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Life in Curaçao is a colorful mash-up of cultures. Locals speak a multitude of languages (four is the norm), thanks to its Dutch and Spanish colonial history and the influence of nearby South America. One of the best ways to get to know Curaçao is through its cuisine, a mix of sights, smells and flavors. You can take your pick among casual catch-of-the-day spots and chic beachside dining—for taste that’s uniquely its own among Caribbean islands.

A journey into Morocco’s Berber territory, where tradition and modern life meet.

Founded in the early 1950s by European film archive pioneer Manoel Ribeiro, this museum’s mission is to safeguard film heritage. In the Cupid Room is an exhibit of Magic Lanterns, an apparatus for projecting images onto glass painted in translucent colors. Also there are several collections of sound, lighting, video, decorative objects, and pre-cinema devices. Indie film festivals take place here too. In the bookshop you can find not only film books but also DVDs. And on the same floor, on a nice terrace, you’ll find a restaurant.

If eating huge plates of pork, deciphering local slang, and snowshoeing through the woods of Québec can’t bring two siblings together, what can?

On our recent trip to France we had the best ice cream we’ve had. Ever. Anywhere. We chanced on Fenocchio while we were driving along the French Riviera. On probing a couple of locals, we found out that it is something of an institution in Nice. We couldn’t shy away from trying it out could we? We found the gelateria easily in Nice’s Old Town. Beware - there are lots of ice cream parlours with similar names in the area. But there is a queue only outside one shop - Fenoccio’s gelateria. We bought a couple of scoops of ice-cream and went back for seconds. Our gluttony did not stop there. For the next four days, we went to Fenoccio’s gelateria every day till it was time to catch the flight back home. That’s how good it is. Fenocchio’s ice creams are creamy and intensely flavoured. They have a number of crazy flavours including cactus and dozens of traditional flavours including chocolate, hazelnut, and strawberry. Our favourite was the orange blossom ice cream, a flavour indigenous to the South of France. Make sure you pop in for a scoop (or ten) if you happen to be in the area.

Located in the Mouraria neighborhood—the birthplace of fado—this restaurant is a prime pick for sampling traditional Portuguese food. The codfish, or bacalhau, is a must here. It is served with plenty of bread to clean your plate.


In the style of a classic tasca (Portuguese tavern), the walls are adorned with blue tiles and many photos, paintings and drawings.

Palácio Ramalhete has the soul of a historic property—Manuel II, Portugal’s last king, and Britain’s Duke of Windsor were once guests—without any of the attendant stuffiness. Set in an 18th-century palace on the handsome Rua das Janelas Verdes, each of the 16 accommodations has its own unique character. The Oak Suite, for instance, features wood wall paneling with an ornate carved-stucco ceiling, while the spacious Dove Room, which occupies the palace’s former chapel, is lined with original hand-painted blue-and-white azulejos (ceramic tiles).


There are three tiered internal courtyards; the highest has a small heated outdoor pool with a massive palm tree for shade and River Tagus views in the distance. Art lovers, take note: Opposite the hotel is the National Museum of Ancient Art, filled with important Portuguese works that include 15th-century painter Nuno Gonçalves’s famous Panels of St. Vincent.

Why we love it: A high-design hotel that merges Old World Lisbon with the modern traveler’s needs

The Highlights:

• Suites that feel more like elegant apartments than hotel rooms
• Natural light and intricately restored ceiling art in event spaces
• Exceptional spa facilities and products

The Review

The second property from Spanish hotel chain H10 offers an oasis amid Lisbon’s city center. Set on a cobblestone street just off Avenida da Liberdade, the restored One Palacio da Anunciada is in a 16th-century palace a short walk from restaurants, cafés, and Bairro Alto nightlife, yet it avoids the clamor that normally comes with such a convenient location.

When revamping the hotel interior during construction, designers and architects preserved as much of the original structure as possible while adding sleek modern touches. Case in point: Upon entering the lobby, guests will see a magnificent marble staircase ahead and an understated library with wireframe bookshelves to the right. Event spaces such as the board room feature intricate crown moldings and ceiling art reminiscent of the classical period, plus large windows that flood the rooms with natural light.

