ClickandGo’s Bettina Haltmayer recently visited Croatia checking out some hotels in Dubrovnik, Cavtat and Mlini. If you’re thinking of going on holidays to Croatia, see what she had to say here…

When to go

The Croatian holiday season runs from April to October with direct Aer Lingus flights to Dubrovnik from Dublin 5 days a week.  As with most holiday destinations, the best value is to be had towards the beginning and end of the season. June, July and August tend to be more expensive and busier (those damned tourists getting in the way again). Note that Croatia is due to join the EU in July 2013 meaning an end to duty free shopping.

Lay of the land

Heading north along the coast from Dubrovnik Airport, the town of Cavtat (pronounced “Savtat”) is a 15-minute drive away. A further 10 minutes will find you in Mlini and another 10 minutes in Dubrovnik city. Cavtat and Mlini are both small, quiet towns, ideal if you’re looking for some rest and relaxation, but still want to be within striking distance of the bars, restaurants and night life on offer in a larger, vibrant city. Dubrovnik, Cavtat and Mlini all have a range of hotels perfectly located along the coastline.

The UNESCO-protected old town of Dubrovnik is where you’ll find all the bars restaurants while most of the hotels are located on the lush Lapad peninsula, just west of the city.

Can’t see the sea for the trees

Note that where “sea view” rooms are available they are well worth any additional expense as they generally offer stunning panoramic views over the Adriatic. Also note however that if your room is described as “sea side” you may not actually be able to see the sea. Many hotels on Dubrovnik’s Lapad peninsula are surrounded by lush foliage and their lower floors offer wonderful tree views, but not so great sea views!

Mlini and Cavtat

In Mlini you’ll find the 3* Astarea Hotel and the smaller 2* Hotel Mlini, both offering comfortable, good value accommodation.  In Cavtat you’ll find the recently refurbished 3* Cavtat Hotel and the secluded 5* Croatia Hotel. While the Croatia Hotel is a great 5-star property complete with a luxurious wellness spa, I wouldn’t recommend it for anyone with limited mobility as it is located on a small cliff and is a 15 minute, uphill walk from Cavtat town. On the plus side, the walk into town is mostly downhill.

A little luxury

If you’re looking to spoil yourself (or someone else) you should definitely have a look at the Hotel More in Dubrovnik (that’s More as in “door” not More as it “door-ay”). Unlike a lot of other hotels in Croatia, this is a smaller, more intimate boutique hotel. It is a true five-star hotel, with a great coastline location, luxury spa and a unique cave bar. During their stay, guests are also given use of a mobile phone that they can use to call the hotel to be picked up from wherever they find themselves in the city. If you’re looking for some pampering, this is the place to go.

Self-catering apartments

If you don’t want to blow your budget on your hotel but still want nice comfortable accommodation during your holiday in Croatia, you should check out the network of independently owned local apartments in Dubrovnik. These are ideal if you’re going to be out and about most of the day and are also great for groups travelling together. These apartments are of a high standard (generally including cooking and washing facilities, fresh towels, etc.) and enable guests to experience the less touristy side of the city.

Food

While there’s a huge selection of restaurants in and around Dubrovnik (the pricier ones being in the city’s old town), two worth particular mention are Restaurant Leut in Cavtat and the Kapetanova Kuca Restaurant in the town of Ston. Established in 1971, Leut (according to its own website) is “considered to be the family restaurant with the longest gastronomic tradition on the Adriatic”. If you want a taste of real Dalmatian food, Leut’s the place to go.

Ston is a small fortified town about 50km from Dubrovnik, renowned for its oysters. The Kapetanova Kuca Restaurant specialises in local delicacies and is heaven for sea-food lovers (particularly those who like their oysters). If you don’t want to make the trip from Dubrovnik by yourself, there are daily excursions organised from many of the city’s hotels.

On the subject of food, it’s worth noting that many hotels in Croatia offer great rates on upgrades to half board that work out super value for money even if you don’t avail of all the meals available.

And if I get bored…?

If you tire of the sunshine and swimming in crystal clear waters there are plenty of distractions and excursions available to keep you occupied. These include (in no particular order) sailing, walking tours of the old city, island-hopping cruises and day trips across the border into Bosnia and Herzegovina. For more ideas have a look at what the Lonely Planet guide suggests here.

Anything else?

As an up and coming holiday destination, Croatians are very eager to please. The service I experienced was great  and a lot of properties have been or are being upgraded.  As an alternative to the more traditional sun holiday destinations like Spain and the Canaries, Croatia is definitely worth checking out!

Useful Links

• Package holidays to Croatia
• The “Love Croatia” Facebook page
• The Croatia National Tourism Board
• Wikipedia’s Croatia page

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These suggestions are based on my own (admittedly limited) experience of travelling with two toddlers, the experience of friends and general advice garnered from various sources.

So, in no particular order, here are some tips and reminders for making your family holidays a little easier:

1. Distractions, distractions, distractions

Bring whatever favourite toys, colouring books, games, etc. that will keep the little darlings distracted long enough. Just be aware that the toy drum kit from last Christmas may not be a popular choice with your fellow travellers. Portable DVD players, tablets loaded with games and LeapFrog or Innotab tablets could also come in handy.

