Comfortable Hiking Holidays

Comfortable Hiking Holidays Comfortable Hiking Holidays offers a year round program of guided hiking holidays in Europe, Asia, A

ON THE MOVE!(Provence & Côte d’Azur holiday)One week down and one to go. Today we transferred from Bealieu-sur-Mer to th...
04/27/2025

ON THE MOVE!
(Provence & Côte d’Azur holiday)

One week down and one to go. Today we transferred from Bealieu-sur-Mer to the historic town of Avignon, as we begin part two of our adventure.

En route we stopped for some free time to explore the historic town of Aix-en-Provence. Dating back to 123BC, Aix is often referred to the town of 1,000 fountains and it’s also the birthplace of famed painter Paul Cezanne. It is truly a picturesque location, full of wonderful sights and architecture.

One nice bonus was, that this being Sunday, it was far quieter than usual!

DOLCE FAR NIENTE(Amalfi Coast Holiday 2025)Literally translated it means “The sweetness of doing nothing”. Now, of cours...
04/26/2025

DOLCE FAR NIENTE
(Amalfi Coast Holiday 2025)

Literally translated it means “The sweetness of doing nothing”. Now, of course, we didn’t do “nothing” because we went on a hike, but it was an unhurried enjoyment of the countryside that very much felt like the sweetness of doing nothing.

Some of that sweetness came in the form of a “sfogliatelle” - a delicate pastry with a creamy lemon & orange filling, which we can try to describe to you, but it’s only when you’re sitting at a local bar with a cappuccino and one of these pastries can you truly understand its true deliciousness.

Back to the hiking…
The trail took us to the Bay of Ieranto, a marine bio-reserve with gorgeous views of Capri ahead. We couldn’t help but comment on how blue the water was! We had lunch in the shade of an olive grove, and even took part in an impromptu olive oil tasting.

It really was a wonderful way to spend a Saturday, and finding joy in the simple moments of a hike.

A SWEET SEND OFF! (Provence & Côte d’Azur Holiday)What better way to say adieu to the Côte d’Azur than with a final hike...
04/26/2025

A SWEET SEND OFF!
(Provence & Côte d’Azur Holiday)

What better way to say adieu to the Côte d’Azur than with a final hike exploring a prominent fort, stunning bay views, the beautiful grounds of Chateau Nice and, of course a visit and tour of Confiserie Florian?!

Part trail and part urban hike, we explored the area around Nice today, starting high above Cap Ferrat and then working our way down to the Port of Nice…and then back up again to enjoy the splendors of the city’s premier parks - Chateau Nice, with unobstructed views and one very beautiful waterfall.

Our final stop was a sweet one - a chance to sample some of the delicious candy treats Confiserie Florian has been producing for over 100 years!

Next up: Provence!

PATHWAY OF THE GODS (AND GODDESSES) (Amalfi Coast Holiday 2025)Today we tackled the most famous mountainside trail in th...
04/25/2025

PATHWAY OF THE GODS (AND GODDESSES)
(Amalfi Coast Holiday 2025)

Today we tackled the most famous mountainside trail in the area, the Pathway of the Gods (and Goddesses 😉). Its namesake comes from Homer’s poem, The Odyssey, that says the passage was made by the Greek Gods as they rushed to save Ulysses from the sirens that were on the islands of Li Galli.

The trail is divine and begins in the tiny hamlet of Bomerano and wines its way along the cliffside to Nocelle, where we stopped for lunch. Good visibility meant we could see all the way down the coast to the island of Capri, and a little cloud cover kept us safe from the sun.

From Nocelle, it was a mere 1668 steps down to Positano, where an Aperol Spritz on the beach capped things off!

IT’S ALL ABOUT THE VIEWS! (Provence & Côte d’Azur Holiday)Today’s program had us hiking between the hamlets of La Turbie...
04/25/2025

IT’S ALL ABOUT THE VIEWS!
(Provence & Côte d’Azur Holiday)

Today’s program had us hiking between the hamlets of La Turbie and Èze. Only 6.5km apart, both are picture-perfect hill villages that literally cling to the mountains. Both have fortified medieval cores overlooking the coast, and both were built during the early Middle Ages to stave off raids from Saracen pirates. In Èze’s case, it’s now one of the most visited town on the Cote d’Azur due to its charming cute streets containing galleries, boutiques, and artisans’ shops.

La Turbie is much quieter, but it did offer us a visit to the Trophée d'Augustus, built 2,000 years ago by the Romans to honour Emperor Augustus.

However the huge reward on today’s hike were the views. So winding our way down to Eze and then again from Eze down the Nietzsche trail, was just one breathtaking view after another!

The photos speak for themselves 😳

FOOD IS LIFE(Amalfi Coast Holiday 2025)When you ask somebody what their favorite cuisine is, 9 times out of 10, they wil...
04/24/2025

FOOD IS LIFE
(Amalfi Coast Holiday 2025)

When you ask somebody what their favorite cuisine is, 9 times out of 10, they will say Italian. We don’t blame them!

