Q & A
Euganean Hills of Italy
Q. I am going to Padua, and would like to take a day trip to the Euganean Hills to hike and visit villas and gardens in the area. Can you suggest some sites? -- Lauren Kenney, Rochester
A. Since Roman times, the Euganean Hills, about 10 miles southwest of Padua, have been celebrated for their lush vegetation and hot springs, around which dozens of spa resorts have been established. In 1989, the 72-square-mile area, including 15 towns and 81 hills, was declared a regional park.
You can explore the hills by following one of the 14 walking trails that thread the landscape. Trekking information can be had from the Ente Parco, Ca'Emo, via San Stefano Superiore 39, Monselice, telephone (39-0429) 784-589.
A few villas and other buildings in the area are open to the public, and it is best to call in advance because most have irregular hours.
The frescoes by the Dutch painter Lambert Sustris in the monumental 16th-century Villa dei Vescovi, via dei Vescovi 4, Luvigliano di Torreglia, can be admired only from mid-March to mid-November. The villa also closes from July 15 to Aug. 15. Admission is $4.75 (at 2,090 lire to the dollar). For information, call (39-049) 521-1118.
The parklands surrounding the 17th-century Villa Barbarigo in Valsanzibio di Galzignano Terme (a few miles south of the Villa dei Vescovi), are also closed during the winter months. The villa is not open to the public, but the formal Italian-style gardens are. They include a box-hedge labyrinth, fountains, fish ponds and statuary. Admission is $6. Information: (39-049) 913-0029.
The 13th-century Castello Cini, via del Santuario 11, in Monselice on the southern slopes of the Euganean Hills, houses a large collection of 15th- and 16th-century furniture and  paintings as well as a rare armory. Admission is $4.75. Information: (39-0429) 72931.
The splendid Benedictine abbey of Praglia, (39-049) 990-0010, founded in the 12th century, can only be visited by appointment. Admission is free.
The 14th-century poet Petrarch chose to end his days in the Euganean Hills. Today his house in the town of Arquà Petrarca, about 20 miles southwest of Padua, is a museum with mementos of the poet, including the chair in which he is said to have died and a mummified cat, which legend says belonged to him. Casa del Petrarca is on the via Valleselle, (39-0429) 718294; admission is $2.85.
The Azienda Promozione Turistica di Padova in the central Galleria Pedrocchi in Padua, can provide further information. The number is (39-049) 876-7927, fax (39-049) 650794, www.padovanet.it/apt/.
New Orleans Literary Fete
Q. When is the Tennessee Williams festival in New Orleans this year? What are some of the special events? -- Patrice Cummings, Indianapolis
A. The 15th annual Tennessee Williams/New Orleans Literary Festival will be held from March 28 to April 1. Readings, theatrical and musical performances, literary workshops and walking tours are among the events likely to attract a total of  8,000 or more participants. Most events will take place at Le Petit Théâtre du Vieux Carré, 616 St. Peter Street, and elsewhere in the French Quarter, where Williams wrote 'A Streetcar Named Desire' in the 1940's.
Among the writers who will conduct workshops and lead discussions are Philip Caputo, Mary Gordon and Jennifer Moses. Michael York will read from Williams's 'Two-Character Play' at the festival's gala event, which begins at 7 p.m. on March 29 at Le Petit Théâtre; and the Voodoo Macumba Dance Ensemble will perform at the House of Blues on Decatur Street, on March 31. On April 1 at 2:30 p.m., at Le Petit Théâtre, Eli Wallach and Anne Jackson will discuss their friendship with Williams.
Two-hour walking tours and bus excursions focus on New Orleans literary figures, jazz, black history and gay heritage.
Tickets range from $5 to $45. Walking tours are $20. The Tennessee Williams Scholars' Conference on March 29 and 30 is free. Various combination passes are also available. To order tickets, call TicketWeb, (800) 965-4827 or visit www.tennesseewilliams.net, the festival Web site. Information: (504) 581-1144.
Taking the Kids to Paris
Q. I am taking my 5- and 7-year-old sons to Paris in the spring, and I would like some suggestions on outdoor activities. -- Margery Hechter, Richmond, Va.
A. There are many engaging outdoor activities for young children in Paris during the warmer months.
The city's parks, for example, are  a welcome refuge; many have rides, playgrounds and other attractions.  The Jardin des Tuileries, for example, operates a carousel, a trampoline and donkey rides, and in the summer, is host to a larger amusement park. Information: (33-1) 40.20.90.43.
A ride on the Ferris wheel, which was set up in the Place de la Concorde in recognition of the year 2000 offers an unparalleled view of Paris. It will remain in place through June. The hours are 11 a.m. to 12:15 a.m. (until 12:45 a.m. on Friday and Saturday); a ride costs $4.25, $2.80 for children (at 7.08 francs to the dollar).
Paris's two zoos are another option. The Ménagerie du Jardin des Plantes, in the Fifth Arrondissement along the Seine, is within the walls of the Jardin des Plantes. One of the oldest zoos in Europe, its buildings date back to the 1890's. It is known for its large aviary and collection of predatory birds. The Ménagerie, 57, rue Cuvier, is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Admission is $4.25, $2.80 for children.
At the Zoo de Vincennes, animal exhibits include 13 giraffes from Chad and lemurs from Madagascar. The zoo is at 53, avenue St.-Maurice  in the 12th Arrondissement and is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Admission is $5.65, $4.25 for children.  Information: (33-1) 44.75.20.00.
The Jardin d'Acclimatation, within the Bois de Boulogne, is a 50-acre  park west of the city. The garden, originally opened in 1860, has an amusement park, puppet and movie theaters, a Chinese tea house and a model farm and vegetable patch.  Open daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., until 7 p.m. from June through September. Entrance is $2. Information: (33-1) 40.67.90.82.
Among the Web sites with suggestions in English for children's activities are www.paris-touristoffice .com; www.parisdigest.com; and www.visit-paris.com/kids.
SUZANNE MacNEILLE