I have covered numerous destinations around the world but my geographic specialty lies in Croatia and Portugal.
While I can craft a tight 150-word story, what I most love writing are first-person travel narratives that dig deeper.
I whip up custom copy for clients as varied as chocolatiers, holistic nutritionists, architecture studios, hospitality groups and visual artists.
Just the Two of Us
Travel + Leisure, May 2023
An essay about a single mother-son trip to the island of Hvar
Read the articleWhere to Go 2022: Lika & Gorski Kotar, Croatia
AFAR, Dec 2021
Croatia’s wild interiors are worth a special trip…
Read the articleEight Places in Croatia Locals Love
Travel + Leisure, Nov 2021
Here’s how to see the best of Croatia like an insider…
Read the articleHouse call: stepping stones
Conde Nast Traveller, Jul-Aug 2021
A forgotten hamlet in Istria, Croatia has been put back on the map…
Read the articleTrending: London
Delta Sky, Feb 2020
The South Bank area comes alive as a hotbed of arts and crafts…
Read the article
Photo by Awesome Sauce CreativeFood, Fire & Ice
Delta Sky, Aug 2019
Creative Nordic fare is putting Reykjavik on the culinary map…
Read the article
Photo by Denys NevozhaiEmotional Rescue
Airbnb Magazine, Apr-May 2019
Help improve mistreated donkeys’ quality of life at an animal sanctuary in the south of Spain…
Read the articleThe Best Beaches in Croatia
AFAR, Mar 2019
Croatia has some of the top beaches in the world, from secret islands to movie locations…
Read the articleParenting solo = the ultimate mountain climb
The Washington Post, Mar 2019
When you parent alone, there is no harness. It’s just you: your patience, dexterity and grit…
Read the articleOn Croatia’s Dalmatian coast, a renaissance in Sibenik
The Washington Post, Jan 2019
The sleepy city of Sibenik shakes things up with an urban revival…
Read the articleDestination Portugal
–Preferred Travel, Jan-Apr 2019
Reflections on a journey through Portugal as this vibrant European destination…
Read the articleStreetview: Zagreb, Croatia
(The Lost Issue)Panorama, Aug 2018
Story about my street view, and about being rooted but with bags packed…
Read the articleExplore Northern Jordan Like a Local
Lonely Planet, Jul 2018
A cluster of community-based tourism projects in northern Jordan…
Read the articleA Guide to Croatia’s Island Hideouts
The Wall Street Journal, Jul 2018
How to choose a hideaway among Croatia’s thousand-plus islands…
Read the articleOn Croatia’s coast, glamor by the sea
The New York Times, May 2018
Stunning pools and a Mediterranean mood at two boutique hotels…
Read the articleI’m from a country that no longer exists
BBC Travel, Apr 2018
A search for Yugoslavia two decades after it fell apart…
Read the articleLowdown on Lisbon’s storied street art
Marriott Traveler, Apr 2018
A storied street art scene has sprung to life in Portugal’s capital…
Read the articleThe best-kept secret of northern Jordan
The Washington Post, Jan 2018
A community-based tourism project wakes the sleepy village of Umm Qais…
Read the article
Argentina’s next adventure playground
Adventure.com, Apr 2018
Forget Patagonia, could Salta be Argentina’s next adventure playground?
Read the articleLISBON: HEART’S DESIRE
THE MONOCLE TRAVEL GUIDE, LISBON, SEP 2017
Saudade, the almost untranslatable Portuguese feeling of joyful sadness, can be keenly felt throughout the capital…
Read the articleTRAVEL IN THE AGE OF FEAR
MIC, SEP 2017
Certain destinations, particularly in the Middle East, gain “no-go” reputations when, really, they’re places both worth a visit…
Read the articleTHE BEST EUROPEAN SPA TOWNS
JETSETTER, DEC 2017
With temperatures dropping, there’s nothing better than a soak in the mineral-rich waters of Europe’s greatest spas…
Read the articleDrink Coffee Like a Bedouin
FATHOM, AUG 2017
You think you take coffee seriously? Wait until you see how Bedouins in Jordan brew the good stuff…
Read the articleA MINIMALIST PACKER’S DREAM
MIC, JUN 2017
My review of the Unique Travel Set – a minimalist’s dream – while traveling the length of Jordan…
Read the article5 places to go in Zagreb
The New York Times, May 2017
Revealing the hottest spots in the newly minted Design District of Zagreb, a neighborhood on the rise…
Read the article6 of Croatia’s can’t-miss dishes
Tasting Table, Apr 2017
Thanks to a fusion of culinary influences, Croatia provides some of the best, most varied gastronomic traditions in Europe.
Read the articleThe best of the Dalmatian coast
Jetsetter, Feb 2017
With its seductive natural beauty, the Dalmatian coast of Croatia has become Europe’s hottest summer destination…
Read the articleRestoring cool
Cadillac Magazine, Feb 2017
Wiliam Clothier is the man behind Budapest’s Brody boom…
