Three years after coining the term “gypset” to describe the sophisticated bohemian culture she encountered on her assignments as a travel writer, Julia Chaplin has followed up her 2009 bestseller Gypset Style with a richly photographed book called Gypset Travel (Assouline), exploring the enclaves of neo-gypsy jet-setters around the world. Here, the New York–based editor and journalist reveals some of her favorite global haunts
Aeolian Islands, Italy
A rugged, crowd-free alternative to the glitz of Capri or the Amalfi Coast, this hard-to-reach archipelago north of Sicily is well worth visiting for its unhurried and authentic vibe. For Chaplin, the “only” place to stay is the hillside Hotel Raya (doubles from US$235) on Panarea Island. And for dinner? “There’s a seafood trattoria called La Sirena in the tiny village of Pecorino on Filicudi. Its terrace is a magnet for artistic types.”
Byron Bay, Australia
With laid-back roots as a hippie haven, the New South Wales town of Byron Bay has evolved into a hip beach getaway thanks to an in-flux of bon vivants. Chaplin loves browsing the racks at Spell and the Gypsy Collective. “It’s a homespun fashion label that specializes in the wood-nymph– music-festivalgoer look.” Sleep in boho style at Rae’s on Watego’s (doubles from US$622), overlooking “one of the best longboard surf breaks in the world.”
Cornwall, United Kingdom
“It’s a gathering place for crop-circle enthusiasts, pagans, and wandering rock stars,” Chaplin says of the bucolic southwest corner of England. In-the-know visitors relax between parties at Botelet Farm (doubles from US$64), a family-run property that rents out cottages, yurts, and a blinged-out gypsy caravan. Cornwall hosts festivals throughout the year; among Chaplin’s favorites is the Port Eliot Festival, held by aristocrats Peregrine and Catherine St. Germans every July at the earl’s ancestral estate.