Recently in _Europe Category

Two weeks ago, Budapest's Winter Festival--a massive four-month event--kicked off.  The festival includes a variety of activities, but its five-week Christmas Festival is by far the most popular. This year, the 10th annual Christmas Festival takes place today through December 29th. Attended by 600,000 people annually, it is considered one of the largest Christmas fairs in Europe.

But this isn't your average tourist trap full of kitschy trinkets. Every one of the baskets, leather goods, hand-blown glass, and other crafts sold at the over 100 craft pavilions must be judged and approved by the Association of Hungarian Folk Artists. Such high standards have given Budapest's Christmas Festival a reputation of being one of the most authentic Christmas festivals in the world. Some highlights of the festival include:

Daily Advent Presentation
As a child, I loved hanging a new advent ornament on the tree every day leading up to Christmas, but Budapest's Christmas festival has a tradition that would have blown my 6-year-old mind. Every evening at 5 p.m. from December 1st through the 24th, a different piece of contemporary art is revealed from behind a massive window of the Gerbeaud Confectionery (left). The event is accompanied by a light show and music.

Handmade Gifts
Because the gifts are so authentic and beautiful, the Christmas Festival is a popular shopping destination for locals and visitors alike. Peruse the selection of hand-made jewelry, leather goods, and traditional wooden toys.

I arrived in Madrid a few weeks ago with only a handful of hours on a Saturday to show my fiancé around town, so I wanted a way to pack in as much culture as we could, and if possible, do it on the cheap. Enter my colleague Meg Weaver's excellent Free City Guide to Madrid, where I found a slew of cost-efficient ways to wander the city. With her list and a few of our own discoveries along the way, we were able to make our limited stay a memorable one, and save a few euros in the process.

Our first stop was the CaixaForum Madrid gallery, a former electric power station that's now a funky art space situated along the Paseo del Prado, tucked among some of the city's best museums. We wandered the current exhibit, took a break at the thoroughly modern cafe upstairs, then marveled at the living wall of plant life that's overtaken the exterior of the building next door. The admission is always free, so it should certainly join the must-see list for those visiting the Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofia and Museo del Prado, which is where we were headed next.

Admission is free for visitors to the Reina Sofia after 2:30 p.m. on Saturdays and until 2:30 p.m. on Sundays, so we ducked in there first, taking the very-cool elevators up to see Picasso's Guérnica, which is always captivating. We spent awhile wandering the halls of modern art before heading over to the historic stuff at the Prado, whose immense galleries filled with works by Goya, Reubens, and Velásques constituted an entire semester's worth of study for one of my college roommates when she studied abroad in the city. But we only had two hours, as the Prado offers free admission from 6 p.m to 8 p.m. on Tuesday through Saturday (and from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Sunday). Thankfully, that was more than enough time to take in some of the museum's more famous works like Las Meninas and The 3rd of May 1808 in Madrid.

Hello, city lovers! Today we are heading to Copenhagen, where Alexandra Redisch tells us what not to miss in the Danish capital.

Copenhagen is My City

The first place I take a visitor from out of town is Tivoli Gardens (left), one of the oldest amusement parks in the world.

When I crave cake and hot chocolate in old world-settings, I always go to La Glace; the oldest confectionary in Denmark.

To escape the harsh city-life, I head to the uninhibited town of Christiania, where one makes love, not war.

If I want to be amazed by beautiful marble sculptures and a breathtaking winter garden, I go to the New Carlsberg Glyptotheke, where they also have a lovely tea room.
For complete quiet, I can hide away in the Royal Library; a vast modern building known as the "Black Diamond" (below).

If you come to my city, get your picture taken with the Little Mermaid (right), an iconic statue depicting the heroine from the famous fairytale by Hans Christian Andersen.

If you can only order one thing off the menu from the art-nouveau-style Café Norden, it has to be the famous pancakes.

The Magasin du Nord, located in Kongens Nytorv, is my one-stop shop for great shopping.

