gtrekker

The BBC Profiles provide an economic, historical, and political overview, with a section on current leaders. The Profiles also list the media outlets, which include television and radio stations and the press.

Drift Away
Read Huck Finn, make a raft out of street trash and float down the Rhine. Sound good?

National Geographic's People and Places feature provides a short overview of the destination and include a Features section with related articles, photos, and videos, depending on the destination.

Travel + Leisure Magazine's guide to the greatest hotels worldwide as selected by its team of reporters and editors.

Weatherbase provides historical weather information such as "average number of day above 90," "average number of days with thunderstorms," and other similar types of data.

Up-to-date information provided by the State Department on matters such as passport and visa requirements, safety and security, crime, health and medical issues, any areas of instability, and the location of the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate. It also links to Travel Warnings for that country, if there is one.

From website: What do you think of when you think of Switzerland? Is it the dramatic landscapes and quaint country settings? Or is it the unique French, German and Italian cultural influences? Maybe it's the historic castles and heritage? Whatever it is, Switzerland has something special for you whether your idea of the perfect vacation is hiking in a world of breathtaking vistas or pampering yourself in the lap of luxury...click for website

Frommer's Forums are divided into countries, and all the messages relating to a country are presented in a list that makes it easy to browse through the topics.

Review site with hotel reviews and candid photos posted by users.

Concierge.com destinations guides include information on getting there, getting around, lodging, places to eat, see and do, ... etc. Although Concierge.com may not have as many hotel recommendations as some guide books, they provide hotel photos along with the recommendations. The destinations guides also have links to articles about the destination published by Concierge.com or Conde Nast Traveler.

Frommer's has put a substantial amount of content online, making Frommers.com a good resource for travel planning. The site is easy to navigate since all the destinations are organized by similar topics such as "Getting There," "Restaurants," and "Suggested Itineraries."

USA Today's Country Guides have information on topics such as Money, Health, Accommodations, Entertainment, Top Things To Do and See, Getting There, Getting Around, Climate, and Map. You can also select the topics you are interested in and create a mini guide that puts all the information on one page for easy reading.

From Conde Nast Traveler
Published October 2003
Adam Sachs's 46-city world tour (see Incredible Journey, Conde Nast Traveler, October 2003) is a cornucopia of travel intelligence. Below are the nuts and bolts for every bit of advice he doles out.
All room rates quoted are for the current month.

ANGUILLA
Temenos (264-222-9000; temenosvillas.com; villas, $20,000-$50,000 per week). ... click for full article

From Conde Nast Traveler
December 2006
The majestic, snow-dusted swiss alps dominate the floor-to-ceiling view from your balcony at Badrutt's Palace Hotel, which just opened this month for the winter season and is the center of the Engadine Valley's glitziest apres-ski action. During the last weekend in January, you'll also witness a curious scene on the frozen surface of the Lake of St Moritz, when some of the best international polo players compete in the Cartier Polo World Cup on Snow. ... click for full article

From Conde Nast Traveler
Published June 2004
Guy Martin's mission was James Bondian: To fly, drive, eat, sleep, talk, shop, and even ski his way around Europe, assiduously tracking who, in this age of antiterrorist vigilance, knew what about him, when they knew it, and how

New York's JFK, Terminal 7, British Airways counter, outbound to London Heathrow: The ticket agent swipes the machine-readable inside cover of my passport in the slot on her keyboard, then sniffs at the mainframe's response on her display. She swipes it again, checks my ticket, and furrows her brow. ... click for full article

From Conde Nast Traveler
Published November 2005
Hitting the slopes in the Alps can cost less than a ski vacation in the Rockies. Follow these guidelines for surprising values on schussing across Europe ... click for full article

From Conde Nast Traveler
Published April 2006
Great architecture doesn't just turn heads, it determines where we're heading. This year's seven show-stoppers range from the witty (Spain's Hotel Puerta America, designed by a dream team of "starchitects") and the sublime (Israel's Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum) to the provocative (Portugal's multifaceted Casa da Musica) and the awe-inspiring (Norway's spectacular new scenic lookout). Wherever they are, though, all prove one thing: If they build it, we will come ... click for full article

From Conde Nast Traveler
Published August 2007
Unrivaled access, special connections, destination savvy-these are just some of the tools each of these uber-agents can deploy to bring the most to your next big trip. In parsing the day-to-day events of an actual itinerary, Consumer News Editor Wendy Perrin demonstrates how the intuitive maneuvers of a great travel planner can turn any journey into a smoothly orchestrated, magical experience. ... click for full article