nomadic travel bug

Nomadic Neen

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Find Your Inner Nomad

Welcome to Nomadic Neen!

My hope and mission is to inspire others to explore this beautiful world by sharing my own personal travel experiences with a vision of helping others experience the world in the most sustainable , authentic , exciting way possible.

Travel Highlights

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10 Signs You Have Been Bitten by the Travel Bug

Have You Been Bitten By the Travel Bug?

The famous travel quote by Michael Palin says:

“Once the travel bug bites there is no known antidote. And I know that I shall be happily infected until the end of my life”

I have always liked this quote, probably because I have always loved traveling.

That desire to explore the unknown , to visit the places you’ve read about or saw on tv… To learn about new cultures, taste new food… Yes, I have the travel bug! 🙂

10 Signs That Show You Have Caught the Travel Bug

1. you don’t understand why other people save money to spend on material things.

When you save money it’s for traveling.

You probably, like me, believe experiences are much more valuable than possessions. And what better way to experience new things than by traveling somewhere?

Also Read: 10 Reasons to Travel the World and How to Save Money While Traveling

2. You Both Love and Hate Airports

The airport has become the place where you say goodbye to loved ones but it’s also the place where new adventures begin…

The travel bug may take you away from people to chase after new adventures. But most of the time you will find that well worth it.

3. You Have Long Stopped Counting the Number of Times You Slept at Airports

A long layover? A delayed flight?

If you have been bitten by the travel bug you have probably spent A LOT of time at airports!

Also Read: Things to Do During a Layover

4. You Have Taken This Picture Many Times

I LOVE window seats and yes, I therefore often take a picture of the view while traveling to my next destination.

There is something magical about flying above the clouds. And about looking at the world from up above. It makes me feel small and it makes my problems seem insignificant.

5. You Love Your Passport Because of All the Cool Stamps It Has

Do you ever go through your passport, and look at all the stamps you have collected to reminisce past trips?

Or go through other people’s passports to hear the stories behind all their stamps? I can listen to those stories for hours!

6. You Have a Box Filled With Currency From Around the World

If you are anything like me you always save some money from the countries you have visited.

By now I have a big box with coins and bills from all over the world. Which, again, is a great way to reminisce past trips on a rainy day.

7. You Are Constantly Daydreaming of Where You Can Go Next

When you hear someone talking about traveling or see some Instagram pictures of idyllic destinations your travel bug is easily triggered and you are off dreaming about your next travel destination.

Also Read: Where to Travel to Next – Travel Inspiration From Instagram

8. Your Bucket List Never Seems to Get Shorter

There is always a new destination to add to your bucket list.

So instead of getting shorter, it seems like your bucket list is only ever getting longer!

Also Read: Incredible Bucket List Destinations For a Once in a Lifetime Trip

9. You Love Being Immersed in Different Cultures

A large part of the excitement of traveling is in exploring new cultures.

Learning about how other people live, what their culture is like and how that differs from yours is one of the most valuable parts of traveling.

10. WhatsApp Is Your Default Form of Communication

If you have been bitten by the travel bug you probably have friends all over the world.

And the best way to communicate with friends on the other side of the world is via WhatsApp. So by now, you are probably very familiar with this app!

What Does ‘Travel Bug’ Mean?

Simply put: people bitten by the travel bug have a passion for travel and like to visit new places .

Or, more formally, according to the Macmillan Dictionary :

Travel bug meaning: A strong desire to travel across the world

Did you catch the travel bug yet?

• How to Find the Cheapest Flights
• Why Should You Travel?

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the things you did do. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor and catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”

– Mark Twain

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The Ultimate Survival Guide for the Travel Bug

Stuck at home when the travel bug bites here’s your ultimate survival guide.

