Edinburgh is not only a hub for arts and hospitality, but also unearths a rich heritage of forgotten whisky. Since the birth of Holyrood Distillery in the shadow of Arthur’s Seat, Leith now has its own Scotch producer bucking the city’s recent gin traditions. Port of Leith Distillery is Britain’s first vertical distillery, and the skyscraper-like new building is another boon in a part of the capital that feels increasingly rapidly progressing. Flyer to drop anchor at nearby Imperial Docks in time for the 2024 Edinburgh Festival Fringe fringe ship, a cruise ship has been transformed into a floating hotel for the world’s largest arts festival. —mike mcquillan
southwest coast path
Do: A cinematic adventure across widescreen landscapes
Have you ever read a book, put on your boots, carried your knapsack, and went outside whistling and playing some light music? Bestseller by Rainer Wynne salt road When it was published in 2018, it had an impact on many people. A film adaptation is planned for 2024, starring Gillian Anderson and Jason Isaacs, which will inspire even more epic walks along the South West Coast Path. It tells the tumultuous story of Rayner and her husband Moss, who become homeless shortly after Moss is diagnosed with an incurable disease. The couple packed up and decided to spend two summers walking the 630-mile trail from Minehead in Somerset to Poole in Dorset. I decided to walk the trail, which was both escape and therapy, along a route that Rayner describes as “an end to normal life and a stretch of wilderness.” On the other side, there is an endless horizon stretching all the way to the sea. ” Celebrating his 50th anniversary in 2023, the path passes through the stunning scenic areas of Dartmoor and Exmoor, Cornwall and the Jurassic Coast, and can be tackled all at once with smart stops, but can be tackled in multiple stages. You can also work on it in stages. Off the way are Una St Ives in Carbis Bay (with new villas opening in spring 2024), Hotel Meudon near Falmouth (with a pop-up cafe on the lane) and Polurian on the Lizard with new island suites. ) And so on. Electric buggy. who knows? It might even inspire you to write your own book. —rick jordan
Wexford and Waterford, Ireland
Do: A clever reimagining of the grand country mansion
The south-eastern corner of Ireland has always been something of a destination for local holidaymakers, but not so much for outsiders. In late 2024, the owners of The Dean Hotel plan to open one of the country’s busiest hotels on Wexford’s Hook Peninsula. Loftus Hall, with its origins in the 12th century, had the dubious honor of being one of Ireland’s most haunted mansions, but reemerged as the lavishly appointed Ladyville House and soon became known for its spooky It will erase that image. Beautifully located with sea views, an outdoor pool and direct access to the beach, close to the 800-year-old black and white striped Hook Lighthouse. Crossing the state border to County Waterford, another recently restored palatial Mount Congreve House offers dreamy gardens and a cafe run by The Pantry at Cliff, which is separate from Ardmore’s Cliff House Hotel. You can overlook the Sua River. Once the gates close, you’ll have the garden all to yourself by sleeping in Mt Congreve’s fairytale gate lodge, available for rent. The Waterford Greenway is an off-road hiking and biking trail that follows an abandoned railway line between Waterford and Waterford. The City and Dungarvan run along the edge of the site. Plan ahead for lunch at Beach House Tramore, a spacious Victorian dining room run by Peter Hogan and Jumoke Akintola Hogan. It has a perfectly pitched, seafood-focused lunch menu that changes with the tides (reopening in spring 2024). —Aoife O’Ordain
blackhorse road, london, england
Do: Great brewery and Britain’s first brandy house
“Welcome to the home of makers,” proclaims a two-storey mural opposite Blackhorse Road station in north-east London, with a sparkling sequined pink heart at its center. ing. This piece was created in his 2014 year, but it’s only now that Walthamstow’s west side is truly becoming an arts and foodie hub. This year, the zone was officially launched as Blackhorse Collective as part of the Mayor of London’s new plan to provide affordable space for artists and creative businesses. These include local favorite Blackhorse’s workshop, a studio where anyone can make anything from sculpture to furniture, as well as a cafe where Welsh rarebit is especially recommended. Meandering along the tranquil Walthamstow Wetlands (worth a walk in itself), the former Ferry Lane Industrial Estate has also seen significant development in recent years. Once a mix of old factories and earthworks, the site now combines an urban winery and the UK’s largest beer hall and event space, Big Penny Social, and his six craft breweries, including live music venue Signature Brew Black Horse Beer is his home base for miles. Just around the corner is Burnt Face, Britain’s first brandy house. The distillery has just launched a cocktail bar, and tours and tastings are expected to begin in 2024. Meanwhile, Nourished Communities, a popular farm store nearby, is already growing mushrooms and selling knives. In addition to manufacturing and beekeeping workshops on next year’s manufacturing and creation agenda, the industrial-chic coworking space (and separate cocktail bar) Foundry will also open. The hotel scene is catching up to Blackhorse’s growing cool reputation, but this one-bedroom apartment is the nicest place to stay we’ve found. Footsteps from Blackhorse Lane and the Wetlands can be heard, complete with turntable and records. Art Hotel Green Rooms is also approximately 20 minutes away by subway. – Becky Lucas
