Travel Tales with Fergal

I recently had the chance to spend some time travelling through Alentejo in Portugal, and it is a region that really stayed with me.It feels very different to some of the better-known parts of Portugal. If you have visited Portugal before, you may know Lisbon, Porto or the Algarve, but Alentejo feels very different. In Part One of this Alentejo, Portugal special series, I am joined by Ruben Obadia, from Alentejo Tourism and Jessica de Korte, a well-known Dutch travel journalist, to give us a proper introduction to the region and why it should be on your radar as one of Portugal’s most distinctive regions.From the historic streets of Évora and the hilltop beauty of Monsaraz to cork oak forests, vineyards, local food and wine, Ruben and Jessica explain what makes Alentejo such a special place to visit.They also explore the idea of vagar, the Alentejo art of slowing down, and why the region offers Irish travellers a quieter, more authentic side of Portugal.Part Two next week continues the journey, with Irish travel journalist, Deirdre Mullins who takes a closer look at the famous Rota Vicentina walking routes along Alentejo’s wild Atlantic coast.Discovering Alentejo https://www.visitalentejo.pt/enVisit Monsaraz - https://monsaraz360.pt/en/StaysEvora - https://mardearhotels.com/en/mar-de-ar-aquedutohttps://moagem.thevolumes.pt/en/moagem/Vineyard - https://www.jportugalramos.com/en/winetourism/Boat Trip - https://alquevacruzeiros.pt/passeios-de-barco-boat-tours/Alentejo Wines - https://www.vinhosdoalentejo.pt/en/Fergal O’Keeffe is the host of Ireland’s No.1 award winning travel podcast Travel Tales with Fergal listened to in 140 countries worldwide. The podcast aims to share soul-lifting travel stories about daydream worthy destinations. For more information, photos and stories you can follow me onInstagram @traveltaleswithfergal

In this first episode of Season 10, Fergal is joined by one of Ireland’s best-known chefs, Paul Flynn of The Tannery in Dungarvan, Co. Waterford. Paul reflects on five memorable meals that have stayed with him throughout his life and career, taking us on a journey from France and London to Lake Garda in Italy, the Basque Country in Spain, and home to Dungarvan.Along the way, he shares the stories, people and places behind those memories, as well as the experiences that helped shape his love of food, travel and hospitality.From early inspiration to family celebrations and unforgettable dining experiences, this is a conversation about much more than food as it is about memory, place, family and the moments that stay with us.You will discover the meals that tell the story of Paul Flynn, who will celebrate the 30th anniversary of his renowned restaurant, The Tannery, at its final service on the 1st January 2027. If you have never visited, I would highly recommend making the trip before then. Bookings are available at https://tannery.ieFergal O’Keeffe is the host of Ireland’s No.1 award winning travel podcast Travel Tales with Fergal listened to in 140 countries worldwide. The podcast aims to share soul-lifting travel stories about daydream worthy destinations. For more information, photos and stories you can follow me onInstagram @traveltaleswithfergalFacebook @traveltaleswithfergalTwitter @FergalTravelYouTube @traveltaleswithfergal

Today, 25 June, would have been Anthony Bourdain's 70th birthday, and in this special episode I'm marking it with a conversation with the writer and broadcaster Brin-Jonathon Butler about the man, the myth, and everything in between. I couldn't pick a better subject and guest for my final episode of this season.We chat about the life and legacy of a man who changed the way so many of us think about food, travel, people and the world.Bourdain was a complicated man. Brilliant and difficult, generous and self-destructive, fiercely curious about other people's lives while clearly wrestling with his own.Bourdain showed a generation of travellers that the real story of a place is often told at the table. He showed us that travel was not just about where you go, what you eat, or what you see. It was about who you meet, how you listen, and what you are willing to understand.To help explore his legacy, I am delighted to be joined by writer Brin-Jonathan Butler. Brin has written powerfully about Bourdain, including his acclaimed essay Giving Up the Ghost, which reflects not only on Bourdain's life and death, but also on identity, travel, fame, and what it means to spend your life searching for meaning in the world.Brin has also explored the life of Anthony on many episodes of his excellent podcast Tourist Information here https://open.spotify.com/show/5y2pjNDK8xxa00TotyE5rLWe talk about why Bourdain mattered, why he still does nearly a decade after his untimely passing, and why we shouldn't shy away from his darker side if we're going to tell the full story of his legacy.So, on Anthony Bourdain's birthday, we celebrate not just the man, but the legacy he left behind that continues to inspire travellers, writers, cooks and dreamers everywhere.This is the final episode of Season 9 of the podcast so please follow or subscribe to this podcast and you will be first to hear about Season 10 when it comes out. Fergal O’Keeffe is the host of Ireland’s No.1 award winning travel podcast Travel Tales with Fergal listened to in 140 countries worldwide. The podcast aims to share soul-lifting travel stories about daydream worthy destinations. For more information, photos and stories you can follow me onInstagram @traveltaleswithfergalFacebook @traveltaleswithfergalTwitter @FergalTravelYouTube @traveltaleswithfergal

