[CASCAIS, PORTUGAL] — About a half-hour outside of Lisbon, Cascais is a great little beach town along the coast. Here’s my recaps of how to spend the perfect long weekend in Cascais, a great base to explore the entire Lisbon coast. What to do in Cascais. Where to stay in Cascais. Where to eat in Cascais. It’s hard to picture such a cool little beach town as a suburb of Lisbon; it feels like a world away. Where Lisbon opens onto the Targus river, Cascais is further out on the peninsula, just past the Monaco-like wealth enclave of Estoril. Out here, you are more open to the blue waters of the Atlantic. Cascais is the perfect long weekend place to stay to explore the Lisbon
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[SALTA PROVINCE, ARGENTINA] — Here’s a post about a roadtrip through Salta Argentina, the far northwest province of Argentina. All about exploring Salta province and the famed Ruta 40, which is one of the longest, notorious roads in the world. A roadtrip through Salta Argentina. Exploring Salta province and the famed Ruta 40. One of the great roadtrips in the world. Touring Salta Province. What to do Salta Province. ____________________________ You probably haven’t heard much about Salta or Jujuy provinces, in the far northwest quadrant of Argentina and a roadtrip on its famed Ruta 40 highway, but word is starting to spread. This is one of the great roadtrips in the world. While everyone knows of Buenos Aires, Mendoza and Patagonia, it seems like Salta has
[JUJUY PROVINCE, ARGENTINA] — Here’s an overview of the Salinas Grandes salt flats in Northwestern Argentina. What to do in Salinas Grandes one of the world’s largest salt flats in the Salta and Jujuy provinces of Argentina. How to visit Salinas Grandes. Cue the voiceover from the Voice of God dude in movie trailers: “In a world where…” and you’ll get a feeling what it’s like to make the trip to tour Salinas Grandes in Argentina, one of the largest salt flats in the world. A well-worth-it side detour from traveling up the Humahuaca Gorge in Jujuy province. ______________________________ My trusty guide Augustin, who I’ve known only for an hour says, “But first we must make a stop.” pulls over to a skanky strip center off to the
[JUJUY PROVINCE, ARGENTINA] — Northwestern Argentina is one of the most surprising and under-visited part of the country. Right on the Salta/Jujuy provincial borders are two must see stops: the muddy Andean town of Purmamarca and just around the corner, the incredible Paseo de los Colorado, a two mile amusement ride of colors that wrap around behind Purmamarca. Stop in for a lunch in town, dominated by the stratified colors of the Hill of the Seven Colors — you’ll see why they named it that. When I read about this place in the NYTimes, I knew I had to go there. You should, too. Here’s a great article in the Wall Street Journal about Salta. When I read that article, I booked my trip to Northwest Argentina.
[MÜNCHEN, GERMANY] — If you’re flying in/out of the ultra cool Munich airport — which looks more like an Apple store than airport — make sure you take a long overnight in Munich. Rated one of Europe’s most livable cities, you can see why when you walk around. Clean. Everything works. Nice Bavarian people. Gorgeous trees and parks all around. Here are some cool things to do if you have 36 hours in Munich. The last time I was in Munich was waaaay back in the early 80s when I was a backpacker making the wet slog to Oktoberfest. I don’t remember much besides the massive beer tents, sleeping in a down sleeping bag in the rain without a tent and spending the night cuddled
[PORTAL, ARIZONA] — Chiricahua National Monument is one of the least visited national parks in the United States. When I heard that fact I said “I am definitely in.” Here’s an overview of hiking in the Chiricahua National Monument near Portal Arizona. Photos of Portal Peak Lodge and Portal Arizona. You can see why, tucked into this vast, barren southwestern corner of the US, you’re not “going through” here on the way to somewhere else, you came here for a reason. And so did we. This is the high desert down here, with elevations starting around 5,000 feet and going up to 7500 ft inside the park, so it’s a lot cooler than the surrounding flat desert. The Quaint Town of Portal Arizona–The Gateway
[DOURO VALLEY, PORTUGAL] — Here’s an overview of the perfect wine tour with Douro Exclusive Tours, the best wine tour in Douro Rive Valley. And a great wine tasting at Quinta do Panascal. And all the best things to do Douro Valley and where to go in the Douro Valley. __________________________ I see all these Instagram peeps hitting Porto taking pictures of the big bridge, climbing up its steep hills, drinking some port and then bolting to somewhere else in Portugal. But really what they’re missing is a day trip (or longer) up the Douro River to visit the incredible, hilly stair-step vineyards of the Douro Valley, one of the prettiest places I’ve ever been. Most people come visit Porto, take a picture of the
