Monica Suma

Rotterdam wins all the plaudits for its innovative drinking and dining scene, but the adjacent city of Schiedam is in a league of its own when it comes to one particular tipple. Jenever, the forefather of modern gin, has been distilled in Schiedam for hundreds of years, earning it the title of one of the Netherlands’ so-called ‘jenever cities.’

Featuring the best distilleries and bars in 33 countries – from gin, bourbon and whisky to vodka, cachaca, tequila and more. I wrote about Nollet Distillery in Schiedam, the Netherlands, and its centuries long tradition of distilling jenever (Dutch gin), known as the "father of all gins."

Planning a trip to Bucharest but not sure when’s the best time to visit? From April to September, Bucharest becomes a stomping ground for the creative arts, contemporary design and street art, with speciality coffee and Romanian wine thrown in for good measure. Add to that a generous dose of music and the popular Night of Museums, and you’re all set for some fun times.

If you’re looking to discover the next ‘it’ wine region, it may be time to book that ticket to Romania. Gault&Millau launched the first guide dedicated to Romanian wines, covering 152 wines from 63 wineries. With some 180,000 hectares of vines and scenic backdrops blessed with auspicious land, Romania is fifth in terms of vineyard surface in the EU after Spain, France, Italy and Portugal, and sixth in terms of wine production.

At first glance, Bucharest may be hard to define. The enormous Palace of Parliament gets the most attention as the second-largest administrative building in the world, but it’s far from what constitutes the everyday local life. Dig a little deeper in Bucharest’s walkable neighbourhoods, with their period architecture and pockets of hidden glory, and you’ll find an eclectic mix of old and new, arts initiatives aplenty and an ever-growing foodie scene.

Monica Suma speaks to Vlad Niculescu, the man behind the peerless Anthony Frost Bookshop, now part of Cărturești & Friends.

This October marked the opening of The Museum of Recent Art (MARe) in Bucharest, the first private museum to open since 1910. The museum features a permanent exhibition of Romanian art from the 1960s onwards, as well as temporary exhibits of Romanian and foreign artists. With over 150 pieces, MARe offers a unique perspective on the challenges Romanian artists faced during and after the communist regime.

Alina Iancu promotes Romanian wine tourism. Having travelled across Romania visiting over 70 wineries, she founded CrameRomania.ro in 2014 and Revino.ro two years later. She speaks to Monica Suma

[BUCHAREST] Visitors to Bucharest have been flocking in recent years thanks to the revived cobblestone streets of the Old Town and its long-standing bohemian café culture, not to mention the 1,100-room Palace of Parliament. In the Old Town, century-old Orthodox churches captivate alongside the grand Belle Époque palazzos of the monarchy days. Each corner of the city reveals a mix of old and new.

Far from the communist utopia first-time visitors conjure upon visiting Bucharest—the 1,100-room Palace of Parliament topping the agenda of iconic sights to tick off—Romania’s capital is everything you didn’t expect. Here, century-old Byzantine churches straddle Belle Époque palaces on Calea Victoriei, the city’s most famous artery, in a sublime mix of old and new, East and West.

Table Mountain, white-sand beaches, rich history and cosmopolitan culture and cuisine have long lured people to visit Cape Town, but today the Mother City's African art scene is proving to have pulling power. And it's not just the new Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa – the continent's largest museum opening in over a century – but also an exciting (and ever growing) number of pioneering art institutions that is impressing art lovers.

Mădălina Andronic calls herself ‘the folklore-loving illustrator’. She talks to Monica Suma about her work, and getting lost on Bucharest’s historical streets.

Monica Suma meets George Panaitescu, Business Development Director and one of the co-founders of the éclair stores leading the sweetest French Revolution.

Lonely Planet Pathfinder Monica Suma recently explored Jordan’s cinematic sights, from Amman’s red-hued hills to the ancient city of Petra, and the desert of Wadi Rum – punctuating her journey through this fascinating country with compulsory breaks for delicious falafel and cardamom coffee!

After 12 years away, travel writer Monica Suma on what she loves about the Romanian capital.