Finnair recently announced twice-daily services to Stockholm in conjunction with Aer Lingus. Groupworld Travel (01 6773113) is offering three-day spring breaks to Helsinki on April 27th and May 5th, staying in a four-star hotel, for £299.
The price includes transfers, saunas and a city tour. In Helsinki, prices are much the same as here and the people are very friendly. Take a trip across the bay to Suomenlinna, a former military fortress that now houses a number of museums and restaurants.
CMV Hotels markets a range of hotels all around Ireland, divided into Manor House, Coast and Country and Village Inns. The 26-strong Manor House selection includes Abbeyglen Castle in Connemara, Sand House in Rossknowlagh, Dundrum House in Tipperary and McCauslands in Belfast. Coast and Country Hotels include Ardagh in Clifden, Deer Park in Howth and Killyhevlin in Enniskillen. The Village Inns is a fine selection of small, mostly family-run hotels that include Hylands of Ballyvaughan, Lawless's of Aughrim and Sheedy's of Lisdoonvarna. Many of the hotels have special offers for weekends and short breaks. Brochures and reservations are available from CMV, 1 Sandyford Office Park, Dublin 18, 01 2958900 or email: info@cmvhotels.com
MANX Air is wooing the silver punt with fares for the over 65s to the Isle of Man for £48 plus tax. The offer is valid for travel from April 1st to October 31st and there are no minimum or Saturday nightstay requirements. You can book this fare through your local ITAA travel agent or (01 2601588). Details of hotels and accommodation are available from Isle of Man Holidays, 25 Eden Quay, Dublin 1, 01 8744444.
AIR Malta will operate two services a week from Shannon to Malta, on Mondays and Fridays, from June to September. Both are daytime flights, fares from £259. Ask your local travel agent for details of fares and packages. Air Malta also operates from Dublin and Cork.
THE offer for free Irish Sea crossings with Stena Line when you book a DFDS family holiday to Scandinavia, Holland and Germany ends on March 31st. DFDS Holidays include theme parks, holiday centres, cottages, touring inns, hotels and camping. A week's holiday for a family of four in a Danish country cottage starts at £506 and that includes travel from Ireland and a fourberth cabin on the crossing from the UK to mainland Europe.
A REMINDER to travellers to Dublin Airport that the new Aircoach services, every 15 minutes to and from the airport, can pick you up and drop you at a number of destinations on the route, including hotels such as the Burlington, Conrad, Davenport or Stephens Green Hotel. The cost is £4 and the coaches operate from 5.30 a.m. to 10.30 p.m.
Joan Scales can be contacted at jscales@irish-times.ie