So is the plight of an eternal wanderer, no matter how content our circumstances, we're always on the hunt for our next adventure. There’s something that happens when you become inducted into the life of a nomad, once that first trip is taken, you are forever changed. Day-to-day life at home becomes overshadowed with a reminder that there is a wealth of culture, food, and adventure out there yet to experience. When you have left your heart all over the world, the strong desire for adventure turns you into a travel-prepper, always having an emergency kit with your passport and travel gear within grabbing distance. When a travel bug bites, you catch yourself yearning to forget the travel agency, take all your money and become a hitchhiker off the beaten path, some place completely new. You want to participate and learn and grow, you create a bucket list and will tick it all off even if it means travelling alone . 

Have You Got the Travel Bug Sickness?

For the travelling addict, effective treatment for a travel bug is a few clicks of a mouse and a pack of a backpack away. But what if despite having a strong desire for difference, you’re stuck at home? Right now, we’re all in the same boat, the forced border closures of COVID-19 have removed any chance of a holiday within your own city, let alone another country. Being forced to stay at home has left us all feeling the sting of an un-remedied travel bug.  But this experience is not unique, the travel bug will bite again with the same terrible timing, and you’ll find yourself struggling at the look of your empty travel journal. It may come at a time when you don’t have enough money to take a break from work, you may be studying, or you may be needed at home too much to leave. Whatever the reason is, a travel bug left unsatiated connects us all though our pursuit for more, and the suffering that comes from not receiving it. 

Symptoms of the Travel Bug

To cure yourself from the bug, you must first determine if you are infected. The travel bug is an easy sickness to diagnose with some obvious key symptoms. These symptoms include bouts of restlessness throughout day-to-day life, spending excessive amounts of time woefully reminiscing past travel experiences over old travel journal entries, and feeling pangs of jealousy watching holiday adverts. Another key symptom is keeping your passport and essentials in an easily accessible spot for a quick grab-and-go when the time strikes.  If you have one or all these symptoms, you are in definite need of a remedy for the travel bug.

What Are Some Ways I Can Entertain the Travel Bug Until I Can Travel Again?

Just because you’re prevented from travelling doesn’t mean you can’t tame the travel bug. I’m not sure if anyone has ever told you this, but you don’t actually need to spend a month travelling alone in South America to fix the travel bug. The same feelings of newness, openness and excitement that come from a new travel experience can be replicated at home. 

Explore Your Own Backyard

This may seem a little superfluous considering you see your local area all the time, but have you ever tried to look at your backyard through the eyes of a wanderer? Forget your passport and instead venture out to your local parks, hiking trails and beaches for a unique experience. A way to get you started is by going Geocaching, the worldwide treasure hunt that gives you the opportunity to look a little closer and see things you may not have noticed before. Geocaching can also help you ‘virtually travel’ by tracking travel bug tags and geocoins as they are found and placed in new caches. There’s a strange sense of excitement that comes from vicariously living though a travelling keychain; sometimes all you need for your next adventure is wifi. 

There’s no travel destination more unique and wondrous as where meditation can take you. Escape the forces of space and time as you go inward and release the travel bug through an infinite source of light and joy. The same feelings of wisdom, openness and connectedness that results from travel can be sourced and magnified from the comfort of your own home. Plus, i f you struggle with sitting still, and practicing more traditional types of meditation, you can try a meditation envision exercise.  Envision yourself bronzing in Hawaii, snowboarding in New Zealand or road tripping in the United States. Write a travel journal about your celestial journey as a bookmark of the experience you can return to at any time. 

Research Your Next Destination

Depending on your circumstances there’s a good chance that even if you may not be able to travel now, you’ll get the opportunity at some point in the future and when that time comes, you’ll want to be ready. When you have left your heart all over the world it can be hard to decide where to go next, spend this time preparing your bucket list. Become your own travel agent by researching the best things about your future destination and plan what your journey will look like. Travel research is beneficial in supporting your mental wellbeing, generating feelings of excitement for the next time you can pack your gear and go. 

Create Playlists of Past Adventures

Music is an incredibly powerful medium to induce nostalgia of past travel experiences and place you back in a familiar mind frame. Put on that song that takes you back to the morning you spent jumping off waterfalls in Luang Prabang alongside fellow travellers. Or a song that reminds you of a local community you visited. Create a Spotify playlist with songs that remind you of times past, find a quiet private place, listen to the music and let it transport you back to fond memories and familiar feelings from the past. For inspiration, check out Wakeful Travel's playlists on Spotify .

