The crunch of crisp new snow, the flavor of hot mulled wine, the twinkle of Christmas lights haloed behind drifting flakes of white, the aroma of roasting almonds, all whisper the magic of Christmas in the city. For a fabulous getaway, make sure you’ve purchased your travel insurance Australia and leave your worries behind. Witness the glowing Christmas Eve torchlight parade in Telluride, Colorado. Browse the famous Christmas markets in Berlin, Strasbourg or Prague, munching on roasted almonds and sipping hot mulled wine. Roam historic Quebec City decked out in holiday lights. Ice skate in New York City’s Rockefeller Square. Marvel at the lights in Tivoli Gardens, Copenhagen. Wherever you go, Christmas is in the air.

Quebec City

The turrets and roofs of Quebec City sport a mantle of snow. Christmas season begins here in early December and extends to the middle of January. Music fills the air with concerts from classical to jazz to gospel. Children and the grown-ups delight in Vallée Secretè with its treasure hunts, gnomes and new Christmas show. Take a guided tour on a tramway through the historic city. Quebec welcomes you with holiday warmth spiced with the tingle of winter’s breath.

New York City

New York City dazzles at holiday time. Visit Rockefeller Center after dark to see the iconic Christmas tree ablaze with 30,000 lights. Window shop all the store displays. Drop by FAO Schwartz at opening time and dance out a tune on the floor piano. Be a kid again at Macy’s Santaland. Take in a holiday Winter Solstice concert at St John the Divine. Nobody says holiday quite like New York.

Strasbourg

Strasbourg’s Christmas Market at the cathedral has been a tradition since 1570. Special guest in 2011 is Switzerland, celebrating a friendship with the city of Zurich that spans 555 years. The Swiss Village in Place Gutenberg features a chalet restaurant serving Swiss specialties, plus an astounding variety of special gifts and cultural displays. Visit Strasbourg, the capital of Christmas for an unforgettable holiday.

Copenhagen

Christmas comes to Tivoli Gardens in Copenhagen on November 11 and remains until December 30. The theme for 2011 is Russian and features a replica of the famous St. Basil’s Cathedral from the Kremlin, complete with a 21 m tower and onion domes. Enjoy the rides, hear the Pixie Band, meet Father Frost, and browse through the Christmas stalls. While in Copenhagen, shop at some of the stores that line Strǿget or ice skate at Kongens Nytorv. Or visit the old hippie commune in Christiana for a wonderfully different Christmas market. Danes love Christmas, and Copenhagen is a holiday paradise.

Prague

Prague’s city centre is alive with holiday spirit, Christmas music and tradition. With four Christmas markets to choose from, filling those stockings hung on the mantle will be no problem. Festive wooden huts sell traditional crafts and Czech foods. The stable in Old Town Square offers a petting zoo and a large nativity scene. Also in the square you will find the spectacular Christmas tree brought in from the Krkonose Mountains. Christmas carols and traditional dance groups perform on the stage. Christmas is all about children, and their indoor workshop located in the Square offers daily activities. Prague offers wonders the whole family will savor.

Telluride

Snow-covered mountains and crisp winter air greet the visitor to Telluride, Colorado. Skiing doesn’t get better than this. Then there’s the “Old Fashioned Christmas Celebration” at the Schmid farm, complete with carriage rides, a bonfire, and the opportunity to cut your own Blue Spruce Christmas tree. Make a wreath, enjoy a cup of hot chocolate, and greet Santa Claus. There are even gifts for the kids. This annual free event takes place on December 10. On Christmas Eve, watch the magical torchlight parade create a stream of glowing light as the 60-100 employees of Telluride Ski Area ski down Coonskin and into town. For a holiday with plenty of outdoor fun, this is the place.

Berlin

Berlin does Christmas Market on grand scale, with 60 different markets to choose from. The whole city glows with lights and romance. Among the most famous is the Schloss Charlottenburg market, staged in and around the castle. Only natural materials are used to create the fabulous decorations. Music in never ending, from live brass and woodwind bands to the Berlin barrel-organ. The Children’s Christmas market boasts rides, a petting zoo and a pony ride. Whichever you choose, the Berlin Christmas markets are a shopper’s paradise.

With all they have to offer, these Christmas cities will fulfill the most fantastic holiday dreams. Each creates its own unique brand of magic and delight.

