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Visit Slovenia with extremeireland.ie

Bellinter House in Meath

Cnoc Suain in Connemara

marlfieldhouse.com

ark.ie

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On a high

Don't have plans for the August bank holiday weekend? Feeling adventurous? Extreme Ireland is organising a group to climb Slovenia's highest mountain, Mount Triglav. It's touting the trip as an opportunity get some wonderfully fresh air and see a new country – all you have to do is organise and book your flights. After flying from Dublin to Slovenian capital Ljubljana, you'll be transferred to Bled, a lake town in the Julian Alps. The following day, the ascent of Mount Triglav begins; you'll stay the night in a Triglavksi hut. Day three is summit day, and after reaching the top you'll descend the other side and get transferred back to bed. The next day is spent sightseeing in Ljubljana; you'll stay in a city-centre hotel before returning home the following day. The trip costs €500 (flights not included). Visit www.extremeireland.ie or tel: 01 8255167.

Family Affair

Families in search of a good deal should check out www.irelandhotels.com, where there are breaks available from €119 per night for two nights' B&B and one dinner for two adults and two children. It has been launched as a response to the estimated drop, by 38%, in Irish people taking foreign holidays this year. There are all kinds of interesting offers available, from spa breaks to five-star hotel packages, with Ardiluan Hotel in Galway, Bellinter House in Meath and Athlone's Hodson Bay Hotel among the destinations.

Water Works

There are more interesting staycation offers from cruise company Emerald Star throughout June and July, where there's up to 20% off on boat hire. A four-day cruise on an eight-berth Classique costs €44 per person per day (making for an overall holiday saving of €249) while a seven-day cruise on a four-berth Mountain Star boat is €38 per person per day (a €270 saving). The company's bases are in Portumna, Carrick-on-Shannon and Belturbet, and you can cruise the full expanse of the Shannon or choose a particular area to explore. Visit www.emeraldstar.ie for details.

Home For The Summer

Cnoc Suain, in An Spidéal, Connemara, is a cultural centre set around a group of stone thatched cottages dating from the 17th century. There's an extremely interesting programme on for the summer. Highlights include a weekend course of traditional growing and forgotten skills with Cait Curran, the editor of Organic Matters on 10-12 July, and Gaeilge Bheo, a chance to renew your Irish without tears with expert linguist Nóirín Ní Nuadháin over 3-5 July and 18-20 September. All residential weekends cost from €375 and this includes accommodation, all meals, tuition, talks and entertainment including live performances of traditional music, sean-nós, singing, dancing, folklore and storytelling. Visit www.cnocsuain.com or tel: 091 555703.

Musical Chairs

It wouldn't take much to entice us to the lovely Marlfield House in Wexford and an event there on Sunday, 5 July, is particularly appealing. Divas & Divos will be performing on the lawns (under a canopy, just in case) playing classics like 'Moon River' and 'The Impossible Dream'. A four-course lunch will be served at 12.30pm, followed by the performance at 3pm. Tickets are €80 per person. Visit www.marlfieldhouse.com or tel: 053 942 1124.

Child's Play

If you're looking to entertain the small ones this summer, the cultural centre for children in Dublin's Temple Bar, the Ark, offers some solutions. Its special visual arts summer programme, Earth Explorers, runs until August and features exhibitions and workshops that are as inspirational as they are fun – from making 3D objects with natural materials to taking photos without a camera. The workshops run at various times over the weekend. Visit www.ark.ie to view the programme and book tickets. Tel: 01 6707788.