The Portuguese capital is a collage of cultural influences and visual imagery. Allow us to guide you through this eminently liveable and fast-changing city.

Like the seven sun-dappled hills that overlook the sparkling Rio Tejo, Lisbon has had its ups and downs. Nevertheless, the plucky city has always bounced back and today it’s positively thriving: well-travelled residents and foreign talent are opening smart businesses behind every other crumbling, azulejo-covered façade. Most visitors spend their time in the historic old town but we’re going to take you further afield. 

We’ve combed the cobbled streets to find the best bacalhau, the creamiest pastéis de nata and the sweetest ginjinha. We’ve visited museums dedicated to everything; from horse-drawn carriages to cutting-edge technology and discovered daringly modern architecture among red-tiled townhouses and baroque churches. Our favourite hotels range from a refurbished 15th-century palácio to a glossy guesthouse, while the retail we rate includes a family-run glove-maker and a snappy bookshop with an in-house gallery.

The magazine, Monocle, covers the world with its network of bureaus in New York, Toronto, Zurich, Hong Kong, Istanbul, Tokyo, and Singapore. It also employs more than 30 dedicated correspondents - in cities from Bangkok to Bogota, Sao Paolo to Stockholm - as well as a team of on-the-road reporters based out of its headquarters in London. This team's deep understanding of cities and all they have to offer has now been compiled in The Monocle Travel Guide Series.

Its unique personality finds expression in everything from the fairytale architecture of modernisme patriarch Antoni Gaudí to the neighbourhoodwide street parties celebrating the likes of local saints and a love of reading.

Here's to a city of effortless charm, a coastal gem blessed with an agreeable climate and beautiful beaches. But before you get lost in that glass of vermut, look around. There’s more to the Catalan capital than sun, sea and sand – starting with its diet-dashing food scene and lively hospitality offerings. Barcelona boasts a singular character, proudly guarded and shaped over the centuries. From the sovereign and seafaring years of the ancient Principality of Catalonia to the 1992 Olympics, it has long been a forward-thinking, enterprising and vibrant city. 

We’ve ventured beyond the tourist-beaten tracks of Barri Gòtic and explored every nook, from Sant Andreu to Poble-sec. We’ve found independent retailers and grand fashion labels that abound with dynamic designs, as well as old-world tapas bars and innovative new spots bringing a modern touch to Catalan cuisine. And don’t worry, we haven’t eschewed the beach and bottle entirely – there’s always time for those in this city.

The magazine, Monocle, covers the world with its network of bureaus in New York, Toronto, Zurich, Hong Kong, Istanbul, Tokyo, and Singapore. It also employs more than 30 dedicated correspondents - in cities from Bangkok to Bogota, Sao Paolo to Stockholm - as well as a team of on-the-road reporters based out of its headquarters in London. This team's deep understanding of cities and all they have to offer has now been compiled in The Monocle Travel Guide Series.

Amsterdam is a city that surprises first-time travellers and longtime visitors alike. Stroll with us through the city's outposts of good food, design, retail and more.

At first glance, horseshoe-shaped Amsterdam is a breeze to circumnavigate and its offerings seemingly obvious. But look closely and you'll find hidden pockets in the maze of canals and burgeoning neighbourhoods that are a quick pedal from the city centre. This archetype of liberalism and diversity is forever reinventing itself.

The Monocle Travel Guide to Amsterdam is an ode to this vibrant European metropolis, featuring all (well, as many as we could fit in) of our favourite haunts. We'll lead you through the cobbled streets to the best independent retailers, recommend restaurants that cater for every craving and spotlight the cosiest bruine cafés for a beer or two. We'll take you on a tour of the Dutch masters, as well as the works of subsequent generations of artists, and steer you towards a fetching mix of classical and contemporary architecture inhabiting the waterside landscape.

The magazine, Monocle, covers the world with its network of bureaus in New York, Toronto, Zurich, Hong Kong, Istanbul, Tokyo, and Singapore. It also employs more than 30 dedicated correspondents - in cities from Bangkok to Bogota, Sao Paolo to Stockholm - as well as a team of on-the-road reporters based out of its headquarters in London. This team's deep understanding of cities and all they have to offer has now been compiled in The Monocle Travel Guide Series.

From the historic to the hip, Berlin is a city of palpable creative energy with a healthy dose of cultural relevance

This is a city in perpetual flux and its ability to reinvent itself can be attributed to its complex history. Today there’s a seductive allure to the German capital’s dynamism and willingness to create anew. Be it a luxury hotel in an old bathhouse, experimental artwork in a former margarine factory or an ever-evolving roster of musicians and designers, the city thrums with diversity and ingenuity.

