Along a black-and-white–stone pedestrian street, just a few blocks from the handy, if always crowded, Santa Justa Lift that whisks you between the upper and lower parts of Lisbon, Portugal, I found the aptly named Elevador. With live fado music in the background, the setting is perfect for a wonderful meal in Baixa, the city’s historic heart and commercial center. Read about it >
Monthly Archives: June 2023
Warsaw Saw War—and Then Rebuilt Its Churches as if Nothing Had Happened
I wasn’t surprised by the number and the beauty of the churches in the overwhelmingly Catholic city of Warsaw, Poland, where three-quarters of the population of 1.8 million identify as Roman Catholic. I was surprised, however, by how many of them had been obliterated during World War II and then rebuilt. Some took on a simpler variation of the original, but many were restored to their baroque, rococo, and neoclassical glory. Read about the top five churches in Warsaw >
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Dinner With the Sailor
Directly across the street from my excellent hotel in Porto, Infante Sagres, a cluster of restaurants faces the odd tunnel that swallows up vehicular traffic in the middle of a square. They’re extremely popular, to the point where it was difficult to score a table. So I bumped up my dinner time earlier than the usual Portuguese tradition and took a seat at O Marinheiro, which translates as “the sailor.” Read about it >
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Capital Ideas for a Great Time in Albany, New York
Even though I live only a few hours south of my state capital, I never got around to seeing it until I decided to go on an in-state vacation and check out some of what New York State offers north of the Bronx. My first stop was Albany, a city with more than 400 years of history behind it. That lengthy existence brings with it plenty of diversions and attractions, from shockingly beautiful churches to Hudson River views, from memorable meals and museums to tranquil parks. Read about the top five things to see and do in Albany >
Stephen Travels 