Changes are Coming to JetSetPilot!

If you have read our Facebook profile recently, you may have noticed the beginning of a lot of changes for JetSetPilot! So while our website hasn't changed yet, here is an idea of what to expect in the near future:


1. We are now a full-service travel agent, therefore, we can help you with any trip to any destination in the world.


2. You can now book directly through us instead of having to go to a third-party website. Please feel free to call us or email us anytime if you have an interest in planning a vacation.


3. We will continue to highlight European packaged travel while adding U.S., Caribbean and other destinations to our inventory.



We will continue to write in this blog, post to Facebook as well as Twitter and we will still have a monthly E-newsletter as well as quarterly newsletter. We will also continue to give you great service and offer our previous trips. So, actually, there isn't that much change. Just a few additions.



We look forward to helping you travel around the world! Here are our links:



JetSetPilot.com

Our E-Newsletter

JSP on Facebook

Thanksgiving, a Great Time to See the World!

It's Thanksgiving, which means it's time to travel! Many will travel to see their family, but many are also starting to take advantage of their time off to take that vacation they've always wanted. And why not? It may be even easier to be thankful resting on a Hawaiian beach or sitting on the Spanish Steps! I always take time to reflect on my blessings as I am visiting somewhere new.

In fact, many tour companies offer Thanksgiving-specific tours that are cheaper than what it would normally cost. Take advantage of the 1-3 days off you receive and the ensuing weekend. This is plenty of time to visit Vegas or London or sowehere warm in the Caribbean! Most likely you'll need 1 or 2 days off for a long vacation!

Don't forget big events like the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade that occurs in New York.

Take this idea into consideration next year, or better yet, do something similar for Christmas. those same holiday specials apply for Christmas, New Years and the days in between. We do not currently have any advertised specials for those times of year, but we would love to help you book one. We have great relationships with airlines, hotels and tourguides and can find you a deal worth your attention!

Please call us anytime at 215-272-3221 to book or if you have any questions or comments! My email address is bmp@jetsetpilot.com

The Wine Culture of Vienna & Austria

Didn't know there was such a thing? Well, we hadn't either until we were recommeded by a book to visit the Grinzing neighborhood of Vienna. It's not just your run-of-the-mill place to have a nice glass of wine, either! There are actually vineyards within the city limits (only a short tram ride north of the city center), coupled with an outstanding village-atmosphere with plenty of places to eat, drink and soak it all in.

Heuriger is the specialty wine of the area. It's a white wine that's relatively sweet but not so much as a dessert wine. They make it within and outside of the city as well, though you'll find most stores within Vienna cornered by one winery which is ok because they're (almost) all as good as the next when you're drinking the real Austrian stuff.

The neighborhood, itself, is worth a visit as it has the attributes of an 18th century village one pictures when reading Snow White or any other fairy tale. Also, the food is as good as anywhere you'll find in the city and for similar prices as the center of town. Remember, you're still in a popular spot that many locals as well as tourists vistit! Don't forget to drop by one of Mozart's houses before you leave. It's on a cobbled back street if I remember.


Also know that it is a hilly part of town and, if you are a walker or you just want to see the wineries themselves, bring you walking shoes (but not your sneakers).

Please join us on Facebook and our newsletter for more information regarding your favorite destinations and other travel news!

Affordable Walking Tours of London

You want to tour London but all you worry about is the fact that the Pound is worth so much more than the Dollar and that guided tour you were looking at costs 50 Pounds! No worries, here are some walking tours of London that are much more affordable at 6 Pounds per person (children under 12 are free)!

Below are the different tours offered by the City of London for this price:

FLEET STREET AND ITS ALLEYWAYS: Fleet Street is the original home of the newspaper industry. Dr Johnson, Samuel Pepys and Sweeney Todd are among the colourful characters you will find out about on this walk.

