In 1974, the leaders of a tiny, little-known kingdom on the eastern ridge of the Himalayas between India’s northeastern states and China, made a drastic decision. For the first time, Bhutan would throw open its doors to visitors. In that year, just 287 foreigners discovered a mountainous land shrouded in mystery and Buddhist tradition. Almost 50 years later, Bhutan is firmly on the adventurer’s map. Yet, thanks to the singular approach of its government to tourism, even as it has grown, the country retains its almost mythical status. With hotel openings and a growing focus on sustainable – and luxury – travel, 2020 may be the best year yet to sample the delights of the world’s last Shangri-La. Here are eight reasons why.

Before I moved here, my perception of Nashville was probably a naïve one,” says English-born singer and model Ms Karen Elson, who has lived in the capital of Tennessee since 2006 after relocating there with her then husband, Mr Jack White. “I imagined every man walked around town in a cowboy hat and boots, and ladies all had big blonde hair and were dripping with rhinestones singing Dolly Parton or Loretta Lynn. Granted, you’ll witness some of that, but when you walk down Broadway, it’s mostly tourists living the Nashville dream.” I confess that when I have thought of Nashville in the past, I have come up with a similar sketch of the city – a bit reductive, heavy on the country music. Over the course of the past couple of years, however, the place has begun to nag at me. Why are people moving there from the coasts? Musicians, yes, but also world-class chefs, interior designers, curators, entrepreneurs and even Victoria’s Secret models. What is drawing people from New Yorkand Los Angeles to Music City? “It’s the food, the people, the lifestyle, our house that I love,” says the singer-songwriter Ms Michelle Branch, who recently moved back to Nashville from Los Angeles after nearly a decade away. “In Nashville, we have acreage, a vegetable garden, chickens, a huge recording studio – things you can’t get in NYC or LA.” That acreage and those things you can’t get elsewhere might also be why the city is in the midst of a development boom. A whole host of American companies such as Amazon and Oracle are building campuses in the area to join the international entities, including Bridgestone and Nissan, that have their stateside bases in town. But with all of that influx, how does a town of a little more than 500,000 people survive the surge in population, in density, in demands? Can it even actually thrive? How does it maintain its identity, especially when a figment of that identity is already attached to a primetime soap (ABC’s country music show Nashville, which ran from 2012 to 2018)? Also, how does a very Southern city contend with both a boom in tourism and a rise in inhabitants from the liberal capitals on the coasts?

Eleven years ago, I took my first solo holiday. I had a boyfriend at the time, but he was deep into his masters, so I set off to experience Florence without him, or anyone else. It was one of the best decisions I ever made. Turns out, I’m OK company and a woman dining solo in Italy may find additional delicacies arrive unbidden at her table, which is never a bad thing. Since then, I’ve set off independently to write about the culture and food of many more nations as well as for sheer pleasure. Unlike journeys with partners or pals, travelling solo invites proper introspection – sometimes uncomfortable, always worthwhile – and allows you to wholly immerse yourself in your destination. You don’t spend dinner discussing people or politics back home. You don’t have to talk at all. And yes, loneliness may occasionally strike, but cafés, restaurants and bars across the world also serve up interlocutors.

The world’s best ski resorts are built for two types of gentlemen: those who fancy flinging themselves down the slopes with the greatest of ease and those who prefer to lounge fireside with a well-mixed cocktail to hand. For members of the latter fold (or even for those who like to do a bit of both), we’ve identified six luxury mountainside chalets each fully equipped with all the trappings of a sublime apres-ski situation, including open fires, cosy furnishings and powder-dusted vistas. Grab a book, a mug of hot chocolate and make yourself comfortable.

In 1974, the leaders of a tiny, little-known kingdom on the eastern ridge of the Himalayas between India’s northeastern states and China, made a drastic decision. For the first time, Bhutan would throw open its doors to visitors. In that year, just 287 foreigners discovered a mountainous land shrouded in mystery and Buddhist tradition. Almost 50 years later, Bhutan is firmly on the adventurer’s map. Yet, thanks to the singular approach of its government to tourism, even as it has grown, the country retains its almost mythical status. With hotel openings and a growing focus on sustainable – and luxury – travel, 2020 may be the best year yet to sample the delights of the world’s last Shangri-La. Here are eight reasons why.

Before I moved here, my perception of Nashville was probably a naïve one,” says English-born singer and model Ms Karen Elson, who has lived in the capital of Tennessee since 2006 after relocating there with her then husband, Mr Jack White. “I imagined every man walked around town in a cowboy hat and boots, and ladies all had big blonde hair and were dripping with rhinestones singing Dolly Parton or Loretta Lynn. Granted, you’ll witness some of that, but when you walk down Broadway, it’s mostly tourists living the Nashville dream.” I confess that when I have thought of Nashville in the past, I have come up with a similar sketch of the city – a bit reductive, heavy on the country music. Over the course of the past couple of years, however, the place has begun to nag at me. Why are people moving there from the coasts? Musicians, yes, but also world-class chefs, interior designers, curators, entrepreneurs and even Victoria’s Secret models. What is drawing people from New Yorkand Los Angeles to Music City? “It’s the food, the people, the lifestyle, our house that I love,” says the singer-songwriter Ms Michelle Branch, who recently moved back to Nashville from Los Angeles after nearly a decade away. “In Nashville, we have acreage, a vegetable garden, chickens, a huge recording studio – things you can’t get in NYC or LA.” That acreage and those things you can’t get elsewhere might also be why the city is in the midst of a development boom. A whole host of American companies such as Amazon and Oracle are building campuses in the area to join the international entities, including Bridgestone and Nissan, that have their stateside bases in town. But with all of that influx, how does a town of a little more than 500,000 people survive the surge in population, in density, in demands? Can it even actually thrive? How does it maintain its identity, especially when a figment of that identity is already attached to a primetime soap (ABC’s country music show Nashville, which ran from 2012 to 2018)? Also, how does a very Southern city contend with both a boom in tourism and a rise in inhabitants from the liberal capitals on the coasts?