Lorna Roberts Holidays
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Lorna Roberts Holidays
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Holidays in the 'Hidden Corners' of the Real Spain.
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These Holidays are designed to include some of Spain's most beautiful and lesser known landscapes. This is the 'Real Spain' at its best. |
| Paradores Holidays | Pousada Holidays | Golf Holidays | Escorted Holidays | Lorna's Books | Other Hotels | Lorna in Ireland |
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Who is Lorna Roberts?
LORNA ROBERTS, together with MAP Travel, is the official representative in Ireland for the SPANISH PARADORES. Paradores are charming, comfortable hotels in the most scenic, interesting and historic areas of Spain. Lorna also makes reservations with Keytel International for many hotels in cities in Spain and other European countries, and with MAP Travel can make reservations for the PORTUGUESE POUSADAS.Lorna has travelled extensively all over Europe, has written books about her travels and plans routes and itineraries for her clients as well as taking small escorted groups around the Paradores. There are 93 Paradores in Spain (including 5 in the Canary Islands and 2 in North Africa), many of which are located in castles, palaces and monasteries, some in Medieval villages, others in historic cities and coastal ones, generally in modern buildings in the unspoilt areas of the Mediterranean and Atlantic coasts. Lorna can tell you virtually everything there is to know about the Paradores and is happy to arrange routes and itineraries and make reservations for you at the best possible rates, availing of the various promotions offered at different times of year. In the Spring and Autumn Lorna escorts small groups on 7 & 8 night holidays staying in Paradores in the hidden corners of "Real Spain". |
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For further information
contact: Lorna Roberts Tel:: 095 23511 Fax: 095 23539 Lorna Roberts - UK Tel and fax: 01590 610698 Email: lorna@lornarobertsholidays.com UK Number: 01590 610698
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Parador at Carmona, near Seville
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ESCORTED HOLIDAYS See below for photographs of our recent tours of 'Green Spain', La Rioja, Andalucia and Galicia. For details of Autumn holidays in 2012 and photographs of other recent tours see below or click on....
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Parador at Arcos de la Frontera |
Lorna Knows 91 of the 93 Paradores and can help with route planning and advising which Paradores are most suitable, as there is such a variety of hotels and different ones appeal to different people. Lorna is also able to work out a route to take advantage of special promotions. For the Latest Directory, with descriptions and photographs of all the Paradores, a map showing the locations and a price list... call Lorna on 095 23511 or UK: 01590 610698 Lorna's book "Discover Real Spain & the Paradores" describes her own personal journeys across Spain and can be helpful when planning routes. See below or "Lorna's books" section of this website.
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View from the Parador at Aiguablava |
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Paradores have some excellent promotions and amazing prices between now and mid June, so book now to be sure to get the best possible rates. We - Lorna Roberts Holidays and MAP Travel - can work out the lowest prices by checking all the different offers, including those sent by "Amigos de Paradores".
Islands View at Baiona CONGRATULATIONS to Tom Chambers who won the photographic competition with his photo "Islands View at Baiona" taken on the September holiday in Galicia, and to John Fagan for his photo "Sunset at Conil", the runner up, taken on the May holiday in Andalucia. John O'Sullivan won the PRIZE DRAW in which everyone was entered if they booked Paradores in 2011 with Lorna Roberts Holidays or MAP Travel. John has won 2 nights B & B for 2 people in a Parador. Congratulations to him. There will be another prize draw for all who book with us in 2012.
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Regions of The Month MONTHLY FEATURE ON THE REGIONS OF SPAIN: I have written features on the different regions of Spain, starting with the Mediterranean regions of Andalucia, Catalunia and Valenciana & Murcia, Galicia and Extremadura. These have been emailed with my monthly newsletters. If you would like to receive any of these please send your email address and I will send them by return.
