With rising temperatures in southern Europe, more and more tourists are flocking to cooler destinations in the north.
02.08.2024 - 12:47 / cntraveler.com
The war between the Greens and the Blacks has gotten off to a brutal start throughout House of the Dragon season two, resulting in tragic deaths, gruesome injuries, and an awful lot of scheming. The series, which sees the reign of Westeros heir Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma D’Arcy) threatened by her half-brother King Aegon II Targaryen (Tom Glynn-Carney), has brought its battles to the shores of Cornwall, the forest of Bourne Wood, and the streets of Cáceres, Spain. Like its predecessor Game of Thrones, the fantastical HBO series has built its vast world using a combination of sets and real-world locations—with the help of CGI, of course.
As Rhaenyra struggles to maintain her claim on the kingdom and Dowager Queen Alicent Hightower (Olivia Cooke) spirals out of control, it’s hard to imagine a particularly desirable, quiet life in Westeros, despite its onscreen majesty. But fans of the show can take a vacation inspired by the onscreen locations, whether it’s to a castle-like hotel by the sea or a chic glamping tent in the woods. Drawing on House of the Dragon’s expansive portrayal of Westeros, we’ve rounded up some of the best places to stay if you want to seek out that Targaryen lifestyle—dragons and ruthless slaughter not included.
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Although Dubrovnik stood in for King’s Landing in Game of Thrones for several seasons, House of the Dragon has shifted the Westeros city to Cáceres, Spain. The ancient Roman town, encircled by stone walls, evokes the Medieval opulence of the Targaryen stronghold in the NH Collection Cáceres Palacio de Oquendo. Built in a 16-century palace in Cáceres’ town center, the hotel pairs historic flourishes with contemporary comfort—including much-coveted air conditioning—in its 86 guest rooms. The restaurant, Restaurant Tapería de Yuste, overlooks Plaza San Juan, while the hotel also boasts a gym, perfect for anyone preparing for a jousting tournament.
Hotel Atrio Cáceres
The history of Cáceres is preserved in Hotel Atrio Cáceres, but the chic boutique hotel has also brought a modern touch to the stone architecture. The property is home to three Michelin-starred restaurant Atrio, which is helmed by chef Toño Perez and offers an expansive tasting menu inspired by avant-garde cuisine. The rooms and suites embrace a sparse elegance, with the “Gran Suites” ideal for travelers looking to live out their royal fantasies like a (kinder) Targaryen king or queen. Nearby, you can visit the Plaza de San Jorge, where large dragon statues were erected for the filming.
Las Meninas
Between Cáceres and Trujillo
With rising temperatures in southern Europe, more and more tourists are flocking to cooler destinations in the north.
As interest in visiting Porto only grows stronger, visitors are finding even more things to do in the city. What was once seen for many as a short trip is becoming a longer break, with exploration outside of the city centre and into neighboring areas. Porto may be Portugal’s second largest city—after Lisbon—but it did give the country its name from the Roman Portus Cale. Centuries later, the city became famous for port, its “divine nectar of the Gods,” tastings of which are highly recommended in any of the port lodges lining the riverside in Vila Nova de Gaia. From there, look across the Douro at Porto’s colorful jumble of medieval houses, soaring church towers, and glossy blue-and-white tiled façades. Here, our selection of the best things to do in Porto can help you weave your way through the city, dipping into its sights, sounds, tastes, and smells to better get under its skin. To be sure, Porto will get under yours too.
This is part of Global Sounds, a collection of stories spotlighting the music trends forging connections in 2024.
This is part of Global Sounds, a collection of stories spotlighting the music trends forging connections in 2024.
Like its namesake canal, Panama has historically served as a gateway to other ports of call throughout the Caribbean and South America. But in the last few years, the country's capital city has emerged onto the global stage: Magnificent hotels are preserving the architecture of Casco Viejo, the colonial center. Restaurant openings are showcasing Panama's diversity and culinary flair. And getting to the Dubai of Central America (so named for its skyscraper-studded cityscape) is easier than ever, thanks to new flights on hometown carrier Copa Airlines and stops by cruise lines, including Norwegian, Crystal, and Oceania, at the recently expanded Fuerte Amador terminal. Yes, you can do a single shore day—but you'll want to come back for more.
This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Tenille Clarke , founder of the Caribbean-based public relations company Chambers Media Solutions . Clarke was born and raised in Port of Spain, the capital of Trinidad and Tobago.
When my husband and I decided to retire, we devised a plan. We wanted to rent out our home in California and visit the UNESCO World Heritage city of Guanajuato.
The tonka bean, a wizened-looking South American seed, is beloved for its complex almond-vanilla scent, often appearing as an ingredient in perfumes. Outside the United States, it has also long been utilized by chefs, but studies have indicated that coumarin, a chemical compound in the plant, can cause liver damage in animals, and the Food and Drug Administration banned the bean in commercial foods in 1954. Now, with reports that the minuscule amounts used to impart big flavor are harmless (and the F.D.A. seemingly not particularly interested in enforcing the ban in recent years), tonka is showing up on dessert menus here. Thea Gould, 30, the pastry chef at the daytime luncheonette La Cantine and evening wine bar Sunsets in Bushwick, Brooklyn, was introduced to tonka after the restaurant’s owner received a jar from France, where it’s a widely used ingredient. Gould says the bean is an ideal stand-in for nuts — a common allergen — and infuses it into panna cotta, whipped cream and Pavlova. Ana Castro, 35, the chef and owner of the New Orleans seafood restaurant Acamaya, discovered tonka as a young line cook at Betony, the now-closed Midtown Manhattan restaurant. Entranced by the ingredient’s grassy, stone fruit-like notes, she’s used it to flavor a custardy corn nicuatole, steeped it into roasted candy squash purée and grated it fresh over a lush tres leches cake. And at the Musket Room in New York’s NoLIta, the pastry chef Camari Mick, 30, balances tonka’s richness with acidic citrus like satsuma and bergamot. Over the past year, she’s incorporated it into a silky lemon bavarois and a candy cap mushroom pot de crème and whipped it into ganache for a poached pear belle Hélène. “Some people ask our staff, ‘Isn’t tonka illegal?’” she says. Their answer: Our pastry chef’s got a guy. —
At the age of 63, I was bankrupt and in foreclosure. I had less than nothing because I owed money to a friend. All I had were my pensions. I knew I could never afford to retire in the US.
It was eight in the morning, and the prickly July humidity had already seeped through my skin as I hopped out of the cab in Singapore’s Little India. Greeted by the bustle of vendors setting up, I was transported back to my childhood, to days spent wandering the neighborhood with my grandmother. The aroma of fresh coriander from vibrant spice stalls spurred memories of her tangy coconut prawn curry. The musky fragrance of jasmine adorning colorful flower stalls reminded me of how she’d woven them into my braids. She never would again.
Since our American family moved from South Carolina to Madrid, I've been slowly adapting to all things Spain.
This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Charissa Enget, a content creator and cybersecurity architect who gained her graduate degree in Thailand. It has been edited for length and clarity.