SMITHFIELD – PAST AND PRESENT: Site of London’s oldest hospital,the place for public executions,the site of rebellion and home to John Betjeman, Smithfield is now famous for its meat market and a magnificent Norman church.

DISCOVERING WREN CHURCHES: This walk will show you the amazing variety of Wren’s churches with their glorious steeples, beautiful interiors and connections with great historical events and famous people.

EXPLORING THE HEART OF THE CITY: This takes you past the mediaeval Guildhall, the Bank of England, the Royal Exchange and the Lord Mayor’s home, the Mansion House,
before ending up in the City’s historic alleyways, featured in many of Dickens’s novels.

For more information, go here. Learn about London with the Londoners while taking these walking tours!

Italian Festivals: In Depth

I officially have the "check out the official tourism website of every European country" bug. Today, I'm highlighting a wonderful PDF that the Italian Tourism Board has put together for us. It discusses, in depth, four festivals throughout the country and at different times of the year that are definitely worth looking at: The Stressa Festival, the Festival Puccini, the Rossini Opera Festival and the Ravello Festival.

Keeping in mind this was made for 2009, some of the performances at each will change for the upcoming year, but the festivals are described well and also have links to each in case you want to read more!

See all of our trips to Italy or just visit us at JetSetPilot!

British Airways and Iberia Airlines to Merge

Many grumblings from the travelling public have been arising lately due to the ongoing merger talks between British Airways and Iberia set to occur in 2010. Why? To sum up an AP article by Jane Wardell, two of the largest air carriers in Europe (in fact, BA is already #3) are going to consolidate, suggesting higher fares for passengers.

Not good, right? Apparently, wrong (I guess). At least that's what Willie Walsh, a chief executive for BA, says. He believes this both good for shareholders and passengers alike. I'm not too sure how passengers will benefit, however. Meanwhile, shareholders have done well as both company's shares soared after the agreement.


This is a wait and see sort of moment for those who love BA. They have incredibly high standards for service, justifying the higher ticket prices to an extent. How will this merger change things, though? My favorite quote from this article, however, is the CEO of RyanAir (Michael O'Leary) who told CNBC about the merger, "I characterize it as two drunks ... holding each other up on the way home," as a reference to the two airlines and their inability to make a profit individually and now merging together.



Don't forget to browse our trips to Europe or just visit us at http://www.jetsetpilot.com/.

Tourism Ireland

Ireland has been hit quite hard by the recent global recession and has begun to think outside the box on its promotion to possible visitors, both leisure and business. They are using 25% of their current budget for online promotion of the country so I started looking around their website and found this really inspiring, interactive tool.

What the tool allows you to do is follow local natives as they briefly tour you through their favorite parts of their own country. Each tour takes about 5-10 minutes and highlights various cities, towns, villages and the surrounding countryside of one of the most wonderful countries in the world. The reason I love this tool is it allows you to get a feel of who the Irish are and what their culture and heritage means to them as opposed to some snooty TV show host imposing their narrow views (or my own for that matter) on you.





Are you inspired as well? Check out JetSetPilot's Trips to Ireland! Don't forget this blog is interactive as well, so leave your thoughts behind!

The Scottish Highland Games

Remember that scene in Braveheart where Wallace and his giant, red-haired friend compete in throwing various objects such as large boulders? Those games are from deep within the Scottish culture and are still played (in one form or another) today. In fact, there's a huge festival that is built around them, called the Scottish Highland Games.

These games aren't just about tossing around giant weights (seen below) and telephone pole-like timber around the field. They also have other contests, such as best kilts, best Highland dances and best bagpiping. These games truly have it all when thinking about the heritage of Scotland and the Celts.

This festival is actually named the Cowal Highland Gathering or Cowal Games (thanks Wikipedia) and attracts upwards of twenty thousand spectators and competitors from around the world. While doing some "research" the other night, I saw these games highlighted on HDTV on the Festivals Around the World program, so watch that when it is on again. Many people use this as an excuse to visit Scotland every August, why don't you?

