BY JIM MURTY Bilbao wow!
WHEN it came to Thursday night, I knew I was pushing my luck with the Indomitable Mrs M after four days’ solid football on the telly... it would have been five, but I work Saturdays.
This summer will be an international season of sports to beat all seasons of sports... and the Irish will be at the heart of it all..
First up is the European Rugby Champions Cup on Saturday, May 12, in Bilbao. And I just know our Leinster fans will be spending prematch in the Guggenheim Museum. It is obligatory, to have your picture taken in front of Jeff Koons’ floral dog at the entrance.
An email was waiting in my basket this week from Romo Turismo www.romotur.com/info@romotur. com offering ‘the best deal on accommmodation and tickets’ for the rugby. Now to break it to the Scary One!
The other big sporting event, in late summer is the Ryder Cup in Paris. Wallace Travel Group offers three or five-night package from €1,7955pps.
That includes return flights with Air France, Official Ryder Cup transfer to and from golf course, Ryder Cup Entrance, Celebration Evening (Food, Drink and Music), Ryder Cup Gift, 4* accommodation in Mercure Tour Eiffel. Flights are optional. Visit: http://itaa. ie/2018/04/24/ryder-cup/. THIS time last year I was watching the cricket in Barbados with my old pal Jevan. I’d planned to spread my Caribbean wings and go up to Jamaica in the September too but you mustn’t be greedy. It’s just that Sandals makes it hard not to be. They have a 2 for 1 sale on, valid until tomorrow. Stay seven nights from £1,599pp including return flights from London, staying in a honeymoon beachfront grand luxe room, travelling on May 9. Contact 08000 22 30 30. Visit www. sandals.co.uk. YOU’LL be glad to say goodbye to the April showers. Only thing is that the Insight Vacations 40th Anniversary Sale finishes too at the end of the month. Insight Vacations is offering savings of 10% on 40 premium journeys. As a sample, the nine-day Bohemian excursion, taking in Austria, Czech Republic, Poland, Slovakia and Hungary was from €2,125pps, now from €2,15pps. The eight-day Italian Intermezzo trip which will visit Venice, Florence, Rome and Lake Como was from €2,350pps, now €2,115pps. Contact 1800 98 98 98. Visit www.insightvacations.com/ eu/special-offers/40th-anniversary. I’D have loved to have been a fly on the wall when sophisticate Brigitte Macron and the First Lady Melania Trump sidled away from BFFs Donald and Emmanuel in the White House. I’d likely have been swotted as Melania wanted everything perfect to impress Mme Macron. Melania remains an enigma but she has certainly raised the profile of Slovenia. Visit her home country with GTI – The Group Travel Specialists. An eight-day trip, May 13-20 including flights was €1,179pp, now from €979. Phone (01) 8434734, email info@gti.ireland.com. CONGRATS to Ballyfin Demesne (review overleaf) which was voted Ireland’s Best Hotel in the AA Hospitality Awards. Radisson Blu Hotel & Spa were also celebrating after winning the Family Hotel award. Hope they have big sideboards. IT’S even older than your diarist. Aer Lingus celebrates 60 years this year of flying us to the US. And it is offering €100 off return trips to North America this summer. Remember too that Philadelphia and Seattle are new kids on the block as well as your old favourites. www.aerlingus.com