in no time.

Photography courtesy Thinkstock

Elizabeth Carlson: Teaching English and falling in love with travel

I moved to Spain to teach English for a year when I was 20 years old. I didn’t know anyone there or whether my limited knowledge of Spanish would be more of an asset than a hindrance.

I was eager to plan a weekend getaway to somewhere in Europe. I was thinking Paris, but unfortunately – and surprisingly – none of the other teachers were.

Taking a chance, I booked a flight to Paris for my very first solo trip. I knew I was in for an exciting weekend, but I didn’t know how long-lasting its impact would be on me. Unbeknownst to me, a weekend exploring the streets of Paris until my feet bled, eager to see everything, eat everything and meet anyone, put me on a journey to self-discovery.

Since then, solo travel has been my main way of seeing the world.

Carlson’s top destinations to see solo

Dubai United Arab Emirates

Dubai, United Arab Emirates: Dubai may not spring to mind as a solo traveller’s destination, but I stop through Dubai all the time on my way to Europe and always make a point of staying for a few days. It’s an unapologetic city if you want to pamper yourself – eat well, shop a lot and relax in serious comfort. Plus, roughly 84 percent of the city is made up of expats from around the world.

Photography courtesy JandaliPhoto/Thinkstock

Koh Tao Thailand

Koh Tao, Thailand: Tucked away from the bigger islands of Koh Samui and Koh Pha Ngan in the Gulf of Thailand, Koh Tao is an easy boat ride away. It’s a must-visit if you love the water and want to scuba-dive or snorkel, as there are amazing reefs here. It’s a perfect place for solo travellers to meet people, since many of the people here are in the same boat. Literally.

Photography courtesy Soren Egeberg

Banff Canada

Banff, Canada: Banff is a great spot if you love nature and wilderness but don’t want to sacrifice a vibrant downtown scene and lively nightlife. Many who visit or live here are solo travellers passing through for a season, so it’s easy to make new friends.

Photography courtesy Gavin Heillier

Helsinki Finland

Helsinki, Finland: I recently spent a week in Helsinki, and it blew me away. In this capital with an eye for design, the shopping is amazing. A growing culinary scene and a quirky café culture round out the city. Finland is notorious for its introverted culture, so if you like to keep to yourself on your solo trip alone, this is the place for you.

Photography courtesy Thinkstock

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