Posts by Lechefrando

Two weeks is generally essential for traveling comfortably without spending all your days on the road.

Hi Laura, yes, it’s much more reasonable to do this trip in at least two weeks. But it’s always tricky—you want to see as much as possible without burning out, fit the trip into your schedule, and keep an eye on the budget! Not easy, but these are the kind of little hassles that are actually pretty enjoyable. Have a great day.

Hi Jean-Yves, I’ve noted that to see the falls, it’s necessary to arrive via Toronto, which I’d more or less already planned. Yes, I’d love the address of the hotel facing the falls—it must be amazing! On my way back up to Montreal, stopping by the Thousand Islands is part of my plan. As I already mentioned to Bauhaus, I’m heading to Spain (with the heatwave) at the end of the week, so I’ll have a hard time staying in touch for about two weeks. We’ll pick up our conversation again in early September. Thanks again for all your help. See you soon

Hi Jean, Thanks for your interest in helping me plan my trip. For now, I’m thinking Montreal deserves 3 days without rushing. I definitely want to see the Olympic Stadium and the Underground City. Beyond that, my friends and I will need to discuss—everyone’s tastes can be different! I’ll wait a bit before finalizing what we want to see, since my friends are currently on vacation and I’m heading back to Spain at the end of the week. We’ll pick up this conversation again in early September. Thanks also for your offer to help out while I’m there. See you on the forum!

Hello, Sorry to bother you—I saw that you’d been to Milan. If you remember the hotel where you stayed near the central station, I’d be interested. Thanks a lot!

Hi Isabel, sorry for the late reply—it’s the Ibis Hotel on Via Ruggero Boscovich. It’s good, central, clean, and not too expensive. Hope this helps!

Hi there, thanks for all the info, but unfortunately this trip was postponed due to recent events. Still, I’m really drawn to this country, and we’ll get back in touch next year if all goes well. In the meantime, we’re heading to Canada—totally different climate!!😉

Hi, Since you want to see Niagara Falls and the whales, you’d really benefit from planning 3 weeks to do everything. After that, make sure to crunch the numbers because if you pick up your rental car in Toronto and drop it off in Montreal, you’ll have drop-off fees to consider. For the flight ticket, check if it might be a bit more expensive than a standard round-trip. If you do a round-trip from Paris to Montreal, you could start with a loop: '''Montreal / Parc Omega / Ottawa / Niagara / Montreal''' and then do another loop: ''Montreal / Tadoussac / Parc du Bic / Montreal.'' Good prep!

Hi Jean-Yves, thanks for the quick reply too. Yeah, I know seeing everything would take 3 weeks, but unfortunately, I can’t go beyond 15 days, so I’ll have to make some choices. As for the flight tickets, flying into Toronto and out of Montreal—or doing a round-trip to Montreal—doesn’t change the price much. The main thing is figuring out the practicality and flight schedules based on the rest of the itinerary. Given that I’ve got limited time for this trip and can skip Ottawa and Parc Omega, what do you think would be the best way to structure this itinerary? I’ve still got time to think about it, but your advice and Bauhaus’s are really helpful.

Hi Jean, First of all, thank you for your quick reply. Yes, it’s clear I’m planning ahead for June 2027, but experience tells me that after several weeks of thinking about a trip’s itinerary, it really helps to "let it mature."

When it comes to the number of days and possible visits, it’s a tough choice! I’d love to see everything, but without traveling too many kilometers and keeping it under 15 days.

I’ve heard that in Montreal (a possible arrival or departure point), you don’t need a car—the city is perfectly doable using public transport. So if I spend 2 days visiting Montreal (is that enough?), do I head north or south, knowing I *really* want to see the falls—even if it’s super touristy—Quebec City, Tadoussac, and Charlevoix? For now, Ottawa isn’t part of this plan, and neither is Toronto unless you think otherwise. I’m also wondering if Gaspésie could fit into this itinerary.

That’s why I’m counting on your valuable advice. By the way, would it be possible for you to guide us around Montreal?

Hello, We’re a group of four active seniors (still in great shape!) and we’re planning to visit this part of Canada for the first time. We usually travel with a self-drive tour package that includes accommodations and site visits. Our trip is scheduled for June 2027, and we’d love some advice from the community on how many days we’ll need for this first visit, given the distances involved. We’d also appreciate any tips on our route, as we want to see the main highlights: Niagara Falls, Quebec City, Montreal, Charlevoix, whale watching, and more... We’ll be arriving either from Toronto and returning via Montreal, or the other way around—still deciding. Thanks in advance for your suggestions—they’ll be much appreciated!

