Top Things To Do In The Azores: Discover Portugal's Hidden Island Gem
Sete Citidades, the Azores
Roughly half way across the Atlantic Ocean between continental Europe and North America are the Azores, a group of nine Portuguese volcanic islands offering a fantastic blend of natural beauty, rich culture and outdoor adventure. With lush landscapes, dramatic coastlines and beautiful lakes, the Azores are an undiscovered gem for nature lovers, hikers and travelers seeking a peaceful getaway. Whether you're exploring the volcanic craters of São Miguel, taking a dip. in hot springs or attending the annual experimental music festival, Tremor, the island of São Miguel, the largest of the Azorean archipelago, is a truly magical destination.
The Zenmenn at Tremor Festival 2025
Tremor, an annual experimental music festival every April, is reason enough to visit the Azores. Portuguese and international artists perform in wonderful indoor settings and spectacular outdoor venues across the island. Tickets for the next festival (24-28 March 2026) are being released in stages and are already available.
Sete Cidades lake in The Azores
If you visit the Azores for Tremor, you'll have plenty of time to explore Sao Miguel as gigs are mostly in the evenings. Start with a private island tour with Get Your Guide. The company's 4×4 Tour from Ponta Delgada Day Tour with Sete Cidades will take you to view crater lakes, volcanic landscapes, with a stop for a traditional village meal. Within a massive volcanic caldera, the twin lakes of Sete Cidades present one of São Miguel's most incredible landscapes, a must for any visit to Sao Miguel.
The derelict Monte Palace, a former French-owned 5-star hotel on the edge of a crater.
Another unexpected highlight of the tour is a visit to the ruined Monte Palace, a former French-owned 5-star hotel on the edge of a crater. The hotel opened in 1991 and closed just over a year later. It's been derelict ever since. Visitors are able to explore five floors of ruined corridors, rooms and balconies unrestricted while marvelling at walls covered in colorful paintings and grafitti.
A sperm whale off Sao Miguel Island, Azores, Portugal.
Situated on a key Atlantic marine migration route, the Azores are a world-renowned whale-watching destination. Futurismo Azores Adventures is a great choice for a whale watching adventure from the harborin Ponta Delgado. With expert biologist guides and spotters working from inland, you'll have an excellent chance of encountering cetaceans, including sperm whales and dolphins, as you embark on an unforgettable boat tour. While it's not guaranteed that you'll see anything (especially whales), if you see nothing, Futurismo allows a second (free) outing. Half day (early morning or afternoon) excursions are 65€.
Arquipélago – Contemporary Art Center
Indeed, Sao Miguel has a thriving contemporary art scene. Arquipélago – Contemporary Art Center just above the seaside at Ribeira Grande is in a 19th-century alcohol and tobacco factory. The imposing volcanic stone building houses several temporary exhibitions each year in an attempt to combine local heritage with contemporary artistic expression.
Vaga, a contemporary art space in Ponta Delgado
Vaga, in Ponta Delgado, is a contemporary art space with engaging temporary shows and events that's also the headquarters of a new art biennial, Walk and Talk that will launch 25 September and run until 30 November 2025. For Gestures of Abundance, invited international artists and curators will consider how we can change our perception of scarcity to one of cooperative abundance.
MAAT, Museum of Art, Architecture and Technology, Building, Belem, Lisbon, Portugal.
The Portuguese capital deserves a special mention as you'll likely get your connecting flight to the Azores here. If you fly TAP, you'll have a free stopover to stay a night or two to explore Lisbon. There's plenty to enjoy, and a perfect day could include a visit to the contemporary art museum Maat (Museum of Art, Architecture and Technology) on the outskirts of Lisbon in Belem, a stroll along the River Tagus past the 25 de Abril bridge (commemorating the Carnation Revolution that ended the Portuguese dictatorship and established democracy in 1974) and a stop in the famous cafe and bakery Pasteis de Belem to discover and taste the famous custard tarts, pastel de nata.
O Americo, the Azores
Azorean food is a flavorful fusion of land and sea. From the ocean, you'll find limpets (small shellfish), octopus and tuna on most menus. And from the land, traditional stews like cozido das Furnas, dairy products and pineapples. Baked goods are very particular to the islands, including bolo lêvedo, a soft, muffin-like flatbread from Furnas that's lightly sweet and perfect for breakfast or as a sandwich bun. Many Azorean desserts feature eggs, cinnamon and local cheese, such as queijadas da Vila, a creamy tart from Terceira made with fresh cheese and sugar.