2. Feeeeed me!

Lots of little pre-prepared bags with small snacks also serve as a useful distractions and time fillers.

3. Baby food, bottles and security

Remember that baby food and baby bottles are exempt from the liquid restriction at airport security. According to the Dublin airport website: “Baby food or food for people on special diets is exempt from the new regulations. Passengers are allowed to bring these items through the screening points in the quantities needed during their trip. Passengers may be required to demonstrate that what they are carrying is real and for genuine use and not something less innocent.”

For details see Dublin airport security FAQ page.

4. “Evening before” check-in service

Aer Lingus have a new service for passengers on early morning flights from Dublin airport that allows them to check in the evening before from 4 to 8pm. Obviously more useful for families who live closer to the airport, this allows you to check-in and drop off all the bulky, heavy paraphernalia associated with travelling with babies and toddlers. This leaves you free to arrive at the airport the morning of your flight and go straight through security. You’ll find full details on the Aer Lingus website.

5. Airport Genie

Airport Genie is a paid service that provides you with a personal escort to assist you navigate your way through the airport right up to your departure gate. I have never personally used this service, but friends of mine with kids have, and though it was great. You’ll find full details at www.airportgenie.com

6. Buy when you get there

Given that kids are well capable of going through several changes of clothes a day, the temptation might be to bring their entire wardrobe when going on family holidays. However, depending on where you’re going, it might be possible to purchase what you need when you get there, particularly if you were going to buy lots of new summer gear anyway.

7. Travel before they’re two

On Aer Lingus flights, children under two years of age are considered infants and travel for a nominal charge. Once they are over two, they are charged for a full seat. Of course, you can then use their 10kg carry-on allowance. If your children are already over two – sorry.

8. Car seats

If you’re renting a car of getting a private airport transfer, remember to request an appropriate child seat.

9. Maybe don’t book your seats beforehand

The temptation when travelling with a family might be to pre-book your seats to ensure you all end up sitting together. The drawbacks to doing this are that it incurs an additional charge and also that you don’t know who’ll be sitting around you. On our most recent family holiday, we didn’t pre-book our seats, however the good people at the Aer Lingus check-in desk not only seated us together but also ensured that nobody else was sitting in our row or the one next to us. This meant that we had our own little space in which to create havoc without bothering the other passengers. Of course, on a fully booked flight this would not be possible, but in our case it worked out well.

So, this is my tuppence worth. Feel free to share or suggest your own top tips for stress free (or at least reduced stress) family holidays!

The post Tips for travelling with small kids on family holidays appeared first on Click and Go Blog.

It’s just finished, but it’s been a long cold spring, and let’s not even get into how cold, cold and dark the winter of 2012/13 has been.

So, let’s be positive and upbeat. Do you go with the theory, the hope, the myth, that a harsh winter might bring a great summer, or do you remember the couple of great days last summer and the summer before that? I don’t remember them.

Maybe one needs to get away from the cold in Ireland for a week of sunshine to get the necessary vitamin D boost the body needs, get away from the talk of ECB rates going up and down,  doom and gloom, spin and more spin, but not at a cost that is going to break the bank.

In 2013 everyone has to watch their money, be price conscious, look for value and look for deals so that if they can spare money for a cheap holiday then the hope is to get away to the sun as cost effectively as possible.

So what can we do for you? Well as Jerry Maguire said, help me to help you? We help you by getting the best value flights and accommodation to get you to the sun for as cheap as possible. For example we have a huge variety holidays to Lanzarote. You can opt for 5-star luxury if you like, or go for a great value self-catering holiday with no frills, just a sky full of sunshine.

If a holiday in Lanzarote is not to your liking and you’d prefer the shorter flight to the Algarve, we have just as much choice, from 5-star luxury pampering to cheap and cheerful self-catering holidays.

If sun, sea and sand is not your cup of tea but you need to get away for summer 2013, why not go on a  quick European city break. Go for some “Gelato” (ice cream to us Irish) in Rome, book a romantic getaway to Venice, explore the history of Berlin or soak in the thermal spas of Budapest.

Whatever your preferences, there are great value and cheap holidays out there. Just give us a shout or drop us an email and we’ll point you in the right direction!

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Where to go, where to go?

So, earlier this year my wife and I took the plunge and decided to go on our first family holiday with our (almost) 2 year old twins. For choosing where to go we had a number of criteria. We were looking for somewhere warm, but didn’t want to fry our two small children. We also wanted a relatively short flight time just in case our energetic toddlers got bored and decided to storm the cockpit. Finally, we had to be back before their second birthday in May, otherwise they would no longer be considered infants and we would have to purchase a full priced seat for each of them.

With these conditions in mind, we decided that a holiday in the Algarve was our best bet. The Algarve is just three hours from Dublin and in April enjoys temperatures in the mid 20′s. Also, there are daily Aer Lingus flights to Faro from Dublin so we could choose exactly when to leave and return. Note that Aer Lingus also flies direct to the Algarve from Cork, Belfast and Shannon.

