Can’t believe that it is Sunday again. The weeks keep rolling by, and the year is already half over. Here is another picture from one of our journeys, where was it taken and what currency do they use there? While I realize this picture could have been taken anywhere, this place was the worst I’ve ever seen.
Chase is offering a short term promotion for their British Airways Visa card. They are offering 50,000 Avios as a first purchase bonus. You can get another 25,000 Avios when spending $10,000 on the card within the first year, and 25,000 Avios more for a total of 100,000 Avios when you finish a total of $20,000 in spending. This means that one credit card can give 100,000 avios if you do it right. Time is really running out as the offer is ending on July 18th. You might ask yourself these questions…
This card is EXTREMELY useful for people who take short American Airlines Flights. Here are a couple of amazing deals:
Do your research by finding these great deals on British Airways’ Avios Calculator.
These offers seem to get harder and harder to come by. They are making them less and less profitable. If any of these trips is a viable option for you, then consider making the leap and getting the British Airways 100,000 credit card offer from Chase.
Oh yes, this is another which will go down in the history of beautiful WorldWanderlusting drool-inducing mega-cheap itineraries. I have a personal affinity to Spain… I lived there for almost two years. It is a veritable travel mecca. Centuries of history – Iberian natives, Romans, Moors, and modern inhabitants have contributed to a culture which is world reknowned for a reason: simply because it is magnificent.
For most people, a Spanish loop tour would include Barcelona or one of the other mediterranean cities on the coast. True to form, we’re going to break you out of the mold. This is likely the first loop of many in Spain because Marriott has an abundance of Category 2 hotels in la madre-tierra, and I have an abundance of Spanish wanderlust.
The Flight
I’m going to suggest that you fly into Madrid. I’m also going to suggest that you do it for free. No, I’m not joking. Quite literally, you can apply for the Chase Sapphire PreferredSM for $500 in free travel and, after meeting the spending requirement and using your credit responsibly, obtain enough to get you a free or drastically reduced roundtrip flight from the US to Madrid.
At the same time, you’re going to want to apply for the Marriott Rewards® Premier Credit Card. This card is going to get a total of 6 free nights in fantastic Marriott properties on this glorious loop through some very beautiful places in Spain. The nice thing is that the Marriott Rewards® Premier Credit Card has no minimum spend requirement, so you’ll be ready to use it almost instantaneously.
You’ll arrive early in the morning – such is the blessing and the curse of flights to Europe. Get a rental car from one of the major companies at the airport. You’re talking about $150-$250 for a week, depending on whether you can cram into a 2 door or spread out a bit.
Day 1
You’re in Madrid, so you’ll need to visit El Prado or Museo Reina Sofia. My personal recommendation will be to go to the latter so you can take a look at Picasso’s “Guernica.” If you’re into ceramics, you may want to visit the Antigua Casa Talvera, or if you’re more like me, just be sure you pick up a churro con chocolate in one of Madrid’s many gorgeous parks.
You’ll use your first free Marriott night at the AC Hotel Alcala de Henares on the way out of town.
Day 2
A bit of a drive will take you to Zaragoza. If you don’t get sidetracked by the many possible detours, you’ll arrive in time to visit the Palacio de la Aljaferia – a remnant of Moorish architecture, with a history that will have you intrigued. Many more sites await you, including La Seo de San Salvador.
You’ll spend the first 10,000 of your 50k Marriott points on the AC Hotel of Zaragoza.
Day 3
On the road again, you’ll now be entering my favorite part of Spain – one of the many parts of Spain that don’t want to be a “part of Spain:” the Basque Country. Known for its “Running of the Bulls,” today your objective is Pamplona. If cobblestone streets are your thing, you’re in luck. Be sure to dine on some delicious Spanish chorizo and la tortilla espanola in one of the many idyllic cafes on the ancient streets of the casco viejo.
Take your pick and either stay in the AC Hotel Zizur Mayor or the AC Hotel Ciudad de Pamplona, also 10,000 Marriott points.
Day 4
Today your journey and your destination are one in the same. You’ll take a scenic tour through some extremely appealing Basque pueblos – Idiazabal, and Onati. Don’t be afraid to stop in on one of the many “Baserriak” (farmhouses) that dot the deep green landscape. The owners will likely welcome you with open arms.
Hopefully you enjoy yourself so much that by the time you arrive in Vitoria, you simply lay down and crash at the AC Hotel General Alava– your fourth of six free nights courtesy of the Chase Marriott Card.
Day 5
Before leaving Vitoria, take some time to visit the sights in the capital of the Basque Autonomous Region. One you may not want to miss is the Gothic Santa Maria Cathedral. There’s more to see in Vitoria, but even if you see it all, stop by Burgos on the way to Palencia where you can see other impressive cathedrals and historic architecture which predates the entire United States.
Arriving in Palencia, you can rest at the AC Hotel Palencia – 10,000 Marriott points for which you paid absolutely nothing.