Restaurante Monte Verde on the beachfront in Ribeira Grande is a family-run traditional restaurant that's been serving fish since 1986. The grilled tuna served with tomato rice and potatoes is excellent.
Grilled octopus at O Americo
Grilled Octopus with potatoes is a firm favorite at family-run O Américo de Barbosa in Mosterios: an essential lunch stop when touring the island.
In Ponta Delgada, if you'd like a change from fish, Nonnas serves authentic and delicious Neapolitan pizza using Italian and local ingredients.
Green love is a calm pitstop for coffee and cake (try the sweet cheese tart, queijada San Jorge), while sightseeing in Sete Citades.
Holy Cow guesthouse, Ponta Delagada
Neat hotel is a 3 star, well equipped business hotel in an ideal location near the main attractions of Ponta Delgada. For something with lots of character, The Holy Cow is a cute guesthouse with five guestrooms, a comfortable lounge, terrace and an excellent continental breakfast with local products.
Sao Miguel, Azores, Portugal
São Miguel is a two-hour flight from Lisbon and Oporto, and a six-hour flight from Boston. Ponta Delgada's João Paulo II Airport is only ten minutes from downtown and is serviced by several national airlines with both direct and easy connecting flights. With daily flights to the Azores from Lisbon, TAP Air Portugal is a good option. The airline offers flights from London Heathrow and London Gatwick to Ponta Delgada, the Azores, via Lisbon. An optional free stopover in Lisbon on the way there or back is a great way to extend your trip and see more of Portugal. If traveling from North America, TAP flies from Boston, Chicago, Miami, Montreal, New York, San Francisco, Toronto and Washington to the Azores, via Lisbon and offers the same free stopover.
While there are local buses on Sao Miguel, they aren't frequent and you'll waste precious hours getting to places. The roads are well maintained so a better option is to rent a car from an agency like the excellent Azores Easy Rent who will pick up and drop off at your hotel or the airport. All cars come with unlimited mileage and their Super Easy Insurance pack is the best option.
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Travel + Leisure
2 days ago
- Travel + Leisure
How to Experience Cape Cod Like a Local, With Charming Boutique Hotels, Fresh Seafood, and Stunning Ocean Views
Explore an idyllic stretch of Atlantic Ocean shoreline at the Cape Cod National Seashore via dune trails and meandering bike paths. You'll find everything from afternoon summer dance parties to high-fashion sneaker retailers and quaint coffee shops on Provincetown's Commercial Street, a beloved LGBTQ+ vacation spot that welcomes all. Dance away the summer nights at The Beachcomber, a ramshackle restaurant and live music venue perched atop the dunes of Wellfleet. You'll feel like a sea captain from the days of yore at the Candleberry Inn, a classic New England bed-and-breakfast steps from Cape Cod Bay. Lobster rolls may be the unofficial dish of New England, but Ceraldi has quickly become the most-coveted reservation on the Cape. This geographic flexed arm jutting from the Massachusetts mainland is more than just a quirky shape on the map—it's also a den of coastal charm and salty heritage. Cape Cod's sandy stretch of dunes and kettle ponds has long laid out its welcome mat for those in need of refuge and respite, from the early days of the Mayflower's 'saints and strangers,' who anchored in Provincetown Harbor, to generations of native Cape Codders and 'washashores' (the term locals use for people are not from the area). The spit's relative isolation has helped preserve both its bohemian enclaves, like Provincetown and Wellfleet, as well as its statelier corners, such as Osterville, Hyannis Port, and Chatham. But the Cape is evolving. A wave of new full-time residents, drawn by remote work and a post-pandemic lifestyle shift, has sparked a transformation. 'The cape isn't a little sleepy resort town anymore. It's really a thriving mecca for year-round living,' said Marc Sievers, a cookbook author and owner of Fête Among the Flowers in Osterville. 