EUROPE REDISCOVERED
BY LUXURY PRIVATE EXECUTIVE JET

 

YOUR JOURNEY BEGINS

Depart hometown
Thursday, Sep. 01, 2011

Your Journey begins as you travel from your hometown, on your independent flight, to Edinburgh, Scotland.

Edinburgh, SCOTLAND
Friday- Sunday, Sep. 02 – 04 
The Balmoral Hotel

On arrival in Edinburgh, clear customs and immigration, where you will be met and transferred to The Balmoral Hotel, located in the heart of the city on Princes Street.  This evening meet your traveling companions and Tour Managers at a welcome cocktail reception and dinner party.

Visit the majestic Edinburgh Castle and admire the Royal Regalia, which includes the “Honours of Scotland”. Explore the Royal Mile and see Holyrood House, the Queen’s official residence in Scotland.  Leith, part of Edinburgh, is a port town bursting with the best boutiques and restaurants in the city.  Enjoy lunch at The Kitchen, whose chef Tom Kitchin is one of the most celebrated chefs in Scotland, achieving the coveted Michelin star in his first year.  A special dinner party is planned in an elegant Georgian townhouse at The Scotch Whiskey Club, an exclusive private club, whose membership includes Prince Charles. Your host, Charles MacLean is a world expert on Scotch Whiskey, having published eight books to date including The Gazetteer of Scotch Whiskey.

Journey north to Perth for a visit to Scone Palace.  Scone played a prominent role in Scottish history and was the site of the coronation of a series of Scottish monarchs.  Visit Glamis Castle, the childhood home to Queen Elizabeth and The Queen Mother.  At Birkhill Castle, you are invited to a private lunch with the Countess of Dundee.  The Earls of Dundee have been Royal Standard Bearers to every monarch from Robert the Bruce to the present Queen.  Stroll through the beautiful gardens and enjoy a private performance of bag pipes and Highland dancing.    Explore the town of St. Andrews, known worldwide as “the home of golf,” before returning to Edinburgh.

Highland Dancing

Most Highland dances are connected to ancient Scottish folk customs.  Legend has it that on the eve of battle the highland chief would call out the clan’s best dancers, who would dance the sword dance.  Two swords were laid across each other on the floor while the dancer dexterously placed his feet by a peculiar step between the crossed blades. If he successfully avoided touching either blade, then it was considered an omen that the next day's battle would be in the clan’s favor.  Today Highland dancing is a highly competitive and technical dance form which requires many hours of practice and training over a period of several years to perfect.

Riga, LATVIA
Monday & Tuesday, Sep. 05 & 06                                                                                                                         Grand Palace Hotel
 Edinburgh / Riga 2 hrs 13 min

Board your Private Executive Jet for the flight to Riga, the capital of Latvia and largest city of the Baltic States.  Riga’s geographical location on the Baltic has made it an important center of trade, finance and culture for centuries.  Discover Riga’s rich history and preserved medieval  architecture, the Art Nouveau districts, spacious gardens and parks, and the colorful central market.

The old town still preserves its Hanseatic features. On a walking tour through the cobble-stone, picturesque streets, admire the Freedom Monument,  St. Peter’s’ Church, The Three Brothers medieval dwelling houses, 13th century St. Jacob’s Church, Blackhead’s House, the Latvian National Opera and old Riga Castle.  Visit the Dome Cathedral for an exclusive organ concert and enjoy a colorful performance of Latvian dances.

Riga's Jugendstil Architecture

Riga’s historic center has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the city is particularly knows for its extensive Jugendstil (German Art Nouveau) architecture, which UNESCO considers to be unparalleled anywhere in the world.  Art Nouveau immerged in the late 19th century as a style of architecture and design.  At that time Riga was one of the most important cultural and economic centers in the Russian Empire.  With the aim of not falling behind other European cities in terms of style and traditions, construction in Old Riga became unprecedentedly active in the early 20s century.  Art Nouveau monuments are now recognized by UNESCO on their world heritage list as significant contributions to cultural heritage.  In 1997, the historic center of Riga, was inscribed on the list for having “the finest collection of Art Nouveau/Jugendstil buildings in Europe.”

