Check out this exceptional article in The Trib. The European travel guru highlights major changes and trends he's noticed in updating the new "Europe Through the Back Door" and other guidebooks. Planning a trip to Versailles? It's undergoing major renovations from 2006-2010. (Who knew? Rick Steves is the man.) Dreaming Dalmatia?

A new expressway and a sleek new "tilting train" with banked tracks connect Zagreb to Split in six hours or less, and budget flights remain a viable option. A speedy new catamaran also now connects Split to the popular Croatian island Koreula four mornings each week.

And the biggest news for 2006: Germany's hosting the June World Cup Soccer Tournament. (Get cracking on reserving your hotel rooms!)