Category: Spain/Portugal
On the Road in Spain with Mario Batali et al.
Food is one of the great pleasures of travel. Having Moreton Bay Bugs in Port Douglas, Bucatini all'Amatriciana in Trastevere, beef in Buenos Aires, and Guinness at the source are some of our favorite travel memories.We've dined in restaurants recognized around the world for their excellence, sampled local treats from the market, and just followed our noses into some dives that gave us pause. But for the most part, we've eaten remarkably well without breaking the bank, stayed gastro-intestinally healthy, and rarely felt mistreated because we were tourists.
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Deciphering the hotel star-rating system.
If you've wandered around European cities, you've probably noticed that the star-rating system doesn't make a lot of sense. You'll see a three-star designation on an absolute dump, while that perfectly charming little auberge down the street has a solitary star.If you've wondered what's up with that, you're not alone. Many of the complaints on tripadvisor are because the reviewer expected a level of service or accommodation from the hotel's star designation that the property didn't deliver.
Here's why.
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Friday Night Skate Nights all over Europe.
Having started in 1994, the Paris Friday Night Skate is the best known in the world, with as many as 20,000 brave participants. The Rondo, as the event is called, begins at Place Raoul Dautry in the 14th at 10PM. The route changes each week, and the details are posted on Thursdays at http://www.pari-roller.com/index.php?p=101The popularity of the Paris party has spawned dozens of imitators. So if you're in a major European city during the summer -- and you're an experienced roller blader -- chances are there's a group skate you can join. You'll burn some calories, make new friends, and see the city from a different point of view.
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Barcelona's free bike program.
While Paris's highly successful Velib bike-sharing program has received the most attention, Barcelona's "Bicing" celebrated its first birthday this week. Launched last year with 1,500 bikes and 100 station, the program now boasts 4,300 bikes, 286 stations, and 130,000 users.The annual subscription fee of €24 lets users take a bike for a maximum of two hours. The first 30 minutes are free, after that, the cost is .30€ for 30 minutes. The small-wheeled, red-and-white bikes are tricked out with baskets, bells, and lights. And the swipe cards used to liberate the bikes from their stands have pretty much eliminated theft.
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Unique accommodations and great deals at Portugal's Pousadas.
Most savvy travelers know about Spain's paradors. Established by the Spanish government in 1928, they provide unique lodging in castles, monasteries, Moorish palaces, and historic estates throughout the country.Less well known, but equally charming, are the pousadas of Portugal. Classified as historic, charming, or noteworthy due to natural setting, the pousadas feature traditional hospitality and regional cuisine and wine.
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