Somerset, UK
Do: Farm-to-fork meals and a fresh interpretation of an ancient land
Home to ornate Queen Anne’s lace-trimmed hedges, rolling sapphire fields, thatched stone cottages and now art galleries, fashion insider interior shops and artisan purveyors, Somerset is no surprise. It has earned its place as the most talked about county in the South. New Season Celine and Los His Bar Tote Urban immigrants may sometimes be at odds with their native-born locals, but there’s a lot that’s good for everyone. The great hotel remains The Newt, with the recent addition of a family-friendly gate lodge and stunning Roman villas. One of the region’s most anticipated openings, he will be located above Holm, run by restaurateur Nicholas Balfe, who will offer guests a choice of his seven bedrooms from November. It will be. Known for its abundance of produce, from Westcombe Dairy’s cheddar to The Newt’s cider to Landrace’s sourdough, the culinary scene is always evolving. There are many simple delicacies. Holler & Holler is a trestle table banquet on Friday and Saturday nights, featuring dishes such as potato and honey flatbread, Montgomery ogleshield or labneh, garden cucumber, borage and mint. With a similarly deep-rooted communal style, Pennard Hill Farm will open its 150-year-old barn doors this fall for a monthly feast night surrounded by herb gardens, floral lights, and the scent of wood smoke. (Try the buttermilk partridge with smoked quince aioli.) And the esteemed Osip is moving into a new home with a garden, living space, dining room and bedroom. Book in advance for a table or a bright bedroom at the Three Horseshoes, raved about by Rochelle Canteen co-founder Margot Henderson. Grab a rabbit pie after wandering the hollyhocks lane and Norman churchyard. More rooms will open next year at South Somerset Inn Burlington Bore, as well as a bakery and community garden. Don’t forget about Bath either. Bath is dispelling that twisted image. The exclusive 8 Holland Street is an aesthete’s dream for an art-filled sleepover. Hipster restaurant Landrace has just opened a new bar serving signature Beaded His Knees mixed with Circumstance barley, honey and lemon. —Jemima Sissons
Beaminster, Dorset, England
Do: Literary weekenders spotlighting hand-woven designs
Looking for a map of the UK to stay away from the crowds? Just 15 minutes from Dorset’s Jurassic Coast, Beaminster is a community with a local spirit with national strength. In 2018, chef Chris Staines and hotelier Silvana Bandini opened The Ollerod, a restaurant with guest rooms. Combining his Michelin-lauded talent with her industry experience from The Pig and Heckfield Place, the pair have transformed Beaminster from a day trip destination to a place worthy of a weekend stay. As the only hotel here, it could have rested on its centrally located laurels, but the couple is constantly on the move. Bandini recently renovated the bar to “create a place you want to take friends from London, Barcelona and Cape Town.” Around the corner, Aynor Park owner James Perkins is busy transforming Parnham’s Park into his space for spectacular events. Just a short walk away is Little His Torah, an independent bookstore that not only stocks hardcovers, but also publishes.It was a bestseller last year Brother. do. you. Love. myself. Shortlisted for British Book of the Year. Every day, owner Gracie Cooper can be seen filling backpacks with books for displaced children in Ukraine for Pineapple Lane, a bilingual publishing company she founded in response to the war. maybe. Down the road, the family-run restaurant Brassica (and its sister restaurant Brassica Mercantile) champions homemade everything, from the ingredients to his interior design. Due to high demand, the team expanded to Bridport and established Brassica Forno, a delicatessen delivery service and bakery. Regulars include catalog king Johnny Borden and chef/farmer Julius Roberts. Meanwhile, his Mapperton estate, a five-minute drive from town, is home to the help of White Park cows, Exmoor ponies, Tamworth pigs and, more recently, his two beavers called Woody and Twiggy. A historic Jacobean mansion that has been rented and rewilded. —anna prendergast
A version of this article was first published Condé Nast Traveler.