Yalta (Crimea), UKRAINE
Wednesday & Thursday, Sep. 07 & 08                                                                                                                           Oreanda Hotel
Riga / Simferopol 2 hrs 13 min

Board your Private Jet for the flight to Yalta, situated near the Black Sea between the Yalta Bay and the Crimean Mountains.  Visit the Livadia Palace built in 1911 as a summer residence for Nicholas II.  It was here in February of 1945 that Stalin, Roosevelt and Churchill held the Yalta conference.  Enjoy dinner at the palace with a private concert of classical music.

Explore Yalta’s main square and the promendade leading to Alexander Nevsky Catherdral.  Visit the Alpuka, the most exotic palace-park complex on the entire coast.  Designed and built from 1828 to 1846 by English architects for Count Vorontsov, the palace is an interesting and bold combination of Scottish castle on the land side and Russian and Moorish influence on the side facing the sea.

The neo-gothic Swallow’s Nest Castle, perched on a cliff 130 feet above the Black Sea, was built in 1911 as a residence for Baron von Steingel, a Baltic German noble.  Following lunch at the castle restaurant, continue to the small picturesque settlement of Massandra that lies on the slopes of green coastal hills.  Explore Massandra Palace designed for the family of Alexander III in the style of a grand French chateau.  Enjoy a wine tasting at the nearby Massandra winery.

Yalta Conference of 1945

Livadia Palace was a summer retreat of the last Russian Czar, Nicholas II, and his family in Crimea in Southern Ukraine.  In February of 1945 it housed the apartments of FDR and the American delegation and was the site of the Yalta Conference, the second of three wartime meetings among the government leaders of the United States, the United Kingdom, and the Soviet Union – President Franklin D. Roosevelt, Prime Minister Winston Churchill, and General Secretary Josef Stalin – for the purpose of discussing Europe’s postwar reorganization.  The major accomplishment at the Yalta Conference was the agreement signed on February 11, 1945 by Roosevelt, Churchill land Stalin in which Russia agreed to declare war on Japan shortly after the surrender of Germany in return for an area of influence in Manchuria – including Sakhalin Island, a share in the operation of Manchurian railroads and the Kurile Islands

Palermo & Mazara del Vallo, Sicily, ITALY
Friday – Sunday, Sep. 09 – 11                                                                                                 Kempinski Hotel Giardino di Costanza
Simferopol / Palermo 2 hrs 50 min

Board your Private Jet for the flight to Sicily, the largest island in the Mediterranean.  While in Palermo, enjoy a tour of the historical center of town including the Palatine Chapel inside the royal Palace and the Cathedral with the Royal Tombs.  After a short drive along the western coast, arrive at the seaside resort in Mazara del Vallo.

Discover one of the most fascinating Greek cities in Sicily at Agrigento.  Explore the UNESCO World Heritage Site of the Valley of the Temples, including the Temple of Juno, Concordia, Hercules and Zeus.  Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant overlooking these ancient temples.

Enjoy a scenic drive to Erice, the most significant medieval city in Sicily, in the province of Trapani.  This little gem of a town, situated high above the coast, affords spectacular views of the country and Mediterranean Sea from its mountaintop fortress.   Visit the Mother church of the XIII century, the medieval castle and stroll through its quaint streets, stopping at Maria Grammatico’s famous pasty shop renowned for her almond cookies.  Continue to Marsala and the famous Florio Winery, established at the beginning of the 19th century.  Enjoy a tasting of the most well renowned brand of Marsala wine, followed by a special lunch of regional cuisine.

Sicily’s Fertile Land

Sicily, the largest island in the Mediterranean, has some of the most spectacular nature Italy has to offer with miles and miles of vineyards rivaling those of Tuscany.  There are endless olive groves sprouting from emerald-green carpets of grass, veritable forests of shiny citrus and fruit trees, and rugged silver mountains, all set against a backdrop of deep blue sea.  Considered historically cosmopolitan having been ruled by Asians, African and Europeans, Sicilians are famous for being hospitable and generous with their guests.

