Q: My partner and I are looking to travel for two or so weeks round the end of August. We have found cheap flights to Dubrovnik and back from Istanbul. Can you suggest the best way to get between the two cities? We would like to travel by train as much as possible and avoid back-tracking. In particular, we would like to visit historic cities but also get off the beaten track. Are there spectacular train journeys or hidden gems we should include?
Mark Bonthrone, Edinburgh
A: Going inland on any route through the western Balkans guarantees spectacular mountain scenery. But take a few days round Dubrovnik touring the town, beaches and an island or two. Then head into Bosnia to Sarajevo, a fascinating city, via Mostar, pictured, from which day tours take in the Kravice waterfalls and the Dervish monastery at Blagaj. Also consider stopping in Visegrad en route to Belgrade, Serbia, or Sofia, Bulgaria: you could still take in Mostar and Sarajevo, before heading back to follow the coast to Kotor in Montenegro via the walled port town of Herceg Novi. Most of Montenegro is a hidden gem. The country has great trekking and rafting and scenic drives as well as great beaches at Ulcinj – don't miss the journey here from Virzapar – and Sveti Stefan. Going this way takes you to Thessaloniki, from which there's a night train to Istanbul. Get to north-eastern Greece via Albania – Tirana has the most frequent bus services. Travelling via Skopje, Macedonia, is another option. You'll mostly be on buses for all but the long-distance journeys mentioned above, but try to ride on Montenegro's rail line heading into the mountains from Bar. Balkanology (balkanology.com) is an excellent guide to the region.
Q: I will be taking my children (eight and 11) to Israel and the Palestinian Territories for two weeks at Easter. We will fly into Tel Aviv on a Friday afternoon and wanted to take a bus straight to Jerusalem but I understand that as this will be Shabbat, public transport stops and life generally grinds to a halt for 24 hours. Is it better to just stay in Tel Aviv for that time or is there a way to get to Jerusalem without hiring a car? Also, I'd be interested to know where you think we should visit. We want to see the main historical sights and learn a little about life for both Israelis and Palestinians but also fit in some child-friendly activities. Finally, I've heard that hotels are jam-packed at Easter. Will we need to pre-book everywhere?
:Article Source:guardian.co.uk
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