Read the articleHungary’s great lake
Endless vacation, spring 2017
Baroque palaces, sprawling vineyards, spectacular caves and more draw visitors to the shores of the country’s inland sea…
Read the articlePorto’s Passion for Architecture
SkyLife, Jun 2016
In Porto, the birthplace of two Pritzker Prize winners, the palpable passion for architecture bolsters an exciting urban renewal movement…
Read the article17 Hotels with Amazing Art Collections
Architectural Digest, Mar 2016
Not just places for travelers to rest their heads, these hotels double as museums and exhibition spaces…
Read the articleTHE HEART OF LISBON
AFAR, JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2016
For AFAR’s Resident section, I caught up with one of Lisbon’s coolest cats, Kalaf Epalanga, the poet & vocalist of the Portuguese-Angolan music group Buraka Som Sistema…
Read the articlePaint the Town: Rovinj, Croatia
Islands, Jan 2016
This quaint seaside enclave and its surrounding archipelago became a hub for artists in the 1950s. Here’s why it still draws creatives…
Read the articleDouro Valley/Best Places to Travel in 2016
Travel + Leisure, Dec 2015
Portugal’s Douro Valley, the stunning home of port wine, is giving travelers a reason to say awhile…
Read the articleZagreb/Best Places to Travel in 2016
Travel + Leisure, Dec 2015
Croatia’s pretty capital of Zagreb—often overlooked in the shadows of the Adriatic Coast and islands—is blossoming…
Read the articleWelcome to My New York
Preferred Travel, Fall 2015
Five New Yorkers open up their address books…
Read the articleThe Golden State’s Crown Jewels
Endless Vacation, Aug 2015
California’s national parks celebrate three big birthdays this year…
Read the article10 Can’t Miss Pop-up Restaurants in 2015
Fodors.com, May 2015
The pop-up trend has arrived at the plate, introducing diners to one-off culinary experiences…
Read the articleCool Quarters: Intendente, Lisbon
Travel + Leisure, May 2015
Visit this fast-changing neighborhood now, before the throngs move in…
Read the articleLisbon: Little Darlings
Travel + Leisure, May 2015
Small plates are getting big in Lisbon…
Read the articleWho Let the Dogs Inn?
Every Day with Rachael Ray, May 2015
Hey pet-setters! Tell your humans to check out — or better yet, check in — to these five new pet-friendly hotels…
Read the articleA Designer’s Zagreb
New York Magazine, Apr 2015
In Zagreb, all-white lamp shops and socialist-modernist patio bars.
Read the articleWorld’s Most Unique Dining Experiences
Fodors.com, Mar 2015
Have you ever had canapés in a canopy? A feast on top of a glacier? Here are 20 one-of-a-kind culinary adventures.
Read the articleZagreb’s Secret Courtyards
BBC TRAVEL, MARCH 2015
My minor obsession with the narrow passageways and hidden courtyards of Croatia’s capital led me to write this story, about life away from well-trampled routes…
Read the articleWorld’s Most Unique Concierge Services
Fodors.com, Mar 2015
You won’t have to lift a finger thanks to these one-of-a-kind hotel offerings…
Read the articleNew Beach Getaways for 2015
Departures, Nov 2014
An international mix of new beachfront hotels and refurbished shorelines top our list for winter travel destinations…
Read the articleChew ‘n’ View!
Every Day with Rachael Ray, Sep 2014
Great food and gorgeous scenery can coexist! Meet six restaurants—half icons,
Read the article
half newcomers—that are feasts for both your eyes and your taste buds…Zagreb: Centre Court
Virgin Australia Voyeur, May 2014
An international mix of new beachfront hotels and refurbished shorelines top our list for winter travel destinations…
Read the articleFalling in love and longing, in Lisbon
The Washington Post, March 2014
For this feature story I went on a curious mission: to unlock the feeling of wistfulness that haunts me — what the Portuguese call saudade…
Read the articleLearning to Love Zagreb
The Washington Post, Jan 2014
Growing up, she thought Zagreb was provincial and dull. Then she went back, and discovered a new place…
Read the articleCape Verde: Best of the World 2014
National Geographic Traveler, Dec 2013
“There in the sky you are a star / There in the sea you are a sandy seafloor / Poor country full of love,” sang Cesária Évora of her homeland, the West African island nation of Cape Verde…
Read the articleAlentejo: Best of the World 2014
National Geographic Traveler, Dec 2013
Lying right below the country’s heart, Alentejo has served as Portugal’s breadbasket and seduces with its slow pace…
Read the articleRestored Village Retreats
Departures, Oct 2013
These 10 luxe getaways, located in once-downtrodden towns, make a strong case for small-town living…
Read the articleZagreb’s New Zing
