30 www.newsletter.co.uk Saturday, October 8, 2016NEWS LETTER

Travel HELEN MCGURK

EDITED BY

helen.mcgurk@newsletter.co.uk@NL Features

@

The cobbled streets and glistening canals of Bruges have enough charm and character to create the most romantic of fairytale getaways.

Refined serenity in beautiful Bruges

The enchanting city of Bruges com-bines the best features of many must-see Europe-

an locations in one stunning package that just oozes class, charm and beauty.

It has the late medieval/Gothic grandeur of Prague (but on a more compact scale and without the stag parties), the stunning canals of Venice (without the vast swarms of tourists) and the architec-tural splendour of Vienna (without the ostentatious gargoyles).

Bruges is situated in the Flemish speaking region of Belgium but English is uni-versally, and impeccably, spoken in this delightfully romantic city.

We arrived in the pictur-esque Markt in the historic centre at noon – just in time to be welcomed by the light chimes of the 47 bells in the 12th century belfry which dominates the square.

If you can manage the 366 stone steps to the top of the 83-metre high tower you are guaranteed an unequalled view over the whole of Bruges.

While indulging in a

The breakfast room of the Hotel de Orangerie overlooks the Dijver canal

Predictably, prices are higher in the cafes around the picturesque Markt square but it is well worth taking some time out with a coffee or chilled wine to begin imagin-ing what lies in store beyond the medieval marketplace.

Suitably refreshed, it was soon time for us to explore the warren of narrow cobbled streets, one of which leads to the other main square in the city, the Burg.

Well worth seeking out on the way is the wooden-beamed Staminee de Garre tavern. Although just a short walk from the Markt, this quirky, ancient ale house is hidden down a very narrow alleyway – all quite reminis-cent of Diagon Alley in the Harry Potter films.

Once through the arched doorway, an almost impos-sibly narrow staircase leads to the upper floor and a vast range of tempting Belgian beers – including the ex-tremely potent (11%) house brew.

The magi-cal quality of the Minnewater Lake ((literally the ‘lake of love’) is another intox-icating experience. To stroll along the peaceful waterway, lined with graceful trees, is the perfect way to immerse yourself in the natural beauty of the city.

Away from the tranquillity, exquisite Belgian chocolate purveyors line the main shop-ping streets interspersed with shops selling luxury lace and tapestry items.

While wonderful to savour in the warm summer sun, Bruges has also been voted

one of the top five Christmas markets in the world so its charms can be fully enjoyed the year round.

When it comes to food, hearty Flemish stew, made with locally brewed beer, is served at an array of quaint, Flemish family-run restau-rants throughout the city. We enjoyed a wonderful dining experience in De Vlaamsche Pot on Helmstraat famed for its local stews and casseroles. But diners should make sure they’ve worked up an appetite – the portions are huge and the centrepiece of my deli-cious chicken casserole (wa-terzooi) was a whole chicken.

For luxury, charm, deca-dence, comfort and impec-cable service the Hotel De

Orangerie is without paral-lel. The boutique, 20-room hotel is a converted 15th century convent, with an imposing

position on the banks of the Dijver Canal, and perfectly situated in the historic cen-tre.

Its theatrical entrance, with heavy drapes and dark antique furniture, belies the lighter French country style of the individually designed bedrooms.

While Bruges is best ap-preciated by walking, there are horse and carriage sight-seeing tours, and bus tours operating, from the Markt.

However, cyclists are every-where and pedestrians have to be on alert at all times.

The city is also only 45 miles from Ypres, and around the same distance from Dunkirk just across the French border, so it is an ideal base to visit the Flan-ders war graves.

During a famous scene from the Colin Farrell ‘In Bruges’ movie, Ralph Fi-enne’s crime boss character Harry incredulously ques-tions one of the movie’s two hitmen about his dislike of Bruges: “It’s a fairytale town, isn’t it? How’s a fairytale town not somebody’s thing? How can all those canals and bridges and cobbled streets and those churches, all that beautiful fairytale stuff, how can that not be somebody’s thing?”

My thoughts exactly Harry!

