Ask Joan:Your travel questions answered
Family options in Israel
We are a couple with three kids, twins aged eight, and a nine-year-old. I was wondering about the possibility of going on a family holiday to Israel for about 10 days around end of August. I would love to combine seeing the old biblical places and some time just lazing around poolside. Is Israel safe? Is there any ‘resorts’ type holidays there? Is it hot at that time of year?
– NN, Wicklow
There good news is that Sadlier Travel will have weekly flights to Israel during July and August from Dublin, making it easy to get there from Ireland, and will cost around €595 return including taxes. Flights with other airlines via London, Paris, Frankfurt or Istanbul will be in the region of €495-€595.
Israel is safe to travel to, though there are areas you should avoid. Have a look at the advice from the Department of Foreign Affairs on travel to Israel, dfa.ie.
There are also a number of packages where you can combine a fly-drive holiday or city break with a beach resort trip to Netanya. That would give you the opportunity to explore some of the historical and biblical sites.
Netanya is about 30 kms from Tel Aviv on the Mediterranean coast and has temperatures in August from 22-30 degrees. Call Sadlier Travel on (01) 6788854 for more details of their trips. See also Israel tourism on ThinkIsrael.comfor lots more ideas.
Walk this way, or that
We are a group of eight friends, in our 50s, who did the Camino last year and would like to do another walking holiday this year. Our fitness levels vary from a marathon runner to those of us (the majority) who like a good brisk walk with a minimum of steep inclines and plenty of stops for coffee. We’d like a holiday in Europe where we can walk for, say, a max of four hours per day, stay in comfortable lodgings (with our luggage transported for us) and have time to enjoy the local scenery and ambiance. Have you any suggestions?
– ES, Dublin
Having done the Camino I have three suggestions for you and your friends, two in Italy and one in Majorca. The Via Francigena is the final 100kms of the Canterbury Way from Viterbo to Rome. The route goes through Lazio and follows old Roman roads, footpaths, forest trails, small towns and villages.
The last day you arrive into Rome on the Via Triumphale to St Peter’s Square, and you will be staying in a 17th century monastery near St Peter’s. The cost is from €695 half board, flights extra.
Details from (01) 525 2886 and Caminoways.com.
Your luggage is transported from place to place and accommodation is in small family hotels and agriturismo, country guesthouses, usually on farms.
In Nervi near Genoa there is an agritourismo, La Taverna del Sole, this is a farm with comfortable accommodation, swimming pool, great food – much of it produced on the farm – and a guide to show you the Cinque Terre.
You could base yourself here and travel out each day for walks and there are boats to the Cinque Terre from Nervi. There is also a riding school nearby, owned by a member of the family.
You can get here by flying to Milan and taking the train to Nervi or flying via Stansted and then to Genoa with Ryanair, details from Agriturismosantilario.it.
The Uwalk.iewalking tours of Majorca are based in the pretty port town of Puerto Soller on the north west coast of the island. It is a really lovely town, with great restaurants around the port, beaches nearby and beautiful sunsets.
Each day there is an option of an easy or hard walk along the coast or inland around the Tramuntana Mountains discovering little towns like Deja and Valdemossa. It will be hilly at times, but with lovely rural walks. The cost is from €739 pps, half board, flights extra, (046) 9068686.
Easy way to Iowa
We are attending a family wedding in October, in Iowa, mid west U.S. The local airport is Moline, we are going to Davenport. Any information on flights would be much appreciated. I am finding it difficult to link up to any flights without incurring very expensive flights.
– MON, Cork
Getting to smaller cities in the United States is always more difficult and costs a lot more. There are flights from Chicago and Atlanta to Moline Quad City Airport. The best and cheapest way I can see you doing this is with Delta.comvia Atlanta.
At least it will only be two flights and will cost in the region of €780 return including taxes.
It may be possible to shave a bit off this price by booking through a travel agent. Buying separate tickets for this journey will be more expensive.
Verona with the boys
Myself and five others (all middle aged men) go twice a year on three-night breaks to various cities across Europe for sightseeing and food. We usually stay in twin or triple rooms in quite good hotels (mostly 3 star). Have you any suggestions for Verona as on first look there doesn’t seem to be such a big choice as some European cities. We travel this spring on 14th April.
– PR, Louth
You must be taking advantage of the new Aer Lingus or Ryanair flights to Verona which just began. The following are three-star hotels located in and around the city centre and near the arena in Verona. They are all around the €100-130 per night range for three sharing. HotelAurora.biz, Hotelmastino.it, HotelScalzi.itand Hotelverona.it.
Email queries, with your name and address, to jscales@irishtimes.com