In an era dominated by endless scrolling and algorithm-driven feeds, there’s something profoundly grounding about a tactile travel magazine. The weight of glossy pages, the serendipity of stumbling upon a hidden gem in a feature, and the quiet ritual of flipping through stories that transport you, without ever leaving your armchair.
Whether you’re plotting a road trip through Tuscany or a whirlwind city hop in Southeast Asia, the right magazine is crucial for getting to know hidden gems and must visit locations whilst travelling around the world.
In this roundup, we’ve curated five essential titles that cater to the discerning globetrotter. Each one blends impeccable design, insider insights, and a global mindset, with a nod to those that double as practical guides. We’ve included their founding stories, subscription details, and whether they offer city guides. Prices are approximate and may vary by region, check the publishers website for the latest details.
1. Monocle (Founded: 2007)
Launched in London by design visionary Tyler Brûlé—co-founder of Wallpaper, Monocle burst onto the scene as a sleek antidote to staid newsweeklies. From its inaugural issue in February 2007, it positioned itself as the urbane observer of global affairs, blending sharp reporting on politics, business, and culture with a keen eye for design, architecture, and lifestyle. Printed 10 times a year on premium stock, each issue feels like a compact briefing from the world’s most stylish boardroom, with features on everything from Tokyo’s hidden izakayas to Zurich’s sustainable urbanism.
City Guides: Monocle publishes standalone City Guides for destinations like Paris, New York, Tokyo, Berlin, and Bangkok, packed with maps, interviews, and recommendations.
Price: Single issue: $20 USD; Annual subscription (10 issues): £120 GBP (about $150 USD)
Website: www.monocle.com
City Guides: www.monocle.com/travel-guides/
2. Condé Nast Traveller UK (Founded: 1997)
The British sibling to the American icon, Condé Nast Traveller UK debuted in 1997 under editor Sarah Miller, quickly establishing itself as the gold standard for luxury escapes with a no-nonsense ethos: no press trips, no freebies, just unvarnished truths from veteran writers.
Published eight times a year, the magazine pairs striking photography, from ochre-toned Moroccan riads to Scandinavia’s Nordic trails—with insider insight and a curated selection of must-visit destinations across the globe.Aimed at affluent adventurers who value authenticity over ostentation, it covers high-end havens alongside emerging hotspots, always with an emphasis on cultural immersion and sustainable stays.
City Guides: The magazine’s website offers downloadable and in-print city guides, from “48 Hours in Lisbon” to exhaustive breakdowns of Rome’s best gelaterias and galleries. Their annual Hot List and Gold List also spotlight new urban gems worldwide.
Price: Trial offer (4 issues): £12 GBP (about $15 USD), Full annual subscription (8 issues): Around £60 GBP (about $75 USD)
Website: www.cntraveller.com
3. Wanderlust (Founded: 1993)
As the UK’s longest-running specialist travel magazine, Wanderlust kicked off in 1993 with a manifesto to champion the “road less traveled.” Founded by a four passionate explorers frustrated with cookie cutter holiday mags, it quickly became the go-to for independent spirits seeking wildlife safaris, cultural deep dives, and off-grid treks.
Issued in six double-sized editions annually, its pages burst with breathtaking photography, reader tales, and practical intel on visas, vaccinations, and ethical tourism. Features such a trekking Peru’s Inca Trail or spotting leopards in Sri Lanka’s Yala National Park, it’s travel as transformation, not just a checklist.
City Guides: Not as standalone guides but within issues and the website with destination guides that function as urban blueprints, like itineraries for Croatia’s coastal towns or Italy’s natural wonders. They’re geared toward active explorers rather than luxury loungers.
Price: Annual subscription (6 issues): £57 GBP (about $72 USD) for print and digital; single issues around £9.50 GBP (about $12 USD).
Website: www.wanderlustmagazine.com
4. Drift (Founded: 2010)
Founded in 2010 amid the post-recession wanderlust boom, Drift was the brainchild of a Toronto-based team craving narratives that captured travel’s raw poetry. Published biannually (six issues a year in its early days, now streamlined for depth), this glossy love letter to luxury wanderings spotlights exotic locales, from the fjords of Iceland to the spice markets of Marrakech, with a mix of resort roundups, adventure dispatches, and gear guides. Its ethos? “Travel often, live well,” delivered through expert voices and jaw-dropping visuals. Ideal for those who blend indulgence with inspiration.
City Guides: Each issue weaves in “city secrets” and curated itineraries, like insider eats in Miami or hidden hikes in Los Cabos. Each volume focuses on a city and serves as a portable playbook for urban escapes.
Price: Per issue: $30 USD (billed every six months for subscription)
Website: www.driftmag.com
5. Suitcase Magazine (Founded: 2012; Online)
Serena Guen founded Suitcase in 2012 during her final year at New York University, tired of travel media that skimmed the surface. From its London HQ, this quarterly print (when available), app, website, and newsletter—targeted “Generation XX”: ambitious women craving experiential escapes. Themes like “Rhythm” or “Myths & Legends” frame global jaunts, blending fashion-forward editorials with tales of boutique stays in Brisbane or off-season Ibiza. Though it is now focusing on digital, back issues remain hot collector’s items.
City Guides: Past volumes and the website feature bespoke guides (e.g., Venice’s backstreets or Madrid’s vermouth haunts), with tools to build custom itineraries.
Price: Back issues/single volumes: £20–£25 GBP (about $25–$32 USD) via resellers; Digital newsletter and content free
Website: www.suitcasemag.com