Daniel James Clarke

Award-Winning Travel Writer & Photographer

Daniel James Clarke is a British travel writer, photographer and blogger, specialising in Portugal (where he immigrated in 2018), sustainable travel, especially rail and slow overland journeys and cultural preservation. He was awarded “Positive Impact Storyteller of the Year” at the 2026 Inspire Global Media Awards.

My bylines include Lonely Planet, The Guardian, The Times, The I, The Telegraph, and National Geographic Traveller UK. I’ve written numerous guidebooks and contributed to various inspirational titles, including multiple editions of Lonely Planet’s annual Best in Travel list. I regularly contribute online, print and magazine features, ranging from insightfully tight word counts to more web-friendly, SEO-optimised content. I have a solid understanding of SEO; my personal travel blog reaches nearly a million readers annually.

My photography has been published and licensed by the likes of Lonely Planet, Grazia and tourism boards and can be seen in magazines, guidebooks and, until 2027, welcoming visitors to Heathrow Airport as part of the GREAT campaign. I’ve also worked on various one-man video projects as a presenter, videographer, and editor, including those for Lonely Planet (with a social-first approach), EU Aid, Skyscanner, and tourism boards. I’m a member and the current Joint Chair of the British Guild of Travel Writers and the founding organiser of the BGTW Better World Symposium.

For commissions or image requests: please contact hi@danieljamesclarke.com. I look forward to working with you.

Read more: background, interests and specialisms...

Hi, I’m Daniel James Clarke, a British travel writer, guidebook author and photographer who has lived in Portugal for six years.

I’m passionate about slow, sustainable travel and forging deeper connections with destinations and their more offbeat corners. Particular interests include traditional culture, customs and artistic crafts (my studies were in performing arts), the links between cuisine and culture (I’m a former restaurant manager), independent and family-run accommodation, LGBT+ travel, and flight-free journeys. I can provide photography to pair with commissions; my imagery has been published by the likes of Lonely Planet Magazine, National Geographic and Grazia and licensed to brands and tourism boards, such as Visit Britain, Visit Austria, and Germany Tourism.

My primary region of coverage is Europe, especially my home country of Portugal – I’m a local Lonely Planet author and The Times destination expert for the Azores. I’m also well versed in continental no-fly travel, and in 2023, I traversed Europe by train, bus and ferry from Faro (Portugal) to the Faroe Islands and then returned from the Arctic Circle to North Africa. I’ve previously lived in England, Scotland, Australia and New Zealand and have travelled extensively.

Tourism for social good – when done correctly and responsibly – is of the utmost importance to me. I have covered and worked on (professionally and personally) various developmental projects, including with the TUI Care Foundation in Mexico City, a one-month video project with EU Aid in Jamaica, and multiple projects with Empowerment Tourism, mainly focused in Vietnam, India, and alongside Indigenous communities in Australia. I’m always keen to highlight native voices and viewpoints wherever possible.

Portfolio

Jump to…

Print
Online/Digital
Photography
Videography
Other

Print

The I Paper
– Portugal’s vast and shimmering wonderland (also online)

JRNY Magazine
– Where to go next in 2026 (contributor: Portugal – PDF)

The Guardian
– Exploring Portugal’s historic hilltop hamlets in a free electric hire car (also online) *winner of Inspire Global Media Awards’ Consumer Feature of the Year International (UK, Europe & Nordics)
– 10 European alternatives to classic American holiday destinations (contributor; also online)
– Blue sky thinking: six sun-drenched seaside getaways in southern Europe (contributor; also online)

The Observer
– Portugal’s coast with the most (also online)

Lonely Planet
– Best in Travel 2026 (contributor: Tajikistan)
– Pocket Algarve (March 2025; sole author; complete rewrite – link) *winner of BGTW Guide of the Year 2025 & Highly Commended, Inspire Global Media Awards Guide of the Year 2026
– Portugal Guidebook ( March 2025; Algarve author; complete rewrite – link)
– Gourmet Trails (2023 – contributor: Porto & The Douro – PDF)
– Portugal Guidebook (2023 Edition – Algarve & Central Regions – link)
– Experience Portugal (2022 Edition – Algarve & Central Regions – link)
– Best in Travel 2020 (contributor: Aruba)
– Best in Travel 2019 (contributor: Indonesia)
– Travel Goals (contributor)
– Digital Nomads Handbook (contributor)

easyJet Traveller Magazine
– Why we love Porto (May 2025 – PDF)