'It really is starting to become a destination that people are seeing as more than just a quick weekend.' Whether you're chasing sunsets or getting lost in a hydrangea-lined village, let the good times of Cape Cod butter up your lobster roll. Here's what you need to know before planning a trip to Cape Cod. A guest suite with a living room at the Bluebird Dennisport. Longtime Cape luxury mainstay Chatham Bars Inn is home to the pinnacle of summer socializing, where oysters and rosé at The Veranda can cap a day of reading from a private beach cabana overlooking Aunt Lydia's Cove. The ultimate splurge is a spa suite with a private steam shower and hydrotherapy tub. Wequassett Resort and Golf Club encompasses acres of hydrangea-filled gardens, and there are plenty of ways to pass a summer day, here—from kayaking to clandestine cocktails. Wequasset's guest rooms, villas, and cottages recently underwent a renovation that was completed just in time for the resort's 2025 centennial celebration. 'When people think 'luxury' on the Cape, it's probably the number one,' said Gayle Fee, a longtime Cape Codder and New England's doyenne of dish, who cowrote the Boston Herald 's Inside Track gossip column for 25 years. There's no better spot to catch sunset than at Awol Provincetown, located in the far West End overlooking the moors. Guest rooms and suites at this motel-turned-glam-retreat have a chic, minimalist vibe that carries outside to the fire pits and pool area, where neighbors for the week toast with cocktails from the guest-only bar. This Brewster bed-and-breakfast was named one of the best hotels in the world by Travel + Leisure readers in 2024. You'll feel like a posh sea captain at this Georgian-style home that's just a short stroll from Cape Cod Bay beaches. Breakfast is a decadent spread, but you'll also find thoughtful touches like a personalized package of goodies awaiting you in the dining room each afternoon after a day of exploring. Lark Hotels (the same parent company behind AWOL Provincetown) converted this former motor lodge into a contemporary, beach-y retreat that gives guests a chic, wood-paneled place to rest amid a summer sojourn to the Cape without all the bells and whistles—and exorbitant peak nightly rates—of some of the area's more established luxury offerings. Aerial view of a person walking along the Cape Cod National Seashore. Violetta Smirnova/Travel + Leisure This stretch of beaches, ponds, and wooded trails running from Chatham to Provincetown was established by President John F. Kennedy in 1961 and has some of the region's most popular sandy stretches, like Ptown's Race Point Beach and Nauset Beach in Orleans. 'The Province Lands, part of the Cape Cod National Seashore, are my favorite escape,' said Ken Fulk, an interior designer who splits his time between San Francisco and Provincetown. 'Here you'll find miles of bike trails, tidal pools in which you can float along like a lazy river, and vast stretches of often empty beaches—and don't miss the chance to hike across the immense dunes out to the great Atlantic.' The Cape's iconic hydrangeas are only a small piece of this 100-acre property, celebrating the rhododendrons initially hybridized by Charles Dexter, who experimented and produced hundreds of thousands of the flower varieties that still bloom on the property today. Flowers may be the main show, but the Heritage Museum & Gardens also has a vintage car collection and a working vintage carousel. The cross-bay rivals of Plymouth and Provincetown lovingly spar over who has a better claim as the Pilgrims' initial arrival destination. Visitors will find something a bit more impressive at the nearly 253-foot granite Pilgrim Monument that lords over Provincetown. It was built in the early 20th century to honor the Pilgrims' five-week stint on the Outer Cape, and it's a good alternative to the (rather infamously) underwhelming Plymouth Rock. Plus, you can climb to the top and take in sweeping bayside and Atlantic Ocean views. This Dennis, Massachusetts, stage can feel like Broadway's summer camp, given that everyone from Bernadette Peters and Julie Andrews to Humphrey Bogart and Henry Fonda has performed here since its 1927 inception. Today, you can expect to find locally orchestrated productions of hits like 'Rent' and 'Waitress.' Deciding which Cape Cod beach is the best for taking in a sunset with a sip of something fabulous can feel like picking a favorite child. But the expansive tidal flats and seclusion of Chapin Memorial Beach can feel truly otherworldly. 'If you can catch low tide at sunset, your head will explode,' said Adam Dunn, who co-owns The Pheasant restaurant in Dennis with his wife. 