The Monocle Travel Guide to Berlin will take you to our favourite pockets of independent retail and the best places to eat and drink, whether you’re after a venerated dining room or a hidden cocktail bar. We’ll lead you through the mix of envelope-pushing art hubs and didactic museums. And then there’s our round-up of the architectural landmarks that reveals the narrative of this once-divided city.

Berlin is about more than nightclubs and hammering hangovers – although a night on the tiles here still rarely disappoints. We guarantee that this guide will show that there’s plenty more to discover.

The magazine Monocle covers the world with its network of bureaus in New York, Toronto, Zurich, Hong Kong, Istanbul, Tokyo, and Singapore. It also employs more than 30 dedicated correspondents — in cities from Bangkok to Bogotá, São Paolo to Stockholm — as well as a team of on-the-road reporters based out of its headquarters in London. This team’s deep understanding of cities and all they have to offer has now been compiled in The Monocle Travel Guide Series.

A portrait of Istanbul’s outposts of good food, design, retail, and more, this definitive travel guide will make you feel like a local no matter where you are from

On first impression, Istanbul can seem a touch demure. But beneath its inimitable skyline is a teeming, triumphant metropolis with imperial history, intrigue, and entrepreneurial zeal written into its streets. It’s a city constantly being remade and reimagined, and the resulting sense of opportunity and vigor is palpable.

Monocle has sought out must-sees with an eye beyond the obvious, whether it’s visiting the next up-and-coming neighborhood — teeming with bars, discerning clothiers, and coffee houses — or dropping in to an old-school kuafor for a haircut. This guide will point you in the right direction for the finest places to eat, drink, and shop, and navigate you through the city’s architectural gems, from Ottoman follies converted into art centers to backstreet Byzantine beauties. So join Monocle for a cross-continental jaunt with bites of simit-size lore thrown in for good measure. Now don’t miss that ferry.

Authors: 

Monocle reports from around the globe in print, on radio, and online. As its editors and correspondents dart from city to city, they get to know the best places to rest their heads, stretch their limbs, and kick back with a contact in a hard-to-find cocktail bar. 

That information is now available in Monocle’s Travel Guide Series: a line-up of titles that speaks to you in an informed but informal way about everything from architecture to art, late-night bars to early-morning markets. These are books that go beyond the traditional tourist beats to make sure you get the best out of a city — no matter how short your stay. Designed to be compact and collectable, they are also discerning; Monocle’s team won’t list a hundred places to eat but they will tell you where’s best for everything from some tasty fast food to something truly celebratory. Cities are fun. Let’s explore.

A journey through New York’s outposts of good food, design, retail and more, this definitive travel guide will make you feel like a local no matter where you are from

New York used to be such an easy city to crack for the visitor. Not only was there that simple-to-master grid of streets but, really, who wanted to stray from Manhattan? Today, while that stretch from Wall Street to the Upper East Side and beyond still enchants, awes, and bamboozles, you really do need to cross some bridges and head upstate. The city’s focus has fractured and shifted and you ignore the appeal of, say, Brooklyn at your peril. This is especially true of anyone wanting to grasp the city’s fast-evolving food scene, discover some fresh design ateliers, go for a run, or buy some less-exposed art.

Monocle has had a bureau in New York since its launch in 2007 and it has a shop in the city too. This has made the Monocle team passionate about the place and its ambitions. This book is a celebration of all that they know and love about New York and it should be used to take you beyond the obvious spots (although who wouldn’t want to hit the museum biggies). New York can easily live up to its movie-star good looks but let it be a city that surprises you, too — in a good way.

Monocle reports from around the globe in print, on radio, and online. As its editors and correspondents dart from city to city, they get to know the best places to rest their heads, stretch their limbs, and kick back with a contact in a hard-to-find cocktail bar. That information is now available in Monocle’s Travel Guide Series: a line-up of titles that speaks to you in an informed but informal way about everything from architecture to art, late-night bars to early-morning markets.

These are books that go beyond the traditional tourist beats to make sure you get the best out of a city — no matter how short your stay. Designed to be compact and collectable, they are also discerning; Monocle’s team won’t list a hundred places to eat but they will tell you where’s best for everything from some tasty fast food to something truly celebratory. Cities are fun. Let’s explore.

A parade through London’s outposts of good food, design, retail, and more, this definitive travel guide will make you feel like a local no matter where you are from

Vast and sprawling, a tangle of roads and lanes, a muddle of rising and falling neighborhoods: London can be a big beast to tame, even for the people who get to call it home. But this ever-changing and regenerating capital can also charm you with its beauty, from wind-rustled parks to that winding River Thames. Its mix of people, abundance of culture, and the occasional louche night on the tiles also makes it a city that will surprise you and win you over.

