Holidays

[galwayman]

Heading to San Sebastian in August, anyone ever been before? Got any recommendations of things to do and see?

Eat eat eat. Go for pinxos in the old town in and around the Calle Mayor. Atari is exceptional. SS has some of the best food in the world.

Drink drink drink.

Lots to see and do, when just walking around it is breathtaking. La Concha is one of the most beautiful beaches and bays I've ever seen.

+1. Brilliant city.

Also, don't rent a car while staying in the city unless you've absolutely no choice. Parking is scarce and spots are so tight you'll be lucky to avoid scrapes.

Are there direct flights from this island to San Sebastian?

Not to its own airport. From Ireland you fly to either Biarritz or Bilbao.

[Fuzzman]

Sorry if this has been asked before.
I was going to bring a 20Kg bag on Ryanair next week and I have already paid for it on booking.
Just wondering if you check in online how early do you have to check the bag in to the drop zone?
Please dont say 2 hours. Can't see it anywhere on their website

[armaghniac]

Sorry if this has been asked before.
I was going to bring a 20Kg bag on Ryanair next week and I have already paid for it on booking.
Just wondering if you check in online how early do you have to check the bag in to the drop zone?
Please dont say 2 hours. Can't see it anywhere on their website

It is indeed hard to find on the website
https://www.ryanair.com/gb/en/useful-info/help-centre/terms-and-conditions/termsandconditionsar_1379164564

Bag  drop 2 hours to 40 mins before the flight, although I wouldn't be inclined to sail too close to the latter.

[Owen Brannigan]

Sorry if this has been asked before.
I was going to bring a 20Kg bag on Ryanair next week and I have already paid for it on booking.
Just wondering if you check in online how early do you have to check the bag in to the drop zone?
Please dont say 2 hours. Can't see it anywhere on their website

Last Saturday the Ryanair bag drop was like a zoo.  Massive queues for attended bag drop and in the self service a good number of weigh ins were failing.

Go on time and ignore the queuing, find a way through to self service and go to far side of it where the crowd will be less or even go round outside and in through exit to the area!

[marty34]

Anybody in Centre Parcs Longford yet or has it even opened?

[Hound]

Sorry if this has been asked before.
I was going to bring a 20Kg bag on Ryanair next week and I have already paid for it on booking.
Just wondering if you check in online how early do you have to check the bag in to the drop zone?
Please dont say 2 hours. Can't see it anywhere on their website

Last Saturday the Ryanair bag drop was like a zoo.  Massive queues for attended bag drop and in the self service a good number of weigh ins were failing.

Go on time and ignore the queuing, find a way through to self service and go to far side of it where the crowd will be less or even go round outside and in through exit to the area!

I was in Dublin Airport 3 Saturdays ago at 9AM and the self service bag check-in at Ryanair only took a few minutes. Great process. Six of us there. For 2 of us, the weight of the cases when put on the scales didn't tie in to the weight when put on the belt, but they were all under 21kg, and one of the assistants sorted it out in seconds.

[heffo]

Anyone been to Turkey recently? I know people who love it and swear by it, but it's never appealed to me.  it's meant to be regaining popularity among UK holiday-makers again due to the weakness of the Turkish Lira v Sterling. Could be on my radar next year if the Brexit clusterfuck  becomes a mega clusterfuck.

Three years ago was the last time for me, had been in Istanbul regularly with work until the airport bomb.

It's a great city, cheap and loads to see/easy to get around. All the main sights are clustered in one general walking distance area.

Haven't been to a sun holiday resort there.

[galwayman]

Anyone been to Turkey recently? I know people who love it and swear by it, but it's never appealed to me.  it's meant to be regaining popularity among UK holiday-makers again due to the weakness of the Turkish Lira v Sterling. Could be on my radar next year if the Brexit clusterfuck  becomes a mega clusterfuck.

Three years ago was the last time for me, had been in Istanbul regularly with work until the airport bomb.

It's a great city, cheap and loads to see/easy to get around. All the main sights are clustered in one general walking distance area.

Haven't been to a sun holiday resort there.

Have been there twice - to Gumbet (near Bodrum) and to Alanya.
Enjoyed both trips but to be honest the last time I went was with my then girlfriend for a week and after 3-4 days the constant bombardment outside restaurants at any time of the day as you walk past trying to get you in had grated on us enough that we wouldn't go back!
Say no and they leave you alone but it does get extremely irritating after a few days.
It's the one thing that would put me off going back because it was cheap and the food etc was good.

[Taylor]

Anyone been to Turkey recently? I know people who love it and swear by it, but it's never appealed to me.  it's meant to be regaining popularity among UK holiday-makers again due to the weakness of the Turkish Lira v Sterling. Could be on my radar next year if the Brexit clusterfuck  becomes a mega clusterfuck.

Three years ago was the last time for me, had been in Istanbul regularly with work until the airport bomb.

It's a great city, cheap and loads to see/easy to get around. All the main sights are clustered in one general walking distance area.

Haven't been to a sun holiday resort there.

Have been there twice - to Gumbet (near Bodrum) and to Alanya.
Enjoyed both trips but to be honest the last time I went was with my then girlfriend for a week and after 3-4 days the constant bombardment outside restaurants at any time of the day as you walk past trying to get you in had grated on us enough that we wouldn't go back!
Say no and they leave you alone but it does get extremely irritating after a few days.
It's the one thing that would put me off going back because it was cheap and the food etc was good.

Has been a while since I was there but like you Galwayman the constant hassle is a pain in the balls.

Have been looking into trips there lately and the thing that puts me off is the distance of the hotels from the airport.

Has anyone found any decent hotels close to the airports?

[qwerty123]

I'm looking for a holiday in October or perhaps November, but struggling slightly. There are plenty of travel agents with different deals but I'm wondering if I could do it myself somehow without going through them. I'm essentially looking for warm weather (mid 20s hopefully!), a beach would be nice and a place with a few things to do and see. Any advice? Thanks in advance!

[JimStynes]

I'm looking for a holiday in October or perhaps November, but struggling slightly. There are plenty of travel agents with different deals but I'm wondering if I could do it myself somehow without going through them. I'm essentially looking for warm weather (mid 20s hopefully!), a beach would be nice and a place with a few things to do and see. Any advice? Thanks in advance!

European? Only place with Sun then would be the Canaries. Thailand??

[JimStynes]

Anybody in Centre Parcs Longford yet or has it even opened?

I hear the price is scandalous

[screenexile]

Anybody in Centre Parcs Longford yet or has it even opened?

I hear the price is scandalous

It's dear but it's very good. . . if you could go off peak it would be worth it but during any school holidays I'd forget about it!!

[BennyCake]

Heading to Kerry in a couple of weeks.

Was wondering what my chances are of getting out to Skellig Michael? Or would it be booked up, even a few weeks in advance?

And what extortionate prices are they charging these days?

[BarryBreensBandage]

I'm looking for a holiday in October or perhaps November, but struggling slightly. There are plenty of travel agents with different deals but I'm wondering if I could do it myself somehow without going through them. I'm essentially looking for warm weather (mid 20s hopefully!), a beach would be nice and a place with a few things to do and see. Any advice? Thanks in advance!

The Algarve in October, and in the first couple of weeks would be my advice.
We used Dublin based Click and Go this year and got a very reasonably priced holiday.