Mary Novakovich

@marynovakovich

Travel writer, journalist, author of award-winning My Family and Other Enemies: Life and Travels in Croatia's Hinterland. Words in Guardian, Times, Telegraph, Independent, i, CNN Travel, etc. Agent:

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Mary Novakovich@marynovakovich· Jul 1

Not far off 10pm and the sun’s not setting for another half hour here on the northern French coast. Fabulous.

Beach huts by a wooden boardwalk on a sandy beach in Le Touquet

Mary Novakovich@marynovakovich· Apr 19

This seems to be my week for winning awards. Got back from Rijeka in Croatia where I won the Grand Prix in the print category in the Golden Pen Media Awards for my Daily Mail guide to Croatia. And I got to spend a few days in my beloved Kvarner region. Still buzzing from it all.

On a blue stage with my photo behind me as I accept my Grand Prix Golden Pen award

Mary Novakovich@marynovakovich· Apr 14

Well, this was unexpected. Last night I won an Inspire Global Media Award for my BBC Radio 4 From Our Own Correspondent report on the sponge divers of Krapanj in Croatia. Such a pleasant surprise.

Me holding my award and looking very happy

Mary Novakovich@marynovakovich· Apr 2

Really chuffed to have been asked to write the cover feature on Croatia for the new April issue of Wanderlust magazine. And it’s huge – 18 pages of 35 secrets of Croatia. In the shops now.

Cover of Wanderlust magazine showing Rovinj at night

Opening page of my 18-page feature in Croatia showing the pretty village of Rastoke near Plitvice Lakes

Mary Novakovich@marynovakovich· Apr 1

One of the many lovely things about being in the Maldives at the moment is that I get to miss all the dire April Fools “jokes”. (And I get this view. Yes, I know.)

Blue sky, blue-green waters and white sands of the Indian Ocean

Mary Novakovich@marynovakovich· Mar 22

Always lovely to see my features in print as well as online. Here I am in today’s Sunday Times with the newest holidays to book in Croatia and Montenegro. www.thetimes.com/article/8c57...

Print edition of my Sunday Times travel feature – opening page

Second spread of my Sunday Times feature

Mary Novakovich@marynovakovich· Mar 5

Marking World Book Day by being immensely chuffed that @itsjamesstewart.bsky.social included my Croatia travelogue My Family and Other Enemies in his Croatia feature in the new issue of National Geographic Traveller. Details here if you fancy buying it. linktr.ee/marynovakovich

Mary Novakovich@marynovakovich· Feb 11

I’ve spent the past week in the French Alps back on skis for the first time since a large Austrian ploughed into me three years ago and killed my ACL. How utterly joyous to be back on skis in the mountains in the sunshine. God, I’ve missed this.

Me on skis on an empty ski slope under blue skies

Cheese fondue with salad and a plate of charcuterie

The red run I was able to conquer in spite of my knee injury. Feeling very chuffed with myself. Steep pistes under sunny skies

Me having hot chocolate in the sunshine lounging in a Coca-Cola deck chair at a mountain hut.

Mary Novakovich@marynovakovich· Jan 14

Goodbye, old friend – one of the last that still had European Union on it. And, thanks to Brexit and the fact that most of my travels are in EU countries, I had to renew it a few years before it expired because it’s nearly full. 😔

Mary Novakovich@marynovakovich· Jan 1

Happy new year from a very windy Norfolk beach. Cobwebs well and truly blown.

Large expanse of windblown sand at low tide under blue-grey skies.

Mary Novakovich@marynovakovich· Dec 31

It’s that time of year again when I post yet more pics of beach huts in Wells on our annual NYE walk. Can’t help myself.

View of beach huts, dunes, sand and blue sky in Wells, Norfolk

Sun peeking out from the pines behind the colourful beach huts on Wells beach in Norfolk

More brightly coloured beach huts backed by pines on the sandy beach at Wells in Norfolk

Mary Novakovich@marynovakovich· Dec 30

I never tire of walking along Holkham Beach, even after 27 years of constant visits.

Blue and cloudy skies over Holkham Beach in Norfolk with ridges of sand

Waves rolling on to the sands of Holkham Beach in Norfolk

Mary Novakovich@marynovakovich· Dec 30

Rainbow over Holkham Beach. Lovely.

Cloudy sky with a rainbow on long sandy beach with waves in the background

Mary Novakovich@marynovakovich· Dec 24

Christmas Eve in our house means a fondue savoyarde, which we’ve been doing for more than 15 years. Bringing the Alps to Hertfordshire.

