Travel Jottings

For me, journeys often weave along city streets or wander through remote landscapes, spanning from European familiarity to North American unknowns. While each of these begins with inevitable preparation, it is the art of embracing the unexpected that brings these experiences to life. Every step, whether through bustling cityscapes or tranquil countryside, adds another piece to this evolving anthology of exploration. As new horizons continue to beckon, I look forward to sharing more discoveries with you, letting each journey inspire the next in an endless quest for wonder.

Global Travel Media: From Local Magazines to Worldwide Wanderlust

Estimated reading time: 11 minutes

Last Updated: 18th November 2024

Imperial Palace, Innsbruck, Austria

It is only within the last decade that I began to read travel magazines as regularly as the walking magazines that have told me so much about where to walk around Britain and Ireland for more than a decade. Even with travel blogs and portals like Our Life Our Travel, Earth Trekkers, Wikivoyage, Along Dusty Roads, The World Travel Guy, TripSavvy, Jetsetter, Yonderbound, Ecotravelist, Wild Junket, Fit Travels, BootsnAll, Matador Network, The Travel Hack, Journey Era, Never-Ending Voyage, TripHackr, Big World Small Pockets, Little Grey Box, Grand Escapades, Goats on the Road, Vacation Country Travel Guide, Two Nerds, ExploreNorth, Expert Vagabond, Beyond Our Horizons, Traveldudes, Travel Daily, The Bimblers, Geeky Explorer, Norway to Nowhere or The Quirky Traveller, there remains a place for paper magazines that you can hold in your hand. After all, there is something about stunning photography and good writing that comes together when presented on a printed page that beats anything seen on a computer screen. So, here is a list of the former that I have found so far.

Learning about destinations piecemeal is the main attraction for me in these because surveying a whole guidebook in one sitting can be just a little too much. Also, having a general awareness helps when working out where to find out more while planning an actual overseas excursion. There even could be some money saved as a result, and I know how easily money can be spent on guidebooks and maps, so anything that directs attention more precisely has to be a good thing.

Ranging about the Planet

Here are a few magazines that feature a varying selection of countries in every issue, and many of these are monthly too. Getting a regular dose of overseas wandering ideas can mean that you are not starting from scratch when figuring out what to see during a trip to another part of the world.

Canadian Traveller

This is a stable-mate of the more outdoor-oriented Explore, and it may cater for Canadians interested in overseas trips, but that is no impediment to its being included here. In any case, articles constantly appear on its website anyway, so they can be enjoyed without needing to get a print copy. Any to one's portfolio of perspectives never hurts.

Dreamscapes

This North American title came to my notice as a result of the same publisher producing Canadian and Californian travel guides that I bought during my July 2019 visit to British Columbia. As well as selling paper and electronic copies of their wares, I have found that there are free electronic versions too, a strange innovation if you want to earn money from an endeavour even if advertising were to help with covering costs. North America appears to be the main focus here, along with articles about Europe and Asia, so the title is worth a look.

Hidden Europe

Here is something from the authors of Europe by Rail, a title formerly published by Thomas Cook until the travel firm exited that business. It now has taken on another life and the magazine comes out three times a year and includes no advertising. The only way to get the latter is to buy it directly from the publishers, with subscriptions also being available.

JRNY

This is an occasional title, three issues per year, that I have seen on a shelf in Waterstones. The latest issue at the time of writing focusses on destinations in the USA. What you get is a mix of sponsored and commissioned editorial content, with a number of photo essays. The paper version has a pleasing presentation, and there are electronic copies on sale from the website too. In case this is not apparent already, the name is a contraction of the word "journey" with all the vowels removed.

National Geographic Traveller

This is not one of my regular reads, though it is an offering from the respected geography society. Again, we are talking about a similar bite-size mix to the others, with some of its trademark high-standard photography for accompaniment.

Sidetracked

Though primarily a web-based title, there are occasional printed compilations of the articles that appear online. It has been a while since the last one appeared, but the web articles look interesting enough to allow inclusion in this list. It was their reference to a book by Alex Roddy that brought the operation to my attention, so it looks worthy of periodic returns to see what else they have added.

Suitcase

So far, I only ever have bought (and belatedly read) one issue of this rather more upmarket magazine. That issue focussed on destinations with connections to literature, and the feature articles were more than diverting. The format was small and perfectly formed too, a deviation from the usual magazine format, and there is something to be said for it as well.

Timeless Travels

This is another more upmarket travel title, and it features art, history and archaeology in its approach to exploring the world. Their feature articles commend reader concentration too in that they allow you to distance yourself from whatever moments surround your reading of them. After all, that is what I seek in such things, so that is why I celebrate it whenever and wherever I can.

