Counting colours in the Caribbean - €400 discount per person
Take yourself away on a blissful autumn break in the Caribbean with a tidy saving to boot. Enjoy the crystal blue waters surrounding St James's Club Morgan Bay in St Lucia, and save €400 per person on a seven-night stay in the four-star property between September 1st and October 31st if you book before August 14th, from €1,699 pps all-inclusive. Book with tropicalsky.ie, 01-6649999.
Top class on the Algarve
Villa accommodation is hard to find in the Algarve in August but Private Villas has some nice upmarket three, four and five-star properties for rent from €1,000 - €1,700 per week. They are in Albufeira, Vilamoura, Prainha, Lagos and more. Combine this with the Aer Lingus flash sale this week (which finishes on Friday, July 28th) for a upmarket late break on the Algarve, privatevillas.ie, 01-9060955.
Family fun in Dublin west
The Citywest Hotel has had a complete makeover this summer and is inviting families to come and experience the new hotel. Until August 27th, there will be a kids club with activities that include pizza parties, karaoke, discos, a fairy trail, movie nights, arts and craft classes, games and more. There is also a 25-metre swimming pool and leisure centre. Two nights, midweek, for two adults and two children with one dinner from €371.50, citywesthotel.com, 01-4010500.
A discount for St James
Celebrating St James's Day this week, Caminoways is giving a discount of €50 on new reservations booked by July 31, when you quote StJames2017 at the time of booking. Camino packages start from €584 per person for a six-night self-guided trip on the Camino Frances including dinner and luggage transfers. Flights extra, caminoways.com, 01 525 2886.
Take your pick in Europe
Grab an August holiday to some of Ireland's favourite sun destinations with Gohop.ie. The five-star Pestana apartments Algarve Race in Portugal will cost from €385pps for five nights. Five nights staying in the Apartments Alta in Tenerife from €330pps or seven nights in Naples at the Suite Esedra Hotel from €423pps, gohop.ie, (01) 24122389.
The most famous beer festival
The Munich Oktoberfest is one of the most well known and appears on lots of beer lovers' bucket lists. Cassidy Travel has a two-night weekend trip to Munich in September (although it is called Oktoberfest it does actually begin in September). Staying in a three star hotel and with flights from Dublin on September 15th from €319pps, cassidytravel.ie, 0818 332500.
Scream, scream, scream
The Oakwood Theme Park in south Wales is a great place for a family day out. With some brilliant rollercoasters, including the wooden Treetops, stomach churning rides like Megafobia, drenching adventures on Waterfall and gravity defying Vertigo. During August, the park is open late and has special events and fireworks. A day trip will cost €51 per person (based on four people plus car) and includes car ferry and entrance, foot passengers can go for €59 on a coach, stenaline.ie, or your local travel agent and 01-9075399.
