Nora is a Canary Wharf restaurant offering gastronomic flights of fancy from the ‘Turkish avant-garde’. Committed to bringing ultra-modern Istanbul dining to the glittering spires of this corner of London, Benjamin Norris was blown away by its generosity.

Dinings SW3 presents an assured and quiet confidence, where pristine service, relaxed elegance and – most importantly – utterly sensational food come together in spectacular fashion. Benjamin Norris falls more than a little in love with ‘gill to tail’ Japanese dining in Chelsea.

In order to look forward to a brand new year, it’s never a bad idea to look back at the year that just passed. If UN Tourism’s latest World Tourism Barometer is to be believed, 2025 was a year of decisively packed suitcases — something we can certainly get behind.

Perfectly positioned within a four-minute walk of the beloved ‘wellness enclave’ of Eccleston Yards and Eccleston Place, Eccleston Square Hotel provides a luxurious home base from which to curate your very own reinvigorating retreat. 

Journalist Benjamin Norris is known for his ambivalence regarding Greek islands. However, Syros feels like a ‘best kept secret’ — an island guarded by elegantly holidaying Greeks, seeking good times away from the crowds on its more famous neighbours. Might this be the one that steals his heart

After having spent a glorious afternoon in the warm embrace of Banya No. 1 in Hoxton –  London’s first (and best) Russian bathhouse and spa – I’m a thorough convert to its vigorous and intense interpretation of relaxation and wellness, and I’m already planning my return.