Terceira, Azores Islands, PORTUGAL
Monday & Tuesday, Sep. 12 & 13                                                                                                               Pousada De Sao Sebastiao
Palermo / Terceira 4 hr 40 min

Board your Private Jet for the flight to the Azore Islands, located in the middle of the North Atlantic Ocean.  Arrive in Terceira, the second most populated of the Azores archipelago, known as the “Lilac Island” for its famous lilac-hued sunsets. 

Explore Angra do Heroismo, the capital city, much of which has been designated an UNESCO World Heritage Site.  The town reflects the gold era of Portuguese 17th century architecture with its wooden and iron balconies. A walk through the old town reveals the palace residence of the Captain-General of the Azores, the forts built to defend the island during the Spanish era, the museum and colorfully painted church.

Driving along the coast, you’ll view the scenic islets of the Cabras (goats), the historic areas of the Baia da Salga and the cliff sheltered beaches of Porto Novo and Porto Martins.   Explore Praia da Vitória, a young city with an extensive sheltered dune and one of the Azores’ most inviting beaches.  Visit the 16th century Matriz Church, the Paços do Concelho (City Hall), an interesting building with a bell tower, and the Fort de Santa Catarina constructed to defend the bay.  After lunch in a local restaurant, continue to the Algar do Carvão cave, famous for its spectacular grottoes.  At Biscoitos, enjoy a wine and cheese tasting at the local wine museum.  Return to Angra passing by the quaint villages of Altares, Raminho, Serreta, Doze Ribeiras and Sao Mateus.   At a special dinner party this evening, enjoy a performance of Azorean folkloric dances.

The Azores

The Azores are a widely separated group of nine islands in the Atlantic, due west of mainland Portugal. Discovered by the Portuguese in 1427 the islands were important for navigation and centers for trade between Europe, Asia and America during the 16th and 17th centuries. The islands are Corvo, Faial, Flores, Graciosa, Pico, Santa Maria, São Jorge, São Miguel and Terceira. They are home to a variety of landscapes, but are primarily mountainous in the interior and forested, leading down to long beaches and fishing harbors.

Baden Baden, GERMANY and Strasbourg, FRANCE
Wednesday – Friday, Sep. 14 – 16                                                                                                            Brenner’s Park Hotel & Spa
Terceira/ Baden Baden  2 hrs 13 min

Board your Private Jet for the final flight to Baden Baden, the most picturesque of Germany’s spa towns.   On arrival check into your elegant spa hotel.

Drive to nearby Strasbourg in Alsace, France.  Separated from Germany by the Rhine River, Strasbourg is fused into the Franco-German culture.  Explore Strasbourg's historic city center, the Grande Île (Grand Island), which was the first entire city center to be designated a UNESCO World Heritage site.  Discover the medieval cityscape with its Gothic sandstone cathedral, famous astronomical clock and half-timbered houses.  Sample the delectable Riesling and Traminer wines along with exquisite cuisine for which Alsace is famous.

Discover the sights of Baden Baden, including the Spa district with its the Roman-Irish Bath, and walk through the Old Town to see the City Hall, Market Square and the New Castle.  Enjoy a free afternoon to avail yourself of the hotel’s spa facilities.

In the evening gather for a farewell cocktail and dinner party to recount the adventures of your Europe Rediscovered journey.

Baden Baden

Baden-Baden, meaning Bathing Bathing, is located in the Black Forest of southwest Germany and is one of Europe's most fashionable spa destinations. Founded as a Roman garrison in the third century, its hot mineral springs were used by the Romans, and remains of Roman baths have been found in the city.  Today you can enjoy the wonders of the thermal mineral baths, where the curative water rises from a depth of 6,500 feet below Baden Baden, with hot and cold moments to clear your mind, soothe your soul and let your body find its natural balance.

Your Journey Ends
 Saturday, Sep. 17

Bid farewell to your traveling companions as you board your independent flight home or to your next destination.