BRAZIL

What better country to kick off a celebration of travel than with the contagiously joyous Brazil? Our Brazilian trip takes us on a culinary journey, from the fine dining and street eats of São Paulo to the authentic Afro-Brazilian culture and food of Bahia

São Paulo

With a plethora of high-end restaurants and signature regional dishes by celebrated Brazilian chefs, vibrant São Paulo is known as the Latin American capital of fine cuisine.

In the high-end Jardins area, acclaimed restaurant D.O.M. (Rua Barão de Capanema 549) boasts two Michelin stars and a long-standing spot in the World’s 50 Best Restaurants. Famed for his 12-course ‘Maximus’ tasting menu, renowned chef Alex Atala incorporates traditional Brazilian ingredients into all his dishes, such as jambu, a flowering herb that has a cooling effect on the mouth, and tucupi, a sauce made from the juice of the manioc root.

In the nearby leafy Jardim Paulistano district, Maní (Rua Joaquim Antunes 210) serves up contemporary cuisine rooted in Brazilian ingredients with Asian and European influences. With one Michelin star, the sophisticated creations of multi-awardwinning chef Helena Rizzo include peixe na folha de bananeira, fish in banana leaf, served with coconut, chillies, plantain and tucupi sauce.

A bit further out, in a northeastern district of the city, Mocotó (Avenida Nossa Senhora do Lorêto 1100, Vila Medeiros) is well worth the journey. Founded by Zé Almeida in the 1970s and now run by his son Rodrigo Oliveira, the restaurant specialises in northeast Brazilian classics, such as baião de dois, a rice and beans dish roasted with coalho cheese, sausage, bacon and jerked beef.

At the other end of the scale, São Paulo also offers up an unmissable array of delicious street food. There are vendors all over the city but Calçadão Urbanoide just off Rua Augusta is a great place to start for an eclectic mix of street eats. Coxinha (deep-fried croquette of shredded chicken and cheese in breadcrumbs) and pão de queijo (Brazilian cheese bread) are two of the most popular light bites.

A short walk away, in the Jardins neighbourhood, Tivoli Mofarrej São Paulo Hotel is the ideal base to explore all the city has to offer before retreating to the hotel bar on the 23rd floor for an unmatched view of the São Paulo skyline.

Now that you’ve had a taste of Brazil’s largest and most diverse city, it’s time to head north to the state of Bahia, known for its deep African roots.

Bahia Bahia’s Afro-Brazilian culture permeates everything from the music and art to the architecture and cuisine.

Here, in Brazil’s former capital Salvador – known as the ‘capital of joy’ due to its week-long Carnival celebrations – you’ll find Baianas, Afro-Brazilian women who have historically sold food on the streets of the city since colonial times. Be sure to try the acarajé, a type of fritter made with mashed black-eyed peas.

The Bahia region is also the best place to sample moqueca baiana (Brazilian seafood stew) prepared with garlic, onions, peppers, parsley, tomato paste, coconut milk and dendê (palm) oil, then served with white rice, often cooked in coconut milk.

Other Bahian dishes to try include a similar but thicker and spicier dish with peanuts called vatapá, and bobó de camarão, made with prawns mixed in a paste of manioc, dendê oil, and coconut milk.

Bahia’s beauty

A stay at Tivoli Ecoresort Praia do Forte Bahia, north of Salvador, will allow you to experience the vibrancy of the city before retreating into the natural beauty of Bahia, close to the Atlantic Forest reserves, whale-watching areas, coral reefs and beaches where sea turtles hatch. Experiences available at the hotel include a buggy tour across the Sapiranga Reserve, quad biking the Pajuca River trail, a speedboat tour of the Itacimirim tidal pool, and whale watching (between July and October).

Italy

Neapolitan ice cream is the ideal metaphor for exploring a trio of Italian experiences. Our journey takes in Milan, Firenze (Florence) and the Amalfi Coast, which is a short skip from Naples – home of that fabulous creamy delight.

Milan

Known as Italy’s fashion and finance capital, Milan is also revered for its regional cuisine, with many recipes that go back centuries being just as popular today.

Dating back to the 12th century, one of Milan’s oldest traditional dishes is cotoletta alla Milanese, a tender veal cutlet coated in crispy breadcrumbs and fried in butter.

Ossobuco (marrowbone) is another typical delicacy of Milanese cuisine. It’s traditionally prepared with gremolada, a finely-ground paste of sautéed parsley, garlic and lemon zest, and often served with risotto alla Milanese, another iconic local dish made with saffron.

Learn to cook ossobuco, risotto alla Milanese and more with a local, certified home cook while in Milan. Cesarine (cesarine.com) offers cooking classes and tasting sessions in a local family home, and every ‘Cesarina’ creates their own menu to showcase their regional and family recipes.

