Serge Boisonneault and his horse Sandy get ready to take passengers on a caleche ride in Old Montreal. -- Photo by Tom Van Dusen, SUN

Q: My boyfriend wants to take me somewhere romantic to celebrate our first anniversary. I was thinking of spending a weekend in Montreal. Can you give me some information about the city? -- M. Nunez, Scarborough

A: Montreal is just a one-hour flight from Toronto and the city has over 25,000 hotel rooms from which to choose.

With over 60 theatres and over 40 festivals such as Just For Laughs, the Grand Prix and the Jazz Festival, you'll quickly discover why this bilingual city is referred to as "festival town."

But, it is also known for romance. This is the city of l'amour where Liz Taylor and Richard Burton tied the knot and where John Lennon and Yoko Ono staged their famous love-in during the '60s.

A shopper's paradise packed with chic boutiques and artisans, you can certainly snag some great finds along Ste. Catherine Street, where nearly 1,200 shops cut a swath between St. Denis and Guy Streets, or descend into Montreal's Underground City with its catacomb of shops and restaurants.

For up-to-date travel information, call Tourisme Montreal at 514-844-5400 or visit here.

Q: Could you please provide a checklist on things to take on a trip? I've never been very good at packing and always seem to over do it. I buy many souvenirs and clothes and then discover I don't have room in my luggage.

-- L. Elliott, Markham

A: The old "half everything down the middle" routine is a good rule of thumb for those of us who overpack. Put all your travelling items -- clothing, etc. -- on the bed then remove half of everything.

Instead of six T-shirts, pack three and keep going from there.

Also consider the season at your destination. If it's winter there pack warm clothes, if it's summer cottons and layers are good as it might get cooler in the evenings.

Footwear is important. You want to be able to enjoy the sights without having to worry about tender tootsies so pack a good pair of walking shoes. Take along a good pair of sandals for evenings when you may want to dress up.

Tilley Endurables (tilley.com) offers some great travel wear that is both functional and practical.

It tends to be on the pricey side, but you are getting top quality. Tilley's signature hats guarantee the following: "Unbleached Tilley Hats will be replaced free if they ever wear out, mildew, or shrink." For a free copy of their spring catalogue, call 800-363-8737.

Mountain Equipment Co-op -- mec.ca -- sells great gear for outdoor activities. You can order online or visit their Toronto store at 400 King St. W.

When double checking your luggage, ensure you have your itinerary, passport, airline tickets, any necessary visas, international driver's licence if needed, travel insurance and any medications that you might be taking.

There is a helpful checklist covering 13 topics published by Consular Affairs Canada.

It's easy to print out at the website voyage.gc.ca/main/ before/checklist-en.asp.