Atlantic Waves

Despite being an absolute chatterbox, I do like to listen to someone other than myself. Hunkering to the radio is something of a passion of mine kindled by my loveball of a Granny, who used to diligently listen to Desert Island Discs, the Archers (the world's longest-running radio soap, set in the fictional farming community of Ambridge), and of course, her favourite time of day at 1pm for the world news. 

My airwaves fixe du jour comes courtesy of MONOCLE Radio, where a felicitous crew of journalists and correspondents narrate global news, political landscapes, entrepreneurship, culture, design, urbanism, and media, and it's a station that manages to keep the lighter tones just right with great playlists, foodie stories and more. I tune in to my favourites: Carlota Rebelo, senior foreign correspondent; Georgina Godwin, books editor and a regular host of Meet the Writers (brilliant stuff), while charismatic design editor Nic Monisse keeps me abreast of what's hot in the creative world. 

My other go-to station is the BBC Four's Shipping Forecast - apt as we head to the Atlantic & Co. in this week's tip-packed Sunday Edit. My mother warned me that I could get arthritis listening to the broadcast - which has just turned 100 years old and informs ships about waters around the British Isles divided into 31 sea areas. It is insanely addictive, and I find the sultry tones of "northwesterly gales and squally showers off the coast of Biscay" are the perfect antidote to a stressful day. But I also love anything about the sea - it is attributable to growing up in Great Britain; the sea has been my constant. I am attracted to the scent of salted rough waters crashing against the cliffs, and the briny breeze reminds me of what living is all about. You can pack me off afar to the Azorean Ilha Verde, São Miguel, or send me wave-watching along the beauty of the Donegal coastline of Ireland, or happily post me off to the far northerly tip of Scotland to the wilderness of Sutherland, where your only beach amigos are likely to be sleeping seals. 

I am fortunate to live along the banks of the Thames estuary in London (as are our offices), which for my sea legs is magical, and yes, I can tell by the air if the tide is coming in, bringing with it the scent of the easterly salt marshes. Seaport estuaries have long been the gateways to remarkable cities: Amsterdam, Antwerp, New York, Gothenburg, Lisbon and siblings Alcácer do Sal to the trading city of Porto up in the north. 

Like your Captain Birdseye (Käpt'n Iglo), we set off on a voyage taking the North Sea, Hudson, Tagus and Atlantic as my cue and will I ever get to the outpost of serenity, Inis Meáin?

ankring #1 Göteborg

On the shores of the westernmost coastline of Sweden, the port town Gothenburg gazes out to open seas across the archipelago. Known affectionately as “Little London”, Sweden’s second city is enjoying a resurgence as one the hottest and must-do places to visit with a vibrant design scene. Established by the Dutch, Gothenburg is very much a walkable city, and the districts offer a glimpse into the various building styles. The former red-light district, Linné, is now a melting pot of new upstarts, little boutiques and cafes - more like the vibe of Meatpacking, and showcases the other side of the wonderful old-town Haga, Avenyn and Vasastan. Gothenburgers also know how to style themselves with the fashion mothers of internationally renowned Nudie, Monki, Velour and KappAhl all based there.

With more than 100 brands under its belt, the curatorial store Artilleriet (images above) is an eclectic collection of interiors, furniture, and details. A tribe of purveyors cut through the noise and bring a neat, concise edit of style, so you don't have to. A vibrant creative gastro scene rules with seafood seriously headlining the foodie agenda, with Gothenburg’s church-like fish market, Feskekörka, packing flavours from the surrounding waters.

ankerplaats #2 Durgerdam

A peaceful, little-known hamlet that sits on the lakeside coast of the Netherlands is a mere seven kilometres from Amsterdam (arrive by bike or boat – either are easily doable) and is a world away from the buzzing lights of the city where Old Masters collide with creative nightlife. In Durgerdam, time slows along a winding street that hugs the shoreline of dyke IJmeer in the municipality of Amsterdam-Noord. Old fisherman houses, wrapped in wooden clapboard, follow a traditional gabled pattern, punctuated by the Protestant church that dates back to 1687. Fishing was the lifeblood of this 600-year-old village, once an important part of the East India Trading Route where VOC ships would drop anchor to deposit their oriental goods from Asia, including pepper and cinnamon. 

