Destinations To Visit After Italy

By Leora Kahn

Oh, the places you'll go...(after Italy)

You just finished your weeklong adventure seeing the beautiful country of Italy, where do you go now?

Europe is a HUGE continent filled with vast culture and endless possibilities. Here are 4 destinations, just to name a few.

Belgium

This is one of the most wonderful countries I have ever seen. Despite all of the latest devastating events, I do not think that this should stop anybody from seeing the gorgeous land of Belgium. With such a central location in the heart of Europe, it is the perfect first place to stop after Italy.

What is there not to love about this place? Did you know that Belgium is the birthplace of French fries? And we can’t forget Belgian chocolate, waffles, the diamond district, and of course, Belgian BEER. There is so much history and so many sites to see. As far as languages go, English is not a problem! Belgians speak Dutch, French, and English, and are very welcoming and friendly people.

PHOTOCOURTESY OF LEORA

PHOTO COURTESY OF LEORA

PHOTO COURTESY OF LEORA

Scotland

Edinburgh, Scotland is hands down, one of my favorite places in this world. This city is filled with tremendous culture, history, and traditions. Edinburgh is a beautiful city that beams culture from aspects such as the Edinburgh castle, the royal mile, and the incredible architecture throughout the city itself.  Scotland is filled with so many fun destinations. Did you know that Edinburgh is the town that inspired the magic of Harry Potter?! And did you know that Scotland has several loches (lakes), which is where the Loch Ness monster comes from?! You can even visit the castle where Monty Python was filmed! And last but not least, don’t forget to visit the oldest and longest-operating Scottish whiskey distillery, The Famous Grouse. Oh, and fun fact, spiders are sacred in Scotland!

PHOTO COURTESY OF LEORA

PHOTO COURTESY OF LEORA

PHOTO COURTESY OF LEORA

Ireland

If you want to have a good time, you MUST go to Ireland. Dublin, Ireland is known for it’s wild temple bar nightlife, kind people, and amazing pubs. If you are lucky enough to be in Europe during St. Patrick’s Day, you absolutely have to go to Dublin! Saying this city is rich with culture is an understatement. While in Ireland, you also need to see the Cliffs of Moher! There is plenty to do and the view is breathtaking.

PHOTO COURTESY OF LEORA

Greece

I have personally never been to Greece. However, from everything I have heard and all of the pictures I have seen, Santorini is #1 on my list! The sunsets are amazing, the food is impeccable, and the people are lovely.

PHOTO COURTESY OF TAYLOR PERETTI

PHOTO COURTESY OF TAYLOR PERETTI

Never stop traveling.

Once the adventure begins, there is no reason for it to end! Follow your passions, travel as far as you can, and absorb as much as you can.

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Leora is the Public Relations and Marketing Coordinator for Travel Italian Style and is a Marketing student at James Madison University. In the spring of 2015, she was accepted to study business in Antwerp, Belgium, which allowed her to explore Europe and open her eyes to new opportunities and experiences. Needless to say, she is now consumed with a passion to travel! Leora loves to document her travel stories through all types of social media in order to share with everyone the happiness that accompanies exploration.  Leora spent time travelling through 11 countries during her time abroad, while Italy was hands down her favorite due to the blissful culture, beautiful scenery, and tasty food. She cannot wait to visit again soon!

Visit Italy This Summer

By Leora Kahn

 

Reasons To Travel To Italy THIS Summer!

It's the perfect time to enjoy la dolce vita.

1. Visit the Amalfi Coast in June because the weather is outstanding!

The infamous Tuscan sun is not at full affect yet, and therefore the weather is perfect! The Amalfi Coast is by far one of the most beautiful Italian destinations, and this is the perfect time to take advantage of its splendor.

PHOTO COURTESY OF LEORA

2. Taking an impulsive trip to the beach is perfectly acceptable.

Italian beaches are some of the most beautiful beaches in the world. You must dedicate several hours to sit back, relax, and take in that Tuscan sun on the beautiful Mediterranean beaches.

PHOTO COURTESY OF LEORA

3. Gelato, duh.

Oh, my, gelato. If there is one thing I know for sure, it is this: there will never be a shortage of Gelato in Italy. This wonderful delectable desert is the perfect treat to cool off in a hot summer day. And there is no problem with getting multiple servings a day!

PHOTO COURTESY OF LEORA

4. More hours of daylight for traveling

The most common problem I hear from travelers, is that there are not enough hours in the day! There is always too much to do or see, and not enough time. This is exactly why traveling in the summer is perfect, more daylight!! Wake up early and stay out later. Accomplish absolutely everything on your to-do list.

PHOTO COURTESY OF LEORA

5. Antipasti

Before you even begin your heavenly meal, you get to indulge in a massive plate of cheeses, olives, prosciutto, etc. Each region has its own staple antipasto, so you’ll never have the same two meals twice! Italians sure do love their food, and plenty of it!

PHOTO COURTESY OF LEORA

Don't let your summer be filled with the ordinary, plan a trip to Italy!

Travel Italian Style wants you to have the summer of your life so take the leap and talk to us today.