Watch Documentaries

An important part of ecotourism and mindful travel is understanding the history and culture of your destination. To understand the significance of where you are standing is to create a deep respect of the ancestors who came before you. Watching documentaries of your next travel destination can give you great insights into what life used to be like, as well as the existing customs, traditions, and ways of living. It can also give you some awesome ideas of key experiences in the area. Just because you can’t travel right now doesn’t mean you can’t feed the travel bug by preparing yourself for your next journey. The more you know about a place, the deeper your respect and the more you will get out of the trip, so start now. 

Have an Online Experience

Airbnb has found the prefect way to let you experience the world right from your phone or computer through their new Online Experiences platform. Just in the same way as you would book in a cooking class or a tour with a travel agent, Airbnb is doing the same online, all you’ll need is some Wi-Fi. Wine tasting with experienced sommeliers in the United States, art and graffiti tours in South America, private yoga with an Olympic snowboarder in New Zealand, plus many more throughout Hawaii, Italy, the UK and more. If you love travelling alone this provides you with the ultimate privacy in the comfort of your own home.

Another surprising online experience can be found on Google Maps. Google Maps and Google Earth can help you get lost just as easily as it directs you on your path. Spend some time meandering through various cities and countries, it will help you buff up on your geography, but you can also use street view to take a virtual walkthrough down the streets of your chosen location. Street view is a lot less ‘manicured’ than other virtual tour sites and with no false adverts you get to really see what it looks like on a regular day in the life of a town.

Connect With Your Friends

A big part of leaving your heart all over the world isn’t just about missing the experience of travel, but rather missing the connections you have along the way. A way to help remedy a travel bug is to spend some time connecting with friends you’ve met overseas. Not only does it increase feelings of connection, but it allows you to virtually travel into the homes of your international friends. A fun thing to do is to ask your friends to go on a ‘FaceTime walk’ with you, you can show one another the local parks and streets to see what day-to-day life is like. After all, the crux of a travel bug is a disconnect between what you have and what you want, so experiencing connection is the prefect antidote. 

Try Something New at Home

Novelty is a huge part of travel. When we travel, we feel as though we find ourselves’, but what we are truly doing is distancing ourselves from our everyday distractions, to give ourselves the time to assess what’s important. Maybe instead of finding the next adventure, we just need to do things a little differently, to gain that newness, to learn new things and to discover a bit more about ourselves. After all, they say change is as good as a holiday. Try a new fitness regime, practice yoga, paint, write a letter to yourself and hide it to find later, practice a new self-love technique , try cooking something new, practice mindfulness , challenge yourself. Great things can come from micro-steps of self-discovery, and you don’t need a one-way ticket or lots of money to do it.

Write a Bucket List

What are all the things you wish you could do before you kick the bucket? Perhaps it’s trying your hand at travelling alone , maybe it’s to be a hitchhiker, maybe it’s to accrue all the stamps in your passport? Initially writing a list like this might make a travel bug worse, as a cruel reminder of all the things you can’t do right now. But as you dig a little deeper you’ll find some other things on that list like developing a new skill, learn some self-love , do an act of kindness for someone else, learn a new language or even write a book. Travel often gives us a sense of achievement, a sense of growth. Through the process of developing a bucket list you can find things done at home that produces that same sense of growth as your next adventure. Oh, and it just so happens that a travel bucket list is included in the Wakeful Travel Journal .

The Tavel bug is a Mind Game

It can be tough when the travel bug bites, your symptoms can become so severe that being at home can feel like torture. But I hope that through reading this article, you can see that the feelings and experiences elicited by travel don’t need to actually come from getting on a plane. You can bury into the depths of your consciousness, challenge yourself beyond belief and come out the other end a new person with a new outlook on life – without ever leaving your home. Beauty is everywhere, there’s a new lesson, a new experience, and a new outlook to be had in every space, even one you've been in every day – perhaps even more so. The time to travel will come around once again, and you’ll be ready, passport and travel journal in hand. 