When I'm feeling cash-strapped, I go to Rosenborg Castle (below). There is an entrance fee to step into the castle, but the gorgeous 15th-century gardens are accessible to all! For a huge splurge, I go to the main shopping street, Strøget, where they have everything from Topshop to Chanel.

 

Hello, city-lovers! Today we head over to the United Kingdom, where Rachel Cotterill tells us why she loves her city--first as a student, now as a native.

Want to see your city on IT? Copy and paste our list of fill-in-the-blank questions into an e-mail, fill in your answers, and send your responses to IntelligentTravel@ngs.org. And if you're still waiting for us to feature yours, fear not! We're going to keep posting as long as we keep getting them (please include photos and links!).

Oxford is My City

The first place I take a visitor from out of town is the Pitt Rivers Museum (below), one of the most eclectic museum collections I've ever seen, where things are pretty much organized by "stuff that looks the same" rather than by culture or historical period.

When I crave late night ice-cream I always go to G&D's Ice Cream Cafe, where I had a summer job as a student. And I always choose the original branch on Little Clarendon St.

To escape the bustle of the city centre, I head north along the canal, to the area where I used to live.

If I want to celebrate Christmas in style, I go to one of the excellent college carol services (any college with a choir you've heard of is likely to be worth a visit during December).

For complete quiet, I can hide away in one of the many Bodleian library reading rooms, but you need a library card--if you're a student whose university has a reciprocal arrangement, it's well worth bringing your card along and taking the Bodleian Oath to get a temporary card.

If you come to my city, get your picture taken with a student--cheesy but traditional, especially if you're around during matriculation, exams, or graduation, when the streets are swarming with students in academic dress. But don't pay them for the privilege!

If you have to order one thing off the menu from Al-Andalus it has to be the lunchtime mixed tapas plate, much better value than ordering individual items.

I could have skipped my coffee yesterday. When I got on the elevator here at Headquarters, I was jolted awake by a behemoth photo of a great white shark covering the entire back wall. This unexpected elevator companion was there to inform me about Expedition Week--a National Geographic Channel event that "takes you on cutting-edge scientific missions to explore and discover lost treasures and never-before-seen worlds." Expedition Week begins this Sunday and runs through Saturday, November 21. It will feature a variety of programs about recent research and exploration being done around the world. National Geographic Channel is very enthusiastic about this event because it "is what we are all about--adventure, exploration and the pursuit of knowledge."  Some of the upcoming episodes include:

Sunday, November 15: "Search for the Amazon Headshrinkers": Follow Piers Gibbon as he retraces explorer Edmundo Bielawski's steps deep into the Amazon in search of the tribe that Bielawski videotaped in the 1960s.  National Geographic Channel has exclusive U.S. access to this 45-year-old footage that purportedly is the only of its kind to show the process of an actual--recently deceased--human head being shrunk.

Wednesday, November 18: "Deep Secrets: The Ballard Gallipoli Expeditions":  In this episode, Explorer-in-Residence Dr. Bob Ballard searches for British and French warships that sank during the Battle of Gallipoli--one of the bloodiest campaigns of WWI.  Ballard's expedition is the most comprehensive underwater exploration of shipwrecks from this battle ever undertaken.  [For information on the episode that tells the riveting story of Ballard's search for the Titanic, click here.]

Greetings city-lovers! This week Zagreb-based freelance writer Neha Puntambekar--who loves the city's coffee culture--tells us why Zagreb is the best.

Want to see your city on IT? Copy and paste our list of fill-in-the-blank questions into an e-mail, fill in your answers, and send your responses to IntelligentTravel@ngs.org. And if you're still waiting for us to feature yours, fear not! We're going to keep posting as long as we keep getting them (please include photos and links!).

Zagreb is My City

The first place I take a visitor is the Upper Town, Zagreb's old town. It is home to some of the city's most prominent landmarks and museums.

When I crave something sweet I always go to Slastičarnica Vincek, a popular pastry shop. I usually have the kremšnita (vanilla custard cake) with a cup of coffee.

To escape the city I head to the mill village of Rastoke. Coffee on the waterfall and a walk around the waterside village make for the perfect city escape.
     