Check out our trips to Scotland or have a gander at trips to the UK!

2010 European Capital of Culture

In the 80's, the pre-European Union came together and started a program called the European Capital of Culture. This highlighted a city that exemplified its own, its country's and Europe's culture through various means. These are preordained like the Olympics, so we already know who the next few years' winners will be. For 2010, it will Istanbul, Turkey (Check out the website for more).

Turkey is a perfect recipient for the award considering it truly is THE bridge between the Arab and the Western worlds. It highlights what could be if both sides would stand down in their various conflicts. Istanbul, in particular, is very tolerant of all religions and has one of the most amazing religious sights in the world, the Hagia Sophia (pictured below).


Check out our trips to Turkey or just visit us at JetSetPilot.com.

Top 20 Travel Tips - per FLN

I caught the last 5 minutes of a 30min show on the FLN network called Top 20 Travel Tips. Seeing only the last 5 minutes allowed me to catch the #2 and #1 travel tips.

#2 was a great one, and something I didn't know about! "Invoke the 240 rule". This rule says that if your flight is cancelled, delayed or misconnected and it is clearly the airlines fault, you are intitled to the next available flight even if it is not on the same airline. AND even if the available seats are first class!!

Three things to remember:

1. The delay or cancellation must clearly be the airline's fault (ex: not weather related)
2. Some "newer" airlines don't honor this rule because they weren't around when this rule was set in place and they didn't "sign the agreement".
3. Be polite when negotiating the 240 rule. Even though you are entitled to the 240 rule, the negotiating will go a lot smoother if you keep a smile on your face.

While I agree with #1, it was a little disappointing and anti-climactic. "Avoid getting lost; get GPS". This is a no-brainer these days. A GPS can help make your vacation less stressful when traveling to a city you are unfamiliar with. Even if you have directions to and from your hotel or airport, a GPS is priceless if you run across unexpected road construction. And using a handheld GPS over a paper map can help you look less like a tourist.

Did anyone watch the entire show? Did I miss anything good?

Can You Believe These People?

And we wonder where all those "extra" bags rotating around the carousels go after everyone leaves. Well, if you're in Phoenix, there was a good chance one of these two picked it up. Thanks to the AP and news.com.au for breaking this story:

After being spotted stealing a bag from an airport carousel in Phoenix, Keith Wilson King was arrested and jailed only to be spotted doing the exact same thing days later. That allowed police to search his home only to reveal luggage everywhere! In fact, the police believe there to have been about 1000 pieces throughout the home. Also arrested was his wife, Stacy Lynne Legg-King


The contents of the bags were removed so there wasn't much that could be attributed to any certain traveller. Neighbors reported seeing a horse-trailer being driven on and off the property at night and regularly saw luggage being sold in garage sales (Now I know how people make money off of eBay!).

Phoenix is now considering checking your ID when you leave with bags in the future so when everyone has to do this, costing you another 15-30 minutes of waiting time leaving the airport, blame these people.



Don't forget to check out our Pilot's Best Rated Trips to Europe or check out all of our trips!

DeltaMakes the First Move to Staggard Seating

While in the news for a while now, not everyone has become privy to the amazing seating that Delta will be offering starting in 2010. The "Cozy Suite" is a design by Thompson Solutions that staggers the seats diagonally so each person gets a built in head rest to one side and somehow gives each person 2 more inches of leg space while the airline is able to add seats to the plane. This seems magic to me, but we'll have to believe them for now.

You can not recline in the way we are used to in that the seat back is a hard shell behind the cushion, but the cushion itself slides down and forward to give you the same position of leaning back. That means no more moving seat in front of us by the person who adjusts constantly. The one drawback, seemingly, is that you do not get a direct shot (whether that be verbally or visually) to the people next to you). So, if you are travelling with someone, don't expect to have the long conversation time you used to be able to have.