My first guest in my new series “The Meals that Made Me” is Robbie McCauley, chef-proprietor of the Michelin-starred restaurant Homestead Cottage in Doolin, Co Clare in the west of Ireland.In this episode, Robbie shares five memorable meals that shaped his life and career from a Sunday lunch in Emilia-Romagna to a night market in Bangkok, a Christmas dinner in Burgundy in France, a Michelin-starred meal in London, and a deeply personal family lunch in the Italian countryside.In this new series I will be speaking to well-known chefs about the five meals that shaped them and stayed with them not just because of the food, but because of the place, the people and the memories around the table.Food has the ability to bring us back somewhere. A taste, a smell, a dish or a setting can transport us instantly to another country, another time in our lives, or to someone we love.This is a conversation about food, family, travel, ambition, memory and the emotional power of meals to bring us back to the people and places that shaped us.For more information on the Homestead Cottage go to https://homesteadcottage.com/Fergal O’Keeffe is the host of Ireland’s No.1 award winning travel podcast Travel Tales with Fergal listened to in 140 countries worldwide. The podcast aims to share soul-lifting travel stories about daydream worthy destinations. For more information, photos and stories you can follow me onInstagram @traveltaleswithfergalFacebook @traveltaleswithfergalTwitter @FergalTravelYouTube @traveltaleswithfergal

What do you get when you combine a prime Dublin city centre location, compact Scandi-inspired design, and Ireland's most ambitious sustainability credentials? The Wren Urban Nest — and this week, Fergal sits down with Phoebe Fairbairn, the General Manager behind one of Dublin's most talked-about boutique hotels.Tucked onto the former site of Andrews Lane Theatre, the Wren's 137 rooms sit steps from Temple Bar, Grafton Street and Trinity College — making it one of the best-located stays in the capital. But it's not just the postcode that sets it apart. The Wren is Ireland's first net zero carbon hotel, achieving that status without purchasing a single carbon offset.Phoebe shares what it's really like to run a hotel that walks the walk on sustainability, from 100% renewable energy and locally sourced everything to a kitchen that doesn't cook with gas.She also gives Fergal the insider's guide to Dublin — the kind of tips you won't find in a tourist brochure. Whether you're planning a Dublin trip or just love a great hospitality story, this one's worth settling in for.Fergal O’Keeffe is the host of Ireland’s No.1 award winning travel podcast Travel Tales with Fergal listened to in 140 countries worldwide. The podcast aims to share soul-lifting travel memoirs about daydream worthy destinations. For more information, phtoos and stories you can follow me onInstagram @traveltaleswithfergalFacebook @traveltaleswithfergalTwitter @FergalTravelYouTube @traveltaleswithfergal 

On this week’s episode of Travel Tales with Fergal, I’m joined by Chef Karl Wilder, co-founder of The Chef Tours, for a fascinating conversation about food tourism and the stories behind some of the world’s most iconic dishes.The Chef Tours offers small-group food and wine experiences in Seville, Paris, Buenos Aires, Istanbul, Berlin and Mexico City, with local chefs guiding guests to the hidden restaurants, secret bars and authentic flavours you won’t find on typical tourist routes.From the origins of the kebab, nachos, burritos and margaritas to the way food opens up the history and culture of a place, Karl brings insight, passion and plenty of great stories to this flavour-filled episode.For More Information on The Chef Tours go to https://thecheftours.comFergal O’Keeffe is the host of Ireland’s No.1 award winning travel podcast Travel Tales with Fergal listened to in 140 countries worldwide. The podcast aims to share soul-lifting travel memoirs about daydream worthy destinations. For more information, phtoos and stories you can follow me on Instagram @traveltaleswithfergalFacebook @traveltaleswithfergalTwitter @FergalTravelYouTube @traveltaleswithfergal