Solo travel is lauded as one of the most exciting ways to see the world—and for good reason. It's adventurous, eye-opening, unpredictable, transformative. But it can also be challenging and, at some points, a little lonely, even for the most experienced of travelers. Lale chats with Jessica Nabongo, who in 2019 became the first documented Black woman to visit every country in the world (89 of which she visited solo), about what she learned about herself during those travels. Plus, we hear from listeners about their own solo travel experiences in Laos, Havana, and more.
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What We Learn About Ourselves When We Travel Solo

Though travel and adventure have historically been publicly claimed by men, women have always been part of those narratives, too. Each week, host and Condé Nast Traveler editor Lale Arikoglu shines a light on some of those stories, interviewing female-identifying guests about their most unique travel tales—from going off-grid in the Danish wilderness to country-hopping solo—sharing her own experiences traveling around the globe, and tapping listeners to contribute their own memorable stories. This is a podcast for anyone who is curious about the world—and excited to explore places both near and far from home. For more from Women Who Travel, visit our website or subscribe to our email newsletter.

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It’s summer, which means we're grabbing every chance there is to hit the beach or dive into a hotel swimming pool. But some travelers are a little more intrepid, plunging into wild, frigid waters for all manner of reasons. To find out why, Lale chats with writer and wild swimmer Freya Bromley about her recent memoir The Tidal Year and catches up with friend of the podcast and author Dorthe Nors, who lives on a remote part of Denmark’s west coast.

Why Water Makes Us Happy

What is it like growing up in one of the most storied and iconic hotels in Italy? Ask Valentina de Santis, who was raised in the kitchens and ballrooms of Lake Como's Grand Hotel Tremezzo and now runs the charismatic Passalacqua along with her parents nearby. Lale chats with the hotelier to hear stories of life on Lake Como, get tips on traveling in both summer and the off-season, and what it really means to live La Dolce Vita.

An Italian Hotelier Living La Dolce Vita on Lake Como

What does it take to eat well—and simply? To find out, Lale chats with Yasmin Fahr, author of the new book Cook Simply Live Fully (and former undercover restaurant critic), for advice on shopping at local markets, how to make use of an Airbnb kitchen, and the joy of cooking far from home. Plus, she shares stories of island life on her home of Menorca.

A Restaurant-Critic-Turned-Cookbook Author Slows Down in Menorca

This week, Lale speaks with women who risk their lives to document conflict and catastrophe around the world—and who are all recipients of a Courage in Photojournalism Award from the International Women's Media Foundation. Listen to hear Cairo-based Nariman El-Mofty, who has been traveling through Yemen and Sudan, and Anastasia Taylor-Lind, whose work is focused on Ukraine, share stories of the human side of war, as well as a message from Samar Abu Elouf, a photojournalist from Gaza City.

Three Photojournalists on Revealing the Human Side of Conflict

Tiffany Mathias, a self-confessed baseball stadium chaser (and, incidentally, Lale’s sister-in-law), recounts her quest to visit every ballpark in the US, touring the stadiums, chatting to ushers and fans, and sampling the often eccentric local concessions—often as a solo traveler. To watch a game in a new stadium, says Tiffany, is “to be in her happy place.”

What We Learn About Ourselves When We Travel Solo

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