ciao bella!
And welcome to Madison’s Footsteps Travel Blog! I’m Madison, a 28-year-old solo female traveler, digital nomad, and international foodie.
So far, I’ve traveled to 32 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. I’m so happy to have you on my site and happy travels!
Here are a Few of My Favorite Things
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 FAQ!
Portugal Travel
In the fall of 2023, I spent almost three months living in Portugal and traveling to this vibrant country’s most beloved destinations! My Lisbon 5-day itinerary is filled with my favorite eats, views, and experiences in the city—not to mention trips to Porto, Lagos, and Madeira (the Hawaii of Europe). Plan your ultimate trip to Portugal here!
Amazing Destinations
I’ve traveled to 32 countries…so far. That number is climbing by the year and I have a bucket list a mile long filled with amazing destinations that I can’t wait to visit. Not sure where to book your next trip? Browse my adventures and guides to traveling all over the world!
CHECK OUT MY RECENT POSTS BELOW!
DESTINATIONS | EUROPE | HUNGARY | SOLO TRAVEL
If you love food, views, and culture at an insanely affordable price—you’re going to fall in love. The city also gets bonus points for being totally safe for a solo female traveler! Have I sold you yet? If yes, keep reading to learn what to see in Budapest in 2 days.
EUROPE | DESTINATIONS | SPAIN | FOOD
We crammed the best of the best into our short little Seville itinerary! We ate churros for breakfast, took in views of the city from the Seville Cathedral, learned about Andalusian cuisine on a food tour, and lived out our Game of Thrones fantasies at the Real Alcazar. If you only have one day to spend in Seville, I advise you to see the best that this city has to offer.
DESTINATIONS | COLOMBIA | FOOD
This past April, I had the incredible opportunity to work remotely in Cartagena for three weeks. While my days were spent grinding away under the glow of my laptop screen, my evenings and weekends were free to explore everything this amazing city has to offer…including answering the hot ticket question, where to eat in Cartagena.
Tayrona National Park, nestled on the northern coast of Colombia near Santa Marta, is a stunning natural paradise that I had the pleasure of exploring earlier this year with three of my closest travel buddies. Although there are many things to do in Tayrona, one of the best ways to see this national park is by booking a Tayrona boat tour from Santa Marta.
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!
Do you like free stuff?
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
25+ Things to Pack for a Semester Abroad in Europe
In 2017, I completed the visa paperwork and took the first step towards the best five months of my life – my study abroad semester at John Cabot University in Rome. But before I could board my flight and get the party started, I had to answer the difficult question: what to pack when studying abroad in Europe?
In my opinion, the hardest part about moving abroad for a semester was figuring out what to put in my suitcase. I spent weeks stressing over every last item, worried that the American products I was used to wouldn’t be available in Italy. Luckily, I had a few friends who had already lived abroad to fill me in on essential items for Europe study abroad.
If you’re a college student preparing for your semester abroad, I’m here to make your transition a little easier. Whether it be clothes, shoes, or helpful tech – here’s what to pack when studying abroad in Europe!
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!
29 LOCAL DISHES YOU NEED TO TRY IN PORTUGAL
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!
SHOP MY SUITCASE
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, click the button below or send me an email at madison@madisonsfootsteps.com.
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!
