In Monocle’s latest book, Swim & Sun, you’ll find our pick of the places in which to cool off when the mercury rises and plenty to get you dreaming about your next dip. We celebrate the joys of diving into the ocean, leaping into a river and allowing your limbs to stretch – and your mind to clear – as you simply swim. In its visually stunning pages, the guide celebrates the sunny pleasures on offer at our favourite beach clubs, urban pools and lakeside bathing spots. [So pick up a copy...

Who tops our liveable leaderboard? Monocle’s annual Quality of Life Survey puts the world’s best cities through their paces and profiles the urban centres on the up. We also get set for summer by gardening in Hiroshima, dining in Marseille and dancing in Mexico City. Plus: how Bratislava’s bass-playing, architect mayor is helping the city to find its groove. [Grab your copy today.](https://monocle.com/shop/)

Look on the bright side of life with [Konfekt’s dazzling summer instalment](https://monocle.com/shop/product/2337535/konfekt-issue-11/). Issue 11 is an ideal accompaniment to beachside lounging, featuring an alluring trip along Portugal’s untamed Atlantic coast, inspiring residences and a look at why rose oil is so valuable that it’s kept in a vault. Plus: Lebanese mezze, wild swimming and what to wear in the sun.

Ever dreamed of ditching the rat race for a life on the land? We meet the new Mediterranean farmers doing just that in the latest edition of Monocle. Issue 164 also includes an Art Special that puts collectors, galleries and this year’s Art Basel in the frame. Plus: a guide to the Venice Architecture Biennale and a rare venture into Syria. [Order your copy today.](https://monocle.com/shop/product/2326118/issue-164/)

Tinned sardines are an icon of Portugal. We visit a family-run shop and one of the country’s last artisanal canneries to discover why sardines are cherished by the Portuguese, how the industry started back with Napoleon and what is driving the revival of canned fish. Discover more from the country with [Portugal: The Monocle Handbook.](https://monocle.com/shop/product/2227005/portugal-the-monocle-handbook/)

Located in the north-western corner of the Scottish Highlands, Gairloch is a coastal village of about 700 people that known for its mountains, sea loch and rugged landscape. Monocle paid a visit to Two Lochs, reportedly Britain’s smallest commercial radio station, which is nestled on Gairloch’s shores, run by a handful of volunteers and has built a loyal fan-base of global listeners.

Monocle’s third annual Design Awards honour the top 50 objects, places and designers that have popped onto our radar over the past year. Expect stunning buildings, cosy furniture and saké in cans. Elsewhere in Issue 163, we find out how Russia recruits spies (and why it needs to), set up home at the world’s premier property fair and step out in spring fashion. [Grab your copy today.](https://monocle.com/shop/)

Nature is a key source of inspiration for glass artist Michael Ruh, who has hand-crafted pieces for leading architects and brands, such as Fortnum & Mason. We visited his south London studio as production was underway for a new commission for The Birch Hotel to hear about his design process.

Monocle Radio is our round-the-clock global audio service featuring live shows and podcasts that cover news, entrepreneurship, culture, design, urbanism, media and more.

This issue of Konfekt celebrates the promise of spring, with bracing hikes, adventurous road trips and long dinners filled with sparkling discussion and searching debate. We’ll picnic on the cliffs of northern Corsica, journey along Slovenia’s coastline and check in to a new hotel in the heritage-rich village of Lefkara in Cyprus. Plus: chic looks, inspiring interiors and piquant Indonesian recipes. [Grab your copy today.](https://monocle.com/shop/product/2307621/konfekt-issue-10/)

What’s in store for retail? Monocle’s Retail Survey checks out the global benchmarks in shopping, while our spring Style Directory rounds up the labels, designers and products on the radar of the sharpest dressers. Elsewhere, we go in-depth on the mystery of who blew up Nord Stream and reveal Paris’s best sandwich – and how to make it. [Order your copy today.](https://monocle.com/shop/product/2299788/issue-162/)

