In the April 2004 Issue

FEATURES

50

India's Royal Style
Admit it: You've always wanted to live like a maharajah. The state of Rajasthan fulfills the fantasy with palace hotels, gem-shopping, and tiger-watching. Plus: A list of palace hotels perfect for pampering. By Paul Martin. Photographs by Steve McCurry.

64

Insider's Chicago
Windy City locals reveal their favorites: classic bars, ethnic restaurants, top shops, and all that jazz. Plus: A foldout guide to three lively Chicago 'hoods. By Andrew Nelson. Photographs by John Kernick.

80

France's Faraway Isle
Experience Corsica's distinct soul through its dramatic landscapes, authentic cuisine, and proud culture. By Mark Miller. Photographs by Bob Krist.

90

The Long Run
Part 2: Canadians really are nice. Or so we discover as the ultimate road trip—from Fairbanks to Miami—winds its way through the Canadian Rockies. By Mel White.

102

The Color of Santa Fe
The buildings may be uniformly adobe-hued, but New Mexico's capital has a polychromed spirit all its own. By Pat J. Kelly. Photographs by Catherine Karnow.

TravelWise Trip-Planning Guides
India: How to get around, etiquette for visiting temples, and tips on shopping for Indian treasures, p. 62. Corsica: When to go, how to get there, great hiking trails, and stops on a Napoléon tour, p. 89. The Long Run: Useful websites for the Canadian Rockies, handy guidebooks, and an overview map, p. 100. Santa Fe: The lowdown on turquoise, a list of the best local spas, and a top chef's choice picks, p. 112.

DEPARTMENTS

6

Editor's Note
Current events, new features, and more.

8

Travel Talk
Letters from our readers.

10

Smart Traveler
European Planner: what the 2004 EU expansion means for travelers, an Eastern Europe sampler, what's doing in Old Europe, Swedish inns, A-List travel deals • Smart Sydney souvenirs • The rundown on jet lag remedies • Denver's revived Highlands neighborhood.

30

Real Travel
Feeling guilty about the shopping spree on your last trip? Great buys often end up telling the best travel stories. By Daisann Mclane.

34

Travel Watch
Authentic Praia do Forte on Brazil's Coconut Coast • The connection between jets and global warming. By Jonathan B. Tourtellot.

35

Local Color
With glitterati preening on its fine-sand beaches, the island of Sylt is Germany's version of Saint-Tropez. By Klaus Liedtke.

40

48 Hours
Mega hotels, song-and-dance spectacles, high-end nosh, and inescapable casinos all put the viva in Las Vegas. By George W. Stone.

46

Place of a Lifetime: Martha's Vineyard
When "on island," a best-selling novelist finds a summer haven of lobster shacks, lazy beaches, and starry skies. By Bebe Moore Campbell.

121

Trips
Lighthouse inns: Wales, Rhode Island, Newfoundland, California, Australia • Dispatch: Peru • What's new in Copenhagen • WorldWise quiz: lakes and rivers.

128

Parting Shot
The issue's most memorable photo.