Features

September 2014 issue | Appears on page 20

Living like a royal in Florence, Italy
By Julie Skurdenis
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,...

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September 2014 issue | Appears on page 36

Lavish palaces, luxurious city sights and lots more during six days in Dubai
By Joyce Bruck
The Dubai skyline as seen from the mouth of Dubai Creek.

by Joyce Bruck; Ocean Ridge, FL

After spending eight days in the Sultanate of Oman, I traveled on to spend six days in Dubai. The airport in Dubai was so big, it reminded me of Miami International, including the long lines at Passport Control. 

My hotel, the Riviera (Baniyas Rd.), arranged for transportation from the airport by a van ($15), so the driver was waiting for me at the other side of Immigration. As a United States citizen, I did not have to pay a fee for the...

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September 2014 issue | Appears on page 50

An inspired visit to Colombia’s Coffee Zone, Caribbean coast and capital city
By Marv and Carole Feldman
Marv Feldman in Bogotá’s Plaza de Bolívar.

by Marv and Carole Feldman; Jacksonville, Florida

One of the reasons we love International Travel News is that it is full of wonderful stories about people, like us, who take unusual and interesting trips. We were inspired by Dorothy Van Horn’s story (in the March 2013 issue) about her trip to Panama and Colombia. It was Colombia in which we were really interested — we had been to Panama several times — so off to Colombia we flew. 

Beginning...

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August 2014 issue | Appears on page 6

Discovering a destination worth devoting some time to on a first-time visit to the Mediterranean island of Malta
By Judith Anshin
The Sanctuary of Our Lady of Mellieha.
Surprised by the multitude of sights and activities on this Mediterranean island nation
August 2014 issue | Appears on page 20

A rewarding trek to see Rwanda’s mountain gorillas
By Marvin Silverman
The thumb you see in the lower right corner belongs to one of this gorilla’s friends, who was grooming him, an activity that occupies a good deal of their time.
The extraordinary effort it takes to get up close and personal with mountain gorillas proves to be worth every soggy, slippery step
August 2014 issue | Appears on page 38

Experiencing the joys of French living on a 4-week immersion program in Montpellier
By Claudia Dantoin
At one of Montpellier’s most popular street cafés, a band played while people dined outside.
A young traveler discovers the excitement of living like a local on a month-long learning vacation in Montpellier
August 2014 issue | Appears on page 50

Tigers, temples and, of course, the Taj Mahal on an affordable tour of northern India
By Karen Wells
The eighth-century step well at Abhaneri included a Hindu temple.

by Karen Wells; Traverse City, MI

Our April 2014 tour with Gate 1 Travel (Fort Washington, PA; 800/682-3333), the 15-day “Classic India with Ranthambore,” was one of our best travel bargains. My husband, John, and I paid $2,012 per person, including international flights from Chicago.

The first two days were committed to getting there, with about 20 hours on Swiss via Zürich and a total time change of 9½ hours (from EDT). As promised, a Gate 1...

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July 2014 issue | Appears on page 6

Finding fabulous sights and photo ops galore on a return visit to Bhutan
By Steven Emmet
The Punakha Dzong, the second largest in Bhutan.
Reuniting with a friend for a private journey including temple visits, festivals and memorable mountain passes