1.
Unexpected tipples
Poolside sundowners

Forget the dusty bar-cart staples and mix up your apéro this summer. For a Provençal turn, try Pastis 12/12, produced by Cristal Limiñana, one of Marseille’s oldest distilleries. Pour over ice for an anise-infused sipper with a hint of fig and sweet almond. Wermut, from Zürich restaurateur Marius Frehner and Kronenhalle alumnus Kaspar Fenkart, can add a subtly bitter but delightful spice to your negroni or goes down a treat neat on the rocks. “There hadn’t been much innovation in apéritifs in decades,” says Belgian entrepreneur Jules Delaere of his decision to found Midi Apéritifs and the thirsty new market that he discovered. Is there a better time than summer to shake things up?
pastis1212.com; wermut.ch; midiaperitifs.com

2.
Seeing through a new lens
The snapper to sling over your shoulder

The Sigma BF won “best camera” in The Monocle Design Awards 2025. This digital shooter was created by Japanese lens-maker Kazuto Yamaki, the CEO of Sigma, who set out to make a camera that would return users to the early days of photography with a product that’s little more than a lens and a body. The outcome of his deliberations is a stunning piece of stripped-back industrial design that marries beauty and function. Only people in daring swimwear will have more people turning their heads for a crafty peek.
sigma-global.com

3.
Knife in the water
Five thrillers that you’ll devour in days

It’s all too easy to nod off while reading on a scorching shoreline or a gently rocking boat. That’s where the killer thriller comes in – a dose of intrigue and murder to keep you alert on your lounger. It’s why so many holidaymakers have tracked the movements of George Smiley through the pages of John le Carré novels or revelled in Patricia Highsmith’s deliciously base and exquisitely rendered antiheroes. If you want a twist on the genre, pick up the new graphic novel adaptation of Raymond Chandler’s classic noir Trouble Is My Business.

1. Call for the Dead, John le Carré
2. Maigret Goes Home, Georges Simenon
3. Strangers on a Train, Patricia Highsmith
4. The Labyrinth House Murders, Yukito Ayatsuji
5. Trouble Is My Business, Raymond Chandler & Arvind Ethan David, illustrated by Ilias Kyriazis

4.
Family values
The setting for an overdue reunion

With its photogenic fishing villages and limestone cliffs towering above peerless beaches, Portugal’s southernmost Algarve region offers the peace required to host a family reunion. The Vilalara Grand Hotel in Praia das Gaivotas gets its name from founder George Ansliy’s granddaughter, Lara. He founded the property in 1966 before selling it two years later to the Swiss businessman Léon Levy, who helped to turn this magnificent hospitality outpost into a star-studded affair. Today its five restaurants cater to every taste and its thalassotherapy centre (back in the 1990s, it was the first to be built in Portugal) boasts relaxing treatments inspired by the Atlantic. This is one place that everyone in the family can agree on.
vilalara.com

5.
Undercover style
The best umbrella brand for beach, garden or terrace

For a parasol that suits outdoor terraces as well as Amalfi Coast beach clubs, UK company Plia has the best selection. Finding that most of the options available were poor in quality, unattractive or simply unfit for the British climate, Plia’s owner, Alex Sudron, began making her own. “We set out to make parasols that were more beautiful and interesting than usual,” she says. “But we didn’t want them to just be decorative.” Her products are colourful and fun but can withstand a storm: each umbrella is made with durable weather-resistant fabric, helped by strengthened corners, storm vents, double-sewn seams and a bamboo wood frame with rust-resistant stainless-steel fittings. They feature canopy fabric sourced from Europe and are sewn in a workshop in Cornwall.
pliaparasols.co.uk

6.
Swiss poise
The beach tote that smartens your look


The answer is surely a Monocle tote, no? Well, today we’re feeling generous and want to put in a word for the sturdy shoulder bag offered by Swiss media group NZZ. Made by Zürich-based brand Ilhement, the heavy cotton canvas shopper comes in two styles but we recommend the “blank” option, which is a crisp white and has “NZZ” emblazoned on one side and the manufacturer’s brand on the other. It will make you look considered and a little Swiss in your tastes even as you head across the sand in just your bathers. And that’s a good thing.
shop.nzz.ch

7.
Printed pages
The poolside periodicals to inspire your guests

Have an absorbing pile of print media for friends to dig into – because no matter how much we love them, we all suffer from a dose of hosting fatigue now and then.

