Wanderlust: Off the Page

"Begin your day with a sunrise on a mountaintop...and end it with your feet in the sea and a glass of wine in your hand."

Croatia, the jewel of the upper Adriatic, is a painter's palette of a country - a colorful land imbued with a heritage as vibrant as its nature. Here, olive groves and vineyards perch atop seaside cliffs; ancient cities with red tiled roofs glint in the Mediterranean sun; and folk dancers swing in  circle dances over sheep-dotted pastures.

In Croatia there is truly something for everyone, from the cafe-lined terraced streets of Zagreb to the white sand beaches of its many islands. And to explore this dynamic country, host Aaron Millar is speaking with several different travel writers and longtime Croatia residents.

Listen as Mary Novakovich shares her insider's perspective on the best places for an authentic meal or an impromptu concert; Jane Foster gives tailored recommendations on the most delicious Croatian wines - and the best island getaways with which to pair them; and finally, Rudolf Abraham reveals the best ways to get off the beaten track and explore the untouched corners of Croatia's nature, from forested hikes to abundant waterfalls.

FIND OUR GUESTS

Find Mary Novakovich's writing on her website, marynovakovich.contently.com, or follow her on Instagram @marynovakovich.

Find Jane Foster's writing on her website, jane-foster.com.

Find Rudolf Abraham's writing and photography on his website, rudolfabraham.co.uk.

ABOUT WANDERLUST
Wanderlust is the UK’s leading independent travel magazine which has been taking the road less travelled since 1993.

Become a Wanderlust Club Member to join our community of serious travellers for just £35 a year (or about $50). This will get you six beautiful collectible issues, exclusive member- only competitions and events, access to our entire online archive back to 2010, and heaps of other benefits.

This episode was produced by Armchair Productions, the audio experts for the travel industry.

"Travel makes humans proud to be human. It connects us to this beautiful planet."

Since its founding, Wanderlust has proudly advocated for travel that is purposeful, thoughtful, and sustainable. And as more and more travelers have grown conscious of their environmental impact, the desire to connect with sustainable destinations has grown exponentially.
 
From tour operators with zero carbon footprint to indigenous-run hotels that boost their local economies, the Travel Green List is teeming with destinations, tour operators, lodgings, transportation options, and more that will empower you to be the most informed and sustainable traveler possible.

Join Wanderlust's Editor in Chief George Kipouros and Sustainability Editor Karen Edwards as they highlight some of their favorite travel destinations and experiences on Wanderlust's first ever annual Travel Green List for 2023. You'll hear them discuss everything from home stays in Bhutan to luxury tent camping in Australia, eco lodges in Uganda, and more!

The full Green List features dozens of entries across every continent, so be sure to read the entire article in the April/May issue of Wanderlust.

ABOUT WANDERLUST
Wanderlust is the UK’s leading independent travel magazine which has been taking the road less travelled since 1993.

Become a Wanderlust Club Member to join our community of serious travellers for just £35 a year (or about $50). This will get you six beautiful collectible issues, exclusive member- only competitions and events, access to our entire online archive back to 2010, and heaps of other benefits.

This episode was produced by Armchair Productions, the audio experts for the travel industry.

"Visitors to Algeria will discover a majestic cultural mosaic...a country finding its own voice."

When writer Mark Stratton decided to visit Algeria, he was unsure what to expect. Africa's largest country is anything but homogenous; from weathered Roman ruins to gleaming Ottoman mosques, wind-whipped sand dunes and vibrant oasis gardens, every corner boasts a blend of history and culture that is entirely unique.

Follow Mark as he recounts his travels, winding from the breezy Mediterranean streets of Algiers through the scorching dunes of the Sahara Desert. From sampling sweet dates to marveling at ancient mosaics, he paints a picture of contemporary Algeria, a place that refuses to be defined by anything - or anyone - but itself.
 

ABOUT MARK
Read Mark's article,  "Empires of the Dunes," in April's edition of the magazine, and find his other works on his website, MarkStrattonTravels.com.

ABOUT WANDERLUST
Wanderlust is the UK’s leading independent travel magazine which has been taking the road less travelled since 1993.

Become a Wanderlust Club Member to join our community of serious travellers for just £35 a year (or about $50). This will get you six beautiful collectible issues, exclusive member- only competitions and events, access to our entire online archive back to 2010, and heaps of other benefits.

This episode was produced by Armchair Productions, the audio experts for the travel industry.

"It's a living archeological site...it's like bringing up buried treasure."

The ancient mud-brick city of Diriyah rises majestically out of Saudi Arabia's desert, beckoning visitors to explore a city rich with history and abundant with life. As the original home of Saudi Arabia's royal family, this is a place that has shaped its country's history and culture for hundreds of years. And now, it's being injected with new life as part of the Kingdom's 2030 Vision to make Diriyah the largest cultural and heritage site in the world.

In the episode, join writer Juliet Rix and Wanderlust's Founding Editor Lyn Hughes as they discover Diriyah. From admiring gleaming-coated Arabian horses to sipping fragrantly spiced coffee, chatting with local residents, and even hand-crafting their own mud bricks, there's plenty to do for the curious traveler.


