Tom Bartel

Minneapolis

Co-chief Blogger and Photographer at Travel Past 50

Former publisher from Minneapolis/Saint Paul. I tweet about all things that interest me, including journalism and travel.

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Articles

The Fallas Festival of Valencia, Spain

3 weeks ago | travelpast50.com | Tom Bartel

Every spring, the city of Valencia, Spain, literally explodes into a five-day spectacle of colorful sculpture, sound, and light known as the Las Fallas. Officially celebrated from March 15 to 19 every year, the Fallas (Falles in the Valencian language) are anticipated throughout the year by all Valencianos. The Fallas Festival is one of Spain’s most dramatic cultural events.
UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Spain

3 weeks ago | travelpast50.com | Tom Bartel

There are 50 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Spain; four are shared with other countries. Only Italy and China have more. Since we've spent more time in Spain than any other foreign country, we've visited a lot of them. Spain's history is rich. There are recently discovered Paleolithic era caves covered in ancient art. It was a province of the Roman Empire.
12 Great Traditional Cultural Festivals of Spain

Dec 31, 2024 | travelpast50.com | Tom Bartel

The first thing to know about the traditional cultural festivals of Spain is that the Spanish never do anything half-heartedly. The sound and spectacle of almost any Spanish festival is on a scale rarely seen anywhere else in the world. Also keep in mind, that the Spanish haven't created these fiestas in order to attract tourists. They are unique to the community where they happen, and usually have been around for centuries before tourism was invented.
Amazon Prime Visa Card Review

Nov 19, 2024 | travelpast50.com | Tom Bartel

Travel Past 50 is part of an affiliate sales network and receives compensation for sending traffic to partner sites. This compensation may impact how and where links appear on Travel Past 50. This site does not include all financial companies or all available financial offers. Click here to see our full disclosure.
The Very Best Things To Do with a Week in Amsterdam

Oct 14, 2024 | travelpast50.com | Tom Bartel

We've been to the city of Amsterdam many times, including on our very first time in Europe together in 1975. I'm not sure what first attracted us, but after spending a week there in September, I did some thinking about why I keep coming back. Yes, the Dutch capital's central area and its iconic canals is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. But that alone isn't the best reason to stop in Amsterdam.
Flying With Only a Personal Item

Aug 14, 2024 | travelpast50.com | Tom Bartel

Our trips are usually longer than 2-3 days, so we don't usually fly with just a “personal item.” But, on occasion, we do have those sorts of trips. And if the flight is relatively short, and we don't mind where we're sitting on the plane, we have opted on rare occasions for the no-frills basic economy fares made popular by airlines like Spirit, Sun Country, Frontier, and Ryanair (in Europe.) Even the “big three” of Delta, United, and American offer “basic economy” fares these days.
UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Italy

Aug 7, 2024 | travelpast50.com | Tom Bartel

Italy has the most UNESCO World Heritage Sites of any country–60. China is second, with 52, and Spain has 46. Most of the UNESCO World Heritage sites in Italy, obviously, are cultural sites, given Italy's history as both the center of the Roman Empire and of the Roman Church. And, powerful medieval city states such as Venice, Florence, and Milan were influential in the creation of an enduring body of art both before and during the Renaissance.
The Capital One Venture Card Review

Jul 17, 2024 | travelpast50.com | Tom Bartel

Travel Past 50 is part of an affiliate sales network and receives compensation for sending traffic to partner sites. This compensation may impact how and where links appear on Travel Past 50. This site does not include all financial companies or all available financial offers. Click here to see our full disclosure. There seems to be a bit of heightened competition these days for your credit card business. The latest entry is the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card.
Chase Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card Review

Jul 14, 2024 | travelpast50.com | Tom Bartel

Travel Past 50 is part of an affiliate sales network and receives compensation for sending traffic to partner sites. This compensation may impact how and where links appear on Travel Past 50. This site does not include all financial companies or all available financial offers. Click here to see our full disclosure. The Chase Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card is one of the best travel rewards credit cards for your small business.
Day Hiking Essentials: What to Pack in Your Day Pack

Jun 24, 2024 | travelpast50.com | Tom Bartel

We do a lot of day hiking. We've done it pretty much all over the world: Minnesota (where we live), France, Spain, Guatemala, Tasmania, and Cambodia, to name a few. Over those years and miles, we've gotten pretty good at knowing what are the most important items to carry on a short hike or longer hikes – and what we can leave behind.