Japanese gift-wrapping: Lesson 5

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.

Look on the bright side of life with Konfekt’s dazzling summer instalment. 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.

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.