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My Miracle at St. Rita’s Basilica
High in the mountains of Cascia, Umbria, a beautiful sanctuary provides a peaceful place of prayer and contemplation to followers of the patron saint of impossible cases, Saint Rita. The sanctuary is a 3-hour bus ride from the center of Rome. The catch? Staples There is only one bus per day that takes you directly to the sanctuary and only one that makes the trip back to Rome. THAT’S IT. The total trip is 3 hours long but makes 3 stops along the way, only to change buses warning! there are no bathroom breaks. Once in Cascia, you have 5 hours to explore as the return bus picks everyone up promptly at 3:30PM in the exact place…
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Citta Alta: Bergamo’s Best Kept Secret
Tucked away at the foot of the Alps, bordering Switzerland, Milan and a mere hour drive to Lake Como, you will find the small but beautiful city of Bergamo. Recently named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2017, Bergamo is one of the most interesting, yet underrated cities in all of Italy. Among the many things to see and do in this historic city, my absolute favorite place to visit is a hidden gem called Citta Alta. Ironically, the only “hidden” thing about this city is that, for the most part, it is devoid of tourists – especially in comparison to the amount of people that swarm the main cities you…
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Discovering Antwerp in One Day
In my quest for a new fashion adventure, I came across a must-see museum in Antwerp, a small city in Belgium known for fashion, diamonds and The Antwerp Six. The Antwerp Six are a group of six avant-garde designers graduated from the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp including: Walter Van Beirendonck, Ann Demeulemeester, Dries Van Noten, Dirk Van Saene, Dirk Bikkembergs and Marina Yee – who put Antwerp on the map within the fashion world. Coming from Amsterdam, Antwerp was the perfect stop on the itinerary on my way to Brussels. I bought a train ticket on Trainline, my go-to train ticketing site, and planned a short 24-hour stay on…
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My Suitcase Was Stolen: How I Got $700 Insurance Reimbursement From Trenitalia
My travel adventures as a solo backpacker ironically started after my suitcase was stolen off of a train in Italy during the second week of my very first 3-month solo trip around Europe. My stolen suitcase fiasco was a combination of trusting the train conductors to keep my stuff safe and really, just being too trusting in general/not knowing better. However, as common as these stories are, it definitely doesn’t make them any less traumatic as they are happening. For many people, one of the hardest things to do when something bad happens and you’re on your own is think clearly. This is especially true when it’s something you never…
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Virtual Tours of the World: Travel From Your Home
All around the world tourism has declined in the recent weeks, leaving the travel industry with a massive loss and very few options to consider. Fortunately, many organizations have stepped up to provide a front row seat to their incredible experiences through virtual tours. This, undoubtedly, to boost morale during these difficult, uncertain times while helping to satisfy our wanderlust until we’re able to get out there and travel once again. As the itch to get out of the house and travel grows, these tours will provide an escape from reality as well as an opportunity to learn new things and even involve the family in your adventures. The…
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2019 Spring Break Series: Destinations for Explorers
We have officially entered the amazing month of March, which can only mean one thing: it’s Spring Break season! In this 3-part series, I will focus on the different types of Spring Break trips and destinations anyone can enjoy this time of year. Whether you are a fearless solo traveler, an adventurous explorer or the Spring Break partier – each post will include in depth travel information, amazing deals, packing guides and all the destination inspo in the world. This page contains affiliate links meaning Em Around the World may receive a small commission on any purchase you make at no extra cost to you. This helps me run the site…
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Introducing My Official Travel Site!
What started out as a small Instagram page, slowly morphed into a site I am so incredibly proud of. Em Around the World is a product of MANY hours spent not just creating a site, but of reminiscing and coming to terms with many things I have never shared with anyone before. I felt compelled to create this site in the most honest way possible with the hope that I could inspire even just one person to take that leap of faith and follow the path they are meant to be on. Or at the very least, to convince people to finally take that trip they have been dying to take – even…