Or Go on A Pilgrimmage
I recently found a great selection of wonderful guides to shrines and sites in Europe at the Catholic Information Center- complete with monestary listings for rooms in monestary guest houses for about 20 Euros a night. See also, http://www.monasterystays.com/
There are two well run nationally recognized Travel Agencies that I would recommend for anyone going on a pilgrimmage out of the Washington, DC area. There are hundreds, I know, some think they are hot beans, but after reading reviews and talking to lots of folks I can only recommend two that are based in the DC area (not necessarily in this order.)
The real deals:
Ezio at The Renaissance Travel:
http://www.manta.com/coms2/dnbcompany_8zgsvz?btv=tstA
Ezio had a career with Alitalia before starting his Travel Agency which has been in business for over 15 years. He is a wonderful guy who has run pilgrimmages to major cannonizations at the Vatican and for special events. He is an Italian native (who owns a hotel in Italy) and does special things for people on pilgrimmages, getting the best places for the best deals.
Ezio de Filippis
Renaissance Travel, Ltd.
PO BOX 40
Great Falls, VA 22066
ezio@rengp.com
1 (800) 304-8259
GUIDO at Bethesda Travel:
http://www.bethesdatravel.com/
Guido's family has been in the travel business pretty much all Guido's life. His father is from Sicilly and he was born in Palermo. He owns the building on East West Highway in Bethesda, Maryland where his family travel business has been for a generation which allowed him to weather well all the ups and downs of travel business travails with the cheap internet deals.
He puts together amazing packages for people for anything from group religious pilgrimmages to sacred shrines everywhere to honeymoon deals in fun places in Italy. Guido. His name actually means "Guide" and he is one of the Best in the Biz anywhere.
Each of these guys speak 3-4 languages and have multi-language talented staff.
I have personally been on trips organized by these agencies and found them both superb. The accommodations were the best in outstanding parts of cities/countrysides. In Ezio's case, in spite of an Air France strike where flights were cancelled left and right everyone made their connections back home as scheduled- both gentlemen know how to wine and dine in style. Just another reason to love Italians.
(Note to FTC: no one paid me to review them, I just love them!)
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