Fact fileDirect flights to Brussels from George Best Belfast City Airport with Brussels Airlines start from £75, and from Dublin with Ryanair and Aer Lingus from £22 A regular train service runs from Brussels airport to Bruges and takes around one hour.* Room prices for Hotel de Or-angerie start from 155 euro and can be found at www.hotelor-angerie.be

‘Around every cob-bled street corner is another photo

opportunity’

by Mark Raineymark.rainey@newsletter.co.uk@Mark_RaineyNL

delicious Belgian waffle topped with sensationally sweet strawberries and rich cream at one of the many restaurants in the Markt, we savoured the atmosphere tak-ing in the imposing buildings surrounding us.

31Saturday, October 8, 2016 www.newsletter.co.uk NEWS LETTER

Enjoy a golfing break at the Lough Erne Resort & Spa, Co Fermanagh

Great deals on cruises, autumn sunshine and Ulster stays

LATE DEALS

ALGARVE, Albufeira, 3 star Sil-choro Apartments, 7 nights Self-catering departing from Belfast International on October 21 2016.Price: £299 per person based on 2 sharing, including 22kg baggage allowance and return transfers. Visit your lo-cal travel agent or click on www.jet2.com or www.jet2holidays.com.MAJORCA, Alcudia, 3 star Ol-ive Beach Alcudia, 7 nights Self-catering departing from Belfast International on October 23 2016. Price: £319 per person based on 2 sharing, including 22kg baggage allowance and return transfers. Visit your lo-cal travel agent or click on www.jet2.com or www.jet2holidays.com.COSTA BLANCA: Apartments Ambar Beach, Calpe, 3 Star , Self-Catering, 7 Nights from £439pp, October 15 from Belfast, Thom-son. To book visit www.firstch-oice.co.uk or visit your nearest Thomson Shop .LAPLAND DAY TRIP: Depart-ing December 9, adults and chil-dren can enjoy a fun filled day trip to Lapland in Rovaniemi in Finland. Highlights of this magi-cal day trip include: A mystery tour, elf school, Mrs Claus’ Bak-ery, snowmobiling, sledging, mini-skidoo rides, Santa’s post office, the Ice Queen’s ice gal-lery & ice bar & a meeting with Santa himself! Prices from £449 per adult and £369 per child. De-posit from £75pp. To book visit www.firstchoice.co.uk or visit your nearest Thomson Shop .CO FERMANAGH: Stay, Play and Dine, Lough Erne Resort & Spa, from £149. Enjoy a luxuri-ous overnight stay in Lough side accommodation, two rounds of golf – one on The Faldo Course and one on the Castle Hume Castle Hume Course as well as dinner and full Irish breakfast.

Subject to availability. Must be booked by October 31. To book call (028) 66 323230.BELFAST: Date Night, Ten Square Hotel, Belfast, from £200 per couple. Treat your loved one to a romantic date night where chilled Prosecco and strawber-ries await you on arrival! Enjoy a sumptuous three course meal in Jospers Steakhouse before re-tiring to a gorgeous newly reno-vated bedroom for an overnight stay with full Irish breakfast the following morning. Available until November 6. To book call (028) 90 241001.CO DOWN: Coast and Lakes Getaway, The Whistledown Ho-tel, from £62.50pps. The Whis-tledown Hotel nestles, quietly magnificent, on the shores of Carlingford Lough surrounded by the Mourne Mountains and Cooley Peninsula. Relax on a one-night getaway at the three-star hotel, with a cocktail on ar-rival, three-course evening meal in the Bistro and a box of choc-olates in your room. Available Sunday – Thursday, until No-vember 30. To book call (028) 41 754174.

CRUISE: Discover France & Spain with Royal Caribbean on a seven-night cruise holiday from May 27 – June 3, 2017 onboard In-dependence of the Seas, sailing roundtrip from Southampton. Price is £799 per person (based on two sharing a Balcony state-room), including an all-inclusive deluxe drinks package. For more information about Royal Carib-bean’s new adventures in 2017 and the Autumn promotion, please visit http://www.royal-caribbean.co.uk/cruise-deals/all-in andhttp://www.royalcaribbean.co.uk/cruise-deals/double-dealICELAND: Travelzoo (www.travelzoo.com) offer three nights at the Hotel Hafnarfjor-dur (B&B) from £199pp (two sharing). Includes Northern Lights tour and flights from London, Belfast, Bristol, Dub-lin or Edinburgh. Valid for trav-el on select dates from October 5 - March 21.NORWAY: Wildfoot (wildfoot-travel.com; 0800 195 3385) of-fer the eight-day Orcas in the Northern Lights trip (half-board) from £2,120pp (two shar-

