When we think of ghost towns, we think of the "Old West" in the United States, but Portugal has its share of unique places that have been abandoned over the centuries. Here is a quick guide to the most interesting ghost towns in Portugal:

+++The Lost Valley of Arouce is about 2 hours north of Lisbon in the Beiras/Centro de Portugal Region. Here you will find the ruins of a castle that once defended the tiny village of Arouce. The village is now overgrown with trees, its houses gone or mere remnants. The castle is now just a small keep(?), and a circular wall of brown, slate tiles. It sits on a hill, surrounded by mountains. According to legend, the castle was built by "King Arouce", who fled into this hidden valley with his daughter when barbarians overran the city of Conimbriga in the 4th century. Portugal later emerged as its own nation in the 12th century, and the town and castle of Arouce lost their importance. The valley fell silent and Arouce was gone by 1513, veiled in mystery and myth. Arouce is outside the quaint town of Lousă and is just one of many tiny villages abandoned now, but once dotting the Serra da Lousă landscape.

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Maastricht, The Netherlands » Over the past 20 years The European Fine Art Fair (TEFAF), which will be held in the Dutch city of Maastricht from March 9 – 18, 2007, has transformed itself from a comparatively modest show into one of the most important events in the international art market calendar.

In 2007 TEFAF will open its doors for the 20th time under that name at the Maastricht Exhibition and Congress Centre (MECC) when 218 of the world’s leading dealers will exhibit art and antiques worth about $1 billion.

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Ben Gurion International Airport, Israel» Israel’s vast new international airport terminal is located virtually midway between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem on a grand scale and a marvel of unique design.

What sets the new Ben Gurion International Airport apart from dozens of other new airport terminals around the globe is its singular sense of place. Where most new airports are concoctions of steel and concrete, this airport is fashioned from creamy Jerusalem limestone and glass. Frankfurt airport has its sex shops, Las Vegas airport has slot machines, London’s airports have Harrods. What distinguishes Ben Gurion International Airport is its towering interior walls into which are cemented glorious sixth century Byzantine mosaics discovered during the airport’s construction, as well as in Bet Shean and Caesarea.

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New York- November 8, 2006 » Mahua Kothi - the first in a series of Indian safari lodges under the joint auspices of Conservation Corporation Africa (CC Africa) and Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces - opened last week in central India’s Bandhavgarh National Park, home to one of India’s highest density tiger populations. The name, “Mahua”, is derived from one of India's most beautiful trees, the Madhuca Indica or butter tree, with “Kothi” meaning homestead.

The inspiration behind the design of Mahua Kothi is the local architectural style with its traditional, handmade clay-tile low slung roofs. “This vernacular lends itself perfectly to the CC Africa / Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces’ core ethos of leaving a light footprint,” says CC Africa’s Creative Director Chris Browne, “as the building materials are organic and the work was undertaken using the ancient methods of local tradition.”

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