After my Italy trip went sideways and all plans jumped out the window, I decided I needed a vacation from my vacation. And so I found myself on the beautiful island of Capri. I knew pretty much nothing about Capri, other than the fact that celebrity chef Giada has a family home there and it was the vacation of the well-off. Actually, not knowing much about the island’s history and attractions was what appealed to me. Sometimes I get so mired in the research before visiting a place that I don’t see it with fresh eyes. So if you’re looking for…

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“You’re gonna gain so much weight eating pasta in Italy for two weeks!” a friend said to me before my trip, a bit too gleefully. She, like me, loves pasta, and envisioned my trip full of carbonara, cacio e pepe, risotto… While I had my fair share of pasta, it was too hot to eat it every day. And, being in the south by the sea, I had plenty of seafood. No matter what you love eating in Italy, you’ll be happy! Here are a few of my favorite dishes. 1. Caprese Salad I’ve decided that the Caprese salad will…

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If you’ve read many of my posts on The Unexplorer, you know I prefer the off-the-beaten-path towns over the major metropolises. Well, you don’t get much further off the path than Scilla. It’s located at the very tip of the Italian boot, and a stone’s throw away from Sicily. None of my Italian friends had visited it, despite it being a lovely beachside town. Scilla è Bella, Day and Night First, a little history. If you’ve read The Oddyssey (or even the Cliff’s Notes) you might remember Scylla and Charybdis, the sea monster and deadly whirlpool that sent many a…

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Just a few years ago, I could not have imagined I would traipse all over the world as a solo female traveler in Italy and beyond. I was scared: what if something bad happened to me? I was worried what people would think: if I eat alone, will they judge me? Thankfully, I’ve gotten over it. Being a solo female traveler in Italy has opened me up to having some fantastic experiences. If you’re considering a trip to Italy on your own, here’s what you need to know. 1. You’ll Be the Center of Attention It’s not all that common…

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