European Destinations With Abundant Nature-Based Treasures

 These are two of my favorite destinations with an abundance of nature-based treasures:

Iceland where I had spent a month visiting venues in the four cardinal directions: Akureyri in the North, Westman Islands in the South, Egilsstadir in the East and Isafjordur in the West.

The Azores where I visited eight of the nine islands in this archipelago: Sao Miguel, Pico, Flores, Faial, Sao Jorge, Tercera, Graciosa, Santa Maria. 

continue reading "European Destinations With Abundant Nature-Based Treasures"

Why Visit the Azores in Portugal

I have a thing for archipelagos and the Azores in Portugal is one of my favorites. Each of the nine islands is quite distinctive in terms of landscape, geography, culture and product it’s noted for. I’ve visited eight of the nine, hoping to visit the hardest to reach and the tiniest, Corvo, in late 2021. This is my latest for Forbes on the Azores.

continue reading "Why Visit the Azores in Portugal"

Top Exotic Bicycle Trips

What better way to intimately connect with a destination, whether far-flung or close-at-hand, than straddling a bicycle saddle? With the slow pace of cycling, you become acutely aware of your surroundings: the scent of conifer trees, the sight of locals working the rice fields, the chorus of cicada sounds, or the bracing chill from a salty breeze. Some places, such as Amsterdam, France’s Loire Valley, or Copenhagen, take center stage as being ultra bike-friendly. But, though not as well-recognized, there are other bike-worthy parts of the world that merit exploring. Madagascar, South Korea and the Azores are three exotic gems that share their own piece of paradise with cyclists. I recently wrote about these and other bikeable destinations for the Evening Standard-The Independent.

continue reading "Top Exotic Bicycle Trips"

The Azores (in Portugal) in Pictures

It's uncanny how few savvy people know anything about the Azores, a pristine Portuguese archipelago in the middle of the Atlantic and 1,000 miles from any shore. I just returned from my second trip there. The first time I visited five of the nine islands. This time I visited three more, leaving little Corvo for another journey. Yet, curiously, ever person I met  in my home town, New York City, and told that I was venturing to this island chain asked the same exact question: "What's that?" Not even where's that but what's that. How odd.

I've written (for National Geographic Traveler, Outside Magazine and other major publications) and blogged extensively about and been interviewed on  these volcanic isles where each bears a distinct personality. On this recently trip, I visited two of the smaller islands -- Graciosa and Santa Maria -- and one of the largest: Terceira. My YouTube video  represents only a snippet of some of the authentic features I found during this one-week trip. And this video, The Azores in Pictures, represents the first of my new travel series that will appear on my YouTube Channel, so please make sure to subscribe, comment and share. You'll see plenty of hidden treasure travel images wherever I venture.

continue reading "The Azores (in Portugal) in Pictures"

Finding Peace on Sao Jorge Island in the Azores

When I travel, I often hope to get away from an urban center. And, though Ponte Delgada, the capital of the Azores archipelago on the island of Sao Miguel, certainly has its share of shopping malls and fast food restaurants, that would never be a reason for me to visit. When I took ferries and planes to five of the nine islands, including Sao Miguel, I was seeking a connection with nature as well as the ability to step into another era. That's what I found on each of the islands, but especially on the island of Sao Jorge.

This island is most known for its flavorful, piquant cheese. And, though I walked to several cheese factories to see how it's processed the old-fashioned way and to sample several slices, I was more interested in getting up close with the riot of native plant life on this isle.

You'll see what I found on Sao Jorge in an article I recently wrote for National Geographic Traveler's Intelligent Travel blog. If you want to feel like you're alone on the edge of the earth, then hiking on this island is a must.

continue reading "Finding Peace on Sao Jorge Island in the Azores"

The Authentic Azores

When I tell someone that I just returned from the Azores, I'm often greeted by a mass of misconceptions or confusions. Many don't realize that this archipelago is part of Portugal. But even those who do, believe it's hard to get to and requires a very expensive flight. Not true on all accounts.

In fact, the Azores are only 4+ hours from Boston yet you feel like you're on the other side of the earth. Though not known for their beaches, the Azores present a wealth of opportunities to get in touch with nature while also finding a place that remains true to its traditions.



Chris Christensen at the Amateur Traveler just interviewed me on the Azores.
Check out the podcast here or below:

Amateur Traveler Episode 290 - Travel to the Azores



Podcast correction: I may have mentioned in the past that I don't speak Portuguese. And subsequent to my interview, I found out that, though the interviewer suggested that the name Ponta Delgada had something to do with the door of a cat, the derivation of this word is "thin point." And one of my kind readers also commented to that effect. It's always good to have keen-eared, linguistic-focused people reading my blog.

continue reading "The Authentic Azores"