Preferred Travel Magazine
– A journey through Portugal (Volume 26; December 2024 – link)

Rough Guides
– Slow Travel in Europe 2024 (contributor: Azores & Spain – link; Spain PDF)
– Walks & Tours Lisbon 2025 (updater/editor – link)

National Geographic Traveller Magazine
– Journey through Puglia (November 2023 – PDF)

Lonely Planet Magazine
– Across Oman (photo essay – PDF)
– Best Destinations in Europe for 2019 (contributor: Bosnia & Herzegovina)
– Best destinations in Asia (contributor: Komodo National Park)
Journey Magazine
– Spotlight on Helsinki (PDF)
Focus Magazine
– County Durham, the quintessential English destination (PDF)
Going Places (Malaysia Airlines) –
Why Indonesia should be your next destination
Portugal Resident
– How to spend a long weekend in Lisbon
– Vines and volcanoes: an autumnal escape to the Azores

Digital

The Guardian
– Exploring Portugal’s historic hilltop hamlets in a free electric hire car
– 10 European alternatives to classic American holiday destinations (contributor: Santa Cruz)
– Blue sky thinking: six sun-drenched seaside getaways in southern Europe (contributor: Porto Covo)

The I Paper
– I live in Portugal – here’s why I keep returning to the Alentejo’s secret playground

The Observer
– Portugal’s coast with the most

Lonely Planet
– Best in Travel 2026: Tajikistan
– The Algarve’s best road trips for food, wine, views, and rural life
– Portugal’s best national parks and nature reserves
– Best things to do in Aveiro, Portugal’s lagoon-side city
– How to spend the perfect weekend in Lisbon
– Portugal’s most beautiful villages
– Top things to do in the Azores
– The world’s best high-speed train journeys
– Crossing the Arctic Circle from Lapland to the Lofoten Islands by train
– A first-time guide to Faro
– Where to travel solo (contributor: Kochi, Japan and Uzbekistan)
– A guide to the Douro Valley
– Tips for visiting Portugal on a budget
– Best experiences in Óbidos
– A first-time guide to Latvia
– Taking the train in Spain – all you need to know
– Best solo travel destinations in Europe (contributor: Viapava and Faroe Islands)
– Incredible lakes for a holiday in Europe (contributor: Trentino)
– Weekend in Tartu, a European Capital of Culture 2024
– The best places to travel in your 20s (contributor: Bulgaria)
– How to experience the Azores sustainably without a car
– Where locals travel in Portugal (contributor: Serra da Lousã)

The Telegraph
– Why the Algarve’s gastronomy is an undiscovered treat
– From tees to trails, there’s a world of outdoor adventures in the Algarve
– Why the Algarve is the perfect year-round beach break

The Times (UK)
– Azores travel guide
– Best hotels in the Azores
– Best beaches in the Azores
– Best things to do in the Azores
Going
– What to eat in Portugal
– A local’s guide to planning a trip to Portugal
Weather2Travel
– The Algarve or Madeira: which is best for a sunny holiday in Portugal?
– How to spend a long weekend in Faro, Portugal
The London Economic
– Why Porto & The Douro should be your next culinary break
– Quinta da Saraiva Hotel Review
Amex Essentials Best destinations in 2024 (contributor: Faroe Islands)
Matador Network Why I’ll always travel by train
Sustainable Cities In Graz, sustainability starts with community
The Portugal News Porto’s pivot into a culinary powerhouse is complete—what’s on the menu?
Italia Beyond Rome: Southern Lazio’s villages from coast to countryside
inEmiliaRomagna Three days in Emilia Romagna

Commercial Editorial...

Photography

My photography has been licensed, published and featured by Canon, Lonely Planet, Vogue, Grazia, Travel and Leisure and National Geographic. I also work with tour companies and tourism boards to create photography assets for their general stock bank usage, including Austria, Germany, and Edinburgh. I use full-frame Sony Alpha, Canon and DJI equipment.

View Photography Portfolio

Example photography-only features (click the button above for galleries):
Lonely Planet Magazine Across Oman Photo Essay (PDF)
Matador Network Photo Essay: Bosnia & Herzegovina
Matador Network Photo Essay: Mauritius beyond the beaches
Matador Network Photo Essay: Oman road-trip
Matador Network Photo Essay: Why Albania is Europe’s next big destination
Matador Network Photo Essay: India’s Golden Triangle

Videography

My video skills include presenting, storyboarding, filming and editing. I’ve presented various video and social media campaigns for Lonely Planet and Skyscanner – including on social media, such as LP’s Best in Travel campaign launch on Snapchat – ensuring I have experience with varied orientations, social-first content, and more traditional production. I usually work as a one-man team, storyboarding, directing, editing and producing all of my videos, including any special effects. I’ve also produced content for tourism boards, such as Tourism Saxony and Edinburgh Festivals. I use various equipment, including DJI drones (Portugal registered) and a Sony a7.

Video examples:
Lonely Planet Aboriginal art and culture in Queensland/YouTube (Aboriginal art concept & presenter only)

Guide2Portugal Unforgettable Stays: Quinta da Saraiva, Madeira/YouTube (presenter, storyboarding, filming & editing)

Mission Spy Manor Promo Video/Facebook (storyboarding, filming & editing including all special effects – winner of Winner of 6 awards at ART&TUR – Festival Internacional de Cinema de Turismo for promotion of luxury tourism in Portugal)

Edinburgh Festivals 72 Hours at Edinburgh’s Hogmanay/YouTube (storyboarding, filming & editing – one of a series of videos produced)

EU Aid Eco-tourism in the Cockpit Country/YouTube (storyboarding, presenting, filming & editing – one of a series of videos produced during a one-month Jamaica residency)

Aston Martin Lisbon DBX Launch Video/Facebook (storyboarding, filming & editing)

Rei das Praias Resort Promo Video/Facebook (Storyboarding, filming & editing)

Special projects & ambassadorships

Graz Tourism – Blogger in Reisdence Spring 2025, working long term with one of my favourite cities, I created a slow travel audio guide for visitors to Austria’s second city, alongside in-depth, English-language guides and features.

Europe Aid (Directorate-General for International Partnerships) Faces2Hearts project, creating articles and videos on development projects in Jamaica (One month, February 2020)

Lonely Planet Ambassador 2016 – 2020, representing Lonely Planet at in-person events in the UK and internationally, video work including presenting and production, sponsored partner campaigns with the likes of Three Mobile, G Adventures, Snapchat & Intrepid Travel, and hosting workshops and branded activities, including photography walks and new title launches.

Edinburgh Festivals “Blogger in Residence 2018 & 2019” creating articles, videos & photography for the official Edinburgh Festivals platforms

Blogs...

Blogs

Dan Flying Solo Personal travel blog, reaching up to 100,000 readers monthly (link)
Flight Free Europe Co-founder and editor of a new no-fly digital magazine, launching 2025(link)
Guide2Portugal Commissioning editor for this newly launched website (link)

Social Media...

Social media

Alongside my own social media (@danflyingsolo), I’ve worked on various campaigns and projects, including presenting Lonely Planet’s Best in Europe and Best in Travel awards on their social channels and on branded partnerships with Snapchat, Booking.com and Skycanner.

Awards

International Tourism Film Festival 4x 1st place, 2x 2nd place awards for the innovative video project Sky Base One (concept, filming, post-processing and production)
BGTW Members Excellence Award Finalist 2024
Oman Air Awards Best blog covering Oman
Traverse Creator Awards 2023 Best storytelling: Summer in Innsbruck, where the Alps are for all ART&TUR:
Traverse Creator Awards 2019 Best photography