Hello there, I’m Stefania a freelance graphic designer from Italy. Currently I live with my boyfriend in Ancona, Le Marche region, but I come from Sicily. I was born in Catania, a beautiful coastal city under the volcano Etna. In these years I moved very often due to studies and jobs. This is my fourth city and maybe not the last. You never know!
These reasons and my great passion for travelling and exploring, make me a real wanderer, so I took this opportunity for sharing my adventures through pictures on my Instagram account @stefalama take a look! I’m a creative spirit, fully in love with art, cinema and music. I really like sea places, old cities and nature landscape mostly. I’m a food and wine addict and I like to know other travellers and sharing experiences.
When did you fall in love with travel?
My love for travelling started when I was a child, reading fairy tales, adventures books and studying ancient history. I was enthusiast reading about new places and cultures. So I started to travel with fantasy from Egypt to enchanted islands.
We know this is a tough question but where is your favorite place in the whole wide world?
For sure the place of the heart is my beautiful native land Sicily. But if I have to choose a favourite place, it would be Thailand, an amazing country that I want to visit better again.
What inspires you most when you travel?
The “story” that I can live with my spirit in a different country, surrounded by different people, new food and places. It’s like reading a book without knowing the plot.
All the beauties and differences that I can bring back with me after, make me a richer human being. So this is like a challenge that pushes my spirit to evolve.
At the end that realized “story” is my precious souvenir.
Where have you traveled to thus far?
The country that I know best is Italy of course, I visited hundreds cities and villages from the north to the south. But on my list there are amazing explored countries: Germany, Sweden, Brazil, France, Spain, Balearic islands, Egypt, Malta, Slovenia, UK, Thailand, United Arab Emirates, Malaysia …
If you could pick up and go anywhere in the world right now, where would you go? 1,2,3 quick!
Mexico or Morocco. I’m ready!
What has been your most memorable travel moment thus far?
My fav and memorable moment for now is the long boat ride that I took with my love in Phang Nga Bay, Thailand. We moved by boat from Phuket to Khao Phing Kan, famous as James Bond Island.
It was an emotional ride among an incredible scenery made of emerald sea, old giant rocks and islands with impressive shapes and wild nature. It was appearing like a primitive pure world, like a fairytale landscape or a dream scene. I was in silence with a smile on my mouth. Completely captivated! My mind is still there, lost in that amazing landscape.
I love exploring new foreign lands, indeed if I can’t travel too far, I like to organize little trips or weekend in my country. If you can enjoy the little things you can start to feed your desires. Generally, I advice to set always a budget or begin a fund for a bigger adventure. Sign up for travel deal alerts.
What is your travel style?
I’m a quite flexible girl. I organize travels starting from my budget using both internet and apps: ticket, hotel, restaurant, ect. I follow newsletters from air companies or travel sites newsletters tuned on discounts or deals. I love to travel with my boyfriend who works in aeronautics; so I love to think that travelling was our destiny.
I usually bring with me my camera and a big cotton scarf.
I have my dream list for future travels and I love to add new places suggested by bloggers and friends from all around the web.
My travels are mostly organized from the beginning, I love to plan interesting tours and before departure I prefer to read something about places and culture. So I like to have a secure “draft” for moving with freedom without booklets or brochures to read, even if my travel tips can be changed or deleted every time, like during last minute trips.
I’m not a total backpacker neither a luxury traveler, I can camp or stay in a five star resort, different accommodations for sure but the important thing is to get there and live the experience.
What’s your best advice for aspiring wanderlusters out there?
My advice, especially for low budgets, start from exploring the surroundings of your city or country. From the little towns to the natural attractions like mountains or lakes and then go from there.
