Next month — May 16-18Cork, Ireland: 70.88 pounds round trip
Fly Ryanair from London Stansted to Cork.
Begin your visit at the Church of St. Anne Shandon with the church’s clock tower. The tower is locally known as the four-faced liar because each of the four faces shows a slightly different time.
Visit the Jameson Heritage Centre to learn the history of Irish whiskey and to taste the legendary drink. Along the tour be sure to take notice of the enormous still, with a capacity of 32,000 gallons.
Life-size figures, exhibits and sound effects within the Cork City Goal, a castlelike building once used as a prison, provide a presentation of early 19th-century Cork life. Learn more about this port city’s history with a visit to the Royal Gunpowder Mills.
The Old English Market, open every day except Sunday on the Grande Parade, is where you can find fresh fish, meat, vegetables, herbs, teas and more. Observer Food Monthly rated it one of the top 10 markets in Europe.
Take a trip five miles out of the city to Blarney Castle to kiss the famous stone. Tradition has it that kissing the stone gives visitors the gift of eloquence. Also worth a side trip is Charles Fort, a five-bastioned, star-shaped fort that offers guided tours, and Desmond Castle, a former prison that once held American sailors — both located in Kinsale.
Three months — July 4-7Eindhoven, Netherlands: 64.57 pounds round tripFly Ryanair from London Stansted to Eindhoven.
Bring an empty suitcase and a credit card, because Eindhoven is definitely the place to shop.
De Heuvel Galerie, a covered shopping center, offers large department stores, a selection of boutiques and specialty shops. If you are looking for secondhand buys, antiques, collectibles and art, visit the pedestrian-only shopping area of De Bergen. Visit the trendy boutiques of Hooghuisstraat for exclusive children’s fashions.
On Saturdays, visit the city center market to browse the arts and collectibles for sale or Woenselse market, a short walk from the city center for produce, household goods, trinkets and more.
Take a break from shopping and visit some of the city’s popular attractions, such as Philips’ first Incandescent Lamp Factory of 1891 to see how light bulbs used to be made at the oldest Philips factory.
Art enthusiasts should stroll through the Van Abbemuseum, which houses collections of modern and contemporary art and includes paintings, sculptures and video works.
Family-friendly attractions include Genneper Park, with its many walking and cycling paths, and De Tongelreep Swimming Paradise, complete with rapids, water slides and whirlpools.
— Heather Klinglesmith
Airfare prices include taxes and are courtesy of each airline’s Web site. Prices were verified as of Monday afternoon when Stripes UK went to press. Deals are not guaranteed to be available; restrictions may apply.
