Whether your next adventure leads to the skies above Patagonia, the waters of the Adriatic or coastal Maine, your 360 Private Travel Designer will create a journey that takes you far beyond the guidebook.
Beyond The Guidebook: The Art of Exploration
Every quarter, we introduce our members to some of 360 Private Travel’s most exclusive and under-the-radar destinations and experiences — taking you Beyond the Guidebook.
In this edition, we celebrate journeys that challenge your expectations of exploration. From crossing Patagonia aboard a beautifully restored Dakota aircraft to seeing coastal Maine from a charming houseboat and arriving at secluded Adriatic harbours by yacht, these experiences are defined as much by how you arrive and what you do once there as by the destinations themselves.
The Journey as the Destination
Four Seasons II
Launching in 2028, the second yacht in the Four Seasons fleet marks the next chapter in the brand’s vision for an elevated life at sea. With a near one-to-one guest-to-staff ratio, 11 culinary concepts and residential-scale suites, Four Seasons II is designed to feel closer to private yachting than conventional cruising. The interiors are calm and impressively designed, with cabins opening onto immersive private terraces ensuring a spectacular view, no matter where you sail.
An Adriatic Voyage aboard Four Seasons II
Of the upcoming sailings, an Adriatic voyage from Venice to Dubrovnik is a highlight. As you’ll begin in the Venetian lagoon, we can arrange a few days in Venice, exploring its canals by gondola and its streets by vibrant stories retold by local guides. Afterwards, you’ll board Four Seasons II for a journey that drifts south through some lesser-known but nonetheless beguiling corners of Italy before crossing into Croatia’s island-dotted Adriatic. Days are immersive, with explorations of Rimini’s attractive Roman streets, the hilltop republic of San Marino, and the medieval walled city of Dubrovnik. Experiences can be fine-tuned to your desires, but could include evenings sipping crisp Žlahtina overlooking Krk’s harbour, or stepping ashore in Makarska beneath the dramatic limestone slopes of the Biokovo Mountains.
Ancient Rituals Beneath the Aurora
Skyra Retreat, Finnish Lapland
Set Close to the pale waters of Lake Norvajärvi, where the boreal forest stretches towards the Arctic Circle, Skýra effortlessly embraces the rural traditions of Finnish Lapland. The elemental beauty of the landscape is a constant companion here: frozen lake vistas in winter, the Midnight Sun illuminating long summer nights, and the ever-present hush of the boreal forest, occasionally subtly coloured by the colour and dance of the Northern Lights.
Embracing the Finnish Lifestyle at Skýra
Opened in late 2025, Skyra Retreat invites guests to experience the north through Finnish traditions like open air sauna and rituals informed by the season rather than typical Lapland itineraries. Architect-designed suites frame thick woodland, while the retreat’s Nordic Spa offers Morning Flow Yoga, guided forest walks, evening sound baths and folklore sauna rituals led by a saunottaja. Hospitality here is understated with a focus on raw luxury and embedded meaning, from the sauna rituals experienced alongside ancient stories to the food that relies on impeccable craft and sustainable zero waste practices.
When adventure calls, the wilderness is just steps away. Snowmobile safaris trace frozen rivers and forest trails, ice fishing offers a glimpse into centuries-old Arctic traditions, and local experts introduce guests to the landscapes and cultures that define this exquisite corner of Lapland.
Exploration Unbound
Dr. Jones Expeditions
Together with Dr. Jones, we deliver unique journeys that offer a blend of unprecedented local access and a singular appreciation of aviation’s golden age. You’ll travel in sublime style, aboard a restored Basler BT-67 aircraft, a remanufactured DC-3/C-47 with excellent short-field landing capability. The plane is an icon of the skies — as well as the screen with its former roles in ‘The Eagle Has Landed’ and ‘The Dirty Dozen’.
Unique Access to South America
Carrying just a small group of guests, this captivating aircraft links landscapes that are rarely experienced as a single trip. Instead of travelling within the restrictions and queues of commercial airports, these trips connect worlds, landing close to private lodges, remote camps, and communities that would otherwise require days of complex logistics.
One of our current favourite itineraries is a South American expedition linking Peru to Patagonia. The trip traces an arc across the continent’s most extraordinary landscapes, beginning amongst the dramatic peaks of Peru before flying into the vast silence of Chile’s Atacama Desert, where salt flats shimmer beneath impossibly clear skies that at night are some of Earth’s darkest, revealing constellations in sharp, almost otherworldly detail. You’ll fly south into Patagonia, for awe-inducing introductions to glaciers, granite spires and windswept steppe, before reaching Chiloé, home to colourful palafito houses and wooden UNESCO-listed churches. The itinerary is punctuated by incredible experiences, from discovering Chachapoya sarcophagi hidden high within Peru’s cloud forests to sunrise balloon flights above the Atacama and private pisco tastings with local producers.