The minute that your private jet touches down at an airport, you’re not going to want to deal with making ground transportation arrangements on the spot. When arriving at your destination, having things prearranged can take much of the hassle out of getting from airport to hotel. Travelers should be aware that their options are limitless, and know what these options are. With the right setup, getting away from the airport is as simple as stepping off of the chartered jet and into a waiting vehicle. Many different companies offer services that travelers can take advantage of, depending on what they need, or are looking for. Deciding to hire a car or one with a driver are only two of the choices that people have to choose from, no matter what their destination.

Sort It Out Yourself

For destinations with a good deal of scenery, the choice can be made to use a rental company. There is nothing quite like the feeling of driving a road you have not yet driven. This option will provide travelers with the ability to not only see the sights and have a good time, but the ability to do so on their own schedule. Having the option of getting into a car and leaving to go wherever they wish at whatever time they choose can be much less hassle than relying on even a private hired car. Car rentals can be had for long and short term situation, and many larger cities and airports offer pick up and drop off services on site – or within a very close proximity. Having the vehicle waiting for you as you step off the plane is a very desirable situation, and as such, you should make sure that your car hire company can arrange this for you.  Utilizing a car rental service gives travelers the freedom to choose not only what car or vehicle they will be driving for the duration of their trip, but where they want to go with it. This is also a great way to show off personality by choosing a flashy, expensive car.

Have the Hotel Send a Car

Another option for travelers is to choose a hotel that will send a pick up service to the airport. Different than typical hotel shuttle services, these individual pickups can be arranged in hotel-owned vehicles of many varying sizes. Depending on the destination city, options for these cars range from typical sedans to extravagant limousines, and can be used both as a way to get to the hotel from the airport, and back to the airport from the hotel at the end of the trip. These private services are reserved exclusively for hotel guests, and will ensure that travel deadlines are met without hassle. Instead of deplaning and having to wait for a ride or rental, transportation will already be on hand.

Hire a Car with Driver

Taking hotel transportation services one step further, travelers can hire a car with driver for the duration of the trip. Not only will this save people the trouble of wondering how they will get from place to place, but hired drivers differ from car rentals in a number of other ways as well. Using a hired driver will allow travelers to learn more about their surroundings if they choose to do so. Having someone to transport them means that travelers do not need to worry about not being able to get back to their hotel or room, even if it is late at night, or they are incapable of driving themselves. Hiring a car is an ideal way for travelers to feel independent without having things entirely in their own hands, as the drivers can and will only take people to the places they choose to go.

Take You Host Country Into Account

A private jet and hired transportation on vacation can help to make trips more relaxing and laid back. Depending on the destination, one of these options may work better than others. In congested cities, it may be more convenient to hire a car and have a local take care of the transportation. Not only will the locals be accustomed to traffic patterns and rush times, but they may know shortcuts or be able to deal with tense and unexpected situations better than a visitor to the area- road rage in a strange place could be extremely dangerous. On the other hand, for a more wide open or less traveled area, using rental cars can be a relaxing way to fully experience the area. Rental cars can be used to get to and from various “hotspots” and attractions without having to schedule a ride; they can make seeing everything less difficult to schedule, and give travelers the option of going places that are more out of the way if that’s what they want. If you do choose to rent a car in a city you’re not necessarily accustomed to, a GPS is a must.

Getting from the airport to the hotel and back is only the beginning, but these two rides are the most important of the trip. Whether a person chooses to drive themselves, or arranges for someone to come get them, there are many different options to align with the different preferences that people have. Vacations are a time to relax and get away- not worry about transportation. Preparation is the key to making each trip a memorable one from jet to hotel and back.

There are so many European getaways that are full of romance and adventure that travel writers have written entire books about them. Here are six breathtaking romantic getaways. Thanks to Europe’s topnotch transportation systems, all of them are fairly easy to get to and there are reasonably priced hotels or hostels or pensiones in the area.

Italy: The Lake District
The beautiful Lake District in Italy, with its sparkling blue volcanic lakes, stretches from the Piedmont to Venetia and into Switzerland and embraces Lakes Maggiore, Orta, Lugano, Como, Iseo and Garda. The vegetation around Lake Maggiore, in particular, is especially lush, with a profusion of water lilies, lotus, coffee and tulip trees, palms, rhododendrons, azaleas and myrtles. The visitors should take time to visit the islands in some of the lakes, as well as the resorts, old palatial houses and castles and their gardens.

Paris: The Bois de Boulogne
The Bois is a 2,224 acre park full of flowers, trees, ornamental lakes, cafes and restaurants in the heart of Paris. Back in the day it was a forest where bear, deer, wolves and wild boar were hunted. Later, it became a royal hunting ground, then a place where the rich and powerful built their mansions. Finally, Napoleon III gave the park to Paris. Among the sights to see are the Bagatelle, the former house of Charles X and the Hertford Family, the Upper and Lower Lakes, the Shakespeare garden and the Municipal Floral garden with a hothouse full of exotic and tropical plants.

