GO READER GO: YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED
Q My husband and I are travelling to the US for the first two weeks in October, to celebrate our silver wedding anniversary. We're flying to Boston, driving around New England, then finishing with a weekend in New York. We're having difficulty finding a reasonably priced hotel with parking in New York. Can you recommend hotels, a website or both? Also, what is the best way to book a show - from here or when we get there? Lastly, what is the story with shopping? How much can we bring home, and does it include presents from my aunt there to my children here?
ML, Galway
You have four questions here. Why park in New York? Why not drop the car off when you arrive? The main rental agencies have locations in Manhattan, and you can bring the car back to them. If you do need to park, hotels generally do not have parking but may have an arrangement with a local garage for reduced rates for guests. There are plenty of parking garages in New York, and you will find one easily enough.
When it comes to hotels, prices in New York are never low. Comfort Inns (www. comfortinn.com), Hiltons (www.hilton.com) and the like are a bit more reasonable, but do not delay in booking. Expect to pay about $250 (€170).
You can buy tickets in advance for all types of shows at Keith Prowse Travel in Dublin (01-8783500, www. keithprowse.com/ie). In New York you can buy tickets on the day for shows at the TKTS box office in Times Square. Tickets are reduced by 20-50 per cent, but you could be limited in what shows are available. Check out www.newyork theatreguide.com.
As to what you are allowed to bring into Ireland from your travels, the limit on goods, including beer, gifts, souvenirs and clothing, free of duty, is €175 per adult. Full details on www.revenue.ie. My colleague Fiona McCann writes about shopping in the US in our cover story, on pages 12-15.
Q I am going to Venice, in Italy, for a week with a friend. We are staying in the city for three nights. Then we would like to hire a car and tour for the remaining four nights. Can you recommend places to go and stay in those locations? We are flying back from Venice, so we need to be there in time for our flight.
MP, Dublin
You have a very wide choice of places to see within a three-hour journey of Venice.
Going northeast along the coast will take you to Trieste, a city my colleague Terence Killeen writes about today on pages 18-19. Also along the coast is the seaside resort of Ravenna and, a bit farther on, the lovely town of Rimini.
If you have an interest in food then you should visit Emilia-Romagna, the food basket of Italy. You could explore the cities and towns of Bologna, Modena, Parma and Cervia to enjoy the food of the region. Inland, you have the lovely Verona, home of the opera. With so many choices of places to stay, I think you should contact some Italian experts. I can recommend Topflight (01-2401700) and Citalia (1890-812302).
Q Last autumn Aer Lingus introduced direct flights to Funchal, in Madeira, and we enjoyed our holiday in early January very much. We are planning to travel again to Madeira shortly after Christmas, but I see that Aer Lingus has discontinued its service. I rang Aer Lingus customer service to ask about the prospects of the route being reintroduced this autumn, but it had no information for me. Do you know if Aer Lingus plans to restart this service? If not, what are the best options for getting to Funchal?
BMcS, Dublin
Unfortunately, as with any new service, if too few people use it, the airline has to terminate the route. Aer Lingus says it has no plans to resume the Funchal service this winter. But you can still go to Madeira. Panorama (www.panoramaholidays.ie) flies there weekly from January; seven nights, including accommodation, will cost from €679 per person sharing. Aer Lingus (www.aer lingus.com) flies to Lisbon, from where you can catch an onward flight with TAP (www.flytap. com). You will have to buy two tickets, but the prices are good in January - about €300 combined. If you would rather buy one ticket, TAP also flies (with its code- share partner British Airways) from Dublin to Funchal via Gatwick, for about €400.
• Send your questions with name and address to jscales@irish-times.ie