JOAN SCALESanswers your travel questions
Q We are travelling to Paris in June as a family of four, with two teenagers. We are thinking of staying in an apartment rather than a hotel. Could you recommend a reputable website or company to book with?J Healy, Dublin
Last year, during the Rugby World Cup, some of our sports writers stayed in the Villa Escudier apartments in Paris and enjoyed the experience. It was 15 minutes from the city centre on line 10 of the metro, near the Bois de Boulogne, a quiet area, but with cafes and shops close by. Rates would be about €185-€200 per night. www.villaescudier.com
Another place to look at a variety of apartments in Paris is www.holiday-rentals.com, where you will find a good selection, from the very fancy to the practical, all around the city. These apartments are usually rented by the owners directly, and you will get some good local advice.
Q We are going to Tuscany for a week in September. We will fly to and from Bologna, staying in Bologna, Sienna and Greve, and have been advised that we would need a car in the Greve area - but we are nervous about left-hand driving and winding, hilly roads. Any thoughts?Marcella, Armagh
I can understand your nervousness about driving in Italy, especially on winding roads, but there are ways and means. If you do hire a car, I would recommend you get a satellite navigation unit. They are very useful for getting around when you are unfamiliar with your route, but do bring a map, too.
Otherwise, public transport is very good in Italy. The trains run frequently, on time, and are very reasonable. You can check times on www.trenitalia.it. There is no station in Greve, but you can take a lovely bus journey. A number of bus companies serve Tuscany; you'll find a list on www.discovertuscany.com. When you get to Greve, use taxis to get around, or hire some bikes. For getting around without a car in Tuscany, check www.chianti-info.com.
Q I'm looking for somewhere in the west of Ireland for three families with children for a self-catering holiday, preferably near a beach. Last year we had a great week at the Banna Beach resort, in Co Kerry, and love the set-up there - pool, playground, playroom, bar, takeaway, restaurant and so on. We'd love something similar but in a different county, so the two families coming from England can explore a different part of Ireland. West Cork, Clare or Galway would be perfect, but we are very flexible. We have trawled the internet but can't find anything along the lines of Banna. Can you help?C Molloy, Swords, Dublin
Banna sounds as if it was perfect, but such resorts are rare in Ireland. There are few places like it; some that come close are the Mountainview Holiday Homes, on the edge of Glengarriff on the Beara Peninsula. The site has a new swimming pool, coffee shop and gym. The Glengarriff area has a great selection of restaurants, pubs and shops, plus lots of lovely beaches nearby to explore. See www.tridentholidayhomes.ie.
In Galway, Renvyle House Hotel has been entertaining visitors for many years, and it has a loyal following. What not a lot of people know is that there are some lovely houses by the Pebble Beach for rent. At Renvyle you would have all the facilities of the hotel, including a heated outdoor pool. It is also a great base for exploring Connemara and Killary. E-mail sabina@renvyle.com.
In Clare, the best area for families is Lahinch, which has a great swimming pool and aquarium, surf school and the beach. No single resort has everything you're looking for, but there are plenty of holiday homes available. You would have all the facilities on your doorstep in Lahinch. Check out www.discoverireland.com.
Q Do you have any idea when there will be direct flights to Calabria, in Italy, from Dublin? Ryanair flies to Lamezia from London Stansted. We intend to spend time in Calabria in the future. We fly to Rome or Naples and take the train from there.Deirdre Power, Dublin
Ryanair has no plans to fly from Dublin to Calabria. But keep reading Go and we will let you know if things change.