Temple Bar pub in Dublin is a landmark on some Ireland tours.
(Patricia McDonnell for the Boston Globe/file 2005)
Real Deals
The crush of holiday shopping and planning can get to you, sometimes making you only want to get away. So what better time to think about heading for some of those faraway places in 2008? Take a deep breath, put aside the quest for gifts, and consider these offers:
Through April 9, travelers can make a Great Escape to the Tahitian islands with a lot included. There are two options, both featuring round-trip air on Air Tahiti Nui, inter-island connections, and breakfasts and dinners for two daily. With the six-night Great Escape from Los Angeles, you stay one night in Papeete at Sofitel Tahiti Resort in a superior mountain-view room and five nights in Moorea at the Sofitel Moorea Beach Resort in a deluxe garden bungalow. Rates begin at $1,995 per person. The Great Escape from New York gets you five nights in a Sofitel Moorea bungalow. Rates start at $2,099 per person. Trips must be booked by March 31.
Visit airtahitinui-usa.com/es cape or call 866-456-6000.
Brian Moore International Tours calls its offering Ireland's Finest Pub Tour. The six-day escorted trip is an introduction to the isle's people, traditional music, and cherished brews in Dublin, Killarney, and Shannonside. Prices start at $899, with tours conducted throughout much of 2008. Some dates are sold out.
Visit bmit.com or call 800-982-2299.
With the exchange value of the dollar being battered by the euro, some good news is that Portugal's five-star hotels cost much less than similar properties in other European nations. For example, the three-night Winterlude package at the Lapa Palace in Lisbon costs about $450 and includes breakfasts, transfers, a bottle of port and flowers, wine and cheese tasting, and free use of the spa and pools. The price is good through Feb. 29. (Visit lapapalace.com.) Packages paid for in dollars can also save money. A locally hosted four-night tour of Lisbon and Fatima, for instance, costs $893, including airfare, and is available Jan. 1-March 31. (Visit www.abreu-tours.com.) Six-night air-and-hotel deals to the Azores, meanwhile, start at $669 a person. (Visit azores-express.com.)
For youngsters, seeing elephants and giraffes up close may be better than anything they will find under the Christmas tree. Grandtravel, which specializes in grandparent-grandchild travel, has an 11-day Safari in South Africa program departing July 12. Highlights include feeding elephants, exploring stalagmites and stalactites in the Sudwala Caves, spending two nights at Sabi Sand Private Game Reserve with day and night safaris, and visiting the youngsters at the Thulumahasha Children's Home. Prices are $6,995 per person and $5,480 for a child sharing with two adults.
Visit www.grandtrvl.com or call 800-247-7651.
Sicily is warmer than much of Europe in winter, with temperatures in the low 60s, and so TourCrafters calls its offering the Sicily Hot Deal. A six-night $929 package, valid Jan. 8-March 20, includes round-trip airfare from Boston and New York to either Palermo or Catania, three nights at the three-star Cristal Palace Hotel in Palermo, three nights at the three-star Stesicorea Palace in Catania, daily breakfast, seven days' car rental, and hotel service charges and taxes.
Visit tourcrafters.com or call 800-482-5995.
When not included, hotel taxes, airport fees, and port charges can add significantly to the price of a trip. Most prices quoted are for double occupancy; solo travelers will usually pay more. Offers are subject to availability and there may be blackout dates. Richard P. Carpenter can be reached at carpenter@globe.com.
© Copyright 2007 Globe Newspaper Company.
