All posts filed under: Guides

Taormina under Mt Etna by Nneya Richards

The Perfect Weekend in Taormina, Sicily

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You may have heard of Taormina, a hilltop town on the east coast of Sicily because of its glitzy international film festival or as it’s one of the towns on the magical Mount Etna hiking trail. The allure of Taormina is easy to understand. It’s a picture perfect Italian town showcasing Sicily’s rich history through its architecture, dating back to all of Taormina’s former rulers: Greeks, Romans, Byzantine, the Arabs, the Normans, the French and the Spanish. In more recent years Taormina was a favorite haunt of Liz Taylor and Richard Burton and Jay-Z and Beyoncé. Bougainvilleas and plants in colorful ceramics adorn balconies. Nonnas hang laundry to take in the rays of the sun. Luxury stores dot Taormina’s main drag, Corso Umberto, right next to generations old gelaterie and Sicilian artisan shops. It’s the kind of place you want to stroll hand in hand with your bae down romantic side streets, just dodging a guy on a vespa. The stunning cliffside view of the Ionian Sea’s Bay of Naxos is awe-inspiring. The beaches and …

eating pizza with Winta

Guide to Black Owned Italy

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Last year I introduced Tripadvisor’s audience to my dolce vita with a Guide to Black Owned Italy. But that was just scratching the surface. Immediately after I found out about more businesses and many of you sent me others. The response was exciting and inspiring. Want to know one thing I wish people knew that I have learned while living in Italy? How diverse the country is. In both its ancient history — the diverse Roman Empire — to recent history like Italian Somaliland to immigration now, Italy’s diverse population influences much of what it means to “be Italian.” Coffee from Ethiopia and Marco Polo’s China expeditions contributing to the origins of pasta are far too often ignored and unknown. Often, this history is “hiding” in plain site: William Shakespeare’s Othello, Blackamoor art, the stories of Alessandro de’Medici, the Black member of the famed Florentine Medicis. There was even a Black Roman emperor, Septimus Severus from 193 – 211. To say “there are very few black women in Milan and Italy as a whole” as …

Woman Looking over Bell Rock Trailhead in Sedona Red Rock scenery behind her

Sedona Energy Vortexes – A Guide to Perfect Vibrations

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Here’s a trip to consider for the start of your new year: the Sedona energy vortexes. Sometimes you travel for enlightenment or peace of mind. To find yourself. This can happen on any trip but there are certain parts of the world that are known as spiritual centers to “speed up” the process. Pilgrimages to Mecca. Seekers in India. The metaphysical vibrations with the Sedona energy vortexes. Long before the psychic Page Bryant named the energy vortexes of Sedona in 1980s, Native Americans recognized Sedona as a spiritual and healing center. The Yuvapai, Navajos, Hopi and Tonto Apaches only used the land as sites for sacred ceremonies. They came to heal in the red rocks of Sedona. Within these energy vibrations they found their hearts. But I’m not into all of this New Age stuff That’s why Sedona is a perfect trip. You don’t necessarily subscribe to visiting a place because an 80s psychic says it’s a hotspot? Understandable. But I definitely wouldn’t call centuries old Native American traditions, “new age.” If nothing else, there …

The Perfect Weekend In Western Kentucky

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Bourbon and Bards, Caves and Corvettes. If you just thought of fried chicken, you’re missing out. Here’s a guide to a weekend in Bowling Green and Louisville, Kentucky. Something I’m constantly reminding myself is how big America is. As a stereotypical coastal person, I’ve far from been to every state in this great country so I happily accepted an invitation from the Kentucky Tourism board to visit. Let’s shoot a Western! Start in Bowling Green. Downtown Bowling Green’s main square and Fountain Park is straight out of a movie set. Western style colorful buildings, an old-school theatre, the Capitol Arts Center, dating back to the 1890s, and a beautiful park with ornate cast iron fences with romantic southern curlicues. I went in the early morning and there was a stunning morning mist and suddenly the square came alive with Bowling Greeners starting their day. While there, grab a coffee at Spencer’s on College street. Where to stay. The Hotel Sync, an exec suite apartment style living on Corvette Dr, is right next door to the …

