Dear Globetrotter:

It is in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic that I welcome you to this, the 531st issue of International Travel News, and, boy, have things changed since a month ago!

The outbreak of the novel coronavirus COVID-19, which was identified in Wuhan, Hubei province, China, in December, was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization on March 11. As of press time, the virus had spread to 212 countries and territories.

President Trump, after...

Last month, I presented the first batch of the On-the-Road Travel Tips (and my own comments, where appropriate) from readers responding to a request in my January 2020 column. In the spirit of continued sharing of travel wisdom, I invite you to keep them coming.

Applying to anything that makes your travel experience work better for you while actually traveling, your travel tip (in 125 words or fewer) can involve luggage, clothing, electronic devices, transportation, accommodation,...

For me, libraries are the great equalizer. Whether you're rich or poor, powerful or not, when you walk into a library you realize how small you are compared to the wealth of human activity contained on those shelves. The grand libraries of Europe offer travelers the chance to connect with books and documents that changed the course of history -- and to bask in impressive, ornate interiors that reflect the tremendous importance of books in earlier centuries.

One of the...