🌎 Valencia: a new Spain favorite, world photo winners, top travel card deals


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Hello Reader,

🧭 Where in the World?

We're here at home in Minnesota, doing more than our usual due diligence on a couple of upcoming trips to Europe. Given that the dollar has lost about 10 percent of its purchasing power in the last couple of weeks vs. the Euro, researching lower priced hotels and securing bookings before prices escalate further seems to be worth the effort. At any rate, it keeps us from peeking at our retirement portfolio.

🧳 Our Latest Posts

We've just finished compiling our extensive list of reasons why Valencia has moved up the charts on things we love about Spain. (It's quite a long list.) From the Fallas, to paella, to amazing architecture and art, to green space and wide beaches, to nature preserves and rich cultural traditions, Valencia has it all. Note to anyone considering a multi-gen trip: this fits the bill for all ages.

🗞️ Travel News From Around the Web

💸 This Week's Best Deals in Travel

  • One of our favorite travel accessories, the Belkin portable phone charger, is on sale now for 25 percent off. This is an essential accessory, especially if you're using your phone a lot for photos or mapping while you travel.
  • The Waschii portable laundry bag is still on sale for 20 percent off. This is a recent find for us, and we've found it to be one of our new fave accessories – and maybe the best pack light tool since merino wool.
  • Our favorite travel socks, Point6, are always on sale for 40 percent off. When you compare the quality and price of Point6 to all the other merino wool socks, you'll see why these are our favorites.

✈️ Points and Miles News

  • The best deal on one of the best cards for travel has just gotten better. The Chase Sapphire Preferred card is now offering a 100,000 point bonus when you meet the minimum spend of $5000 in the first three month after card approval. When you spend those points on travel through the Chase Travel portal, 100,000 points is worth $1250 toward airline or hotel costs. Add to that a $50 hotel credit and the total offer is worth $1300. Don't miss it. Here's our comprehensive review of the Chase Sapphire Preferred card.
  • Our other go-to travel card is from Capital One, which is still making its welcome offer of 75,000 miles and a $250 travel credit when you apply for their Venture Rewards credit card. It's a card we carry and use a lot. We don't know how much longer this offer will last, so if you're looking to save about $1000 on your travel this year, I wouldn't wait to get this card. You can read our review here.

📖 What We're Reading

Tom's reading Your Steps on the Stairs, by Antonio Muñoz Molina, a brilliant psychological suspense tale interweaving the tragedy of 9/11 in New York and a move to Lisbon in an attempt to escape the trauma.

Kris is still reading A Prayer for Owen Meany... and is continually amused and amazed at how well Irving captures young kids.

For our previous book recommendations, check out this list.

❝Travel Quote of the Week❞

If you are lucky enough to have lived in Paris as a young man, then wherever you go for the rest of your life it stays with you, for Paris is a moveable feast. – Ernest Hemingway

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Happy travels,

Kris and Tom

P.S. What more can we do for you? Reply to this newsletter and ask us anything.

Tom Bartel and Kristin Henning

Travel Past 50

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Kris and Tom of TravelPast50.com

Since 2010, we've traveled to more than 80 countries. Our goal for our newsletter is to help you travel more, better, and for less money. We do that through our travel tips posts and destination guides. Sign up to see how we can help you achieve your travel goals.

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