Welcome to issue 556 of ITN, the second with the new team. We continue to be amazed by how far our readers roam. Your reports and articles arrive from all corners of the globe, and each one approaches travel from its own angle. You seek cultural and culinary experiences, dive into a destination’s history, and delight in sharing discoveries with family and friends. 
Nili Olay’s appreciation for classical music and opera come through in her story about a Great Performances tour; the Eschbachs shine a light on Tasmania’s past as a penal colony; readers feel like they’re on Fred Steinberg’s Balkans river cruise, and the Dillons provide an informative account of visiting the Stans, crucially relaying why they chose the tour they did and the border-crossing hurdles they encountered. Among other reports in Travelers’ Intercom, don’t miss Patti Kelly’s story about spending 19 days in Mongolia with her grandson.
Our columnists also bring their points of view to their stories. Karen LeBlanc, whose program The Design Tourist is streaming and will be on PBS soon, introduces us to artists and fashion designers in Cuba. Margaret Swaine takes us to some lesser-visited countries in Africa, and Colin Miner shares his experience visiting the Vatican Museums with low vision. Colin’s article is a fascinating look at how he engaged with one of the world’s greatest collections in ways many of us have never considered. And when you’re doing travel research, if you want to skirt content from influencers (we see a lot of you nodding), Craig Stoltz has some useful tips for you.
Thank you to everyone who reached out to subscribe. If any subscription questions or problems arise, please contact us at subscriptions@intltravelnews.com and we will sort them out.
We appreciate your patience as we adjust to the new rhythm of putting out a magazine every month. Our inboxes are filling up with enthralling stories (but keep them coming – we have a lot of pages to fill!). We can’t wait to read your stories ourselves and share them with your fellow subscribers.
