JOAN SCALESanswers your travel questions
Q We are a group of six or eight colleagues and friends who would like to take a short break for four or five nights the weekend before Christmas, from the Friday or Saturday until the Wednesday of Christmas week. We did German Christmas markets last year. We would love some sun and heat this year, but we do not have enough time off for a week-long package. Any suggestions for flights from Cork? A a city or nice town in a resort area with a beach, a little shopping and nice restaurants, staying in an apartment or hotel, would be ideal if it’s not too expensive. We don’t need late nightlife, just a little sunshine!
RD, Cork
One of the cheapest times of the year to take a package holiday is the week before Christmas, but as you don’t have the whole week off it is going to cost more to find the sun for four or five days. For flights from Cork for less than a week, the options are to go to Lanzarote or Tenerife. The flights will cost between €155 and €310, depending on dates.
Both islands are good for what you are looking for – sun, food and a little shopping. In Tenerife, Costa Adeje is a little quieter than the neighbouring Las Americas; in Lanzarote, Costa Teguise is more laid-back than Puerto del Carmen.
Accommodation is cheaper at this time of the year, and you will find some good value. The Spanish Barceló hotel group (barcelo.com) has rooms in Costa Teguise from €56 per night and in Tenerife from €36 per night.
For a city break from Cork, both Malaga and Barcelona are available with Aer Lingus. The weather will not be overly sunny, but it will be milder than here. Both cities have beaches, so if you pick a hotel near the sea, you may get a chance to use them.
Q I was interested to read the recent feature on Vienna (Go, August 29th). My husband and I are hoping to go to the Christmas market there and wonder if The Irish Timesis likely to have any all-in travel packages to Vienna in late November or early December. Alternatively, are you aware of any company which organises these? The Travel Department unfortunately has only one date on its website, and it does not really suit us. We recently had a few days in Girona, which featured earlier this year (Go, March 14th), and we loved it.
AM, Dublin
Vienna is particularly lovely during the Christmas-market season. Citiescapes (01-2941000, citiescapes.ie) has a tour on December 7th for four nights in a four-star hotel, which includes a walking tour of the city. It costs from €579pps, including taxes, charges and baggage.
Topflight (01-2401701, topflight.ie) also has short citybreaks to the Christmas markets in Vienna between November 22nd and December 22nd. The cost for three nights is from €249pps, plus taxes and charges.
Q My family and I – three teenage girls – wish to go on a citybreak during the Halloween midterm. We are looking for a destination we can get to from Cork or Shannon airport that will not break the bank. We would be very interested in visiting eastern Europe but would equally be open to other suggestions. We have previously visited Rome, Paris and Berlin. We are looking for something a little bit different, with plenty to see and do.
AB, Tipperary
You would find eastern Europe interesting. From Cork, Wizzair (wizzair.com) flies to four cities in Poland: Warsaw, Katowice/Cracow, Gdansk and Poznan. Ryanair flies from Shannon to Cracow. Fares range from €90 to €300, depending on dates.
Accommodation will not break the bank in Poland. You can expect to get a reasonable place to stay for about €50 per night. Hotels.com is having its autumn sale at present, so you might be able to pick up some good rates there.
Of the five places mentioned, I would put Cracow as the top choice for a good flavour of Poland. It has beautiful architecture, a good market in the old Jewish Quarter and is close to Auschwitz.
E-mail questions, with your name and address, to jscales@irishtimes.com