Hyatt Hotels said Tuesday it planned to buy the brands of Standard International, owner of 21 open hotels across five hospitality brands, including the luxury lifestyle brand The Standard.
01.08.2024 - 19:13 / lonelyplanet.com
Aug 1, 2024 • 5 min read
One of the first things I do when I arrive in a foreign country is to visit a grocery store. Apart from simply taking in the range of produce and products and getting an idea of what foods are important to locals, it’s also just a lot of fun to take in an entirely new range of brands and logos. As someone who loves to cook, I know that a grocery store visit also typically forms the last stop of any trip, a way of taking home some of the flavors, tastes, textures, and ingredients I encountered during my stay.
I’ve been visiting Portugal for more than a decade and have lived here full-time for around three years now and I still find grocery shopping here a fascinating cultural experience, one of the clearest reminders I’m not at home.
The most traditional place to shop for groceries in Portugal is the mercado, or fresh market. Unfortunately, these are a dying breed. Although vibrant fresh markets can be found in cities including Lisbon, Setúbal and Olhão, today the vast majority of Portuguese people do most of their shopping at two types of venues.
A mercearia is essentially the corner shop, a small, typically privately-run grocery store that has the essentials and also typically a decent selection of fruit. A good mercearia will also have a small vegetable section, a few types of bread, and perhaps even some cheeses and smoked meats.
A step up from this – at least in terms of scale – is the supermercado. There are a handful of domestic and international supermarket chains operating in Portugal, but it must be said that shopping at them isn’t always a great experience. Often understaffed and with produce that doesn’t reflect the country’s bounty of vegetables, fruit, cheeses, meats and other products, they’re a poor substitute for fresh markets. Yet there are some fascinating quirks. The Portuguese are some of the biggest consumers in the world, and even a small neighborhood supermarket will have a decent fish section, with a fishmonger at least eight or so types of fresh fish. There’s also almost always a dedicated corner for processing entire sides of bacalhau (salt cod) a staple ingredient in the country. With lots of connections to Brazil and Africa, the selection of fruit at a Portuguese supermarket can be intriguing. And this being Portugal, the wine is inevitably cheap.
Portugal is also home to a variety of specialist shops, although these are also being lost at a rapid rate. A manteigaria was formerly a store that sold butter (manteiga) and perhaps also deli-like goods – cheese, smoked meats, salt cod. Today, they’re often known as charcutarias. Butcher shops, known as talhos, thrive in Portugal. Traditional stores that sell bulk coffee and tea – often from ancient cabinets
Hyatt Hotels said Tuesday it planned to buy the brands of Standard International, owner of 21 open hotels across five hospitality brands, including the luxury lifestyle brand The Standard.
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.
Exciting news, Carnival Cruise Line fans: You're getting more options for a sailing in Europe.
This is part of Global Sounds, a collection of stories spotlighting the music trends forging connections in 2024.
Very few things can hinder one’s travel plans quite like a pair of uncomfortable shoes. The risk of getting blisters while aimlessly exploring a new city or twisting an ankle on the cobblestone streets of Paris has led me to be strategic when picking out footwear for trips to avoid any unnecessary hurdles along the way. In the rare instances that I choose to prioritize style and forsake comfort, I'd often tuck a pair of spare flats into my bag.
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.
The next U.S. president is going to preside over the one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world and can influence how many travelers from abroad can come to the U.S.
Holland America Line is offering a unique way to see the solar eclipse that will cross over Europe in 2026 by sailing a trio of cruises into the path of totality.
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.
Jul 31, 2024 • 5 min read
Jul 31, 2024 • 4 min read
I was days away from sending my agent the 35,000-word proposal for my second book when I decided to treat myself with a three-week adventure in Brazil.