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Leora is the Public Relations and Marketing Coordinator for Travel Italian Style and is a Marketing student at James Madison University. In the spring of 2015, she was accepted to study business in Antwerp, Belgium, which allowed her to explore Europe and open her eyes to new opportunities and experiences. Needless to say, she is now consumed with a passion to travel! Leora loves to document her travel stories through all types of social media in order to share with everyone the happiness that accompanies exploration.  Leora spent time travelling through 11 countries during her time abroad, while Italy was hands down her favorite due to the blissful culture, beautiful scenery, and tasty food. She cannot wait to visit again soon!

Travelers Giving Back: The Story of Nomadic Matt & FLYTE

An Interview with Matt Kepnes
Written by Halie Taylor / Interview by Giorgio Nardini

NY Times Best Selling Author, Matt Kepnes, known to you as Nomadic Matt wasn't always a intrepid globetrotter. In fact, as a child Matt wasn't afforded the opportunity to travel. It actually was not until he was into his adult years did he have the chance to explore outside his home town of Boston.

It was his first trip to Costa Rica in 2003 that opened his eyes to all the world had to offer. Matt immediately fell in love with travel and the freedom it granted him. In a drastic change of events following this trip, he came home, quit his job and began a year long adventure around the world that eventually changed into a seven year adventure exploring destinations all over the globe. At this point in his life, Matt never looked back. 

"Travel has shaped my life and given me purpose. Opening yourself up to new experiences can have a powerful impact on you, and help you figure out who you are and what you want to be."

Now 13 years later Matt has become an icon in the travel industry. Starting with his award winning travel blog: Nomadic Matt, his NY Times Best Selling book: How to Travel the World on $50 a Day, the creator behind an online media school for aspiring bloggers and even the owner of a hostel in Texas.

Now Matt's newest venture is the one that will inspire and impact the lives of so many others. This is the mission of FLYTE.

FLYTE, the Foundation for Learning and Youth Travel Education, is a non-profit that helps with the logistical support and funding for teachers looking to provide cultural context for what they teach. It was created to assist students from underprivileged areas on dream trips to explore the world.

In 2015 Matt co-founded the organization with Courtney Dalton, also a traveler and a former financial and budgetary manager for study abroad programs. Being in this business, Courtney understood the struggle and costs involved with international education. She believed in the purpose of studying abroad but also knew it was not financially possible for all.  Together they knew they could make a difference. 

"Travel changes people’s lives. This is especially true for young people who are at a time in their life where they are still figuring out who they are and where they fit into the world. It is an age where exposure to a variety of ideas and cultures can create a huge impact, and can inspire them to do something or be someone they never would have considered before."

When starting this venture Courtney & Matt quickly learned many of the students that they met with this program had never even left their local community in which they live, much less the state and the country. They wanted to inspire them to venture outside of the familiar environments and comfort zones and view the world from a different perspective allowing them to see that the world is so much bigger and expanding upon their own experience.

"We want to bring the power of travel to kids who might not otherwise get the chance to see the world. We want to see our students follow aspirations to continue with their education beyond high school, and to become active and engaged citizens in the world."  

In just under a year, FLYTE raised $20,000 to send their first group of students to Mexico!

Matt's future of FLYTE  is to reach into more geographical areas around the world and provide students with even more destinations to explore. 

While spreading the word of this organization, Matt will continue to travel the world and inspire other's with his writings. Follow along on the FLYTE Facebook page or on the TIS donor page to see updates, future trips and upcoming missions for the organization. 

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Travel Italian Style Partners with FLYTE!

Here at Travel Italian Style, we truly believe in Nomadic Matt's mission. We support the notion that travel changes lives. It promotes new outlooks, helps you build character and gives you incredible experiences that will remain with you forever.

Erica, Matt  & Courtney of FLYTE with Travel italian Style Founder, Cassandra Santoro

In fact, Travel Italian Style was created because our founder had the wonderful opportunity and the means to step on a plane to Italy for the very first time in 2006. It was an amazing experience that changed her life but she knows it was a privilege to have this adventure. 

Therefore, Travel Italian Style has become a proud partner of FLYTE. For every tour we sell  2% of the profits will go directly to the organization. The money donated will go directly towards paying for a students’ airfare, meals, school books, ground transportation, and accommodations when they abroad.

"This partnership not only offers the monetary support to pay for our programs. It is an example of the travel industry giving back, making travel a catalyst for social good."
-Matt Kepnes 

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Remember: "Giving is not about a donation, it's about making a difference."

Join one of the 2016 Travel Italian Style tours and you will automatically be donating directly to FLYTE! Check out more information here

To see more on FLYTE or to donate today visit their website at http://www.takeflyte.org/.

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Giorgio Velardita Nardini was born and raised outside of Rome. He is joining the TIS team as International Public Relations and Branding Advisor. As a passionate amateur photographer, traveling is the thing he loves the most and can’t live a day without thinking about his next destination. Giorgio shares his photos and advice on his very own blog wanderlustdaily.com/en which is written in both in Italian and in English.

Halie Taylor is the Travel Marketing Trends Coordinator for Travel Italian Style and is currently a senior at College of Charleston in Charleston, SC where she is majoring in English with a concentration in Creative Writing. Living in Charleston, Halie developed a love for beautiful scenery and unique culture.