Next, we had to decide where to stay during our holiday. There’s a huge selection of family-friendly accommodation in the Algarve. We were looking for a self-catering apartment or villa close to (but not necessarily on) a beach and close to a centre or town where we could purchase food and supplies. Having looked at various options, we decided on the 4-star Rocha Brava village resort in Carvoeiro, about an hour’s drive west of Faro.

I should also mention that we commandeered one of my nieces to accompany us in the role of toddler wrangler. This was a master stroke and well worth any additional expense. For anyone not fortunate enough to have a ready supply of nieces, I have several spare ones who I will happily rent out at very reasonable rates.

Rocha Brava

So having negotiated the necessary airports, flights and car rentals, we found ourselves heading for Rocha Brava just outside the town of Carvoeiro in the Algarve. To get there, head west from Faro Airport along the A22 (motorway including tolls) or N125, following the signs for Lisboa/Portimão/Albufeira. Once you reach Carvoeiro, Rocha Brava is very well sign posted. Of course you could also just book airport transfers from with your holiday and let someone else worry about the directions. You can check out directions from Faro airport to Rocha Brava and Carvoeiro on Google Maps.

Rocha Brava itself is a resort village of one and two story villas and apartments of various shapes and sizes. However one of the really appealing things about the village is how it is landscaped. A lot of thought obviously went into planning the grounds so that the different units are separated by trees, bushes, shrubs and paths, providing a sense of privacy as well as ample shade. The grounds are also meticulously maintained.

We rented a three-bedroom villa which included a fully equipped kitchen (fridge, freezer, cooker, microwave, kettle, dish washer, washing machine), one main bathroom and one en-suite, dining/sitting room, TV with various satellite channels, open fire place (nice touch if you’re staying during the winter), small patio (with table and chairs), a barbeque pit, and a large roof top sun terrace. A nice touch was that the kitchen came supplied with some simple essentials (tea, coffee, milk, bread, fruit, etc).

The grounds of Rocha Brava include three outdoor swimming pools one of which remains heated over the winter months. Each pool also has a separate kiddies’ pool. In addition, there are tennis courts and a fitness centre available for guests’ use.

Other facilities include a supermarket, cafe, restaurant and a wellness centre offering various treatments and therapies. A kids’ club for 4 to 12 year olds operates from May to September, and for those who wish to stay connected during their holiday, there are free wi-fi hotspots in and around the cafe and restaurant.

The supermarket is small but well stocked with fresh fruit and veg, bread, milk, frozen food, wine, etc. Note however that it is a little expensive and better value is to be had in the large supermarkets (including an Aldi and Intermarché) on the outskirts of Carvoeiro.

The onsite restaurant in Rocha Brava is called O Farol and is well worth a visit at least once during your stay. It’s a little pricey, but the quality of the food (especially the seafood) and service is first class. You’ll also find a good selection of other restaurants within 15 minutes walk of Rocha Brava, and of course an extensive choice if you venture into Carvoeiro town.

Around Rocha Brava

Centianes Beach
The nearest beach to Rocha Brava is in Centianes, about a 20 minute walk away. The beach is also served several times a day by free shuttle buses from Rocha Brava. This is a golden sandy beach enclosed by cliffs at either end. Note however that access to this beach is via a pretty long and steep set of steps. If you’re looking for a beach that you can walk straight on to, try Carvoeiro.

Carvoeiro town
The closest town to Rocha Brava is Carvoeiro, about 3km or a 5 minute drive away. As with Centianes beach, there are free shuttle buses several times a day from Rocha Brava. Carvoeiro is a small, fairly touristy town with lots of bars, cafes, restaurants and shops. One of its best features is a perfect sandy beach right at the end of its main street, so you have swimming, sun-bathing, shopping and eating all within a couple of minutes of each other.

Further afield

If you fancy going a little further afield or doing a couple of day trips, there are loads of interesting cities, towns and villages within easy striking distance of Carvoeiro. In no particular order, some of these include:

• Lagos: Home to the best beaches in the Algarve (according to www.lagosuncovered.com). Steeped in history, Lagos is the site of Europe’s first slave market and was the base of Portugal’s 15th Century explorations and conquests.
• Silves: Incline Alert! Silves is very hilly, particularly if you want to visit the town’s Moorish castle, which is the main reason for going there in the first place. Having said that, the castle and its museum are well worth a visit. Silves is about a 20 minute drive north of Carvoeiro.
• Ferragudo: If you’re looking for somewhere slight less touristy, check out Ferragudo, a small fishing town across the estuary from Portimão. There’s a good selection of cheap restaurants and cafe’s around the town’s central square.

So would you recommend it?

Absolutely! If you’re considering spending your holidays in the Algarve, definitely check out Rocha Brava. Its layout, onsite facilities and range of accommodation options make it ideal for family holidays as well as couples, while Carvoeiro is perfectly located on the beach-dotted Algarve coast within easy reach of Faro airport and a host of other towns and villages. Our one regret was that we only booked 7 nights. With the two small people in tow, it took a couple of days longer than usual to settle in to a routine, so we found ourselves heading home far too soon.

