Montreal and Quebec city

 

The French-speaking provinces are not to be missed on a trip to the Eastern side of Canada. 

Quebec City, with its landmark Chateau Frontenac overlooking the St Lawrence River, has a distinctly European feel and is small enough to wander around on foot, exploring the Old Town, art markets and enjoying the views.

Montreal is a much more vibrant and modern city. Cirque du Soleil was born on the streets of Montreal and street performers are a common site. There is plenty to see & do, so allow at least 3 or 4 days to properly experience the city. 

What to do:

Quebec City

• Old Town - a UNESCO heritage site, visit the old town by taking the funicular from beside Chateau Frontenac, wander the narrow streets and enjoy one of the many restaurants or cafes.
• Plains of Abraham - a huge urban park which was the site of the 1979 Battle of Quebec.
• Montmorency Falls - just a short drive from downtown Quebec City, the falls can be accessed by a cable car or walking trail, leading to a bridge over the falls.
• Ile d'Orleans - if you have a car, the drive over the impressive bridge to Ile d'Orleans is well worth it. The island is made up of 6 'villages' and can be driven around in about an hour, and there are plenty of interested spots to stop along the way. Call in at local cheese makers, artist studios, or stop for a coffee and enjoy the views.

Montreal

• Place d'Armes - wander round this beautiful square and take in the magnificent buildings surrounding it, including Montreal's oldest bank, first skyscraper and the Basilique de Notre Dame.
• Old Port - sitting alongside the St. Lawrence River, this is the perfect area for a river-side walk, to watch or take a boat cruise, and enjoy a meal at one of the many eateries
• Parc du Mont-Royal - designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, the designer of New York's Central Park, Parc du Mont-Royal is a sprawling park enjoyed by cyclists and joggers, or those wanting to take in panoramic views of the city.
• Parc Olympique & Montreal Biodome - take the funicular up to the top of the 1976 Olympic Stadium, then walk round to the Biodome and experience different habitats from around the world.

Ontario, Canada

Canada's capital is perhaps one of the most underrated of Canada's cities and often missed in favour of the more visited cities of Toronto and Vancouver. Ottawa is well worth a visit - it is a surprisingly beautiful and walkable city, with so much to see & do.

A hop-on-hop-off bus tour is a great way to start off a visit to Ottawa and get to grips with all that is in & around this vibrant city.

What to do:

Parliament Hill Home of Canada's parliament, the Parliament buildings make an impressive sight. Tours can be booked and, through the summer months, an evening light show projects images onto the buildings.

Confederation Square & Park Dominated by Canada's National War Memorial, Confederation Square is a ceremonial site containing the tomb of the unknown soldier. Beside this is the lovely Confederation park, with statues and fountains to wander around and events throughout the year.

Rideau Canal In winter, parts of the Rideau Canal freeze over to become the Rideau Canal Skateway, with ice skaters replacing boats. In summer, the canal is a beautiful spot for a walk and watching boats make their way up & down the fascinating lock-system. 

Jacques Cartier Park Cycle through the park, take a stroll, or enjoy watching the cruise boats - a number of national festivals, such as Canada Day and Winterlude are held here each year.

Camping in Central Tuscany

The best way to see Tuscany is by car - flying into Pisa, we hired a car at the airport costing 100 Euro for the week. The car came with a sat nav and much needed air-conditioning with temperatures reaching 30c in May.

Where to stay

With the heat and so many places to visit, we chose to stay at Norcenni Girasole Village - a central camping village with two pool complexes, restaurants, a grocery shop, and laundry facilities. This meant we had then had the option to stay in the camping village every few days for a break from the heat and the many hours of walking around cities. 

What to do
Tuscany is a beautiful area to drive through, with stunning countryside and lovely, small villages. Picking a central location as a base means Florence, Siena and Pisa can be reached in less than a 2-hours by car.

Florence
Il Grande Museo del Duomo - Florence's most recognisable attraction. Be sure to book tickets to climb up to the top of the Dome in advance.

Ponte Vecchio - the bridge forms part of the pedestrian zone south of Piazza della Republica and gets incredibly busy - try to visit early!

Boboli Gardens - stunning gardens in the centre of Florence offering a break from the crowds and fantastic views across Florence

Siena

Enjoy Gelato - with so many Gelateries offering so many flavours, you need no excuse to grab a gelato to enjoy as you wander Siena's streets.

Torre del Mangia - there is no lift up the tower, so be prepared to climb the many steps to the top - the view over Siena and the Tuscan countryside is definitely worth it.

Duomo de Siena - a stunning Cathedral that is well worth a visit.

Pisa
Leaning Tower of Pisa - the tower gets extremely busy so be sure to book tickets to climb the tower in advance.

Enjoy a coffee and watch the word go by - surrounding the tower there are numerous cafes which offer lovely outdoor seating areas to enjoy a coffee or gelato while watching the crowds trying to hold-up the tower (it has to be done...!).

In Love With Lisbon

Direct flights with TAP mean that Lisbon is just under a 3 hour flight from our home in the UK. From the airport, we jumped on the regular aerobus into the city centre, costing around 4 Euro per person.

