GO ASK JOAN:From a teenage girl who wants party action in Estonia, to a young woman who would like a quiet activity break with mum, JOAN SCALEShas the solutions
I want to travel to Cuba independently
I would like to go on a trip to Cuba before Castro dies and it becomes all Americanised.
I’m not interested in going on an organised tour as they are very expensive and all seem to go to Varadero which is an all-in resort so you might as well be anywhere.
I would like a week in Havana, to see the city and take a few tours outside. Would this be difficult to organise or would I be better off booking with a travel agency? It seems that very few airlines go there. Is the flight expensive and would it be safe to book a hotel on the internet? Is it easy to get a visa?
I would like to stay in the old part of the city if that’s safe.
DF, Dublin
You are not alone in wanting to visit Cuba before things change. Because it is a long way away the airfare will be in the region of €1,000-€1,300 return.
One of the most convenient ways there is with Air Canada from Dublin via Toronto. This only operates until September and fares are around €1,000.
Other airlines going to Cuba include Iberia via Madrid, KLM via Amsterdam, Air France via Paris and British Airways via London.
I think it would be a good idea to talk to a travel agent about your plans: Gordon Penney of Cuba Travel will be able to help you. He can be contacted at (01) 241 2385 and on Gordon@cubatravel.ie.
You do need a visa to visit Cuba, and the Embassy is at 2 Adelaide Court, Adelaide Road, Dublin 2, (01) 475 0899.
You should consider organised tours, not all of them go to Varadero and some do explore the real Cuba.
Explore.co.uk has a Cuba Solo Adventure that includes three days in Havana and visits Viñales and Santa Clara, the Bay of Pigs, Trinidad. There is also a boat trip to Cayo Blanco and no Varadero. It costs from €1,614 including flights, single accommodation, some dinners, and all tours.
Taking darlings to Tallinn
I am travelling to Tallinn in Estonia for 10 days in August with my wife and daughter who is 16.
My daughter would like to stay in a lively resort but my wife and I would like somewhere with nice views, beaches and shops. Can you advise on suitable accommodation? Once the accommodation has two rooms and is of four or five star standard we have no preference over self-catering or hotels.
Also do you have any advice on car hire or public transport?
AOL, Dublin
Spend a few days in Tallinn to see this lovely Baltic city before heading to the coastal town of Pärnu, the summer capital of Estonia.
It is on the west coast on the Bay of Riga and is popular with both Estonians and visitors. During the summer the temperature is around 20-25 degrees.
Pärnu has a promenade and a long sandy beach, clean, shallow waters, an historic beach park, called Rannapark, with waterfalls, fountains and playgrounds, as well as cafés, nightclubs and restaurants around the beach area.
Waterspouts include water skiing, jet-skis and banana boats and family attractions include an adventure park and zoo.
Pärnu is also known for its spa treatments and curative mud. People have travelled here to be pampered for centuries and these days the spas offer all sorts of treatments including gold massages, chocolate masks and salt treatments.
Your family will have no problem finding a nice hotel, but August is a busy month, so book soon. Standards in Estonia are more like those found in Scandinavia.
In Pärnu there are beach-front hotels, and among these is the largest aqua centre in Estonia at Tervise Paradiis (Paradise of Health) Spa Hotel, (terviseparadis.ee).
There is also Ammende Villa (ammende.ee) which is a beautiful and historical art nouveau hotel in lovely gardens, built as a family villa in 1904.
Also look at the Legend Hotel, just a few minutes from the beach (legend.ee).
Travelling around Estonia by car is easy as the roads are of a good standard, clearly sign-posted and traffic is light. Major car hire companies such as Avis, Hertz, Sixt and Budget have offices at Tallinn airport and hire cars can be booked easily in advance. More information can be found at Estonia Tourist Board’s website visitestonia.com.
No pampering, just action
My daughter has opted for a week’s holiday in June with me instead of a 21st birthday party. She has no interest in nightclubs, or pampering spas or sunbathing on a beach.
Ideally we would love some organised activity, perhaps walking or gentle cycling or learning something, along with some sightseeing, anywhere in Europe with reasonable weather.
We are not looking for superior accommodation or cuisine and would prefer to spend on the activity and entertainment.
GF, Dublin
The perfect place to find what you are looking for is with a company called Activity Breaks. Based in Northern Ireland, it specialises in all types of good value holidays.
You can go cycling in Slovenia, horse-riding in Tuscany, walking in Sardinia, or kayaking in Croatia.
The prices are reasonable with accommodation based in self-catering, small hotels and hostels. You can contact them on (048) 9094 1671 and activitybreaks.com.
From Italy to France by train
I am going to Rome in May and from there I would like to go to Nuits St George in France.
I would be very grateful if you could recommend how I would get there using public transport and if you could recommend a reasonably priced hotel.
Perhaps it would be easier to get to Nuits St George from Dublin and, if so, do you know of any group that organises such a trip.
HB, Dublin
You can take an overnight train from Rome Termini Station to Dijon. It is the Artesia service and, with a sleeping compartment. will cost around €140. It takes about 12 hours. You can book it online on artesia.eu.
In Burgundy one place to check out accommodation and book wine tours is with David Cogan’s site, burgundyeye.com. David and his wife, Laurence know the area inside and out and they have lots of great ideas of things to do and places to stay in.
* Email questions, with your name and address, to jscales@irishtimes.com