Costumed interpreters recreate the early days of Viking settlement at Newfoundland's L'Anse aux Meadows. (Photo courtesy of Newfoundland and Labrador)

Q: Are there any UNESCO World Heritage sights in Newfoundland?

— S. DeNeville, Whitby

A: Imagine a place so breathtakingly beautiful it feels like it’s out of this world. Now think of Newfoundland, where two UNESCO World Heritage Sites along the northwest coast are just hours apart. I would devote at least one day to each to absorb the rich history and the isolated natural beauty.

Images: Canada's contributions to UNESCO's World Heritage List

Images: UNESCO World Heritage Sites

Start with Gros Morne National Park (pc.gc.ca), which is loaded with trails, sand dunes and has landscapes that will have you snapping photographs for hours.

The next day, travel four hours north to L’Anse aux Meadows, the land of the Vikings and home to North America’s first European settlement. The site provides an excellent primer on the Vikings’ early days in North America with daily recreations by costumed interpreters.

In addition, there are some interesting tour packages this summer. Gros Morne Adventures (grosmorneadventures.com) has a six-night hiking and sea kayaking package in August and in September. Linkum Tours (linkumtours.com) has 10-day Viking, Icebergs and Lighthouse Living tours in Gros Morne. Maxxim Vacations (maxximvacations.com) has a seven and nine-night self-drive packages called the Voyage of the Vikings.

Q: Does Chicago have summer architecture tours? Who should I contact for details?

— H. Willet, Brampton

A: The Chicago Architecture Foundation (architecture.org) is the main source for information on architecture tours. With 85-plus tours available from this non-profit organization, there’s bound to be something up your alley.

New this year are “Date Nights” river cruises starting at 5:30 p.m. on Thursdays and Fridays. These 90-minute narrated tours take place aboard Chicago’s First Lady Cruises — luxury yachts with open-air decks, air conditioned interiors and full bar. Tours sail from the dock at the southeast corner of the Michigan Ave. Bridge at Wacker Dr., across the street from the Fannie May candy shop. Price is $32 US.

Also new this year are the two-hour “Happy Hour” walking tours that conclude with a free drink at a local restaurant. The themes vary nightly. Monday’s theme is Downtown Deco; Tuesday’s is Millennium Park Revealed; Wednesdays and Thursdays are devoted to historic downtown and Fridays highlight Modern Skyscrapers. Price is $16 US for adults. For more information, call the Chicago Architecture Foundation at 312-922-3432.

ilona@mycompass.ca