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PARADOR OF THE MONTH People often ask me which is my favourite Parador. As there are 93 and all very different, this is an impossible question to answer, but I do have a Top 5 and there are certain ones that I am particularly attached to, so during 2010 I featured one Parador each month with a page on the website dedicated to it. 'Click Here' For dates, prices and itineraries of our tours for 2012 call 095 23511 or contact lorna@lornarobertsholidays.com
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Representing the Spanish Paradores and Over 1500 Other Hotels all over Europe, USA and Worldwide. Lorna also has her own Favourite Hotels which she recommends. <<<<<<>>>>>> Make any reservation with Lorna Roberts Holidays. and you will be entered in our prize draw to win a double room for two nights B&B in a Parador in Spain We also organise escorted tours for small groups, staying in Paradores and visiting hidden corners of "Real Spain" Email Lorna, Click Here:... lorna@lornarobertsholidays.com
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SPECIAL OFFERS are continued in many Paradores during 2012. For details of these promotions see below and ask us to work out the best way of combining the offers to get the best rates possible. Amigos de Paradores - we are able to make reservations for you for all offers sent by Amigos Unique rooms in Paradores - these are special rooms which are all individually priced. We are now able to book these on our on-line system with extra discounts
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MAP Travel in Dublin now have their own on-line booking system for Parador reservations. They give the same rates and discounts, can book flights and also offer excellent rates for car hire, so they can organise your whole holiday. They are also specialising in WEDDINGS IN PARADORES and arranging tours along the CAMINO DE SANTIAGO. MAP Travel have worked with Lorna organising her escorted tours since 2002. Marian and Patricia (hence MAP) have now visited over 40 Paradores and travelled with Lorna in many areas of Spain so are now the joint official representatives in Ireland for the Paradores and can advise you on routes and work out the best rates for you.Contact : 01 8783111 or visit their new website: http://www.maptravel.ie Lorna and Patricia Kenny of MAP Travel visited Paradores in Catalonia in October. Aiguablava and Cardona are both included in one of our Autumn holidays in 2012.
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"Parador at Cardona"
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"Lorna and view of the Parador at Aiguablava"
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"Working hard on the balcony of the Parador!" |
"Patricia with the Manager at Cardona" |
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SPECIAL OFFERS ARE BETTER THAN EVER "GOLDEN DAYS" (30% discount) now applies to anyone over 55 "YOUNG ESCAPE offers a 30% discount if one person sharing a double room is between 18 and 35. "5 NIGHT CARD" - only 52.50 Euro per person sharing a double room (room only) per night. "BEST RATE OF THE DAY": This varies from day to day and from Parador to Parador . B & B can be as little as 45 Euro in some Paradores. ****ASK US TO FIND THE BEST RATE FOR YOU*** "CHILDREN" An extra bed for a child is free of charge, and with a 50% discount for those between 12 and 18. On some offers B & B is as little as 45 Euro. OFFERS SENT BY AMIGOS DE PARADORES which are sometimes sent by email. We can book these for you and will compare these with other promotions which are often better value. UNIQUE ROOMS: These are the best rooms in Paradores for special occasions. GOLF & PARADORES: Two Paradores at MALAGA GOLF and at EL SALER (near Valencia) have their own 27-hole courses. There is a 50% reduction on green fees for Parador guests, and many other golf courses all over Spain offer reduced rates to Parador guests. For details of golf competitions on our escorted holidays see below or click here
For full itineraries of the tours for 2012 see below or "Escorted Holidays" section of this website Email Lorna, Click Here:...
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See below for some memories of our holidays in Andalucia and Galicia in 2011 and our tour of 'Green Spain' and La Rioja in April 2012.
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'GREEN SPAIN' & LA RIOJA - April 2012
After having almost perfect weather for more than 35 tours it was a shock to us all that we had a wet week, which caused "Green Spain" to become greener. They had been praying for rain but we think they prayed a bit too hard! Despite the weather we were able to visit the 3 cities of Santander, San Sebastian and Bilbao, and enjoy a wine tasting lunch at the bodegas of Marques de Caceres in La Rioja. We also visited the Altamira Museum where they have constructed an exact replica of the famous prehistoric cave, and a few of the group played golf at the Santa Marina course and at Club Real de Golf San Sebastian. The group were very philosophical and enjoyed a walk on the Camino de Santiago, journeys along the spectacular North coast and through the dramatic Cantabrian mountains, and the 3 Paradores where we stayed - at Santillana, Sto Domingo de la Calzada and Hondarribia.