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC TRAVELER, AUGUST 2013
For the magazine’s “48 Hours In” section, I loved exploring different ways the creative class has been on the rise in Croatia’s capital city…
Read the articleUrbanist’s Lisbon
NEW YORK MAGAZINE, AUGUST 2013
For this magazine spread, I dug deep into my black book of Lisbon contacts, to unearth the edgiest street art, the coolest fado spots and best places to taste nouveau cod…
Read the articleThe Best Place to Shop in Lisbon
Condé Nast Traveler, July 2013
Lisbon is rightly known as a trove of charming backstreets and terraced bistros, but none of its neighborhoods are more alive than Príncipe Real…
Read the articleLisbon’s New Lease on Life
Premier Traveler, June/July 2013
A stroll through the colorful streets of Portugal’s most vibrant city, taking in both the old and the new…
Read the articleTop Stargazing Destinations
Departures, June 2013
These far-flung locations show off the sky like no other places on earth…
Read the articleBeyond the Beignets in New Orleans
Lonely Planet, May 2013
Championing a global outlook and a love for regional produce, NOLA’s new crop of inventive chefs serve up crisp interpretations of local staples…
Read the articleSWAYING TO THE MUSIC IN CAPE VERDE
THE WASHINGTON POST, MAY 2013
Music shadowed my island-hopping adventure in this West African island nation, home to the late Cesária Évora, and this story traces it…
Read the articleCroatia by Canoe
New York Magazine, Apr 2013
Bypass Croatia’s claim to fame—its 1,185 sunny islands strewn down the Adriatic Coast—and head east instead, to the aqueous wonderland where the Danube and Drava Rivers meet…
Read the articleIndia of Light & Darkness
Perceptive Travel, Apr 2013
A first-time visitor taken from one beautiful place to another in the most-visited regions of India finds you’re never far from the dark side…
Read the articleBlue Danube
National Geographic Traveler, Apr 2013
Beyond the boating party often pegged to central Europe’s Danube River lies an Amazon-like wilderness…
Read the articleTop Destinations for Antiques
Departures, Apr 2013
The thrill of the hunt makes these antiques-rich places well worth a visit, from Portugal and Paris to Cape Town and Mumbai…
Read the article8 Reasons to Go to Portugal Now
Fodor’s, March 2013
The recession and rising unemployment may be grabbing the headlines in Portugal but, for visitors, there is much to lift the spirits…
Read the articleExclusive Backwater River Voyages
Departures, March 2013
Just when it seems as though all rivers have been charted, seas explored and canals crossed, secret backwaters move into the limelight…
Read the articleValparaiso: Best of the World 2013
National Geographic Traveler, Dec 2012
Generations of creative pilgrims have been hooked by Valparaíso’s weathered beauty and bohemian vibe. Travelers have followed suit…
Read the articleThe Ghost Towns of Northern Chile
The Washington Post, Oct 2012
Once bustling centers of saltpeter mining, Humberstone and Santa Laura, in the Atacama desert, now stand abandoned and forlorn…
Read the articleMade in Portugal
Conde Nast Traveler, July 2012
Sure, it’s tops for port, but Porto, the cozy town in northern Portugal’s Douro River Valley takes locavorism beyond the glass…
Read the articleHop to It: Dalmatian Islands
The Wall Street Journal, June 2012
The best way to experience Croatia’s Adriatic charms is to see it via the sea…
Read the articleIN CROATIA, RETREATING INTO HER PAST
THE WASHINGTON POST, MAY 2012
A story near & dear to my heart, about a ranch retreat in the wilderness of Croatia that put me in touch with my family’s past…
Read the articleTake In the Culture Boom in Guimarães
New York Magazine, Apr 2012
Portugal’s medieval northern city has reinvented itself by turning former industrial spaces into cutting-edge arts institutions…
Read the articleSTARRY-EYED IN CHILE’S ATACAMA DESERT
BBC TRAVEL, APRIL 2012
I traveled through Chile’s north for six weeks in 2012 and, enchanted by its night skies, wrote this piece – which later won Lowell Thomas Award award….
Read the articleHit the Waterfront in Oslo
New York Magazine, March 2012
Formerly industrial neighborhoods lining the harbor are emerging as the city’s cultural and culinary hubs…
Read the articleGuimaräes’ Culture Boost
BBC Travel, Jan 2012
What do Guimarães in Portugal and Maribor in Slovenia have in common, apart from that most people cannot find them on a map? This year, the cities share the title of European Capital of Culture…
Read the articleOnly In…Zagreb
The Wall Street Journal, Oct 2011
The creative Croatian capital is where you can visit a museum dedicated to broken relationships and eat the hours-roasted ribs of a rare Istrian ox…
