Bold moves

Whether by plane, train or e-tractor, cities and nations are rising to the challenge of getting the world from A to B.
Calling the tune

This summer, our Monocle 24 radio station is broadcasting interviews with key thought leaders from across the globe. Here we revisit 10 of the most insightful so far, from political leaders to newspaper editors, humanitarians to architects.
Good spot

Even in a suppressed economy, opportunity is everywhere. We meet the residents of Nicosia who are forging their own path and highlight cities on the up.
On the right track?

Where’s my parcel? How far have I run? Where have I been? The desire to track and trace everything is booming. But have we become slaves to these apps and devices – and do they really deliver on their promises?
Word up

There’s a newfound appetite for reliable news and positive storytelling. We meet the people aiming to feed it.
Culture Briefing

As this unusual summer turns to autumn it seems that the most striking cultural offerings around reflect the times. From a spooky take on the civil rights-era US to alien hunters, dystopian societies, catastrophe and, yes, Japanese electropop, our pick of what’s good for the eyes, ears and mind has a thrilling, otherworldly feel. Get ready for a stroll along the road less travelled.
Going for gold

The International Olympic Committee’s HQ is on top of the podium when it comes to office design.
Give us a wave

Eladio Dieste made brick beautiful. Now the Uruguayan’s curved aesthetic is proving to be more relevant than ever.
Table for two

Boffi De Padova is known for its smart group of design-led Italian furniture brands. An eye for tactility and artisan craft has drawn the company into a new collaboration with Japanese firm Time & Style.
The Monocle shop

We’re here to kit you out with a versatile collection of clothes and accessories whatever the weather. Choose a polo for sunny days, a jacket for balmy evenings or a button-down for work – these pieces can be mixed and matched, and dressed up or down.
Plate expectations

We make for the shoreline of the Baltic in Stockholm, where Tommy Myllymäki opened Aira earlier this year. In a berth in a boathouse-style structure, this restaurant serves haute cuisine without starchy service or New Nordic strictures. This isn’t a spot for a forgettable lunch; it’s a fresh take on destination dining.
Food and Drink Briefing

Food-focused finds from Hong Kong to Vienna, and three companies providing meals on wheels.
My Last Meal: Jim Muir

The veteran British correspondent in the Middle East settles into a favourite Beirut haunt to discuss covering Lebanon’s civil war, opening an office in Tehran and how Twitter changed journalism – as well as his enduring appetite for the region’s food.
Sole focus

Hit the ground running this autumn in style-savvy trainers that are fit for the city.
On a roll

Denim production once defined US textile manufacturing but a focus on quantity over quality nearly snuffed it out. Now Vidalia Mills is bucking the fast-fashion trend. We meet the founders of the first denim mill to open in the country this century.
Fashion Briefing

From Japan to Spain, we uncover fashion’s top moments and discover why bricks and mortar done well will always bring in the crowds.
Good to go

On the move? Whether you’re getting into your stride on foot or hitting the town on two wheels, now is the time to travel in style – and the residents of Munich are leading the way.
Small wonder

Looking for an escape that feels a world away from the usual islands and crowded beaches? The autonomous Åland Islands between Finland and Sweden have great food, peerless shops and long days of sunshine.
Travel briefing

We focus on a selection of the planet’s finest new hotels and drop in on the shop that sells everything you’ll need to capture the moment once you get to them.
Room for all

The Danish capital’s latest hotel venture pays homage to its past life as the city’s central post office. It gets our stamp of approval.
Good sport

As the world gets moving again, it’s time for us to pick up the pace. Here’s our selection of the sports and fitness attire to help you shift into a higher gear – and look good while you’re at it.

Eger and surroundings / Northeastern Hungary

Mountain escape

The city of Eger is a jumping-off point to explore the highlights of northern Hungary, from treks to the country’s highest peaks to dips in the area’s curative waters.

