Go Advice:From flower power in the Netherlands to a relaxing break after the Camino, JOAN SCALESanswers your travel questions
A trip to the tulip fields
Two 55-ish females based in Dublin would like information, please, about seeing the tulip fields of the Netherlands.
MM, Dublin
The famous bulb fields of the Netherlands at Keukenhof are open from March 24th to May 20th. Keukenhof is between Amsterdam and The Hague and is easy enough to get to. I have a few options for you.
From May 5th, there is a three-day guided tour from Ireland to Amsterdam with gardener Dermot O’Neill and one of the highlights will be the gardens and bulb fields of Keukenhof. The trip will visit the Paleis Het Loo gardens, and the Van Loon Museum garden.
There will also be a canal cruise, a visit to a typical Dutch canal house and a half-day city tour. The price is from €699pps and includes flights and accommodation in a four-star hotel. Details from 01-6371600, thetraveldepartment.ie.
Another way to see the bulb fields is on a leisurely river cruise which winds along the Dutch waterways to Utrecht. It includes a day at Keukenhof. The five-day trip from April 23rd over Easter will include four nights on-board with most meals and a tour manager.
The trip begins in London and includes rail travel on Eurostar to the Netherlands. There will be time spent in Amsterdam and Antwerp at each end of the trip and it costs from £542pps (€637). It is arranged by Travelzest VFB Holidays, 00-44-1242-776500, vfbholidays.co.uk.
You could make your own arrangements to see the bulb fields by travelling to Amsterdam and staying in a hotel there. There are plenty of flights from Ireland and hotels are quite reasonable.
If you stay in Amsterdam, there is a regular bus service from the city centre with entrance to Keukenhof from about €21.
See keukenhof.com for details.
Beach break after Camino
In last two weeks of May my friend and I are looking to spend a few days at the beach after walking part of the Camino. We will stay in Santiago de Compostela for a night or two, but would like to end our trip with a few nights on the coast. Can you suggest any nice spots/hotels near Santiago as we intend to fly back from there?
JMG, Dublin
Santiago de Compostela is in Galicia, which is popular with Spanish people for their holidays. It is not too hot in summer, and has great food and wine – Albariño is the local variety. The pace of life and the people are very friendly.
An attractive beach area nearby (60kms south of Santiago) is the fishing town of Cambados with its seaside promenade, yachting harbour and sandy beaches. Cambados is also the town to sample some fine Spanish wines.
There is a good selection of hotels in all price ranges and you might even consider treating yourself to a stay in the local Parador de Cambados, a 17th-century mansion now a four-star hotel and with rates from €90 per night.
If you really want to push the boat out, you could head a little further south to Baiona (100kms from Santiago) and stay in the magnificent Parador set in a walled fort overlooking the sea. Rates are from €130 per night. The Paradores of Spain can be booked through the agent in Ireland, Map Travel in Dublin, which can find best rates and discounts, 01-8783111, maptravel.ie. See also galiciaguide.com.
France for a celebration
We are five siblings (plus spouses plus 13 children) and we would like to take our parents away to France in July to celebrate their golden wedding anniversary. We are looking for accommodation that would consist of four to five gîtes with a private garden and pool, preferably near a town and close to the coast. We would be interested in the southwest of France, in particular. Would you have any ideas or could you direct us to a website that would cater for such groups.
CK, Waterford
In the triangle of Sarlat/Beynac /Domme in the Dordogne Valley, is a collection of six lovely old houses owned and renovated by an Irish couple, the Kinsellas. The houses range from a studio unit for two to a grand villa with six bedrooms in its own grounds with a pool and tennis court. The other houses are two to four bedroomed and most have pools.
There are lots of activities for the children, including basketball, badmington, football, swings, boules, etc. Within a 10km range, you can enjoy canoeing, boat trips on the river, visiting, horse-riding, cycling and golf. The pre-historic caves at Lascaux are also nearby.
All the houses are within an easy walk of the medieval town of Sarlat or the village of Domme. Taking a mixture of the houses would probably be ideal for your family group. Maybe the large Villa Rosa could be the main centre for family activities and events for the celebration. Further details on sarlatholidayhomes.com.
Overnighting in Calais
My husband and I will be travelling by car from Dover to Calais in early July. We will be arriving at around 11pm local time and would like to have accommodation booked for one night before travelling on the next day. We would welcome any advice on how to find a guesthouse or hotel that is close to the port, reasonably priced and clean (basic is fine). AK, Dublin
The following two hotels in Calais cost about €50 per night and are well located for onward travellers. You do get what you pay for – rooms are small and service basic.
Balladins in Calais is one of a chain of budget hotels which you can book on balladins.com. The Bonsai Escale Hotel is adjacent to the railway station and near the town hall. Bookings on 00-33-321-961010.
Go Ask Joan: E-mail questions, with your name and address, to jscales@irishtimes.com