Suggestions for the sports-minded traveller.
Grand Prix
The Travel Department (01-6371600, www.the traveldepartment.ie) has 10-night trips to the Brazilian Grand Prix departing October
29th for €2,199, including full- and half-day excursions around Sao Paulo and Grand Prix stand tickets for two days.
MotoGP
The Travel Department and Dawson Travel (01-6618900, www.dawson-travel.com) have three-night deals for the MotoGP race at Misano, San Marino, on August 29th. Prices for the Travel Department's three-night package start at €629, including flights, hotel accommodation, transfers and tickets to race and qualifiers.
Dawson Travel's deal flies out of Dublin and includes three-star accommodation, transfers and tickets for qualifying and races. Prices are from €729 per person.
Heineken Cup
Cork-based Foreign Afares (021-4374907, www.foreignafares.ie) has one-day packages to the Heineken Cup rugby final in Cardiff on May 24th from Cork for €399 plus €59 taxes.
Marathon Travel (01-4790348, www.marathon-travel.ie) has some day packages still available from Dublin, Shannon and Cork for €670 plus taxes, including return day charter, transfers and match tickets.
Emirates Cup
Emirates Stadium in London will once again host a two-day pre- season tournament over the August bank-holiday weekend, featuring Arsenal, Real Madrid, Seria A heavyweights Juventus and, from the German League, SV Hamburg. Four matches will be played over the two days, including Arsenal versus Real Madrid on Sunday at 4.15pm. Sportstours (01-4572311, www.sportstours.ie) has a weekend package including flights to Heathrow, two nights' B&B in a four-star hotel and tickets to Sunday's games from €349 plus tax.