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Something to declare: Summer in the city; April in the Alps; Jerusalem; Faroe way

 

Friday 30 March 2012 01:21 BST
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Bargain of the week: Summer in the city

Book by midnight today, 31 March, for a luxury city break from British Airways (0844 493 0758; ba.com/ clubeuropedeals). To help fill its business-class cabins in the slow months of July and August, BA is bundling Club Europe seats from Heathrow and Gatwick together with top hotels.

In Rome, £359 buys you flights plus three nights at the four-star Domus Mariae Palazzo Carpegna. Besides July and August, this offer extends to the first two weeks of September.

Prague costs £379, including three nights at the four-star Olympik Hotel, from 15 June to the end of August.

Prices are per person, based on two travelling together. They include breakfast, access to business lounges at each airport and a bigger baggage allowance, but not transfers.

Destination of the week: April in the Alps

By the middle of April, the winter-sports business has usually slipped into deep freeze as the last of the snow melts. But because of the superb high-altitude conditions in the Alps, Neilson (0845 070 3460; neilson.co.uk) has decided to extend the season by a week to the key French resorts of Les Deux Alpes and Tignes. An extra flight has been laid on from Grenoble to Gatwick on 21 April, allowing outbound departures to be made on 14 April – a week later than is usually the case. In Les Deux Alpes, a week in a catered chalet is available for £299 (per person, based on two travelling), while the company's Hotel Aalborg has places on sale for £349, half board. These prices include transfers from Grenoble to the resort.

Warning of the week: Jerusalem

Ahead of Easter, the Foreign Office has issued updated advice to British travellers to the city, warning of "frequent demonstrations in many of the areas of the city visited by tourists including in and around the Old City".

The FCO's advice is to "leave the area if there is evidence of tension or unrest (for example if the shops in the souks suddenly begin to close their shutters)".

If you choose to enter ultra-Orthodox Jewish neighbourhoods, be aware that local residents can react strongly to anyone (particularly women) whom they deem to be dressed in an inappropriate manner.

"For women this would include wearing trousers," says the Foreign Office. And during the Shabbat (Sabbath) from sunset on Friday to sunset on Saturday, "these neighbourhoods are blocked off and you should not attempt to drive into them.

"If you do, local residents may stone your car."

Tip of the week: Faroe way

Gatwick has won another route from Stansted: the seasonal link to the Faroe Islands with Atlantic Airways (atlanticairways. fo), flying on Mondays and Thursdays starting two months from today. It will operate from 31 May until 17 September. Before then, there is a special Easter depature from Stansted next Wednesday 4 April, which returns on Easter Monday.

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