The positives still seem to outweigh the negatives, however. I guess we'll all just have to wait to find out. Delta has ordered these seats for their 767 and 777 and will have exclusive rights in North America. I look forward to testing them out!

You may be able to test these seats out on your way to Europe for your next trip. See if you can't book one of these types of planes on purpose through one of our trips!

Paris on Sale!

As part of an ongoing effort to stay a world power in the fashion industry, Paris has begun an aggressive compaign to market itself as such. "Soldes of Paris" or Sales of Paris is the French way of saying, "Please come here during the winter when we usually don't have many tourists so we can get out of this recession business and get back to real fashion."

In other words, Paris is on sale during the winter so take advantage by getting over there and finding these opportunities! You're not going to get many chances to find cheap fashion in Paris, so take advantage while you can. Check out http://www.shoppingbyparis.com/ starting November 23rd to get a clearer picture of the program. Currently, there are hundreds of hotels and shopping boutiques participating in the program.

Make sure tobrowse our trips to Paris or if you're interested elsewhere, have a look at all of our trips!

Europe's (and the World's) First Rotating Hotel

OK, now we've heard of everything. Need a reason to go to Croatia? Well, now you (and the rest of the world) have one. Just south of Split lies the island of Solta, where plans for a rotating hotel have been made. Due in 2012, this three-story building will rest on a rotating turn-table. The hotel will be comprised of 50 suites that will (eventually) have a view of the lake the hotel rests on.

I can picture it now: "My room only had a view of the lake for less than one day! I want my money back!" As if the management of the hotel has already read my mind, they will have the hotel rotate 1.3 times every day, thus allowing visitors to see all views at all times depending on the length of your stay.

Anyways, I thought you might be interested in trips to Croatia so have a look or check out all of our deals!

Go To Cork!

Wait, you're going to Ireland but only visiting Dublin? There's so much more to Ireland than that wonderful city! In fact, there's Ireland's second largest city and second-best sightseeing launching point, Cork. Think of Cork as another base on the southern tip of Ireland, allowing you to see the lower half of Ireland much easier.

So what's close to Cork? Well, Blarney Castle in Blarney, Ireland with the Blarney Stone! Also, Killarney is nice large town within short driving distance. Also, it's nice just to drive the roads and see the countryside along with the shores of Ireland. Our recommendation, Just Go and look around until you see something worth stopping to take pictures of (it won't take long) and then repeat!

Cork is also a destination within itself. It may seem contradicting, but Cork was the main shove-off point for people emigrating from Ireland during the Great Famine and has many monuments and building commemorating this. Cork was Europe's "Capitol of European Culture" in 2005 and has gained instant fame in tourism because of it. There are many monuments and beautiful buildings, but there's even more beautiful landscape and people.

Browse our great choice of trips to Ireland and all of our Best Pilot Rated Trips!

Hotels in Space? Try it out in 2012!

No Joke! This is a real company that is already accepting reservations. In fact, they have dozens already. At the great price of $4.5 Million a stay, this is an extreme value compared to space tourists currently paying about $20 Million per trip. I am fine with sticking to Europe, though. For now, listen to the BBC story covering this new opportunity.



Stick to Europe, like us. It's much safer and cheaper! Here are our best deals.

If You Go to Greece in April, Watch Out!

This has to be one of the most amazing festivals in the world. The only scary thing would be if you had no idea about and you were in town or passing by. I can see it now: "Please, someone let the United Nations know that World War 3 has begun in Greece!" This is something I stumbled upon that I couldn't help but post on here. Watch the movie and check out how to get there below!

Want to go to Greece? Click here for our trips there! Also don't forget to Follow Us directly on our blog or through Facebook!

An In-Depth View of the Pantheon

Don't understand why the Pantheon is considered one of the most amazing monuments in the world? Looking from the outside, it looks more like a bomb shelter with pillars than anything. However, this is one of those cases where you shouldn't judge a book by its cover. Within this stoic facade lies a church that rivals the beauty of St. Peter's Basilica itself. If you look really close, you might even find something that reminds you of the time this was a place to worship the Roman Gods.




