Search results for

There are 1,034 results that match your search.
  • Calle Mateo de Alba, 4, 11002 Cádiz, Spain
    La Viña is a wonderfully authentic Cádiz neighborhood that was once the site of vineyards and orchards, then a fishing quarter whose inhabitants kept their boats on nearby La Caleta beach. Now La Viña is also the heart of Cádiz’s vibrant Carnival culture, and the happy hunting ground for tapas bars, especially on the barrio’s main street, Calle de la Palma. It’s here where visitors will also find the neighborhood’s best-loved church, the 18th-century Baroque Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de la Palma.
  • Pl. de la Encarnación, s/n, 41003 Sevilla, Spain
    Spaniards may be divided in their opinions on the design of this four-level, five-pillared, wavy honeycomb structure, but few miss the grim parking lots it replaced. Now, in addition to much-needed shady plaza space, the Metropol Parasol houses a market and restaurant, as well as elevated terraces and walkways along the undulating top which offer amazing views. Underground, the recently reopened Museo Antiquarium incorporates into its collection extensive Roman ruins uncovered during construction.
  • St Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago
    For a break from Port-of-Spain’s congestion, a 15-minute drive up curvy roads outside the city leads to Mount St. Benedict Monastery, with its fine hilltop views over the plains, the coast and the Northern Range. Just over a century old, the enormous yellow monastery (also known as The Abbey of Our Lady of Exile) sits on a large swath of land whose hikeable woods are filled with birds. The monks sell their popular homemade yogurt while the guesthouse serves traditional afternoon tea.

  • Avatoru, French Polynesia
    Call ahead and owners Patrick and Sophie will pick you up and bring you to their relaxed island restaurant and only non-hotel bar in Rangiroa. The small plates menu is limited, but what is offered tastes delicious and is quite impressive (think charcuterie from Spain and France or more simple crepes) considering the middle of nowhere location. What the menu lacks in variety, the booze concoctions more than make up for. The cocktail menu is extensive and there are even beer choices from around the globe, another impressive feat considering the locale. There is also a good dessert selection. Te Mao is also very popular with locals, who come for socializing, free wifi, and maybe some karaoke after dark.
  • Nouawal, Fès, Morocco
    To come to Fes and skip the Jewish Quarter is to miss out on a massive chunk of the city’s history and identity. After the Sephardic expulsion from Andalusia in 1438, a walled Jewish quarter was established in Fes. It was named the Mellah, meaning “salt marsh” in Arabic. The Jewish community was protected and accepted to the point where a Jew was appointed to be a vizier, or government minister, in 1465. The appointment unfortunately stirred up a wave of anti-Jewish protests and, on May 14, 1465, a massacre of nearly all of the Mellah’s inhabitants. When the next influx of exiles from Spain arrived in 1492, they bought with them an injection of wealth and creativity that allowed the community to prosper until the 16th century. Sadly, the next few centuries saw a steady decline in population: Only 2,500 Jews are said to remain in Morocco, some 150 or less in Fes. This rather handsome neighborhood with its enclosed hanging balconies reveals fascinating history to those willing to look. Don’t miss the atmospheric cemetery, the 17th-century Ibn Danan Synagogue (which can be accessed if you ask the guard nicely and reward him with a few dirhams), and the daily markets. You’ll also find the best goldsmiths and jewelers in Fes here.
  • Plaza San Gregorio, 1, 03517 Guadalest, Alicante, Spain
    To reach the ruins of the Moorish castle at Guadalest, head out of the village along a path that ventures through a stone tunnel up to the fortifications. Within the castle walls, visitors can explore a bell tower, a dungeon and other small ancient buildings, and enjoy the views over the valley. Back in the village, peruse craft shops, tour the reservoir on a solar-powered boat or just wander the winding cobblestone streets.
  • 25 Calle Ancha
    Spanish fashion is about much more than spotty flamenco frocks, as this popular Cádiz boutique attests. Bimba y Lola (the names belong to the beloved dogs of owners Uxía and Maria Domínguez) majors in chic and sometimes quirky designs in bags, jewelry, shoes and other accessories.
  • Kiruna, Sweden
    Many people don’t realize just how big Sweden is. It has a population of less than 10 million, but it is a huge land, the third largest Western European country after France and Spain. As a result, Sweden does wilderness on a grand, majestic scale. Abisko National Park, in Swedish Lapland close to the border with Norway, is popular with hikers and with people who want to see the northern lights as it has so little light pollution obscuring the view of the stars and the sky. It even offers courses in how to photograph the aurora borealis, to ensure your holiday snaps impress.
  • Calle de Tacuba 8, Centro Histórico, Centro, 06000 Ciudad de México, CDMX, Mexico
    The smallish Plaza Manuel Tolsá—at the end of Calle de Tacuba—is an all-but-perfect urban conglomeration that will thrill architecture fans. To the south lies the 18th-century Palacio de Minería (a former engineering college) whose solid, sober mastery of imposing volume is leavened by the wavy effects of the city’s sinking soils; to the north is the former Palacio de Comunicaciones, now Mexico’s National Art Museum. The collection here is a winner—but some of the structure’s soaring neoclassical spaces will leave you agog. At the corner with the Eje Central thoroughfare stands the city’s beloved old post office, noted for its eclectic, Venetian-style facade and coruscating interiors in marble, bronze, and iron (don’t miss the grand staircase). A recently restored equestrian statue of a somewhat dopey-looking King Charles IV of Spain is a marvelous finishing touch.
  • 33670 Créon, France
    The small town of Créon is located a little over 12 miles (20km) from Bordeaux. It is one of Aquitaine’s original Bastide towns, centered around a market square, which comes alive on Wednesdays.