Following hot on the heels of Portugal: The Monocle Handbook is the second title in a new series of country-focused guides. This sunny book looks beyond the tourist haunts to present Monocle’s favourite spots across Spain, from Madrid and Málaga to the Balearic and Canary Islands. [Order your copy today from The Monocle Shop.](https://monocle.com/shop/)

Peris Costumes is the world’s largest company dedicated to selling and renting costumes for film, stocking more than 10 million garments. Monocle took a peek behind the scenes of its Madrid-based HQ to meet its artisans and see how the industry is booming, thanks to the rise of streaming platforms.

Is the future electric? That’s the question that Monocle is asking in its future of the car special. Our forward-looking report offers our verdict on self-driving cars, the auto industry’s next moves and the companies in pole position to take advantage. Plus: Australian architecture, Veja’s new office and Spam – no, really. [Grab a copy today from The Monocle Shop.](https://monocle.com/shop/)

Climate change is prompting fruit farmers to diversify and coffee roasters to start considering areas beyond the so-called bean belt to source their raw material. In Sicily, Morettino, a forward-looking family-run roastery, has already started growing coffee plants in Palermo, creating an espresso that is truly made in Italy. To discover more surprising business opportunities, [subscribe to Monocle magazine today.](https://monocle.com/subscribe/)

Monocle’s February issue is all about celebrating places that work, whether that’s a parliament, home or metro carriage. From a floating office to a school teaching children the rules of the road, we profile the locations that look good and work well for those who use them. Plus: Charleston’s hospitality boom and why you should learn Russian. [Order your copy today.](https://monocle.com/shop/product/2265275/issue-160/)

Tyler Brûlé and his merry team got festive last weekend with the annual Monocle Christmas Market at Midori House in London. Staff and shoppers browsed the stalls of some of our favourite brands and even met Santa and two of his reindeers.

The world is urbanising fast. But how do you accommodate people in cities in a way that offers dignity, affordability and a sense of community? Vienna may have a solution. Explore the enduring legacy of the city’s ‘Gemeindebau’ apartment blocks in the latest episode of our Design Tours series.

Monocle’s October issue is all about making an effort, whether that’s designing a distinctive uniform for your business, decking out your apartment so that hosting is easy or sharpening up your autumn style. We cover it all. Plus: Will Brazil stick or twist as election day nears? [Grab a copy today from The Monocle Shop.](https://monocle.com/shop/)

A new electric flight school in Sweden is inspiring a future of emission-free aviation. Monocle takes to the sky, tries out the first fully electric plane to be approved for use in Europe and hears how Skellefteå has become a hotbed of green start-ups. Read more in the June issue of the magazine. [Read more in the June issue of the magazine.](https://monocle.com/shop/product/2155569/issue-154/)

Monocle has its eyes on new frontiers, from health-tech breakthroughs in France to growing coffee in Sicily. Refreshed and revitalised from a summer break, we get back to work in three new media HQs and meet Dries Van Noten. Plus: the thinkers and fighters plotting Ukraine’s renaissance. [Grab a copy today from The Monocle Shop.](https://monocle.com/shop/)

An electric bus service has injected a new playfulness into a borough of Tokyo in need of a revamp. We hop aboard and meet Eiji Mitooka, its creator and Japan’s foremost train designer, who explains why he puts fun at the top of his list when designing public transport. All aboard! [Read more in the June issue of the magazine.](https://monocle.com/shop/product/2155569/issue-154/)

Athens is the hottest capital city in mainland Europe and temperatures continue to rise. That’s why Eleni Myrivili was appointed as the city’s – and continent’s – first chief heat officer last summer. We meet her on Philoppapou hill to hear about how urban design can help to build resilience against rising temperatures. [Read more in the July/August issue of Monocle.](https://monocle.com/shop/product/2169322/issue-155-double-issue/)