Slow Living in Japan’s Rural Landscapes
Azuma Farm, Japan
Japan’s countryside is often overshadowed by its cities and dazzling hyper-modernity. But this stunning rural retreat, Azuma Farm, set within the forest and pastures of the Iwate Prefecture, offers an opportunity to experience a lesser-explored side of Japan. Koiwai Farm was established in 1891 and spans roughly 3,000 hectares at the foot of Mount Iwate, and the retreat takes design cues from Jōmon-period settlements typical of the region, with architecture wrapped in century-old red pine, cedar, and glass. Its villas sit within vast pastures, amongst beds of azaleas and yamabuki flowers, and are finished with floor-to-ceiling windows framing striking forests, grazing cattle, and the rising silhouette of Mount Iwate.
Exploring Tōhoku
Beyond the villas, Koiwai Farm opens the door to a lesser-known side of Japan through a thoughtfully curated collection of experiences across the Tōhoku region. Guests might harvest Tatsusobe wasabi from crystal-clear spring water in Tōno, before eating freshly prepared Jingisukan, the region’s distinctive grilled lamb speciality, served with the freshly harvested wasabi. Cooler days offer ideal opportunities to follow ancient mountain trails, explore Morioka’s artisan heritage, or ride through the sweeping pastures beneath Mount Iwate. Among the highlights are Azuma Farm’s guided cycling experiences, following quiet backroads, dairy pastures and working farmland, and pausing to enjoy viewpoints that frame the mountain’s near-perfect volcanic cone.
An Original Pullman Carriage… Just for You
Belmond’s Celia, UK
Some journeys are so spectacular that it simply doesn’t matter where you’re heading. Aboard Belmond’s British Pullman, the destination is almost incidental, as exquisite dining, impeccable service, and Britain’s charming countryside become part of every journey. But with Celia, a carriage available for exclusive hire for just 12 guests — ideal for marking special occasions — this concept is elevated even further to perfectly capture the opulence of the golden age of travel.
Step Inside Another World
Celia celebrates an era when travel itself was reason enough to leave home. Cocktails arrive perfectly shaken, elegant afternoon teas blend with seasonal tasting menus, and polished brass catches the afternoon light as the rural expanse of England glides beyond the large windows. The mood throughout is pure, unadulterated, and unapologetic glamour.
Named after the carriage’s fictional owner, Celia, an imagined 1930s West End actress created by Baz Luhrmann and Catherine Martin, every detail has been carefully placed to bring her world to life. Aboard, you’ll enjoy a private cocktail bar, dedicated stewards and beautifully crafted interiors, as well as elegant design touches such as hand-painted marquetry, polished brass, rich emerald upholstery and mirrored ceilings. Look a little closer, and you’ll find playful references hidden throughout: enchanted pansies from Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, alongside hidden fairies and woodland motifs, while velvet theatre curtains divide the carriage into acts, inviting guests to step quite literally into this dazzling imagined world.
Echoing the golden age of rail travel, Celia is available for exclusive private hire on any British Pullman route departing from London Victoria so your 360 Private Travel Designer can easily tailor the experience to your preferences.
Life on the Kennebunk River
The White Barn Inn Houseboats, USA
Life on Maine’s coast has long revolved around the water, and these delightful houseboats allow guests to experience it from a much more intimate perspective on the Kennebunk River. Created by Auberge Resorts Collection as an extension of White Barn Inn — Kennebunkport’s beloved coastal hideaway — each houseboat combines contemporary, waterfront New England charm with the exemplary service of White Barn Inn, and the location is excellent, whether exploring the boutiques, galleries, and beaches of Kennebunkport or setting out on sailing excursions through Maine navigating lobster pots and historic Maine architecture.
The Cora Houseboat Experience
Of the houseboats, 360’s Travel Designers recommend The Cora. Named after White Barn Inn founder Cora Toothaker, Cora is one of three floating residences, each designed as an elegant retreat for families or friends travelling together. Beautifully conceived by acclaimed interior designer Jenny Wolf, the house boat’s light-filled interiors dissolve into river views through expansive windows, while generous living spaces and two well-appointed bedrooms make ideal spaces for family gatherings. Above, an expansive rooftop deck invites languid mornings over coffee, afternoons spent watching lobster boats navigate the Kennebunk River, and wine-spiked evenings beneath the stars.
Share this post:
