Matthew Hirtes

Matthew Hirtes was born in Waltham Forest, north-east London, England in the early 1970s and grew up in the East Midlands, before returning to the capital to study at London University in 1991. Upon graduation, a chance encounter in a north London pub with cult Face magazine writer Gavin Hills launched a career in journalism. So far, this has taken in deputy editorship of The Official Chelsea Magazine and covering the Canaries, he's lived in Gran Canaria since 2004, for the likes of Condé Nast Traveller and The Independent. His first book, Going Local in Gran Canaria, is a travel guide for the discerning traveller as well as a handbook for those looking to make a fresh start overseas.