There are so many brilliant indie travel magazines out there. Which one is going to make you say "this magazine was made for me"? Some share nail-biting stories of adventure. Some feature incredible places to stay. Some dive into history and culture, and some simply want to share and celebrate incredible places. We've broken down a few of our favourites below.
In a nutshell:Each issue explores a different country. It's a considered selection of stories about the landscapes and cities, the food, architecture, local crafts, folklore and traditions.
Pics: A mix of gorgeous landscapes and candid shots (think fresh caught prawns and rustic lunch tables), and beautiful illustrations. We love the map illustrations at the start of each issue.
Ink:Travel stories from interesting places and experiences, like cycling through Normandy or eating pao buns in Goa. Musings on what gives a place its identity, like the decadent interior architecture of luxury Parisian hotels. And lovely sensory pieces about things like tasting mysterious produce from a market stall in India.
Looks: Lovely matte pages, beautifully bound. More book than magazine. Delicate font and beautiful layout. Did we mention beautiful? On and advertising-free.
You can browse all our Lodestars Anthology back issues here. Read our interview with editor Liz Schaffer here.
In a nutshell: Each issue explores a different city through its food, history and communities. Like Lodestars, it's less about travel recommendations and more of a deep dive into what gives the city its identity. Each issue has a lot of local input, with guest editors, writers and photographers who know the city well or call it home.
Pics: Fewer landscape shots for obvious reasons, and more snippets of life in the city, portraits and close-up shots of food from street vendors to haute cuisine kitchens.
Ink: A great range in this one. There are essays on cultural phenomena (like the infamous "Rolex" street food snack in Kampala), interviews with locals about life in the city, descriptive travel pieces and even fiction and poetry at times. We loved the masterclass in Uglish (Ugandan English) and the side-by-side translation of a Ugandan folktale in the Kampala issue.
Looks: Smaller format magazine but nice and chunky. Visually exciting, with playful composition and a bit of a collage feel as it weaves together all the parts that make up the city.
Browse the Fare back catalogue here.
In a nutshell: Tonic explores places through the world of drink, with stories of the history, culture and makers behind each local libation.
Pics: Beauty shots of national tipples and close-ups of frothy beer, mixed with scenic shots that bring the stories alive.
Ink: A mix of long-form features weaving in the history, cultural context and traditions of drinks and drinking culture. In earlier issues you'll find the story of how IPA got its name and the history of Iceland's prohibition, alongside accounts of drinking soju in North Korea and growing up making moonshine in Zimbabwe.
Looks: Lovely bold headers and a great easy-to-read layout, all wrapped up in a sleek, tactile cover.
Browse the Tonic back catalogue here.
In a nutshell:JRNY brings you a selection of travel ideas across each issue, from walking the Yorkshire Wolds Way to the Banana Islands of Sierra Leone, from Venice Carnival to Bhutan. Each location starts with a "need to know" stats page, a nice throwback to the guidebooks of yore, but expands into some seriously engaging and immersive travel writing.
Pics: Vibrant, high-saturation images give landscapes, wildlife and locals an almost cinematic feel.
Ink: Some photo stories but mostly longer first-person narrative pieces which really put you there, with snippets of conversation with guides, locals and occasionally police.
Looks:JRNY is a bit pricier than many indie magazines, but it's a proper tome. Around 2cm thick and A4 size, it looks fabulous on the bookshelf or coffee table, and the images look marvellous on the larger pages.
Browse the JRNY back catalogue here.
In a nutshell: Sidetracked is all about adventures, whether that's paragliding the migration route of the monarch butterfly, freediving under the ice in Greenland or walking the mountains from Spain to Norway. All the stories are told by dedicated and fearless adventurers, and the journal is a mix of awe-inspiring scenery and remarkable feats of endurance.
Pics: Photography and adventure go together like snow caps on a mountain. The action shots in Sidetracked won't disappoint, whether they're underwater or mid-blizzard. Alongside the awesome landscapes, you'll also see the realities of adventure. A flask of warm water being poured over frozen feet, or an exhausted tent scene at the end of a gruelling day.
Ink:Very "in the moment" first-person narrative, full of the fear and exhilaration, pain and jubilation felt along the way.
Looks:Just under A4 size, with matte pages and a simple elegant layout that lets the pictures and writing speak for themselves.
Browse the Sidetracked back catalogue here.
Browse all these marvellous mags and more on our Travel and Wonder on shelves.
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