If you’re a fan of the Netherlands culinary scene then you may know the delicious and innovative dishes that this Dutch duo create, helming restaurants 212, De Juwelier and La Mer, all in Amsterdam and they co-created the foodie outpost at De Mark in Durgerdam.

ankerplaats #3 Antwerpen

Antwerp is a city of many strengths. Located on the Scheldt, it’s been a strategically important port since medieval times. It’s also the centre of the world’s diamond trade and has been the home of major historical artists like Rubens and Van Dyck. This is not to say that Antwerp has not continued to be relevant in the past centuries and decades. Big names in the art world are still proud to hail from this Flemish city – Luc Tuymans, Jan Fabre – and in terms of fashion, The Antwerp Six were arguably the most influential designers of the Eighties, with Dries Van Noten and Martin Margiela still having an undeniably strong impact on fashion today. 

As one of Western Europe’s top cities with a very high standard of life, Antwerp is an ideal mixture of creativity, culture and commerce. The trendsetting area Zuid has not lost its relevance over the years, and the busy shopping street Meir continues to draw crowds. Aficionados can find architectural art nouveau gems in the more residential Zurenborg area, gawk at the art deco KBC Tower in the centre, the Cathedral of Our Lady, the Museum of Fine Arts, and discover many more design highlights throughout the city. Antwerp is small but captivating, bustling yet with a sense of considered joie de vivre. Our advice: go everywhere.

The Havenhuis building in the port of Antwerp is high on drama, engineering and architecture created by the late architect Zaha Hadid - note the clever reference to the diamond trade. 

Where to Stay? The fabulous boutique Hotel Julien, with its mansion-house pedigree in the heartlands of old-town Antwerp, is a self-confessed curator of the arts, designer pieces, antiques and mid-century furnishings, which adorn the handsome salons and rooms in comfy elegance. Alternatively, opt for a spot of design at Hotel August - created within a former Augustinian cloister and chapel, was designed by one of Belgium's most acclaimed architects, interior designers, and product designers, Vincent Van Duysen.

anchorage #4 Sutherland

Sparsely beautiful and one of the least populated areas in the whole of Europe, you can find Sutherland by tracing your finger far up on the map of Great Britain. Reach the tip of Scotland, and the feathery outline of the north and you’ve found it, sandwiched between Caithness and Ross and Cromarty.

Sutherland’s coastline is characterised by crashing cliffs and foggy sea mists that cling to ruinous castles and caves. In between, there are surprising swathes of white sand, lapped by crystal clear, but the oh-so-cold North Sea.The ancient Caledonian forest and its temperate pines are still in evidence and here red deer, osprey, golden eagle and the native wolf can be seen. Sea cliffs, mirror-like lochs and peaty bogs reveal more diversity from guillemots, otters and seals.

Where to Stay? Home to some of our favourite Scottish properties, in Sutherland you’ll find the self-exiled Kyle House: a refuge for two set in sensational scenery, the sociable Kinloch lodge where you can bring the clan, or Lundies House, the stylish stopover on the North Coast 500. Sutherland’s strong sense of hospitality can be seen in its hybrid Highland style, with accents from Scandinavia woven with ribbons of strong Scottish heritage, flecks of Norse culture and whole lot of Celtic charm. We defy anyone not to be utterly bewitched.

ancaireacht #5 Donegal

Characterised by mountains, glens, sea cliffs, moors, blue creeks and a history going back into the Neolithic Age, Country Donegal is in the beautiful Irish province of Ulster on the very northern edge of wonderful Éire. County Donegal is one of the 26 counties of the Republic of Ireland. 

