Leisure x Inspiration: Travel Magazines We Love

Food, wine, travel and magazines — these are four of our greatest vices. So when we begin trip planning (with a focus on great eats, and off the beaten path recommendations) – we like to begin in Aisle 4 – near the poetry and self-help, adjacent to the register. Yes, that’s right: the Magazine Section. 

Magazines are a serious hobby. We consider ourselves off-duty anthropologists, and as such, we see mags as a killer pop culture, hyper local ‘insiders’ resource. A place to read up on the trends, visual styles, and impressions of today’s writers, poets and critics as they traverse cities, natural landscapes, restaurants, and niche destinations, as seen through the lens of beautiful photography, collage, and travel diary. Sign us up. 

When planning a trip with a focus on all things culinary (the only way we ever travel!) – we have a few magazines that are always our starting points. We hold onto these publications because they’re rare gems, offering first person narration, docu-style interviews, snapshots and vignettes of a place, as it really is. When we travel, we don’t want to see our city as tourists; we want to blend into the fabric of the place, soaking into the edges like olive oil on bread. 

And so, a few publications to mention. 

Airbnb Magazine

Airbnb, otherwise known as God’s gift to travelers. This mag is only $5.99 and offers such a feast of illustration, photography, docu-style interviews, local tips and slang, and rich character portraits, that we’re seriously blown away. The most recent issue is about “Italy” – the country itself and its influence on the rest of the travel universe, with portraits of Neapolitan pizza makers in Tokyo, beekeepers in Taormina, and the best desserts to have in Calabria. We’re blown away by the level of detail, and felt transported the second we flipped it open. Definitely a worthy pick when you’re planning your next destination.

Departures Magazine

Departures is a fab resource for everything from restaurants to bars and lounges to hotels. With a sophisticated edge, and ‘culture index’ we can always count on Departures to deliver on the well traveled and well vetted tips and tricks you need when planning a trip out of your comfort zone, that accounts for secret niche destinations and what the locals are loving. 

Monocle Magazine

Monocle is a real EC favorite; so much so that we’ve referenced it before on this very blog. Monocle does a real deep dive into the city that it profiles (each issue is devoted to one destination) and always surprises us w/ its off the beaten track recommendations and insights. Plus, we love the eccentric details and photography/styling. We’d place Monocle in the ‘off-duty anthropologist’ category, which means it keeps an eye towards deep diving while staying culturally relevant.