1. Spanish homes and interiors magazine Manera. We adore Casa Brutus from Japan too.

2. The Monocle Companion: 50 Ideas on Architecture Design and Building Better is on sale from 26 June.

3. The summer edition of our sister title, Konfekt, with ideas for sunny hosting and a look at Catalan living.

4. The French Harper’s Bazaar Intérieurs for a cutting-edge look at how we live – or rather, how we should.

5. Finally, M Le Magazine du Monde, with its stellar coverage of everything from people in the news to fashion.

8.
Made in the shades
The eyewear poking from our pockets

Californian label Jacques Marie Mage has fast become the go-to eyewear brand for those in the know for its commitment to best-in-class quality: every pair is handcrafted in Japan from materials such as acetate and titanium, with the occasional addition of precious stones such as onyx and turquoise. Founder Jérôme Jacques Marie Mage is also known for his ability to make statements with his designs. He has a flair for unique coloured lenses and can seamlessly marry a medley of references, from art deco and the American West to Napoleon Bonaparte. This summer, we’ll be channelling the 1960s with the label’s amber-hued Fugue navigators.
jacquesmariemage.com

9.
Screen time
The cinema where you can enjoy a movie under the stars

Outdoor cinemas are found in almost every neighbourhood in Athens and, on a balmy evening in the city’s Exarcheia district, the Riviera theatre is buzzing with cinephiles. In the open-air courtyard, its single screen is framed by a wall of cascading greenery and hundreds of yellow canvas-backed director’s chairs fill out before the first showing at dusk. The theatre hasn’t changed much since 1969, when it was opened by Theodoros Rigas, who also owns the nearby Vox and Athinaia cinemas (today his daughter Peggy runs the operation). The Riviera shows classics by Alfred Hitchcock, Andrei Tarkovsky and Billy Wilder, as well as modern movies such as Barbie and Joker, but it’s also known throughout the neighbourhood for screening Greek movies and late-night cult classics.
46 Valtetsiou, Athens 106 81

10.
Easy does it
The slides for getting around town


Chances are that the slides in your closet are made from pvc or other synthetic materials. Make a better choice this summer by opting for a pair from Akvo, a new Parisian label by Belgo-Canadian designer Daphne Wattiez. After years of research, Wattiez resorted to using all-natural materials such as sugar-cane foam and a hemp-and-Tencel-blend for the straps. We recommend the label’s elegant Maro slides in sunny yellow – perfect for slipping on and nipping down to the beach for a sundowner or just shuffling around the cobbled streets of your favourite beach town.
akvoshop.com

Wattiez resorted to using all-natural materials such as sugar-cane foam and a hemp-and-Tencel-blend for the straps

11.
Short cuts
The trunks of choice

There might be better places in Italy to enjoy the summer than the landlocked Milan but can you name a city that you’d trust more with tailoring, even the type designed for the beach? Ripa Ripa is a Milan-based brand specialising in tailored swim shorts and clean, straight-leg cuts. That means no more parachuting trunks as you hit water or bulges – the unflattering waterlogged variety – as you step out. The sartorial nous of founders Anna Laura Hoefer and Oliviero Muzi Falconi doesn’t end there. They also added hand-stitched finishes and traditional sailing-boat cording for the ties. Mother-of-pearl buttons add the finishing touch.
riparipa.com

12.
Get on board
The trainers that’ll get you back on track

In summer, when there’s so much else to do, committing to exercise can sometimes take a little enticement. Consider getting yours in the form of New Balance’s Tom Knox trainers, with their low, sleek profile and cushioning for flexibility and comfort. Knox, one of the UK’s premier skateboarders, is behind the design and his British sensibility comes through in the style’s pragmatic elegance. These shoes will take you around town but will also hold their own on summer walks. Don’t forget to slip them into your suitcase before you jet off.
newbalance.com

13.
Sumptuous silverware
The cutest ice-cream cup and spoon

Georg Jensen shows us that silverware isn’t just meant to be displayed in a glass vitrine. Introduced this spring in Milan at its Salone pop-up ice-cream café, Gelateria Danese, this cup-and-spoon set was created in close collaboration with the brand’s Copenhagen silversmiths. It reimagines traditionally disposable items as lasting objects, crafted from Georg Jensen’s founding material: silver. The aim? To bring silver, in all of its beauty, into everyday life. “We’re challenging the perception that it’s untouchable,” says Georg Jensen’s creative director, Paula Gerbase. “What better way to do that than by introducing it into simple, everyday rituals such as having an ice-cream or a cup of coffee?”
georgjensen.com

“We’re challenging the perception that silver is untouchable”

