10 independent magazines to inspire your travels in 2019

Hello and happy new year! I hope you had a wonderful Christmas break? Mine was just what I needed it to be – simple and laid-back – and I’m starting 2019 feeling refreshed, reenergised and raring to go.

I recently did a little survey on Instagram about what people would like to see on the blog over the coming year, and a recurring request was more travel content. I already have a few trips on the horizon which I can’t wait to share with you, but I want to start with a round-up of my favourite magazines for sourcing travel ideas.

As much as I love the online world, I always think there’s something special about picking up a crisp printed page and settling down to read (in fact I work as a freelance travel writer as well as a blogger). It’s been wonderful to see the boom in independent publishing over the last few years, and I’ve listed 10 of my top picks below. These aren’t the kind of magazines that you’ll read once and throw away; they’re beautifully crafted, thoughtful publications which you’ll want to keep and return to time and time again. Some are dedicated to travel; others cover wider topics but include plenty of content that’s guaranteed to fuel your wanderlust. I hope they inspire you as much as they’ve inspired me….

Faune

Founded in 2018 by London-based Ana Gomes and Aniruddha Satam, Faune is a biannual travel and wildlife magazine that explores the beauty of the world around us. It’s a stunning publication, with captivating photography, thoughtful words and a clean, minimalist layout, and it covers not only the wilds of the great outdoors but also the hidden nature in towns and cities.

The first issue is an absolute delight, taking readers on a journey to London, Scandinavia, India and beyond. You’ll find a piece charting how the weather has shaped life in the British capital, features showcasing the autumnal beauty of Copenhagen and Stockholm, and a photo essay about the elusive leopards of Jawai in Rajasthan. There’s also an entire section dedicated to the wintry landscapes of the Japanese island of Hokkaido, where foxes scamper across frozen marshes and cranes dance in the snow. I lapped it up from cover to cover, and I can’t wait to read the second volume when it’s published in spring.

Lodestars Anthology

Lodestars Anthology is a travel magazine with a difference. Each issue focuses on a single country and delves deep into its culture, landscapes and quirks through a mix of writing, photography and original illustration. The result is a truly personal, beautifully crafted and slow approach to travel journalism that Editor Liz Schaffer describes as ‘a scrapbook of place’.

Lodestars is printed here in my home city of Bristol and I’m very proud to have written for a number of volumes, including Sweden, Canada and Japan. Coming up this year are Portugal and Switzerland, and an updated version of the very first issue, England, has just been released (look out for a feature on the Peak District by yours truly!). There’s also a fantastic online journal with even more travel inspiration, together with a book, Pathways, which charts 12 journeys across 12 different countries and the personalities, landscapes and traditions encountered along the way.

Rucksack

Originally launched as an online journal in 2016, with a biannual print publication following a year later, Rucksack is driven by a passion for adventure and storytelling. It’s another magazine that I’ve contributed to myself, but it would be a firm favourite even if I hadn’t.

Each issue explores a specific theme such as ‘journeys’ and ‘islands’, and contains an inspiring mix of words and photography. Wild landscapes and the joys of slow travel form a particular focus, and the diverse destinations covered include Scotland, Canada, Svalbard, Iceland, Hawaii, New Zealand and many more. Volume four is due out later in 2019 and the first, The Winter Issue, has just been redesigned and reprinted in response to high demand; the website is also brimming with inspiring images, interviews and essays.

Northletters NL1

Published in Hamburg by husband-and-wife team Melanie and Thomas Kettner, just-launched ‘bookazine’ Northletters is dedicated to everything Nordic: stories, nature, culture, lifestyles, ideas, attitudes and more. It’s as much about wellbeing and state of mind as it is travel, and it really is inspiring, thought-provoking stuff.

The first issue, NL1, explores the colours, light and atmosphere of the long Nordic winter and features work from some of my favourite photographers, including Morgane Erpicum and Katherine Heath. You’ll find an interview with Arctic bear researcher Alexander Kopitz, photo essays charting Icelandic adventures and winter walks through Copenhagen, and profiles of artists who feel the pull of the North. It’s the kind of read that you’ll linger over for hours and dip into again and again.