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The mysterious origins of the travel bug.

Every few years I get this strange feeling.

It is something hard to explain – I feel antsy, like I am supposed to be doing something important, but can’t quite figure it out.

Like that feeling when you have something on the tip of your tongue and it is so frustrating that you can’t spit it out.

I scratch my head, pace, have sleepless nights until it dawns on me…I know this feeling. I need to go somewhere, get outside the box, have a new experience.

I need to travel.

This is the feeling commonly referred to as “the travel bug” and people the world over experience it on a regular basis.

In fact, there is an entire industry based on this human need – travel agents, tour guides, travel writers, travel insurance , resorts and vacation packages, the list goes on.

The Very First Traveler

Where did the first person get their inspiration to head out into the unknown? To hack apart the jungle on the edges of their village; to build the first raft to cut through the endless ocean?

It’s likely the sheer impossibility of the act provoked their curiosity. They needed to get somewhere that would have been impossible by any other means. Their desire to get there was so strong that they invented a mechanism to negate the problem.

Think about it – so many of our modern conveniences have been dictated by the human need for travel that you begin to wonder.

Homo Sapiens (also known as modern day humans) have been on this earth for about 130, 000 years. We descended from Homo Erectus, who had already colonized Oceania and Eurasia by 40,000 years BP (Before Present).

These early humans were hunter-gatherers and lived a nomadic lifestyle, which means from our earliest days we were travelers.

It wasn’t until 10,000 years ago and the Neolithic Revolution that agriculture was adopted, and human beings deciding to stay in one place for long periods of time. But even then, humans still found a need to travel.

Ever heard of spreading out the gene pool? Most people know that in order for humans to survive as a species we must diversify the gene pool. This results in less genetic defects as we are able to adapt to new situations and environments.

A Thought Experiment

Our genetic makeup leads us to do things – perhaps it’s the genetic desire to continue as a species that gives us this itch and need to go out in the world, meet new people, and intertwine with different cultures.

This is a very scientific way to look at things. How about the philosophical perspective?

The world is incredibly diverse, and people from different places and cultures have been intermarrying, sharing and propagating for such a long stretch of history.

Perhaps the travel bug is really our collective mind reminding us as individuals that there is more to life and to this world than any of us can experience in an single lifetime. Therefore we should get out there and discover as much as we can with the life that we do have.

It is this collective potential that urges us to expand our minds and in turn open our hearts so that the species can continue by eradicating racism, sexism, religious intolerance and everything else that breeds hatred and in turn war, murder and genocide .

Forget natural selection and over-population — if we as a species can’t diffuse our colonial, militaristic ways, there will be no one left to experience the world, which is the collective mind’s most important objective.

So the next time the travel bug strikes…remember, our bodies, and our experiences, are the result of thousands of years of genetic and philosophical evolution. Don’t resist your urge!

Embrace, explore, and experience the world.

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The Travel Bug

What it is and how to get it, voyageous infectus:.

An extreme urge to get out and see stuff.  This not-so-rare affliction displays symptoms similar to that of Fear Of Missing Out (FOMO).  It is most often contracted by looking through friends’ photo albums, though cases have also been reportedly linked to researching ancestry, scuba diving, and post-honeymoon withdrawal.

Symptoms include:

My Zanzibar screensaver

• Your screen savers are better than the ones that come with the computer
• You volunteer to plan other peoples’ trip itineraries
• Invariably you find yourself in the travel section of any bookstore you walk into
• None of your decorations at home match because it’s all from random countries

While unfortunately there is no known cure (other than visiting Baltimore), the CDC compiled a list of home remedies. Scientific studies have shown these remedies will make Travel Bug symptoms more tolerable:

