After a mild yet miserable winter spent hiding indoors, many Europeans are craving some quality time in nature.
07.03.2024 - 08:15 / forbes.com
If you thought that Europe had no undiscovered corners left, then you could be proven wrong. Dubbed Portugal’s best-kept secret, Comporta and the neighbouring Melides, two charming villages found on Portugal’s west coast, are having a moment in the sunshine. Boasting a laid-back ‘Hamptons meets Ibiza’ vibe, they are found in the unspoilt Herdade da Comporta swathe of land, south of Lisbon.
Attracting an international crowd of painters, designers, models and jet-setters, in search of a sense of an untouched world, the windswept Alentjo region oozes the essence of slow travel married with the cool factor. Nature reserves, with soaring cranes above, undulating dunes with no one in sight, rice fields and miles of pristine sandy beaches make it one of Europe’s most desirable, yet still under-the-radar, areas to discover.
If you want to wander alone on a windswept beach, this is the place to do it. It’s also the place to come to encounter nature up close on the Sado Estuary or to eat at a handful of authentic restaurants, such as Cavalariça, Gomes, carved out of a former horse stable, where the horse stalls have been reimagined as booths and the floor boasts original calcada tiles.
The area is dotted with traditional-style fisherman’s ‘huts’, in part made famous (to those in the know) some 30 years ago when Parisian designer Jacques Grange discovered the area and made his aesthetic—whitewashed interiors, exposed beams and thatched roofs—a must-have ‘look’ of the place. However, where once these traditional homes were the properties of choice for holidaymakers and holiday homeowners, a new development—the CostaTerra Golf & Ocean Club—offers an interesting alternative for visitors to not only rest their heads but also to invest.
Made up of some 300 luxury residences (averaging at $4m each), restaurants, a top-class golf course and a full programme of activities and wellness offerings, the project, owned by the American Discovery Land Company, is giving investors and homeowners the opportunity to set down roots in a covetable location.
“CostaTerra is woven among the coastal sand dunes between Comporta and Melides—charming laid-back villages made of cool restaurants, beautiful boutiques and just one hour from the vibrant city of Lisbon,” says Michael S. Meldman, chairman and founder of the Discovery Land Company. “The attraction? It speaks for itself. This is Portugal’s beautiful Alentejo province, found along the last untouched stretch of Atlantic coast in southern Europe, and is largely rural and sparsely populated. Known as the ‘breadbasket of Portugal’, it is home to many independent growers and artisans, producing a vibrant farm-to-table movement with local olive oils, smoked hams, seafood, cheeses, and
After a mild yet miserable winter spent hiding indoors, many Europeans are craving some quality time in nature.
Low-cost airline Breeze Airways is teaming up with Priceline to sell flights on the online site, making it easier to book tickets.
Every year, Time Out ranks the best cities in the world. For 2024, it’s ranking the world’s 30 coolest streets—and five U.S. cities made the cut. But these are not expected spots (sorry, Fifth Avenue). Instead these are places with true character and charm, where you can eat, drink, dance, shop and stroll.
No one in search of a budget city vacation is going to put Tokyo at the top of their list – this incredible city unfortunately comes with some pretty incredible prices.
A recent study into expat happiness around the world saw Old World great Spain dominate the rankings.
With tax season upon us, many Americans are anxious to know what it will mean for their tax payments — and refunds. The good news is that the average tax refunds have been increasing over the past few years, and according to the IRS, that trend is still continuing as of the latest data. This means, there's the potential for even more surprise money to hit your pocket this tax season.
Most Americans recognize the popular and longest running public service announcement, “Only you can prevent wildfires”, Smokey Bear’s signature catchphrase. Today this motto still rings true, 80 years later, as climate change, extreme weather, drought, and the overall health of our forest ecosystems have made disastrous wildfires more widespread.
Spring in northern Lake Garda is an adventure paradise. I’ve been several times and enjoyed the via ferratas: iron cables fixed to scrambling routes, which require fitness and sense of adventure but not technical mountaineering skills (safety equipment required). The views are amazing and varied, from gorges and ledges to grassy mountaintop finishes and, for the bold, huge vertical ladders – with castles, bastions and shrines along the route. It’s a great area, too, for hiring a bike or picking one of the many apartments that include them, to explore the paths and see the lakes and mountains by pedal power. Bored with all that? There’s also paddleboarding, windsurfing, swimming and river boat trips. All accompanied by brilliant food and gelato.David Thomas
American Airlines' AAdvantage program still offers a compelling partner award chart. And you can often find good-value domestic awards, too. One of the strongest aspects of the American AAdvantage program is the value of its miles. However, it can be difficult to earn and redeem American miles, as the airline does not partner with major credit card rewards programs such as Chase Ultimate Rewards, American Express Membership Rewards, Capital One and Citi ThankYou Rewards.
Semi-private jet company JSX is offering a luxurious way to see the total solar eclipse next month with a sweepstakes that will give 12 lucky space fans the chance to see the phenomenon from the air for free.
Coastal and river beaches coalesce beside the Alentejo’s Vila Nova de Milfontes, a lyrical name meaning “new town of a thousand springs”. This resort at the mouth of the Mira River is a magnet for Portuguese families in high summer but largely unknown to British visitors, despite its glorious beaches, great food and fine walking.
The World Travel Awards are some of the travel industry’s most prestigious accolades, and the winners in the European categories have been crowned at the thirty-first edition of the ceremony in Berlin. Leaders in tourism, airline, hotel and hospitality sectors are all included in the programme, but it’s the destinations themselves that we’re most excited about. And claiming the award for Europe’s next emerging destination, a title won by Batumi in Georgia for the last five years, it was Braga, a city not too far from the coast nestled in north-western Portugal.