It's a border county, bounded on the southwest, west and north by the Atlantic Ocean and on the east by Counties Tyrone, Derry, Fermanagh and Leitrim. It is both rugged and ravishing. Perched on Ireland’s northern coast, the scenic landscapes of Donegal  - with the volcanic Seven Sister Mountains keeping guard – boasts some of Europe’s highest sea cliffs and verdant green valleys. 

ancaireacht #6 Oileáin Árann

Serene doesn’t begin to describe the unspoiled and windswept plains of the Aran Islands, which are interrupted only by the wildflowers that dot its legendary cliffs along the North Atlantic Ocean's coastline.

A visit to Inis Meáin (Gaelic for Middle Island), which lies alongside sister Iles of Inis Mór and Inis Oírr just 15 miles off the west coast of mainland Ireland via the Galway Bay, is like stepping back in time. With only 160 or so inhabitants, and spanning just 3 miles, this “middle” Aran Island has kept its rural traditions of farming, fishing, sports and music alive for centuries. It is also home to the internationally loved cashmere brand: Aran Knitwear. The least visited of the three islands, the wild landscape, often covered in mist, is divided by hundreds of miles of rough stone. 

ancoragem #7 Porto

Porto is unmistakably beautiful - a hotbed of crumbling grandeur, creativity, culture, home to Port wine and host to happy. Portugal’s second largest city, a UNESCO Heritage Site, Porto is tucked up on the north-western corner on the banks of the Douro River, sandwiched between the Atlantic coastline, the Port of Leixões and the wondrous Douro Valley.

Stacked merchant houses painted in bubble-gum tones scramble for attention amidst the terracotta rooftops, soaring bell towers, graffiti street art, antique book stores, grand piazzas and a foodie scene that dots the 'i' of life in the slow lane. What makes the atmosphere so intriguing, apart from the obligatory azulejo-clad facades that dominate Porto, is its layers of architecture; a curious menagerie of styles from the medieval districts Ribeira, Miragaia and Massarelos to the gestures of the Baroque that peek through the parks framing the elegant houses of Arts & Crafts. Modernity peppers the scene too with Álvaro Siza Vieira’s crisply minimalist Museu de Arte Contemporânea and Rem Koolhaas’ daringly iconic Casa da Música. Pop across to Vila Nova de Gaia using one of the countless bridges that span the Douro River, including the famous Dona Maria Pia by Gustave Eiffel, for a perfect spot of Porto voyeurism – Port & tonic in hand. Portugal’s Puerto Sereno, found. 

ancoragem #8 Lisboa

Thanks to Yorgos Lanthimos’s 'Poor Things' and Bella Baxter's (AKA Emma Stone) fantastical mind, Lisbon is firmly back on the agenda. One of the oldest cities in the world, the sun-kissed coastal capital of Portugal, Lisbon, lies between the azure blue waves of the Atlantic Ocean and the magic of its legend-shrouded Seven Hills. Once a stop-off on the road for Greek hero Odysseus, its Mediterranean climate and mix of Roman, Moorish and late-Gothic heritage make it irresistible to the modern traveller.

Wander the narrow, cobbled streets of the Alfama, one of Lisbon’s most authentic barrios where old ladies eat sardines kerbside, chased by Lisbon’s cherry liqueur ginjinha, colourful azulejo tiles catch your eye and hidden restaurants serve garlicky clams and vino verde. One of Lisbon's hidden treats, a botanical emporium, embodies the true spirit of a secret garden that has matured virtually undetectable from the nearby bustling streets, Lisbon's Botanical Garden (Jardim Botânico).

In recent years Lisbon’s culture scene has seen an explosion with visiting artists such as Ai Wei Wei holding exhibitions and the new Museum of Art, Architecture and Technology (MAAT) a spectacular structure on the banks of the River Tejo. And if the beach calls, there’s plenty to choose from, including the upmarket resort of Cascais, just around the coastline. From any angle, Lisbon is undeniably a city of spectacular panoramas.