Flourish

Created by Bath-based photographer and designer Lucy Saunders, Flourish is a travel and lifestyle magazine that focuses on outdoor living, nature, culture and sustainability. Each issue centres around a particular geographical location or continent, with a diverse range of interviews, personal stories, photo essays and thought pieces.

The first volume, A Snippet of Asia, is available to buy now and includes features on Tokyo, Osaka, the Japanese peak of Mt. Takao and the rice plantations of East Java, as well as a look at the influence of Asian cuisine on the UK. Lucy has also launched a Kickstarter campaign to fund publication of the second issue, which will focus on the British Isles, travelling from the Isle of Skye in the very north to the Dorset coast in the south.

Drift

Drift is devoted to coffee culture and each issue takes us to a different city around the globe. The subject matter may sound narrow, but in fact it’s anything but: by delving into what makes each location’s coffee scene tick, the writers and photographers provide a unique glimpse into the place, its community and the daily lives of its inhabitants.

Past issues of Drift have covered destinations as diverse as Stockholm, Havana, Tokyo and Melbourne. The latest focuses on San Francisco, one of the coffee capitals of the US, and explores how the city, its neighbourhoods and its coffee culture are rapidly evolving. It’s fascinating stuff, whether or not you’re a big coffee drinker yourself.

Ambrosia

Published by the same team as Drift, Ambrosia is a biannual magazine that eats its way around a particular region through photo essays, stories, interviews and recipes. It covers everything from roadside stalls to Michelin-starred restaurants, and pinpoints what sets each area’s cuisine apart from the rest. It’s ideal for anyone who loves travel and food – and, let’s face it, who doesn’t?

Past volumes, many of which are still available to buy, have covered Mexico City, Denmark, Brooklyn and Baja California. Like its sister publication, the latest issue explores San Francisco and the Bay Area, unearthing everything from the origins of the fortune cookie to the vegetable gardens of chefs and local producers.

In Clover

Originally launched as a final-year university project by Founding Editor Bryony Hipkin and now produced by an all-female team spread across the UK, In Clover is a biannual publication that focuses on slow living and offline pursuits. The beautiful writing and photography comes from a network of talented contributors, and the diverse array of content covers travel, food and ethical living.

The past two issues have included guides to Bristol, Somerset and Manchester, as well as escapes to the Cotswolds, the West Coast USA, India and lesser-known parts of Paris. What’s more, the most recent volume includes as an insert Table – a brand-new food, travel and lifestyle magazine from the same team that encompasses Sicilian markets, Sydney coffee shops, rocky Cornish coastlines and more.

Open House

Openhouse is a twice-yearly magazine showcasing creative people around the world who open their private spaces to the public for various reasons. It was founded by Barcelona-based Andrew Trotter and Mari Luz Val, who decided to open their own apartment as a photo gallery and went in search of others embarking on similar projects. It covers everything from supper clubs and pop-up shops to artist-in-residence programmes and overnight homestays, and it’s packed with fascinating interviews. There are also tours of culturally significant homes around the world, including the Mallorcan base of Born Utzon (who designed the Sydney Opera House) and the French Riviera villa of Modernist architect Eileen Grey.

The magazine is a great way to discover people who can give you a different and more intimate experience of the places you visit, and you might even uncover suggestions for your own city along the way. You can buy the latest volume and order back issues here.

Oak – The Nordic Journal

Last but not least is another publication dedicated to the Nordic countries: Oak – The Nordic Journal. Published twice a year, it covers everything from architecture and design to food and travel and, interestingly, looks not only at the Nordic way of life but also its global resonance. It’s a unique take that will have you Googling flights to Scandinavia, Finland and Iceland in no time, as well as introducing you to Nordic-inspired spaces, people and brands around the world.

You can order current and past volumes of Oak here. There’s also a curated guide to the magazine’s home town, Copenhagen, which explores the city through the eyes of its female pioneers.

Top photo by Abi Dare; all other images via the magazines named above