Where I traveled in 2021

It feels soooo weird to be writing this post. On the one hand, I can’t describe how happy I am to be able to travel again. On the other hand, it feels like we are back in the thick of the pandemic as I write this, at a time when I think we all thought we’d be moving on.

I’m so grateful for vaccines and boosters that give me a feeling of safety and protection, for myself and others. But I’m also so frustrated that we’re back in a place where our hospitals and healthcare workers are completely, utterly overwhelmed. It’s really, really hard to not go to a dark place when I think about it.

Over the holiday break, I came to the realization that I need to learn how to live my life again—even if it means we are still living in a pandemic world. I don’t want to stop traveling when I’ve done all I can in terms of vaccines and boosters, and I wear my mask and follow all health rules (wherever I am in the world). It’s time to really learn how to live with this virus, and I think we are all adjusting to it as best we can.

2021 was all about reclaiming my life after the vaccine, which for me meant traveling again and returning to Italy. It honestly turned out to be a great year for travel, despite everything. And all of my travel was so meaningful — reconnecting with people and places I love across the world.

I always cherish writing this post because it’s a great way to look back on the year and all that happened. Here are the posts I wrote in previous years:

I also always like to see how many places I made it to, based on my list from the previous year. In my 2020 post, I wrote:

This year I’m not planning to write where I’d like to go in 2021, but I know the places I will be heading first whenever the pandemic is over: Rome, Florence, Paris, New York, and San Diego. I so hope it’s 2021 that I make it to these cities, my heart yearns for them. I can’t wait until we are all vaccinated.

Of course, we still haven’t reached the so-called “end” of the pandemic as we all thought we would. And it honestly felt like a pipe dream when I wrote these cities down! But I made it to all of them except for Paris in 2021, which feels like a big accomplishment. What an amazing year, truly (among all the bad things)! I am so grateful for it all, but especially for the two incredible months I spent back in Italy this year. I am forever indebted to my host family for giving me a place to stay all summer.

So, per tradition, here is a list of where I traveled this past year (with links to blogs, where applicable) and where I hope to go in 2022. I already have a few things planned, and I’m so looking forward to them!

San Diego, California to visit my best friend as soon as I was fully vaccinated (first time on a plane since January 2020!)

Washington, DC to meet my friend and fly to Italy

Rome, Italy to live for the summer

Elsewhere in Italy:

Castel Gandolfo to swim in Lake Albano with friends
Tropea and the Aeolian Islands to visit one of my best friends and enjoy the beaches of Calabria and Siciliy
Napoli just for the day (and always for a pizza!)
Venezia and Bardolino, Lake Garda to visit new friends
Polignano a Mare, Monopoli, and Bari with friends for a long weekend
Firenze with my friend who I studied abroad with

New York, New York to visit friends on my way back from Rome

where I want to go in 2022

Per tradition, I always include where I hope to travel in the next year, and if I have any trips planned yet. Since one of my resolutions is surely to travel more, and just LIVE again, I have a few things already booked:

Chicago for a weekend
Charleston for my friend’s birthday
Rome to live again!

Other places I’d love to go this year (I’ll admit the list is long but I dream big):

the states

Seattle
San Diego
New York
Boston

italy

Tropea
Florence
Assisi
Dolomiti and Cortina

europe

Amsterdam and Utrecht
London
Paris
Ireland
Poland
Finland and Sweden
Spain
Portugal
Switzerland and Austria

I might even do some work travel this year, which is a whole new territory for me! I’m excited and looking forward to it all, and being as safe as I can as always.

I really hope to share more traveling on the blog this year, too, as I feel I’m quite behind! But, I offer Italy travel planning services now so if you’re headed there I can give you personalized advice. Other than that, I really want to get the blog updated and even hope to start selling travel guides. Stay tuned!

Thanks for all your support this last year! The community we have created here is one of the best parts about having a blog and Instagram. I hope you all have a great 2022!

Where I traveled in 2021