We have been eating lots of great food and discovering Neapolitan dishes and desserts. And today, some of us tried our hand at making them from scratch at Villa Ida cooking school.

Stuffed zucchini fritters, pasta, polpette and limoncello tiramisu were all on the menu, accompanied by Papa Charlie’s homemade wine. All of it delicious, if we say so ourselves, and as one guest said, “The smiles got bigger as more ‘Charlie Wine’ was served!”

OH SO “NICE”(Provence & Côte d’Azur Holiday)Just how does your trusty hiking guide spend his free day on the Côte d’Azur...
04/24/2025

OH SO “NICE”
(Provence & Côte d’Azur Holiday)

Just how does your trusty hiking guide spend his free day on the Côte d’Azur?

Why meandering around the exciting town of Nice, of course! With 19 museums, great shopping and the beautiful Promenade des Anglais all at your disposal, Nice has something for everyone.

Today’s highlights were exploring the old town, enjoying a lunch at the famed Galerie Lafayette, getting lost amongst the many charming streets around town and my annual pilgrimage to my favourite tennis store!

I even dipped my feet in the water…ahhh! 😊

A very NICE day indeed!

FANCY FOOTWORK NEEDED(Amalfi Coast Holiday 2025)Today’s hike was completely different from yesterday. There was an awful...
04/23/2025

FANCY FOOTWORK NEEDED
(Amalfi Coast Holiday 2025)

Today’s hike was completely different from yesterday.

There was an awful lot of downhill on today’s hike, and normally, downhill is a synonym for “easy”. But it wasn’t. It took concentration and fancy footwork, but we did great!

And not only that but we had some incredible views too - for many km all the way down the coastline.

We were so proud of ourselves that we did what any self-respecting hiker would do in Italy - we treated ourselves to a gelato!

A MOST MEDIEVAL DAY!(Provence & Côte d’Azur Holiday)In this part of France, you don’t have to hike far to stumble onto a...
04/23/2025

A MOST MEDIEVAL DAY!
(Provence & Côte d’Azur Holiday)

In this part of France, you don’t have to hike far to stumble onto a medieval town. Well today we got two of them, and both dating back to the 15th century!

We worked our way up to Peillon - and we did work! - to discover this peaceful village on top of a cliff. Its seemingly remote location makes it one of the picturesque in the region.

Marching on from Peillon, we hiked through a beautiful valley, before winding our way to our second dramatic village, named Peille. Not to be outdone, Peille too sits perched on the hillside, giving visitors a grand view of the entire valley and even a couple of local suspension bridges!

WHEN YOU’RE HERE, YOU’RE FAMILY(Amalfi Coast 2025)We took to the trails, or more aptly, the cobblestone walkways, leadin...
04/22/2025

WHEN YOU’RE HERE, YOU’RE FAMILY
(Amalfi Coast 2025)

We took to the trails, or more aptly, the cobblestone walkways, leading us up and out of Sorrento. Along the way, we passed hundreds of lemon trees and olive groves, and we had the sparkling blue waters of the Gulf of Naples almost always in view. We also got our first glimpse of the island of Capri just on the other side of the peninsula. The countryside here is just lovely!

Our little band of hikers only met yesterday, but already we feel like a family. Family is central to the Italian culture - shared experiences, support and loyalty being the bonds that unite. And food, of course!

Italians show their love through food, and nowhere was that more evident than at lunch today, when we dropped in on Enrico and his family. Sitting on the terrace of his mom’s house, we enjoyed a simple and simply delicious lunch of Caprese salad, pasta alla Nerano, and homemade limoncello. We are now all part of Enrico’s family too!

THE “PENINSULA OF BILLIONAIRES”(Provence & Côte d’Azur Holiday)One of the most beautiful coastal hikes in these parts is...
04/22/2025

THE “PENINSULA OF BILLIONAIRES”
(Provence & Côte d’Azur Holiday)

One of the most beautiful coastal hikes in these parts is the one we do around the famous peninsula of Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, which happens to be the 2nd most expensive neighbourhood in the world (nearby Monte Carlo is first!).

This loop hike not only takes in some of the opulence that Cap Ferrat is known for, but the gorgeous views onto the inviting blue waters is most calming and peaceful. One thing that always impresses our guests is the gorgeous turquoise/blue colour of the water, making it oh so tempting to dive in!

Looping around the Peninsula offers us a true taste of life on the French Riviera, and makes it pretty obvious why the rich & famous are attracted to it.

