Arm yourself with ideas for train, ferry and coach breaks as holidaymakers look for alternatives to flying. Janine Kelso shares some suggesions
If your clients aren’t sure about cutting out flights, try Joanna Booth’s 20 selling tips for coach, rail and ferry holidays.
1. Belfast by ferry
Belfast is the UK’s city of the moment and can be reached easily by taking a ferry from Stranraer in Scotland.
The bustling city is ideal for a festive weekend break as there are plenty of great shops as well as St George’s Christmas Fair and Market, which takes place every December.
The city centre is a walkable distance from the ferry port and visitors can take their car to explore Belfast’s surrounding countryside.
Sample product:Stena Line (0870 727 0444) offers two nights’ bed and breakfast at the four-star Radisson SAS for £215 per person from September 29 until January 5 2009, including ferry crossing for one car and two passengers from Stranraer to Belfast. Up to two children under 14 can travel and stay for free, although their breakfast must be paid directly.
2. Festive markets by coach
Get into the festive spirit by hitting the Christmas markets of Belgium and France. Explore the canals and bustling main square of Bruges before bagging some delicious chocolates at the market.
Then spend a day in Brussels where the festive market offers crafts and tasty seasonal food. Next up is the French town of Lille, renowned for its festive stalls and jovial atmosphere.
Sample product:Grand UK Holidays (01603 619933) offers the five-day Belgian and French Christmas Markets tour for £269 person, departing December 1, including four nights at the Hotel Royal Astor in Ostend, plus coach and ferry travel from local departure points to Calais.
3. Swiss alps by train
View the striking panorama of Switzerland’s alpine landscape by grabbing a seat aboard the legendary Glacier Express train as it makes its way through forests, meadows, mountain streams and valleys.
Sample product: Ffestiniog Travel (01766 772050) offers a 13-day Christmas and New Year in Switzerland tour for £1,760, including first-class (Leisure Select) travel on Eurostar from London to Paris, on a mainly bed-and-breakfast basis, a Christmas buffet party, New Year’s Eve meal and a first-class Swiss Pass for unlimited travel on trains, buses and trams, departing December 22.
4. Venice by train
Revisit a bygone time of elegance and glamour by taking a ride on the famed Venice Simplon-Orient-Express.
Introduced at the end of the 18th century, the train’s carriages have 1920s decor and every compartment is looked after by a personal steward. A pianist provides the entertainment in the dining car and the gourmet cuisine is prepared by top French chefs.
Sample product: Cox and Kings (020 7873 5000) offers a three-night London-Venice private journey for £1,861 per person, including one night on board the Venice Simplon-Orient-Express with gourmet meals, two nights’ bed and breakfast at the Luna Baglioni Hotel in Venice and a return flight, departing November 6 or 13.
5. Highlights of Western Europe by coach
Take a ferry to Amsterdam and explore Western Europe by coach. Highlights include Bavaria’s fairy-tale castles, the Swiss Alps, the Italian Lake District and the canals of Amsterdam and Venice.
Sample product: Insight Vacations (020 7468 4411) offers a 10-day Winter Spotlight tour featuring Amsterdam, Heidelberg, Innsbruck, Venice, Lucerne and Paris for £1,250, including accommodation, transfers, sightseeing and selected meals, departing November and December.
6. Isle of Wight by ferry and car
The Isle of Wight is spitting distance from mainland UK with ferry crossings taking just 40 minutes from Portsmouth or 30 minutes from Lymington.
Island attractions include picturesque beaches, boat trips and coastal or forest walks. Wightlink offers Green Getaways packages featuring a selection of eco-friendly properties ranging from seaside hotels to self-catering barns.
Sample product: Wightlink (0871 376 1000) offers a week’s Green Getaways holiday staying in St Catherine’s Barn, in the village of Niton on a self-catering basis for £108 per person (based on four sharing), including return Wightlink car ferry crossings from Portsmouth or Lymington, departing October 10.
7. French festivals by coach
Check out France’s fruitiest party in Menton, which jumps to life every February during the Lemon Festival. Fruit-themed floats, varying from giant bananas to coconut groves, parade the streets, which are filled with music, dancing and costumes.
Then make a beeline for Nice’s annual carnival, which can be enjoyed from a civilised position by taking a seat in the grandstand.
Sample product:Shearings Holidays (01942 823 322) offers a nine-day Lemon Festival and Nice Carnival tour for £449 per person, including coach and ferry travel, eight nights’ bed and breakfast and seven dinners.
8. Ireland by ferry and car
The best way to explore Ireland’s landscape is by car. The country is easily reached by ferry from Holyhead. Begin in Dublin, with its great shops and lively pubs serving up the ubiquitous Guinness.
Head to the country’s medieval centre, Kilkenny, and Waterford, home to the renowned crystal factory. Fans of Ballykissangel should visit Avoca, where the programme was filmed, while Braveheart was shot in nearby Kippure.
Sample product:Irish Ferries (08705 171 717) offers a five-night tour of Dublin, for midweek departures in November, December and January (excluding Christmas and new year).
