Can you suggest a Swiss or Italian hotel for a five-day alpine escape?
Idea
Michael Gebicki is Traveler’s expert Tripologist. Each week he covers the thorny topics in travel and answers your questions. Have a question for Tripolog? Email tripologist@traveller.com.au
Before visiting Sicily in June, my sister and I want to spend five days somewhere in the Italian or Swiss Alps, or perhaps in the Dolomite region of Italy. Can you recommend a spa or thermal hotel that we can use as a base to take easy daily walks, ride gondolas and experience the natural beauty of the region?
I. Lavery, Hunters Hill, NSW
The best place for what you have in mind is Italy’s Dolomites. If you’re looking for something high-end, Adler Spa Resort Dolomiti It will be a priority choice. Located in Ortisei, not far from Bolzano, Adler offers a stylish, luxurious and wellness-focused experience. The spa menu is 40 pages long, and guests can also enjoy a wide range of activities, including daily walks, yoga and e-biking. On the downside, this is a large resort and can feel a little impersonal. If you want something smaller and more intimate, the 26 room might be a better choice. Hotel SaltusBreathing in harmony with its location above Bolzano. Built from local timbers and raw stone, the hotel is nestled among the forests of San Genesio, in soft tones that echo the colors that float across the woodland outside. The rhythm is slow by design. Guests are encouraged to experience forest bathing, yoga sessions and guided meditation amidst the larch and fir trees. The wellness area includes two saunas, a steam room and a cocoon-shaped relaxation area. For a more forward-thinking experience, you might consider: Forestis DolomitesIt is located on a mountainside above Bressanone. This is ideal for travelers who want a hard-edged but quiet base with easy access to nature and hiking. The spa features indoor/outdoor pools, saunas, steam rooms and wellness rituals rooted in nature.
I am planning to rent a car from Belfast City Airport. I had previously booked a rental car from Belfast City Airport through Sixt and Sixt’s service was excellent. How do I know if a rental car has built-in satellite navigation?
G. Glover, North Willoughby, NSW
Check the vehicle category before booking. While some rental companies state “with GPS” or “includes sat-nav” in the vehicle description, many do not, only listing “similar models”. In general, a premium car or SUV is likely to have on-board satnav. Check on the booking website for a navigation icon that may be hidden under “features” or “adds.” Call or email the rental agent to confirm your choice and ask if this particular group of vehicles has satellite navigation. When you pick up your rental car, make sure your satellite navigation is programmed in English. If not, have it changed immediately as language settings can be difficult. If you rent from Sixt, “What add-ons do you need?” on the booking page. question will be asked. and the navigation system is at the top of the list.
I’m going to Gallipoli next Anzac Day with my 18-year-old son, who is interested in military history. Do you have any recommendations for good local tour operators, potentially with an accompanying historian, and a recommended itinerary of eight to nine days in and around the region?
S. Andrews, Newtown, NSW
You will probably want to attend the Dawn Service in Gallipoli and for this you will need to register online for a free individual participation pass through the official institution. Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA) website. You can book a tour package that includes transportation and accommodation, but you are still responsible for registering your own pass, the tour company cannot do this for you. Check travel recommendations Smart Traveler website. In 2024, I recommended the services of Kenan Çelik in response to a similar question from Traveler reader Rob Dawson. Here are a few quotes from Rob’s email to me after his visit: “Kenan was very helpful before our visit… He recommended we stay in Çanakkale, which was much closer to the battlefields… Kenan met us in the hotel lobby and we drove to all the locations where the operation was taking place. He gave an excellent perspective from both the Turkish and Allied Forces.” Kenan Çelik can be contacted. website. Allocating an 8-9 day itinerary to this corner of Türkiye is quite long. A few days will be enough. You’ll have a more satisfying experience if you spend the rest of your time in Istanbul, Ephesus, and possibly Cappadocia.
Two families with four children aged between 5 and 12 want to meet and spend a week at a seaside resort. One family lives in Sydney and the other lives in the UK, so a resort somewhere in the middle would be ideal. I’m not looking for high-end resorts, but a place where young families can relax and enjoy themselves after many years of separation.
H. Yu, Sydney, NSW
One place that might work for both families is Sri Lanka. Located about halfway between the UK and Australia, there are non-stop flights from London and Sydney, Sri Lanka is well-equipped with beach resorts for a range of budgets and Colombo Airport is easily accessible, and there’s a lot of variety on a relatively small island. The raw materials of the Sri Lankan mosaic include magnificent beaches, ruined cities intertwined with mythology, a culture that ferments India’s frenetic gas with Buddhist serenity, wildlife reserves full of elephants and leopards, and highland tea plantations. Surrounded by high, fortified walls, the old city of Galle is a gloriously fragmented grid of streets still sharply marked by memories of times when the owners drank pink gin on the veranda of the Grand Hotel. Sigiriya is a ruined city straight out of a fairy tale. Fifteen centuries ago, Prince Kasyapa built a fortified capital on a 200-meter-high granite pillar that rose almost vertically from the steaming forests. Udawalawe National Park is the elephant capital of Sri Lanka, a lush savannah that is home to several hundred wild elephants. You can also expect buffalo, macaque monkeys, chameleons and water monitors. December to March is the best period when the weather is dry and relatively cool, but this is also when prices peak.
Travel advice is general; readers should consider their personal circumstances
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Michael Gebicki is a Sydney-based travel writer best known for his Tripologist column, which has appeared in Traveler for over 15 years. With four decades of experience, his specialty is practical advice, destination insights and problem solving for travellers. He also designs and leads slow, immersive tours to some of his favorite places. Connect via Instagram @michael_gebickiConnect via email.