'There's this jaw-dropping view out there.' A woman leaving a store with shopping bags. Sure, there are shops hawking Cape Cod-emblazoned t-shirts and merchandise throughout the entire peninsula, but Cuffy's is a local institution that now has a boardwalk-themed flagship packed with all the swag needed to outfit you, your family, and any friend back home that needs a thank-you gift for checking your mail. Those looking for a little Cape design inspiration will find just the right home accents at this Osterville specialty food and floral shop that also sells throws, candles, and other small goods. It's the perfect place to find that treat-yourself splurge. Whether you're looking for a Tiffany lamp or a framed final menu from the Queen Mary, odds are you'll find it (and a slew of other vintage treasures) at this 5,000-square-foot emporium of eccentric finds. You may also need to pick up a vintage suitcase to cart your goods back home. It's hard to pick a specific gallery, boutique, or coffee shop to visit on Commercial Street, but we'll try. 'A few of my favorite shops include The Captain's Daughters for the perfect t-shirt, Clove and Creek for the best gifts, and the hidden John Derian shop tucked in an impossibly charming shed behind his house—you'll want everything,' Fulk said. Other locals in the know always swing by for beach provisions at Pop+Dutch, the town's go-to spot for sandwiches and sass. You'll find dinner party staples at Perry's Fine Wine & Liquors, an it's-an-insult-to-just-call-it-a-wine-shop kind of establishment hawking everything from hard-to-procure champagne and caviar to charcuterie and dips (plus, there are complimentary treats for the many four-legged visitors that come to town). A busy evening in erosion means you never quite know what the parking lot is going to look like each Memorial Day opening weekend at the Wellfleet Beachcomber, but the good times are always the same. Imbibing with a rum-forward Goombay Smash to the sounds of a local rock band performance is practically a rite of passage for a Cape Codder's summer Saturday night. 'I must have been a teenager when they first opened it, and they've been pumping out dance music and oysters ever since,' Fee said. The Atlantic House, or the A-House, has been Ptown's most iconic watering hole for more than 200 years—and has one of the best-known LGBTQ+ dance floors for a good chunk of that span. The drinks are strong, and the ceilings are low (not to mention the lopsided dance floor). But the line snaking down an alley and up the main road is an indicator that this is the place to spend a raucous night all year long. Dining room inside The Pheasant. The seven-course tasting menu at Ceraldi is a celebration of locally sourced ingredients and staples from the sea with an Italian twist (think: beef shank with Cape Cod blueberries and polenta arriving after a lobster risotto course). Maintain a hawk eye on availability, as an open seat at this Wellfleet chef's table doesn't come around often. An extra plate of meatballs or platter of cauliflower Caesar salad always seems to appear while diners debate who has the best entrée (chicken carbonara or lobster alla vodka, anyone?) en route at this candlelit Italian treasure in Ptown's West End. 'It's the clubhouse for the town's luminaries and washashores alike,' Fulk said. Fried seafood baskets have long been Cape menu staples, but the arrival of The Pheasant in Dennis played a major role in elevating the reputation of the local dining scene. Caviar service can kick things off before indulgences like lamb osso bucco and blood orange cheesecake. 'It's this fabulous old structure with plank floors, shiplap walls, and old oil paintings, but then they have an absolutely killer wine list and an absolutely over-the-top, creative but still earthy menu,' said Sievers. Obviously, one can't go to Cape Cod without splurging on at least some fried seafood. Sesuit Harbor Café serves heaping piles of fried whole belly clams, shrimp, scallops, and oysters (plus lobster rolls, of course) with waterfront views from picnic tables. Plus, it's BYOB. 'We'll bring a tablecloth, glassware, wine, and make it a thing,' said Erica Dunn, who's married to Adam Dunn, and co-owns The Pheasant with him. Picking a favorite ice cream shop on the Cape is as heated a debate as anything you'll find on Capitol Hill. Sundae School offers all the classics (don't miss the ice cream pies or the oh-so-popular banana splits) at locations in both Harwich Port and Dennisport. A coastal walkway on Cape Cod. Violetta Smirnova/Travel + Leisure The summer season runs between Memorial Day and Labor Day weekends and is best for those who want the convenience of more frequent ferry service from Boston or airline service into Cape Cod Gateway Airport (HYA) in Hyannis, Massachusetts. Some seasonal restaurants and shops do not stay open