GO ADVICE: JOAN SCALESgives advice on a Colombian honeymoon, a trip from Clare to Switzerland and flights to Croatia
What to do in Colombia?
My fiancée and I are going on our honeymoon to South America this November. As part of the trip we will be spending two weeks in Colombia. Please can you provide us with some advice on where to visit and, in particular, where to stay? We will be arriving in to Cartagena and flying out of Bogotá, and we are looking to really experience the country (from the safety of our seven-star hotel!)
MD, Dublin
Colombia has long been on the security alert lists due to civil unrest, but things have improved in recent years and it is now getting back on the tourism map. The country is diverse and offers a long colonial history, outstanding natural beauty and cultural experiences. You must still be cautious, however, and stay in secure accommodation.
The Colombian office of tourism in London has some suggestions of places to see and stay in both Cartagena and Bogotá. Cartagena has been a Unesco world heritage site since the 1980s. The colonial heritage of this walled city is on view in the beautiful buildings, monuments, churches and plazas.
At one time Cartagena was the largest market in the world for slaves, who were brought here for sale before being dispatched all over the Americas. Places to see include Plaza de los Coches, where the sales took place, Plaza de la Aduana and Plaza de San Pedro.
La Popa – La Candelaria Convent – is on the highest point in the city and has great views. It was a large private residence before becoming a convent. Heredia Theatre was built in 1911 to commemorate the centennial of independence, and it is an architectural gem.
There is a good variety of boutique and stylish hotels in Cartagena, but they are not cheap. The number-one hotel on Tripadvisor is Casa Pestagua (casapestagua.com). Hotel Charleston Santa Teresa (hotelcharlestonsantateresa.com) has a rooftop pool and great views. And La Merced (lamercedhotel.com) is like a private oasis in the city.
The modern tourist area of Cartagena is Bocagrande, which has beaches, hotels restaurants and nightclubs. The best beaches are on the islands of Rosario, Baru and San Bernardo.
Bogotá, the capital of Colombia, is in the centre of the country at 2,625m above sea level, and a very different experience to Cartagena. Here you will find dozens of galleries, museums, shopping malls, nightclubs and hundreds of parks. It is also a place for dining out and experiencing great food.
Hotels recommended here include Hotel Casa de la Botica, (hotelcasadelabotica.com), which is near Plaza de Bolívar. Hotel de la Ópera (hotelopera. com.co) is also near the Plaza de Bolívar area, and has a spa and rooftop restaurant. See also colombia.travel/en.
From Burren to Mürren
We 10 friends would like to retrace our steps of more than 30 years ago and visit Mürren in the Bernese Oberland in Switzerland, staying at the Bellevue Hotel. We intend travelling only by boat and train all the way from Co Clare. I’ve noted the train websites in Go, but I’m hoping for a bit more hand-holding and information from you. The ideal would be a package that didn’t cost the earth.
CM, Clare
I think you are facing quite an adventure from the Burren to Mürren, and it could be fun. Getting to Dublin is the easy part. From there take the sail/rail with either Irish Ferries or Stena Line to London – fares are about €80 return. From London take the Eurostar (eurostar.com) to Paris. If you are flexible the Eurostar prices can be very good value. Travel off-peak for best value, with fares at about £69 (about €78) return.
From Paris you can take a train to Interlaken – they operate frequently and it takes about six hours. From Interlaken the 40-minute journey to Lauterbrunnen on the Bernese Oberland Railway will bring you to the final leg of your journey on the mountain railway to Mürren.
Deutsche Bahn German railways now have an office in Ireland. Ring them on 01-8665741 and see timetables at bahn.com/ie.
I think they will be able to sell you tickets all the way from London to Lauterbrunnen (it shows up as on option on the site). Prices will depend on time of day, and your age may mean some discounts. They also have a variety of rail passes that may help keep the costs down.
You can do this journey in two days, and you will probably want to factor in an overnight stay in London (see visitlondon.com for good value accommodation). Contact Hotel Bellevue on 00-41-33-8551401, muerren.ch/bellevue.
The outlook for cheap flights?
This question is a bit late, but four of us are attending the Outlook Festival in Pula, Croatia, from the September 1st to 5th, and we would really appreciate any help you could give us in getting there from Ireland as cheaply as possible.
GF, Galway
There’s nothing cheap about getting to Pula for the first week in September. The best value I can see is Ryanair to Venice for about €225, and then take the bus transfer, which is about €35 each way. You can book the bus at outlookfestival.com.
There is a Ryanair flight to Zadar that is quite cheap and there is a ferry service to Pula. However, the ferry does not operate every day of the week. See splittours.hr.
Otherwise check the festival website, outlookfestival.com, where there are details of buses from London to Pula. Most are sold out but you might get lucky. See also facebook.com/ outlookfestival, where people are putting up waiting lists for bus tickets.