I will never forget my first time in Parma, Italy. I had just spent one day in Milan, and admittedly, Milano is not my favorite. But I had a flight out of MXP just a few days later, so I had two options: hang in Milan for another day, or head somewhere new. I chose…
If you're feeling stuck on what to buy the traveler in your life for their birthday, Christmas, or just because, let me be your guide. After having solo traveled to over 80 countries, here are some products I simply won't travel without.
Tripod
I snapped this photo on a solo trip to Monaco with my…
It's the most wonderful time of the year, which means the annual holiday markets are back up in New York City. I know Bryant Park Winter Village gets all the love, but over the past few years, that market is so jam-packed beyond belief that I have found it difficult to enjoy. While Union Square…
When I solo traveled to Brazil, everyone told me I was crazy. And when i told people I was going to Brazil in early January, aka high season, people said I was even crazier. But guess what? My "crazy ideas" are often my best ones, because my time in Brazil was epic, to say the…
After spending a day in Alba, I looked on a map and saw just how close I was to Italy's least explored region: Valle d'Aosta. With a three-hour commute, including two trains and a bus ride, I could be in the region's capital, Aosta, to properly explore. The rest is history. I knew VERY little…
Italy is made up of 20 regions total. You're likely familiar with the popular ones like Sicily and Tuscany, and maybe not as familiar with foodie-forward Piedmont and the wildly underrated Le Marche region. But, out of all 20 Italian regions, the smallest and least populated title goes to Valle d'Aosta or "Aosta Valley." So,…
One of the coolest experiences you can partake in while in Italy is going truffle hunting with dogs in Alba. Yes, you read that correctly; Italian dogs lead the way for you to find precious truffles. There are many factors that go into enhancing your experience, including but not limited to what time of year…
Piedmont is a culinary mecca of a region in Italy. Known for many local delicacies like truffle, hazelnuts, and chocolate, this northwestern Italian region proves that Italian cuisine is far beyond just pizza and pasta. In my experience from having been all over the country, Piedmont has some of the most unique dishes in Italian…
I've been all over the country of Italy, from small beach towns in Liguria to the marble mountains of Tuscany, but one small city had remained at the top of my bucket list through it all: Alba. Aside from truffle hunting with pups, I was unsure of what else I wanted to do in the…
In July 2023, I agreed to go on a mystery trip with tour group, Competitours, with a group of strangers. Yes, that's right. I agreed to travel with people I had never met before, with no idea where I was going. On the night of July 19, aka the night before my birthday, we were…
