What do you think about when you think about Japan? Fuji-san, shinkansen, tabi, kabuki, rituals, gravel gardens, shrines among the pines. Not here. Beyond the postcards are the people; a nation of unusual ingenuity, fire…
Japan is full of master craftsmen, traditional stage artists and virtuoso musicians. But it’s only the elite – and those who have been plying their trade for decades – that is rewarded with the accolade of “living national…
These outposts may not score highly on the Monocle city metrics – they’re not very well connected for starters. But they all offer a quality of life we would recommend.
On the edge of the Yangmingshan national park, the peaceful suburb of Beitou offers a reinvigorated model for living beyond the bustle of urban centres.
The labyrinthine San Jerónimo home of Ernesto Gómez Gallardo Argüelles is a study in Mexican modernism – and a treasure trove of the polymath’s many designs.
Tunis has a glorious mix of architecture, from Islamic arches to modern skyscrapers. But its modernist post-independence treasures don’t always get the care they need. Now the city’s architects and campaigners are coming…
The Slovenian capital is a treasure trove of smart, creative and unusual gifts – and boasts a winning mix of stirring surroundings and polished pit-stops to make it an ideal festive foray.
It is easier than ever to see live entertainment on the small screen but nothing compares to being there. We visit three venues that add an extra sprinkle of stardust.
Cunha in Brazil may be a world away from Japan but the latter’s ancient legacy of firing and glazing is living on in the Latin American city. Monocle meets the people keeping the ceramic tradition alive.
Change is coming to Central Europe as liberal-leaning mayors challenge their more autocratic-minded national governments. And Budapest’s Gergely Karacsony is looking to Vienna for inspiration.
Japan is at a momentous crossroads. Despite the tragedy that has engulfed the nation, now is a time for it to embrace large-scale change as it rebuilds. And this means playing the international market and realising its full…
In Damascus, there are places that appear untouched by Syria’s civil war. But in cities such as Aleppo and Homs, the destruction is overwhelming. Among the rubble, people try to patch up homes and lives – and long for a…
In Germany home-owners can generate power and sell it to the national grid. Genoa runs an inspiring van-share scheme that’s cutting congestion and in Estonia they have adopted a simple fiscal reform that’s kept the economy…
From communal evening strolls to languorous lunches with family and friends, Madrileños seem to hold the key to a long and happy life. We join Europe’s longest living citizens on the streets of Spain’s capital to find out…
Size isn’t everything – but the scale of a city can determine your trajectory in both business and life. Our fifth Small Cities Index puts the spotlight on 25 places around the world that offer the best of metropolitan…