Table setting with a red cast-iron pot bubbling with melted cheese in a fondue savoyarde, with a plate of saucisson, cornichons, salad a glass of crémant de Bordeaux

Mary Novakovich@marynovakovich· Dec 22

Still one of the best. And so true.

Cute cartoon of a white blob with big cheeks and wearing a Santa hat demonstrating the four stages of eating cheese. 1. Eating cheese. 2. Still eating cheese. 3. Ate too much (tongue hanging out). 4. Bit more cheese.

Mary Novakovich@marynovakovich· Nov 29

Arrived in St Maarten yesterday after far too many hours in transit. Worth it for this view, though. And my first taste of the Caribbean.

Sun setting over the sandy beach at Holland House Beach Hotel

Steps leading to a sandy beach and sunloungers with the sun setting over palm trees

Mary Novakovich@marynovakovich· Nov 3

I'm reading a new anthology by members of the British Guild of Travel Writers to mark the guild's 65th anniversary. It's called Around the World in 65 Years and is officially being launched at the @travwriters.bsky.social gala dinner tonight. (And there's a contribution from me too.)

Mary Novakovich@marynovakovich· Oct 22

Quite taken with Évora and its white and ochre houses – some even wedged under an old Roman aqueduct.

White and ochre cottages under the brick arches of a Roman aqueduct in Portugal

White and ochre houses, some covered in flowers

Portuguese square with three-storey white and ochre houses and café tables in the centre

Mary Novakovich@marynovakovich· Oct 22

Good morning from Évora. Quite lovely having an ancient Roman temple outside my hotel.

Remains of an ancient Roman temple, with half the columns missing, and a white Portuguese building behind it.

Mary Novakovich@marynovakovich· Oct 7

Seriously chuffed to be a finalist in the @travwriters.bsky.social BGTW Members' Excellence Awards. My @theguardian.com feature on food and wine in Samoëns made the shortlist for best specialist feature. I'm up against stiff competition, but it's wonderful to be shortlisted.

Mary Novakovich@marynovakovich· Sep 27

Didn’t know that my online feature for the Telegraph about Swedish death cleaning would be in today’s print edition. Lovely surprise.

Newspaper cutting of my Telegraph feature on Swedish death cleaning, featuring a photo of me surrounded by clutter

Mary Novakovich@marynovakovich· Sep 13

Been hiding here away from all the nastiness. #croatia

Turquoise waters in Croatian bay with blue skies and pine-covered slopes.

Aleppo pines hanging over blue Croatian bay and rocky shore under blue skies.

Mary Novakovich@marynovakovich· Sep 10

Off again. Need to be back in the Adriatic where it’s warm.

Mary Novakovich@marynovakovich· Sep 8

Queue to get into the Elizabeth Line station at Liverpool Street Station tonight at 5.30pm. Just a wee bit busy during the London Tube strike.

Queue of about 50 people waiting to get into the Elizabeth Line station at Liverpool Street, London.

Mary Novakovich@marynovakovich· Sep 1

Thoroughly enjoying Small Earthquakes by @shafikmeghji.bsky.social, a fascinating history of the British in South America. Some truly surprising nuggets here.

Hardback book of Small Earthquakes: A Journey Through Lost British History in South America by Shafik Meghji, showing a stylised illustration of a winding track through Andean mountains

Mary Novakovich@marynovakovich· Aug 12

So proud of my pal @shafikmeghji.bsky.social whose Small Earthquakes book was launched tonight at @stanfordstravel.bsky.social Huge congrats! @hurstpublishers.bsky.social @travwriters.bsky.social

Author Shafik Meghji in Stanford bookshop in front of a display of his South American travelogue Small Earthquakes

Shafik (right) and me with our agent, Tom Cull, at Stanford bookshop

Mary Novakovich@marynovakovich· Jul 31

Loved being back in BBC Broadcasting House to record another radio report for From Our Own Correspondent. They’re such a pleasure to do.

Mary Novakovich@marynovakovich· Jul 14

Joyeuse fête nationale from Le Crotoy, where the 14 juillet fireworks were in fine form.

Red and green fireworks for Bastille Day in France.

Mary Novakovich@marynovakovich· Jul 13

Good things come to those who wait. All this for €10 at Le Crotoy’s Kermesses aux moules festival when you buy a portion later in the evening and they just dump whatever’s left. Delicious.

Tray covered in cooked mussels along with two glasses of rosé.

Mary Novakovich@marynovakovich· Jul 11

That sigh of relief when I find myself back in France. And … relax.