Your questions: What should I do with a spare week in France?

I’m visiting France for three weeks with my adult grandson and spending the first week in Paris, then three to four days in Marseille and Lyon. Any suggestions for the rest of the time and which direction to head first? Keen to see Annecy and Grasse and a French friend suggests skipping Marseille in favour of The Camargue.
K. Whittles, Brookvale NSW

Don’t skip Marseille.Credit: Getty Images

That suggests an itinerary starting from Paris and visiting Lyon, followed by Marseilles and back to Paris. Grasse is rather far from Marseilles for a day trip, but you might consider staying somewhere close, such as Antibes, and exploring this gorgeous corner of southern France. Another town where you might stop for a few days is St-Remy-de-Provence, just to the south of Avignon, from where you could explore some of the glorious local towns including Les Baux, Gordes, Roussillon and L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue.

I would not skip Marseilles in favour of the Camargue, it’s essentially a giant salt marsh at the mouth of the Rhone River, famous for its wild horses and remarkable in its own untamed way, but hardly a place where you could profitably spend several days.

In August, we finish an Amsterdam to Bruges bike-barge tour and three days later we join a tour group in Copenhagen. We enjoyed a week in Bruges and Ghent in winter 15 years ago and will reacquaint ourselves with both on the ride. Any recommendations on where else to base ourselves for the three days before Copenhagen, reachable by train and close to an airport?
D. Dempsey, Oatley, NSW

The elegant, glass-roofed Galeries Royales Saint-Hubert in Brussels.Credit: Adobe

Brussels would be my pick. From Bruges you’re only an hour away by train, and the Belgian capital is a compact, vibrant city, home to some of the EU’s most important institutions, with great architecture, museums, a mix of historic and modern attractions and a food and drink culture that soars well above the waffles, mussels and beer for which the city is known.

Alongside the elegant, glass-roofed Galeries Royales Saint-Hubert, the iconic Grand Place, the Royal Palace and Parc de Bruxelles, the city has its fair share of lesser-known attractions, including Atomium, a leftover from Expo 58, Train World and the Art Nouveau Horta Museum. Take a walk along the Brussels Canal, which runs through a former industrial wasteland, now thoroughly gentrified. Brussels Airlines has non-stop flights from Brussels to Copenhagen.

We are going to Madrid at the end of April. We want to stay there for a week as a base and travel to nearby towns. We are after a place to stay in a good area that is clean, quiet and doesn’t cost $600-plus a night?
G. Adams, Melbourne

Pestana Plaza Mayor Hotel is a fine-boned structure on one of the city’s most impressive and important squares. You need to go for a superior room at least, the classic rooms are rather small. Another great choice is the NH Collection Madrid Abascal, housed in an early 20th-century building close to the bustling Paseo de la Castellana and the barrio de Salamanca, home to many luxury shops and restaurants.

Another hotel from the same group, NH Collection Madrid Suecia, set in a grand building just off the Gran Vía, was originally opened by the Swedish royal family in the 1950s and the crisp interior shows distinct Scandinavian influences. Location is close to the city centre, with plenty of bars, restaurants and attractions in easy walking distance.

In September this year my husband and I are embarking on an 11-day camping trip across Botswana and we’re struggling with the four nights in Johannesburg at the start of the trip and how to fill the days safely. Looking at accommodation in either Sandton or Rosebank. L. Cutler, Cremorne NSW

A must-see: The Apartheid Museum in Johannesburg.Credit: Getty Images

Clico Boutique Hotel is a small, friendly and modestly luxurious property in a charming 80-year-old Cape Dutch building in upper-crust Rosebank, and it comes at a very reasonable price. South African friends advise a trustworthy driver is a must for exploring the city and the hotel should be able to help with this. You’ll need a transfer between the airport and hotel and this is something else your hotel can arrange.

Johannesburg’s must-see is the Apartheid Museum. A warty chronicle of apartheid history, it’s an emotionally unsettling experience that poses disturbing questions. Many visitors take a tour of Soweto, one of the racially segregated townships created during the apartheid regime. The Maboneng Precinct is the city’s coolzone, known for its street art, cafes and markets. The Johannesburg Art Gallery, Wits Art Museum and Everard Read Gallery in Rosebank are among the leading galleries in the city’s contemporary arts scene.

Travel advice is general; readers should consider their personal circumstances