Hi there, if I may, Crete is wilder, but not necessarily more beautiful! Personally, I prefer Menorca, but that’s just my totally subjective opinion!

Hi there, we're heading to Malta in two days with a couple of friends, and of course, we forgot to buy a guidebook to find all the practical info about the island—like bus network maps or good little restaurants, etc... After your visit in August, do you have any extra tips to share? If so, that’d be great—if not, thanks anyway for the trip summary that’s got us excited!

Hi Muriel, I’m replying to your post with a big delay—maybe your travel plans have already come and gone. Still, I can give you the name of a French agency based in Quito that’s really well organized, and on top of that, the "bosses" are super nice. If you choose this agency, say hi to Antoine, the boss, for me. It’s ITK Travel—you’ll find their contact details online. Happy travels

Hello, we’re two senior couples who often travel with a guide and driver. For this trip to Oman, though, we’d like (for various reasons) to have a fixed base and visit the must-sees with a local guide but on a hub-and-spoke basis. Do you think that’s possible, and what would be the best place to stay? We’ll be in Oman for 7 days in March 2026. Thanks in advance for your suggestions.

Hi Valérie, I can confirm that in April you’ll definitely have great temperatures around 25°C, though there might be a bit of rain at that time. But it’ll be quickly swept away by the ever-present wind on the island. And just to finish, Playa de la Arena is indeed near Los Gigantes, between Puerto Santiago and Alcalá. That’s not a bad thing—it’ll give you a chance to take a boat trip to Los Gigantes to admire the towering cliffs and dolphins. Have a great stay! JF

Hi! For the cable car descent, I’m pretty sure it’s not possible. Still worth double-checking, though. For the hike up, it seems you also need a permit. So, the best option is to go up and down by cable car and use your permit to reach the summit.

Despite all that, Teide is totally worth it—don’t forget to bundle up! !

Hi there, I just got back from Tenerife and I can assure you that you’ll be able to swim there in April—since I went for a dip in February! I know quite a few Greek islands (Santorini, Amorgos, Sifnos, Ikaria, etc.) where I went in June, and the sea wasn’t very warm yet. That said, I don’t know Rhodes, so I can’t really comment on it. Back to Tenerife—there’s plenty to see and do. Besides the almost mandatory ascent of Teide (Spain’s highest peak at 3,700m, either on foot or more comfortably by cable car), you can visit charming villages like Masca and San Andrés, explore the capital Santa Cruz and see its beautiful cathedral, Plaza de España, and the African market... In La Candelaria, check out the Basilica and stroll along the seafront while admiring the statues of Tenerife’s first kings. The week will fly by—maybe too fast!

Hi Martine, another suggestion: get in touch with Antoine, the French boss at ITK TRAVEL—he’ll be able to give you some great tips.

Hi, it's hard to answer your question! It's too broad. In fact, in southern Spain, there's almost everything to see: Andalusia, Granada, Seville, Cadiz, the white villages, etc... On the other hand, since I'm not a golfer, I don't know what to suggest!!

Hi Catherine, thanks for your message. I see you live in Milan, so I’ll ask my grandson to follow your advice—strolling around the Isola district and stopping by the "authentic" Frida. Thanks again.

Hi Michel, thanks for your reply.

Okay, I’m making progress: Transavia booking done for Milan Malpensa, where I’ll probably take the bus to the city center. I think I know the terminus is Milano Centrale; that works out well since I’ve booked the hotel just a stone’s throw away, on Via Ruggero Boscovich.

For must-see sights, I’ll obviously do the Duomo, the Pinacoteca, Castello Sforzesco, and the Museum of Science and Technology. I’ve also planned a little trip to the park to see Tre Torri.

For wandering the streets and choosing restaurants, I’ll leave that to my grandson.

By the way, I haven’t checked if all these monuments are open during the Easter weekend!? I’ll get on that right away.

Hi Michel, and thanks for all the details about Leonardo da Vinci’s painting. I also noted the neighborhoods to see and where to stroll.

About hotels and restaurants—any leads? If not, no worries, I trust my grandson to find some great tips on social media.