GO ADVICE:From organising slopes a ski trip without the aid of a tour firm to a family weekend in Berlin,
JOAN SCALEShas the answers
Skiing without tour company
I was wondering if you would recommend organising a skiing trip without going with one of the travel companies. The ideal would be to fly into one of the main European cities, get a transfer to a ski resort not too far away and then ski for three days maximum, with a chance to see the main city too. CC, Cork
Organising your own ski trip is possible but not cheap. All the main ski tour operators work on a weekly basis and you will probably find that a three-day self-organised trip will cost as much as a week’s package. You can book short trips, ie accommodation only, with directski.com. They will also be able to recommend places to hire ski gear at the right price.
The most direct options from Cork are to Munich and Geneva. Both are interesting cities, within range of ski resorts and with good transport links. Munich is less expensive than Geneva. Topflight (topflight.ie) will have a weekly service from Cork to Salzburg, with seats only costing from €299.
Within a one- to two-hour range from both Geneva and Munich are a selection of ski resorts in Switzerland, France and Austria. From Geneva, it is probably better to head towards France as the cost of skiing is that bit cheaper than Switzerland.
Resorts within striking distance are Morzine, Chamonix and La Clusaz, all with great skiing areas, good facilities and a wide range of accommodation. For transport details, see the Geneva Airport website, gva.ch/en.
From Munich, the Austrian resorts of Kitzbuhel Söll and Mayrhofen are good for skiing. For train services from Munich to various Austrian towns, see bahn.de.
Going solo at Christmas
I’m a female, divorced, in my mid-50s and for various family reasons will find myself alone this Christmas. I would like a three- to four-day break in a “solo-friendly hotel”. My budget would be in the region of €500. M, Dublin
Yours is a familiar request at this time of the year and one of a number of similar questions I have received recently from readers.
For your budget, the first place that springs to mind is a four-day break in England. Solo’s Holidays (solosholidays. co.uk) has breaks in five hotels in Northampton, Swindon, Cheshire, Warwick and Oxford. The packages include Christmas lunch or dinner and entertainment. Prices are from £389 (€445). Fares to the UK are reasonable at this time of the year.
For those with a more substantial budget and time I would recommend a trip to Lake Como with The Travel Department (01-6371600, thetraveldepartment.ie). Departing Dublin on December 23rd for a week, it includes guided tours to Milan, St Moritz and a lake tour. The cost of €1,049pps is for half-board in the Grand Hotel Victoria and the single supplement is €169.
Another city that is suitable for solo travellers is Barcelona, where you can shop at the Christmas market beside the cathedral and visit the sights. However, it is worth bearing in mind that many of the attractions in European cities close from Christmas Eve to St Stephen’s Day.
Malta is another place to consider over Christmas. The weather will be mild and there are lots of things to do around Valetta and the island. Hotels in Malta are reasonable and there are direct flights from Dublin with Ryanair (ryanair.com). The five-star Phoenicia Hotel (phoeniciamalta.com) will be open over Christmas and has rooms from €107 per night.
For those who want to give the Christmas cheer a miss and avoid the tinsel and twinkling lights, you need to go further afield. Muslim countries pay scant attention to Christmas, and from Ireland there are flights to Agadir in Morocco with Aer Lingus (aer lingus.com) or Abu Dhabi with Etihad (etihadairways.com), though Abu Dhabi, with its international community, will have some Christmas cheer.
Two family nights in Berlin
My family – two adults and two boys aged eight and 10 – is going to Berlin for a weekend on December 10th for two nights. We are looking for a hotel near the tourist spots of the city. Can you recommend any hotels that are priced in the Bewleys-type range. AB, Dublin
Berlin is a great city and you will find lots to do on your short trip. The Christmas markets will be on and there will be a lovely festive atmosphere.
Hotels are not too expensive in Berlin. The Suite Novotel (suitehotel.com) at Potsdamer Platz is a great location for exploring the city. A family room will cost about €99 per night, but you’ll need to book as soon as possible. All the rooms have refrigerators and microwaves.
Alternatively, the Motel One Ku’Damm (motel-one.com) is also a good location for exploring the city. It is near the Küfurstendamm, one of the best shopping boulevards in Berlin. Prices for a family room are €109 per night. The Motel One is a modern design hotel, with few frills.
GO ASK JOAN:
E-mail questions, with your name and address, to jscales@irishtimes.com