    Although the market is mainly a food market, you can find some stalls that sell household goods, clothing, etc. as well. As with all markets in France, it’s the town’s weekly ‘social'; people catch up, either with each other, or on the towns news, while shopping for the coming week. People watching is of course great, but its also a chance to engage with the locals, and make use of the French words you may have picked up by now.

    We tasted freshly baked breads, delicious cheeses, fruits, and ham, you simply wouldn’t get back in the US. Because of Bordeaux’ proximity to Spain, hispanic influences are strong. Fiestas are put on throughout the summer, and Basque influences make their way into the incredible cuisine here.
  • 1 Avenida Duque de Nájera
    Cádiz doesn’t lack for beaches, but this small city playa is a gem. Prettily sited between two castlelike extensions of the sea wall (San Sebastián and Santa Catalina), La Caleta is a curve of sand with a few little fishing boats bobbing in the bay. This was the beach featured in Die Another Day, when Halle Berry emerges from the waves. Café Quilla, on the promenade above the beach, is a fun place to enjoy an afternoon gin and tonic.
  • Paseo Fernando Quiñones
    These two castles, both elements of the fortifications encircling the city, stand on either side of La Caleta beach. The fortress of Santa Catalina, entered directly from the promenade, was constructed in the 17th century. Its small chapel and a central patio planted with palms give it the sun-baked look of a Mexican mission. The castillo is now a cultural center where open-air concerts are held in summer. San Sebastián, meanwhile, is an imposing fort built (in 1706) on a small island connected to the mainland by a long stone causeway. This malecón is popular among locals and visitors as a pleasant place to walk for a cool breeze.
  • Bajo, Ramón María Lili Pasealekua, 2, 20002 San Sebastián, Guipúzcoa, Spain
    There’s a new coffee shop in town. Sakona, located in the center of town, has a lovely, airy storefront that just begs to be entered. Modern wood accents bring to mind artisan coffee spots in bigger capitals, and they are outfitted with all the coffee musts of the modern persuasion: aeropress, chemex, mocca masters, et cetera. However, Sakona is not just a shop; they are roasters, based about 10 miles outside of San Sebastián. Javier Garcia, the owner, is a barista who has placed in the world championships. His humble attitude and desire to spread coffee love is a far cry from the typical barista behavior, so settle in and ask all the questions you want, a café con leche in hand.
  • Plaça de Santa Maria, 1, 08003 Barcelona, Spain
    While the Barcelona Cathedral may be the city’s more famous church, Santa Maria del Mar is just as impressive, and a masterpiece of Catalan Gothic style. The basilica was built in just 54 years—begun in 1329 and completed in 1383—and its interior is austere but architecturally dazzling. Slender 60-foot-high columns set far apart from one another give the impression of lightness and space, while the enormous, brilliantly colored stained-glass rose window at the church’s western end allows sun to flood the space. Guided tours of the rooftop are conducted for 8 euros (about $9). The church also hosts regular classical concerts.
  • Carrer del Cardenal Casañas, 17, 08002 Barcelona, Spain
    Restaurants abound in the heavily touristed Gothic Quarter, but few of them are particularly good. Irati is one of the exceptions, a bustling spot popular with locals thanks to its excellent pintxos, traditional Basque tapas served on bread and speared with a toothpick. There’s seating in the back, but you’re really here for the experience of eating pintxos, which means standing shoulder-to-shoulder at the bar and helping yourself to the buffet of bite-size offerings. A sure bet is the jamón, lightly drizzled in olive oil, and the blue cheese topped with quince paste and walnuts. Save room for the hot snacks, like ham-and-cheese croquetas, which are brought out at regular intervals from the kitchen. And don’t toss your toothpicks—that’s how the bill is tallied.