Travel Tales with Fergal

In Part 2 of this special road-trip edition, I am once again joined by travel writer Conor Power.After exploring the Spanish and French Basque Country in Part 1, the journey now continues across France to Sète, a fascinating Mediterranean port city built around canals and the vast Étang de Thau lagoon.Conor shares his experiences of Sète and the surrounding area, including its colourful history, beautiful waterfront, long sandy beaches, seafood and one of the region’s most important industries, oyster farming.They also visit the charming port town of Marseillan, home of Noilly Prat vermouth, and explore some of the culture that makes Sète distinctive, from its famous water-jousting tradition and street art to celebrated French singer-songwriter Georges Brassens.Conor has written extensively about Sète and the communities around the lagoon, and in this episode he tells us what makes this part of southern France so special.From the Basque Country to the Mediterranean coast, this is a very different side of France and a destination well worth discovering. This is another episode showing what is possible when you take Brittany Ferries to continental Europe, bring your own car and make the road trip part of the adventure.For information on Brittany Ferries go to https://www.brittany-ferries.ie/booking/tripUseful Links:-         herault-tourisme.com is the official tourism website for the French department of Hérault, covering all the towns and areas mentioned.-         marseillan-tourisme.com is the official tourism site of Marseillan-         archipel-thau.com is a website focusing on Sète and the towns around the Étang de Thau.-         sete-croisieres.com allows you to book very reasonably-priced trips around the town’s waterways on an electric-powered boat, with great commentary with instant English translation.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 Part 1 of this special two-part edition, I am joined by travel writer Conor Power to explore the Basque Country across northern Spain and south-western France.We share highlights from Bilbao, the beautiful coastal towns of Lekeitio and San Sebastián and the French Basque Country, while Conor brings his own experiences and recommendations from travelling extensively in the region including the capital Vitoria-Gasteiz. Expect stunning Atlantic coastline, historic towns, beaches, pintxos, seafood, dramatic scenery and a strong sense of Basque culture and identity. They also discuss just how much of northern Spain and south-western France can be explored when you arrive in Bilbao in your own car with Brittany Ferries. This is a great episode for anyone considering a ferry and road trip adventure through this part of Europe.Part 2 continues the journey into France, including Sète in the Occitanie region.For information on Brittany Ferries go to https://www.brittany-ferries.ie/booking/trip 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

I am delighted to have Irish travel writer Deirdre Mullins to talk about one of the most spectacular walking routes in Europe, the Rota Vicentina.This is the second of my two-part special from Alentejo, a region of Portugal that really surprised me.In Part One, we explored some of the food, wine, towns and landscapes that make Alentejo such a special part of Portugal. Deirdre spent four days walking sections of both the peaceful inland Historical Way and the dramatic coastal Fishermen’s Trail, covering around 70 kilometres through cork forests, quiet villages, sandy beaches and along wild Atlantic cliffs.Deirdre tells us about her highlights of the walk, the toughest sections, where she stayed and ate, the difference between the two trails and why Alentejo still feels refreshingly peaceful and undiscovered.We also explore why walking can completely change the way you experience a destination, giving you the chance to slow down, notice the landscape and enjoy the journey rather than simply getting from one place to another.Read Deirdre’s RTÉ Travel article, Rota Vicentina: The Portuguese hike to add to your bucket list, here https://www.rte.ie/lifestyle/travel/2026/0608/1577392-rota-vicentina-the-portuguese-hike-to-add-to-your-bucket-list/For more information on Alentejo go to https://www.visitalentejo.pt/enFor More infomation of the walking routes go to https://rotavicentina.com/enFergal 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

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