The Monocle Travel Guide to London is a celebration of all the things that the Monocle team loves above this mighty metropolis (and they are brave enough to let you see the wrinkles too). It’s a guide to the bars, shops, restaurants, music venues, and museums that they think should edge their way on to your itinerary. They will lure you to some fresher neighborhoods and fill your head with lots of “We really have to see…” ideas. And they will leave you with a clear, crisp view of how the capital is changing. London is a global city but the Monocle team will help you see it as a series of friendly local gems. Hold on to your hat.

The magazine, Monocle, covers the world with its network of bureaus in New York, Toronto, Zurich, Hong Kong, Istanbul, Tokyo, and Singapore. It also employs more than 30 dedicated correspondents - in cities from Bangkok to Bogota, Sao Paolo to Stockholm - as well as a team of on-the-road reporters based out of its headquarters in London. This team's deep understanding of cities and all they have to offer has now been compiled in The Monocle Travel Guide Series.

Multifaceted perspectives on the world of work today and in the future — from compelling business ideas to inspiring company cultures

The Monocle Guide to Good Business is a book for would-be business leaders, start-ups, and established companies that feel it’s time for some new ideas. It’s a book made to be used. Write in its margins and turn over the corners of its pages. But don’t expect management speak or miracles for untold riches. This is not a book about staging a revolution. Rather, this is a book about doing things well — from how you run the show to the pens you buy. And even about taking your dog to work.

The 300-page book features original photography and illustrations printed on a selection of the highest-quality papers. The Monocle Guide to Good Business is a handbook for those who want to make a company that will last; it’s the ultimate reference for doing a job you love.

Based in London and acclaimed the world over, MONOCLE has delivered a unique briefing on global affairs, business, culture, and design since it was founded by Tyler Brûlé in 2007. Alongside the magazine, Monocle has created a 24-hour radio station, a film-rich website, retail ventures around the globe, and cafes in Tokyo and London.

What characteristics and values define a country? Which countries are particularly successful in terms of education, economics, or culture? In this book, Monocle provides a global perspective on the distinct qualities of nations

Monocle’s books with Gestalten have shown you how to build a better life, business, and home. But now Monocle raises the bar: how do you run a great country? They are not talking about might, muscle, or nationalism — although you need a bit of a swagger every now and then. They are talking about a country that feels like a cohesive community, knows what to value, and goes out into the world to gently get its way with soft power, fine ambassadors, and compelling cultural offerings. At home, this country celebrates good education, well-made institutions, and its own people and their skills.
How to Make a Nation: A Monocle Guide is a thought-provoking primer that informs and inspires. The best ideas don’t need to be invented — they need to be found and copied. Let Monocle be your guide.

Based in London and acclaimed the world over, MONOCLE has delivered a unique briefing on global affairs, business, culture, and design since it was founded by Tyler Brûlé in 2007. Alongside the magazine, Monocle has created a 24-hour radio station, a film-rich website, retail ventures around the globe, and cafes in Tokyo and London.

A handbook for making a home that will stand the test of time; take knocks and scuffs in its stride; and where lives can unfold, children grow up, and dogs run wild

This Monocle book tells us how to turn a house into a home. Both a practical guide and a great source of inspiration, The Monocle Guide to Cosy Homes presents the interiors, furniture, and locations you need to know about along with portraits of the people who can make it happen.

The Monocle Guide to Cosy Homes celebrates the durable and the meaningful through a collection of homes that tell a story. Most architecture and interior books show houses polished to perfection, manicured to the extent that it is hard to imagine anybody actually lives there: they seem to miss the point that homes are meant to be inhabited. They should be able to take scuffs and knocks and to be part of a community, whether in a Chicago skyscraper or on Australia’s sunshine coast.

Full of writing, reports, and recommendations, The Monocle Guide to Better Living is original, informative, entertaining and comprehensive. This is not a book about glitz but rather an upbeat survey of products and ideas built to treasure and last

Monocle is one of the most successful magazines to be developed in the past decade. Armed with an unmistakable sense of aesthetics and journalistic tenacity, its team — led by editor in chief Tyler Brûlé — has created an intelligent publication that continually inspires a global readership who are interested in everything from diplomacy to design. For its first-ever book, the editorial team looks at one of their core themes: how to live well.

The result is The Monocle Guide to Better Living, an original, informative, and entertaining collection of writing, reports, and recommendations. This is not a book about glitz but rather an upbeat survey of products and ideas meant to be treasured and last.

A handbook for the new decade: a book that helps you think about how to slow down, reconnect and live a gentler life.

Monocle has always been a champion of taking it slow. It has encouraged readers to dive into a lake and go for a run. To sleep well. To eat food whose makers are proud of its provenance. In a shouty, jabbing-finger moment in history, it has done its bit to argue for a new modern etiquette to be generous with our time, hospitality and forgiveness. Now its editors and correspondents have brought all of this together in The Monocle Manifesto for a Gentler Life, a book that urges us all to slow down, reconnect, make good things and see nice places. And it also knows when to wear a cheeky smile. Chapters include:

• An illustrated guide to being nice, respecting your neighbour and controlling your social media rants.