outside this timeframe, but the shoulder season from Labor Day through Halloween is an increasingly popular time to visit. Most retailers and restaurants remain open, hotel and Airbnb rates are lower, and sunny beach days are still possible. Driving to Cape Cod over its two main access points (the Bourne and Sagamore bridges) and the ensuing summer activity is part of the 'charm' and easily the most popular way to get to vacation. But 90-minute ferries from Boston—which has the nearest major airport, Boston Logan International Airport (BOS)—are an easy way to eclipse the Outer Cape traffic. Cape Cod Gateway Airport in Hyannis has seasonal service on select major U.S. carriers, plus year-round Cape Air service. The Hyannis Transportation Center has weekend rail service to Boston in the summers and year-round bus connections. Boats docked near a neighborhood in Cape Cod. Violetta Smirnova/Travel + Leisure The Cape's longtime haven for the bohemian, the eclectic, and the LGBTQ+ community has also become one of its toniest—while still maintaining the charm that draws people in the first place. 'Provincetown is as close as I ever feel to being a kid again,' Fulk said. 'We ride bikes recklessly down the narrow street, jump with abandon into the chilly harbor, then nap like a baby curled up with wet dogs. Could there be more joy?' This lace-curtained enclave of the posh and fabulous also has boutiques for fashionable post-beach dinner garb and housewares as well as jaw-dropping waterfront real estate for those looking to really splurge on a summertime home. This artist community beckons those looking for galleries to peruse, waterfront cocktails, and even a round of nine-hole golf with a waterfront view. Dennis is a beach lover's dream, and it has ample spots to dip your toes in the sand on both the Cape Cod Bay side (just mind the occasional oyster farm) as well as the Nantucket Sound side. The Cape's transportation nexus, Hyannis, is also the last stop for big-box shopping if you're heading onward to the Outer Cape. Hyannis Main Street has a mix of souvenir shopping and fun bars and restaurants, while neighboring Hyannis Port is where the Kennedy clan's compound served as a major backdrop to Camelot. One of Cape Cod's largest communities, Falmouth is a major connecting point for those looking to hop on a ferry to explore Martha's Vineyard or Nantucket. Hyannis ferry near the Lewis Bay on what part of Cape Cod you're heading to, you can reach it by land, by sea or by air. Ferry: 90-minute fast ferries are a convenient way to get from downtown Boston to Provincetown. They typically run during the summer or shoulder seasons with Boston Harbor City Cruises and Bay State Cruise Company. Round-trip services are $100 with Boston Harbor City Cruises, while Bay State service is $128. 90-minute fast ferries are a convenient way to get from downtown Boston to Provincetown. They typically run during the summer or shoulder seasons with Boston Harbor City Cruises and Bay State Cruise Company. Round-trip services are $100 with Boston Harbor City Cruises, while Bay State service is $128. Train: CapeFlyer train service connects Boston's South Station to Hyannis on the weekends in the summer. CapeFlyer train service connects Boston's South Station to Hyannis on the weekends in the summer. Bus: Cape Cod Regional Transit Authority runs bus service within Cape Cod; Peter Pan Bus Lines connects Hyannis to Boston's South Station; and the Plymouth & Brockton Bus Company connects Hyannis to Boston Logan International Airport. Cape Cod Regional Transit Authority runs bus service within Cape Cod; Peter Pan Bus Lines connects Hyannis to Boston's South Station; and the Plymouth & Brockton Bus Company connects Hyannis to Boston Logan International Airport. Air: Cape Cod Gateway Airport is the largest airport on the peninsula and sees seasonal service from major airlines like American Airlines and JetBlue, while Cape Air serves the airport year-round. Provincetown Municipal Airport (PVC) has seasonal Cape Air service in the summer. Cape Cod Gateway Airport is the largest airport on the peninsula and sees seasonal service from major airlines like American Airlines and JetBlue, while Cape Air serves the airport year-round. Provincetown Municipal Airport (PVC) has seasonal Cape Air service in the summer. Rideshare: Service is limited, especially on the Outer Cape from Orleans north to Provincetown, but you can occasionally hail Uber or Lyft drivers. If you can't catch a ride share, Cape Cab is one of the biggest taxi providers in the area.
