The Savvy Tourist

It Pays to use a Travel Agent

The general belief or myth is that is costs more to use a travel agent when booking your vacation. That is simply not true. Actually, the opposite can be true after you see what kind of special deals an agent has access to and the savings you will incur thanks to their expertise. I was a travel agent for many years and still get requests for assistance with vacations from my readers and past clients. I can offer advice but I no longer have any affiliation that allows me to book trips, so I ask anyone out there that is interested in planning a vacation, please call Carolyn, a.k.a. Blondie, at Why Not Travel. You will be in good hands.

For more information on why you should consider the services of a travel agent, check out a post I wrote a few years back, Why Travel Agents?  And don't forget to read How to be a Good Customer

 

Spoleto in Umbria

Another fantastic guest post from Veronica....

The town of Spoleto in Umbria is located on the western side of the Apennines, just 75 miles north of Rome. It sits at 396 meters above sea level. It is famous for being host to the Festival of Two Worlds. This was originally begun by composer Giancarlo Menotti in 1958. Menotti wanted a way for young American artists residing in Europe to explore and share their many talents. This summer festival offers a mix of theater, dance, music, opera, and visual arts.

Initially, this town was a Roman colony located on the Flaminia, which was built in 3rd century B.C. It served as the main road which connected Rome to Rimini. Spoleto in Umbria had many different rulers. Once Rome had fallen, it was taken over by the Goths. Following that regime, it was a Lombard duchy in 576. Perugia took it over in 1324 until the Papal States gained control of it.

Due to the influence of so many different rulers, Spoleto has many types of architecture. A lot of this can be viewed even today. Visitors can still see the remains of inside and outside city walls of the Umbrian polygonal and medieval types. Other architectural sights include Roman and Renaissance along with modern structures. Spoleto in Umbria also boasts the church of Saint Peter, known as the Duomo of Spoleto. This church has one of the most impressive facades in Umbria. It was built during the 5th century, with the façade added in the 12th century. The interior of the church was done in the 18th century.  The middle door in the façade is surrounded with a mixture of themes from fairy tales, the New Testament and medieval animals.

Visitors flock to the town of Spoleto in Umbria each year to see the amazing architecture and the church of Saint Peter, as well as coming to enjoy the festival of arts each summer. The local food is another reason to make this a stop on your tour. Not only is the food an exquisite dining experience, you can take home some of the homemade products of olive oil, mushrooms, wine, truffles, sausage meats, chestnuts and honey.

There are plenty of accommodation options available in Spoleto including hotels, bed and breakfasts, self catering residences, holiday homes, and camp site. Umbria rentals are really varied. If you are interested in how farming works in Spoleto, there is this type of accommodation, as well.