But to travel only for the photos and affirmation is a two-dimensional and underwhelming way to experience a place. Instead, the most meaningful, memorable, and joyful travel happens when you put down your camera and dig into the many dimensions of your destinations.
One dimension is the history of these places. It turns out, a visit to Rome is much more meaningful when you know the stories of the emperors honored by the various monuments. Suddenly, these ruins aren’t just a pile of rocks etched with Roman numerals but part of someone’s legacy – a legacy that may remind you of senators, governors, and presidents in your era. Similarly, my stay in a cave hotel in Matera took on deeper meaning when I understood the city’s history. Yes, it was a beautiful luxury hotel room now, but it was also once a home to a struggling family sleeping next to their livestock each night. It made me approach the space with a new reverence.
Another important dimension of travel is connecting with local people. I could have easily spent a week on the beach in Sardinia, laying my towel down alongside fellow travelers each day. But I’m glad I took the time to venture into the mountainous heart of the country to do a pilgrimage alongside the Sardinians. On my taxi ride home with other pilgrims, I loved speaking with the woman next to me in my broken Italian about her dog and her job at the local supermarket. And when my tour group was in Sorrento, our favorite moment was sharing a homecooked meal in the backyard of a local family, finishing by sipping their homemade limoncello. After these connections, the destinations were no longer travel fantasies; they were other people’s hometowns with just as much complexity and reality as mine.