Useful links

• Holiday packages to the Algarve including Rocha Brava
  (from Dublin, Cork, Belfast and Shannon)
• Images of Rocha Brava (from their Facebook page)
• The official Visit Algarve tourism site
• Directions from Faro airport to Rocha Brava

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A group of us have just returned from a 2 night holiday in the fabulous city of Santiago de Compostela. Like many of us, my experiences of Spain have been limited to holidays in the Costa’s and the bigger cities.

Northern Spain is different – it’s GREEN. When we were coming in from the Santiago de Compostela airport it was like Ireland (with sunshine), with green fields and yellow gorse bushes dotting the hillsides. The taxi from the airport was €21 to anywhere in the city (including bags) and only takes about 15 minutes. There is also the bus which goes every 30 minutes at a cost of about €3 but I prefer the taxi as you are brought directly to your hotel, so no messing about.

Santiago de Compostela is the resting place of the apostle James – well, so the legend goes and it has been a place of pilgrimage for a long time. The Santiago de Camino, a trek used by the pilgrims, attracts a lot of walkers, and ends in the city at the Cathedral of St. James, which dominates the city and skyline. A must, is to stay in and around the old city. It’s where you want to be. Behind and around the cathedral is a warren of small streets with bars, restaurants cafes and small shops.

If you’re interested in the history of the city, take the walking tour with a guide – very informative and also great for getting your bearings. The tourist office has lots of info, with lots of different tours available, including a gastronomy tour (which I would love to do next time). Be sure that you don’t miss the cathedral roof top tour for amazing views, well worth the 110 step climb, and be sure to wander around the covered city market for a real local feel.

If you like food, particularly seafood, this place is heaven. There are tapa bars and restaurants at every turn, and some great value to be had. We saw “menu del dia” starting at €8 per person for three courses with bread and water. Like everywhere in Spain things don’t kick off until late, in fact some bars don’t open till midnight. Didn’t bother us too much as there was always somewhere else that was open.

Santiago de Compostela is perfect for a 2 or 3 night city break. It isn’t expensive nor is it huge and it has a very much lived in vibe. What I especially loved was it didn’t feel touristy. There is enough to do and see and yet you don’t feel like you have walked the legs off yourself. It can get very busy in July and August when most people walk the Camino de Santiago, so go in May, June or September when prices are cheaper. I loved it as an alternative to the bigger cities that I’ve visited.

There are Aer Lingus flights from Dublin to Santiago de Compostela 3 to 4 times each week and ClickandGo has a selection of hotels and holiday packages.

ENJOY!

Useful links:

• Hotels and holiday packages to Santiago de Compostela
• Official tourism website
• Wikipedia page
• Cathedral of St. James 

The post A different kind of Spanish holiday in Santiago de Compostela appeared first on Click and Go Blog.

Allow me to state here how much I love Barcelona , an admirable city, a city full of life, intense, a port open to the past and future… LE CORBUSIER

A weekend break in Barcelona is sure to fill you with memorable experiences, a city so full of life and history.

Let’s look at some of the top attractions to take in while you’re there and how to get around this majestic city!

Getting from the airport  to Sants Estacio , Barcelona central station is quick and easy. The train, metro, public bus and tram service all can be used on the same ticket  all in ticket.

A four day ticket is 24 euro per person and gives you unlimited journeys. The Metro system has many lines and takes a little time to get a handle on, however once you know which line you need it’s faultless. Metro trains run every 3 minutes so your never waiting long.

Keep your head up when walking in the tunnels as the locals will literally walk through you as they zoom around.

There is no need to pay for taxis in Barcelona, if you are in a city centre hotel there will be a metro stop near your hotel.  Cannot emphasize how good  the public transport service is.

The best and only way to see the city, to see where everything is, is to find a stop for the red open top double decker hop on off tour bus . This is not part of the public transport system.

There are two routes the east and west, the best time to get the bus is early morning as the ticket last for the full day and is 26 euro per person starting out from the Plaça Catalunya.

This is the nerve centre of the commercial city and the frontier between the old and the modern town. A full day is needed for the two routes allowing time for getting on and off at the many stops.

From Placa Catalunya to the Marina, the Olympic Port cable car , la Rambla, Montjuïc, the 1992 Olympic park & Jardí Botànic, the Camp Nou , there is so much to see and do.

The Gothic quarter which has many Gaudi buildings to Park Guell which was converted into a municipal garden, to , Gaudi’s house, “la Torre Rosa,” which contains many designs, but is access is only by paid ticket.

There is a double venue ticket available  for those wishing to see both Park Güell and the  Basílica de la Sagrada Família. The Metro line stops right outside but the queue will be round the back, it moves quickly, tickets which include Towers can often mean waiting around for to 90 minutes.

Food in Barcelona is all about tapas, tapas and more tapas. If you like a cup of tea, best pack a few tea bags and if your staying room only in the hotel, breakfast in coffee shops is a croissant and a coffee at best. In saying that in the many coffee shops in and around the city you will find many places that will serve a coffee and cake for 2.50 euro.

In the many streets off the Placa Catalunya you will find all you can each buffet style lunch menus for 10 euro per person. Night time eating down by the Marina and in the city can be pricey, can be good value, you can sit outside or inside, have tapas, have main courses. A lot of the tapas bars are also bars and you don’t really come across pubs as such. There are also a number of bustling cafés with terraces along La Rambla.

