The setting for this first chapter is Trancoso, a bohemian beach town nestled on the coast of Bahia, Brazil. Once a sleepy fishing village, Trancoso retains a laidback charm with colourful houses, miles of tropical beaches flanked by turquoise water, artisanal shops and restaurants, and lush rainforest, all centred around the Quadrado – a wide, grassy town square perched on a cliff overlooking the Atlantic. It is a place where the days are refreshingly slow-paced, offering a rare chance to, as Laura puts it, "slow down in style." For Laura, this trip was a long-awaited return to a country that first captured her heart in the '90s'.
TRAVEL NOTES WITH LAURA BAILEY
TRANCOSO, BRAZIL
Between the pages of the photographer, writer, and model’s travel diary.
Scribbled plans, ticket stubs, polaroids, postcards and lists of favourite finds – the most treasured souvenirs we collect from our travels are the memories and experiences. Keeping a travel diary is a way to archive these moments, and our signature blue pages are the perfect canvas.
Our new series, Travel Notes, explores this personal process with photographer, model, and writer Laura Bailey as she invites us to step into her world. Between the covers of her Smythson diary, Laura uses each page to make planning her next trip an escapade in its own right. Filled with photos, handwritten notes, and inspiration from her adventures, she offers a glimpse into a life well-travelled.
“Exploring the world with my kids is my favourite and greatest adventure – Trancoso was long on my travel wishlist, having modelled on location in Salvador, Bahia, in my twenties and fallen in love with Brazil. One of my closest friends (and my daughter’s godmother) sent me the best text ever in the depths of winter and made the magic happen for our huge extended modern family come spring. My whole life is action adventure, but here I learnt to slow down in style – be that on horseback or in a hammock…”
Rather than a pristine travel diary, the pages of Laura’s Soho Weekly Diary reveal an eclectic, textured collage of her time in Brazil. Amongst the busy schedule of her daily life, the first pages are dedicated to the practicalities of travel – handwritten packing lists and to-do notes where essentials such as “chargers” and “tennis kit” sit alongside reminders to pack “Scrabble” and the titles of her holiday reading list.
As the journey gets underway, the diary shifts from lists and logistics to a more visual narrative. The pages are layered with snapshots from the trip – local flora, games of Scrabble, and a horse ride on the beach – all captured with a photographer’s eye. Amongst these images, there is space dedicated to cultural curiosity; notes on Brazilian artists like Djanira da Motta e Silva and Anita Malfatti sit alongside personal recommendations for everything from the best local pharmacies and hotels to tennis clubs and bars.
Laura Bailey’s Trancoso
From the handwritten notes and research within her blue pages, Laura shares her personal Trancoso tips:
- Stay: UXUA Casa Hotel & Spa, located on the Quadrado
- Eat and drink: TASCA, Capim Santo, Muru, Dézo, UXUA, and Ginger
- Sweet treat: Bacio di Latte for a local ice cream fix
- Beaches: Ipatimirim, Taípe, and Tartarugas
- Activities: Visits to the Church of São João Batista, the local Capoeira school, kayaking or quad bikes via “Trancoso Adventure”, Trancoso Tennis, and horse riding
- Holiday reading list: Daughters of the Bamboo Grove by Barbara Demick, Heart the Lover by Lily King, The Correspondent by Virginia Evans, Lie With Me by Phillipe Besson, and Flesh by David Szalay