Offset your guilt about racking up airmiles when you travel to Spain by staying at the Aparthotel Venus Albir in Alfas del Pi, Costa Blanca.

It's just won an award for its organic food and sustainable facilities and everything about it is designed to reduce any impact on the environment. Solar panels provide the hot water and the furniture is made from local, natural materials. The restaurant serves a creative menu centred around local, organic produce but there's also a shop where residents can buy the ingredients to cook their own feast. With a swimming pool and spa area as well, the prices are keen, starting from 47 for an apartment sleeping two people or from 82 per day for four people. Visit www. venusalbir. com for more information.

Hungry for you

If pampering by day and partying by night is your ideal holiday, check out a spa break at the four-star Danubius Health Spa Resort Helia in Budapest. The treatment list is lengthy . . . from Tibetan honey massage to aromatic baths . . . and the hotel is a great base to explore the city of Budapest, which enjoys 2,000 hours of sunshine a year and a lively nightlife. Travelnet is offering a break here from 409 per person (23 June to 25 August), which includes a return flight, two nights half-board, use of scheduled classes and a choice of treatments. Visit www. travelnet. ie for details.

Drive time

There's something appealing about the idea of a road trip, albeit in a Jack Kerouac kind of way and not the 2000 teen flick variety. Go Hop have a number of suggested US road trips, with eight itineraries on the east coast, seven in the Deep South, 22 on the west coast and eight in the midwest. We're loving the sounds of the sunshine trail, which explores Miami, Orlando and the Florida Peninsula, taking in the Everglades and Key West. Eight nights costs from 608, which includes hotel accommodation, tour documents and day-by-day driving instructions . . . but not flights. Visit www. gohop. ie for details.

Book it in Bantry

West Cork is famed for its scenery and its food but its literary festival is another excellent reason to visit this lovely part of the country. This series of readings, workshops, seminars, exhibitions, music and plenty of children's events is taking place in Bantry from 8-13 July.

Highlights include a lunchtime reading with Kevin Myers on Monday 9 July, a talk by Jeanette Winsterson (author of Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit) and a songwriting workshop with Eleanor McEvoy. Best of all is 'Read Dating' in the Organico Cafe at 6pm on Monday 9 July where you get four minutes to discuss your favourite book, before moving on to the next person. Get the full list of events and ticket information from www. westcorklibraryfestival. ie .