Great Escapes: Flash flight sale, and save 20% on a chauffeur-driven Italian wine tour

We find the very best travel deals at home and abroad this week


20% off luxury chauffeured Italian wine tour

A luxurious chauffeur-driven journey through two of Italy's classic wine regions – Barolo and Chianti – is now available at a 20 per cent discount for September and October bookings. "The Italian Collection - Piedmont to Tuscany" is a six-day private guided trip featuring cellar tours and wine and olive-oil tastings, a cookery class and gourmet meals. Guests stay in a traditional farmhouse in Tuscany, and a wine hotel in Piedmont.

Price: from €1,424 per person, based on two sharing, including flights - down from €1,780, a saving of €356. Valid to 31 October 2017, subject to availability.To book: +44 208 877 4940; www.smoothred.co.uk

Aer Lingus flash sale 

READ MORE

Aer Lingus will have 300,000 extra seats this winter to the US and Europe. There will be a flash sale until midnight Tuesday, August 14th, with €50 off return flights to the US.  The airline begins flights to Miami in September, travelling three times per week and Bilbao will continue for the winter three times per week, aerlingus.com

Save €320 on a luxury Thai resort

Layana Resort is a romantic boutique property on Koh Lanta, with all that you would expect for a Thai island getaway. The adults-only resort is a tranquil retreat with spa, sandy beach and tropical gardens. A week in October is reduced to €1,189pps B&B with flights from Ireland, book by September 30th, tropicalsky.ie (01) 6649999.

Do Costa Rica on a Shoestring

Take a G Adventure trip to Costa Rica and you can be exploring volcanoes and beaches over a week in this tropical zone, visiting San José, La Fortuna, Arenal and Montezuma, and departing November 4th, 2017. Get the adrenaline pumping in La Fortuna, then soak up the hippie spirit of Montezuma and relax on the beach. Flights, accommodation, transportation and group leader are included, from €1,445, book through sunway.ie, (01) 2311800.

End of August specials from Thomson Holidays

Dublin to Ibiza in the 2* Sunshine Apartments in San Antonio from €549, August 31, Dublin to Lanzarote, Flamingo 4* Beach Resort and Cork to Majorca from, €899 for 11 nights in the Hotel Picafort 3* in Ca'an Picafort, and Shannon to Lanzarote in the TUI Sensimar Hotel Riu Arecas 4* adults only from €919 half board on Sept. 1, thomsonholidays.ie, 1850453545.

Prices tumble at Pierre et Vacances resorts

Pierre and Vacances always have great discounts for the end of season in France, Spain, Croatia, Italy, and Portugal. Apartments to rent on full service resorts with swimming pool areas and children's clubs in Spain from €363, pierreetvacances.com.

Cork two-night luxury stay for €378 for two

The Imperial Hotel on Cork's South Mall had a transformation last year and is now in its prime. Stay two nights and enjoy a Michael Collins cocktail before dinner in the Pembroke Restaurant one evening, use of the gym, lunch in the English market in the Farmgate Restaurant, a visit to Cork Gaol and luxury accommodation, flynnhotels, (021) 4274040

Picture perfect for Yuletide Vienna

Vienna at Christmas time is more than picture-perfect, lights twinkle and the air is filled with music and the scent of marzipan. Escape there on December 23rd for five nights. You will have time to discover the rich cultural heritage of the city, with a guided walking tour, a private tour of the Schonbrunn Palace with dinner and a concert. There will be special dinners on Christmas Eve and Day and mass in the Karlskirche baroque church with music. €1,249pps including flights four-star hotel, tours and dinners, single supplement €349, slatterys.com, (066) 4011150.