Table of contents for December 2025 - February 2026 in International Traveller

Where have you ventured this year? As I write this on the cusp of December, I find myself reflecting on a year in travel. I finally made it to Morocco, a country that has long loomed large in my imagination. I loved it, as I thought I would, and write about my special time at a mountain retreat in the High Atlas Mountains on page 80. And I absconded Australian winter for a river cruise through the French wine region of Bordeaux, savouring an archetypal European summer of long days and even longer pours; you can read about it on page 108. And as we tick over into the New Year, we begin thinking about where we’ll be travelling next. As it happens, our IT List issue is packed with…

WHERE IT IS Part of the Small Luxury Hotels of the World collection, YNDÕ Hotel is housed inside a 19th-century private mansion on a quiet street in central Bordeaux, just a few blocks from the pedestrianised Old Town. The city in south-west France is located on the Garonne River and renowned as one of the world’s great wine capitals. slh.com WHY WE LOVE IT The name YNDÕ doesn’t mean anything – it’s a made-up word that deliberately defies association yet could mean almost anything. It’s a fitting name for a place seemingly liberated from time and space. The bones are unmistakably 19th century and the red-tiled rooftops glimpsed through shuttered windows are so very Bordeaux (read more about the region on page 108). But the purple gradient that washes up…

Best country ITALY Why you love it… The ancient ruins of the Eternal City. The romantic gondola-strewn canals of Venice. The eye-watering beauty of the Cinque Terre (pictured) where candy-coloured buildings teeter above an azure sea. The art and wine of Tuscany. Italy has a medley of scenic splendour, gobsmacking history and an intoxicating culture, alluring us with its friendly and impassioned people, hearty food and la dolce vita attitude. Hot tip: Most of Italy’s big-ticket cities are concentrated in the north, so head south to lesser-known regions such as Puglia (read more on page 100), Basilicata, Calabria and Sicily to embrace slow living like the locals do. RUNNERS-UP: Japan, France, New Zealand/Aotearoa, Spain Best beach or island escape MALDIVES Why you love it… The Maldives captivates with its silky…

For a moment, it’s as if we’ve been transplanted into an older version of the city, where life is the sum of simple pleasures. At 8am, late in the Mumbai monsoon, a stillness falls over the Colaba Causeway, a 19th-century thoroughfare known for the cacophony of rickshaws, the garlanded street stalls, the pavements that surge with pedestrians. But cross the road and the Olympia Coffee House - conceived in 1918 by Syed Mohammed Merab, an Iranian businessman - is already bristling with life. Under the whirr of the ceiling fans, a team of men wearing perfectly pressed kurtas weave between the marble-topped tables. They ferry milky cups of masala chai to groups of office workers and couples who have chosen this place to meet, privacy something of a short supply…

Conscious Traveller As an innovative, forward-thinking hydroponic farm, LIGNE VERTE produces fruit, vegetables and aromatic herbs yearround, regardless of the conditions. Many of these products find their way to local cafes and restaurants. Guests are invited to visit the farm to explore the cultivation process and taste the fresh offerings. Part of the same business is LA DISTILLERIE DU GOÉLAND, which focuses on artisanal gins and liquors. lignevertespm.com The French number plate on a parked car catches my eye as I walk out of Saint-Pierre Pointe-Blanche Airport. Some 45 minutes ago, I was in St John’s, Newfoundland, with all its unique Irish quirks – already I can sense I’m somewhere very different. The drive into town hugs a craggy headland and coves where lush grass meets deep blue and, on…

Mirror realms Step into a labyrinth of karaoke booths and futuristic airships where the physical, psychological and speculative converge. Held at the Leeum Museum of Art in Seoul, Lee Bul: From 1998 to Now is an experimental enquiry into the relationships between body and society, humanity and technology, honouring one of the most influential figures in Korean contemporary art. Turn to page 144 to discover more exciting exhibitions.…

14 February - 1 March FÊTE DU CITRON Menton, France A common motif around the sun-soaked French Riviera, the lemon has become synonymous with languid summer holidays on pebbled Mediterranean beaches. So much so, there’s an entire festival dedicated to it. The Fête du Citron celebrates the production of specialty lemons in the town of Menton, grown in such abundance that they’re used to craft a collection of vibrant floats and sculptures that fill the streets with the zesty scent of citrus. fete-du-citron.com From 27 February TRACEY EMIN: A SECOND LIFE Tate Modern, London, UK Step into the tender world of Dame Tracey Emin as she bares all for a landmark confessional exhibition at London’s Tate Modern. Tracing 40 years of the artist’s oeuvre, Tracey Emin: A Second Life unveils…

