Alentejo
Life in the Slow Lane in Alentejo, Portugal
After dark, Marvao’s golden lights shimmer like a jewelled crown, the only light in the valley save for the moonlight that throws the landscape into blue shadows… […]
Latest Articles
Europe
Eagles and gourmet food, 24 hours in Cáceres
The drive from Alentejo through seemingly endless Extremadura plains to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Cáceres wasn’t a classic one, apart from the eagles. […]
Europe
7 Seven Canary Islands, 7 classic walking routes
if I had to recommend one circular route on each of the seven main Canary Islands these are the ones I’d choose. […]
Dish of the day
Dish of the day, wild boar sausage in Freiburg
Game dishes in the Black Forest go together like sausage and mash. In this case wild boar sausage with mash potato, plus bacon, gravy, a hill of red cabbage, and, possibly to foster the illusion there’s a healthy element to all this, grapes, pear and cranberries. […]
Europe
Eating around the world in Lisbon’s Mouraria district
The Cantina was tiny, dark, infectiously lively and our first proper taste of the life which makes Mouraria a seductive place to stay […]
Europe
The changing route to the river in Porto
The route from uptown Porto via Rua das Flores is a prime example. Last time we were in Porto we felt as though we’d strayed from the path when we stood on its quiet cobbles… […]
Travel Photography
Don’t blame the writer when the wrong photo is used in a travel article
Where publications strive to ensure quality when it comes the body of a travel article, they often pay little attention to accompanying photographs, making the mistake of treating images as though they aren’t important. […]
Food & drink
Why it’s good to photograph your food
Some restaurants now prohibit diners from photographing food. Personally I’d say “sayonara” to any restaurant which tried to pull that one on me. […]
Alentejo
The magical lure of tree-lined avenues
In an enchanted forest there are pixie doors in tree trunks; sorcerer’s incantations can be heard in the breeze rustling through leaves, and spindly branches reach out to tap you mischievously on the back as you pass by. […]
Alentejo
A Serendipitous Arrival into Galegos
“Excuse me, can you tell me where we can get petrol please?”
“Espanha”.
It’s almost 4pm on a Saturday, we were supposed to be in Galegos an hour ago; we have no petrol, no idea where we are, and the nearest gas station is in Spain… […]
Food & drink
The difference between Michelin star restaurants and being in the Michelin Guide
Someone I talked to recently recommended a restaurant they said had a Michelin star. When I checked it out it wasn’t a Michelin star restaurant at all, but it was recommended in the Michelin Guide. […]
Calvi
March or die to the Citadel in Calvi on Corsica
Calvi, tucked neatly into a crescent-shaped bay on Corsica’s north west coast, seems an appropriate base for the French Foreign Legion. […]
Crete
Exploring Chania on Crete in three acts
First sight of the harbour and many memories of good times beside picture postcard Greek harbours are unlocked. Chania’s is particularly spellbinding thanks to the Venetians who built it in the 14th century […]
Alentejo
Walking in smugglers’ footsteps in Alentejo
From the tiny hamlet of Galegos we climb a stony path which takes us past a flock of squawking azure-winged magpies into hills which mark the border between Portugal and Spain. […]
Checking In
Lodge living along Chile’s Carretera Austral
We expected rough ‘n’ ready accommodation along the main ‘highway’ through Chile. What we got was something quite different. […]