[CAEN, FRANCE] — Details on a guided D-Day Tour of Normandy. The best D-Day guide Mathias Leclère of D-Day Guided Tours. Where to go in Normandy, what WWII sites to see in Normandy. Where to eat in Normandy and where to stay in Normandy. ___________________________ The cold morning wind was biting our faces as we walked up to the big bronze plaque. Our incredible guide Mathias Leclère of D-Day Guided Tours, whom we just met ten minutes ago, pulled us over to chat in the protection of a wall dug into the hill. “Over along that ridge, German troops lined the tree lines, all the way to that bell tower in that village over there. Below us, all of these fields had been flooded by
(NORMANDIE, FRANCE) — You can spend a day, a week or a month in Normandie and never get enough. We only had a couple of days on our own to explore the province after taking a D-Day tour, so didn’t get to see a lot, but here are my favorite finds. Normandie is really really old. Certainly there were neolithic settlements, but it was settled by the Vikings long ago –“Northmen land” is basically what the name translates to — who in the 800s rowed up the Seine in their longboats all the way up to Paris — long before the Viking Longboats were even conceived — pillaging along the way and eventually seizing the province from France. Then the Celts, William the Conqueror, the
[GATEWAY, COLORADO] — Gateway Canyons resort, located in Colorado’s remote western edge, is one of the best resorts in Colorado and one of the best adventure hotels in Colorado. Once the private ranch of the founder of the Discovery Channel, he slowly built Gateway Canyons resort from a small, in-the-know conference center with a handful of rooms into a full-on resort, adding chunks of rooms and facilities each year until it is now one of the best resorts I’ve been to in the U.S. Its one of the best adventure resorts in Colorado. This is Colorado?? I thought it was all about mountains and skiing? Yup. But then there’s here. Western Colorado is a blurred line into the canyony parts of Utah. An hour south
[ALENTEJO, PORTUGAL] — Here’s a review of São Lourenço do Barrocal in Portugal’s Alentejo. São Lourenço do Barrocal is one of the best boutique hotels in Portugal. The best design hotel Portugal. What to do at São Lourenço do Barrocal. This is a giant post… because there is so much to do at this incredible hotel in Alentejo. ______________________________ Driving Across Alentejo Leaving the pine-canopied coastal lands of Comporta, you drive straight across the heart of Portugal’s beautiful Alentejo region. Covering 30% of the country, this is Portugal’s bread basket. 10,000+ square miles of endless fields of cork, olives, wine and wheat. When you read any article on Alentejo, you will undoubtedly see bright photos golden wheat and dark green cork trees, mine will be
[ALENTEJO, PORTUGAL] — An overview of Monsaraz in Alentejo, one of the prettiest villages in Portugal. What to do in Monsaraz, one of the top Alentejo tourist sites. __________________________ From this hilltop, the highest in the region, you can see forever. That’s why this little town has been important throughout history. And not just history, but pre-history. Monsaraz in Alentejo is the site of one of the oldest settlements in Portugal, going back to neolithic times when people were tilting stones to the sky and calling it home. Or temple. Or tomb. There are some of the best neolithic sites in the world scattered all over this region. This was such a strategic location that it has been fought and won over many many times by
[LONDON] — A review of The Ned boutique hotel in London. The Ned is my vote for the best boutique hotel in London. And it has a collection of the best restaurants in London. You may never want to leave. ________________________________ You could feel the early Christmas season in the electric air. It was 4:30 on a Friday and the place was packed in every direction you turned, shoulder to shoulder in most places, everyone dressed up a little more festive than other weeks of the year, smiling, toasting success. It was dark in center of the great grand lobby, ninety four green marble columns rising thirty feet into the air, each with a top hat of shiny acanthus leaves, in a Corinthian way. The
