Deadly and destructive wildfires occurred throughout Europe and Asia Minor in July and August.
In Italy, fires in western Sardinia in late July burned more than 50,000 acres of land and caused more than 1,000 people to evacuate, including tourists. An olive tree believed to be more than 1,000 years old, which was the symbol of the village of Cuglieri, was one of the casualties of the fires.
Darwin’s Arch, a natural rock arch off the coast of Darwin Island in the Galápagos Islands, collapsed due to natural erosion on May 17, leaving behind two pillars now being called the Pillars of Evolution. Though the arch and Darwin Island are off limits to landings, the water surrounding the arch is a popular scuba diving spot.
While West Virginia (WV) conjured up grimy coal mines, a spontaneous car trip there in October 2016 showed us the opposite: warm, welcoming locals, lively music, creative craft shops, amazing scenery and even a famous luxury resort.
Guidebooks gush about the legendary beauty of northern Italy’s Lago Maggiore.
14 days, 13 nights. Departures June 19 & Aug. 14, 2022. Average 1-3 miles of walking a day; some uneven surfaces. Highlights: In Athens, Temple of Zeus, Arch of Hadrian, Acropolis/visit monastery at Meteora/climb Sacred Way of Delphi at Mt. Parnassus/Lion Gate at Mycenae/free time in Santorini, Mykonos/return to Athens. $5,795 ppdo. Insight Vacations (Rye, NY; 888/680-1241, www.insightvacations.com).
Visitors to the Indian Ocean island nation of Maldives can enter a resort bubble, allowing them full access to all of the facilities and activities at their resort while protecting the country’s general population.
While in a resort bubble, visitors are required to wear masks and social-distance in any indoor public space and also while participating in any guided or supervised activities. With prior permission, guests can stay in more than one bubble resort during their stay.
Turkish soldiers removed barriers at the abandoned Northern Cyprus resort town of Varusha on Oct. 8, 2020, allowing visitors in for the first time in 46 years. The town, once famous for its beaches and luxury hotels, is now mostly ruins. The entire town had been off-limits to visitors since Turkish soldiers invaded the island in 1974 and occupied the area.
8 days, 7 nights aboard expedition yacht M/V Legend. Highlights: Free day in Quito, ECUADOR/fly to Galápagos to board ship/on Santa Cruz, Sally Lightfoot crabs/South Plaza Island for blue-footed boobies, swallow-tailed gulls/on Santa Fe, land iguanas, sea turtles/on San Cristóbal, David Rodriguez Breeding Center for giant tortoises. All rates per person.
The Eastern Caribbean island of Anguilla now offers a “Vacation Bubble” for incoming travelers. Once travelers arrive, with the required negative COVID-19 tests and proof of full medical coverage, they are free to experience all of the activities offered at their resort and at other places in the “bubble,” including restaurants, tours and shops. Once in the bubble, no visitor is allowed to leave and interact with the general population of Anguilla.
