Features

View of Khiva, Uzbekistan, from the Khodja Minaret.
The chance to visit the legendary cities of the Silk Road finally arrives. The experience is worth the wait
A young panda.
A special tour offers an introduction to the local culture and cuisine plus the chance to get up close and personal with pandas
A people-to-people tour allows a chance to interact with the locals and see, firsthand, the efforts being made to restore the cityscape of Havana
The Sanctuary of Our Lady of Mellieha.
Surprised by the multitude of sights and activities on this Mediterranean island nation
Paul Lalli at breakfast on the terrace of “Miravista” in the Palazzo Antellesi, with the church of Santa Croce visible in the background.

by Julie Skurdenis; Contributing Editor

My husband, Paul, and I are in love with Florence. This Italian city beside the Arno River ranks high among our favorite cities. It’s a love affair that began more than three decades ago and has continued over more than a dozen trips. 

Palazzo living

Over the years, we’ve stayed in B&Bs, in modest, tourist-class hotels, in grand hotels and even, once, in a medieval tower apartment overlooking narrow, dark streets and the Ponte Vecchio. However, though Florence is a quintessential Renaissance city full...

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Campanario Hill — Bariloche, Argentina. Photos by Jean DeVinney
Waterfalls, volcanoes and mountain lakes — awed by the stunning scenery on a guided South American tour
Venice’s Grand Canal.
An overnight in Venice provides the opportunity to explore the 
city after the crowds have departed
Skipping the rough seas of the Drake Passage makes for a more enjoyable (and less expensive) way to see some of the astounding scenery of this ice-covered continent