Read the articleDetox in Delaware County
New York Magazine, Sept 2011
Head to the western Catskills to find health-conscious B&Bs, farm-to-table feasts, and eco retreats…
Read the articleIndulge Your Inner Design Hawk in Helsinki
New York Magazine, Jul 2011
Explore the city’s thriving Design District and dine on modern Nordic cuisine as Finland’s creative hub gears up to become World Design Capital in 2012…
Read the articleTastes like Brooklyn
Washington Flyer, March-Apr 2011
New York’s once-forgotten borough is developing quite the foodie scene – and even drawing patrons from Manhattan…
Read the articleWorld’s Top Spots to Sweat
Concierge.com, Feb 2011
Care for a little sweet steaming to ease the midwinter blues? Not only is it a surefire way to rid yourself of impurities and relax the muscles, but you might even bond with some of your fellow sweaters…
Read the articleDiscover Great Wine and Design in Porto
New York Magazine, Feb 2011
This picturesque city in northern Portugal is both the historic home of port wine and a nexus of cutting-edge design…
Read the articleFalling in Love with Truffles in Istria
The Washington Post, Nov 2010
It’s a warm afternoon in the hills of Istria. I’m munching on a sweet tartufone – a potato dumpling filled with chocolate, covered with a bechamel-chocolate sauce…
Read the articleToronto’s Hip New Neighborhood
BBC Travel, Nov 2010
The creation of a cool new area often follows the same pattern: property prices rise, arty types adopt the area, gentrification kicks in and, voilà, a hip neighborhood is born…
Read the articleDigging Treasured Truffles
Wine Enthusiast, Nov 2010
The world’s most prized subterranean fungi are harvested in unlikely places…
Read the articleStartas, the Communist Comeback
Lonely Planet Magazine, Oct 2010
As Croatia braces for entry into the EU, the country’s fashions hark back to communist chic…
Read the articleZagreb, Croatia’s Booming Capital
BBC Travel, Aug 2010
A buzzing pocket-size capital on the edge of Europe, Zagreb is coming into its own with an appealing medley of contemporary and ancient…
Read the articleEverywhere Yugo in New York
The WASHINGTON POST, AUGUST 2010
Though I come from a country that no longer exists, I went looking for it in New York City back in 2010. This story follows my journey…
Read the articleGlamping
Spa Magazine, July-Aug 2010
It’s now easy to go camping without cramping your style. Imagine upscale canvas lodgings that feature four-poster beds, sumptuous sheets, Persian rugs, and antique furniture…
Read the articleCatching the Beat of South Africa
Electronic Beats, Summer 2010
To get to know the beat of a culture, you need to tune in to the rhythms of its music. In Cape Town, jazz is what makes the city tick…
Read the articleEight Days in South Africa
New York Resident, May 2010
I touched down in Johannesburg on a warm rainy evening in February. On my non-stop flight from JFK on South African Airways…
Read the articleHave a Ball in Cape Town
amNew York, Apr 2010
Lifelong Cape Town resident Ronel Stevens clued us in on her “city of wonders”…
Read the articleRomance Getaways
Metro New York, Feb 2010
If flowers alone this Valentine’s Day won’t cut it, these romantic destinations are sure to rekindle that loving spark. From the French Polynesian islands to a Southern plantation…
Read the articleFind Your Bliss in Bora Bora
Zink Magazine, Winter 2009
Bora Bora may be the honeymoon escape and celebrity hideaway de rigueur but this French Polynesian island is coming into its own as a booming spa destination…
Read the articleNew York: Empire State of Mind
Electronic Beats, Winter 2009
The last decade has brought a dizzying number of radical shifts and detrimental changes to the city of all cities yet the storied melting pot stands as strong and tall as its ever-changing skyline…
Read the articleOff the Path Jamaica
ShermansTravel Magazine, Winter 2009
Beyond the tourist compounds, four boutique retreats offer real local flavor in the lap of luxury…
Read the articleMexico, Meet Singapore
ShermansTravel Magazine, Fall 2009
On the Riviera Maya, a distinctive hideaway makes a grand entrance…
Read the articleLooking for Africa in Lisbon
Travels with Lonely Planet, Aug 2008
It’s a quiet night at En’Clave. As I savor a hearty meal of kalulú — a fish-and-spinach stew from the island nation of São Tome and Principe — and slowly sip on a shot of grog…
Read the articleIberian Odyssey
ShermansTravel.com/SmartLuxury, Summer 2008
Journey through Spain and Portugal, and discover cosmopolitan capitals, a rejuvenated wine region, and a stretch of coastline that’s a well-kept European secret.
Read the article