Travel to UNESCO World Heritage site, Sintra, just a 40-minute train ride away from Lisbon and submerge yourself in a fairytale town full of thick verdant forests, rolling hills, whimsical gardens, culture + history galore as well as the crowning factor – a myriad of brightly coloured, romantic castles. No wonder Byron once referred to Sintra as “glorious Eden”.

One of Lisbon’s most famous graffiti artists is Alexandre Farto, known as VHILS, who delicately drills his strikingly beautiful designs into walls, merging his artworks into the building’s foundations while also pushing urban art in a way that hasn’t been seen for decades. One of the artists that VHILS represents is Diogo Machado, known for his work as Add Fuel. (As in, to the fire).

ancoragem #9 Alcácer do Sal

One of the oldest port cities in Portugal spanning almost 3,000 years, the Phoenicians founded Alcácer do Sal. Located in the Alentejo region, Alcácer do Sal sits just a 30-minutes drive from coastal Comporta and 45 minutes away from the district capital of Setúbal. The town meanders along the left bank of the River Sado, just before it widens into an immense estuary and onto the flawless white beaches of the Tróia Peninsula.   

Alcácer do Sal takes its name from the once-lucrative salt industry, named Salacia Urbs Imperatoria by the Romans, and during its time as the Moorish capital, it was known as "Al-Kassr", which means castle in Arabic. 

Today, this sleepy town is etched by its rich history, and the scene is dominated by a medieval fortress and countless churches and holy sites. Set between seas and the land, this nest egg of history is worth more than just a pitstop en route to Comporta, a perfect refuge of culture, charm and lovely Portuguese character. 

anclaje #10 Havana, Cuba

Seductive and rich in cultural touchpoints, Havana is having a moment. Alluring andcrumbling colonial-era buildings frame characterful street scenes as a horse and cart passes by an American classic car, and jazz notes float on the air. Atmospheric Havana is to be admired, interacted with and inspired by.

From Hemingway to Che Guevara, supper clubs to a diverse music scene, rum cocktails andaromatic cigars, Havana is an addictive mix, spawned from centuries of revolution and conflicts. Today the city is a steady presence and a fertile breeding ground for innovation and vibrant green shoots, all rooted in its captivating melange of Afro-Cuban and European influence.

It’s easy to get stuck into Havana. Go to ground level and stroll the city – feel the palpable energy of UNESCO World Heritage Site Old Havana (La Habana Vieja) around cobbled streets and historical plazas where bakeries, cafes and galleries jumble amid the majesty of the Convento de Belen and Plaza Belen. Top up on architecture and culture at the emblematic national building - the domed Capitol, the Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes (National Museum of Fine Arts) and the Great Theatre of Havana. Havana harbour showcases renaissance military architecture at the Castillo del Morro, a sturdy and imposing coastal fortress built in 1790. Follow Ernest Hemingway’s footsteps at his home of twenty years and at the fascinating Hemingway Museum. 

Music is deeply embedded in Havana’s cultural psyche, and you won’t go far without hearing a performance of one sort or another. Pick up a few steps in a rhumba club or salsa bar, listen to a troubadour player or go to a late-night jazz pitstop. Even walking down the street, music sonorously resonates from open-top vintage cars or courtyard gardens and rooftop bars. 

Where cultural cross points meet a unique modern life, Havana is like no other.

anchorage #11 New York

Taking a morning run along Manhattan's waterfront Hudson from TriBeCa's Pier 25 (check out Grand Banks), you can either head northwards towards Hudson Yards, the Meatpacking District and the Whitney Museum of American Art or, alternatively, head south skirting past the financial districts and ending in The Battery and the best views of the Statue of Liberty  - either way the sea breeze makes for a welcome break from the drama of the city. A reminder too, that NYC is surrounded by waterways, including the Hudson River to the west, the East River to the east, and the Upper New York Bay to the south.

In the downtown cobbled neighbourhood of TriBeCa, home for decades to the city’s thriving modern art scene, there is a sophisticated sense of bohemian glamour that permeates chic eateries, cutting edge design stores, and airy designer lofts.