Wine has served as Lara’s passport to discovering new destinations all over the world.
Growing up, Lara spent many summers visiting family in Venice and Northern Italy. She studied abroad and continued to travel throughout college before graduating when decided to make the most of her dual citizenship by moving to Florence to pursue her love of all things Italy. During her time living abroad, she attended culinary school, worked for a winery in Chianti Classico, and perfected la dolce vita.
After returning stateside to Charleston, Lara began a very rewarding career in the wine industry which had her traveling extensively to wine regions throughout Europe with a focus on Italy. Eventually, she even became an Italian Wine Ambassador but after a decade in the wine world, Lara set her sights on a path that would combine all of her passions. She dove headfirst into the travel industry in 2020, immersing herself in all she could to launch Unpairalleled Travel as an affiliate of SmartFlyer, ensuring clients would receive both her first-hand recommendations and the rich benefits of a renowned agency.
Much like finding the perfect wine pairing for your palate, Lara pairs people and places, creating one-of-a-kind experiences around the world that provide a true taste of what makes a destination unique. She believes that–just like wine–travel is a multi-sensory experience that should leave you feeling deeply connected to an authentic sense of place. Each trip she crafts for clients is done in this essence with extreme attention to detail and thoughtful dining, activity, and sightseeing recommendations.
One of my favorite things to do on any trip is watching the sunset–I plan the entire evening around it! I’ve seen so many magical sunsets all over the world, but experiencing a sunset sail in Santorini tops the list. After swimming all day and enjoying a typical aperitif as we returned to port, I’ll never forget watching the crimson sky turn to dusk from our front row seats onboard.
Having spent so much time traveling all over Europe, particularly Italy, I’m ready to expand my horizons to corners of the world less familiar to me. My travels are always inspired by culinary and wine experiences–I can’t wait to eat my way through Thailand and Vietnam, as well as explore wine regions throughout the Southern Hemisphere, like South Africa and New Zealand.
Keep up with the places that deserve more than a bookmark, but a check-in.
