TRAVEL
Home & Away with Robert Walshe The Stockholm City Museum has just launched ABBA - the walk, a guided city tour through Stockholm where ABBA lived and worked. Starting at the City Hall where Benny performed for the very first time, the tour continues via the Sheraton Hotel, one of many places ABBA videos were recorded, and one of the city’s most distinctive 1970s landmarks. SAS fly four times a week direct from Dublin to Stockholm from as little as €75 one way including taxes and charges. ABBA walking tours will finish September 24th 2011. www.visitstockholm.com or www. flysas.ie
Weekend Hotspot
Vila Vita Parc on the Algarve is set in over 54 acres of sub-tropical landscaped gardens on a cliff-top, offering unrivalled ocean views Despite having 167 rooms and suites, it doesn’t feel like a large hotel, as the accommodation and hotel facilities are located in a series of buildings spread throughout the site. The feeling here is classical and elegant without being the slightest bit stuffy. The main hotel has 61 rooms and 21 suites, with the Residence and Villas adding a further 24 rooms and five suites. A wide range of junior suites and apartments are also located in the Ocean Parc, Vista Parc and Village areas. All accommodation offers ocean and/or garden views. Décor is stylish, cheerful and practical, with a traditional feel while the Vista Parc properties are completely refurbished in a contemporary way. The resort is totally self –sufficient and prepares you for a culinary adventure with Portuguese to grill to gourmet in seven restaurants on the menu. Some restaurants are adults only, and the Aladin has the nicest terrace. Breakfast is a feast of tropical, Mediterranean and dried fruit, pastries, mueslis, meats, cheeses, fish and hot dishes .I visited Bela Vista offering all-day a la carte options on one of the evenings and the food was remarkable. Adega offering traditional Portuguese food was also memorable and the grilled Mozambique prawns to die for! We really enjoyed “Arte Nautica “the upmarket beach restaurant from Vila Vita Parc which was a quick 10 minute journey
Living
away! The property right on the sand was stylishly New England with stripped pine, blue & white interiors, and nautical photos. Superb fish and seafood as you would expect dominated the menu but the lamb from the companies Alentejo estate at Herdade dos Grous is also recomn Arte Nautica mended. The highlight Dining at V ila Vita Par though was “Ocean “toc a c Vill Par Vita Vila n tally elegant and exactly what you would expect from a restaurant that has just won its first Michelin star. With a zur, Monchique, Silves, Alte, maximum of 30 seats, the attention Faro, the Ria Formosa, Tavira to detail was perfect and the atmos- and Guadiana, together with phere casually sophisticated. The a special feature on Maritime weekly changing menu features a va- Trips with Vila Vita’s own riety of Algarve produce and as you Yacht. The “+ 1” section covwould expect there’s a superb wine ers Herdade dos Grous, Vila list, but my advice is to trust the Vita Parc’s award-winning wine recommendations of the som- wine estate in the Alentejo, melier and go for the pairing with less than an hour’s drive from each course. The 1,100 sq.m Vital the central Algarve.. The atn Vila Vita Parc Bedroom Spa features two whirlpools, two tention to detail at Vila Vita saunas, steam bath and an ice grotto Parc is simply amazing and and offers a wide array of revitalis- takes five-star to a new level ing spa therapies and treatments, for the Algarve and I look foras well as classes from yoga and pi- ward to my return. Vila Vita ning restaurant West on the night of lates to aqua-aerobics and personal Parc is a member of The Leading your choice along with a few added training. Leisure facilities include 6 Hotels of the World consortium. Vila extras to show just what the local swimming pools, 18 hole mini-golf Vita Hotels also operates a series of area has to offer! Offer includes three course, 5 tennis courts, horse-riding, luxury hotels in Germany and Aus- nights B&B with dinner on one night cycling and volleyball. Experienced tria. www.vilavitacparc.com for adults in West restaurant in The golfers will enjoy access to a 9-hole Twelve hotel, dinner on one night for pitch and putt practice course and Weekly Best Buy adults in O’Grady’s Seafood Restauthe 18-hole putting green, as well as Twelve Hotel in Bearna Village, rant as well as entry to Aughnanure nearby championship courses from County Galway is this summer’s Castle and Brigit’s Garden. www. Irish developer Gerry Fagan at Oce- hot spot destination. Famous for its thetwelvehotel.ie The Europa Hotel anico. Other activities include fish- weird and wonderful approach to in Belfast celebrates 40 years in ing boat excursions, swimming with hospitality and having been awarded business this year. Each month the dolphins, coastal exploration, Jeep a vast number of prestigious titles in- first 40 guests to book a room will safaris, yacht rental and day trips cluding ‘Best Gastro Pub in Ireland’ get a rate of £40pps (about €45) per to the Monchique mountains. The and ‘Best Overall Boutique Hotel in night for BB and a complimentary stretch of