EDITOR'S LETTER:

There’s a quote by Jonas Salk, the world-famous virologist who created the first safe and effective Polio vaccine in 1955, that seems incredibly apt at the moment: “Hope lies in dreams, in imagination, and in the courage of those who dare to make dreams into reality.” As we enter the second month of 2021, amid the Herculean Covid-19 vaccination efforts around the world, I can feel the flickerings of hope burning brighter, as a new wave of optimism percolates and travel prospects gain ever more potential.

And so, we’ve put a new spin on the February issue. Usually dedicated to the romance of Valentine’s Day, this issue is an ode to hope, giving you the opportunity to re-fall in love with world and all it offers.

We travel to Zürich to look beyond the city’s Belle Époque beauty to discover its silk heritage; we witness the powerful alliance of solitude and sustainability in Namibia; and find a new definition of luxury when it comes to safety with the opening of Waldorf Astoria Maldives’ new private island.

There’s much to be appreciative of this year, so we’re going to throw all the positivity we can muster at 2021 and hope that we will all travel widely and wonderfully again soon.