RESOURCES
Find Juliet and Lyn's article, "Heart of a Nation," in the December 2022 issue of Wanderlust or online. You can read more of Juliet's articles at her website, julietrix.com .

Plan your Saudi Arabia visit and learn more about Diriyah's continued development at diriyah.sa .

ABOUT WANDERLUST
Wanderlust is the UK’s leading independent travel magazine which has been taking the road less travelled since 1993.

Become a Wanderlust Club Member to join our community of serious travellers for just £35 a year (or about $50). This will get you six beautiful collectible issues, exclusive member- only competitions and events, access to our entire online archive back to 2010, and heaps of other benefits.

This episode was produced by Armchair Productions, the audio experts for the travel industry.

"I had come to the Pacific Northwest to explore a region where wilderness creaks at the city gates," writes Gareth Clark. "And I didn't have to look hard to find examples."

From labyrinthine tunnels beneath Seattle to rolling, mineral-striped hills in Oregon, the USA's Pacific Northwest is a region that never fails to surprise - and delight. Follow along as Gareth recounts his memorable moments from a trip through Washington and Oregon last fall.

Along the way, he explores Seattle by land, sea, and air; tiptoes over moss and mushrooms in the snow-dusted Olympic National Forest; crawls deep into the belly of ancient lava tubes; and keeps it weird - in a good way - in one of the country's quirkiest cities, confirming the Pacific Northwest's reputation as a region overflowing with wonder, wildness, and weirdness.
 

ABOUT GARETH
Read Gareth's article,  "The Pacific Northwest in Living Colour," in March's edition of the magazine, and find his other articles on his contributor page on Wanderlust's website.

ABOUT WANDERLUST
Wanderlust is the UK’s leading independent travel magazine which has been taking the road less travelled since 1993.

Become a Wanderlust Club Member to join our community of serious travellers for just £35 a year (or about $50). This will get you six beautiful collectible issues, exclusive member- only competitions and events, access to our entire online archive back to 2010, and heaps of other benefits.

This episode was produced by Armchair Productions, the audio experts for the travel industry.

"When you arrive in Louisiana...expect the unexpected."

There's no place quite like Louisiana. In this rich land of mossy bayous and brightly-painted porches, music intermingles with the cries of wildlife and the flow of the river. It's a place teeming with history and curiosity, colorful art, soulful food, and a joyous spirit. And to experience all of it - because in Louisiana, more is more - we're taking a roadtrip throughout the southern heart of the state!

Beginning in New Orleans, we'll duck into lively jazz halls, wander the colorful streets of the French Quarter, and enjoy heaps of beignets - and mimosas - at the best brunch spot in town. Continuing west, we'll explore Lafayette, which sits at the heart of Cajun Country and boasts some of the state's freshest seafood and the catchiest type of music you've likely never heard of before. Finally, we'll end our trip in Lake Charles, where beaches, boat rides, spearfishing, shrimping, and birdwatching fill each day and exuberant music, nightlife, and casinos roar to life at night.

In each destination, host Aaron Millar will speak with a different local who shares the best insider tips and advice on where to go, when to visit, and what to expect...aside from the unexpected, of course.
 

FIND OUR GUESTS

Find David Mora of New Orleans on Twitter @davidmora and on Instagram @davidNOLA, and find his photography on Facebook @davidnolaphoto.

Find Gerald Gruenig of Lafayette on Instagram and Twitter @geraldgruenig.

Find John O'Donnell of Lake Charles on Instagram and support his disaster relief and resilience work with the Saint Bernard Project (@sbpusa on Instagram) at SBPUSA.org.

ABOUT WANDERLUST
Wanderlust is the UK’s leading independent travel magazine which has been taking the road less travelled since 1993.

Become a Wanderlust Club Member to join our community of serious travellers for just £35 a year (or about $50). This will get you six beautiful collectible issues, exclusive member- only competitions and events, access to our entire online archive back to 2010, and heaps of other benefits.

This episode was produced by Armchair Productions, the audio experts for the travel industry.

A crocodile silently drifting through purple lotus-dotted waters. Bells tolling from brightly painted cupolas in a cobblestone plaza. Mist rising off the thunderous column of the world's largest waterfall.

The planet is teeming with incredible moments. And while travel has never been more popular, it also presents globe-trotters with a challenge - how are you supposed to choose where to go?

The travel experts at Wanderlust are here to help! Whether you're looking for suggestions on specific destinations, or you're simply eager for some general travel inspiration, this episode is for you.

Join Wanderlust's Editor in Chief George Kipouros, Founding Editor Lyn Hughes, and Commercial Editor Rosie Fitzgerald as they highlight some of their favorite travel destinations and experiences on Wanderlust's annual Hot List for 2023. You'll hear them discuss everything from indigenous stargazing in Australia to maritime museums in Sweden. And if you haven't caught the travel bug already...you certainly will by the end of the episode!


ABOUT WANDERLUST
Wanderlust is the UK’s leading independent travel magazine which has been taking the road less travelled since 1993.

Become a Wanderlust Club Member to join our community of serious travellers for just £35 a year (or about $50). This will get you six beautiful collectible issues, exclusive member- only competitions and events, access to our entire online archive back to 2010, and heaps of other benefits.

