Tailor-made trips

By Katharine MacColl

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IT'S never been easier to find your perfect holiday. More and more people are using the internet to get a tailor-made trip for their family and friends.

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But just how easy is it to use the internet and where do you start

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Prado Museum, Madrid

here are literally thousands of travel sites and the good news is you can discuss what you want with other travellers and get honest opinions about hotels, airlines and destinations.

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Take for instance, Madrid. It couldn't be simpler to find out all you need to know about the modern Spanish capital.

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By browsing the internet, you can find out facts not only about the home of the Parliament, Senate and Royal Family, but lesser known details about current exhibitions at the Prado or Thyssen museums.

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Flights as low as �240 for two for seven nights came up on one search engine.

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Check out one of the dozens of search engines for your trip, such as www.altavista.com, www.excite.com, www.hotbot.com or www.infoseek.com

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Need professional advice Try an online travel agency like www.expedia.com, www.itravel.com, www.priceline.com or www.smarterliving.com

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Travellers can arrange their accommodation too. Try www.hilton.com or www.hyatt.com for the big city chains. And don't forget online travel magazines such as www.fodors.com, www.lonelyplant.com or www.roughguides.com, which have loads of useful accommodation ideas to suit all budgets.

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Airlines such as www.british-airways.com or www.delta-airlines.com can be useful, and car hire couldnb't be simpler. Try sites such as www.avis.com, www.dollarcar.com or www.hertz.com for prices and availability from� major airports.

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And,of course, you can discuss your needs with travel experts and travel lovers on the AnswerBank's Travel section here.