Welcome to AWM Destinations, the world’s leading travel agency for faraway and fantastical destinations. Each week, AWM Destinations will showcase a unique and exciting vacation destination and spotlight some of the exciting attractions, dining, and lodging options available at each location. We hope you enjoy this series of articles and look forward to hearing about your travels with AWM Destinations.
Written by Matthew Masino
Prince Prospero’s Abbey
As we move further into the month of October, AWM Destinations is brimming with excitement for our next spooky adventure. This week we’re traveling to Prince Prospero’s abbey where you can join the Prince and a thousand of his closest friends while they isolate themselves from a worldwide plague. The abbey, designed by Prince Prospero himself, is a fantastic destination for anyone with a love of the bizarre. Taking witness to the bold and brash styles of the Prince may lead many to believe he’s gone insane, but his true followers (his friends and those who’ve bought into his charm) would disagree.
What to See
Encircled by a massive stone wall with gates of iron, the abbey is constructed with most unusual floor plans. While buildings in this style would traditionally feature suites hidden in the wall on both sides, Prince Prospero’s abbey is made up of seven, irregularly shaped imperial suites each found past a sharp turn down the never ending hallways. Intricate stained glass windows can be found throughout, with each window painting the rooms in swashes of color. In fact, each one of the seven suites is decorated with their own unique color. The first is blue, the second is purple, the third is green, the fourth is orange, the fifth is white, the sixth is violet, and the final room is black. This seventh room however does not have a window pane with black, instead the stained glass spills scarlet, a deep blood color, across the room. All seven rooms are absent of lamps or candles, as all lighting comes from the beautiful, stained glass windows.
In the seventh suite, you’ll also find a piece of the Prince’s prized historical collection: the giant, ebony clock. A pendulum swings back and forth prepping for every hour (or three thousand and six hundred seconds) to let out it’s loud and deep musical chime. This chime causes almost a trance amongst the visitors to the abbey, who often find themselves falling completely silent until the clock has finished.
The Masquerade Party
Travelling with AWM Destinations assures that you’ll never miss a special event or unique offering at your travel destination. Prince Prospero has filled the abbey with only the best the world has to offer including buffoons, improvisers, ballet-dancers, and musicians. As a special treat, the Prince has decided to throw a masquerade ball for his visitors and you have an invitation! You’ll glide around the seven chambers in your own unique costume designed by the Prince himself. His bizarre style choices are ever present in the masks and outfits selected as you’re sure to see some with mismatched limbs and ones made to achieve a delirious fantasy. As the music swells, you’ll feel the heart of life itself come alive in you once again.
Health and Safety Warning
The top priority of AWM Destinations is, as always, your health and safety during your travels. That’s why we wanted to make you aware of the affliction moving through the land: the Red Death. Never in history have we seen a disease more awful or hideous than the Red Death. Victims of the Red Death are overcome with sharp pains and sudden dizziness as well as prolific bleeding from the pores. Catching the Red Death can cause death in thirty minutes or less. You’ll be safe as long as you remain inside the abbey. The possibility of the plague getting into the abbey is almost zero…
Let the world outside take care of itself! Pack your bags and be provided with every appliance of pleasure you can think of. Booking with AWM Destinations gives you the assurance that you’ll remain safe and healthy throughout your travels. Please note however, AWM Destinations is not responsible for injury, illness, or the illimitable dominion of death, darkness, and decay that waits patiently at the doorstep of every man, woman, and child on this floating rock in the sky. Click here to read more about Prince Prospero’s Abbey, as well as our other vacation destinations. We hope to see you travelling with us soon!
AWM Destinations is the world’s leading travel agency to faraway and fictional destinations. We provide custom travel services involving air, rail, twister transport, car rentals, magic portals, hotel reservations, tours, and sightseeing. Our mission is to connect travelers from around the world with a diverse range of destinations and experiences. From theme parks to tropical islands to fantasy kingdoms, AWM Destinations is your one-stop shop for inside access to the most exciting and exclusive destinations in the world, and beyond.
Matthew Masino is the Community Engagement Manager for the AWM. He is also a content creator, writer, and theatre director based in Chicago, Illinois. He graduated with a B.F.A. in Theatre Directing from Columbia College Chicago in 2019. As a theatre artist, Matthew has worked with the International Voices Project, the Chicago Fringe Festival, and BYOT Productions. You can learn more by visiting his website www.matthewmasino.com.