JOAN SCALESanswers your questions
Q We are a large group travelling to a family wedding in Dubrovnik in June. We would probably need three apartments in the Lapad area, as that is where most of the guests who have already booked hotels are staying. Cost is a major factor.
TON, Dublin
A company based in Dubrovnik that specialises in letting apartments and villas has properties in the Lapad area. Prices will vary according to the size of the properties, but this should be a cost-effective way for your group to go to the wedding. You can contact Dubrovnik Apartment Source on 00-385-996-907200 and 086-0241834, dubrovnik apartmentsource.com.
You could also check the price of packages with Croatia Tours (01-8780800, croatia.ie), which is offering a discount of €100 per person at present.
Q We are planning to visit Trier, on the Mosel in Germany, for three or four days. We would like to go on a boat trip along the river, too. Could you give us some advice on getting there, where to stay and when to visit?
BP, Dublin
Trier is Germany’s oldest city, founded by the Romans. Many ruins from the period still stand. The nearest airport is Hahn, to which there is a daily service from Dublin with Ryanair (ryanair.com). A train from Hahn will take about three hours. See bahn.de for details.
Any time from spring to autumn is lovely there. You could time a visit to coincide with one of the many festivals that take place there. From April 24th to May 30th the Wine Culture Days festival runs a series of events in the wine-growing region. The Trier Folk Festival runs from June 11th to 20th, the Old City festival from June 25th to 27th, the Trier Moselle Festival from July 9th to 12th and the Great Roman Festival from August 13th to 16th.
You’ll find information on boat excursions at kolb-mosel.de.
When it comes to accommodation, Trier has a good variety of hotels and pensions. There are some well-known chains, such as Mercure, Park Plaza and Golden Tulip, and many local independent hotels. You’ll find a list, plus tourism information, on redaktion.trier.de.
Q I would like to visit New Zealand. As my friends can’t make it, can’t afford it or have already been there, I am thinking of going solo with an organised tour. I am not interested in hauling luggage around myself if I can avoid it, so the comfort appeals to me, but budget is also a factor. I have seen a 26-day trip, but that cost about €7,000. Are you aware of other companies running similar trips that I can follow up on?
CK, Dublin
An organised tour is a great way to see a country, especially one as spectacular as New Zealand. Sunway Travel (01-2886828, sunway.ie) has two escorted tours that could fit the bill, with prices well below €7,000.
The tours last for 17 or 18 days and will give you a comprehensive view of New Zealand. You will get to see glaciers, the Southern Alps and Mount Cook; cruise on Milford Sound; take the TranzAlpine train; have dinner at a Maori hangi in Rotorua; and visit the cities of Christchurch, Auckland, Wellington and Dunedin.
Prices for the tours, which include most dinners and all travel within New Zealand, are from €2,375 to €3,350.
Flights will cost about €1,200-€1,400. If you want to stay longer in New Zealand, you can add extra days. See newzealand.com for tourism information.
Qantas and Virgin have holiday websites with tours to New Zealand. See qantasvacations.com and virginholidays.co.uk. You should also have a look at an American site, affordable tours.com, to see a selection of tours from various operators.
Q We are looking to holiday in Turkey in September, with four days in Istanbul and a week in a beach resort (preferably somewhere close to Hierapolis, as we would like to visit there on a day or an overnight trip). We had Bodrum in mind for the latter part. While there are citybreaks for Istanbul and package holidays for places like Bodrum, it does not seem straightforward to combine the two. Were quite happy to do our own thing, but hotels seem expensive enough when booked alone, so I was wondering if you would have any suggestions for companies that might offer two-centre packages.
NOR, Dublin
Trying to book a two-centre holiday can be frustrating, but it can be done. If you decide to plan it yourself, you can book flights on thy.com and hotels on hotels.com.
Abbey Travel (01-8047100, abbeytravel.ie) in Dublin may also be able to organise a travel itinerary for you. In the UK there are two Turkey specialists that you could consult: Anatolian Sky, 00-44-8448-757681, anatoliansky.co.uk, and Exclusive Escapes, 00-44-2086-053500, exclusiveescapes.co.uk.
E-mail questions, with your name and address, to jscales@irishtimes.com