Travel

History

Abandoned Portugal: Hotel Monte Palace in the Açores

The hotel Monte Palace in the Açores shut its doors in 1986 and has since been looted and abandoned, with a 5-star view of the Lagoa das Sete Cidades and encroaching mounds of moss and hydrangea bushes on all sides. But this isn’t the end of the story.

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Travel

Driving through Portugal: See it All in 50 Stops (Part 2)

This route won’t necessarily show you everything, but it will surely guide you through way more than just the highlights. Start from the capital or jump in at any point in the loop: here’s an idea of what not to miss in each of these stops, but how long you stay or what you skip is up to you.

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Art

Fábrica da Pólvora: The Explosive New Art Scene in Oeiras

Who would have thought that eight stops from Lisbon’s Rossio station in Barcarena, there’s a city of artist studios that laughs in the face of the co-working space concept, a green space, a killer buffet-style restaurant, an outdoor amphitheater, and an archeological museum all in the same complex?

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History

Abandoned Portugal: Beja Aquatica

The Beja Aquapark was in operation for only three years and has been closed for the last 25. What is left is easily accessible to curious road-trippers and ruin hunters alike.

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Essentials for Visitors

Renting a Car in Portugal

Renting cars here is much like anywhere else, with a few peculiarities such as restrictions on taking the car out of Portugal, where exactly you’ll be picking up the car, how the rental companies here handle damage coverage, and a very weird, counter-intuitive, and ridiculously overpriced toll system that you’ll have to plan for before you rent.

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Travel

Driving through Portugal: See it All in 50 Stops (Part 1)

This route won’t necessarily show you everything, but it will surely guide you through way more than just the highlights. Start from the capital or jump in at any point in the loop: here’s an idea of what not to miss in each of these stops, but how long you stay or what you skip is up to you.

Read More »
Travel

How to Spend 24 Hours in Athens

Athens might look disorganized but it’s delightfully chaotic. If you’ve only got 24 hours, here’s how you can enjoy the highlights and feel the pulse of the cradle of Western civilization.

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