If you like to shop and you love shoes, your’re in heaven as the number of shoe shops in the maze of streets of La Rambla has to be seen to be believed.  From the nine floors of el corte ingles to shops from every top brand to local products Barcelona has something for all wallet sizes.

Lionel Messi the greatest footballer ever seen ? Plays for Barca at the Camp Nou, the greatest team we have ever seen ?

His face , his club are the first thing that greet you in the arrivals at terminal 2 at Barcelona Airport off the red eye from Dublin with Aer Lingus If you need FC Barcelona tie pins, mugs and shirts you can buy them everywhere around the city in the numerous official FCB shops.

Tickets for a match at Camp Nou are readily available (as long as its not El Classico) Don’t go for stadium tour on a match day as the number of exhibits on show is significantly reduced and at 23 euro for tour its best to get value for money. The megastore is best avoided and buy from the smaller shops around the city.

What about your experiences on your weekend break in Barcelona? What hidden treasures did you find on your travels? Any pitfalls you’d like to pass on to fellow travelers?

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In the ’80s foreign holiday prices from Belfast were often much lower than in Dublin and people travelled up North to depart to catch the rays. Well, it look this may be on the cards again!

The sun holiday market from Northern Ireland is very sluggish at the moment and airlines are offering great cheap holidays on certain dates and certain routes from Belfast. With people trying to get the best value for money for their summer break, we may see more people heading north again to get away to the sun.

For example, ClickandGo.com has a holiday in May from Dublin to Majorca for €436 per person (including Aer Lingus flights, transfers and self-catering accommodation for 7 nights). The exact same holiday from Belfast (on the same date, with Aer Lingus flights and in the same accommodation) costs just €283 per person ( ie £241 at an exchange rate of approx. 0.85).

That’s a saving of over €300 for a couple going on holiday in Majorca! *

This is simply is a matter of supply and demand. Holidays sales from Northern Ireland are weak relative to those from the Republic, so airlines are offering fantastic value on holidays from Belfast. And we’re not the only ones noticing this trend. A report entitled “Holidaymakers can save €140 each by flying from North” recently appeared in the Irish Independent.

Flying from Belfast City Airport is a reasonably convenient option for someone living north of Dublin. Drive time from Dublin city is less than 2 hours and there are also great rail and bus connections, so even with travel up to Belfast, you can still save on the price of your holiday.

It might not be suitable for everyone, but it’s definitely an option worth considering if you are within striking distance of Belfast and want to make some holiday savings. And as ClickandGo.com offers holidays from Dublin and Belfast (as well as Cork and Shannon), you can easily compare the same holiday from different airports on our website before deciding which route is best for you.

So, if you’re looking for a cheap holiday from Dublin, fly from Belfast!

*Prices correct as of 15 April 2013.

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Getting there

City breaks to Berlin offer great flexibility as Aer Lingus fly twice daily from Dublin. Schönefeld Airport lies about 24 minutes outside of the city and the flight time of a little over two hours won’t eat into your precious vacation too much.

Getting from the airport

From Schönefeld, the 171 bus runs from the airport to Rudow, where you can transfer to the U-Bahn (underground rail) to get into central Berlin. Alternatively, the S-Bahn (suburban rail) lines S49 and S9 take about 45 minutes to get into city centre. If you want to get the bus, the Airport Express goes to Hauptbahnhof, Zoologischer Garten, Friedrichstrasse, Alexanderplatz and Ostbahnhof every half an hour or a taxi to the city will set you back €30-€40.

Hotels in Berlin

As with most capital cities there is a huge selection of hotels in Berlin from budget to luxury. Click here for a list of hotels in Berlin.

Getting around

Public transport in Berlin operates on an honesty system. There are no barriers at train, tram or bus stops, though underground inspectors will fine you up to €40 on the spot if they catch you without a ticket. You can get pretty much anywhere in the city 24 hours a day thanks to Berlin’s excellent transport system, an interconnected network of underground rail (U-Bahn), suburban rail (S-Bahn) buses, trams, and ferries. For more information see www.bahn.de or www.bvg.de.

If you’re a cyclist, you’re in luck! Berlin is a bit of a cyclist’s dream in that it’s largely flat with lots of dedicated cycle paths and plenty of green areas and rivers to glide along. If the weather is good, it’s one of the nicest ways of seeing the city.

So what does Berlin have to offer?

Berlin is a vibrant city with an exciting and entertaining cultural life where both young and not so young are well catered for.

At first glance, Berlin can seem a little sprawling but it is in fact very accessible, on foot or using the excellent public transport system. A good starting point to get your bearings when new to the city is the area around Alexanderplatz. From here you can begin to explore the Mitte “centre” district.

You can take a free walking tour departing at 11am from outside the Starbucks on Unter den Linden (near the Brandenburg Gate). The tour takes in all the most notable sites including the Brandenburg Gate, the Holocaust Memorial and Checkpoint Charlie. The tour finishes on Museumsinsel (Museum Island) which contains five museums and is known as “Athens on the river Spree”.