Greece: Corfu
The island of Corfu is known, in modern times at least, as the birthplace of the Duke of Edinburgh and the playground of many of his royal relatives, including Kaiser Wilhelm II and Elizabeth of Austria. The island is 37 miles long and is a bit warm and damp in the winter but very hot and summer and so is lush with old olive trees, citrus, magnolias and palms. The Spianada, planted with beautiful gardens, is a great place for strolling at twilight. Pelekas sports the Kaiser’s Throne, which is where Kaiser Wilhelm used to come and watch the beautiful panoramic view.

Germany: The Mosel Valley
This is a beautiful valley carved out by the Mosel, Saar and Ruwer rivers. The valley has been long planted with vineyards famous for their wines. One excursion is to Bernkasetel-Kues, known for superb vineyards. The visitors should take note of the sundials fixed to the rocks there. Some vintages of wine have been named after these sundials. Another nice excursion is to visit Koblenz, whose name comes from the Latin word for “confluence.” Here’s where the Mosel and the Rhine meet, as well as the four Rhine massifs.

French Riviera: Menton
Menton is the warmest of the resort towns on the Riviera, as it’s sheltered by the north wind. This makes it a lovely place to stay for the winter as well as the summer. The visitors can see the partially man-made Garavan harbor and the tropical botanical garden around the Villa ValRahmeh. The famous Menton lemon trees perfume the air and in February the citrus and flower show closes the annual Lemon Festival.

United Kingdom: The Cotswolds
The Cotswolds are found in ravishingly beautiful and wild hill country in the center of England. They’re mostly in Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and a bit into Warwickshire. The Cotswolds are dotted with little towns and villages and no doubt the visitor can always find a welcoming Bed and Breakfast. Excursions should include a trip to the amazing, secret garden at Sudeley Castle in Winchcombe, Gloucestershire, with its herbaceous borders, and long, leisurely, aimless walks around the rolling hills with stops at little places with names like Stow-in-the-Wold, Moreton-in-Marsh and Wotton-under-Edge.

If the tourist is interested in any of these places — and how can they not be? — they should feel free to contact Canadian Travel.

Spain is one of the most vibrant and exciting destinations in Europe, making it the ideal place for young people to enjoy a holiday. From the amazing historical landmarks to the thriving culture and nightlife, there exists a fast paced and thrilling atmosphere that young people from around the world will love. The only real problem is deciding which top attractions to visit first. On any visit to Spain, here is the top ten lists of things to do for young people:

1. Tour the Alhambra: Perhaps the most noted historical landmark in the entire country is the impressive Alhambra fortress, found in Granada. You’ll need to book your tickets for a particular time of day, and make the most of it by allowing yourself the full time to stroll through the many buildings and palaces.

2. Watch Real Madrid in Action: Ask any Spaniard what their favorite sport is, and there is no denying that soccer, or “futbol” tops the list. If you can’t make it to a home game, why not visit a local bar and watch it with the locals? Cheer for the rivals at your own risk!

3. Ski Sierra Nevada: While you might not connect Spain with skiing, there are actually an incredible range, the Sierra Nevada Mountains, which offer the best slopes in the country.

4. Explore History in Cadiz: As the oldest city in Western Europe, it should come as no surprise that Cadiz is full of amazing historical sites. Tour ancient ruins around the port, crumbling churches and even the location where the first Spanish Constitution was signed, creating the country.

5. Visit a Tapas Bar: Wherever you visit in Spain, you won’t have a hard time locating a tapas bar. From free dishes of olives to mouthwatering plates of chorizo and cheese, you won’t want to miss a chance to nibble these little plates, which are among the most noted foods in Spain.

6. Take in a Flamenco Show: This traditional dance is a delight to watch, and you can enjoy performances at many clubs and venues throughout Spain. For the truly brave, ask locals where they go to dance flamenco, and try it yourself!

7. Tan on Platja de la Barceloneta: While visiting the city of Barcelona, don’t forget to walk about the miles of boardwalk that runs along the coast, and stop for a swim or a chance to tan on the sandy white shores. The beach is popular with locals and visitors alike, and is quite safe.

8. Stay Awake at Gran Vía: This is the area of Madrid that never seems to sleep. Nightclubs and bars stay open until the sun rises, and young people people from around the world gather for a fun night of drinks and dancing until morning.