Large windows fill nearly every space with natural light, from the marble-filled lobby to the spa’s indoor pool to the 83 guest rooms. Suites feel more like elegant apartments than hotel rooms. Custom hand-painted ceramics decorate the walls, while gentle lighting and soft edges abound in the bedrooms. On the perimeter of the hotel’s idyllic courtyard and gardens are the exceptional spa and O Jardim Wine Bar, a spot for Portuguese wine and tapas.

Just a short ride from the historic Jerónimos Monastery and Belém Cultural Center, Pestana Palace Lisboa is itself a designated national landmark. The 194-room hotel occupies a carefully restored 19th-century manor that once belonged to the cocoa baron Marquis of Valle-Flôr, and now caters to queens of pop like Madonna (she reportedly stayed in a Royal Suite).

“Lavish” is the key adjective here: The manor is set within an immaculately manicured private park filled with palms, subtropical plants, sculptures, a former pond-turned-swimming pool, and a spa with an indoor pool and Turkish baths. Palace interiors give the air of a gilded cocoon—all ornate ceiling frescoes, soaring stained-glass windows, and magnificent oil canvases—while the main restaurant, Valle Flôr, has Regency airs and Portuguese fare. Guests may linger on Saturdays for a “chic-nic” lunch on the lawn by the pool.

Dario Cecchini is the most famous butcher in Italy and is probably the only one who recites Dante while carving up his carcasses. His small shop on the outskirts of the medieval village of Panzano is a Mecca for carnivores seeking quality meat (plus curious tourists), and he also has a restaurant—Solociccia—where you can sample some of the best bistecca in the region. If you visit his Antica Maccelleria Cecchini on a Sunday morning, when he works to a background track of jazz and opera, you’ll be offered a glass of wine, a hunk of pecorino cheese, and a nibble of some of his meaty products (like the fennel-flavoured salami called ‘finocchiona’) to ease the waiting time.

I’ve had so many great dining experiences in Belgium, it’s hard to choose a favourite. I can say, without reservation, La Buvette is in my top five. La Buvette is warm and classy without feeling overly stuffy or formal. The concept is simple – one menu, 8 courses, drinks optional. The ingredients are local, organic, and seasonal. The food is, without a word of exaggeration, divine. The presentations are artistic and beautiful and the flavour profiles are complex without being confusing. Each and every ingredient shines through. The best part - the menu is €45. Are you making reservations yet? See photos of my entire menu here: http://cheeseweb.eu/2013/11/la-buvette-slow-food-restaurant-brussels/

Nutty bread layered with olive oil, jam, salt and cured pig’s neck were the perfect accompaniment to rich Portuguese wine and 80 year old port. When visiting wine bars let the staff select your wines ask for the stories behind them. You’ll feel more connected to food and the people. (And when offered 80 year old Port always say yes!)

The latest from the man who is probably Portugal’s most famous chef, José Avillez (of two-Michelin-starred Belcanto), Bairro de Avillez does it all. Upon entry, guests are greeted by a traditional Portuguese taberna, where cheese, charcuterie, and Avillez’s take on traditional petiscos (finger foods) fuel a festive atmosphere. Further inside, you’ll find Páteo, a seafood-focused food court for classic Portuguese dishes, and Beco, a hidden restaurant that offers a gourmet menu alongside sexy cabaret shows. Plan to spend the night here.

Located in downtown facing the square Praça da Figueira, this 18th-century building, with a view of São Jorge’s castle, was recently restored and has become a hotel. The name is that of the square, Figueira, which in Portuguese means Fig Tree. This square once housed a market (many years ago) and was surrounded by fig trees. So you will find green and brown are the predominant colors, and the fig is the main element of the décor, designed by Nini Andrade Silva. The hotel’s restaurant, Honra (Honor), is dedicated to Portuguese cuisine. (Chef Olivier has three other restaurants in Lisbon: Olivier Avenida, Yakuza, and Guilty.)

Building on the success of AOC, the minds behind one of Copenhagen‘s only 2-star Michelin Restaurants have opened a second restaurant. Søren Selin, co-owner and chef de cuisine at AOC, has overall responsibility for the menus while the resident chef at no. 2 is Nikolaj Køster. Despite being the younger sibling to AOC, Restaurant No. 2 is far from just a clone. It has its own special areas of focus and specialization In their own words at No. 2 you’ll find, “Here you will find the same uncompromising approach to raw ingredients, the same combination of flavours praised by the reviewers and a wine list composed with the same attention to detail as the one that has won AOC several awards. All in a more relaxed and laid-back ambiance.”