Today we’d like to introduce you to Juliana Marino.
Hi Juliana, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, you could tell our readers some of your backstory.
As a child, I’ve always had an interest in travel. I loved reading books set in faraway places and learning about different cultures. My family is originally from Italy (my grandparents moved to the U.S. during the 1960s), so it has always been a dream of mine to move abroad and live in Italy one day. In 2020, I graduated from Wake Forest University and accepted a remote job as a freelance writer and editor. One year later, I decided to make my dream a reality and move to Italy. In September 2021, I left my small hometown in New Jersey and moved to Milano. While living in Italy, I continued to work as a freelance writer and studied to receive my Master’s in The Art and Industry of Narration. Between classes and work, I traveled and explored as much as possible, booking spontaneous trips across Europe, Africa, and Southeast Asia. From hiking Pico do Arieiro in Madeira, ATVing in the Sahara Desert, bathing elephants in Thailand, and cooking in Cinque Terre, I love embarking on adventures that expose me to the world’s natural beauty and diverse cultures.
In 2023, I started Juliana’s Travels as a fun way to share my adventures and itineraries with fellow travel enthusiasts on Instagram. Regarding my travel niche, it’s hard to pick one topic because I love all types of travel. My posts highlight bucket-list experiences, local restaurants, outdoor adventures, life abroad, and off-the-beaten-path destinations. Some days, you’ll find me wandering through fairytale cities, trying the local cuisine, and other days, I’ll be in my hiking boots, ready to climb a new mountain. Some of my favorite travel memories from the past few years have been glacier hiking in Iceland, watching the sunrise at Angkor Wat in Cambodia, sunset sailing along the Douro River in Porto, riding vespas along the narrow streets of Napoli, wandering through the souks in Marrakech, whale watching in the Azores, visiting the Dolomites in Italy, island-hopping in Greece, horse-back riding in Bryce Canyon, and eating my way through the food stalls in Singapore. When I first created my travel account, I thought it would be a way to document my adventures. Still, over the past few months, my Instagram account has grown, and I’ve had the opportunity to connect and work with travel brands, hosts, and hotels worldwide. I also launched a blog a few weeks ago to share my adventures worldwide. It’s always been a dream of mine to one day become a travel writer, and with Juliana’s Travels, I am working towards that goal.
It wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been relatively smooth?
At first, life abroad was overwhelming. I felt homesick, being thousands of miles away from my family and friends in New Jersey. There were big and small moments like birthday celebrations, graduations, and family dinners that I missed out on. Though living in Italy was full of exciting new experiences, settling into my life in Milan was challenging. It’s easy to romanticize life in a different country. Still, with any move, the everyday struggles of finding an apartment, learning the language, and making new friends always exist. With the creation of Juliana’s Travels, my biggest challenge has been gaining the confidence to put myself on social media. Although I have an adventurous spirit, I still struggle with opening up my life for the world to see. For the first few months, I didn’t feel comfortable posting pictures or videos with me in them. However, as I posted more and found such a positive community of travelers, I felt more confident sharing my story online. I feel blessed to have found people globally who are encouraging and supportive of me and my adventures. I love it when fellow travelers send me messages saying my account inspired them to visit a new place and asking me for travel tips. The positive feedback I’ve experienced online has given me the confidence to build and grow Juliana’s Travels.
Thanks for sharing that. So, tell us more about your work next.
I specialize in adventure travel. I write travel articles and guides on destinations across the globe with a focus on local experiences–both cultural and outdoor adventures. Along with writing, photography and videography are my creative passions. I love sharing my travel photos and videos. Creating travel reels has been an exciting way to expand my online reach and grow Juliana’s Travels.
One of the main things that sets me apart from other travel creators online is that I lived abroad for two and a half years. So, my life in both the US and Italy has shaped my travel perspective. Because of my time living in Italy and traveling a lot throughout Europe, I specialize in itineraries for Italy and Europe, curating recommendations according to different people’s travel styles. When you live in a country for an extended period, you can experience that region on a deeper level and start to understand it from a local perspective. This has helped me share unique European destinations that many travelers often skip.
I’m most proud of my solo adventures. As a young woman, traveling by myself has increased my confidence. Navigating a foreign country on your own is both thrilling and nerve-wracking. Still, I enjoy being outside of my comfort zone and proving to myself that I am capable of experiencing adventures independently. My favorite solo adventures have been my Iceland, Morocco, and Luxembourg trips.
Before we go, can you talk to us about how people can work, collaborate, or support you?
I love connecting with travelers across the globe and following their trips abroad. Anyone interested in my adventures can follow me on Instagram (@julianas_travels) or read my blog articles (https://julianastravels.wixsite.com/adventure). I also enjoy helping people organize itineraries for their vacations so that anyone can send me a DM or message on my blog for travel recommendations. I also love collaborating with travel brands so companies can contact me on Instagram or via my email, julianastravels@gmail.com.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://julianastravels.wixsite.com/adventure
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/julianas_travels/
