While Lisbon, Porto and the Algarve are increasingly busy—perhaps even on the verge of being loved to death—the essence of Portugal is still alive in the laid-back region between the bustling capital and the famous southerly beaches. The Alentejo is the largest region of Portugal but also the least populated, with charming villages, living traditions, excellent gastronomy (both high and low), some of the country’s best wineries and dreamy places to stay. This is the soul of Portugal, and it’s seemingly tailor-made for slow travel. Here’s an opinionated guide to the best of the best.
Craveiral Farmhouse is not particularly lavish or even all that put-together. That’s the point. The rooms and houses are simple—unvarnished woods, soft textures and lots of cork (plus the occasional Hâstens mattress)—but perfect cocoons for unwinding. Simplicity, nature, silence and wide-open spaces are the selling points here, though the frequent retreats, artists’ residencies, significant gardens and farmlands, fire-cooking restaurant overseen by Michelin-star chef Alexandre Silva, and social-enterprise pizzeria created in conjunction with Lisbon’s popular In Bocca al Lupo certainly add to the appeal. It’s worth noting that the owner kept the place open throughout pandemic lockdowns to provide a refuge for people who needed to get out of the city, to keep his staff employed and to support the local community.
In the same family for eight generations, São Lourenco do Barrocal is now a passion project dedicated to sustainability. A former working farm that housed some 50 families, the luxury hotel is deep in the Alentejo, close to Lake Alqueva and a Dark Sky Reserve—it’s that remote. The hotel has a strong sense of timelessness and tradition; nothing is overdone. Inside the 200-year-old structure, the workers’ homes are now 24 quietly luxurious rooms and suites, while the cowsheds and stables are larger cottages. There are two swimming pools and two restaurants, including one where the chefs cook over fire in the middle of the organic garden.
This super-stylish Relais & Châteaux hotel got its start as a simple farmhouse with a handful of bedrooms on a 1,000 working farm. In early 2020, owner Rita Soares made a major creative investment in new accommodations. Now the buildings, which are spread apart through the farmland and vineyards, have 30 rooms in total, some configured to coddle couples and others more suitable for families with children. A lavish picnic lunch beneath an olive tree remains a highlight of a stay at the hotel (Michelin-star chef Joachim Koerper consults), but in 2023, it also made a major push into well-being with the opening of the new M Wellness Spa, which was designed by Aires Mateus studio and
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Less than two kilometres off Algarve’s coast of Albufeira, an exciting new underwater art exhibition has been revealed. The ‘EDP Art Reef’ project is the is the first of its kind in the country and created by the famous Portuguese Graffiti and street artist Alexandre Farto, also known as Vhils.
Wyndham Grand has opened bookings for its newest all-inclusive Caribbean resort, Wyndham Grand Barbados, Sam Lord's Castle Resort & Spa.The secluded, 422-room oceanfront hotel marks Wyndham Hotels & Resorts' debut in Barbados. The property will host its first guests starting October 12, with a formal grand opening planned for early 2024.Wyndham Grand Barbados, Sam Lord's Castle Resort & Spa boasts a unique location on the former site of Sam Lord's Castle, a setting renowned for pirates during the 19th century.The property will feature as many as 37 suites with ocean views and lanai-style private balconies, more than 10 different dining venues, a 13,000 square-foot spa with a pool area and relaxation deck, a state-of-the-art fitness center and a sunrise yoga center.Among the many food and beverage highlights is a Mediterranean Marketplace dishing out flavors from North Africa, Italy, France, Portugal and Spain in addition to pop-up food trucks, poolside dining and a specialty "farm to fork" experience with locally sourced ingredients from nearby farmers, fisherman and purveyors.
Cheeky, brash, intoxicating Sydney has been naturally blessed like few other cities on Earth. A 60km string of glorious sandy beaches bracket one of the world’s most spectacular harbors: it’s an Australian icon where getting outdoors is everything, whether you are surfing the waves, marveling on a coastal walk or al fresco dining on sumptuous seafood.
In the glare of the morning sun, the streets of downtown Faro are a textural hot mess. A faded art deco shopfront sits cheek by crumbling jowl with its neighbour’s rusting balustrades and handmade fondant tiles. A bank swerves around the corner like an ice-cream sandwich hit by pistachio light. Everywhere there are buildings you might generously describe as less art and more nouveau. These are layers of the near past – and I’m smitten.
Jet2.com and Jet2holidays have announced that their biggest ever Summer Sun programme is now on sale for 2025 from Bristol Airport, offering a brand-new and exclusive destination, as well as more seats and choice than ever before. The UK’s largest tour operator and leading leisure airline has put 34 sunshine destinations on sale from Bristol Airport, including a brand-new and exclusive route to Kalamata. The addition of this new route, alongside increased capacity to other destinations, makes this Jet2.com and Jet2holidays’ largest ever Summer Sun programme to operate from the airport.
easyJet, Europe’s leading airline and the largest airline in Northern Ireland is celebrating 25 years of flying passengers to and from Belfast International Airport.
easyJet, Europe’s leading airline, has launched Orange Drop, a handpicked supply of recommendations and the latest offers, brought to customers every single week.
When moving, Stephan Kandler keeps close to deadlines. He will arrive at a station just minutes before a train departs; he parks outside a grocery store just moments before it closes. He thrives on proximity, on hovering close to edges.
We get it. Attending a wedding can be just as costly as it is special—transportation, hotel arrangements, a gift—it all adds up, especially if it’s a destination wedding. The good news is you don’t need to spend hundreds of dollars on a great wedding guest dress. We sifted through ratings and read through hundreds of reviews to find the best wedding guest dresses on Amazon that you'll actually want to rewear again after the event. All under $100, these affordable dresses are stylish, comfortable, and fit a variety of wedding dress codes.
In the aftermath of the pandemic, fulfilling booking requests and obtaining answers to questions from suppliers continues to be nothing if not challenging due to an unprecedented demand for travel.