9. Admire in the Museo del Prado: The Prado Museum is among the best in Europe, and is the star attraction of Madrid. Plan enough time to spend several hours touring the many incredible paintings, done by the likes of Caravaggio, Rubens, El Greco and Goya.

10. Run With the Bulls: Although you may not want to risk the actually running yourself, watching this annual traditional may be more than enough excitement for one day! The running of the bulls happens in November each year during the San Fermin festival in Pamplona.

If you are Canadian, don't forget to pack your Canada patch as Europeans tend to be a little biased towards Canadian travel explorers.  Who knows, maybe you will get better service!

Travelling by air has drastically changed since September 11, 2001. Going through security and standing in line has become such a hassle. Therefore, more people are now choosing to charter a private jet. You often celebrities and wealthy people take jets to get to their destination. However, chartering a private jet is not only for the rich and famous, as everyone needs to experience the comforts that come with a private plane. Here are the top 10 reasons that you need to try these travel tips and hire a private jet charter at least once during your lifetime.

1. You are in Control

When flying commercial, you need to rush to get to the airport on time. Then, you are forced to stand in line to check in and go through security. However, if you charter a private plane, you have a feeling of control. You are paying for the plane, so the pilot will follow your instructions. The plane will not leave without you, so everyone is on your time schedule.

2. They are more Comfortable

Commercial planes can be quite crowded. If you have a window seat, then you have to crawl over someone else just to go to the bathroom. When you charter a private jet, you have the entire plane to yourself. Many planes have couches, and the seats are significantly more comfortable than commercial planes.

3. You will know what it feels like to be Pampered

Charter planes normally have their own cabin attendant; therefore, they will cater to you. You will feel like royalty while travelling on a private plane.

4. You will feel Important

If there is someone that you really want to impress, chartering a private plane is the way to do it. Everyone will think that you have money, so they will treat you as if you are a VIP.

5. The Food

Everyone knows that airplane food is not the best in the world. When chartering a private jet, you can pick the menu. You can order food from your favorite restaurant or you can bring your own professional cook with you.

6. More Room for Luggage

Commercial airlines have rules and regulations for the number of pieces of luggage that you can carry on the plane. However, with a private plane, you can bring anything that you wish on the plane, as long as you meet the safety requirements.

7. You can have the Night of your Life

Have you ever wanted to spend a night out in New York City or experience the sights and sounds of Chicago? You can charter a private jet with only a moment’s notice. You can impress your date by taking them thousands of miles away to have a romantic evening in another city.

8. It is Faster

When chartering a private jet, you have your own personal check-in counter; therefore, you will not have to stand in long lines. You do not have to worry about security concerns, and you can quickly go through security.

9. You will have Complete Privacy

You can go to the restroom without people looking at you, or you do not have to worry about getting germs from someone else. You can wear whatever you want without people staring at you, and you can stretch out on the couch if you wish.

10. They are Actually Affordable

With the rising cost of fuel, airline companies keep raising their prices. They are now trying to think of ways to take your money, including charging for luggage. If you want to charter a private plane, you do not have to spend hours thinking of ways to make extra money. You can save for a few months, and then you will have the funds to charter a private jet. In addition, you could even get a group of friends or family members together to split the cost with you.

Reality TV isn’t usually my cup of tea. I’d usually much rather watch well scripted and acted shows, but this Operation Repo segment caught my attention because of that which they were trying to repossess. Surely, repossessing a jet is slightly more difficult than a car or boat, but how in the world do they do it?

If I had a client asking me to get a plane back from an unpaying customer, the first thing I would think of is on some James Bond type stuff. I can really get down with how these guys do business. Everything is very “common sense” and they always get the job done. Granted, sometimes there are bumps in the road, but they did in fact repossess this thing with the help of a few very skilled individuals.

Now that he’s been killed by Libyan radicals, seeing all this footage of Gaddafi’s things really boggles the mind. The rebels took his airfield before he was killed and it was a huge victory for them. On the airfield, we can have a look at Gaddafi’s Private Jet. Like his wardrobe and home, the jet is as tacky as hell, but I guess beggars can’t be choosers. I loved to see that the plane’s caretaker was still there looking after the plane like a father tends to his child. Very very cool.