Don't forget, we can get you here. Want to see all of Italy? Maybe you just want to browse all of our trips? We add new trips daily, so come back regularly to see our new trips! Also, don't forget to to add your opinions and your experiences on our blog and Facebook page!

Top 5 sights in Rome!

Here are OUR top 5 Roman sights! Remember, this is just our opinion so tell us your top sights in Rome after you read!

1. The Colosseum, in the Colosseo district, was the home of the gladiators in ancient times. Prepare to spend about an hour marveling at this ancient wonder where both land and sea battles once took place for the amusement of the Roman Emperors and their subjects. Go to www.pierreci.it to attain your tickets online before you leave. This ticket will also gain you entry to the Palatine Hill (we’ll discuss this later!).

2. St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican, in the San Pietro district, is the Christian capitol of the world. You can imagine how much money and how many artifacts have come through this building and this Catholic church proves just that. Not only is this the largest church in the world, it is the most ornate and most spectacular. Don’t forget to climb the dome! Come early (7 a.m. early) and have the run of the place. You won’t regret it as you watch the lines mount up as you leave.



3. Hand-in-hand with The Basilica are The Vatican Museums. Remember those artifacts we discussed earlier? They are all here and they are breathtaking. Be sure to visit www.vatican.va to book your guided tour before you leave. Also, don’t forget to bring a small mirror in which to stare up at the Sistine Chapel ceiling.

4. The Roman Forum and Palatine Hill, both incomprehensible, lie next to the Colosseum yet are separate ruins of the Roman era. The Forum is free of charge and The Palatine Hill ticket comes with your Colosseum ticket. Take guided tours of each because both can be very confusing. The English tour for the Forum leaves at 10:30 am every morning and tours of the Palatine Hill leave regularly.

5. The Galleria Borghese, within the Villa Borghese, was originally built to house art and still does. This “gallery” hosts amazing murals, but highlights some of the most beautiful sculptures in the world. Go to www.pierreci.it to attain tickets to this sanctuary as they only let a finite amount of people in the building and lines can be horrible.

I hope this conjures up pictures in your head of your last visit to Rome or gives you ideas of what to expect when you go for the first time! Don't forget to leave your comments!

Our Favorite Sights in Rome!

Below are numbers six through ten on our favorite Roman sights list. They are in order, but understand that everyone will have their own Rome and their own order. Just have fun finding yours!

6. The Pantheon is now a tourist attraction, but was a church and before that was a temple to the gods. In another city, this would be THE number one attraction. However, this is Rome, and it is still in the top 10! The “oculus” is why and how the dome has lasted thousands of years, just hope it doesn’t rain.



7. The fountains, including the Trevi are everywhere. In fact, you can drink from many of them. Don’t be scared to get a cool drink from these on a hot day. You will know if you can drink if you see the Romans do so! Oh, and don’t forget to revisit the fountains at night for a different look at these wonders.

8. Coupled with the many of the fountains are the squares including Piazza Navona and Piazza del Popolo. These are usually good places to grab lunch or coffee and people watch. Many of them also have obelisks. These are beautiful stone statues that were stolen from Egypt after Rome conquered it.

9. One of the aforementioned squares is Piazza di Spagna which lies at the base of the Spanish Steps. Do we even need to describe the most famous staircase in the world? This is another great place to people watch and rest your feet!

10. Villa Borghese, the large park in the Center of Rome, is a secluded spot for those looking for some peace and quiet in a very vibrant town. Rent a bike or just stroll while stopping to take in the gardens and monuments that litter the park.

There’s so much more to Rome. In fact, there’s so much that it will take multiple visits to see everything. Make sure to throw a coin with your right hand over your left shoulder into the Trevi Fountain to ensure your return!

Tomorrow, we will have one through five to round out or list. Don't forget to chime in with your favorites!