If I want to share a drink with friends, I go toTkalčićeva Ulica, a street full of pubs, clubs and eateries, along with a number of galleries and boutiques.

For complete quiet, I can hide away at Maksimir, Zagreb's largest park.

If you come to my city, get your picture taken with the "Well of Life", a sculpture by Croatian master Ivan Meštrovič in front of the National Theatre.

If you have to order one thing off the menu from the local pizzerias it has to be cevapcici - small pieces of grilled mixed meat served with traditional bread. Don't eat meat? Try burek - a pastry stuffed with cheese (it also comes with minced meat).

Dolac Market is my one-stop shop for great fresh fruits and vegetables, meat cuts, homemade delicacies and local handicrafts.

Locals know to skip worrying about food at local cafe-bars (most bars here don't serve food with drinks, save for peanuts) and check out the small pizzerias and kebab joints instead. Cafes have no problem if you bring your sandwich or slice along.

When I'm feeling cash-strapped I go the Sunday antiques market at Britanski Trg (British Square), close to the city's main square.

For a huge splurge I go to Takenoko for sushi.

Friend of IT Barbara Fallon is just back from Italy, where she took cooking classes and explored life in the Tuscan hills.
 
Housed in an old Tuscan farmhouse in Mercatale di Cortona, nine female friends from around the U.S. are gathered for a week of Italian cooking classes with chef Faye Hess. She's already taught us so much--from making the perfect mushroom risotto, to braised ribs with white wine, garlic and rosemary (not to mention homemade pasta). Each of us take turns cranking the old Italian pasta machine. Faye pushes us and prods us, espousing her deep-held philosophy of slow, home cooking, that we need to toss out the buillion cubes, make our own stocks and pastas. Right now we all believe that we can. When we aren't having our daily cooking lesson, and eating the results around a very long farm table, we're off on a daily outing, often with a food or wine connection. We've done wine tastings in Montepulciano and Montalcino, cheese tastings in Siena, even tastings of aged balsamic vinegars (amazingly sweet and syrupy--almost drinkable). Tonight we're having dinner at the villa of a local family who have extensive olive groves and produce a top olive oil. There are no crowds here in southern Tuscany, and the weather is perfect and sunny.
 
While most of our day outings from the Faye Hess cooking school near Cortona had a food focus, one did not: a day trip to Deruta in Umbria, to learn how they make their famous ceramics. We toured the Cama family's small factory: one of the brothers was shaping the pottery on a wheel, and mama and papa were painting by steady hand their beautiful, old patterns. While I had always heard that Deruta wasn't a particularly pretty town, the ancient hilltop was beautiful for both its architecture and dozens of shops with ceramics literally pouring out.

Hello city-lovers! Today we're headed to the Slovenian capital of Ljubljana, where resident Petra tells us what she loves about her hometown.

Want to see your city on IT? Copy and paste our list of fill-in-the-blank questions into an e-mail, fill in your answers, and send your responses to IntelligentTravel@ngs.org. And if you're still waiting for us to feature yours, fear not! We're going to keep posting as long as we keep getting them (please include photos and links!).

Ljubljana is My City

The first place I take a visitor from out of town is Bled, about 37 miles away, but worth the trip.

When I crave a large coffee I always go to Le Petit Café.

If you come to my city, get your picture on one of the many bridges.

For a huge splurge I go to BTC. Take the bus nr. 27 from the city centre. It's only 15 mins away and you get everything there.

My favorite jogging/walking route is Pot spominov in tovarištva (The Path of Remembrance and Comradeship), a circular 18.6-mile path around Ljubljana.

Hello city lovers! Andy Hayes, author of the Edinburgh Walking Guides, takes us on a stroll through his favorite city.

Want to see your city on IT? Copy and paste our list of fill-in-the-blank questions into an e-mail, fill in your answers, and send your responses to IntelligentTravel@ngs.org. And if you're still waiting for us to feature yours, fear not! We're going to keep posting as long as we keep getting them (please include photos and links!).

Edinburgh, Scotland is My City

The first place I take a visitor from out of town is a walk down the Royal Mile.  It's the heart of the city and where most of the popular attractions are.

