Q&A: Alain de Botton

Looking for some intrepid inspiration for the year ahead? Take a leaf out of Monocle’s travel annual, The Escapist, and come along for a tour of the world’s best spots for travel and hospitality. We take to Greece and the mountains of Zagorohoria, head east along Thailand’s Sukhumvit Road for sandy islands and fresh seafood, and meet the chefs, hoteliers and artisans setting Galicia abuzz. Plus: the CEO revolutionising short-term rentals, where to grab a cocktail in New York and what’s next for French hospitality. Make 2025 your year of escape.

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New ideas, bright predictions and the trends that will shape the year to come: Monocle’s The Forecast will help you get in the groove as we move into 2025. With in-depth reporting about luxury fashion’s new star apprentices, the places where the film industry is flourishing and which cities entrepreneurs are flocking to, you’ll be full of inspiration for the months ahead. Plus: what the future holds for the world’s greenest petrostate and why you should use more Post-its.

It’s here – Monocle’s bumper winter issue. Carrying you through from December to January, it’s packed with treats, from a wander through Mumbai’s urban enclave of Colaba to a report on Catalonia’s festival of human towers. Sit down with Loro Piana’s CEO, Damien Bertrand, in his Milanese office, meet the leaders driving Andalusia’s thriving aviation sector and head for the Rockies for a break in the modernist Snowbird resort. Plus: The Monocle Concierge, our new section with long reads, smart ideas, hotel hideaways and more. Enjoy!