Travel Tidbits

 In western Ukraine, the island-town of Kamyanets-Podilsky is a genuine geographic wonder. The old town is on an island with a river that loops almost completely around it. Cliffs rise on both sides of the river, thus the town itself is a natural fortress. It is full of old, decaying structures and only now is getting the attention it deserves. Across the Turkish Bridge, which spans the river ravine, is the town’s 14th-century fortress. — BERNARD BERICH, Philadelphia, PA

On our March visit to Rome, there was a line six or seven blocks long to get into the Vatican Museum as early as 7 a.m., but we found that if we held off until 1:30 or 2:00 the wait in line was reduced to 10 minutes. By then, the bus and cruise tours were gone, yet we still had a couple of hours to visit. (The museum closes at 6, with last entry at 4.) — SCOTT PINCKNEY, Fairfax, VA

Of all the food I tried in Rome, the pizza was the most interesting experience. The crust is quite different from that of the pizza we eat in the U.S. — thin and flaky, more like a cracker or a four tortilla than bread dough, and much less filling than what I’m used to. Another Roman food highlight — the high quality of the fruits and vegetables everywhere I went. — PAT BLAKESLEE, Carpinteria, CA

My wife, Margi, and I spent an afternoon walking on Wawel Hill in Kraków, Poland, in August ’07. Below Wawel Hill is a metal dragon statue which, if text messaged (yes, that’s right), will belch forth fire! It is supposed to live in a cave under the castle. — DUSTY MILLER, Worcester, MA

My wife, Barbara, and I were on Oceania Cruises’ m.s. Regatta in December ’07, thoroughly enjoying a cruise that took us to many of the smaller Caribbean islands, then up the Amazon to Manaus, Brazil, and back to Miami. This smaller ship (652 passengers on board, though it can hold 684) has many features that make it very attractive. — DON SEARLES, San Diego, CA