Departure Lounge: An eight-day Baltic adventure through Gothic castles and charming cities

Plus family fun at The Park Hotel Dungarvan

Explore some of this week's best getaway opportunities

Best of the Baltics

Contiki’s eight-day Baltic adventure explores a lesser-known side of Europe. Journeying through Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, the 18-35s group travel specialist will take adventurous guests to discover medieval towns, Gothic castles and charming cities, against a backdrop of autumn foliage. Highlights include Tallinn’s UNESCO-listed Old Town, the medieval Cesis Castle in Latvia and Lithuania’s Trakai Castle on an island in Lake Galvė. From €1,365pp, excluding flights. The Classic’itinerary, exclusively for 27-35s, from €1,505. Selected departures available.

Tallinn's Old Town is UNESCO-Listed

• contiki.com

Flights of fancy

Tromso, Norway, is one of the destinations included in Aer Lingus' new sale

The Aer Lingus sale is now live with discounts on fares booked before September 29, 2026. Short-haul savings include up to 30% off flights between Great Britain and Ireland and must be booked before September 17 for a travel period between this October 1 and March 19, 2027. The long-haul sale includes flights to North America from €199 each way, as part of a return trip, Destinations include Cancún, Nashville, Hartford, Pittsburgh, New York and Boston. There is up to 30% off flights to European destinations too, including Marrakesh, Seville, Tromsø, Turin, the Canary Islands, and many more, Travel period between from this October 1 and March 19 2027.

• aerlingus.com

Putt your feet up

Dunluce Lodge in Portrush

Overlooking the fourth fairway of Royal Portrush Golf Club, Dunluce Lodge in Portrush is rather lovely, and even more appealing if you are a golfer. The intimate five-star hotel has just announced a trio of food and wine experiences celebrating autumn. September 24 sees the Xanadu Wine, Dine & Stay Experience, bringing a taste of Western Australia’s Margaret River wine region to Portrush with Darren Rathbone, chief winemaker of Xanadu, for a four-course dinner created by Stephen Holland and his team, paired with Xanadu wines, accommodation in a luxury suite, full Irish breakfast, access to The Spa, The Larder at Dunluce and complimentary local transfers on request. From £575 (approx €493) for two sharing.

• dunlucelodge.com

US in style

Dublin and Amsterdam are the first to receive a new service from United Airlines

Dublin and Amsterdam are the first two cities chosen by United Airlines to receive service from their new Airbus A321XLR ‘Born to Explore’ aircraft. Bookings are now open on the aircraft’s first international flights from Dublin to Washington Dulles, scheduled from December 2, 2026. Flying non-stop, travellers will find a single-aisle aircraft with lie-flat seats in United Polaris, free Starlink wi-fi for MileagePlus members, 4K OLED screens with bluetooth connectivity, and Economy Plus seats with extra elbow room across an open middle seat and a snack bar in United Economy. Return fares from €666.

• united.com

Family fun in Waterford

One of the new family rooms at The Park Hotel Dungarvan.

The Park Hotel Dungarvan has a new family floor with 21 new family bedrooms and they’re catering to larger families with custom bunk beds and thoughtfully designed family spaces. The new rooms are part of a €4 million investment by Flynn Hotel Collection, which includes an upgrade of the hotel’s outdoor Garden Bar, and a new sauna. With the Waterford Greenway, beaches, playgrounds, Dungarvan Castle and a wide range of outdoor and cultural activities nearby, the Park Hotel is a great spot for exploring Dungarvan and West Waterford. B&B deluxe family rooms, from €198.

• parkhoteldungarvan.com