ITALIAN PLEASURES: ENJOY A VILLA VACATION (PAGE 100)
For travelers in search of an authentic cultural experience, who want to truly connect with a country and absorb its inner life, National Geographic Traveler has the perfect solution: rent an Italian villa. It costs a fraction of the price of a hotel stay for a family and is a great way to avoid prepackaged “canned travel.” (See Editor’s Note, page 8.) Traveler helps you live la dolce vita with tips on renting that villa of your dreams.

• Start Early—Reserve your villa at least six months in advance to avoid getting the leftovers.
• Choosing Your Destination—France and Italy are the most popular villa destinations, and Anguilla and St. Barts are also hot. You may want to skip the trendiest areas like the Riviera, Provence and Tuscany for not-so-well-known regions such as Dordogne in France or Veneto in Italy, which are often less crowded and cheaper.
• Decide What You Want—A quaint country cottage or a grand estate? A villa near a city or out in the sticks? Want a maid or chef? Be realistic when making your decisions and understand that you may not get all the modern conveniences of home, like air-conditioning.
• What You Should Spend—A reasonable rental should be less than $100 per bedroom, per night—much cheaper than a hotel.
• Use a Broker—You can find one online or call Italy’s tourism office for recommendations. Grill your broker on the details—ask to speak to a previous renter, request to see multiple photos and ask for a written confirmation before leaving home.

ETHNIC NEIGHBORHOODS: BEYOND LITTLE ITALY (PAGE 118)
One out of every 10 people living in the United States was born in a foreign country. There is an explosion of new ethnic neighborhoods thriving in North America that reflect our growing diversity. These culture clusters give travelers a delicious taste of the exotic close to home. National Geographic Traveler profiles Toronto’s Little India, Los Angeles’ Korea Town, Chicago’s Pilsen/Little Village and more. The article provides tips on where to eat and shop, how to get around, and features neighborhood “must sees” in order to enjoy the full experience.

22 GREAT PARIS HOTELS FOR LESS THAN $100 (PAGE 62)
Trés cheap...so chic. Staying in Paris doesn’t have to be outrageously expensive. In a special section, National Geographic Traveler scours the city and finds 22 great hotels for less than $100 a night. The article cites hotels from six well-known areas of Paris, including the Latin Quarter, Louvre-Madeleine and Montmartre. All the hotels are comfortable, clean and within 20 minutes, via metro, of the city center.

GRAND CANYON: AN INSIDER’S GUIDE TO THE NATIONAL PARK (PAGE 108)
Part two of National Geographic Traveler’s series of national park guides features Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona. This 10-page trip planner includes visitor information, detailed maps, photos, statistics, history and advice from a panel of experts on the best adventures to be found in the park. So, travel narrow canyon trails on mule-back and watch the nearly extinct condors soar on the thermals, bike along the new greenway trail system or check out the sunset from Desert View.

THREE TIPS TO MAKE YOU A SMARTER TRAVELER (PAGE 24)
National Geographic Traveler’s Editor-at-Large Peter Greenberg has three hot tips to make your hotel stay a good one:

• Ask the front desk how close your room is to any construction or renovation activity. Most hotels have an ongoing cycle of construction, with at least one floor being renovated or repaired at any given time. You don’t want to be anywhere near those floors unless you want a jackhammer to serve as your wake-up call.
• The mini-bar is not your friend, often tempting you into paying a price-gouging $6 for a small bottle of Diet Coke. Have the bellman clear out the mini-bar. That leaves room for all your favorite drinks and munchies (purchased at a nearby convenience store).
• When hotels ask for an imprint of your credit card, don’t give them your MasterCard or Visa, even if you intend to pay with it. Hotels block anywhere from $200 to $2,000 for every night of your stay. If you use a card with a spending limit, these blocks could max out your credit line, resulting in your card being declined the next time you use it. Instead, when checking in, use an American Express or Diner’s Club card, which have no set limits. Then, when checking out, ask the clerk to tear up the card imprint and pay with the card of your choice.

Founded in 1984, National Geographic Traveler, a 1999 National Magazine Award finalist, is the flagship travel magazine of the National Geographic Society. It reaches 4.5 million readers worldwide. The magazine’s Web site (www.nationalgeographic.com/traveler) features the highlights of each issue plus a wealth of supplementary information to help travelers on their way. As a new service to travelers, National Geographic has teamed up with iExplore to offer a one-stop online service where travelers can research and book trips, including the popular National Geographic Expedition adventures. The Web site is iexplore.nationalgeographic.com.

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