Q. My husband and I are staying at Alessidamo Club in Metaponto Lido, Italy, for one week in June and would like, in an unstressful way, to work in a visit to Greece or the Greek Isles for possibly one more week. Can you make any suggestions? I wondered if one might be able to pick up the last part of a cruise, perhaps leaving from Bari. We are currently in Naples, Fla., for the winter and will be leaving from Toronto in June. A.J. de Camps Toronto A. A number of ferry services travel from Bari, in the southeast of Italy, to Greek ports -- Corfu, Patras and Igoumenitsa in particular. Check for complete information on all companies offering service to Greece and Greek Islands. The same Web site also has information on a number of different cruises sailing from Civitavecchia, the port for Rome, to Greece and Turkey. In addition, some major cruise lines, among them Costa Cruises, sail from Venice to Greece and the Eastern Mediterranean. Q. A buddy from the U.K. and I are going to be in France the latter part of May and early June of this year. We are both military history buffs and would like some information on the D-Day sights for the Canadian and the British landings as to museums, memorials, etc. We are both retirees and would like whatever information you might have as our intention is to rent a car and spend five to seven days in the area. Bob Muldoon A. The Normandy Invasion of June 6, 1944, was the largest single assault in the most massive military conflict in history. The landing by British, Canadian and U.S. forces was the beginning of the end of the Second World War. There are many sites worth visiting from the remains of the Atlantic Wall to many monuments and museums.
Eight driving tours have been set up through the Normandy departments of Calvados, Manche and Orne. Each of these itineraries has a theme and is marked by signs and explanations. The routes also pass through the towns that figured prominently in the battle. Tour 1: Overlord -- l'Assaut (the Assault), 69 kilometres from Pegasus Bridge to Bayeux along the landing area of the British and Canadian divisions, includes the towns of Ouistreham and Arromanches.
The seven other tours are called the Impact, Objective -- a Port, the Confrontation, the Breakthrough, the Counterattack, the Encircling and the Resolution.
The Web site for complete information is gofrance.miningco.com/travel/gofrance/library/weekly/aa020899.htm. It also has links to a relatively complete collection of what can currently be found on the Internet pertaining to D-Day and the Battle of Normandy. Q. My husband and I will be visiting Paris in mid-February for three days. We have spent four days in Paris about 10 years ago and have visited the major tourist attractions in town. We plan to visit Versailles this time. Please recommend other attractions in or near town that are easily accessible by public transportation. We are also interested in information such as unusual cafés or restaurants where local food is inexpensive and good. Rose Tsui A. There are a number of excellent day trips. Vaux le Vicomte was the inspiration for Versailles and is a beautiful château; Auvers sur Oise was the last home of the painter Vincent van Gogh, as well as other impressionists, and both he and brother Theo are buried there; the cathedral at Chartres with its magnificent stained glass windows is world famous; Fontainebleau was the home of French royalty when they wanted to get away from Paris, and Napoleon made his farewell speech here; the Château of Chantilly has the Condé Museum with its fine paintings as well as a library with many old volumes, including the Duc du Berry's Book of Hours; and Giverny, home of the impressionist Claude Monet where he painted his famous water lilies (but the house and gardens are closed November through March). As far as food is concerned, I found a great Web site with links to close to 20 sites on dining in Paris including: ABC Restaurant List, a list of restaurants by arrondissement which gives specialities of restaurant, ambience and prices; Anglophone dining, restaurants recommended by Paris Anglo; Guide to Pubs and Bars in Paris, listing over 200 spots with detailed descriptions on half of them. Also has a search capability to suit your tastes; IHT Restaurants, the International Herald Tribune has in-depth reports on interesting restaurants; Zagat: Guide to Dining, a guide to fine dining in Paris and nearby areas; Nova Planet, descriptions and photos of bars and restaurants by area; Pariserve, guide to charming hotels, interesting restaurants, tours and attractions in Paris; Paris Digest, guide to Paris restaurants, especially for restaurants with a view and restaurants with exquisite or unusual décor; Paris Restaurants, Franceway's list of 15 restaurants categorized by price, from under 100 French francs to over 550 francs; , large number of restaurants categorized by most visited, type of cuisine, name and location; and Paris Web, more than 100 restaurants and cafés listed, with specialties and prices. The Web site is gofrance.about.com/travel/gofrance/msubpadn.htm.
Patrick Dineen is editor of Travelweek. He can be reached by fax at (416) 365-1504 or by e-mail. Please give your home town.