• Put all your daily purchases on a credit card for frequent flyer miles on purchases.  Omaha to Madrid in business class for $28? Not bad. Find a card that offers massive travel points just for signing up – Visit Travel is free , Johnny Jet or Nomadic Matt to keep tabs on these offers.
• Visit Travel Adventure Shows. I go to these whenever I can to wander around, listen to industry experts who travel constantly and chat with representatives from destinations I plan on traveling to get the real scoop.
• Find a travel buddy: My two favorite travel buddies are my wife, (who can put up with me for hours on end and tolerates listening to audio books at triple speed) and my dog, Mitch, who is always up for any adventure (to include Nebraska, Michigan, hiking in Utah, Colorado, Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, ocean time in North Carolina, and a trip to Niagara falls).
• Set up travel alerts for your airport of choice: Kayak, Momondo, FareDealAlert or AirFareWatchDog can all keep track of special deals from your home airport and destination of choice.
• Travel.  Do it.  Go.  Take two weeks, or quit your job and hike for two months. People do it more often than you think.

If you find yourself displaying these or other symptoms, do some homework , and make sure to read up on overseas safety before you go.  A bad experience can be detrimental to the travel bug – get out there, but be smart about it.  Finally, though some may tell you otherwise, I fully support donating half your stuff and putting the rest into storage while you explore the world!

How do you stoke your wanderlust?

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7 Startling Realities of Nomadic Travel

Note: This started out as a very large piece including the pitfalls of nomadic travel . I ended up splitting it for your reading pleasure. So enjoy part 1. Part 2 can be found here.

Perhaps there are some people out there doing a grand old job. Perhaps there are single folks who have no problem with any of these things I’m about to discuss. You may even find couples or families rocking nomadic life.

I guess it also depends on what you mean by nomad . My good friends World Travel Family & Travel Deep and Wide are nomadic. Although the majority of their travel is spent in one spot for a few months, it’s slow travel. Is that still nomadic?

Please don’t get me wrong. I loved my last 5 years of travel. I found my career, I developed insane bonds with my kids and I saw over 67 countries that changed the way I view the world in general.

But on top of all that I really believe it takes something special to just get up and be nomadic. And I’m not just talking about being nomadic. I’m talking about blogging and nomadic travel. I’m talking about what I was doing.

So what was I doing that made nomadic life hard? Here are 7 startling realities of my nomadic travel journey:

Organising travel

I planned our life every day. Where we were going to sleep, how we were going to get there, whether we needed a car or a train or a flight. I use to enjoy travel planning. I was even a travel agent once, but planning travel every day is exhausting. Add to this the blogging aspect of travel and lining up jobs and timing and travel for 4 people, it became something I spent a lot of time on.

Pro: I still love planning vacations and it’s so much easier now that it’s not every day of my life.

Schooling children

My kids were young when we left Australia. At 2 and 3 I didn’t have this burden. At 5 and 6 it became a concern of mine and so I started organising more structured learning into their lives. I have never wanted to be a teacher, so having to become one for my children was difficult. I enlisted learning books and the internet to help with the job. In Mexico, I enlisted a Spanish tutor.

But every day I thought about my babies and making sure they remained up to date in their schooling. Hoping the lifestyle we had chosen wouldn’t hinder their future. I’m proud of how smart they are and I truly believe homeschooling is an excellent choice for any child, but it takes an extra special Mum to be able to do that too.

Pro: My kids learned so much from travel that school could never have taught them. They have an education that even their teachers are proud of.

Managing a business

During the first 2 years of my nomadic travel, I had a hobby blog. I have always wanted to be a writer, so I enjoyed it completely. After 2 years the blog started to have a life of its own and a decision was made to make it into our full-time income . That was when the pressure started. Would I be able to provide for my family? Especially as we travelled the world? The blog took many hours of work, which was usually squeezed into an evening when my kids were sleeping. It started to take time away from my travel experiences and my relationships.

Pro: Without my travel experience I would never have found my calling as a blogger. I am so grateful to have found this dream job.

Running a household

Despite not really having a home for the last 5 years, this job became even more important. Making sure my children were eating a balanced diet , finding time to buy new clothes, endeavouring to make sure there was time for showers and hair brushing. Don’t even get me started on laundry! The bane of any traveller’s existence. Sometimes I had no idea when we would find the next washing machine and that is extremely frustrating when you have messy children and limited clothing.

