GO ASK JOAN:From the sights of Prague to a stay in Seville and watching whales in the US, JOAN SCALESanswers your travel queries
Group trip to Prague
We are a group of ladies in our 40s heading to Prague this autumn. Could you please give us some advice on where to stay? We would like somewhere central, near shops, restaurants and bars. Also, could you recommend what are the main attractions to see while we are there?
SF, Dublin
Prague is a great city to explore with a group of friends and I am sure you will enjoy it. There are lots of things to do and time will fly by. One of the most important places to see is the Old Town Square with the famous 15th century astronomical clock with the walk of the apostles every hour.
The other interesting place to see is Charles Bridge which is an architectural gem across the Vltava River. It is over 500 metres across with statues all along it. During the day it is a busy place with lots of artists, vendors and tourists, and has a lively feeling about it. The views of the river are great.
Wenceslas Square, known locally as Václavské námestí, is the famous meeting place in the city and has seen its fair share of demonstrations and celebrations over the years. It is now home to many international stores and coffee shops and is nicest in the winter when the Christmas market is on.
Prague Castle, with its series of palaces, churches, halls and gardens, is a memory to the various people who lived there – the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Bohemian kings, Roman emperors, churchmen and statesmen to name a few. It is well worth doing a tour, as the castle covers a fair bit of history and ground. It is also above the Mala Strana (Lesser Town), which is nice to wander around and where you will find the Church of our Lady of Victory, home of the Child Jesus of Prague.
When you see a church in Prague, always stop and have a look inside. There are many lavishly decorated churches in the Baroque style that may seem quite modest from the outside. The city is also famous for music and concerts feature every day in lots of places around the city. There are lots of museums to see and if you like the decorative work of the art nouveau artist Mucha, the museum in his honour has a good collection.
The Jewish Quarter, Josefov, is also worth visiting, with its synagogues and well preserved buildings. Transportation around the city is very good and cheap. Just wander and explore, it is a perfect city for doing just that. See praguewelcome.cz.
Hotels are plentiful in Prague. I recommend two: the Josef is very modern and near enough to Old Town Square while prices in the autumn are from €124 to €209 per room per night (hoteljosef.com). The other is Jurys Inn near Mala Strana. Rates in the autumn are from around €69 to €117 per room per night and you can book on jurysinns.com.
Birmingham for antiques fair
There is an antiques fair in the NEC Birmingham from October 27th to 30th and I wonder if you know of any organised trip to it or any others to England or other places?
FMB, Donegal
The Antiques for Everyone fair sounds good and while I have not heard of any organised trips to it, it is an easy trip to do. Fly to Birmingham, with Ryanair, which operate a service four times a week from City of Derry airport to Birmingham and stay in a hotel attached to the NEC.
There is a train service from the airport to the NEC and the Hilton Birmingham Metropole Hotel is on the NEC site. It has rates from £99 (€112) per night. Tel: 00-44-121-7804242 or hilton.com.
Whale watching in the US
My husband and I would love to do a whale-watching trip. We both turn 40 this year so it seems like a good excuse. We can do no more than four nights away because we have small kids that we would be leaving with my mum. I was thinking of Norway or Iceland but wonder if sightings are better in Canada? Is Canada too far for four nights? Can you recommend any reputable tours, preferably one that offers the option of snorkelling. We would be most interested in seeing humpbacks and orcas.
NS, Dublin
The whale-watching season in the northern hemisphere runs from April to September/ October. Taking into account the short time you will have for a trip and the whale-watching season, I think Boston is the best place for you. In Norway and Iceland the season ends in September.
Boston is accessible with daily flights from Ireland and the whale watching trips depart from Boston Harbour, so no extra travelling is involved. The New England Aquarium has trips each day until the end of October and it costs around $47 (€32.60). You can see details on neaq.org.
There are some good value trips to Boston with the main tour operators this autumn that combine flights and hotels. Check out availability with Sunway.ie, Touramerica.ie, Americanholidays.ie and Americansky.ie. See also bostonusa.com.
Staying in the centre of Seville
We are going to Seville in early October and would like to book a central hotel. Can you give me any recommendations? It is to celebrate a wedding anniversary – a recessionary one I’m afraid!
MOD, Dublin
Seville is a beautiful city, full of wide boulevards, orange trees and a relaxed atmosphere. Even in October it will be hot in Seville so one of the things to look for in a hotel in the city is a roof terrace or garden – a pool is even better. Somewhere to cool down and enjoy any breeze there is. The following hotels are from €150 per night and the best prices are on booking.com.
The Dona Maria Hotel is near the cathedral and La Giralda Tower, so close you can hear the bells. It has a rooftop terrace with a pool and the rates in early October are from €150 per night. The Melia Sevilla is also close to the cathedral area and rates are from €125 per night.
In the Plaza del Duque the Derby Sevilla is a modern hotel with all the touches and has rates under €100 in October. It is well located for shopping.
The main area for entertainment and restaurants in Seville is the zone behind the cathedral.