For a stunning view over the city visit the roof top terrace of the Reichstag building, just two minutes from the Brandenburg Gate. As an extra bonus, entry is free!

If you want to see the infamous Berlin Wall, visit the East Side Gallery in Friedrichshain which is the longest and best preserved section. The best way to get there is by getting the U-Bahn or S-Bahn to Warschauer Str.

Since the fall of the Wall, Berlin has become one of the most stimulating cultural centres in Europe. It’s a city of many faces and is increasingly becoming a destination for families thanks to a wealth of green spaces that includes the sprawling Tiergarten, the Sunday flea market at Mauerpark and the Volkspark Friedrichshain.

More information

Berlin Tourism Site
City Break Packages to Berlin

B.P.

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Verona is a city in the north-east of Italy, located in a strategic position, mid way between Venice and Milan and just 20 minutes by car from Lake Garda. It’s easy to reach from Dublin since Aer Lingus has three flights a week into Verona’s airport, just 15 minutes by taxi from the city centre.

Not as famous as other Italian cities, Verona is mostly known for Romeo and Juliet and for its stunning Roman amphitheatre, the Arena, but there is much more to see in this beautiful city break destination!

Why go to Verona?

There are a lot of reasons to spend a couple of days in Verona.  You can visit its ancient city centre (where you will find Roman, Medieval, Venetian and Austrian architecture), take a walk through one of the numerous parks (such as the Giardini Pubblici, Giardino Giusti or Giardino Sigurtà ) or just sit for a coffee in Piazza delle Erbe during its famous market (Saturday and Sunday) and watch the world go by.

The interesting thing about Verona is that through the years, it was dominated by many different cultures, so you can find a variety of styles and influences in the city.

If you like ancient Roman architecture, don’t miss the Arena, the biggest attraction in Verona! This amphitheatre is the best preserved in Italy, and is the scene of many operas, concerts and shows. If you take in one of these events it’s something that you will never forget! If you just want to visit it, you can do it between 9am and 7pm (Tuesday to Sunday) or from 9am to 3pm if there is a show on. For more information see www.arena.it 

Other legacies of the Roman rulers include the Ponte Pietra, the Roman theatre and the two ancient entrances to the city, Porta Leoni and Porta Borsari.

If you are a Romanesque lover, you can’t miss the church of San Zeno Maggiore! This ancient, fourth century church is famous for the Mantegna masterpiece, the Pala di San Zeno.

There aren’t so many buildings in Verona from the Middle Ages as most were destroyed by an earthquake in 1117, but from this disaster was born the biggest church in the city, the Duomo (Santa Maria Matricolare). You can visit this amazing cathedral every day for free (the opening hours change between February and March and between October and November).

For more modern architecture, you can find traces of the Venetian influence almost everywhere! The best example is the palazzo Maffei, which you can clearly see resembles the Venetians’ palaces.

There are also a lot of Austrian military buildings, since Verona was an important strategic point during the reign of the Hasburgs. The best example is undoubtedly the arsenal of Franz Josef I.

A non-historical attraction is of course the balcony of Juliet! The central place of Shakespeare’s masterpiece is located in the city centre, in Via Capello 23 and this is one of the most visited sites in Verona! Lovers write their names on the wall of the arcade and tourists touch the breast of the statue of Juliet … that’s for good luck!

Anyway, everywhere you go in Verona you breath art and history, so even a simple walk thought the city centre is something worthwhile!

Getting around in Verona

Verona is quite big, but you can easily get around on foot as the main attractions are all in the city centre. If you don’t want to spend too much time walking around, the city has a good public transportation system. A daily ticket (until midnight) is just €4 while a single trip ticket is €1.30. For more information, see www.atv.verona.it

Verona by night

In Verona, it’s normal to have a drink (or aperitivo) before dinner.  For eating there are many restaurants – expensive and chic or simple and cheap, but regardless of price you can be sure the food will taste of tradition and passion! For some tips on where to eat, here’s a list of the best restaurants in the city: www.verona.com/en/ristoranti-verona

Verona also offers lots of choices for after dinner.  The night life in Verona can be quiet and romantic or you can go crazy in one of the many of local clubs! Thanks to the university, the city is full of young students and has no shortage of venues to spend an unforgettable night in!

Hotels in Verona

Like many other city break destinations, there is a vast choice of hotels in Verona.  The best thing would be to pick a hotel in the city centre, so you can really enjoy your trip and breathe the real Verona!

A good choice would be the 4-star Grand Verona Hotel, which is located half way between the main train station and the Arena, which you can reach by foot in just 5 minutes!

If you want something simpler and maybe cheaper but you still want to be in a central location, you can go for the Best Western Armando, a good 3-star hotel.

Getting to Verona from the airport

As mentioned, Verona has its own airport so it’s really simple to get to! There are Aer Lingus  flights from Dublin to Verona on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, making it easy to spend 2 or 3 nights in this beautiful city!

The airport is connected to the city centre by a shuttle bus service that arrives into the Porta Nuova railway station every 20 minutes from 5.40am to 11.10pm and costs €6.

