TRAVEL TREATS
SHOPPING CAN BE CAREFREE...
Christmas shopping can be a chore, but The Heritage in Killenard are trying to take away some of the drudgery in conjunction with Kildare Village and Newbridge Silverware. A two-night break with breakfast and you can pop over to the nearby Kildare Village with a 10 per cent discount card and 20 per cent discount card at Newbridge Silverware and get all your Christmas shopping done at once. Next stop the Spa Experience (above), a two-hour journey to have you feeling tiptop. Then dinner for two, from €238 for a two-night stay. See theheritage.com.
A WARMER DIP THAN DUBLIN
If you’re looking to do something different for Christmas, why not jet off to Malta (below)? With November chill sinking in this week, Christmas in the sun has a certain attraction. You can stay seven nights in the Phoenicia Malta, located just outside the City Gate of Valletta, from €116 per room per night. Alternatively the Seashells Resort at Suncrest is from €308 per room per night (seven nights on a B&B basis) or at the Corinthia Hotel St. George’s Bay, is €125 per night in a deluxe sea-view room including breakfast. There’s even a Christmas swim which will hopefully be slightly warmer than the Dublin one at the 40 Foot! A charity swim takes place off the pier at Sliema on the December 29 in aid of the Malta Community Chest Fund. Check out maltaireland.com.
FESTIVAL LIKE NO OTHER
It’ll be quite the weekend in Dingle at the end of the month when the annual Other Voices festival returns to the Kerry town. To call it merely a music and arts weekend would be to underplay it substantially. There are talks, debates, workshops and various music trails combined with the famous welcome that Dingle affords visitors all year round.
Among the options to stay are the 4-star Dingle Skellig Hotel with an outdoor hot tub overlooking Dingle Bay if you fancy a bit of November air, with prices starting from €125pp. See dingleskellig.com. The oldworld charm of the Benners Hotel in the heart of the town has prices starting at €109pp, dinglebenners.com.
GOING GREEN IN LONDON
Garden lovers are always good forward planners... goes with the territory. A mecca for the greenfingered, a trip to the Chelsea Flower Show in May (left), makes a lovely Christmas gift, with stunning gardens, expert tips and wonderful dining and shopping options. Cassidy Travel has two-night breaks staying in the 4-star Hilton London Kensington on a B&B basis from €399pps, which includes one full-day entry to the show. Flights depart on May 21. Check out the details on cassidytravel.ie.
SUMMONED BY THE SLOPES
The ski companies have a wide selection of offers now as we look ahead to the new year and working off some of the Christmas excess. Crystal Ski have a couple, the first, to Andorra: Fly January 26, stay in the Sant Roma Apartments, Arinsal, self-catering for 7 nights from €339 per person (4 share) and also France: March 28, stay in the La Cachette, Les Arcs, on a half-board basis for 7 nights from €659 per person. See crystalski.ie.