Associated Press
2 days ago
- Associated Press
From Pakistan to Spain via the Canaries, smugglers are using longer, more dangerous migration routes
DERA BAJWA, Pakistan (AP) — It was supposed to be the final leg of Amir Ali's monthslong journey to Europe. But he was nowhere near his destination, with only death in sight. The 21-year-old Pakistani had been promised a visa and a flight to Spain. Yet six months, four countries and $17,000 later, he found himself crammed in a fishing boat in the Atlantic Ocean alongside 85 others, screaming for their lives as seawater sloshed over the gunwales. Forty-four fellow Pakistani migrants perished during the 10-day failed crossing in January from Mauritania's coast toward Spain's Canary Islands. The deadly journey cast a spotlight on how globalized and sophisticated smuggling networks on the West African coast — and specifically Mauritania — have become. Interviews with survivors and relatives of migrants who died revealed how smugglers have adapted to tighter border controls and anti-migration policies across the Mediterranean and North Africa, resorting to lengthier, more dangerous routes. A journey that began 5,000 miles away Ali's odyssey began last July. After making an initial deposit of 600,000 Pakistani rupees ($2,127), he went to Karachi airport, where he was told to wait for a shift change before approaching the immigration counter. 'The smugglers had inside help,' he said. He and other migrants were swiftly put on a flight to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. From there Ali boarded a second flight to Dakar, Senegal, where he was told someone would be waiting for him. Instead, when he arrived he was told to go to the Senegal River bordering Mauritania, a seven-hour taxi ride north. He joined other Pakistanis traveling to the Mauritanian capital, Nouakchott. In each country he passed through, bribes were demanded for visas, Ali said. Imran Iqbal, 42, took a similar journey. Like Ali, he flew from Karachi to Senegal via Ethiopia before reaching Mauritania. Other Pakistanis Iqbal met, he said, traveled through Kenya or Zimbabwe enroute to Mauritania. A monthslong waiting game Once in Mauritania, the migrants were taken to cramped safe houses where smugglers took their belongings and deprived them of food. 'Our passports, our money — everything,' Iqbal said. 'I was essentially held captive,' Ali said. During the six months Iqbal and Ali were in Mauritania, smugglers moved them repeatedly, beating them to extract more money. While he managed to get some money sent from Pakistan, Iqbal did not tell his family of his dire situation. 'Our parents, children, siblings ... they would've been devastated,' he said. Ali said the smugglers lied to their families in Pakistan, who asked about their whereabouts and questioned why they hadn't called from Spain. Finally, on Jan. 2, Iqbal, Ali and the other Pakistani migrants were transferred to an overcrowded boat that set course for Spain's Canary Islands. 'On the day of departure, 64 Pakistanis from various safe houses were brought to the port,' Ali recalled. 'The Mauritanian police and port officials, who were complicit, facilitated our transfer to the boats.' 'What followed were the hardest 15 days of my life,' Iqbal said. Mauritanian authorities have launched several investigations into smuggling networks and, in the past two months, heightened surveillance at the country's borders and ports, according to a Mauritanian embassy official in Madrid who spoke on condition of anonymity because he wasn't authorized to comment publicly. The world's 'deadliest' migration route is only growing While migration to Europe has been falling steadily, the Atlantic Ocean crossing from West Africa to Spain's Canary Islands has reemerged since 2020. Nearly 47,000 people disembarked in the Canaries in 2024, an increase from the nearly 40,000 in 2023, according to Spanish Interior Ministry figures. Until recently, the route was mostly used by migrants from West African nations fleeing poverty or violence. But since last year, migrants from far-flung countries like Pakistan, Bangladesh, Yemen, Syria and Afghanistan have increasingly embarked on the fishing boats used to reach the European archipelago. Smugglers connect with migrants locally in Pakistan and elsewhere, as well as on social media. Migrants post videos of their voyages on TikTok. Although some warn of the dangers, they also share idyllic videos of life in Europe, from Canary Island beaches to the bustling streets of Barcelona and Madrid. For many, Spain is just an entry point for continuing to France, Italy and elsewhere. Chris Borowski, spokesperson for the European Border and Coast Guard Agency Frontex, believes smuggling networks bringing Pakistanis and other South Asian migrants through the Canaries are still 'testing the waters' to see how profitable it is. However, experts at the Global Initiative Against Transnational Crime warn the route is here to stay. 'With the conflict landscape showing no sign of improvement, movement on the Canary Islands route looks set to increase,' the group warned. 