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We will soon be travelling to Europe and intend to visit Croatia, taking a train from Florence to Trieste, where we will stay for a couple of days. From Trieste we want to get to the Plitvice lakes, hopefully by ferry. If we can't get to the lakes can you suggest somewhere else along the coast in Croatia? Helen Stephens
The Italian ferry company Ustica Lines (www.usticalines.it; $40 one way, three hours) runs a service from Trieste to Rovinj in Croatia, where you could base yourselves.
Rovinj is on the Istrian Peninsula north of the Dalmatian Coast. Rovinj is a lovely town and its historic centre was modelled on Venice. It continues to be a lively fishing port and is a popular tourist resort in the summer months.
If you decide to stay in Rovinj, the Hotel Villa Angelo D'Oro (www.rovinj.at; double B&B $135) has sea views and graceful antique furnishings. From Rovinj, you could hire a car and take a trip of a day or two to the Plitvice lakes and explore the surrounding area. Alternatively, tour companies offer (whirlwind) day trips to the lakes from Rovinj.
The Unesco World Heritage-listed Plitvice Lakes National Park (www.np-plitvicka-jezera.hr) is one of Croatia's top locations for sheer natural beauty. The park features a collection of 16 breathtakingly beautiful lakes connected by a series of majestic waterfalls. If a day visit isn't enough for you at this back-to-Eden location, consider booking into one of the four hotels within the park and exploring further.
Day trippers in Dubai
We are three older persons travelling to Paris with a stopover in Dubai in mid-September from 8am one day to midday the next. We would like to see as many city highlights as feasible in this time. Is it possible to arrange an individualised day tour?
Annette Callan, by email
The dazzling city of Dubai caters to everyone, regardless of age or tastes. Whether you're looking for a luxury beach holiday, an exotic Arabian cultural experience or a non-stop series of adventures from dune bashing to jet-skiing, or a monumental shopping trip, Dubai has it all.
The fascinating Dubai Museum will give you a good introduction to the city and its history. Keep cool wandering around the traditional windtower houses of the Bastakia Quarter and explore the colourful lanes of the Bur Dubai Souk before catching an abra (traditional water taxi) across the creek to Deira, the oldest part of Dubai.
Admire the dhows along the creek front, loading and unloading goods from places such as Iraq, Iran, Pakistan, Oman, India, Yemen and Somalia. Then duck into the Spice Souk and the Gold Souk in Deira. Step back in time at Al-Ahmadiya School and the Heritage House to see how life was in simpler times.
On your second day, maybe some shopping is in order. The Madinat Jumeirah is an enchanting hotel, shopping and entertainment complex with interiors influenced by old Arabian merchant houses. Huge shopping malls are all around the city. As you move around Dubai, admire its skyscraping architecture and ambitious building works, from the stunning Burj Al Arab to the weird Palms and The World.
Arabian Adventures (www.arabian-adventures.com) and Net Tours & Travel (www.nettoursdubai.com) run half-day tours (about $40 per person), over all major city sights, as well as dhow dinner trips and desert safaris. Ask about private tours.
Check the Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Trade's travel advisory for the United Arab Emirates at www.safetravel.govt.nz before you go.
Gentiles in Geneva
In late September/early October we intend to drive from Geneva to Bodensee via Liechtenstein. Any thoughts on inexpensive but reasonable self-catering accommodation? Also, what are the must-see sights? We are active and in our 70s.
Peter Patten, by email
Lake Constance (known in German as Bodensee) is a welcome expanse of water in landlocked southern Germany. Framed on the German side by a row of snow-capped peaks and dotted with many historic villages, the lake is a refreshing splash even if you don't touch the water. One of the region's most popular attractions is Mainau Island, which has been transformed into 45ha of splendid gardens and fountains with a Baroque church and castle.
You have a wide choice of places to stay around Lake Constance. Konstanz (Constance), on the Swiss border, is the region's economic and cultural centre but you could equally choose the romantic and postcard-perfect village of Meersburg, cosy Ravensburg or the Austrian town of Lindau, with its old-world wealth and stunning views of the Alps.
For a broad list of self-catering accommodation (known as Ferienwohnung) in the Bodensee region, check out the Ferienwohnung Bodensee (www.ferienwohnungen-bodensee.de) website.
Liechtenstein may be a country but it's barely larger than Manhattan, measuring only 25km in length and 6km wide. It's known for its stunning natural beauty, quaint villages and hiking and cycling trails, and hordes of tourists stop off in the capital, Vaduz, to grab a passport stamp and send home a postcard from one of the world's smallest countries. Around Vaduz, the idyllic countryside is dotted with tranquil villages set against a craggy alpine background.
Visit the official Liechtenstein tourism website (www.tourismus.li).