A STYLISH STAY AT SO/ PARIS Soak up views of the Seine, Eiffel Tower, Notre-Dame and Île Saint-Louis from your balcony at SO/ Paris in the 4th arrondissement. If that’s not enough to prompt a booking, maybe the 162-key hotel’s four hospitality venues – including a rooftop restaurant – gym and day spa will twist your rubber arm. Discover the South Tyrolean Dolomites You may know Italy’s most famous mountain range, but chances are you haven’t heard of the South Tyrolean Dolomites. This hidden region is home to quaint villages, hikes and alpine meadows that turn into ski fields come winter. The best part? You’ll likely have it all to yourself. World's top hidden places Intrepid Travel has dropped its 2026 Not Hot List to steer you towards the world’s…

A HONG KONG HIGHLIGHT It seems Toronto- and Milan-based Studio Paolo Ferrari used an ink-dropper tool to colour-match the olive-green hue of a peridot gemstone to splash around this sky-high space. Peridot sits above the Hong Kong skyline on level 38 of The Henderson. It features a flowing design with a swirling marble bar and plush alcoves that echo the building’s fluid form. Expect plant-based haute cuisine from chef Lisandro Illa (ex-Nomad) and inspired cocktails such as Durian’s Consent that offer a funky taste of terroir. peridothk.com PARIS MEETS THE PACIFIC A little slice of Paris on the Pacific awaits at La Monique at Oceana Santa Monica. The French brasserie by the sea channels the effortless glam of the Hollywood stars that frequent the hip city in Los Angeles County.…

UNCRUISE ADVENTURES SEVEN-NIGHT CRUISE FOR TWO IN BAJA CALIFORNIA, MEXICO, WORTH $20,843: Kylie Servante, WA 11-DAY VIETNAM AT A GLANCE TOUR FOR TWO WITH WENDY WU TOURS, WORTH $10,360: Lucia Scari, WA FIVE NIGHTS IN AN OVERWATER VILLA AT CENTARA GRAND LAGOON MALDIVES, WORTH $11,247: Amy Cooper, Vic THREE NIGHTS AT SHERATON FIJI GOLF & BEACH RESORT FOR TWO, WORTH $1750: Tracie Mohr, Qld HURTIGRUTEN EIGHT-DAY NORWAY’S ARCTIC CRUISE FOR TWO, WORTH $8924: Brett Young, NSW SEVEN-NIGHT MEDITERRANEAN CRUISE FOR TWO WITH EXPLORA JOURNEYS, WORTH $20,000: Claire Aikman, ACT TWO ECONOMY CLASS TICKETS TO EUROPE FLYING SINGAPORE AIRLINES, WORTH $9140: Gary Hiles, Qld SIX-NIGHT ESCAPE TO NEW ZEALAND’S MARLBOROUGH REGION, WORTH $10,633: Dennis Klein, NSW CELEBRITY CRUISES 12-NIGHT NEW ZEALAND CRUISE FOR TWO WITH FLIGHTS, WORTH UP TO $10,000: Neil…

Denmark’s ultra-stylish capital is a wondrous blend of historic charm, sustainability, design innovation and gastronomic ingenuity. Here, good design transcends mere appearance; it’s a way of life. An understated city, Copenhagen doesn’t impress with flashy monuments or large-scale events. Rather, it draws visitors in with its relaxed and approachable urban experience. Long summer days in Copenhagen call for exploring one of the most liveable cities in the world by bike, stopping to see iconic Danish design pieces, scoring vintage finds, savouring fresh produce and relaxing harbourside or enjoying its abundance of green spaces. Historic buildings harmoniously coexist with modern designs while impressive museums and galleries celebrate both Danish heritage and contemporary innovation. This approach to practical design, paired with a warm, welcoming community, makes Copenhagen an easy and enjoyable city…

Piano notes dance on the gentle breeze through a stone archway. We walk under a faded painting of Madonna della Madia, patron saint of Monopoli, and find a crowd gathered around a pianist in Porto Antico (the old port). Two couples are dancing. Others rest on benches and timeworn steps, tapping their toes to the upbeat tune. Volare, oh oh. Cantare, oh oh oh oh. It doesn’t matter that we don’t understand the lyrics. The joy is palpable. The setting sun bathes old buildings – including the 18th-century Martinelli Palace and 16th-century Castello Carlo V fortress – in a soft glow. A charming red-and-white-striped lighthouse sits on a promontory and a cluster of blue and red vozz (the dialect word for Gozzi, the traditional wooden fishing boats) are anchored in…