1. Montem and TreeHouses

Above and beyond

Within close reach of Eger are two mountain hotels that make smart bases for those who wish to experience the great outdoors. Heading west, there’s Montem, which offers seven rustic rooms to guests who might be keen to go walking in summer or try their hand skiing and snowboarding in winter. Nearby mountain-sports destinations include Matraszentistvan and the slopes of Kekesteto, the country’s highest peak at just over 1,000 metres.

Closer to Eger and the east is the sleepy village of Noszvaj. Embedded in forested hills is TreeHouses, a collection of pine cabins by Eger-based architects ARTK. Amenities here include a sauna as well as balconies with hot tubs. Free mountain-bike rentals are available, while other leisurely options for guests include fishing and horseback riding or a visit to the gardens at the stately De La Motte castle. High times indeed.
montem.hu; treehouses.hu

Delicious destinations

Epicureans can discover the delights of Eger by sitting down for a meal at Macok Bistro, where the menu includes a highly recommended pumpkin soup and pork tenderloin with potato casserole. The restaurant has its own wine shop, Peti’s, where the temptations encompass top local vintages as well as the likes of bikaver cuvée from the rival Szekszard wine region.

For regional specialities head up to the Bukk mountains to find artisanal producer Bukki Sajt, which provides fresh and semi-hard cheeses, including Gomolya. Cured meats can be procured at Soma, which smokes and ages free-range pork, including the Mangalica breed. Go on, pig out.
imolaudvarhaz.hu; bukkisajt.hu; somasonka.hu

2. Eger

Exemplary excursion

Eger, a 90-minute drive from Budapest, is compact, walkable and packed with colourful buildings. History buffs should make a beeline for the castle and the minaret – a remnant of the days of Ottoman rule. There’s also a towering basilica but Dobo Square is where the real action is, offering prime people-watching beneath the baroque Minorite Church of St Anthony, which was designed by Bohemian architect Dientzenhofer. The region’s terroir-driven wines include the red blend egri bikaver, or “Bull’s Blood”.
visiteger.com

3. Gal Tibor

Savour the day

The late wine-maker Tibor Gal made his mark while working on the famed Ornellaia estate in Italy and his children have continued his legacy of finely blended wines in his homeland. A design-led tasting room is an on-point setting in which to sip the final products.
galtibor.hu

4. Almagyar Erseki

Glory be

Set in a 100-year-old vineyard that was once owned by an archbishop, the Almagyar winery’s open-air tasting venue sits under a jagged, pitched roof. Patrons can size up the delicious olaszrizling white with a cheese platter before moving on to the more demanding reds. Climb the viewing platform for vineyard vistas or fully immerse yourself by sleeping in one of the site’s slate-grey concrete bungalows. Wake up to a dip in the pool and a creamy cappuccino courtesy of the estate’s La Marzocco espresso machine.

5. Turkish baths and the salt hill

Soothe operators

Eger and the surrounding region attract those in search of healing waters, such as those at the mirror-pool Turkish bath, with its golden ceiling and stone tiles. Not far from Eger is the open-air Egerszalok spa complex and its piping hot medicinal waters originating from beneath the slopes of the volcanic Matra Mountains. Dubbed the “salt hill” due to its fantastical limestone deposits formed over many years, the calcium and magnesium-rich waters are said to offer succour to those with aching joints.

Editor’s Letter

The opener

Cosy corner

Bold moves

Calling the tune

Good spot

On the right track?

Word up

Culture Briefing

Going for gold

Give us a wave

Table for two

The Monocle shop

Plate expectations

Food and Drink Briefing

My Last Meal: Jim Muir

Sole focus

On a roll

Fashion Briefing

Good to go

Small wonder

Travel briefing

Room for all

Good sport

Bosphorous blues

Affairs Briefing

Business Briefing

Design Briefing

Southern comfort

Hungary for more?

Laying down routes

City of culture and charm

Look north

Better lake than never

Don’t miss the south

Go with the flow

Mountain escape

Glass half full

A taste of the action

Our top trips and treats

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