If you want to take a taxi, it’s just 15 minutes and should cost around €15-20. You will find taxies right outside the airport or you can call the Unione Radio Taxi (+39 045 532 666), the Taxi e Autoblu  (+39 045 858 1403 ) or the Radiotaxi Catullo (+39 045 2223525).

You can also take a local bus to the city centre, but this would be more complicated than the shuttle or the taxi as you would need to change twice.

Not only Verona

Another reason why Verona is a great location is that you can easily take a train to visit two other nearby cities. With the “Freccia Bianca” train you can reach Milan in 1 hour 20 minutes (for €21.50) and Venice in 1 hour 10 minutes (for €23). You can also use the cheaper regional trains to reach Milan in 1 hour 50 minutes (for €11.55) and Venice in 2 hours 15 minutes (for €7.50). You will find all the necessary information on the website of Trenitalia (www.fsitaliane.it).

In addition, Lake Garda is easily accessible as the train from Verona to Milan serves Peschiera del Garda and Desenzano, two resorts on the lake.

What else?

What else can be said about this city? If you want a cultural city break and if you enjoy art, good food and fun, Verona is the city for you! Check out the offers on ClickandGo.com for an unforgettable city break trip to Verona!

A note from our blogger, Francesco Adriani

“I was born in a small city near Vicenza, so it was always easy to go to a day trip to Verona! I know this beautiful city quite well because many friends of mine studied and lived there, so that was a great excuse for pass one or two days visiting or just enjoying a walk or a concert in the magic atmosphere of the city! My personal advice is not to pass up an opportunity to visit Verona. It might not be as famous as other important cities, but it certainly deserves your attention for a couple of days! You won’t regret it!”

The post Everything you need to know for an unforgettable trip to Verona! appeared first on Click and Go Blog.

A little over a year ago, my expectant wife and I decided to take a “babymoon” holiday. For those of you not in the know, a babymoon is essentially the opposite of a honeymoon – it’s the last holiday an expectant couple takes before the arrival of their first bundle of joy.

It was February, so we were looking for a little bit of sunshine, but didn’t want to take a long haul flight. We were considering the Canaries but in the end decided on holiday in Madeira for a number of reasons. Firstly, it was closer. Only by about 45 minutes, but when 50% of the travelling party is pregnant, every second counts! Also, neither of us had been there previously and we were eager to sample somewhere new. However the main reason we opted for a holiday in Madeira was because we had heard such enthusiastic reviews about the island and its lush scenery.

More than just an old fashioned sponge cake

We had heard that as a holiday destination, Madeira attracted an older clientele. Now while TV3 won’t be commissioning “Madeira Uncovered” any time soon, neither is the island the retirement home many would have you believe.

We witnessed a good mix of young families and couples as well as the more mature holiday makers. In fact (name drop alert) I was recently speaking with a current member of the Irish rugby team who had just spent a week on the island with his rather hot girlfriend. There is also an active surfing scene in Madeira with several popular spots around the island attracting younger holiday-makers (see www.wannasurf.com).

How to get there

SATA flies weekly from Dublin to Funchal, and to paraphrase Henry Ford, you can travel any day you like so long as it’s Sunday. The flight takes about 3½ hours and Madeira is in the same time zone as Ireland, so you can’t use jet lag excuse if you fancy a lie in. Also, SATA is one of the few airlines that includes a check-in bag (20kg) in its fare price, so there’s no need to turn up at the airport wearing your entire wardrobe in an attempt to save some pennies.

Where to stay

There’s a huge choice of hotels in Funchal, from the basic to the luxurious. As this was most likely going to be the last grown-up holiday we’d be taking for several years, we decided to splurge and stay in the 5-star Cliff Bay Hotel, although we did hold back a little and opted for a first floor car-park view instead of the more expensive sea view room.

The Cliff Bay has everything you’d expect from five-star hotel – a selection of bars and cafes, indoor and outdoor pools, gym, health spa, helpful staff, etc. It also boasts the Michelin star Il Gallo d’Oro restaurant.  During our stay we took afternoon tea in the hotel gardens with a violin accompaniment – all terribly civilised.

As the name suggests, the hotel is on top of a cliff, so there is an uphill walk from the city centre to the hotel, although taxis and public buses are readily available. It’s about 2½ km so allow around 30 minutes if you’re walking. To compensate for the uphill walk, the hotel has wonderful views of the Atlantic Ocean, Funchal city and bay, and the visiting cruise liners coming and going.

As an aside, I felt slightly sorry for the cruise ship day-trippers, as there was no way they could get to fully appreciate all Madeira has to offer in their limited time ashore.

Other popular hotels in Funchal include the Residencial Monumental (2 star),  the Hotel Baia Azul (4 star) and the Melia Madeira Mare Resort and Spa (5 star).

A quick geography lesson

Madeira has a population of 267,785 with 111,890 of those living in the capital, Funchal, a vibrant, compact city. The island is 57km long and 22km wide (that’s 35 x 14 miles in old money) and lies 520km off the coast of Morocco. Area-wise, think slightly less than Co. Louth (now stop thinking about Co. Louth). It is part of a volcanic archipelago and is quite mountainous, with a high point of 1,862m, that’s over 1 and ¾ times the height of Carrauntoohil.

