Tripologist: Is there an app to plan a road trip around Britain?

We’re doing a self-drive holiday around Great Britain in February. Can you recommend an app to help with our planning – one that recommends different places to visit and local accommodation options?
L. Faulkner, Gosford, NSW

The great British road trip… Bath Circus in Somerset, UK.Credit: Getty Images

There is no single app that will do all you want, although the Via Michelin app comes close. There are several apps that you can combine to help you plan a memorable trip. The UK’s National Trust app is an invaluable guide to the National Trust’s 500-plus historic, cultural and natural attractions. The Culture Trip app opens the door to quirky and offbeat places that don’t often make the guidebooks. Use Google Maps or Waze apps to navigate – each has its strengths. Weather is all-important when planning your day-to-day activities, especially in the UK in February, so the Weatherzone app is essential. The Airbnb app will prove useful if you plan to use self-contained accommodation as a base for a few days. The Fork is another great app to help with your dining choices. Suggestions from readers would be welcome.

My husband and I are thinking of spending three days around Lake Como, travelling from Zurich via the Bernina Express and local trains. What’s the best place to base ourselves: Como, Varenna or Bellagio? How do we get around, and what are the highlights apart from the lake?
A. Loughran, Southbank, Vic

Bellagio is lovely but it’s also Instagram-famous and therefore expensive. Hotels charge a premium just for the pleasure of staying there. Como has plenty of accommodation to choose from but it lacks the atmosphere of the towns further up the lake. Varenna is a great choice, large enough to have a good range of accommodation and dining options, it’s beautiful and more relaxed and quieter than Bellagio and also less expensive. If your trip aboard the Bernina Express terminates in Tirano, it’s about a two-hour train trip to Varenna Esino Station. From here you can also take a train to Milan. Getting around is easy thanks to the ferries that zig-zag across the lake, making it easy to reach attractions such as Villa Carlotta and the lovely garden at Villa del Balbianello. There are also buses, but unless time is of the essence, don’t bother. The highlights are all in the lakeside towns, and there’s plenty to keep you occupied for three days. If you want to hike, consider the Lake Como Greenway.

We will be in Munich from December 24 to 28. What are your suggestions for Christmas and the following days?
Pauline Jackson, Lindfield, NSW

A magical time of the year ... Christkindlmarkt at Marienplatz.Credit: Getty Images

Your visit coincides with the Christkindlmarkt at Marienplatz, famed for its decorations and the traditional crafts and Christmas treats, including gluhwein. The Christmas Village at Sendlinger Tor, one of the three remaining city gates, is at its twinkly best in the evening. You can find a guide to the city’s Christmas markets at Munich’s official website. Another highlight is the Nymphenburg Palace, especially stunning in winter. Check for further special holiday events. Take in a Christmas Eve service at one of the city’s churches, the Frauenkirche or St Peter’s Church would be great options. Try traditional Bavarian winter dishes such as roast pork and gingerbread. After Christmas, take a walk or rent a bike to explore the city’s enormous Englischer Garten, visit some of the museums including the Deutsches Museum and the Alte Pinakothek art museum. Take a day trip to the fairytale Neuschwanstein Castle, visit the BMW Museum, spend an evening in a Bavarian beer hall, such as the Hofbrauhaus, probably the world’s most famous tavern, or Augustiner-Keller. If you’re up for it, there’s an ice skating rink in front of the Hofbrauhaus.

My friends and I are travelling to Japan in mid-January, looking for accommodation in one of the Hakuba Valley resorts with easy access to the slopes and travel between resorts and evening access to restaurants and bars.
J. Hambly, Bondi, NSW

Hakuba Happo-One is probably your best bet. It’s the most central as well as the largest of the resorts and, apart from the forested Wadano area, the accommodation is within fairly easy walking distance of the Hakuba Happo bus terminal with easy access to the shuttle to take you to the other Hakuba resorts. There are four base stations with gondolas and chairlifts and more than 1000 vertical metres of ski runs, some above the tree line. It’s a lively village with plenty of accommodation choices, which you can find on the Samurai Snow website, which works well for English speakers. The nightlife at Happo is as good as you’ll find in Hakuba.

Travel advice is general; readers should consider their personal circumstances.