DESTINATIONS February 2, 2015

Culinary travel: well known cooks and chefs visit foreign countries to sample their food and culture, beginning with Hairy Biker Dave Myers in Egypt. He visits the pyramids at Giza, the oasis of Al Fayoum and the banks of the Nile where ancient man began to farm. Dave is invited by a family of Nubians for a feast to celebrate the end of Eid Al Adha, and helps prepare a traditional meal, famous across the Arab world.
     In Getaways, BBC1 Northern Ireland, 7.30pm., Monday  February 2,  Angela and Joe are visiting Spain's Balaeric island of Majorca. They start at the beach in Santa Ponsa, take a helicopter ride over the coast, a train trip to Soller. They visit an orange grove, and the cathedral in the capital, Palma. Joe reports on a short getaway to Athlone and the new sculpture park at Lough Boora Parklands and goes sailing on Lough Ree.
The Holiday Show Ireland, 8.00pm.TV3, Wednesday, February 4, 2015 : Jon Slattery and Ciara Whelan visit Co Kildare, Ireland with Ciara taking a punt on a horse at Punchestown Races and Jon finds something for men at the Museum of Style Icons in Newbridge.
     Joe and Angela are in Tuscany, Italy (Getaways, RTÉ One, 7.00pm., Thursday,  February 5) touring Florence's art, history and culture, then through the Tuscan hills on bikes, stopping off at one of Chianti's vineyards. Also view the Leaning Tower of Pisa, visit Lucca - birthplace of the composer Puccini, try some pasta-making. Joe takes a short visit to Kilkenny - visits the Castle, plays the bodhran and - bubble soccer ?!

     Hilary Mantel's Booker prize-winning novel Wolf Hall, now adapted for television, Wolf Hall, BBC2 NI on Wednesdays, tells the story of Henry VIII's trusted adviser Thomas Cromwell. Born the son of a lowly blacksmith, he reached into the high ranks of Tudor society. Director Peter Kosminsky  filmed the series on location over 17 weeks and used over 28 historic British buildings, some like Penshurst Place, Kent, were visited by Henry VIII.  

     Montacute House, Somerset (www.nationaltrust.org.uk/article-1355870235583/) becomes Greenwich Palace, Henry VIII’s London home and where Anne Boleyn is arrested and the grounds are where jousting sequences are shot. 

     Barrington Court, Somerset (www.nationaltrust.org.uk/article-1355870235583/) becomes York Place, Whitehall, the home of Cardinal Wolsey. 

     Lacock Abbey, Wiltshire (www.nationaltrust.org.uk/article-1355870235583/) becomes Wolf Hall, the Seymour family seat. 

     Chastleton House, Oxfordshire ((www.nationaltrust.org.uk/article-1355870235583/)) provides the small stone courtyard for the scenes from Cromwell’s childhood at a blacksmiths in Putney, while some interior shots are used to represent Wolf Hall, the Seymour family seat and where Jane Seymour first meets Henry. 

     Great Chalfield Manor and Garden, Wiltshire ((www.nationaltrust.org.uk/article-1355870235583/)), is used as the interiors of Austin Friars, Thomas Cromwell’s home.

Newpark Hotel, Kilkenny Voted Best Hotel for Families in Ireland
     The family owned our star Newpark Hotel, Kilkenny has has topped the list of TripAdvisor's Top 25 Hotels for families in Ireland.  According to TripAdvisor the award winners are determined based on the millions of reviews and opinions collected in a single year from TripAdvisor travellers worldwide.
     Newpark Hotel is set on over 40 acres of parkland known as the Fen Urban Trail on the edge of the medieval city of Kilkenny. There are interconnecting rooms, a movie and games room, leisure centre with swimming pool, outdoor go karting track, kiddies pool and even a Mini Wild life farm, complete with llamas, alpacas, donkeys and geese. The Crazy Katz Kids Club runs during the school holidays and allows parents the opportunity to dine in the evening together while the kids enjoy arts and crafts, magic shows and movie nights. Adults too are well catered for at the Escape Spa, an Aveda Spa with outdoor infinity pool. The hotel has two restaurants: Scott’s Bar and Bistro and Gulliver’s Restaurants.