When I crave fish and chips I always go to Bene's on the Royal Mile - if it's fit for royalty then it works for me.

To escape the city I head for the Water of Leith Walkway. It's 12 miles long but you can do any number of sections, or the whole thing if you feel like.

If I want to have good coffee I go to Artisan Roast.

For complete quiet, I can hide away with a stroll down the Innocent Railway Tunnel bike path. It's so easy to reach from the city centre, yet miles away from the world.

If you come to my city, get your picture taken with a bagpiper. I suppose it's just what is done.

If you have to order one thing off the menu from any pub it has to be haggis! Don't ask what it is, just try it.

Locals know to skip Princes Street and check out the boutiques on Cockburn Street as well as hidden alleyways across the city.

When I'm feeling cash-strapped I go for a nice pub meal. Greyfriars Bobbys Bar does a mean steak and ale pie.

Photo ops in my city include anywhere in Holyrood Park and the best vantage points are anywhere near the castle.

Friend of IT (and author of delightful Cold Beer and Crocodiles: A Bicycle Journey into Australia) Roff Smith is just back from biking the Welsh national cycling route, and shares with us some tips on traveling in the area.

So how do you keep them down on the farm after they've seen Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch? You got me. It's not easy.  Since I've returned from cycling the Lôn Las Cymru--the Welsh national cycle route--I've thought of little else but going back and doing it all again. Stretching more than 250 picturesque miles from the ancient castle town of Chepstow in the south, to windswept Holyhead in the north, (home to the Holyhead Harpies Quiddich Team, if you happen to be a Harry Potter fan), this is said to be the most beautiful of  Britain's long-distance cycling trails and having cycled a good many of them myself, I'd be hard put to disagree.

Those five days I spent travelling its length were like a step out of time, a harkening back to a slower, gentler oil-painted world of leafy country lanes, old market towns, World Heritage castles and the romantic 11th-century ruins of Llanthony Priory--and yes, there's plenty of utterly unpronounceable Welsh names along the way, not least of which is the aforementioned town on the isle of Anglesey, listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as having the U.K.'s longest place name. Locals shorthand it to Llanfair P.G.

The route itself is cobbled together of quiet lanes, cycle paths, even a stretch of ancient coaching road. It is superbly signposted and so easy to follow that you don't really need any maps, although the excellent ones published by Sustrans are well worth having since they can help you plan your day, and offer up interesting alternatives--you can, for example, start off from Cardiff if you wish. There are plenty of B&Bs and pretty little inns along the route, so you needn't rough it or carry a lot of gear--a point worth considering since the Lôn Las Cymru meanders through the Brecon Beacons, the Cambrian Mountains and Snowdonia National Park, making it one of Britain's more challenging rides as well.
 
Of course, you don't have to cycle the whole thing in one go.  Good rail connections and bicycle-hire shops mean that the Lôn Las Cymru is very do-able in weekend-sized bites, say, between Chepstow and Hay-on-Wye, sixty miles of the very same countryside for which William Gilpin, the 18th century traveler and essayist coined the word "picturesque".  There are still the hills of course, but then, isn't that what those hearty B&B breakfasts are for?

Photo: George Borrow Photography

Roff Smith's October article for National Geographic magazine, about the shipwreck of a 16th c. Portuguese ship carrying more than 100 million carats of diamonds, can be found here.

Yesterday's conversation with Tom Birchard of the Veselka Diner left us with a craving for pierogi. We asked him if he could spare a recipe from his new cookbook, and he happily passed it along.

Potato Pierogi

Makes 65 to 70 pierogi, 8 to 10 servings

We never paid much attention to the whole low-carb craze at Veselka. Not only is the restaurant not susceptible to fads, but eating that way would have meant giving up potato pierogi, and there's no way we could do that. Our nimble-fingered cooks make as many as 3,000 pierogi every single day. This recipe doesn't make quite that many, but it does yield a large amount. You could halve the recipe, but instead I recommend making the full amount and freezing half. Frozen pierogi can be dropped directly into boiling water for cooking; there's no thawing required. You can also refrigerate the dough for a day or two, so you can make the pierogi in a couple batches. Or you could just eat more than the seven pierogi that we consider a single serving at Veselka in one sitting--not exactly punishment.