14.
Sands of time
The watch to sport on the beach

If you’re not ready to give in entirely to holiday time fog, Swatch and Omega have come together for a playful collaboration that will keep you somewhat tethered to the real world and its rhythms. Combining luxury craftsmanship and street smarts, the Moonswatch range riffs on Omega’s iconic Speedmaster Moonwatch model. Each of the 11 styles corresponds to a different planetary body and comes in colours from pale blue to pastel pink and lemon yellow. Now, back to that snooze.
swatch.com

15.
Fresh impressions
The fragrance with a scent of summer

Sunny days call for a more laidback beauty routine but that doesn’t mean you should forgo a spritz of perfume. For Dimitra Louana Marlanti and Alexandros Kalogiros, co-founders of Greek fragrance boutique Phaon, citrus and green notes paired with floral elements such as neroli, jasmine and orange blossom are the perfect marriage for a sensual summer scent. “A good summer fragrance should feel as refreshing as a breeze or a splash,” says Marlanti. “It’s something fresh and uplifting that blends with your skin and enhances your natural scent without clashing with the heat.” Among the many brands stocked by Phaon, the pair’s picks of the season include Neroli Oranger by French perfumer Matiere Premiere, Fig by Perfumer H and 28° by Ormaie.
phaon-athens.com

“It’s something fresh and uplifting that blends with your skin and enhances your natural scent”

16.
Electric avenue
The nippiest car for urban adventures

The electric Renault 4, with an optional retractable canvas top, is the French car-maker’s newest model to hit the market. It comes after the success of the Renault 5 and is a fresh take on the classic R4, built in 1961. The latter sold in the millions over the course of more than 30 years and built the Renault brand and its reputation for laidback chic. Upgraded to a family-friendly ride with plenty of boot space, a sleek design and quick-charging lithium-ion battery, the Renault 4 is a modern equal to its beloved relative.
renault.fr

“Just in time for those breezy summer drives, it comes after the success of the Renault 5”

17.
Bold treatments
The Med fashion outlet that should kit you out

Fashion Clinic is one of Portugal’s most elegant shopping destinations, with outposts across the country. Its boutique in Comporta, a haven of sunny fashion, is well worth a visit in the summer months. “The clients in Comporta might be the same [as in Lisbon or Porto] but they are in a different mood so we always offer something special,” says Maria Pimentel, the retailer’s fashion director. “Our goal is to surprise.” Part of the surprise includes a series of artisanal brands that capture the more relaxed, bohemian spirit associated with the season: hand-embroidered men’s shirts by Paris-based Baziszt, tunics by Marrakshi Life and knit polos by Piacenza 1773. Pimentel recommends visiting with your fellow travellers. “A simple ‘This looks good on you’ from a friend will encourage you to make bolder choices.”
fashionclinic.com

18.
Soft touches
The towel brand to give you beach appeal

Relaunched in 2020, Torres Novas is one of Portugal’s top purveyor of beach towels, with a heritage that stretches back to 1845. Wherever you are in the world, a yellow-and-white striped number can evoke sun-soaked days on the sandy beaches of Cascais or tanning sessions by an aquamarine-hued pool in Comporta. Taking inspiration from 1940s designs, the towels’ vertical stripes bring a pleasingly retro flair to your beach bag. They also come in generous proportions and buttery-soft terry and cotton fabrics. You couldn’t pick a better beach companion if you tried.
torresnovas.com

“Wherever you are in the world, a yellow-and-white striped number can evoke sun-soaked days on the sandy beaches of Cascais”

19.
Case in point
The luggage label that’s under the radar

There’s no way around it: travelling in style means travelling light. This summer we’ll be bringing the Cubo Small cabin bag by Hong Kong-based Lojel on our city breaks and weekend escapes. With a nifty flat-top opening, the front compartment is designed to store laptops and documents and is easily accessible in tight spaces or in-flight, while the magnetic divider can be flipped up should you need to retrieve anything from the main body of the suitcase. The lightweight part-recycled polycarbonate shell makes it robust and reassuringly weather-proof too. And if you do pick up a few souvenirs along the way, the case can be expanded for the journey home.
lojel.com

20.
Smooth service
The perfectly formed gateway airport

We love compact airports and one of the most perfectly formed is Nice Côte d’Azur (NCE). This gateway to the south of France – whether you’re heading to Monaco (there’s a helicopter service), Antibes or your villa in the hills – somehow handles almost 15 million passengers a year. In addition to two commercial terminals, there’s a private one too. The retail offering is nicely focused, featuring Hermès and Zegna outposts. Best of all? If you’re staying in Nice and hit the traffic just right, you can be checking in to your hotel just 20 minutes after getting in the limo. Suffice to say, the people-watching at NCE is pretty good too.