German-born Veronica Kohlbecker has made a career, and a lifestyle out of connecting the dots between people, far-flung places, and the poetry of everyday life. As the founder of travel platform Escapist and What A Wonderful World (WAWW), her work explores what it means to live and travel meaningfully, move consciously, and design a life in rhythm with the planet.
From sunrise swims in Anguilla to curating high-touch journeys across Montenegro, Saudi Arabia, and Tuscany, her perspective on travel is layered: equal parts soulful, strategic, and sensory. Her outlook may be global, but her intention is always finding the local – the heartbeat of a place, and bringing others along for the experience. Here, she shares her favourite rituals, dining discoveries in her bases around the world, and what makes WAWW more than just a travel platform but a philosophy for how to see and interact with the world.
What is WAWW really about?
WAWW is a global platform to guide the curious adventurer and seasoned traveller with our version of what is the best in each area, but deeply personal. Through WAWW and The Escapist service, we create journeys and retreats designed to be remembered, not just for where you go, but how you feel. We believe in going deeper, not just further. Travelling like it matters. And it does. It’s about honouring the planet, the people, the poetry of experience.
The name was inspired by Louis Armstrong’s “What A Wonderful World”, a reminder to see beauty, especially when it’s quiet. My biggest hobby is to meet new people and hear their stories. We can learn so much when we have a white belt mentality to listening before judging.
Favourite local restaurants and bars in your neighbourhood?
“Neighbourhood” is a moving concept when you live across continents, but there are places that anchor me. So I’m going to give you my favourite spots from some of my favourite places. In Dubai, Krasota is a deeply immersive culinary performance. It fuses nostalgia, scent, sound, digital art, and food into an emotional journey through the eyes of iconic painters. Truly remarkable.
Where my family is based in Baden-Baden, Germany, Rizzi is a great place for true fun, people-watching, champagne, and that timeless elegance of Lichtentaler Allee rose gardens, one of the oldest places to “stroll” in Germany – it feels like Europe’s golden age preserved in a park restaurant.
When I’m in London, I always return to Marylebone for the full global experience at your doorstep: local weekend farmers markets and Marylebone High street café culture are unmatched. I love a Korean breakfast with neuro-enhanced mushroom coffee, cheese shops with tasting experience. I particularly love dim sum at Royal China Club, and Michelin star Indian food at Trishna for dinner. London lets you travel the world in one borough.
You’ve worked for some time developing high-end tourism in Montenegro. What are your favourite dining spots there?
There’s so many. For the most incredible experience it’s Catovica Mlini, set in a magical green valley of waterfalls, swans, pagodas, old ruins and fish ponds. You arrive by boat from the water by fishing boat from Lady of the Rocks and feel like you’ve entered a dream. I also love Ribarsko Selo, once a fishing village, now a beautiful hideaway where giant tuna are bought in and grilled before your eyes, now turned into one of the most popular but still local beach clubs. You can dine and then swim in crystal clear water. Getting there by water taxi at golden hour is part of the experience – gliding through the sunset stillness is nourishment for the soul. Mamula Island by Banyan Tree is located at the Bay of Kotor and is an incredible restaurant inside a restored historic fort and prison with stunning renovation of wild nature, recently discovered alfrescos like treasure island.
Boka Moderna is modern Balkan cuisine artistically curated with an incredible wine list in Porto Montenegro overlooking superyachts and some of the world’s largest sailing boats at your table with an excellent local and international wine list. La Roche is unbeatable for sunset moments and golden-hour dinners, a serene beachside escape with live music and a full Mediterranean menu. Luca in Luštica Bay, a must for meat lovers, traditional Balkan cuisine without the weight, light fresh meat meals with truffles are divine. Meanwhile head to Tapasake at One&Only Portonovi for sushi, DJs, and sunset beach energy all in one.
How has Montenegro evolved as a destination since you started visiting all those years ago?
It’s maturing, but quietly. What used to be a well-kept secret is now a magnet for conscious travellers. There’s a definite shift happening: from flash to flow. People are coming for the slow food, the national parks, the local wine, the sea. And Montenegro offers all of that, with authenticity.
Where do you shop for unique gifts?
It’s always from artisans or handmade sources. I search for objects with soul: hand-thrown ceramics from Cappadicia, 100 times vegetable dyed silks from Hanoi, sea-glass jewellery from French island of Marie-Galante located near the island of Dominica, and textiles from local weavers in Marrakesh. There’s something powerful in giving a gift made by hand with love and thought, it carries the intention of the maker and connects you to the land it came from. I often collect things on my travels and wait for the right moment to pass them on. It’s not just gifting, it’s storytelling.
Travel splurge you’ll never regret?
Sailing with my children for a month, no shoes, no Wi-Fi, no schedule. Just the endless sky filled with stars, the rhythm of the sea, new islands, new people, new friends daily, sketchbooks filled with ideas for new travel guides, and cooking on board. That kind of journey is rare. And priceless.
Most inspiring place for art you’ve visited recently?
AlUla, Saudi Arabia. The silence, the scale, the elemental energy, it doesn’t perform for you, it invites you in.
Desert X AlUla there felt like sacred interruptions in the landscape. We now curate The Escapist trips there because it’s not just a destination, it’s an atmosphere you carry long after. The quality and standard of artists, soul and thought put in, is very powerful and a must to visit. It’s really not your average tourist destination, it’s a full cultural immersion into ancient history and modern soul craftsmanship.
Favourite hotel, anywhere in the world?
It’s hard to choose just one, so I’ll go with a few favourites. The Zighy Bay, Oman that offers barefoot luxury in the truest sense. You can also arrive by paraglide or boat, passing whales, and time just dissolves there. I also love the Hyatt Regency Da Nang, Vietnam, a modern, layered, and serene nature reserve. The impactful black-and-white architecture blends seamlessly into nature, with monkeys roaming the grounds, beautiful beaches and a spiritual quietness in its layout.
The Aman Venice is hard not to fall in love with, especially when arriving by boat to a 16th-century palazzo on the Grand Canal. Every detail is timeless, peaceful and magical. And finally, the Burj Al Arab, Dubai, from my first stay at 13 years old to now, it continues to impress. It’s a theatrical, sensory, over-the-top kind of experience that somehow still delivers what 7 star luxury should be over and over again consistently. The top floor Michelin star restaurant Al Muntaha remains a favourite spot for me, it has an amazing wine list that dates back 80 years and stunning views of Dubai.
Where do you go for creative energy?
Everywhere. Creative energy is everywhere if you’re truly present, in artisan markets, mountain trails, ancient architecture, or watching a local baker at 6am. I’m inspired by contrast: a woven basket next to a brutalist sculpture, a modern gallery across from a crumbling temple. That’s what The Escapist is about being present and learning from everything we see, and designing moments that feel alive.
Dream vacation, not yet fulfilled?
Japan, but it’s next. I want to go from north to south with my kids. The plan would be to hit Hokkaido for some off piste skiing and onsen baths. Then Osaka for traditional and street life, Kyoto for temples, gardens, and stillnessm and then Tokyo for sushi, design, and contrast. The plan is to do it together this winter, we really want to feel the layers of Japan: the grace, the discipline in architecture and design, the softness in wellness and tradition, the edge in fashion, and of course for the sushi.