A millennia-old iceberg time-lapses across the fjord, as if towed by a ghost ship under full spinnaker. It dips behind Nuuk’s colour-coded cottages and stern public housing blocks, animating seascape and landscape alike. To my impatient eyes, the scene had been an impressionistic still life; too immense to fathom, rendered two-dimensional by a summer sky casting wintry light. Arctic visitors, especially European explorers of days gone by, also often failed to truly focus on what was before them, preoccupied with grand quests and the landscape’s potential economic utility instead of its nuances and people. Before I board HX Expeditions’ MS Fridtjof Nansen in the capital city of this autonomous Danish territory, bound for Alaska via the ‘Arctic labyrinth’, I visit the Greenland National Museum. Its exhibits underline the fact that…

Aurora Expeditions launched its third ship, Douglas Mawson, in November. What makes this news so exciting? This ship has improved on the previous two, so it’s sophisticated, it’s very comfortable, it’s posh and it’s very capable. Its first big voyage is from Hobart down to Antarctica (1) to try to get to Mawson’s Huts in East Antarctica. And that’s a big deal. Then to New Zealand, the Subantarctic Islands, the Ross Sea area below Mt Erebus and then all the way from our side of Antarctica to the South American side. The coolest thing about navigating remote polar regions? There’s a point where you come to the frozen sea. As soon as the bow slices into the ice, it’s like stepping off the planet into another world, and we never…

Lanzarote is a unique destination in Spain’s Canary Islands, known for its black volcanic sands that contrast against the blue of the Atlantic Ocean and the white of its villages. Its beauty and culture – a mix of Moorish, North African and Spanish – have long inspired artists, including César Manrique (1919– 1992), whose family home has been transformed into Hotel César Lanzarote. Determined to retain the natural and cultural heritage of his island, Manrique successfully lobbied local authorities to curb the high-rise development that reshaped other Canary Islands. True to his vision, this 20-key design-led hotel feels entirely in harmony with its surrounds. annuahotels.com…

13 days of Christmas Count down the days to Chrissie with a generous gift of self-care: Aesop Abode, a house-shaped advent with 13 doors revealing a family of sensorial surprises. $800; aesop.com DISH IT OUT Thank your favourite host with Bonnie + Neil salad servers. Enamel Rose and Enamel Emerald promise colourpopping fun, while Fish Gold and Leaves Gold bring dainty details to any dinner party. $79; bonnieandneil.com.au Summer spread All sunshine hues and French flair, Le Picnic by Veuve Clicquot helps style savants curate the chicest of summer picnics with its à la mode tableware, rug, basket and ice jacket. $950; shop.veuveclicquot.com.au Wine with heart Coravin’s Hermitage Red Timeless Six + lets oenophiles savour fine wine by the glass – its biomedically inspired needle preserving prized bottles for years…

The scenery of New Zealand’s West Coast hits almost instantly. Thick forests, wild rivers and impossibly tall mountains make the region feel like a nature documentary playing out in real time. One day here is spent wandering through forests lined with radioactive-hued moss; the next, staring at a glacier that looks like it belongs on a different continent. Even local pubs hold older stories than the guidebooks. There’s no need to pick a season; this part of Aotearoa comes to life 365 days of the year. These four highlights reveal a taste of what New Zealand’s West Coast is all about. 1 FRANZ JOSEF & FOX GLACIERS Few other natural attractions stop travellers in their tracks quite like these. Two of only three glaciers in the world that flow into…

The Sigatoka Sand Dunes are a place of secrets and legends, both ancient and new. But from their sunlit summit, they hide nothing, revealing 360-degree views of Fiji’s main island, Viti Levu, to anyone willing to make the roughly 20-metre climb. To the north, it’s green from here to the horizon. Low-lying hills undulate around a grove of palm trees that spans hundreds of hectares and is scattered with the corrugated iron roofs of village bures (locals have long since swapped straw for steel, so the bungalows fare better against tropical storms). To the south, there’s the wild and vast Pacific Ocean. According to local lore, the dunes and some of the 300-plus islands that make up Fiji were created by two warring, flying giants, who unintentionally dropped handfuls of…

Unsurprisingly, Japan is topping bucket lists and travel guides across the globe, and its proximity and affordability have Australians hooked. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, it ranks among the top five destinations for Australians in 2025, with triple the number of Aussie visitors than a decade ago. But don’t let the thought of overtourism deter you; the true heart of Japan lies between the hotspots. From mountain towns to coastal communities, there’s a wealth of regions where most international travellers have never set foot. Japan has a trove of neighbourhoods and districts that are less about ticking boxes and more about being part of something meaningful – and InsideJapan makes ventures into these relatively unknown areas seamless. InsideJapan’s cultural adventures are created by destination specialists who live and…