Our Best Travel Memories

Today is World Tourism Day, and we’ve decided to dedicate it to something we love about tourism: its exceptional ability to create unforgettable memories.

One of our biggest missions has always been to give you new memories. We love imagining you creating moments you can draw upon whenever you want to remember a time when you were truly happy.

Nothing ignites the senses quite like traveling. It stretches the mind, offers new perspectives, and, most importantly, gifts us important moments that become indelible memories. Relaxed, stimulated, free, open—in vacation mode, we’re all of these things. We let ourselves be deeply touched by what surrounds us, becoming more vulnerable, flexible, and open to emotion.

We asked our team to share their most unforgettable travel memories.

Here’s what they told us:

 
Tullia & The Way of St. Francis

Backpacked and ready, I set off from Florence towards Assisi, covering 220 km along the Via di Francesco. As I climbed the final hill through the Forest of St. Francis, the simple yet majestic Basilica appeared unexpectedly. A flood of tears fell uncontrollably as I was overwhelmed by an immense feeling of joy, pride, accomplishment, and strength. I laughed and cried at the same time.

 
Greta & Iceland

I suffer from claustrophobia, and that morning we were going into a cave.

I was a bit nervous, despite the guide's reassurances. But I never once felt trapped or suffocated in that cave.

I had never seen anything so beautiful, perfect, and haunting.

The water carves out the cave when temperatures rise, solidifying into new shapes with each cold season’s return.

They call it the Ice Cave, a place that never remains the same.

The frozen water sculpts ceilings and walls in a vivid, enveloping, intoxicating blue, while the crisp, cold air fills your lungs, and time is marked by the echo of falling drops.

A memory that still feels vivid months later, and one I know will stay with me even 50 years from now.

 
Dario & Canada

My most cherished travel memory is a trip to Canada when I was 18, staying with my best friend’s family. We were in a small town overlooking Lake Erie, surrounded by nature. The vibrant colors and breathtaking landscapes changed at every step, creating an idyllic atmosphere that was a feast for the eyes.

I remember waking up in a tent each morning after evenings spent around the fire with friends, listening to the sound of the waves and the peaceful silence. Our days were filled with adventure: hours spent on jet skis, sailing courses, and family barbecues on Sundays.

The grandeur of Niagara Falls is indescribable. Getting close to them by boat was a unique experience: seeing the rainbow form in the mist and peering over to the first American city I’d ever seen.

Another unforgettable stop was Toronto—a bustling metropolis full of rhythm, excitement, and energy.

 
Luca & The Via degli Dei

One of my favorite memories is seeing the look of disbelief, relief, and bliss on my friend’s face when, completely exhausted after reaching the final stage of the Via degli Dei, he saw Florence appear in the distance.

 
Cecilia & India

A memory that often returns to me is the sunrise over the Ganges in Varanasi, with a guide who was a friend of my cousin’s. Watching and feeling the sacredness and power of the river for the Indian people stirred in me a sense of envy for their reverence toward a natural element. It was the ultimate expression of what India meant to me: mystical, hypnotic, and profound.

 
Sara & The Senses on Her Travels

My best travel memories are tied to sensations: the call to prayer from the muezzin in Morocco, echoing from the minarets at sunset when the sun bathes the rooftops in pink; the play of light and shadows in the souks of Marrakech, where getting lost is a must; the unmistakable flavor of mint tea, sipped at any hour of the day; the intense expression on the faces of flamenco dancers in Seville; the first bites of unfamiliar fruits in Thailand, or the taste of fresh coconut water, sipped straight from the nut just plucked from the tree; the rough skin of elephants; the glow of bioluminescent plankton in the pitch-black waters of the Phi Phi Islands; an impromptu picnic along the Seine in Paris with my lifelong friends; and the smell of old books from the bouquinistes.