[MARRAKESH, MOROCCO] — Here’s my post on the best things to do in Marrakesh. What to do in Marrakesh. What to see. Where to go and where to eat in Marrakesh. ___________________________________ It’s the drums that get you first. A full-frontal, heart-fibrillating pounding of Berber rhythms. So intense and staccato-firing that Buddy Rich would have a hard time keeping up. And the flutes. The ear-piercing, high pitched whine of the flutes, constant, taunting cobras to dance on the hot stones. And the people. The rush of endless people. Of every shape, size, color, religion, sunburn, clothing, shape, shoe-type/non-shoe-wearing. And the breeze. A steady wave of warm air that makes the palms, the long robes, the billowing smoke from the merguez grilling in the food stalls
[LONDON] — I’ve been to London four or five times. Sometimes just a couple of days on business, sometimes a long weekend to meet friends, sometimes just an overnight to catch a flight elsewhere. There are lots and lots of good London guides, so I won’t go into much detail here, just think of this post like an old postcard rack at the train station — look for places that look good, then go find them. These are all my favorite places in London. Cool things to do in London. You Should Go Here in London. My favorite places in London. The best things to do in London. There are plenty of good guides to London, so I won’t go into much detail here. Just
[PIEMONTE, ITALY] — Here’s my overview of Monforte d’Alba, the perfect base to explore the Piemonte (Piedmont) wine region of northern Italy. My list of the best things to do in Monforte d’Alba. Where to Eat in Monforte d’Alba. Where to Stay in Monforte d’Alba. What Vineyards to Visit in Monforte d’Alba _________________________________ Mid October is a busy season here in Barolo. Most of the grapes have already been picked, but because of recent rains there’s more to go. A couple of hot days of sun and we’re good to go. Laying down for a jet-lag nap, I can hear gargling tractors drive by on the famous Via Ginestra, their rattling trailers rushing to the crushing. This is also the beginning of truffle season, here
[THE SAHARA, MOROCCO] — I was sitting there polishing off my second Negroni — a Negroni in the frickin’ Sahara Desert — watching the blazing sun rapidly sink over the darkening horizon when here comes Ahmed, barreling over the lip of the nearest dune, in bare feet (!). Huffing, he says “Monsieur Dan, we have one more surprise for you tonight. Please come. Oh… and bring your camera.” As if I needed more surprises that day… we start charging off through the sand towards the quickly setting sun. We follow a path along the dune ridges, lanterns illuminating the way, the darkness arriving freaky-fast, almost like a light switch. We top the lip of the ridge and I shriek like a little girl. Ahmed giggles with excitement. We’re
[SKOURA, MOROCCO] — This is my overview of an incredible stay at the mind-blowing Dar Ahlam a luxurious kasbah in a hidden palm oasis on the edge of the Moroccan desert. A hotel review of Dar Ahlam luxury hotel, the best boutique hotel in Morocco. Located in Skoura, Dar Ahlam is the perfect luxury hotel to explore the Sahara. __________________________ After a long, bumpy slog over the Atlas Mountains from Marrakesh, I got out of the dusty Mercedes van in an indiscriminate parking lot outside a great mud-walled compound. Steep walls up to the sky. This is it? I wondered under my breath. This is the place I’ve heard so much about? And then, with silent porters in linen tunics grabbing my bags, a great
[ALENTEJO, PORTUGAL] — Here’s a post overview of ballooning over Monsaraz in Portugal’s Alentejo region. Balloon over the best hilltop top of Monsaraz and the Alqueva reservoir. _____________________________ The ancient town of Monsaraz sits high on a hilltop in Portugal’s Alentejo regio, the tallest point for miles around. Just miles from the Spanish border and surrounded by thick castle walls, it overlooks one of the most beautiful parts of inland Portugal, including the giant Alqueva reservoir — the largest manmade lake in Europe. Some consider Monsaraz one of Portugal’s most picturesque villages and it is one of it’s oldest. People have been living in this region since pre-historic times, with ancient monoliths strewn all over the land. Then the Romans came and took over, then
[ALENTEJO, PORTUGAL] — Here’s my recap of the best beaches in Comporta Portugal. Comporta is the best beach vacation in Portugal. Here’s what to do in Comporta. And the best things to do in Comporta. ___________________________________ About an hour south of Lisbon later, after crossing the broad bays of the swollen Targus river, the road flattens out into lowlands. You start to see familiar names you’ve read about on the autostrada exits. Setúbal. Estuário do Sado. Alcácer do Sal. Yup, we’re on the right path. Bright yellow signs indicate the Algarve to left. But we’re not heading there this trip. And then you see it. Comporta. That’s us. You pull off the highway and head for the salty air. Suddenly you’re dunked into a sea