Following Spain: The Monocle Handbook is the third title in the premium series of country-focused guides. France: The Monocle Handbook presents Monocle's favorite spots across this sunny nation, from Paris and Marseille to Basque Country and Corsica.
Discover innovative retailers and charming hotels, as well as leading museums and galleries--and, of course, a vineyard or two. The book also introduces the smartest areas to move to, plus advice from the plucky entrepreneurs who've already set up shop. It's time to see this varied country afresh.
Following in the footsteps of the hugely successful The Monocle Book of Italy and The Monocle Book of the Nordics, Monocle's latest title turns its focus to Portugal in an exciting new series of country-specific books.
A handbook in feel and tone, this practical guide will transport you to the sun-dappled hills of Lisbon and the winding streets of Porto as well as lesser-known locales ranging from the Alentejo region, with its plentiful vineyards, to the dramatic landscapes of the Azores. Discover Monocle's favorite places to stay, eat and shop--stop off at an elegant palácio, indulge in a family-run tasca and scour the streets for the creamiest pastéis de nata--and make exciting cross-country trips (whether by car, boat or horse). You'll also be introduced to the country's rich culture, including the history of Portugal's vibrant visual identity and the folks at the heart of it all. There's even a chapter dedicated to those thinking of relocating to Portugal, including case studies on those who've made the move, tips on the best neighborhoods to invest in, and recommendations for architects and interior designers. So join in, hit the tiles and explore this fascinating country in Portugal: The Monocle Handbook.
Good homes are places where lives unfold, families grow up, dogs jump on sofas, and friends share meals. They're also spaces to find some solitude--a quiet corner to read a book or have a Saturday afternoon nap. Homes need to do it all--they sustain you, inspire you, and tell your story through architecture, design, and collections.
Monocle has always celebrated everything that makes a space a home when covering residences--whether featuring a city hideaway, a modernist seaside residence, or a summer outpost in a forest. The Monocle team brings this all together in one volume that explores individual homes, housing projects old and new, communities of self-builders, even whole neighborhoods where a simple philosophy of building well has created quality of life for many.
The Monocle Book of the Home is packed with great photography that delivers the bigger picture and the smallest details alongside fascinating essays full of advice by key thinkers, writers, and designers. As we spend more time at home than ever, this is a book that could change how you live.
Hot on the heels of Portugal: The Monocle Handbook, Monocle's latest title turns its focus to sunny Spain in the next of its country-specific books. This practical guide will steer you from the streets of Seville to the mountains of Mallorca, introducing Monocle's favorite places to stay, eat, shop, and visit across the country.
Discover the sleekest beachside boltholes in the Costa Brava, the family-run restaurants plating up the tastiest tapas in Andalucía, and the buzziest bars in Barcelona before getting your cultural fix in Valencia, Bilbao, or Madrid. You'll meet the Spaniards making waves in the fashion industry, visit the artisans turning out beautiful contemporary designs, and hear from the chefs shaking up the country's food scene. And of course you'll find out about the finest stretches of sand on which to lay downyour towel.
For those looking to put down roots in Spain, the book also profiles the cities, towns, and neighborhoods worth investing in, the architects and designers to commission, and even some interior design inspiration for your apartment or holiday home. Whether you are putting together an itinerary for a sun-soaked weekend or planning to stay a little longer, Spain: The Monocle Handbook makes the perfect companion.
Swimming is excellent exercise of course, but it's so much more than that: it can be a transcendental experience, offering us space to reflect and to escape. It's an antidote to screens and all-encompassing technology. Perhaps it's the shedding of inhibitions that come with a dip, or could it be that getting somewhere under our own steam is an act that's health-giving, refreshing and life-affirming? Whatever it means to you, swimming--alone or with others, badly or brilliantly--is about being in the moment.
This new book celebrates bathing in glorious full-color photography, revealing the editors' chosen swimming spots from inner-city architectural wonders to lakes, beach clubs and bagni. Whether you're looking to do laps in Italy, tread water in Australia, sink into the icy depths in Iceland--or perhaps just sit on the side and let others do the hard work--this guide includes a setting for everyone. Dive right in.
Monocle has always been a champion of taking it slow. Past issues have encouraged readers to dive into a lake and go for a run. To sleep well. To eat food made with love. Even today, in a tense moment in history, the magazine has done its bit to argue for a new modern etiquette where communities are generous with their time, hospitality, and forgiveness. Now its editors and correspondents have brought all of this together into one volume with The Monocle Manifesto for a Gentler Life, a book that urges us all to slow down, reconnect, make good things, and think about the spaces we call home.
Some of the highlights of this volume include: An illustrated guide to being nice, respecting your neighbors, and controlling your social media rants; practical tips on how to design a house that's good for you and your family; Q&As with the people who have decided to take a gentler approach to work and living; and a celebration of locally made food--with featured recipes--as well as the chefs that bring people together. The helpful tips and insights in this guide make it the perfect handbook for anyone looking to slow down and enjoy life.
Following the success of The Monocle Book of Japan, this volume is a celebration of all things Italian. Few countries pack a punch like Italy. Energetic, enigmatic, and effortlessly cool, it's a country of chic beach clubs, tradition-steeped hilltop towns, and cities full of charm. Its cuisine is celebrated around the world, its design aesthetic has become synonymous with both functionality and style, and it's home to the undisputed capital of fashion; Italy's appeal is undeniable.
Covering everything from design, architecture, and culture to food, fashion, and current affairs, The Monocle Book of Italy is overflowing with insight and is fully illustrated with specially commissioned photography to paint a unique portrait of the nation. From the vaporettos of Venice and the boutiques of Milan to the family-run trattorias of Trieste and the sunny shorelines of Sicily, discover the people, places, and traditions that define this captivating country. La dolce vita never looked so good.
This heavily illustrated book from Monocle is a celebration of the Nordic region, featuring some surprises, quirks--and maybe a sauna or two-- along the way. Monocle's journalists, editors, and photographers have returned time and again to all corners of northern Europe for insights, inspiration, and ideas for living better.
This book isn't about hammering the overhyped hygge trend or fussing over foamy food. Much the opposite--it's about a shared but distinct set of values that have helped these nations excel in quiet diplomacy, thoughtful design, and reasoned debate. Monocle looks beyond the clichés and uncovers the people, companies, and stories that help the Nordic region rank highly in everything from art and architecture to eating well.
Far from lumping these different nations together, the Monocle team will highlight the people, places and products that show the Nordics in all their nuances: lessons we can all learn from makers in Norway's high north or retailers reaching higher in Reykjavík; the firms building bridges in Denmark or selling Swedish soft power abroad.
The world can learn a lot from these northern countries and The Monocle Book of the Nordics is the ideal place to start.
The first issues of Monocle magazine hit newsstands around the globe in 2007. At the magazine's core was a pledge to commission all original photography--capturing the world on film, on the ground, and in the moment. The cover of that first issue featured a Japanese helicopter pilot from the country's defense force, taken as part of a ten-day reportage assignment for both photographer and writer. In the years since, Monocle has continued in its pursuit of documenting the world through its unique lens: from embassies and residences to world leaders and cultural stars. Each issue has featured a dedicated photographic section celebrating lesser-known locales, obscure events, and curious characters through truly outstanding photography. Alpine wrestlers, Syrian outposts, French legionnaires, pasta makers, game show hosts, and private members clubs have all graced the pages.
The Monocle Book of Photography draws on the best of these photographic stories from an archive a decade and a half in the making. A handsome, linen-bound edition with the highest quality gloss paper and printing, the book also features supporting text about the photo assignments and the stories behind them, including firsthand accounts from the photographers.