Girl and floating top, hot air balloons, teotihuacan pyramids in front

The Perfect Weekend in Mexico City

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Love exploring cities? Here’s a perfect travel guide to Mexico City. You guys know how much I love Mexico. My love of Sayulita actually started my travel writing career. This time around, I was able to explore a very different side of the country than the coasts. With just a 4.5 hour flight from NYC, less from LA, head to this amazing cosmopolitan city for some fun, fashion and fulfillment. Here’s my perfect long weekend travel guide to Mexico City to get you started. W Mexico City invited @skinnywashere, @troprouge, @lexiconofstyle, @catcherinthestyle, @neivy, @so.shauna, and me, @nneya to explore their city, bursting back to life after the pandemic. Seemingly unstoppable cities around the world went sleepy, but if this is Mexico City just waking up, wow! Vibrant, fun, cultured, sexy are just a few ways to describe this city, so naturally, we fit right in. I missed exploring countries around the world. We all did. And while Americans have been going to Mexico during the pandemic, travel has been more escapism. Nightlife, restaurants, theatre, the …

Image of Girl walking in Crema with Watchtower Behind her. Light blue sky, Cathedral on Right

Perfect Afternoon in Crema

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Fan of “Call Me By Your Name?” Then you might know the Italian city of Crema! Want a list of things to do in Crema? Here’s your guide to a perfect afternoon in Crema, Italy. Check this guide to a famously romantic Italian city. One morning late last summer, Michele and I waited for the sky to clear and looked at maps of the Bergamo area for an afternoon jaunt on his dad’s motorcycle. Crema was perfect. What should have been a 40 minute motorcycle ride (we got lost!) took us through small towns. Imagine lazy golden Italian piazzas and babbling brooks. It’s easy to see why Guadagnino chose the Northern Italy area and the city of Crema as a setting for his “quintessential Italy.” Crema’s landmarks aren’t on the tourists drag so while the beautiful buildings evoke Italy, it’s not the Duomo in Milan or Florence, or Piazza San Marco in Venice. Crema is along the river Serio. The center showcases charming, baroque and renaissance architecture. So, in Milan for a little? Take an …

Black guy on Florentine bridge on Tripadvisor homepage

Giving Tripadvisor a Taste of My Black Italy

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When Tripadvisor reached out to me to create a Tripadvisor Black Owned Italy guide for their Black History Month package, curated by my friends and colleagues @JetSetSarah and Heather Greenwood Davis , I jumped at the chance. Italy is often portrayed as a very homogenous country. This lends to the erasure of a thriving BIPOC community. I often wonder if it’s the chicken or the egg in a country’s brand. Is it tourism boards that solely portray a beautiful yet stagnant view of the country; a view that is deeply rooted in the past? Or is it the travel publishing industry that chooses to only tell the same stories that fit in specific schemas of Italy? One of the most visited posts on ‘N A Perfect World is Black friendly travel destinations. Even more wonderful is when you can support Black-owned businesses in these destinations! We out here! These Black Italian businesses and creatives I featured in the Tripadvisor Black Owned Italy Guide offer a window into Italy’s multicultural present. There was only so much …

Perfect Guide to Verona

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My relentless pursuit of “off the beaten path” sometimes has me miss out on the most obvious of locations. And the fun discovery of truly making them my own. For example, Puglia is having an international moment right now. I first went there and fell in love with the region about 10 years ago. Luckily, my partner’s pride in both his culture and my work leads me to exploring Northern Italy and sharing it with you! Here’s a quick guide and photo diary to get you started on a great trip to Verona! Naturally, the first thing you think of when one mentioned Verona is the story of Romeo and Juliet. Shakespeare probably chose the city as the setting for this beautifully tragic play as it was based on an old Italian tale. The Montagues and the Capulets were indeed two real life aristocratic Veronese families. Whether this is Juliet’s famous balcony is highly unlikely as the balcony was added to this 14th century house in the 20th century, but the backdrop of the city …