Day 6
Palencia, like just about everywhere else in Spain, also has hints of each of the cultures which have occupied the land. One interesting sight is the Puentecillas Roman Bridge – spanning the Carrion river. Don’t spend too much time, though, because you’ll also want to stop in Valladolid where you could opt for the massive Simancas castle, a stroll in the Plaza Mayor, some delicious Spanish pastries… or all three.
You’ll stay on the outskirts of Madrid in the AC Hotel la Finca – the last of your Marriott points well spent.
Now, obviously you can and should extend this vacation. It wouldn’t hurt to spend some more time up in the Basque Country, or stopping in on some of the amazing little towns along the way. It won’t hurt you too bad to have to pay for a few hotel stays every once in a while.
As we mentioned, we’ll have many more wanderlustful ideas about how to blow your 6 free Marriott nights in Spain. We’d like to remind you that the recommendation we make to use your good credit to secure travel benefits is not one we make without a great deal of research and without the commitment on your part to ensure that your credit is well-protected. As always, if you do join in, please use our links as we do get paid a small commission when you apply from our site. 🙂
If you’re new to WorldWanderlusting, you may want to check out these other helpful posts.
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There’s nothing quite like sharing travel photos. Though they never do justice to the experience itself, nothing inspire you like a good picture. We started WorldWanderlusting because it made us sick to hear people say, “I’d love to travel, I just can’t afford it.” It’s our twofold mission to reduce your workplace-efficiency to essentially nothing through wanderlust-invoking pictures and stories, and then to broadside you with amazing travel-hacking-engineered ways to go places you thought you’d never go… places like Colombia, Alpine Europe, and Costa Rica.
2/3rds of the haul from an epic Zihuatenejo fishing adventure
Now we’re turning the tables. We want you to inspire us. We want you to show us where you’ve been and what you’ve seen. We’d like to feel seriously jealous.
So here’s the deal – check out our Facebook page, dig up your favorite travel photo and post it to our WorldWanderlusting wall. If there’s a little story to go along with it – all the better! If you’re not into the Facebook thing, send it to worldwanderlusting@gmail.com.
We’re going to pick the top 16 of our favorite photos – but we don’t expect this to be extremely oversubscribed. If you’ve got a good pic (and I’m sure you do) I think your odds are pretty good. They’re even better if you are shameless enough to recruit your friends and family to go onto our Facebook page and “like” your photo once the contest begins.
When the contest ends, we’ll send the winner a $200 American Express Giftcard. All of our chosen participants will also get a special WorldWanderlusting travel gift – a universal travel adapter or a credit-card-carrying iPhone 4 case.
Thanks for wanderlusting with us!
Terms:
You will retain all rights your photographs, but by submitting them to WorldWanderlusting, you grant us rights to your image on the internet in our blogging efforts and mission to inspire others to travel. We will keep the files provided, and may or may not credit you when we display the photos.
We swam in this lake in August of 2011. The tourists couldn’t believe that there were people crazy enough to do it. It was us Idaho boys and another young kid. Everyone else just looked at us like we were nuts!!
Where was this picture taken and what currency do they use there?
Hint: Notice the snow.
Spectacular scenery. One hundred named rapids. Adrenalin coursing through your veins. Beautiful sandy beaches. Remote wilderness. Explosive, churning water. Bathing in natural hot springs.
The Middle Fork of Idaho’s Salmon River (the River of no Return) has them all… and more.
For the adventurer, this is about as good as it gets. About the only natural adventure experience that I’ve ever had that could rival six days on the Salmon was climbing Mount Kilimanjaro, but you don’t have to go halfway around the world to do it. In fact, if you live in Las Vegas, Phoenix, LA, or San Francisco, a very cheap direct flight on Allegiant Air will get you pretty close – to my hometown of Idaho Falls.
Like Kilimanjaro, your best bet is a guided trip, and considering that Middle Fork Rapid Transit is running a 2 for 1 deal for people who show interest before July 1, they’re an outfitter you need to link up with even if this isn’t an option for you this year. I think the experience is worth full price – and that says a lot coming from a guy who doesn’t pay full price for anything – but if you can get a deal and this is something you want to do, don’t miss the opportunity.
Unlike Kilimanjaro, though, these guys won’t be feeding you mystery African hotdogs and cucumber soup. The food preparation with these guides was featured on Great Chef’s outdoor program. Despite being in the most pristine wilderness area in the lower 48, you’re not roughing it out there… this is like “glamping.”
If you’re the slightest bit intrigued, check out the recent pics and reviews on the Middle Fork Rapid Transit Facebook page… you’ll have every reason to start planning this now.
If that’s not enough, if you’re a WorldWanderluster, when you roll into our our hometown, dinner is on us.
Register for the 2 for 1 trip before July 1st.
2012 Summer Trip Dates
July 1 – 8
July 14 – 19
July 22 – 27
July 30 – August 4
August 7 – 12
August 15 – 20
August 23 – 28
August 31 – September 5
September 9 – 14
September 11 – 16