• Profiles of the happiest nations – and the least lonely too.

• How to build a house that’s good for you and your family.

• Essays from leading thinkers and great writers on what we can gain if we shift gear.

• The businesses charting a better course – from management to pride in production.

• Food – a celebration of the locally made, the chefs that bring people together and a recipe or two.

• The objects to own that will give pleasure for years.

• The people who changed direction, slowed down and made it work.

• The compact cities where you can run a company, be inspired, have a good social life – and be hiking in a forest at 5pm.

About the Authors:

Tyler Brûlé is the Editor-in-chief of Monocle. Andrew Tuck is the magazine's Editor, Josh Fehnert is its Executive Editor, and Joe Pickard, its Books Editor.

The Monocle team celebrates the endlessly fascinating and culturally rich country of Japan.

Ever since it launched in 2007, Monocle has had a rich and deep connection with Japan. From day one the magazine has had a Tokyo bureau – which today also encompasses a Monocle shop and radio studios – run under the watchful eye of Asia bureau chief Fiona Wilson.

Over the past decade, the magazine has built up a unique understanding and passion for the nation. It has covered everything from a live journey on the Emperor’s jet and the tastiest places to eat in Kagoshima to the fashion designers crafting new levels of excellence and the businesses with remarkable stories untold outside Japan. This new book reveals the best of the nation in the run up to the 2020 Olympics. Complete with stunning photography and intriguing essays, it is a unique showcase of a country that for many remains a mystery.

Table of Contents:

1. Introduction (illustrated) • 2. Essays • 3. The Nation (main photo section) • 4. Business & Brands • 5. Culture & Sport • 6. Portraits of the People (profiles) • 7. Architecture, Design & Fashion • 8. Retail • 9. Mobility/Transport • 10. Hospitality, Food & Drink •11. Know your cities (expos on main cities)

About the Author:

Monocle is a global affairs and lifestyle magazine, 24-hour radio station, website, retailer and media brand, all produced by Winkontent Ltd. It was founded by Tyler Brûlé, a Financial Times columnist, and founder of Wallpaper* magazine. Described by CBC News reporter Harry Forestell as a ‘meeting between Foreign Policy and Vanity Fair’, the magazine aims to provide a global perspective on international affairs, business, culture, design and fashion. The magazine is edited by Andrew Tuck.

The best photo assignments from the Monocle archive, published to mark the magazine's fifteenth anniversary.

Back in 2007 the first issues of Monocle magazine hit newsstands and kiosks around the globe. At its core was a pledge to commission all original photography – capturing the world on film, on the ground and in the moment. The cover of that first issue featured a Japanese helicopter pilot from the country's defence force – taken as part of a 10-day reportage assignment for both photographer and writer. In the years since, Monocle has continued in its pursuit of documenting the world through its unique lens – from embassies and residences to world leaders and cultural stars. Each issue has featured a dedicated photographic Expo section celebrating lesser-known locales, obscure events and curious characters through truly outstanding photography. Alpine wrestlers, Syrian outposts, French legionnaires, noodle-makers, game show hosts and private member’s clubs have all graced the pages.

The Monocle Book of Photography draws on the best of these photographic stories from an archive a decade and a half in the making. A handsome linen-bound edition with the highest quality gloss paper and printing, the book also features supporting text about the photo assignments and the stories behind them, including first-hand accounts from the photographers involved

About the Author:

Monocle is a global affairs and lifestyle magazine, 24-hour radio station, website, retailer and media brand. Tyler Brûlé was its founder, and is now its editor-in-chief. Andrew Tuck is Editor of Monocle magazine. Joe Pickard is the Books Editor of Monocle.

Hamburg is a historic but forward-thinking city, home to arbiters of tradition and avant-garde artists alike. Ready? It’s time to pull up a chair and meet the lot of them.

If Berlin is Germany’s clubbing capital then Hamburg is the dinner party that’s as raucous as it is refined – and the guests are a varied bunch too. Stroll around this prosperous port city and you’ll brush shoulders with local fishermen casting their nets on the banks of the River Elbe, world-renowned gallerists hosting exhibitions by cutting-edge artists, and independent retailers flaunting wares that are either “Made in Hamburg” or highly exotic.

The magazine, Monocle, covers the world with its network of bureaus in New York, Toronto, Zurich, Hong Kong, Istanbul, Tokyo, and Singapore. It also employs more than 30 dedicated correspondents - in cities from Bangkok to Bogota, Sao Paolo to Stockholm - as well as a team of on-the-road reporters based out of its headquarters in London. This team's deep understanding of cities and all they have to offer has now been compiled in The Monocle Travel Guide Series.