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Hendaye in France - across the estuary from Hondarribia
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In the cloister of the Parador at Hondarribia
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Guggenheim Museum Bilbao |
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Rough sea at San Vicente de la Barquera |
Statue of Seve Ballesteros at Santa Marina Golf Course |
Walking on the Camino de Santiago |
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All ready for a wine tasting lunch at Marques de Caceres |
On the Camino in La Rioja |
"Green Spain" & the Picos de Europa mountains |
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GALICIA - North West Spain: September 2011 The photos below give a glimpse of the week that the group spent in North West Spain. Four very different provinces make up the region of Galicia. The holiday started in the province of La Coruna in the city of Santiago de Compostela where we stayed in the Parador which is more like a museum than a hotel, and the following morning attended the Pilgrims' Mass in the Cathedral. We headed inland to stay at the restored Monastery of Santo Estevo in the Province of Ourense, from where we visited another Parador for dinner in the converted Monastery of San Vicente del Pino at Monforte de Lemos in the province of Lugo. These two provinces are separated by the River Sil on which we enjoyed a spectacular boat trip through the canyons, gorges and vineyards in this remote corner of "Real Spain". The final three days were spent at the Parador at Baiona, a fortress on a headlad surrounded by the Atlantic where we were blessed with perfect weather so that time could be spent on the beaches, in the lovely gardens of the Parador and on a ferry to the "Islas Cies", protected islands which form a National Park and which claim to have one of the Top 10 beaches in the world! We also visited the Celtic village at Santa Tecla and the historic town of Tui. This was a combination of cities, country, coast and history accompanied by blue skies and temperatures of 30 degrees.
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Santiago Cathedral |
Mosaic in the Monastery at Poio |
In the cloister of the Parador at Santiago |
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Parador at Santo Estevo |
Boat trip on the R. Sil |
View of "Las Islas Cies" from the Parador at Baiona |
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Beach on "Las Islas Cies"
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Celtic village at Sta Tecla |
Cathedral at Tui seen from the Parador
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A SUNNY WEEK IN MAY IN ANDALUCIA WITH SOME "FUN" GOLF We have returned from Andalucia where the sun shone every day for a week as we travelled from Seville to Conil de la Frontera on the Cadiz coast, through the hills to the Parador at Ronda and finally to the Parador at Malaga Golf on the Mediterranean coast. While some of the group enjoyed walking, swimming, shopping and just relaxing, the more energetic played in two golf competitions. These were hosted by "Bachelor" Con Cluskey at Montanmedio, near Cadiz, and at Malaga Golf. Congratulations to Anne Fagan for being the overall winner of the competitions. Here are some photos taken during the holiday:
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Parade of the Virgin of Peace in Ronda |
Parador at Ronda
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Roman settlement at Baelo Claudio |
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Parador at Malaga Golf
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Grazalema National Park |
Hotel Fuerte Conil |
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Farewell drink at Malaga Gibralfaro |
Sunset at Conil |
At Montanmedio Golf |
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We will be staying in Northern Spain on our April holiday with
"Fun Golf"
competitions organised by Bachelor Con Cluskey and with prizes from
Marques de Caceres and The Connemara Smokehouse. Paradores also have arrangements with many
golf courses all over Spain who give reduced green fees to their
guests.
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Email Lorna, Click Here:... lorna@lornarobertsholidays.com |
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For further details please contact Lorna Roberts direct.. Ms Lorna Roberts, Barr an Bhaile, Aillebrack, Ballyconneely, Co. Galway. Telephone................+353 (0) 95 23511 Fax...........................+353 (0) 95 23539 Email................ lorna@lornarobertsholidays.com U.K. Telephone........................01590 610698 >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> CANARY ISLAND PARADORES On my recent visit to the CANARY ISLANDS I visited 5 Paradores on 5 islands, including Cruz de Tejeda, the new one in the centre of Gran Canaria. This has been beautifully designed so that bedrooms and public rooms have views across the mountains. Like most of the recently opened Paradores it has a spa, gym and heated pool.
View from the Parador at Cruz de Tejeda In complete contrast we stayed at a simple Parador on the smallest and most westerly island of El Hierro. Almost sitting on a beach of black volcanic sand this is a hotel for peace and quiet, as the only activities in the area are trekking and diving, and the closest shops are fifteen kilometres away in the island's capital Valverde. For anyone wanting to "get away from it all" this would be paradise, but not to be recommended to those looking for a lively resort!
Parador on El Hierro We continued to the island of La Palma (not to be confused with Las Palmas the capital of Gran Canaria, and seventh largest Spanish city). The Parador is high above Santa Cruz, the island's capital, mid-way between the port and the airport so easy to reach by air or sea. The landscaped gardens, swimming pool and sea views make this a most relaxing place to stay and the restaurant is to be highly recommended. The island is intensely cultivated with every corner being covered with terraces growing bananas, pineapples, avocados and tomatoes and the varied scenery offers plenty of scope for those who like to rent a car and explore, the highlight being the international observatories surrounded by volcanic rocks at the Roque de los Muchachos at 2462 metres (over 8000').