Temperatures range from an average low of 19.1°C in January and February to an average high of 25.7°C in September (thank you Wikipedia) meaning that Madeira really is a year round holiday destination. We were there in February and were in t-shirts most of the day when at sea level. Note however that when you travel inland and start to ascend, the temperature drops noticeably (particularly in the shaded forests) and fleeces or light jackets would be recommended.

That’s the end of geography lesson, but there will be a test at the end.

So what’s Madeira like?

The best word to describe Madeira is “lush”. Its climate and rich volcanic soil mean that the island truly is a perennial garden of tropical flowers, verdant forests and trees dripping with ripe fruit. The one drawback for the early Portuguese settlers was that the terrain was steep – very steep! Being a volcano, as soon as you go a couple of hundred metres inland everything starts going up rapidly. The industrious settlers overcame this by carving terraces into the mountainsides giving the Madeiran landscape one of its most unique features. Today, bridges, tunnels, switchbacks and cable-cars criss-cross the terrain while many of the terraces lie in disuse.

The main population centres are situated around the coastline. This is also where most of the wealth can be found, generated predominantly by the island’s tourist industry. However if you want to get a taste of the real Madeira, travel inwards and upwards where you’ll find small village communities and farmers cultivating near vertical plots of land.  The locals here will be less likely to speak English, but you won’t pay tourist prices for a coffee and a sandwich.

Another feature of the Medeiran landscape are the levadas – narrow canals used for irrigation. Many of these levadas now double as well maintained hiking treks. Some of the more difficult ones take you along precipitous ledges, across streams and under waterfalls. Being semi-pregnant, we opted for a medium grade trek (precipitous ledges but with guide ropes, streams but with stepping stones and waterfalls but only little ones).

What’s to do?

To get our bearings we took a half day guided jeep tour of the island. Lucking another couple who had booked failed to show, otherwise the jeep would definitely have been a bit crowded. Our guide was a local and was able to give us a good insight into life on the island and how it had changed over the last thirty years. He also took the liberty of showing off and scaring the bejaysus out of us by speeding up and down tiny, ridiculously steep roadways and lanes with millimetres of clearance on either side.

Highlights of Funchal (particularly for those of a horticultural inclination) include the spectacular Tropical Gardens and the Botanical Gardens, both located overlooking the city and accessible by cable car.

The not spectacular but really interesting Madeira Story Centre in Funchal is also well worth a visit and will bring you up to speed on your Madeiran history.

Another highlight of Madeira is the food. As the island is blessed with a twelve month growing season, its restaurants have an abundant supply of fresh, locally grown fruit and vegetables. Also, as you’d expect, top quality seafood is readily available, one local delicacy being the ugly but delicious scabbard fish (espada). Another local dish well worth trying are the espetada – skewered chunks of beef grilled over smouldering wood chips.

There’s no shortage of restaurants serving fresh local produce, so definitely indulge while you have the opportunity, and if you want to see Madeira’s bounty in all its glory, pay a visit to Funchal’s food market (Mercado dos Lavradores). Here you can pick up a bag of freshly picked passion fruit and see what a scabbard fish looks like before it reaches your plate, although be warned – I have a feeling we were charged the special tourist prices!

Outside of Funchal

Being a tad on the diminutive side, Madeira is easily navigable, and a couple of hours driving will see you from coast to coast. The island is dotted with picturesque towns and villages easily accessible from Funchal and well worth investigating. Of note are: Calheta, where you’ll find the island’s only sandy beach, albeit fake, with sand imported from Morocco; Caniçal, home to the Madeira Whale Museum, although check the opening hours – it was closed for some reason when we tried to visit; and São Vicente where you’ll find the island’s Volcanism Centre.

On a side note, if you are considering driving around Madeira, be prepared for some very steep conditions. Despite the best advice of our jeep-driving tour guide (including to stay off the brakes on the way down or you won’t have any left by the time you reach the bottom) we still managed to cut out three times on inclines, on one occasion rolling backwards round a hairpin bend!

Anything else?

Ronaldo! Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid superstar, former FIFA world player of the year and all round pretty boy) is perhaps Madeira’s most famous export (along with Blandy’s wine). His image adorns t-shirts, towels and mugs and across the island. His former Madeiran team, Sporting CP, still plays in Portugal’s top league, so if you get your timing right (and you’re bothered) you could catch a game against the likes of Benfica or Porto.

OK, wrap it up

So in summary, Madeira is a great year round holiday destination and is not just for the golden oldies.

With lush landscape, spectacular vistas, surfing, hiking and a great choice of bars and restaurants serving locally produced food, it’s unlikely you’ll be bored (or hungry) during your stay.

There are weekly flights to Madeira from Dublin and package deals (flights, hotel and transfers) are available from ClickandGo from around €515 per person. If you’re looking for some sunshine and want an alternative to well trekked likes of Lanzarote and Tenerife, then Madeira is well worth checking out.

Some useful links if you’re thinking of a holiday in Madeira

• Packages holidays to Madeira
• Car rental
• Official Madeira Tourism Board
• Photos of Madeira
• Wikipedia page on Madeira

- LM

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