Where to Stay:
Hostel accommodation is often the cheapest form of accommodation if you prefer to stay in the centre of a city. We found Good Morning Hostel and booked their apartment which was just behind the main hostel building, surrounded by restaurants and theatres, and was a fantastic self-catering option at just 50 Euro per night. This also included breakfast each morning over in the main building - freshly made waffles!

Things to do:

Lisbon is one of those extremely walk-able cities, with gorgeous buildings and cobbled streets that are perfect to just ambling around. Alternatively, a network of trams connect the various areas of the city and allow you to reach all the main attractions.

Castelo de Sao Jorge offers spectacular views over Lisbon, magnificent statues, and even Peacocks roaming around in the ground. 

Santa Justa Lift for another fantastic viewpoint, head to Santa Just a Lift in the very centre of Lisbon (buy tickets at the lift).

Lisbon Zoo is a short bus ride from the city centre and has a wide range of animals as well as a cute cable car over the enclosures

Lisbon Aquarium a huge aquarium with a large number of exhibits and conservations projects.

Waterfront a lovely to walk along and view the numerous monuments commemorating Portugal's history with cafes and restaurants dotted along the way. There are also great views of the Ponte 25 de Abril - a suspension bridge that could easily be mistaken for San Francisco's Golden gate Bridge.

Belem can be reached by tram or on foot along the waterfront and is a lovely suburb of Lisbon best known for its tower which is open to visit.

Cascais is a lovely day-trip from the city, with gorgeous sandy beaches and lovely streets to wander around - just a 30 minute train journey from Lisbon station.

Enjoy Pastels de Nata from Fabrica de Nata. There are many bakeries serving these freshly made vanilla custard tarts, but the nata from Fabrica de Nata were our absolute favourite - enjoy with a sprinkling of cinnamon, icing sugar, and a small glass of port.

A Week in Rome

We travelled to Rome the long-way round - flying with Lufthansa to Frankfurt, and then on to Rome. The main reason for this that the flight actually worked out cheaper than a 'budget' airline, plus, with Lufthansa being a national airline, we received full baggage allowance at no extra cost.

From Rome, we then jumped on the train from the airport to a small town just outside Rome where our campsite was located.

Where to Stay:

I Pini Camping is around a 40 minute drive out from the centre of Rome with a daily shuttle bus operating from the campsite. There is a range of 'cabin' style self-catering accommodation and superb facilities, including a pool for those 'days off' from exploring, a shop and restaurant.

Things to do:

There is so much to see & do in Rome that it is worth purchasing a city pass which can be purchased in advance. We opted for the Omnia multi pass which gives two cards -  the Omnia card gives access to Vatican Museums (including fast-track entry) and also covers 72-hours on the hop-on - hop-off bus city bus tour. The second card is the Rome Card which gives free entry to two of the seven main top Rome attractions, plus discounted entry into others and acts as a 72-hour travel card for public transport around Rome.

Hop-On-Hop-Off Bus - this is a great way to see the main sights of Rome and to get an idea of where attractions are located and which you would like to visit. Rome is an extremely walkable city, but some of the sights are quite far apart and it gets extremely hot during the Spring and Summer months!

Colosseum, Roman Forum & Palatine Hill are all located within the same area, so it may be worth planning to visit these all on the same day. Fast-Track passes are available through Omnia pass. 

Trevi Fountain is tucked away on a side street in central Rome and takes a bit of finding, but there are small signs pointing in the general direction. 

Vatican, Sistine Chapel and St Peter's Basilica can all be seen in one day and are included i the Omnia pass - just remember to wear suitable clothing.

October in Barcelona

Our first trip to Spain was a 4-day stay in Barcelona during October, when the weather was still fine and warm enough to even poke a toe into the sea.
We flew to Barcelona direct from the UK with Jet2.com and, from Barcelona Airport, jumped on the train that travels into the city centre. Our stop was Passeig de Gràcia which was then just a 10 minute walk to our accommodation.

Where To Stay?
Casa Gracia - the gorgeous Casa Gracia has a wide range of rooms, from private, twin/family en-suites, to shared dorms. It is centrally located, with a restaurant attached, and the most fabulous rustic lift shaft taking you up to the reception and various floors.

Things to do:

Quite often, when we visit a city for the first time, our first day is spent on a hop-on, hop-off tour (although we tend not to hop off!) in order to get a better idea of the layout of the city, and see what we would like to see and do during our trip. 

Sagrada Familia remains under construction 138-years after building first began. This means the constant presence of cranes, scaffold and other construction equipment, but the detail on the basilica is just extraordinary.

Parc Montjuic overlooks Barcelona and is a great escape from the city. Public buses leave from the city centre and drop off in the parc, although don't do what we did and take the bus in the wrong direction (we eventually made it!). Parc Montjuic is home to several museums, the 1992 Olympic Stadium, and is also where you can jump on the cable car which takes you down to the port.

The Water Front Area includes a series of sandy beaches which stretch right down the coastline. The weather was fine enough to enjoy a sit on the beach and, if you are like Anya and go in the sea no matter the weather, the water was a bearable temperature (for a short dip!). Beach cafes can be found actually on the beach - we popped in to enjoy the best hot chocolate we've ever had!

The Marina area is a lovely place to stroll around looking at the boats, especially in the evening, and is also where will can find Barcelona Aquarium