Columns

February 2019 issue | Appears on page 2

Brexit outlook. Delay-compensation claims against Ryanair. Ryanair and seat selection.
By David Tykol
Interior of the Cathedral & Collegiate Church of St Saviour & St Mary Overie, since 1905 known as Southwark Cathedral, whose construction began in 1839 — London.

Dear Globetrotter:

Welcome to the 516th issue of your monthly foreign-travel magazine. With this issue, we have been publishing for 43 full years!

Covering destinations outside of the US and its territories, ITN is a participatory publication. We print articles, letters and photos sent in by our subscribers, people who enjoy traveling. That provides most of the content in each issue.

Your subscribing and encouraging other travelers to give ITN a try makes it possible...

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February 2019 issue | Appears on page 43

Traveling ultralight
By Mark Gallo
Clockwise from top: Garment folder, Cargo Hauler duffel, self-stowing Matador backpack and stacked packing cubes. Photos by Mark Gallo

I've got a theory about how we pack for travel. What we pack and how much we pack are often a result of one's travel experience and age.

As a twenty-something on my first trip to Europe in 1981, I packed everything I thought I needed for five weeks in Greece and Turkey into a carry-on-size soft piece of luggage with grab handles and a shoulder strap but no wheels.

I had several shirts, a pair of shorts, underwear, socks, a hat, a wind shell and a razor with shaving...

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February 2019 issue | Appears on page 46

The Gardens below Prague Castle
By Yvonne Michie Horn
View of the pond in the Wallenstein Gardens — Prague. Photos by Yvonne Michie Horn

I've long thought that the best city transportation is a pair of comfortable shoes. That was certainly true of Prague, a most walkable city, allowing me to hotfoot it through its historic Old Town Square, pushing my way through pretzel hawkers and throngs following umbrella-toting tour guides and past bike bars pedal-powered by beer guzzlers. I was on my way this May 2018 day to a Prague of serenity, the Gardens below Prague Castle.

Wallenstein Gardens

As I crossed the...

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February 2019 issue | Appears on page 47

The Geografile
By Bryan Henry

China spans more than 60 degrees of longitude but has only one time zone.

February 2019 issue | Appears on page 48

Beyond the blockbusters: Discovering remote sites in Europe
By Rick Steves
A footpath is all that connects Italy’s Civita di Bagnoregio to the “mainland.” Photos by Dominic Arizona Bonuccelli

In my early days as a guidebook writer, Europe's undiscovered nooks and undeveloped crannies held the most appeal for me, and they still do. But with ever-more sophisticated travelers armed with enough time and money to see the Europe of their dreams, places I "discovered" a few decades ago are now suffering from Back Door congestion.

Given that, I've come to treasure even more those destinations that still have the feeling of a world apart. Away from the tourist...

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February 2019 issue | Appears on page 49

Prehistoric sentinels of Corsica
By Julie Skurdenis
The central mound, with statue-menhirs, at the megalithic site of Filitosa in Corsica, France. Photos by Julie Skurdenis

At the base of a small mound overlooking a valley in southwestern Corsica lie fragments of upright stones called menhirs (from the Brittonic words men, meaning "stone," and hir, meaning "long").

Just above them on a stone wall that was once part of a prehistoric settlement stand more menhirs. They are unique. Each has the outline of a face etched on the top part of the stone. With sightless eyes, these statue-menhirs have stood for more than 3,000 years. They are...

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January 2019 issue | Appears on page

Beyond the blockbusters: Discovering remote sites in Europe
By Rick Steves
A footpath is all that connects Italy’s Civita di Bagnoregio to the “mainland.” Photo by Dominic Arizona Bonuccelli

In my early days as a guidebook writer, Europe's undiscovered nooks and undeveloped crannies held the most appeal for me -- and they still do. But with ever more sophisticated travelers armed with enough time and money to see the Europe of their dreams, places I "discovered" a few decades ago are now suffering from Back Door congestion.

Given that, I've come to treasure even more those destinations that still have the feeling of a world apart....

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January 2019 issue | Appears on page

Scotland's majestic Isle of Skye
By Rick Steves
Portree, the largest town on the Isle of Skye, is nestled deep in its protective harbor, where colorful homes look out over bobbing boats and the surrounding peninsulas. Photo by Dominic Arizona Bonuccelli

Scotland's islands may be distant fringes, but those who venture to them are richly rewarded with dramatic landscapes, a rich heritage, and a warm welcome. Among Scotland's countless islands, the favorite among travelers is the scenic Isle of Skye, with its narrow, twisty roads winding around the island in the shadows of craggy, bald mountains, and a coastline ruffled with peninsulas and sea lochs.

Just off the northwest coast, Skye is the country's second-...

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