ing) - saving £600 per person (22%). Includes accommoda-tion throughout, transfers and excursions. Departs October 29 and November 19.INDIA: Southall Travel (www.southalltravel.co.uk; 020 8705 0086) offers seven nights at the four-star Acacia Hotel and Spa (B&B) from £695pp (two shar-ing). Includes flights from Hea-throw on October 27.MOROCCO: The Discerning Collection (www.discerning-collection.com) offers three nights at Sir Richard Branson’s Kasbah Tamadot (B&B) in the Atlas Mountains from £610pp (two sharing) - saving more than £200pp. Includes flights from Gatwick or Manchester. Valid for travel from Novem-ber 11-December 21.NEW YORK: Blue Sea Holi-days (www.blueseaholidays.co.uk; 020 3474 0453) offers three nights at the three-star Wellington Hotel (room only) from £405pp (two sharing) - saving up to £140pp (25%). In-cludes flights from Gatwick on January 24 and 30. Book by October 13.

UNWIND AND SHARE GHOST STORIES BY THE FIRESIDE

Situated amongst the luscious green countryside of Co. Wa-terford, spend two nights in luxurious accommodation at Faithlegg House Hotel and Golf Resort and experience delicious cuisine by head chef Jenny Flynn.

Faithlegg has lots to keep everyone entertained both indoors and outdoors, the Leisure Centre is home to a swimming pool and kiddies pool and outside you’ll find a

kids playground, mini golf, ten-nis courts bicycles to hire for a jaunt around the grounds.

Enjoy a trip to the tran-

quil Estuary Spa, or a round of golf on the award winning golf course while the kids are entertained at the Midterm Splash Club from 1-3pm daily before retreating to the Aly-ward Lounge and snuggling up together on one of the cosy couches by the fireside – the perfect place to share spooky stories!

The October Midterm Break package at Faithlegg House Hotel is available mid-

week (24th-28th October) from €139 per adult sharing and children aged 4 -12yrs are accommodated on a bed and breakfast basis at a rate of €15.00 per child per night, the packageincludes 2 nights bed and breakfast plus an evening meal on the night of your choice in the Roseville Rooms Restaurant. To book call 051 382000 or visit www.faithlegg.com. Prior booking is essential.

ReaderTravelFor more information or to book, please call:

0116 279 3929 quote NLETor visit: www.preferredts.com/nlet

Organised by Preferred Travel Services. ABTA No. W3692. Atol No. 5537 Single supplements apply. Subject to availability.

Walking - the Sierra de Mijas

Mar 11 & Apr 22 2017Fly from Belfast

Just a few miles inland from the bustling resorts of the Costa del Sol, the Sierra de Mijas rises to nearly 4000 feet and offers plenty of walking opportunities from the pretty white-painted village of Mijas Pueblo. Three guided walks allow you to fully enjoy the scenery and almost perfect weather of this part of Andalucia.

• Return direct flights from Belfast• 7 nights HB accommodation in a 4* hotel in Mijas Pueblo• Three fully guided walks• Services of a tour representative

8 days, from £619pp

Andalucia’s Eastern Coast - Granada & AlmeriaNov 13 2016 & selected dates Feb to Jun 2017Fly from Belfast

On this holiday, not only will you visit the Alhambra in Granada, but also Almeria. Your base is the coastal city of Almunecar. The wonderful sub-tropical climate will help you enjoy the city’s rich artistic and cultural heritage. In and around Almunecar the sierras plunge spectacularly into the sea and you will find no less than 25 beaches and coves within its boundary.

• Return direct flights from Belfast• 7 nights 4* HB accommodation on the coast in Taramay, Almunecar• Included excursion to Granada and the Alhambra• Included excursion to Almeria • Option to extend your holiday by another week• Services of a tour representative

8 days, from £549pp

Tenerife - Island of Contrasts

Nov 4 2016, Feb 24, Mar 10 & 31 2017 Fly from Belfast

Much more than an escape to the winter sunshine, Tenerife is truly an island of contrasts – miles of sun-drenched coastline overlooked by the snow-capped peak of Mount Teide, Spain’s highest mountain. You stay in the north part of the island where the lush, tropical landscape contrasts with the arid terrain of the south.

• Return direct flights from Belfast• 7 nights 4* HB accommodation • Visits to the UNESCO listed town of La Laguna & the Botanical Garden of La

Oratava • Option to add an extra 7 nights• Services of a tour representative

8 days, from £669pp