Sophie Grove
Europe
Kicking over the statues in Spain, Istanbul's Tehran trippers and an overdue fix for Balkan rail travel.
Town of the talk
A new kind of politicking and activism has sprung up in Istanbul since it became home to Syria’s official opposition. Monocle meets the diplomats and advocates forging ahead for change in uncertain territory.
All hands on deck
Traditional gulet vessels from Turkey’s Bodrum Peninsula have long sustained the region's economy. Now, market changes spark fears for the future of the boat-making skills passed down through generations.
Land lovers
A new wave of entrepreneurs is trading city life for the countryside. We meet the people finding success in everything from Japanese heirloom vegetables to British seaweed skincare and German schnapps distilling.
The upper trust
For more than 20 years, Ecotrust has supported civic progress and regeneration in Portland. Monocle meets Spencer Beebe, the man behind the organisation’s ‘people, planet and profit’ mission.
Engine boom
Turkey’s automotive production centre is the country’s engineering triumph but it has yet to lay claim to a homegrown product. Monocle traces the city’s rich history and hopes for a Bursa brand.
Vaulting ambition
Layers of history have been peeled back to turn a bank into a haven in the heart of the city.
The bean scene
From Delhi to Brooklyn and Singapore to Berlin, these enticing speciality coffee distributors and roasteries are filtering out the competition with their focus on quality, community and provenance.
Stepping forward
Santoni’s shoemaking apprentices can take six years to learn the precise, careful trade. Master shoemaker Silvano Sollini reveals his pride in passing on the craft to a younger generation in Italy.
Runaway success
Buoyed by 100 years of heritage, Alenia Aermacchi has engineered a venerable position at the forefront ofcivilian and military aeronautics. Monocle tours the company’s Turin facility for a pre-flight check.