Once you’re fully sated, NH Collection Milano CityLife offers a comfortable and stylish place to rest your head. Perfectly reflecting the city’s mix of traditional and modern, the newly opened hotel in the CityLife district was formerly a church. Many of the original features have been tastefully retained and are beautifully complemented by new installations, such as the rooftop swimming pool, which provides panoramic views over the city.

Florence

Moving south from the Lombardy region down to Tuscany, Florence (or Firenze in Italian) is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and regarded as the cradle of the Renaissance.

Said to be the oldest hotel in Italy, NH Collection Firenze Porta Rossa in the historic heart of Florence is a fusion of old and new. Set in a 16th-century building incorporating a 13th-century tower, many of the rooms feature stunning frescoes and restored pieces from the 19th century. The Torre Monalda Suite is set in the historic tower with panoramic views over the city. With a nod to the past, much of modern Florentine cuisine is still very earthy and rustic. Dishes are often simple but prepared with care, and local and seasonal produce

All truffle experience

Experience truffle hunting and cooking in the heart of Tuscany at Savini Tartufi headquarters, about 45 minutes’ drive from Florence. Beginning in the Savini museum, you’ll discover the Savini family’s truffle history from the 1920s until today. You’re then taken out to the woods where you’ll see the relationship between the truffle hunter and their loyal master truffle dog. Once the search is complete it’s time to head back inside for a cooking class, where the chef will teach you how to use both fresh and preserved truffles in a few classic dishes. The tour culminates with lunch, allowing you to taste some of the produce and fresh truffles of the season. savinitartufi.it play an important part. Truffles from Tuscany – among the most sought after in the world – are used in many signature Florentine dishes, and different varieties grow in different seasons.

The marzuolo (spring truffle) can be found between January and April; the scorzone (summer black truffle) usually somewhere between June and November; and the prized white truffle from around September to December.

It’s these truffles, along with locally sourced porcini mushrooms and fresh pasta, that make up one of the most ubiquitous dishes in Florence – tagliatelle funghi porcini e tartufo

However, the most famous signature dish in Florence is probably bistecca alla Fiorentina, or Florentine steak. The large T-bone traditionally comes from Tuscany’s ancient breed of cattle, the Chianina. It’s grilled over charcoal, seasoned very simply and is meant to be shared.

Amalfi Coast

Further south now and onto another UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Amalfi Coast – best known for its spectacular views, picturesque villages, and, of course, its cuisine.

Scialatielli all’amalfitana is a seafood pasta dish usually featuring clams, mussels, prawns and/or cuttlefish, and prepared with scialatielli, a special pasta variety from the Amalfi region resembling a shorter, thicker tagliatelle

But it’s not only seafood dishes that the region is known for. Another traditional recipe, bucatini alla caporalessa, hails from Positano and consists of bucatini pasta (a thicker, hollow spaghetti) with aubergine, provola cheese, peeled tomatoes, olives, capers, basil, and grated Parmigiano Reggiano.

If you want to take an authentic taste of the region home with you, Amalfi Heaven Gardens (amalfigardens.com) offers a farm-to-table cooking class experience, where you can hand-pick fresh ingredients and create a four-course meal before sitting down to enjoy it with a glass of local wine or Amalfi Coast limoncello. Recipes are emailed to you after the class so you can recreate them at home.

Just along the coastline from here is an unmissable place to stay. A former 13th-century Capuchin monastery, NH Collection Grand Hotel Convento di Amalfi enjoys a dramatic location on a cliff edge overlooking the famous coastline along with a fascinating history.

New York

You could spend a lifetime in New York and still not see it all. We base ourselves in Midtown Manhattan along Madison Avenue, which runs parallel between 5th and Park.

With nods to the golden age of advertising, NH Collection New York Madison Avenue was voted North America’s most ‘Instagrammable’ hotel in 2022 by Luxury Travel Advisor – quite likely due to anything from its stylish lobby and designer rooms to its photogenic cocktails. With tall windows and high ceilings, exposed brick walls and on-trend sputnik light fittings, the penthouse terrace suites are the most Insta-worthy.

Located at Madison Avenue and 38th Street, the hotel is about as central as it gets. The century-old building is within walking distance – and New York is a superb city to enjoy by foot – to some of Manhattan’s main attractions, such as the Empire State Building, Times Square and the theatre district, including Broadway

Go big

For some, a visit to the Big Apple wouldn’t be complete without experiencing the atmosphere of a live sports event. New York is one of the few regions in the country that has one or more teams in every major sports league – with 11 teams in total spanning baseball, basketball, football, hockey, and soccer.

Catch an NBA game with the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden or the Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center. The NBA also has the G-League, where you can see the players of the future battle it out. Baseball is synonymous with the USA, and you can get an insider’s tour and watch an MLB game with the New York Mets at Citi Field, NYC, or the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx.

