I’ve had a deep sense of wanderlust since I was a child, when my parents told me about a trip they took to Europe together as teenagers. The greatest way to open your mind, connect with people, and feel the most alive is to travel.
My passion for art and art history led to the opportunity to study abroad in Rome for a semester and when I arrived, Italy quickly stole my heart. Spending time in an ancient city is such a unique experience, but what makes it even more special is the ability to hop on the train to cliffside fishing villages such as Cinque Terre, hike in the Dolomites and see a spectacular mountain landscape covered in snow, or taste wine and local cuisine in a quaint village in Tuscany. There are endless opportunities.
I want to use my personal experiences to help others create unforgettable experiences on their travels to Italy, and Audley provides the perfect opportunity to do so.
Q&A with Rebecca
What’s your most vivid travel moment?
During study abroad, my friends and I researched hikes in the Dolomites. We traveled there for a long weekend and decided on Tre Cime di Lavaredo. It was a challenging hike, but the sheer size of the three peaks was overwhelming and made the difficult journey so worth it. I remember continuing south and then hitting the most challenging section, where we couldn’t see the top. When the clearing came into view, we quite literally all gasped; the sun had come out at that moment, shining on the several massive peaks and long valleys. In front of us where it sloped down, there were thousands of human-made stacked rocks. It was such an incredible symbol of just how many brave travelers had also stood in the same spot.
What's the best local dish you've tasted?
The best local dish I’ve tasted was wild boar ragu with pappardelle. I received a recommendation from a friend for a restaurant in Florence near The Duomo. I ordered this dish because I hadn’t really tried Tuscan cuisine, and I knew it would be delicious, but it was even better than I expected. Pappardelle is the perfect pasta shape for absorbing sauce. The ragu was the perfect balance of sweet and you could taste the high-quality red wine. This is a dish that requires a lot of time and care, and you can taste it in the depth of flavor.
Your best piece of travel advice?
My best piece of travel advice is to make sure you make time for quiet, observational moments. Take an opportunity to go somewhere alone, bring a journal or sketchbook with you and sit somewhere you can take in your surroundings. Busy, fast-paced trips are fun, but having those quiet moments allows you to savour the moment. Write down the things you don’t want to forget, or draw what’s in front of you.