Of course the glorious sunshine also played a part! 😎

WHAT A SIGHT!(Amalfi Coast Holiday)We arrived at the Naples airport earlier today, jet-lagged and groggy until we set ou...
04/21/2025

WHAT A SIGHT!
(Amalfi Coast Holiday)

We arrived at the Naples airport earlier today, jet-lagged and groggy until we set our eyes on the Amalfi Coast! The warm sun and sparkling turquoise water instantly perked us up, and the view of Vesuvius from across the bay in Sorrento was stupendous. Now we can’t wait to hit the trails starting fresh in the morning.

HAPPY EASTER! 🐣
04/20/2025

HAPPY EASTER! 🐣

THE FUTURE OF AIRLINE TRAVEL – IT’S PRETTY GOOD! Although it doesn’t always feel like it, the future of airline travel a...
04/17/2025

THE FUTURE OF AIRLINE TRAVEL – IT’S PRETTY GOOD!

Although it doesn’t always feel like it, the future of airline travel appears to be quite positive, especially in the area of technological improvements.

Here are 3 things that will likely have a big impact on how we fly:

👉 AI is transforming several airline operations, including customer service and predictive maintenance. AI-powered chatbots that manage reservations, schedule modifications, and flight updates can enhance consumer relations.

👉 In response to growing concerns about airport security and congestion, biometric identity technology, fingerprinting, and facial recognition technologies are becoming the new standard for passenger screening. Delta and Emirates airlines have already introduced biometric boarding gates, which reduce boarding times by around 30%.

👉 Airlines are enhancing their onboard internet and entertainment options, including high-speed Wi-Fi, augmented reality (AR) capabilities, and virtual reality (VR), to provide customers with a more personalised and engaging travel experience.

Now if only they can do something about that middle seat next to the bathroom…

A GAME CHANGER FOR BLISTERS? We recently came across a product that may prove to be a huge relief to so many hikers who ...
04/16/2025

A GAME CHANGER FOR BLISTERS?

We recently came across a product that may prove to be a huge relief to so many hikers who suffer from blisters on the trail.

The ENGO BLISTER PATCHES are unlike traditional bandages that just cover up the problem. These patches use a patented technology to actually reduce the friction that causes blisters in the first place. Simply apply them to your shoes, insoles or orthotics and experience instant relief.

Although we have yet to actually try them ourselves, the reviews on this product have been excellent. If you are someone who suffers from blisters or wants to take preventative care prior to your next hike, they may be a worthy investment.

You can find them here: 👇

JOIN US IN “LITTLE CANADA” We have chosen the perfect little spot for a day off on the Tour du Mont Blanc, to re-charge ...
04/15/2025

JOIN US IN “LITTLE CANADA”

We have chosen the perfect little spot for a day off on the Tour du Mont Blanc, to re-charge your batteries and enjoy the picture-postcard beauty of the town. Known as “Little Canada” the town of Champex, Switzerland is coiled around a breathtaking alpine lake high in the Swiss Alps. You can take a pedalo or rowboat out on the lake and enjoy a coffee or a light lunch at one of the lovely restaurants overlooking the lake.

In fact, our charming hotel – Hotel du Glacier, is adjacent to the lake and provides a peaceful oasis before we lace up our boots again to tackle the TMB.

👉 NOTE: We do have 1 spot available for a female hiker willing to share a room with another female guest. If this is you – contact us right away to claim this final spot!

MY RAIN JACKET REVIEW ☔️  This review has been a long time coming, as I picked up my Rab Kinetic 2.0 waterproof jacket l...
04/14/2025

MY RAIN JACKET REVIEW ☔️

This review has been a long time coming, as I picked up my Rab Kinetic 2.0 waterproof jacket last summer, but have not had a chance to really put it to the test – until our Portugal trip last month!

As you may have read on our page, we had some rather unseasonably wet weather in Portugal last month and my new jacket handled it extremely well. The Rab Kinetic 2.0 jacket kept me warm and dry for almost the entire downpour, as did the built-in hood. The velcro-seemed sleeves and the high zipper also proved ideal in keeping the rain out.

Although there was some dampness on my sweater underneath the jacket, I can confidently report that the jacket did a great job in protecting me from the foul weather, better than any other jacket I have ever worn. Although pricey at about $350, the jacket does deliver!

Regrettably, Maddalena and I also invested in Rab’s waterproof hiking pants, and they proved to be extremely disappointing. Given the $200 price point for this item, they proved to be neither waterproof nor quick-drying. In fact, it felt like we were wearing a wet towel around our legs for the duration of a wet hike.

CONCLUSION – a big thumbs up for the Kinetic 2.0 jacket (available in men’s & women’s sizes), but a hard pass on their “waterproof” pants.

TRAVEL INSPIRATION ✈️
04/11/2025

TRAVEL INSPIRATION ✈️

Address

7th Floor/251 Consumers Road
Toronto, ON
M2J4R3

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5:30pm
Tuesday 9am - 5:30pm
Wednesday 9am - 5:30pm
Thursday 9am - 5:30pm
Friday 9am - 5:30pm
Saturday 9am - 5:30pm

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