ciao bella!
And welcome to Madison’s Footsteps Solo Female Travel Blog! I’m Madison, a 27 year old world traveler trying to fill her passport without emptying her wallet.
So far, I’ve traveled to 31 countries around the world and lived in Italy, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Honduras, and Portugal…solo. I post travel guides to my favorite destinations as well as tips for solo female travelers.
My goal is to deliver the best travel tips…with none of the bullshit. So happy to have you on my page!
Here are a few of my favorite things
SOLO FEMALE TRAVEL
You know what they say…if you wait for others to join you, you’ll never go! If I had waited for a travel buddy, I definitely would not have traveled to 31 countries by 26. Click below to get started on your next solo travel adventure.
HONDURAS TRAVEL
I spent a year living in sunny Roatan, Honduras – drinking Salva Vidas on the beach, scuba diving the Mesoamerican Reef and snacking on too many baleads. Learn how you can too with my Honduras travel guides and FAQs!
ITALY TRAVEL
I spent two glorious years living in Italy (in Florence and Rome) and I fell head over heels in love with this beautiful country. Join me in eating way too much pizza, drinking way too much wine and taking in gorgeous Italian views.
CHECK OUT MY RECENT POSTS BELOW!
PORTUGAL | DESTINATIONS | EUROPE
In the fall of 2023, I was lucky enough to spend two months living in Lisbon and exploring the best that Portugal has to offer. Before I even took off for Europe, I knew that Madeira Island had already earned a place on my 2023 Portugal bucket list. Thankfully, September is arguably the best time to visit Madeira, so it seems our 5-day Madeira itinerary was meant to be! Madeira was, in one word, breathtaking.
PORTUGAL | DESTINATIONS | EUROPE
So you’re interested in spending 5 days in Lisbon? You’ve come to the right place. A city filled with culture, color, and some of the prettiest viewpoints in Europe, Lisbon is truly a treasure of the Iberian Peninsula. Whether you’re looking for history, tasty seafood, quaint cobblestoned streets, or just some gorgeous views, Lisbon has something for everyone.
PORTUGAL | DESTINATIONS | EUROPE
Lisbon, Portugal’s vibrant capital and the site of the famous Miradouro de Santa Luzia, is a city that seamlessly intertwines the old with the new. Nestled amongst the city’s rolling hills, you’ll find modern boutiques and cafes sitting side-by-side with ancient ruins and age-old traditions. Lisbon is filled with color everywhere you look – from the bright orange rooftops to the blue and green azulejos (ceramic tiles) that cover many buildings in the historic city center.
PORTUGAL | DESTINATIONS | EUROPE
Portugal – my beautiful new home. While preparing for my big move to Lisbon in August (I can’t wait! 😍), I’ve been clocking plenty of trip-prep and destination research to make my transition into Portugal expat a little bit smoother. Part of that prep includes researching the best and most helpful apps to download for Portugal!
You’re here for a reason…
Whether you have a trip coming up, you’re itching to start solo traveling for the first time or you’re just in the mood to read about some really good food…you’re here for a reason! Join my community by subscribing below and tell me what that reason is. I love to talk travel – so drop me a line!
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Yeah…me too! Grab my freebies for solo travel tips, travel planning hacks and the best remote jobs for aspiring digital nomads.
THE BEST RESTAURANTS TO TRY IN ROATAN, HONDURAS
THE BEST HOI AN ITINERARY FOR SOLO FEMALE TRAVELERS
Hoi An is a quaint, colorful and charming ancient town located only a short drive from the bustling metropolitan city of Da Nang. Earlier this year, I was lucky enough to spend a whole month traveling around Vietnam experiencing and eating the best that this vibrant country has to offer. Before I ever arrived in Southeast Asia, I knew Hoi An was a must-see for any first-time Vietnam itinerary. My Hoi An itinerary is filled with my favorite authentic Vietnamese restaurants, cultural attractions, photo spots and more in beautiful Hoi An.
Now you may be wondering how much time you need to spend in Hoi An. Is one day enough for Hoi An? Is 2 days in Hoi An enough? Personally, I would budget at least 3 days in Hoi An to make sure you have time for your entire Hoi An itinerary!
If you’d like to admire the city’s ancient heritage sites when you visit Hoi An, the Hoi An Old Town Ticket is going to be the right move. Many of the best attractions in Old Town require a pre-purchased entry ticket that can be bought at one of the many ticket stands around town. The ticket costs 120,000 VND (around 5 USD) and buys you entrance to five sites of your choosing.
SNAG MY FREE GUIDES FOR SOLO TRAVELERS AND ASPIRING DIGITAL NOMADS!