'Because it remains the deadliest migration route in the world, this has severe humanitarian implications.' The Atlantic Ocean crossing can take days or weeks. Dozens of boats have vanished. Exact figures don't exist, but the International Organization for Migration's Missing Migrants Project recorded at least 1,142 deaths and disappearances last year, a number it calls a vast understatement. Spanish rights group Walking Borders reported nearly 9,800 victims on the Canaries route last year — which would make it the world's deadliest migration route. Only a tiny fraction of bodies are ever recovered. Some shipwrecked vessels have appeared hundreds of thousands of miles away, in the Caribbean and South America. The boat Ali and Iqbal boarded had a 40-person capacity but was packed with more than double that. Immediately, there were fights between the Pakistanis and the Africans on board, they said. The Associated Press wasn't able to locate non-Pakistani survivors to verify the accusations, but reports of violence on the Canaries journey are frequent even among those of the same nationality and ethnicity. Dehydration can cause hallucinations, exacerbating tensions. 'The weather was terrible,' Ali said. 'As water entered the boat, the crew threw our belongings and food into the sea to keep the boat afloat.' On the fifth day, a man died of a heart attack, Ali and Iqbal said. More people perished every day, their bodies thrown overboard; while some died from hunger and thirst, the majority were killed. 'The crew attacked us with hammers, killing 15 in one night,' Ali said. Both men showed photos of injuries others sustained, although AP couldn't verify what caused them. 'The beatings were mostly to the head — so brutal that people started losing their sanity,' Iqbal said. They prayed for a merciful death, convinced they had little chance of survival. On the 10th night, after dozens had died, lights appeared on the horizon. They shouted for help. At daybreak, a fishing vessel approached, handing them food and water before eventually towing them to the West African coast two days later. Forty-four Pakistanis had died. 'Only twelve bodies returned to Pakistan,' Ali said. 'The rest were lost at sea.' Back at square one News of the failed journey made international headlines, prompting a pledge by Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari to go after smugglers. Pakistan's Federal Investigation Agency has arrested dozens of people suspected of arranging the journey or connections to the smugglers. A nationwide crackdown was already underway, but smugglers change locations to evade capture. In Europe and Pakistan, smugglers who are caught are primarily low-level operatives, resulting in limited impact on the overall business. Staring at the mansions being built around his modest brick home in the Pakistani village of Dera Bajwa, Ali reflected on his wasted journey. 'These are the houses of those who made it abroad,' Ali said. 'People like me see them and dream without thinking.' ___ Brito reported from Barcelona, Spain.
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Travel + Leisure
2 days ago
- Travel + Leisure
This European Gem Was Named the Most Walkable City in the World for 2025
As a former Los Angeleno, I can confidently say that some cities are best experienced by car. In a spot like LA, a vehicle is a must as it allows you to get to its furthest corners to hike in Griffith Park in the morning, followed by lunch in Silverlake, and spend the evening having a drink in Venice. On the flipside, as a newer resident of Lisbon, Portugal, I can also confidently say that cities like this are best experienced on foot to ensure ease of access through its tiny streets and oldest neighborhoods. And if you're after the latter, GuruWalk has a few more recommendations for you. In May, the free walking tour website released its list of the 100 best walking cities for 2025. It created its list using its internal booking data, which it collected between March 21, 2024, and April 1, 2025. "To ensure the reliability of the list, the number of page views each city received on the platform was also analyzed and cross-referenced with booking trends," it added. It's some rather robust data, too. According to GuruWalk, the report is based on the preferences of more than four million travelers. And after looking at the preferences of those people, GuruWalk named Rome the No. 1 walking city for this year. "Rome tops this ranking once again," the report explained. "The Eternal City remains a key destination for travellers fascinated by ancient history. The Colosseum, the Pantheon, and the Baroque squares make Rome an open-air museum that deserves to be explored thoroughly, step by step." Joining Rome at the top of the list is Budapest, with the website noting that "the Parliament, the Fisherman's Bastion, and the thermal baths are some of the best places to discover on foot" in the Hungarian city. Madrid also earned high praise and took the No. 3 spot thanks to the ease of strolling from places like the Plaza Mayor to the Retiro, along with Prague, Czech Republic, with the Charles Bridge, the Jewish Quarter, and Old Town Square as top walking destinations. Barcelona rounded out the top five, thanks to its plentiful Gaudí's architecture, along with "the charm of the Gothic Quarter and its Mediterranean lifestyle." The findings added, "It is an ideal city to lose yourself in, strolling through narrow streets, colourful markets and lively squares." Ready to see the rest of the world on foot? Check out the full list of the 100 best walking cities for 2025 at
