One month. Many cities. One solo journey through Europe.

​This is not just a travel guide. It is a personal diary of movement, discovery, exhaustion, joy, and solitude—written one city at a time.

by emma ugarelli

I am beginning the story of my one-month trip through Europe as a travel diary. Each entry will capture not only the cities I visited, but also what I saw, what I felt, what I tasted, and the full experience of traveling alone. I will also reflect on the advantages and disadvantages of solo travel, and how I planned this journey from beginning to end.
Before the trip, I carefully designed my itinerary. I chose how many days to spend in each city—usually two or three—in order to get a real taste of each place rather than rushing through it. I used ChatGPT to help me structure each day hour by hour, planning which places to visit and selecting hotels within walking distance of the main attractions. I also used online apps to reserve accommodations and book attractions in advance.
To move between cities, I combined trains and flights. Within each city, I relied on walking, public transportation, and ride apps like Uber. I compared distances and travel times to decide the best way to connect each destination.
Before leaving, I prepared physically as well. Although I consider myself an active person, I had spent more than a year without regular exercise—no gym, no biking, and little walking, as I focused mainly on my work and writing projects. Once I realized the intensity of my itinerary, I decided to take action. For almost two months before the trip, I trained by walking one to two hours daily. It became a discipline that helped me rebuild stamina and lose weight. I also made dietary changes, even giving up my beloved chocolate.
Packing was another important part of the preparation. I traveled with a backpack and compression packing cubes to fit clothing for a full month, planning to do laundry in at least two cities, especially for undergarments and comfortable outfits. I brought two pairs of walking sneakers, a small laptop, and my phone with a hands-free strap so I would never have to leave it unattended. I also carried a small document bag with my passports, cards, and essentials, always kept close to me. Google Maps, Google Translate, downloaded payment cards, and travel insurance were all essential tools throughout the journey.
The cities I visited included London, Paris, Lisbon, Sintra, Madrid, Barcelona, Rome and Vatican City, Florence, Pisa, Milan, Turin, Novara, Isola Bella, Venice, Murano, Feltre (my grandfather’s hometown), Berlin, and Vienna.
Although I traveled mostly alone, I did meet a friend in Paris for a few hours, and later in Milan, Novara, Turin, and Isola Bella I spent time with my dear friend Luz and her family. One of the most meaningful moments of my journey was in Feltre, where I met my grandfather’s family for the first time. It was deeply emotional and a moment of great happiness to connect with my Italian roots and meet my cousins.
For the rest of the journey, I traveled independently. Even though I occasionally shared conversations with people I met on trains, planes, and boats, I experienced the trip on my own. I am proud of that. It was an incredible adventure, and I would do it again.
Of course, there were moments when I missed the company of my husband, my children, or close friends. But traveling alone gave me something different: freedom. I could go wherever I wanted, eat what I wanted, and move at my own rhythm and pace.
This journal will continue city by city, with honest reflections—without sugarcoating anything. I will write things as I felt them, including what I would change if I were to do it again.