For a fix of NFL, the 82,500 capacity MetLife Stadium, while technically in New Jersey, is home to both New York Jets and New York Giants, and offers stadium and behind-the-scenes tours.

Delightful dining

The Infatuation offers well-written, insightful restaurant reviews across the world, but New York is where they started. Quirky specifics such as ‘eat & drink with your dog’ sit alongside neighbourhood-specific recommendations of white table fine dining, rooftop bars, BBQ restaurants, and the latest food trends. theinfatuation.com

Clockwise: Color Factory ball pit.

Mmuseumm, New York’s smallest, most interesting space.

Harlem Pizza Co. uses locally sourced, seasonal produce.

@harlempizzaco

Go small

While the city is justly famed for its huge Broadway theatrical shows, and world-class large-scale museums, there’s a plethora of smaller exhibition spaces that offer superb experiences. Start with the very smallest –Mmuseumm – a quirky ex-freight elevator turned white box, which displays simple artifacts that explore modern humanity.

Next, head to Soho for the immersive Color Factory, which engages the full spectrum of senses, then wander over to the nearby New York City Fire Museum, which houses historic artifacts along with personal stories. In Tribeca, grab a selfie in front of the Firehouse, Hook & Ladder Company 8 building, used in all the Ghostbuster movies.

For a delightful entrée into New York’s diverse food culture, head to the Museum of Food and Drink (MoFad), which celebrates the myriad cultural and societal diversities that inspire New York’s food scene.

MoMA Store

The MoMA Store at the Museum of Modern Art in Midtown Manhattan is a superb place for gifts, all beautifully designed.

NY Yankees baseball cap. Chosen as one of 111 exhibits for the exhibition, Is Fashion Modern?

US$58

The Keith Haring Lovebox connects to WiFi so you can send messages and photos to someone you love from anywhere in the world via your smart device.

US$189

Street art, Bushwick Collective.

Go by foot

Taking a walking tour is one of the best ways to immerse yourself in the culture and history of a place. In New York, Free Tours by Foot (freetoursbyfoot.com) offer pay-whatyou-like tours of the city led by expert local guides. Here are three of our favourites:

Bushwick Collective street art tour

The neighbourhood of Bushwick in Brooklyn has become known for its evergrowing graffiti and street art exhibition, the Bushwick Collective. It was founded in 2012 by Joseph Ficalora to transform the industrial streets into a safe and hip outdoor gallery with constantly changing aerosol murals. You can navigate the area yourself, or book on a tour if you’d like to learn more about the artists and artwork.

Lower East Side food tour

Once an immigrant and working-class neighbourhood, Manhattan’s Lower East Side is known for its blend of cultural diversity and rich history, and is best known for having once been a centre of Jewish culture. On this tour you’ll stop at different delis, bakeries and other eateries that chart the global influences on the neighbourhood through its food while your guide fills you in on the fascinating history of the area.

Harlem walking tour

Harlem caught the public’s attention in the 1920s with the Harlem Renaissance –an explosion of African-American culture, particularly the creative arts. On this tour, discover jazz clubs, theatres, and soul food restaurants tucked away among old brownstones and learn about Harlem’s history as you stroll the streets where Ella Fitzgerald, Duke Ellington, and other cutting-edge Harlem Renaissance players put American music on the world map.

Harlem’s soul food From its humble beginnings in the southern United States, the history of soul food tells a story of resilience. Signature dishes include fried chicken, ribs, collard greens, potato salad, cornbread, macaroni and cheese, smoked ham hocks and peach cobbler. Sylvia’s Harlem Restaurant on Lenox Avenue/Malcolm X Boulevard is an iconic culinary must-visit for foodies. She’s been serving up authentic soul food for more than 50 years, including Gospel brunch Sundays, live music Wednesdays and love on a plate at all times. sylviasrestaurant.com

Sundowner Zambia

For a taste of Zambia’s local history and natural wonders, Travellers Bar at The Royal Livingstone Victoria Falls Zambia Hotel by Anantara offers a signature cocktail menu inspired by the country’s culture, traditions and wildlife.

Be sure to try the ‘Big Tree’, named after the largest baobab in Zambia. The tipple is made with Mundambi Gin – produced by the New Harbour Distillery in Cape Town especially for the hotel and infused with the native Mundambi flower – expertly blended with Campari, sweet vermouth, blackberry, and baobab bitters.

Sundowner Maldives

The classic G&T enjoys many twists across the world, from Australia’s Fossey’s Kaffir Leaf Gin, which imbues tropical flavours from Asia with citrus and florals, to English-countryside inspired Chase Distillery’s Rhubarb & Bramley Apple Gin.

Pick from a curated selection of some 40 different gins at the Manzaru poolside bar at Anantara Kihavah Maldives Villas, including Isle of Harris sugar kelp infused gin and their Cucumber-Basil Fizz (pictured) made with London Dry Gin, Thai basil, cucumber water, lemon, honey and soda.