For more than 55 years, the Veselka Diner has been a neighborhood institution in New York's East Village, serving up its famous borscht and pierogi 24 hours a day to teenage hipsters, artists, college students, and celebrities like Chloë Sevingy, Jon Stewart, Julianne Moore and Sarah Jessica Parker. This week, the diner's owner, Tom Birchard, released The Velselka Cookbook. Birchard worked with cookbook writer Natalie Danford to adapt the huge restaurant-style portions of 120 of their famous recipes for a more moderately-sized kitchen. (What? You don't have a room for a vat full of borscht on your stovetop?) The book not only offers a glimpse into the kitchen, but provides lovely vignettes about the history of the restaurant and its role within the Little Ukraine neighborhood in New York City.

I spoke with Tom Birchard about pierogi, kitchen politics, and becoming an honorary Ukrainian.

Though you've been running the diner for 40 years, you're actually not Ukrainian. How did you integrate yourself within the community?

When my father-in-law started the diner, he was a very patriotic and it became a gathering place for fellow Ukrainians. He sold periodicals and a limited menu of Old World foods that he loved. It became a Ukrainian hub.

Back when I took over, the community was still very isolated, tight-knit and somewhat distrustful of strangers. Their culture and language was under attack back in the homeland, so I wasn't really accepted with open arms. It was an institution in the community, and this WASPy college kid was a bit of a threat to them. I didn't really understand the language and the elder ladies kind of snubbed me. But in time, the younger generation got to know me and I've been adopted as honorary Ukrainian.

With at least 12 resident spectres, the tiny hamlet of Pluckley in Kent is considered Britain's most haunted village. There's a spectral highwayman, a phantom monk, the hanging body of a schoolmaster and a poltergeist in the local pub. You would think Halloween would be the town's favorite holiday. And indeed, the Halloween festivities in Pluckley last year raised thousands of pounds for worthy causes. 

But it also raised the ire of some of Pluckley's citizens, who prefer the town to be as quiet as the grave on Halloween. Rather than falling victim to vandalism, traffic chaos and uproar caused by hundreds of revelers flocking to the village, the parish council has simply banned the holiday. From the blog Nothing To Do With Arbroath:

"There will be no entertainment provided for visitors," said a notice on the Parish Council website.

"There will be no barbecue, no hog roast, no beer tent, no fun fair and there will be no ghost tours. In fact, unless you are coming for a quiet drink, may we suggest you visit one of the many other attractions in Kent for Halloween."

Enjoy the peace, Pluckley!

Photo: via Nothing to Do With Arbroath

I'm setting off on a group tour to Morocco next week, and throughout my travel planning, I've been somewhat apologetic as I explain that yes, as a travel editor, I signed up for a tour. So I was heartened to read Daisann McLane's column in our current issue espousing the benefits of group travel, which she noticed on a recent bus trip through Guangzhou, China:

As I sat on a bus wearing a silly cap, eating pork buns, and being serenaded by a karaoke-singing tour guide, I had to laugh at myself. Not that many years ago I was so allergic to anything remotely "touristy" that I even refused to carry a camera when I traveled. I kept a list of "not for me" places--popular attractions, neighborhoods, even nations, that I refused to visit because I thought they'd be "too full of tourists." I considered myself a class apart, a traveler, and that meant going places nobody else did, and going, mostly, alone. Tour groups? No way.

When the United Nations Climate Change Conference meets in Copenhagen this December, the delegates won't have to look very far for environmental inspiration. An eco-pioneer before going green became stylish, Denmark's capital is seamed by parks, 186 miles of bike paths, and enough serious organic restaurants to earn some of the city's 14 Michelin stars. The once polluted waterfront is now so clean it feeds a network of popular harborside swimming pools--though it doesn't take much to draw nature-oriented Copenhageners outside.

