Cookie Policy

This policy explains how VistaTrove uses cookies and similar technologies when you visit the site. It sits alongside our privacy policy, which covers how we handle any personal data you share with us.

What cookies are

A cookie is a small text file that a website asks your browser to store on your device. Cookies let a site remember things between pages and visits (for example, a choice you made or whether you have seen a notice before). Some are essential for the site to work; others help us understand how the site is used or support the partners we link to.

The cookies we use

We keep this short on purpose. VistaTrove is a small, independent journal, so we set as few cookies as we can. The categories below describe what is in use, or what would be in use once a given feature is switched on.

Strictly necessary

These keep the basics working: remembering your cookie choice so we do not ask again on every page, and protecting forms (such as the contact form) from abuse. The site cannot function properly without them, so they do not require consent. They typically last for the length of your visit, or up to twelve months for a saved preference.

Analytics (performance)

If and when analytics are enabled (for example Google Analytics 4 through Google Tag Manager), these cookies help us see which guides people read and where the site can be clearer. They are set only with your consent. The data is used in aggregate to improve the writing, not to identify you. These cookies usually last from the end of your session up to about two years.

Affiliate and click tracking

VistaTrove earns its keep through travel-booking partners. When you follow an affiliate link, the partner (for example a hotel or tour platform) may set a cookie so that, if you go on to book, the booking is credited to us. This costs you nothing extra. These cookies are set by the partner on their own terms, and their duration is decided by them (often from a few days to several weeks). You can read more on our affiliate disclosure page.

Functional

Should we add features such as embedded maps or video, those services may set cookies to make the embed work. Where these are not essential, we will only load them with your consent.

Why we use them

In plain terms: to keep the site working and secure, to learn (with permission) how to make the guides more useful, and to support the affiliate partnerships that let us publish without charging readers. We do not use cookies to build advertising profiles of you.

How long cookies last

Cookies are either session cookies, which are deleted when you close your browser, or persistent cookies, which stay until they expire or you remove them. The expected lifetimes are noted per category above. Cookies set by partners are governed by those partners.

How to control cookies

You are always in charge. There are a few ways to manage cookies:

• Use the consent choice shown when you first arrive (or reopen it from the footer, once the banner is live) to accept or decline non-essential cookies.
• Adjust your browser settings to block or delete cookies. Most browsers let you do this under their privacy or security menu, including options to clear existing cookies and to refuse new ones.
• Opt out of specific analytics tools using the provider's own controls (for example, browser add-ons offered by analytics services).

Blocking strictly necessary cookies may stop parts of the site working as intended. Everything else is optional, and declining it will not lock you out of any content.

Changes to this policy

As the site grows, the tools we use may change. When they do, we will update this page so it always reflects what is actually set. For anything about the personal data behind these cookies, see our privacy policy.

Get in touch

If you have a question about cookies or your privacy on VistaTrove, you can reach us through the contact page or by email at hello@vistatrove.com.