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Quality of Life

Page 3

Urbanism

Winds of change

Tempted by the quality of life and swept along on Atlantic crosswinds, everyone from kitesurfers to fashion entrepreneurs are altering the outlook for mainland Europe’s southernmost outpost.

  • The Forecast #13
  • 10 min read
Multiple kitesurfers with colorful kites on Playa de Los Lances beach in Tarifa, Spain, with mountains and coastal town in background.
Affairs

Small Fortune

Life in small cities can provide the best of metropolitan life, with greater access to nature and a more relaxed pace. Our annual index surveys those that do it all and do it best.

  • The Forecast #13
  • 36 min read
Colorful residential buildings reflected in calm water along Girona's riverfront in Spain.
Hospitality

Volcanic activity

At the foot of Mount Etna, the once-overlooked Sicilian port of Catania has undergone a striking modern transformation. Its increasingly confident youthful population are bringing new life to its now vibrant streets.

  • The Forecast #12
  • 5 min read
A cream-coloured baroque church with a domed cupola surrounded by flowering plants and trees in Catania's central piazza.
Architecture

Little wonder

The EU's smallest capital, Valletta, packs a singular punch. With a unique mix of Arabic, Italian and French influences, Malta's historic city is on the brink of another renaissance.

  • The Forecast #12
  • 5 min read
Architects Chris Briffa and Leroy Merks pose in a bright, minimalist interior space with plants and natural light.
Entrepreneurialism

Changing tides

Southern Portugal has long been a popular destination among sun-seeking holiday-makers but now a new generation of entrepreneurs is putting down roots in the Algarve in search of a higher quality of life.

  • The Forecast #12
  • 8 min read
Fine dining dish at Los Locos restaurant with sautéed mushrooms and capers on creamy sauce.
Travel and restaurants

Small is beautiful

Size isn’t everything. Our third annual index of the most welcoming, vibrant small cities around the world presents the best compact urban environments that do it all, focusing on quality of life and opportunity.

  • The Forecast #12
  • 28 min read
Elevated view of Bolzano with Dolomite mountains, railway yard, and pastel-colored buildings below cable car lines.
Quality of Life

The Monocle Quality of Life survey 2021

We've tweaked our annual urban Quality of Life Survey to consider the cities best placed to prosper post-pandemic. Here’s how metropolises from Vancouver to Vienna are faring as the world’s most liveable locations.

  • Issue #145
  • 33 min read
The Monocle Quality of Life survey 2021
Affairs

Advance party

After a year of pause, Monocle’s writers look ahead. Here’s how politics, urban planning, commuting and climate change policy can move on in ways that will benefit us all.

  • Issue #145
  • 29 min read
Advance party
Affairs

Open days

In need of an urban pick-me-up? Boosting quality of life in cities doesn’t always require large-scale intervention. These projects are improving the way their cities look, act and feel.

  • Issue #145
  • 6 min read
Open days

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