#rural-hospitality

#rural-hospitality

When the Romans pushed over the Alps 2,000 years ago into the area between Lörrach on Germany's southern border with Switzerland, and Pforzheim to the north, they named the moody glades of deciduous trees and firs the silva nigra: the black forest. In many ways, though, the Schwarzwald, as the Germans call it, isn't dark at all. Guests on the terrace of the Romantik Hotel Spielweg in the Southern Black Forest gaze up at the white vapour trails left by planes crisscrossing

At São Lourenço do Barrocal, a whitewashed estate dotted with olive trees in Alentejo, Portugal, peak season has always been summer. But visit when it's cooler and you'll find that the farm-style rooms have cozy throws and windows with shutters, perfect for wintry nights. In the spring, wildflowers blanket the property, and in the fall, the olive harvest begins. As Mediterranean heat waves become more commonplace and summer crowds continue to grow, travelers are catching on to São Lorenço's all-season charms.