This episode was produced by Armchair Productions, the audio experts for the travel industry.

"Yes, Christmas Island does exist! And no, Santa doesn't live there...but red crabs do."

When writer Martin Symington first learned about a place called Christmas Island, he knew he had to see it for himself - and what he found had nothing to do with snow or reindeer. Instead, this beautiful island in the Indian Ocean is a tropical haven of white-sand beaches, lush jungles, brightly colored birds, and, most bizarrely of all, an incredible number of crabs.

In this episode, join Martin as he recounts his escapades to some of the most remote corners of this island, from visiting a remote cove where Dutch sailors were shipwrecked for a year to encountering the monstrous - yet friendly - robber crabs that are up to a meter in length. With humor, awe, and curiosity, Martin pulls back the curtain on one of the lesser-known wonders of the southern hemisphere.

ABOUT MARTIN
Read Martin's article, "Yes, Christmas Island Does Exist!" and find his other articles on his Contributor Page on Wanderlust's website.

ABOUT WANDERLUST
Wanderlust is the UK’s leading independent travel magazine which has been taking the road less travelled since 1993.

Become a Wanderlust Club Member to join our community of serious travellers for just £35 a year (or about $50). This will get you six beautiful collectible issues, exclusive member- only competitions and events, access to our entire online archive back to 2010, and heaps of other benefits.

This series of Wanderlust: Off the Page is brought to you by CEWE, Europe's largest photo company with over 50 years of experience in Photo Services and online printing. Find out more at https://www.cewe.co.uk .

This episode was produced by Armchair Productions, the audio experts for the travel industry.

"I was instantly curious...what was a king doing in the mountains behaving like that?"

Discover a story that's almost too fanciful to be real with the true tale of Bavaria's most eccentric monarch, King Ludwig II. When writer Andrew Eames first stepped inside King Ludwig's mountain home in southern Germany, he was blown away by what he saw. There, standing in the most unexpected royal hall he'd ever seen, he decided to visit each of King Ludwig's iconic residences to learn more about the life and legacy of this odd ruler - and each home was more curious than the last.

In the episode, Andrew will drop us into the unexpected, dazzling interior of a mountainside mansion; walk us through the manmade caves and whimsical secret passageways of Linderhof Castle; and share the story of a king whose life was both delightful and tragic.

ABOUT ANDREW
Read Andrew's article, "In the Footsteps of the Fairytale King," in this month's issue of Wanderlust, and find his website at andreweames.com. You can also find his website all about German travel destinations at germanyiswunderbar.com.

ABOUT WANDERLUST
Wanderlust is the UK’s leading independent travel magazine which has been taking the road less travelled since 1993.

Become a Wanderlust Club Member to join our community of serious travellers for just £35 a year (or about $50). This will get you six beautiful collectible issues, exclusive member- only competitions and events, access to our entire online archive back to 2010, and heaps of other benefits.

This series of Wanderlust: Off the Page is brought to you by CEWE, Europe's largest photo company with over 50 years of experience in Photo Services and online printing. Find out more at https://www.cewe.co.uk .

This episode was produced by Armchair Productions, the audio experts for the travel industry.

This podcast won Podcast of the Year in the Latin America Travel Association Media Awards 2023!

"I will show you my Amazon - the Amazon that visitors never get to see."

When Alex Robinson heard those words, he knew he was in for the adventure of a lifetime. His guide, Saru Mundurucu, had recently founded his own adventure and travel company, Aracá Expeditions. As the first and only Amazon adventure company owned and operated by an indigenous Amazonian, Saru promised Alex an experience unlike any other - and he delivered.

Immerse yourself in rich, abundant landscapes as Alex he recounts his eye-opening voyage down the Rio Negro. You'll float along, sipping caipirinhas on the deck of Saru's boat; you'll paddle through the flooded forest in Jaú National Park; you'll come face to face with some of the Amazon's most elusive wildlife, from giant otters to river dolphins. The trip culminates with a hike up the remote Serra Do Aracá  - a mountain which Saru describes as a place "like the world before humans walked the earth." From gorgeous descriptions to surprising and touching anecdotes, this is a story you won't want to miss.

ABOUT ALEX
Read Alex's article, "The Promise of the Amazon," in this month's issue of Wanderlust, and connect with him on Instagram @alexrobinsonphotography.

ABOUT ARACÁ EXPEDITIONS
Want to book this journey for yourself? Learn more and connect with Saru at aracaexpeditions.com.

ABOUT WANDERLUST
Wanderlust is the UK’s leading independent travel magazine which has been taking the road less travelled since 1993.

Become a Wanderlust Club Member to join our community of serious travellers for just £35 a year (or about $50). This will get you six beautiful collectible issues, exclusive member- only competitions and events, access to our entire online archive back to 2010, and heaps of other benefits.

This series of Wanderlust: Off the Page is brought to you by CEWE, Europe's largest photo company with over 50 years of experience in Photo Services and online printing. Find out more at https://www.cewe.co.uk .

This episode was produced by Armchair Productions, the audio experts for the travel industry.