This text is part of the special book Plaisirs
Where will we go this winter? Will we aim for the “not too far, not too expensive” option or the great adventure? To each their own journey!
Low price, big seduction in Colombia
Bordered by the Caribbean Sea, Cartagena de Indias (Cartagena for Colombians) is one of the most beautiful colonial cities in South America. Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, proudly displaying its 500 years of plenitude, it is corseted with ramparts on which stroll so many Cartageneros que the tourists. Inherited from its flamboyant past under Spanish governance, beautifully restored churches, convents and old palaces (including the edifying one of the Inquisition) proudly frame its large squares. In its streets, sumptuous residences with colored plasterwork and flowery balconies of bougainvillea attract attention. We are seduced.
Outside the walls, it is also Eldorado. The modern tourist area unfolds on a peninsula with a beach: welcome to Bocagrande! 45 minutes away by boat, the marine area of the Rosario archipelago offers great diving opportunities. Notice to lovers of dream beaches: on the Barú peninsula, Playa Blanca lives up to its name.
In short, it is a destination full of charm and, as a bonus, according to the Big Mac index of The Economistour dollar is doing very, very well, thanks !
Go : with Air Transat, in direct flight twice a week from Montreal between next November and April 2023.
Housing : in the historic center, at the charming little hotel Casa del Curato. All-inclusive, at Dreams Karibana Cartagena, 30 minutes from the city.
Mexico in multigenerational mode
With the children and grandchildren, head for Costa Mujeres! Occupying a peninsula north of Cancún, this holiday colony is gaining more and more followers, and for good reason: the long ribbon of sand that hems this coast, facing Isla Mujeres, the island that gives it its name, is magnificent. .
Where to settle? At the recent all-inclusive Planet Hollywood Cancún hotel, which invites families (and also couples, an enclave being reserved for them) to come and make their movies there. Indeed, the establishment of 898 Hollywood-themed suites, some with their own plunge pool, goes all out with the “star treatment” card, right from check-in. (But no question of divulging anything here!)
A supervised club for children aged 4 to 12, water slides, a swimming pool populated by dinosaurs, another with a pirate ship, a “buoy river”, a surf simulator, a mini golf course and, of course, a cinema: no, you won’t get bored there.
In addition, a dozen restaurants, including an ice cream parlor, great evening entertainment, not to mention azure skies and a green Caribbean sea all contribute to making it a five-star destination.
Go : with Sunwing Vacations.
to venture : to Isla Mujeres by catamaran. Some excursions include a swimming and snorkeling stop above the MUSA, an underwater art museum, and its underwater sculptures.
Active stay in Arizona
It is the State of the Grand Canyon, but not only! Two dozen other national parks beckon hikers on their trails, which offer vistas of awe-inspiring mineral beauty. In native land, very close to Utah, the canyons of the Lake Powell Navajo Tribal Park are home to astonishing geological curiosities. With a Navajo guide, we visit the Antelope canyon in particular to marvel at the curves of its pink sandstone caves.
In addition to hiking, one could also browse at the architect Frank Lloyd Wright, in Scottsdale (Taliesin West was his winter residence); visit the superb Heard Museum in Phoenix, dedicated to the traditional and contemporary art of the Native Americans of the American Southwest; go to the Alcantara vineyard, near Sedona, by kayak, why not; and take part in a narrated view of celestial objects at one of the territory’s Dark Skies communities or at Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff. Need a breather? Luckily, Scottsdale has more spas per capita than any other city at Uncle Sam’s!
Go : with Air Canada, direct flight to Phoenix.
Move : take a rental car at the airport and visit Phoenix. Then head to Scottsdale, a very pretty town. Radiate around before heading for Lake Powell Navajo Tribal Park, a journey of 450 km. Halfway, stop in Sedona, then in Flagstaff, on the mythical Route 66.
Housing : in Scottsdale, near Paradise Valley, at the aptly named Sanctuary. We won’t soon forget…
In Copacabana, Mardi Gras!
The Rio Carnival, which will be held from February 17 to 25, 2023, is the biggest street party on the planet, and you have to be there at least once in your life! Granted, Brazil is not the safest of destinations, and the Government of Canada recommends that travelers exercise great caution there. The fact remains that the Carnival is the perfect opportunity to visit the cidade maravilhosa in relative safety since the streets are crowded with festival-goers day and night! (They were 7 million in 2020 and we were there.) So we do like the Cariocas: we dress very, very lightly, we take the minimum with us and… to us, the unbridled atmosphere of the city, the beach of Copacabana, the ascent of Corcovado and Sugar Loaf, as well as the Spaceship-like Museum of Tomorrow, designed by Santiago Calatrava.
Moreover, going there on a cruise could reassure the worried. The companies plan around three days at the quay, as well as accompanied outings to the Sambódromo. It is in this stadium imagined by Oscar Niemeyer that the samba school competitions and their dazzling parades take place. Additionally, itineraries most often start in Buenos Aires, Argentina and include ports of call in Uruguay and elsewhere in Brazil. Three for one! Let’s add that arriving in Rio by sea is in itself memorable.
Go : on board a ship on a human scale, such as the pursuit of Azamara, with a capacity of 680 passengers. On board, life is calm and the decoration far from the tinsel of other companies. Among the activities offered are workshops and lectures entitled “How to take better photos with your smartphone” and “How politics helped shape Brazil’s architecture”. In addition, this ship is equipped with many public spaces where to see the world or, even, have peace. There’s The Den, The Drawing Room, The Living Room, The Card Room… A little more, and it’s like being in key !
Get informed : riotur.rio, riocarnaval.org, azamara.com
This special content was produced by the Special Publications team of the To have to, pertaining to marketing. The drafting of To have to did not take part.