Travel + Leisure

Though this American title has not appeared on any European newsagent's shelf that I have surveyed, there is much useful content on its website, so that is enough to get it included here. It got found via a mention in Insight's guide to Canada, so curiosity got me investigating, and a 2019 trip to Vancouver in Canada allowed me to acquire a copy of one of its issues that I enjoyed reading.

Wanderlust

It was the combination of wonderful photography and lengthy feature articles that hooked me on this one, so much so that I became a subscriber after buying only a few issues from newsagents. Many of the features are written based on organised tours, yet they still tell us so much about the places included in them, while those with an independent travelling streak need to do a little work on their own.

Destination-specific Titles

There was a time when my visits to the newsagents were regular, but the pandemic broke that habit. Before that, I could not fail to notice that certain destinations are of particular interest to readers. The ones that I spotted became the basis of this list, and others spotted online or mentioned in reading materials have joined them. Some of these include items on everyday living, while others cater for readers wishing to make a new start elsewhere. The latter reality dawns on you when you see property sections and details of applying for residency.

Alaska Magazine

The size of Alaska guarantees that outdoor adventures will feature in this title. That, in fact, is the main theme of the current issue at the time of writing. Given the scale of the landscape, its latitude and the creatures that live there, this is one dramatic part of the world that I have yet to visit. Meanwhile, this title will give me a sense of what is to be found there and what might constitute a starting point for getting to know the place more while on an actual visit. After all, that would involve some hiking, so finding more accessible trails for a first encounter sounds sensible given how isolated some localities are.

Australia & New Zealand

Any mention of the antipodes can bring up thoughts of sun-blessed shores, and that applies especially to Australia. Still, it is New Zealand that I find more attractive, with its appealing mountain country and compact size. Both places remain desirable for anyone wishing to embark on a new life, and the magazine does not miss out on that either.

Both of these magazines are published by the same company, though it once was not the case. The first is the official title of Visit Britain, the British tourist agency, while the second was published by Archant at one time, assuming my memory is not failing me. In fact, it was the second title that I once bought and read regularly until 2016. Many of the features in both magazines cover English regions and attractions because England is so much bigger than the other nations and territories comprising the U.K. though other areas get a look in from time to time too.

It is one of Britain's nearest overseas neighbours and, for all the historical animosities, there remains a connection between both countries. That I learned French at school and spent a number of weeks around St. Malo with the aim of expanding my competence with the language means that the place is not unknown to me. Still, my interest veers away from valleys laden with viticulture to those with mountain country.

Ireland of the Welcomes

This long-standing bi-monthly magazine has gone through several changes of ownership over the decades since it apparently was started by the Irish tourist board. Nowadays, it is in American rather than Irish ownership, though it has been a private-sector production for quite a while. Its base remains Irish, though, and the slender issues still feature a selected variety of the island's localities too. International subscriptions are available, so you can get to know Ireland a little on a piece-by-piece basis before ever getting there. It also is found on Irish newsagents' shelves too, so anyone in Ireland can have a read as well.

Italia!

Italy is another of those destinations that must attract British attention, and I wonder if it is all the sunshine its delightful parts get. Of course, there is a lot to see too, from numerous alpine mountains in the north to some sun-blessed coastline along with world-renowned Italian food and culture. The same editorial team also offers occasional regional guides in addition to the monthly magazine.

Northwest Life & Travel

The northwest in this title is the Pacific Northwest of North America, and the common application of the term includes the American states of Oregon and Washington, along with part of the Canadian province of British Columbia. Alaska, Wyoming and Montana also get a mention in some of the articles, so this is a more liberal application of the term. Even so, it is a good way of getting a slow feed of possibilities for what is an alluring part of the world with much in the way of wild lands and mountainous terrain awaiting exploration by many an outdoors enthusiast and there is an email newsletter too.

Scotland Magazine

This is a title that I have picked up occasionally, given that it is not stocked as widely as others. Even, I have a few to read to check out the contents in more detail. The list of topics underneath the main title includes history, traditions, travel and clans. The penultimate one of those would be enough to get it included on this list, but the others are equally relevant, since you ideally want to get the sense or spirit of a destination before you go there.

Scottish Islands Explorer

For a few years until 2015, I actually subscribed to this periodical and have picked copies up sporadically since then. Many articles have reminded me of my native Ireland, emphasising a connection between Irish and Scottish cultures. In short, there is much here that is useful to both islanders and visitors.

The Scots Magazine

What is particularly unusual about this magazine is that it has been published for centuries. These days, it comes in a glossy format and once was a lot more compact than it is today. Naturally, there are feature articles about Scottish regions, but these are joined by an outdoor activities section along with others with a more cultural, historical or lifestyle focus. That gives a breadth of coverage beyond a mere travel magazine, and it probably appeals to many living in Scotland as much as those who are based elsewhere.