5 Reasons You Should Skip Rome and Head to Sperlonga, Italy, Instead

On my way to the beach, I stopped in small shops that lined the shore. Sperlonga is full of warm small-town vibes, where merchants seem to know customers by name. It has a very tight-knit feel, and that was necessary for me at that point in my travel journey. Later that night, I devoured traditional pesto pasta, drink a Peroni, and took in the cascading views from the seat of a local restaurant.

Not once did I feel out of place as a woman of color traveling on my own. Traveling solo gives you the capacity to think for yourself and follow your own itinerary and allows you to be free. For the first time in my life, I truly felt alone in the best way possible.