To learn more about this green city, check out Raphael Kadushin's 48 Hours Guide to Copenhagen in the Nov./Dec. issue of Traveler, and go online for the best things to do, places to stay, and a photo gallery to get you inspired.

Photo: Sisse Brimberg & Cotton Coulson/Keenpress

Carolyn Bánfalvi explores one of Europe's most remarkable flea markets

My husband wanted a black, wide-brimmed hat, the kind the Gábor Roma of Transylvania wear. So during the second week in October, the plan was clear: we would head to the sprawling annual open-air flea market in the western Transylvanian village of Negreni (Feketetó in Hungarian). Cars are parked in fields among hayricks, and the market is spread on both banks of the Crişul Repede river between the towering mountains.

The distinctively dressed Gábor Roma pride themselves on being shrewd marketers. The women wear long, pleated, brightly colored skirts and headscarves. The men wear the hats. They sell everything from aluminum pots and shiny copper pálinka (brandy) stills to skirts and, of course, hats. We quickly found the perfect one and a Gábor couple quoted us 200 lei ($70). My husband (coincidentally named Gábor, a common Hungarian name) peered at himself in their car door mirror. "100 lei," the woman snapped. "OK, 80 lei ($27). But don't tell my husband." Gábor now had his Gábor hat. And he had friends everywhere. "Szevasz Gábor" (Hi Gábor) or "Te Gábor vagy?" (Are you Gábor?), they called out. They quietly asked how much he paid for the hat, and then congratulated him on getting a good deal.

Looking for a winter getaway that still leaves you with some cash for holiday shopping? Some hotels are offering special winter rates to encourage travel during the off-season. Most of these offers aren't available during holidays, but they offer a great option for a winter vacation. (None of the following rates include taxes)

Maswik Lodges, Grand Canyon National Park: from $82 per night

"If you think winter is a weird time to visit the Grand Canyon, think again. The snow-dusted scenery is stunning, the crowds thinner, the hiking can be great (absent a snowstorm) and some lodge prices are lower," writes Jane Engle in an article from the LA Times. Taking in the beauty of the Grand Canyon without fighting off throngs of tourists sounds like a pretty good deal to me. Xanterra Parks and Resorts has made it even sweeter by offering rooms in their Maswik South Lodge for $82 a night and in their Maswik North Lodge for $105 a night.

This deal isn't advertised on their website, but if you make an online reservation during the qualifying dates (November 29 through March 4, except for December 19 through January 2 and February 12 through 14) the discounted rates will automatically be applied.

Sonoma Hotel, Sonoma, CA: from $99 per night

The Sonoma Hotel, a 19th-century hotel located in the heart of the Sonoma Wine Country, is offering a $99 per night special for rooms booked Sunday through Thursday between now and March 2009.  These rooms normally run between $110-$170 a night.  A "Superior" room can also be reserved at the reduced price of $125 (normally $165-$190).  

The Hotel offers complimentary wine every evening, not that you'll need it after a day of tastings at the local wineries. This "bed and breakfast style inn" is located an hour north of San Francisco on the Sonoma Square near a variety of local artisan shops.

Greetings, city-lovers! Travel writer Anne-Sophie Redisch gives her country's capital city some lovin', and tells us why this Scandinavian metropolis is simply the best.

Want to see your city on IT? Copy and paste our list of fill-in-the-blank questions into an e-mail, fill in your answers, and send your responses to IntelligentTravel@ngs.org. And if you're still waiting for us to feature yours, fear not! We're going to keep posting as long as we keep getting them (please include photos and links!).

Oslo is My City

The first place I take a visitor from out of town is Vigeland Park, taking in Gustav Vigeland's fabulous nudes amidst the scent of 14,000 roses.

When I crave coffee, cake, and cool jazz, I always go to Bare Jazz, a watering hole and well-stocked record shop.

To escape the crowds on a Saturday afternoon, I sit down under a tree by medieval Akershus Fortress and watch life as it passes by.

If I want to have a beer and people watch, I go to Aker Brygge.