LONELY PLANET CROATIA
8TH EDITION
I have worked on the past five editions of this guidebook.

LONELY PLANET PORTUGAL
9TH EDITION
I have covered the north of Portugal for the last two editions.

LONELY PLANET STREET ART
1st Edition
For this nifty title I dug into the booming street art scene of Lisbon.

HONEYMOON HANDBOOK
1st Edition
I featured the most romantic spots and experiences in Croatia.

LONELY PLANET WEST AFRICA
8TH EDITION
I researched and updated the Cape Verde chapter.

LONELY PLANET GREAT ESCAPES
1st Edition
I covered Hvar, Croatia’s coolest isle for this gorgeous book.

LONELY PLANET’S 1000 ULTIMATE EXPERIENCES
1st Edition
I wrote about the world’s most surreal landscapes.

LONELY PLANET CHILE & EASTER ISLAND
9TH EDITION
I spent six weeks researching the north of Chile back in 2009.

LONELY PLANET BOLIVIA
7TH EDITION
I was lucky to cover one of my favorite destinations.

LONELY PLANET SOUTH AMERICA ON A SHOESTRING
11TH EDITION
My Bolivia coverage ended up in this large tome.

LONELY PLANET’S BEST IN TRAVEL
2011
I wrote up Istria, Croatia for this yearly edition.

LONELY PLANET’S BEST IN TRAVEL
2012
I wrote about glamping and Hvar.

LONELY PLANET WESTERN BALKANS
2ND EDITION
My Croatia coverage ended up included in this title.

LONELY PLANET BUENOS AIRES
5TH EDITION
This was my first commission for Lonely Planet, back in 2007.
Fodor’s New York City 2012
I researched and updated the Brooklyn chapter.
Time Out Croatia
I wrote up Zagreb, Šibenik and several features for this first edition.
Time Out New York Eating & Drinking Guide 2008
I reviewed a number of restaurants for this annual guide.
Rough Guide to South America
My first big guidebook research trip was Bolivia back in 2002.
Rough Guide to Croatia (3rd Edition)
I did some updates for this now-ancient guidebook.
The Lonely Planet logo and all images featuring Lonely Planet products are produced with permission from Lonely Planet © www.lonelyplanet.com

INSIDE HOTEL ADRIATIC
CLIENT: MAISTRA/3LHD, 2016
I wrote the text for Inside, the award-winning book on the art collection of Hotel Adriatic in Rovinj (designed by Lana Cavar).

GUEST DIRECTORY OF HOTEL ADRIATIC
CLIENT: MAISTRA, 2015
I wrote & edited the cool in-room guest directory for Hotel Adriatic in Rovinj (designed by Lana Cavar).

BALE SHORELINE DEVELOPMENT STUDY
CLIENT: 3LHD, 2007
I wrote the text for this architecture study by 3LHD Studio in Zagreb.

ZAGREB 4 YOU
CLIENT: ZAGREB TOURIST BOARD, 2015-ONGOING
I founded, edit and write this custom publication for Zagreb Tourist Board.

COPY FOR A GLOBAL COMMUNICATIONS FIRM
CLIENT: BEATTIE TARTAN, 2016-ongoing
I write press releases, backgrounders and blog posts for this fab Canada-based agency that specializes in promoting sustainable businesses and tourism destinations.

CONTENT FOR A LEADER IN WORLDWIDE ADVENTURE TRIPS
CLIENT: MOUNTAIN TRAVEL SOBEK, 2017-ONGOING
I write travel content for this California-based leader in pioneering worldwide hiking, wildlife and cultural trips.
Anja’s creativity and insight has taken Tartan’s content to a whole new level. We work with her as a writer, editor, and creative coach. Beyond her skills as a writer and storyteller, Anja is committed to championing responsible travel and sustainable tourism experiences. This matches Tartan’s commitment to inspiring and promoting not just more tourism but better tourism practices, and Anja reflects this in her content creation for us. We work with many writers and Anja rises to the top again and again due to her professionalism and passion.
Deirdre Campbell, president, Tartan Group