Your questions answered by JOAN SCALES
How can I kill time in Barcelona after leaving a cruise?
Q I have eight hours to kill in Barcelona. Do you have any ideas on what I could do and, as I am leaving a cruise, where I could store my luggage before going to the airport for my flight home?CF, Dublin
One thing to do in Barcelona to give you a feel for the city is to take a bus tour, which costs about €21. Take the route towards Sagrada Família cathedral, Parc Güell and FC Barcelona. You can hop on and hop off as the mood takes you. A walk down La Rambla will also be an experience, with a quick visit to La Boqueria market for something to eat. You can store luggage at Sants Station (Estacion Sants) and Barcelona Nord bus station, for about €5 for the day.
Q My wife and I are planning a spend four or five days in Washington DC next month. Could you recommend a hotel that is close to the main sights and restaurants? And is four or five days adequate time to see the main sights?DL, Dublin
Washington is a compact city that is easy to get around, so you can probably do almost everything you plan to in four days. Hotels are expensive, as they tend to cater for business travellers. I love the Dupont Hotel (doylecollection.com), formerly Jurys Dupont Hotel, which is within walking distance of lots of places. Rates next month start at €170 per night. For less than €100, the Days Inn (daysinn.com) and Best Western (bestwestern. com) hotels are both well located for visiting the city.
Q I have been trying to contact the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company. Three of us would like to go to the Isle of Man for a few days next March, perhaps over St Patrick's weekend, but we cannot get far enough to book on the website. Is there another ferry route or are we planning too far ahead?MD, Dublin
The line’s sailings next year will probably be similar to this year’s: twice a week from April to September. The timetable is yet to be issued. Keep an eye on its website, steam-packet.com.
Q We would like to travel to Madeira in February. Can you tell us the best way to get there? It seems Aer Lingus no longer flies there. MD, Dublin
The good news is that there is a service to Madeira on Sundays from Dublin with Sata International Airways (sata.pt), costing about €320 return. You can book on 01-8447372. There will also be weekly package holidays to Madeira over the winter. Topflight (topflight.ie) has packages staying at the three-star Hotel Orquidea, from €539pps, or the four-star Hotel Raga, Alto Lido and Pestana Miramar, from €499pps. In the five-star category, the Melia Madeira Mare and Tivoli Madeira cost from €699pps. Budget Travel (budget travel.ie) will also be flying to Madeira over the winter, with a selection of self-catering accommodation from €369pps.
Q I am going to Istanbul for four days early next month. Could you suggest a good hotel with three or four stars, near enough to most of the cultural sights? GO'R, Westmeath
The Apex (00-90-212-4580190, istanbulapexhotel.com) is small and well located with attentive staff. Rooms cost about €80 per night for a single. Hotel Romantic (00-90-212-6389635, romantichotelistanbul.com), in the same area, is a bit more expensive, at €110 per night. Naz Wooden House Inn (00-90-212-5167130/1, nazwoodenhouseinn.com), in the old city’s residential area, is comfortable and costs about €70 per night.
E-mail questions, with your name and address, to jscales@irishtimes.com.