Ask Joan

Finding the Sylvanians in London, Prague Christmas markets

We have twin grandchildren who are obsessed with Sylvanian Families and would like to visit the shop in Highbury, London. We would like to stay in London to see some sights. Would you be able to help us with family accommodation? – EW, Dublin

I remember when my daughter collected Sylvanian toy figures she would have loved to visit a shop devoted to them. Booking in advance should keep the cost down and there are some ideal hotels in London with family rooms.

Jurys Inn at Islington has family rooms and is a 10-minute trip by taxi to the store on Mount Grove Road, or you can take a bus. If you stay in the West End, the Travelodges are good value and have nice family rooms.

The Travelodge in Covent Garden is in a great area called Seven Dials and has interesting shops. See travelodge.com. The nearest underground to The Sylvanian Shop (sylvanianstorekeepers.com) is Arsenal and buses numbers four and 19 pass nearby. See also tfl.gov.uk for travel planning in London.

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There are a number of Premier Inns with decent family rooms. The one at Westminster Bridge is beside the London Eye and the Sea Life Aquarium and there is plenty to see along the South Bank.

Plan the trip to go early one day and late back the next or following day and you can keep the accommodation costs down. Try to fit in a bus tour so they get to see lots of the London sights.

We are four women planning to visit Prague for the Christmas markets. Should we go at the beginning of the season or towards the end? What about accommodation – hotels, apartments or Airbnb? – GMH , Mayo

The Christmas markets in Prague are lovely and very atmospheric. They begin the weekend of November 29th and run until December 23rd. The weekends are busy in Prague and you should go when the price is right, because every weekend is special. There is usually lovely music and concerts in Old Town Square and Wenceslas Square, also known as Vaclavske Namesti.

It can be very cold in December, below zero at times, so wrap up well for the crisp, cold nights. You could take a package, many travel agents sell them. Prices are around €360pps and would usually include flights, a city tour and transfers to the hotel. Travelescapes.ie and traveldepartment.ie are the main operators.

If you want to make your own arrangements, both Ryanair and Aer Lingus have flights to Prague, prices from €137-€277 return. There are plenty of accommodation options for Prague and Staré Mesto (Old Town) and Mala Strana (Little Town) would be two good areas to consider. There is a Jurys Inn in Prague, if you want to stay somewhere familiar, and rates are from €92 per room per night, B&B.

Staré Mesto is near the lovely Old Town Square with the famous clock. Mala Strana is just over the Charles Bridge and below the castle. It is a picturesque area of the city. Check hotel availability on hotels.com, and booking.com.

There are a lot of Airbnb hosts in Prague and it is something to consider; prices are reasonable. Give careful consideration to your choice – do you want to share with a host or have a place to yourselves? Other things to see in Prague include the beautiful Charles Bridge, Mucha Museum, Prague Castle, the Petrin Tower, and the Jewish Quarter. Look into any church you pass by. There are many stunning Baroque churches dotted around the city. Send your travel queries to jscales@irishtimes.com