New York Times makes old travel articles available for free

There's a 95 percent chance Senior Editor Christine Sarkis is thinking about travel right now. Follow her on Instagram @postcartography and Twitter @ChristineSarkis.

Christine Sarkis is an SATW-award-winning journalist and executive editor at SmarterTravel. Her stories have also appeared on USA Today, Conde Nast Traveler, Huffington Post, and Business Insider. Her advice has been featured in dozens of print and online publications including The New York Times, Conde Nast Traveler, and People magazine. She has also shared travel tips on television and radio shows including Good Morning America, Marketplace, and Here & Now. Her work has been published in the anthologies Spain from a Backpack and The Best Women's Travel Writing 2008. She is currently working on a travel memoir.

The Handy Item I Always Pack: The Trtl Pillow. It's easy to pack and comfortable, and makes it so I can actually sleep on flights.

Ultimate Bucket List Experience: Seeing the Aurora Borealis from the comfort of somewhere warm, like a glass igloo or hot spring.

Travel Motto: Curiosity is an amazing compass.

Aisle, Window, or Middle Seat: Aisle all the way.

Email Christine Sarkis at editor@smartertravel.com.

See recent posts by Christine Sarkis

Recently, the New York Times did something that made my life a whole lot easier. It stopped charging for access to its archives, which means that in this blog, when I see a great New York Times travel article on a destination I think you all might be interested in, I can link to it and not worry that if you don’t click on the link within the first few weeks, you won’t be able to read the article.

In celebration, I want to point out an article about natural spas close to Rome in Italy. I’m always on the lookout for ideas beyond the big cities (and Tuscany), and this fits the bill perfectly, since the springs are convenient to Rome, but not actually in the city.

Some of the spas are free, while others charge a membership fee that goes towards maintenance. The experience isn’t for everyone; to embrace the experience you’ve got to be cool with the eggy sulfur smell of the springs and the prevalence of Speedos, but for the hardy, it sounds like a fantastic way to experience a slice of Italian life.

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