22 BEST RESTAURANTS IN TRASTEVERE & CENTRO STORICO ROME 2024
Trastevere never disappoints, especially when it comes to delicious, rich, authentic, and ridiculously tasty Italian food. Although there are amazing restaurants on every corner, sometimes the sheer amount of trattorias, ristorantes, and osterias can be overwhelming (especially for first-time Rome travelers). During my six months living and studying in Rome, I made it my mission to try the best restaurants in Trastevere, photograph them, and rank my favorites.
I did it for you! I know – you’re welcome 😜.
Get lost in the sensory overload that is Rome’s foodie scene. Enjoy every sip of Chianti, every savory bite of creamy carbonara, and every lick of gelato. Sure – Rome is the eternal city. There are museums, ruins, centuries-old artifacts, history, and priceless works of art, but let’s be honest about why we really booked that flight…the FOOD.
Stop spending too much at overpriced restaurants with views of the Trevi Fountain. Stop wandering into the first restaurant you see when your stomach starts growling. Instead, follow my guide because, like they always say, when in Rome, EAT as the Romans do.
WHERE TO FIND THE BEST ITALIAN FOOD IN FLORENCE, ITALY
LEVEL UP YOUR SOLO TRAVEL PHOTOGRAPHY GAME!
10+ OF THE BEST THINGS TO DO IN COPAN RUINAS, HONDURAS
Become a Digital Nomad
Do you dream of working remotely and traveling the world? Get started with my tips for remote workers who dream of a nomadic life! I’ve been a full-time digital nomad since 2020 (and part-time since 2018) and – so far – have lived in 5 different countries and traveled to 31. There’s nothing like the freedom of making your own schedule and living every moment to the fullest while traveling the world.
SHOP MY SUITCASE FOR TRAVEL ESSENTIALS
Shop solo travel essentials, the best gear for digital nomads, gifts for travel lovers, and more in my “metaphorical” suitcase. On this page, you’ll find all my favorite packable items for solo female travelers, eco-conscious travelers, digital nomads, and more + health and beauty steals you won’t want to miss.
LET’S COLLABORATE
I love collaborating with hotels, tourism boards, tour operators, travel brands and tech companies that might interest my audience! I offer a wide array of collaboration options, so you’re guaranteed to find something that fits your needs. For more details on the services that I offer and the brands I’ve worked with in the past, click the button below or send me an email at [email protected].
VA services
In addition to collaborating with travel brands, I’m also a full-time Virtual Assistant! Since starting my company, Madison’s Footsteps Creative back in 2020, I’ve worked with 25+ clients all over the globe on tasks like social media management, website design, graphic design, email marketing, community management and more. Click the button below to learn more!
17+ FUN THINGS TO DO ON GILI TRAWANGAN FOR SOLO TRAVELERS
What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you hear “the Gili Islands?” Does it conjure images of white-sand beaches and crystal clear waters flush with plump, green sea turtles? If I hit the nail on the head – you’re not wrong. I swam with plenty a heckin’ good sea turtle during my time on Gili Trawangan. But…that’s not all I did. Since I budgeted six days on this tiny Southeast Asian island, I had the opportunity to really explore the side of Gili Trawangan for solo travelers.
After getting my PADI Open Water and Advanced certifications diving in Roatan, Honduras – I’ve become a bit of a scuba junkie. Since the Gili Islands are known to have one of Asia’s only flourishing green sea turtle populations, I knew Gili Trawangan diving had to be on my bucket list.
Let me just say…WHOA. They weren’t kidding. On my second dive (at an appropriately-named site called Turtle Heaven), you couldn’t go three feet without running into a massive green sea turtle. I like to call this experience “turtle naptime” since these sleepy bois seemed to be quite cozy napping on the reef (pictured below). If you’re an Advanced Scuba Diver, make sure to dive Shark Point during your visit. I saw two reef sharks, a green turtle and a massive eagle ray here during the first four minutes of the dive…
The Best Itinerary for 4 days in Prague
A trip to Europe isn’t complete without Prague on your itinerary 👏🏼. I fell in love with Prague the first time I visited for a long weekend in 2017…and not only because I got to pet a really cute corgi. At that time, I wish we would have fit a 4 days in Prague itinerary! But, alas, we only had two days in Prague at the time. Even so, we filled up our days with the best that the city had to offer.
Since that fateful trip during study abroad, I’ve been back to Prague three more times – each visit much longer than two days. In fact, when I used to organize trips for study abroad students in Europe, Prague was one of my custom itineraries! Long story short – you can trust my all-inclusive 4 days in Prague itinerary to bring you the best tours, views, eats and adventures for your next trip to Prague.
Whether you’re a study abroad student, a newlywed on your honeymoon or a solo traveler looking to sample the world’s greatest adventures – Prague has something for everyone. You could spend 3 days in Prague, 7 days in Prague or a year in Prague…you’re still not going to want to miss these highlights. Just don’t budget less time than a 3 day itinerary for Prague, there’s simply too much to see in 2 days in Prague or less!
Explore By Country
Where will you plan your next solo trip? Grab some inspiration below!
