Because inspiration has a passport too.
Whether you design fashion, interiors, brands, or simply your own beautifully curated life—every creative needs a reset. But not just any escape will do. You crave places with textures, colors, flavors, and a certain… aesthetic electricity.
Welcome to the jetset of the creatively inclined. Here’s where designers, artists, and tastemakers go when it’s time to refill the well.
1. Oaxaca, Mexico – Textiles, Tones & Tradition
A UNESCO Creative City and a mecca for craft, Oaxaca is vibrant in every way—from handwoven rugs and colorful ceramics to ancient ruins and mezcal-soaked markets.
Why Designers Love It:
- Legendary natural dye workshops
- Architecture that fuses colonial and indigenous forms
- The best mole you’ll ever eat
Must-Do: Take a weaving workshop in Teotitlán del Valle and visit Casa Oaxaca for rooftop design inspiration (and cocktails).
2. Kyoto, Japan – Minimalism Meets Magic
Every corner in Kyoto feels intentional, from the raked gravel gardens to the delicate calligraphy on tea shop signs. It’s a masterclass in balance, restraint, and quiet beauty.
Why Designers Love It:
- Centuries-old design philosophies like wabi-sabi
- Kimono dyeing and indigo workshops
- Traditional architecture that breathes
Must-Do: Visit a ryokan for full design immersion, or walk the Philosopher’s Path with a sketchbook.
3. Lisbon, Portugal – Pastels, Patterns & Perspective
Lisbon is all about layers—Azulejo tilework, steep cobblestone hills, Moorish arches, and golden light that feels straight from a film. The creative scene? Young, bold, and booming.
Why Designers Love It:
- Every building is a moodboard
- The fusion of old-world and modern design
- Concept stores and creative cafés everywhere
Must-Do: Explore LX Factory, a revamped industrial complex turned design district.
4. Marrakech, Morocco – Color, Craft & Chaos (In the Best Way)
No place does maximalism quite like Marrakech. Between the souks, spice markets, and riads, it’s a sensorial overload of the most fabulous kind.
Why Designers Love It:
- Earthy textures, bold hues, intricate patterns
- Handcrafted everything from rugs to lanterns
- That perfect collision of Berber, French, and Arab influences
Must-Do: Stay in a design-forward riad like El Fenn or Riad Mena and hit up Jardin Majorelle for Yves Saint Laurent energy.
5. Copenhagen, Denmark – Where Function Marries Form
Copenhagen is the clean-lined, Scandi-chic antidote to visual noise. It’s where good design is a way of life, and even the coffee cups are worthy of a photoshoot.
Why Designers Love It:
- Furniture stores that double as museums
- Streetwear and home decor scenes that lead the world
- Cafés and bakeries as aesthetic temples
Must-Do: Bike around the city to visit local design studios and wind down at Apollo Bar.
Quick Tips to Travel Like a Designer:
- Look for texture. From wall murals to cafe plates—what catches your eye?
- Visit local maker spaces or studios. They often welcome curious travelers.
- Stay where the design is the destination. Think boutique hotels or Airbnb gems.
- Take a sketchbook or journal. Inspiration hits harder when you pause to notice it.
The World Is a Moodboard Go Curate It
Inspiration doesn’t always strike at a desk. Sometimes it hides in an alley in Lisbon, a tea house in Kyoto, or a color palette in a Marrakech sunset. Wherever you go, let yourself absorb it all and come back changed.
Because for the creative traveler, every trip is a chance to design your next masterpiece.
Traviare 