Tom Bartel

Kris takes in the K'alyaan Pole. At 35 feet (10.6 meters) tall, it commands the clearing where the Tlingit Sapling Fort once stood. Standing beside it gives you a sense of scale that photographs from a distance simply can't convey. Until recently, Alaska was the one state Kris and I had not visited. So when we finally made it to the Inside Passage with American Cruise Lines, Sitka was clearly an important stop.

The iconic tableau of Plaza Mayor, with the statue of King Felipe III and the stunning murals on the walls in the background. The Plaza is lined with shops and restaurants and is a good start to get a real taste of Madrid. Our essential Madrid combines the memories and emotions recalled when we see a favorite painting in the Prado for the tenth time. It is the friends we made long ago.

A detail of the ceiling of the Basilica of Saint Peter in Rome. Unless you stop and look up, you'll miss it. Italy rewards the traveler who takes it slow. After multiple visits across more than five decades, Italy is firmly ensconced – along with Spain – as our favorite European country. We've both studied there. Kris spent a college term in Florence and I spent an entire summer there when I was nearly 50 studying Latin with the Pope's Latin secretary.