What’s the best way to get around Brazil, including seeing Iguazu Falls?
We are planning a trip to Brazil starting in January. What’s the best way to book transfers for four adults from Rio to Ilha Grande, then to Paraty and Paraty to Sao Paulo? Also, from Foz do Iguacu we would like to book transport or a tour of Iguazu Falls on the Brazilian and Argentine sides. We would also welcome tips on what to do in Santiago and Sao Paulo for a couple of days.
L. Turner, Kew, Vic
From Rio to Ilha Grande, Conceicao de Jacarei works better than Angra dos Reis as a transfer point to the island for most travellers, because the crossing to Abraao is shorter.
For your transport needs, check the Conceicao subset of the Civitatis website, and note that four people is the sweet spot for private transfers rather than standard transfers and big coach excursions. Throughout your journey, aim to book private transfers for your group and you can tailor your timetable to your needs, not someone else’s, stop for lunch when you like and avoid wasting time collecting other tourists. The same website has an operator who can arrange your transfer to Paraty.
For the next leg of your journey, to Sao Paulo, see the Viator or GetYourGuide websites. For Iguazu you need to pre-book. This is a busy time and Carnival adds more numbers. The Brazilian and Argentine parks operate independently, so treat them as two separate excursions. For the Brazilian side, arrange a private guide/driver from your Foz do Iguacu hotel rather than joining a large group. Visiting the Brazilian side is relatively straightforward, with the big panoramic view from the Brazilian falls trail. You need about half a day here, more if you elect to take the optional boat excursion. Check the Brazilian park’s official website and also the Visit Iguassu website close to your travel date – opening times, ticketing and prices can change.
The Argentine side requires another full day, with a guide/driver. The Argentine park is larger from the visitor’s perspective and has several walking circuits, including the spectacular Garganta del Diablo (Devil’s Throat). The Iguazu Falls website has all the information you need for transport, ticketing and services. For tips on Sao Paulo see the Time Out website, in Santiago, Extraordinary Journeys.
Sign up for the Traveller newsletter
The latest travel news, tips and inspiration delivered to your inbox. Sign up now.
My husband and I are off to Slovenia and Croatia next year and looking at a sailing/hiking holiday along the Croatian coast, possibly with Terra Magica, but are there similar trips with other companies? Is the bus network easy to navigate from Ljubljana and along the Croatian coast?
L. Jones, Newcastle, NSW
Terra Magica Adventures is a tour operator based in Croatia. They offer a choice of off-the-shelf day and multi-day trips as well as customised adventures with hiking, food and sailing among the themes. Their reviews are excellent overall and they cater primarily to younger, multinational travellers out for adventure. They would also be a good fit for the sailing/hiking holiday you’re looking for. Go Explore Croatia is another operator you might consider. Tourism has boomed in Croatia and there are several reputable travel operators, although they tend to specialise either in sailing or hiking. Among the nautical operators, Sail Croatia is the country’s largest small-ship cruise operator, with many different options for sailing holidays around the islands and coastline. For hiking, Dinaric Guides is staffed by accredited mountain guides, ideal if you’re up for a challenging hike. Macs Adventure is another operator worth considering if you’re looking for a hiking trip with a soft edge. Bus Croatia and Arriva are major transport operators.
I’m planning a trip with my 16-year-old grandson to his Polish roots. Besides Warsaw and Krakow, I plan to take him to Jasna Gora Monastery. We must go on spring break 2027 which coincidentally is Easter Week. Will the crowds be too much on Good Friday, Holy Saturday and Easter? Will we be even able to attend services, like Stations of the Cross and the blessing of Easter baskets?
K. Trombley, Birmingham, Alabama, US
Yes, it will be busy, but that shouldn’t deter you. Holy Week at Jasna Gora, Poland’s most important pilgrimage site, does not draw its biggest crowds. That happens in August, for the Feast of the Assumption on August 15 and Our Lady of Czestochowa, 11 days later, when more than 100,000 pilgrims are expected. Holy Week at the monastery is well attended, but it’s contemplative and liturgically rich rather than a mass pilgrimage event. The Good Friday Stations of the Cross takes place in the open air, with life-sized sculptural stations along the fortification walls. There’s a local tradition surrounding this event, when residents of Czestochowa gather on the Jasna Gora walls for this devotion, so your grandson would be walking alongside locals in a centuries-old tradition. In 2026 this took place at 2pm but check with your hotel or the tourist office. On Good Friday, there is no Mass but the Liturgy of the Passion is celebrated in the Basilica in the evening, possibly 5pm, with full public access. On Holy Saturday the Easter basket blessing is a cherished and very public Polish tradition, when families bring decorated baskets of food to be blessed by priests, a celebration that happens all over the country. At Jasna Gora, this is completely open to visitors and one of the most moving events you could show a grandson connecting to his roots.
I’ve been told that as an over-75-year-old, I need a fitness-to-drive certificate to rent a car in Ireland. I can’t find where or how to obtain such a certificate, can you help?
A. Levison, Balmain, NSW
That’s a fairly common requirement in Ireland, although it’s set by individual rental companies, not the law. Most major operators require drivers over 75 to produce a letter from a doctor confirming the hirer is medically fit to drive. This should be issued within three months before the hire. Some companies also ask for a letter from your insurer confirming no at-fault accidents in the past several years. However, it’s not a universal requirement. You need to check with the operator, and most rental sites show age-related requirements when you enter your date of birth. If you’re booking online through a broker like Auto Europe, confirm the operating company’s policy rather than the broker’s general terms – enforcement happens at the rental counter.
Travel advice is general; readers should consider their personal circumstances
More:
KioskNews shows a cleaned-up reading view extracted from the publisher’s page — the original always lives on their site, not ours.