Paradizo.com has produced a pretty neat infographic for those of us in the luxury travel industry. It’s kind of neat in that it breaks down where all the “High Net Worth Individuals” are in the world and how much richer they are than the average person in their country.  It also shows us that luxury cruises are very popular, as they should be, and that more than half of the bookings are made online. Private jets, too, are used very often on these luxury vacations either to get the HNWI’s to their cruise, or to get them to their location and back. I’m getting sick of the view here in Vancouver from the top of coal harbour and I’m really thinking about getting away as the temperature drops below ten degrees. I’m thinking somewhere south of the equator. Maybe South America, maybe Bali… One thing’s for sure, I will be adding to this infographic’s numbers.

The geographical location of the great state of Florida is both a blessing and a curse. The giant peninsula is home to some of the nicest weather on the planet, but it is essentially a large runway-shaped land mass that jets out into the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico, making it occasionally vulnerable to hurricanes and tropical storms. Luckily, Floridians have not had to deal with the potentially devastating effects of extreme weather for well over five years.

Many residents of cities such as St. Petersburg, Sarasota and Port Charlotte have in the past sometimes boarded up preemptively or left town ahead of a large incoming storm, but none one of the past 20 major storms have given Florida any substantial problems. While one would have to be a fool to conclude that the state is free from the constant threat of meteorological trouble, this has certainly been good news to the more than 15 million people that live in Florida’s hurricane-prone regions. Folks from Jacksonville to the Florida Keys are thanking their subjects of worship and knocking on the state’s native Palmettos in the hope that the years of calm and tranquil weather patterns will continue.

Tropical Storm Don became the most recent system to make headlines, appearing initially to have the potential to reach the Florida coast, but was steered drastically toward Texas and brought heavy rains – but no damage – to the Baffin Bay. Don gained momentum and steam as it crossed the Gulf of Mexico at a low elevation, getting nourishment and strength from the warm waters of the region. The storm moved through the gulf at about 12 mph, producing modest winds of up to 40 mph, then fizzled out as it approached land. Many residents of Texas actually welcomed Tropical Storm Don with open arms in the hopes that it would help alleviate an ongoing drought in parts of the state.

Meteorologists have discovered a large strip of high pressure that is hovering over parts of Florida and surrounding states that has been steering many of the recent storms away from the Sunshine State and towards Texas and Mexico. The high pressure system has been directly responsible for whisking away the potential dangers of Tropical Storm Arlene and stifling the progress of Bret and Cindy. Arlene skidded along the southern area of the gulf before making landfall in Mexico as a rapidly weakening tropical storm. Bret paralleled the entire eastern coastline before dissolving over the Bahamas. Cindy originated in the far north, gaining winds up to 60 mph before fizzling out about 600 miles east of Bermuda. While the situation has served as a sort of bodyguard to the region, experts are quick to point out that the length of this protection is entirely unpredictable. Florida could easily continue to be hurricane free for another year, or the high pressure system could dissipate and lend way to a high-level storm by week’s end. Unfortunately, virtually nothing involving weather and its many complicated and constantly changing variables can be definitively concluded.

Although property damage has been avoided this calendar year, the hurricane season is off to a fast start. 2011 recently became only the fifth year since 1966 in which four storms were named before the end of July. The last storm to cross the southern region of Florida was 2010′s Tropical Storm Bonnie, marking the beginning of a stretch of peace and quiet that is soon to reach 400 days.

Amazingly, a full-blown hurricane has not hit the state of Florida since Hurricane Wilma in October of 2005. If no storm is able to reach land by the end of this year, it will mark the longest stretch since record-keeping began in the 1850s. This has been highly beneficial for resorts, golf courses and flights in and out of the state’s airports, as the temperatures and conditions have been ideal for vacationing and aquatic recreation. Many charter boating companies are doing excellent business in the exotic waters of the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico, and hotels have reported an uptick in business in the first half of 2011.

While experts are as thankful as anyone else for the current fortune of Floridians, they continue to drive home the inherent value of being ready and prepared for the unpredictable arrival of a hurricane. Given the fact that 90% of hurricanes form after August 1st, it would seem as though the peninsula is due for some action before the end of the year. Although clear skies and mild conditions are ideal for everyone, it would be silly to believe that tropical storms will not return eventually.

The current riots and protests going on in Egypt has seen a quick uprise in private jet charters out of Egypt. JetCharters.com can help you get you and your family safely out of Egypt quickly, so go somewhere to relax for a bit. There are currently many jets available to charter from Egypt, and you can head to any destination in the world. We personally recommend checking out Hawaii this time of year, or perhaps escape the heat and enjoy some skiing in Canada’s Whistler resort. We sincerely hope the stability of Egypt comes swiftly and that no more deaths come of the protests from both sides.

Click Here To Get A Charter Quote Out Of Egypt