Getting away from it all by private jet charter:

some stunning holiday ideas

Private jet charter is the ultimate way to get away from the dreary cold weather and swap your busy everyday life for an exciting or relaxing weekend at a destination beyond the beaten track.

Here are just a few weekend ‘get away from it all’ destination ideas suggested by leading UK private air charter company International Air Charter:

Sardinia

Sardinia is widely regarded as one of the most beautiful and attractive holiday destinations in the world. The island’s Mediterranean climate, with its hot dry summers and mild winters, makes it a perfect holiday destination for most of the year. The island is blessed by thousands of rare animal and plant species. Much of Sardinia is a paradise for wind- and kite- surfers.

Sardinia’s hilly expanse and endless beaches make the island a perfect arena for visiting horse riders. In the evening when the sun worshippers leave their posts, you can gallop freely across the beach and its shoreline, even if you are a beginner. This is a good way to experience a different side of the island and discover spots that are usually inaccessible.

Among the most popular features of Sardinia are the astonishing cliffs of Capo Caccia and the famous Neptun Cave. Sardinia’s Costa Smeralda (Emerald Coast) is about thirty miles long and features some of the most enchanting beaches and landscapes in the world. It’s recognised as being a particular haven for tourists seeking the heights of luxury.

Sardinia offers many lovely luxury hotels including several that need a helicopter or boat to reach them. International Air Charter would happily supply the helicopter! The most popular airport for private aircraft charter is Olbia which gives ready access to the fabled Costa Smeralda.

Madeira

Madeira is a Portuguese archipelago in the North Atlantic Ocean. The Romans used to call it the ‘Purple Islands’ but surprisingly, considering its beauty, Madeira itself seems to have been forgotten after the end of Roman rule. It was rediscovered, possibly accidentally, by Portuguese sailors in the fifteenth century.

Today, Madeira’s benign climate, stunning landscapes and dazzling flowers make it one of the most desirable year-round resorts in Europe. It is also of course world-famous for its fortified dessert wine known as Madeira. Some Madeira restaurants give you the chance to sample old vintages of the wine, including some vintages from the nineteenth century. Superb embroidery is also one of Madeira’s popular exports.

Among the many enticing dishes on offer in Madeira are the delicious traditional Madeira cake containing molasses, a reminder of the days when Madeira was a major centre for sugar production. The Madeiran skewered beef kebab, Espatada, is one of the most delicious dishes of the island’s cuisine. So is the popular deep-water Madeiran fish, Espada, that’s particularly popular fried with plantains (starchy bananas) on top.

Madeira is particularly delightful in spring. The island’s relative isolation means that while a well-organised holiday destination with a great deal to offer it’s never going to be too crowded for comfort.

The two main airports in Madeira are both readily accessible by private jet direct from Britain. The most likely destination for most holidaymakers is Santa Cruz airport (also known as Funchal airport) on the island of Madeira itself and the other in the city of Vila Baleira on Porto Santo island.

Madeira has many very fine four and five star hotels, most overlooking the sea.

Lisbon, Portugal

The world Amateur Golf Festival, straddling the end of April and the beginning of May, a ten-day festival of golf, is being held in Lisbon at several Costa Azul and Estoril-Sintra courses. As well as the golf there’s an exciting social programme for participants and for their non-playing partners.

isbon also offers a wide-ranging holiday experience. The Portuguese capital is steeped in history (it was ruled by the Romans from 205 BC and the modern name derives from the Latin name Olissipo). Lisbon is the westernmost capital in mainland Europe and the Gulf Stream gives it one of the mildest climates of any European capital. Spring is generally warm, while summer months are sunny and dry.

Morocco

The combination of the mysteries of the North African culture, beautiful views and scenery, and proximity to Europe make Morocco one of the most popular destinations to visit by private jet. One cunning idea if flying there by private air charter is to travel direct to the airport at Essaouira rather than flying to Marrakesh and having to spend hours in a taxi to get to Essaouira itself, which is perhaps the best coastal town in Morocco.

What’s so great about Essaouira is that while offering a true Moroccan experience with the landscapes and luxurious hotels you’d expect, Essaouira is actually a real town rather than just a beach resort. The harbour is a hive of activity with fishing nets stretching out on the quayside, boats unloading their catches, fish auctions and stalls serving seafood sizzling on grills.

The Medina remains unscathed by tourism and adds a potent mystique to the town. Orson Wells filmed Othello here in 1949.

Generally, going on holiday by private jet charter avoids all the typical problems of holidays that can so easily make much of the holiday a chore.

As Wendy Courtenay of International Air Charter says: ‘flying by private jet charter is a completely different and delightful experience. It’s also by no means as expensive as people assume it would be. All the planes we use are furnished to first-class standards. They’re utterly reliable corporate jets staffed by experienced pilots and air crew for whom the concept of customer service really means something.’

And Wendy adds: ‘Our service gives clients the chance to travel in real style, and to enjoy food and drink to their own personal requirements provided by organisations specialising in the highest standard of in-flight catering for private charter passengers.’

Other advantages of flying by private jet charter include:

• little or no limitations on baggage allowance (you take your equipment onboard with you)
• no queuing
• the privilege of checking in just twenty minutes before the flight departs
• instant boarding
• privacy on the flight: you either fly alone or in a group of people - such as friends, relatives or colleagues - you¬ choose
• departures at convenient times of the day based around your schedule
• no anxieties about security

Indication of prices for a private jet flight to the destinations above:

London - Olbia (Sardinia) 2 night stop for 7 people £8000
London - Funchal (Madeira) 2 night stop for 8 people £20,000
London – Lisbon 2 night stop for 7 people £10,000
London – Essaouira 2 night stop for 8 people £20,000

International Air Charter Tel: 01795 590888
E: sales@privatejetcharter.com