seaside between Albufeira Ireland’ it’s no wonder The Twelve, 1970s cocktail. Tel: 048-90271066 and Portimão is home to acres of located just ten minutes form Gal- or see www.hastingshotels.com. villas which runs parallel with Por- way city, has become known as one This year is the 30th anniversary of tugal’s south coast and mindful of of the top 4-star boutique hotels in the Medjugorje apparitions and Joe the attractions of this region Vila Ireland. Indulge yourself this sum- Walsh Tours has trips from Dublin Vita Parc has released the Algarve mer with a three night stay in The and Cork from €604pps. www.joew10 + 1 Authentic Experiences guide Twelve and not only will you get the alshtours.ie a beautifully designed fold-out map pleasure of staying in a hotel that Robert Walshe is a freelance complemented by ten suggestions manages to perfectly blend age-old contributor / broadcaster and of places to visit or things to see in tradition with striking ambience but guest travel writer for River Media each of the ten main regions of the you will also enjoy the unbelievable newspaper titles across the island Algarve. These include: Sagres, Alje- tastes of The Twelve’s award win- of Ireland
Pet’s Corner...
Home and Away Extra Take the stress out of organising your school or college tour by letting Joe Walsh Tours do the hard work for you. With their new Schools & Colleges Tours brochure, Joe Walsh Tours offer exciting and educational tours you won’t find anywhere else. As well as popular destinations for tours such as the UK, France, Spain, Italy and Germany, Joe Walsh Tours also offer tours to off the beaten track destinations such as Croatia, Bosnia, Malta, Cyprus, Israel, Jordan, Poland and much more. Combine education and travel on your school tour and offer students the fantastic opportunity to see a new place and learn all about the local history and tradition of these unique destinations. www.joewalshtours.ie/action/ SchoolTours
with Kathleen Murray
with Kathleen Murray: Animal Behavioural Therapist
How to negotiate the beach in summer Walking in the summer is very different to walking in the winter. In the cold weather there are not so many beach goers. It’s easier to pick a time and possibly not meet anyone during the course of the walk... or maybe just a few that you know already from being a beach walker. In the summer it can be more hectic. There are children playing in the sand and in the water. There are games of frisby or football and worst of all for the dog walker..... there are picnics. Lots of people are on holiday and take their dog with them
so there are unfamiliar dogs to get past as well. When you know a dog you know if it’s friendly or not but if you meet a dog that you don’t know then you don’t know whether it will be friendly to you and your dog or attack you. The best way to stay safe and stay out of trouble on the beach in the summer (in general) is to start off in the right way. It all starts before you leave the house. Take your dog out to the garden to do its toilet business. If it doesn’t want to go then maybe try playing a game with it so that the excitement will make it stop in the middle of
the game and do it’s business. Excitement is mostly what makes dogs go to the toilet on the beach. There is no need for a dog to go to the toilet at the beach in general but if you get caught out then it is vitally important that you clean up after your dog. There are little poop bags on a roll that attach to your lead that are very handy. You can buy them in a pet shop. Alternatively, you can just bring any plastic bag with you in your pocket. You may need to bring a couple just in case. It’s your dog so it’s your poo. As there are still no bins at
many beaches you can put the bag in any public bin you find or take it home with you (which is disgusting and there should be no need to do that). This does not only apply to beaches. Anywhere you take your dog for a walk should be left the same way it was when you arrived. No rubbish and no poo. There is nothing more upsetting or offensive to people than to see a dog go to the toilet on a grassy or paved area that is shared by others and then to see the owner just leave what fell out of the dogs behind lying on the road behind
them as if it was totally acceptable. Leaving poo lying around spreads diseases for animals and people alike. Pick up your dogs poo. People notice these things even though they may not say anything at the time to the person that walked off from the scene of the dump. This is something that gives dogs a bad name. Back to the beach. Make sure your dog is calm when it gets out of the car, this may take a while in the beginning. Keep it on a lead if it is not 100% under your control. If it does everything you say then keep it beside you for the first 5 mins or so and then
n Clean up your dog’s business - pet shops sell poop bags.
give it permission to have a run around. If you see another dog or a person out for a walk then call your dog back and put it on the lead until the other person has passed or just keep the dog beside you. Release it when the others have passed and then you and your dog will enjoy your walk and other people will feel respected.