Editor's Letter: Gemma D'Souza on Issue Eight

Gemma D’Souza introduces issue eight of Unforgettable Travel Magazine

Dear Travellers,

I recently visited Lago Maggiore in northern Italy. I’ve been to a few gems across Italy – Rome, Milan, and Sicily to name a few – but this trip was above all of those put together. The northern lakes in Italy are famously made up of Como, Garda and Maggiore. Each lake exudes beauty, in the most elegant way possible. The mountains dramatically border the lake, which shimmers under the rays of intense sunshine.

Being on the lake itself is the best way to take its true beauty in. By boat, you not only understand the sheer size of the lake, but also the contrasting personality of the lake. Lago Maggiore was fierce yet delicate. It was vast, yet not overwhelming. It was vibrant, yet behind the clouds, it was moody and mysterious. 

I spent five days on and around the lake; visiting its three islands located in the middle of the lake, climbing the mountains surrounding the lake, and of course, eating my way around the coast of the lake, in local pizzerias and charming cafes. 

A stand-out moment for me was the bucket ride up the mountain. It was, quite literally, a bucket. Some of the buckets have roofs which makes it more enclosed, while others are open, exposed to the elements. When it was our turn to jump into one of these open buckets, the bucket swayed and wobbled, and it took a few deep breathes to compose myself. 

The bucket ride up was around twenty minutes, and the views exceeded all expectations. As the cloud lifted, we saw the lake from above. Hundreds of turquoise tones contrasted against the vibrancy of the green forests and mountains. It was like nowhere I had been before. At the top, and an Aperol Spritz later, I truly took in this unforgettable experience.

This year I’ve had a few special trips – I explored the Spanish island of Mallorca over Easter and spent a fortnight in most remote channels and waterways in Botswana’s Okavango Delta. I usually choose to share a trip memory or highlight with you all in the editor’s letter, in the hope that it will too inspire you to visit some more untouched destinations. But the reason that Lago Maggorie made the cut was not even necessarily because of the destination. 

We are lucky to have the freedom in this world to travel far and wide. I recently got asked, which is more important: the journey or the destination? My answer – the company.

I went to Lago Maggorie with my mum, dad and brother. I’ve been on a lot of trips over the past two decades with them, but what made this one so special was because the lake and this area of northern Italy had so much sentimental value to my parents.

Thirty years ago, my parents used to live on this lake. They used to indulge at the pizzerias around the lake. They used to sip aperol spritz after a hike in the summer, or a ski in the winter. And they used to take every friend that came to visit them, up the mountain in the rickety bucket. The whole week was spent in a bubble of nostalgia, and it was a privilege to see such wholesome and beautiful memories come flooding back to them.

In the past year or two, we have seen the rise in family travel and its something that is so special to be part of, curating luxury trips and unforgettable moments for. We’ve also seen generations of the family return back to Unforgettable, to help book their children’s honeymoon, or even trips with their grandchildren. 

It means so much because, as a close-knit team, we are a family here at Unforgettable. This year alone, we have taken on new travel consultants, who each bring their own knowledge and enthusiasm to the team. 

Our experts have jetted off around the world thus far, with educational trips to Croatia, France, Switzerland, Montenegro, Spain and more. It’s a beautiful industry to work in, but there is nothing more beautiful, more rewarding and more fulfilling than knowing our clients coming back from trips, more inspired than ever.

Gemma D’Souza

Editor