For complete quiet, I can hide away in the Nordmarka Forest, 20 minutes by tram from the city center--except on Sundays, when everyone else is doing the same.

If you come to my city, get your picture taken next to the Angry Little Boy.

If you have to order one thing off the menu from Grand Café it has to be a huge open shrimp sandwich.

Nomaden is my one-stop shop for everything travel-related, from books to bug spray.

When I'm feeling cash-strapped I go to Fru Hagen Café in the lively Grunerløkka district.

Olá, travelers! Today Rafa Vieira writes to us from Coimbra, Portugal, and tells us why this European city is simply the best.

Want to see your city on IT? Copy and paste our list of fill-in-the-blank questions into an e-mail, fill in your answers, and send your responses to IntelligentTravel@ngs.org. And if you're still waiting for us to feature yours, fear not! We're going to keep posting as long as we keep getting them (please include photos and links!).

Coimbra is My City

The first place I take a visitor from out of town is the University of Coimbra patio so they can enjoy a view over the city and the river.

When I crave a Tentúgal pastry, I always go the small town of Tentúgal, in the outskirts of my city.

To escape the bustle and traffic I head for the beautiful spa town of Luso. It is really close to the city, and its wonderful forests and enchanting buildings are great for a walk.

If I want to relax and enjoy the trendiness of my city I go to Feito Conceito, a funky shop.

For complete quiet, I can hide away at Jardim do Penedo da Saudade, a hidden garden with a view of the city that's packed with statues and poems of poets and writers.

If you come to my city, get your picture taken in the city southbank with the river Mondego and the city at your back.

If you have to order one thing off the menu from Zé Manel dos Ossos Tavern downtown it has to be Chanfana (an exquisite she-goat dish).

Traveler writer Andy Isaacson is just back from Tristan da Cunha on assignment for the magazine. Below, he offers a peek into what it's like to visit the most remote island in the world.

Reaching the world's most remote inhabited island is, and probably has always been, an awesome moment. From Cape Town, I sailed west across the Atlantic for six days on a South African polar research vessel, covering nearly 1,700 miles, or the equivalent trip from NYC to Denver. Every day the horizon was flat, unbroken. On the seventh day, at 6 a.m., I walked onto the deck and looked up to an enormous volcano, capped by snow, towering over the sea. This is how I arrived at the island of Tristan da Cunha, and its tiny settlement, the romantically named, "Edinburgh of the Seven Seas."

How did I get here? One afternoon last spring, I was curious about how it felt to live on the fringe of the planet, and a bit of online searching turned up Tristan, located 1,450 from the nearest inhabited settlement of St. Helena (the distance from Chicago to Miami). I'm spending three weeks here on assignment for the magazine. In recent years, many changes have come to this formerly isolated outpost. Now, in ways, this UK territory, inhabited by 270 descendants of British soldiers, Dutch sailors, American whalers, and (two) Italian castaways, resembles a Scottish fishing village: one general store and pub (The Albatross), and the community meeting place, Prince Philip Hall, which holds Saturday night dances and the mail call when ships arrive every 4-6 weeks. The landscape is a mix of potato plots and sheep fences, and tiny single-story houses with corrugated roofs that have the Internet and British TV piped into their living rooms.

Working here has had its challenges. Over the years, journalists have visited Tristan, only to write or air inaccurate, superficial or somehow offensive things, resulting in a justifiable weariness. (Every visitor, in fact, must be appeal to the Island Council to land here - for real, you can be voted on or off this island.) I've warmed up to the locals by helping plant potatoes and dancing a decent waltz, but I haven't managed to warm the weather any. It's been mostly gusty and overcast; there have only been three sunny days in three weeks, which has confined my movement. Everything is determined by the weather, Tristanians will say, and that also depends on which way the wind blows. Today it's an easterly, and as my host here said: "East is the Beast."

Andy Isaacson has written for the New York Times, Afar magazine, and National Geographic Traveler. Check out his most recent article about an ocean engineer, a famed aviator, and their secret project to reach the bottom of the planet in National Geographic Adventure magazine. Learn more about Andy on his website or by following him on Twitter.