Gardens at the Parador on La Palma The island of La Gomera is the most accessible of the lesser known islands as it is only a forty minute ferry journey from Los Cristianos on Tenerife. The Parador can be seen standing on a cliff above the port in San Sebastian, the island's capital. It is, perhaps the one that would have the most general appeal, as it would be a perfect base for a relaxing holiday, but for the more active the spectacular coastal scenery, small fishing villages, lush vegetation, and the many walking routes in the central National Park are all within easy reach of San Sebastian. Car hire is inexpensive and roads are uncrowded, and there is an efficient local bus service reaching all corners of the island.
Parador on La Gomera - above the harbour at San Sebastian Last, but by no means least, on the island of Tenerife is the unpretentious 2* Parador at Canadas del Teide, surrounded by volcanic rocks at the foot of Mt Teide, which at 3713 metres (over 12000') is Spain's highest mountain. The Parador is the only building in the Park so consequently is unspoilt by pollution and we were fortunate to be staying there on a Friday night when a local astronomer comes to explain the wonders of the night sky.
Parador at Canadas del Teide on Tenerife We had stayed at five very different Paradores on five islands. We found that the people were especially friendly, the food good and accompanied by excellent local wines, the roads uncrowded and the landscapes amazingly varied. This was such a different world from the resorts of the Canaries seen in travel brochures.
On the North Coast of La Gomera Mt Teide, Tenerife A more detailed version of this journey through the five islands can be found in the revised edition of "Discover Real Spain & The Paradores" - a personal collection of routes in Spain. Details in "Lorna's books" section on this website.
ESCORTED HOLIDAYS IN SPAIN'S HIDDEN CORNERS These holidays are designed to include some of Spain's most beautiful and lesser known landscapes. This is "Real Spain" at its best. There will be no pressure, no early morning starts, and no compulsory sightseeing. Most Paradores are less than one hundred miles apart, but on the occasional day when a longer journey is necessary we will follow the advice of the AA which is to have a break every 2 hours or every hundred miles, so there will be no exhausting long journeys. We aim to make the travelling a pleasure and organise lunch breaks in interesting places. The coach will be there to transport you from Parador to Parador, and will be on hand for optional excursions to places of interest. For the energetic there are spectacular walking routes, for the culturally inclined there will be visits to archeological sites and museums, and for nature lovers we include Nature Reserves and National Parks. These are value-for-money holidays which include accommodation, breakfast and dinner (most nights) including wine, coffee etc, in Spain's Parador hotels, or hotels of similar quality where there is no Parador. By following a route via Paradores the most remote and scenic regions of Spain are discovered. DEPOSIT and INSURANCE A non refundable deposit of 250.00 Euro per person, together with a completed booking form, should be sent to MAP Travel. When completing the booking form please advise if you have your own travel insurance. Otherwise it will be automatically added to your invoice. Should we have to cancel a tour the deposit will be refunded. EXTRAS There are no 'hidden' extras as all travel in the bus, drinks with dinner, porterage, restaurant tips and excursions are included. Entrance fees to Museums etc. visited on optional excursions, bar and personal bills in hotels and snacks during the day will be charged for at the time. On occasional nights we have not included dinner, to enable people to have a choice of restaurant. PHOTOGRAPHIC COMPETITION Each year we hold a competition and ask people who have been on our tours to send in their 3 favourite photographs from the holiday. The winner receives a voucher for a 2-night break in a Parador, or a discount of 250 Euro on a future tour, so be sure to bring your camera.
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EXCURSIONS Journeys between hotels have been planned to see as much as possible en-route. These are dependent on weather conditions and will be changed if necessary. GOLF HOLIDAYS These are Parador holidays with golf, combining the relaxation and interest of our tours with golf competitions at some of Spain's finest courses. Green fees and buggies, or trolleys, are included in the price. For non golfers there are optional excursions every day. _____________________________________________________________________________________ For further information, or to receive a booking form contact: Lorna Roberts Tel:: 095 23511 Fax: 095 23539 Lorna Roberts - UK Tel and fax: 01590 610698 Email: lorna@lornarobertsholidays.com UK Number: 01590 610698
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OR MAP TRAVEL: Tel: 01 8783111 Fax: 01 8783117
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LORNA ROBERTS: Barr an Bhaile, Aillebrack, Ballyconneely, Co Galway Email................ lorna@lornarobertsholidays.com
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http://www.lornarobertsholidays.com/index.html --Revised: 11/05/2012 |
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