olive travels: where to visit in June

Plenty of country pubs and restaurants with rooms are nestled into Hampshire’s villages of red-brick and thatched cottages. Within 30 minutes’ drive of The Grange, Bel & the Dragon in Kingsclere (from £115 per night, check availability at booking.com) manages to feature both a gastro dining room and the feel of an authentic local pub, with plenty of Hampshire ales on draught. Or Whitchurch’s quintessential country pub, Bourne Valley Inn (from £85 per night, check availability at booking.com), boasts nine elegantly decorated rooms and a garden that runs down to the River Test, home to wild trout. Other excellent lunch options range from modern flourishes on traditional pub food at village pub The Purefoy Arms, to Skye Gyngell’s elegantly simple seasonal dishes on the terrace of perfectly manicured estate, Heckfield Place (from £350 per night, check availability at mrandmrssmith.com).

Michelin dining in Estonia

Estonia is the first Baltic country to get its own Michelin guide, and here you can enjoy excellent-value tasting menus in diverse locations, from Tallinn’s trendy UNESCO city centre to birch-lined beaches and lakeside houses. Start in Tallinn, where the country’s two star-receiving restaurants both lie on the water outside of the city centre. In a contemporary building with views over Tallin Bay and the Gulf of Finland, chefs at NOA Chef’s Hall use open fire to cook Norwegian scallops, Canadian lobster and locally foraged herbs in a contemporary seven-course tasting menu. In the harbour, 180° by Matthias Diether boasts a large, U-shaped open kitchen, where creative, modern tasting menus are prepared. For reasonably priced dining experiences, take a tour of the Bib Gourmand winners, including Tallinn’s buzzy all-day brasserie Härg, Mediterranean-style dishes at Mantel ja Korsten in a pretty clapboard house on the edge of Kadriorg park, and modern harbour-front bistro Lore Bistroo. Drive an hour south of Tallinn, through birch forests and lakes, to Põhjaka Manor in Mäeküla, a sustainable restaurant that has been awarded a Michelin Green Star for its commitment to growing its own vegetables and herbs. Continue further south to Viljandi, a rural village with a picturesque old town, rows of colourful wooden houses and its own lake beach. In a red brick building on the edge of the old town, bohemian-style bistro Fellin serves traditional European dishes. Finally, hidden in the trees on the stunning white-sand beach of Kloogaranna on the north west coast, family-run Lahepere Villa has been recognised for its hospitality with the Michelin Service Award. Sit on the terrace with the crackling fire for warmth, and enjoy the likes of frog tempura and sea bass with fennel-pea ragout, along with a pot of homemade granola to take away for breakfast the next morning.

Time your star-studded tour with Midsummer celebrations at the end of June, when Estonians flock to the countryside and beaches to celebrate Midsummer’s Day, known as Jaanipäev. Join an al fresco BBQ or picnic beneath the stars, sit round a bonfire on the beach and listen to Estonian folk tales, or dance until dawn to welcome the new summer day.

Ancient Incan celebrations in Peru

June is the start of the dry season in the Peruvian Andes, when its ancient Incan capital, Cusco, marks two major festivals. Incan and Christian traditions come together in spectacular Corpus Christi street processions, the former celebrating harvest time through the preparation of traditional dishes, including chiriuchu. This is Cusco’s most iconic meal, showcasing the diversity of Peru’s landscape and the ingredients it produces, from coastal seaweed and fish roe to guinea pig from the highlands, and Urumbamba corn and spicy rocoto chillies, grown on the slopes of the Andes. Later in the month, on 24 June this year, the Incan festival of the sun, Inti Raymi, is celebrated. This is the time to try the slow-cooked beef stew, huatia, that takes its name from the earth oven it’s cooked in, while watching local tributes.
If you’re planning a trip to coincide with these celebrations, reserve a balcony table overlooking Plaza de Armas square to soak up the festivities from above while tucking into unique Incan dishes. Or try making Peruvian dishes at home with our recipes.