Pro: The kids and I learned to make the best out of all situations. We can literally “live” anywhere.

Maintaining relationships

Long distance relationships are hard work. But I knew I was not going to let my relationships fail, just because we had chosen a somewhat isolated existence. And so as often as I could I called my best friend, I organised travel with my sister, I attempted to meet my parents around the world, I made new friends and followed them to exotic places just so my kids and I could socialise and maintain healthy relationships. The reality is we saw these people usually once a year and for a sanguine like me (and my daughter), that wasn’t enough.

Pro: We did get to make friends all over the world and these friends now visit me here in Australia!

There comes a time in travel when you can’t possibly see one more castle or visit one more aquarium or go on one more roller coaster. It’s real and it’s a thing. Travel burn out can happen to the best of us. After a month in Ireland, I never wanted to see another castle again. I do now. Now I dream of castles, but at the time I had had enough.

The reality is that with nomadic travel you are so busy taking photos of the next thing, you rarely even look back on the experience you just did. It becomes tiring.

Pro: I am still amazed at everything we saw and did on our travels. And now we have the time to remember it all and dream of places we would love to revisit.

Coordinating our previous life

On top of running my new life and all those important tasks above, I couldn’t forget about my previous life. I had houses and belongings back in Australia. I continued to manage our home in Perth, Australia by finding new tenants, writing agreements, organising inspections and reports, collecting the rent, attending to maintenance.

I had to ensure everyone’s passports were up to date, that my driver’s license wouldn’t expire, that credit cards remain paid. And calling banks continuously to unfreeze bank cards from travel is a pain in the ass, let me tell you!

Just because we left Australia, didn’t mean we didn’t have responsibilities and obligations back home that I had to coordinate and manage.

Pro: So thankful for my prior job as a Property Manager that made this task pretty simple. And I have to say I had great tenants.

But Don’t Just Take My Word For It

For every one family doing nomadic travel, there are several others who have stopped. And it’s not just families, I’ve asked all my nomad friends solo, couple, and families to tell me why.  What I found was nomadic travel is fabulous. It’s just knowing when to stop. Nomadic travel is filled with experiences, learning, knowledge, but so is being in a home base. So timing is everything.

Caz & family – yTravel blog

Travelled 20+ years

For the current life stage, I am at having a home base makes everything easier. I like the excitement of leaving and returning. When you are nomadic that disappears. Having a home base brings me more comfort and stability. I can own more things and travel with less. And, I like being part of a community and having friends to reconnect with. I’ve been living a nomadic lifestyle for 20 years. I now crave a little more certainty. A home base gives me that, yet still offers me the freedom and joy I get from travel.

Meg & Mike – Mapping Megan

Travelled 2+ years

For all the advantages of full-time travel, after multiple years on the road, there are certain comforts of home you begin to crave. Small things like sleeping on the same pillow long enough that there’s a permanent place for your head. Ironically enough, you begin to crave the mundane things you were trying to escape! And there is definitely something to be said about allowing yourself time to take a break. Time to get excited about a trip, and time to reflect and appreciate the experience upon return. Half the fun of travel is the build-up and anticipation, but when you’re experiencing one destination after the next, there’s not a lot of time for that. Nor is there time to sit and reminisce or organize your photos when you’re already taking new shots of the next.

Sharon & family – Simpler & Smarter

Travelled 1+ years

I stopped nomadic travel as it did not suit our family. Trying to travel, parent and work on the road is very hard! With our oldest hitting school age and a new baby on the way, there was no way we had the energy for travel as well so we came home and now are happy to travel in school holidays. It’s much easier for us to balance all our demands at home.

Hannah & Adam – Getting Stamped

Travelled 4+ years

After 4 years of nonstop traveling, we needed a base. A place to call home between trips. A place where we could leave some of our belongings instead of carrying our whole lives to every country. We wanted options and stuff, yes stuff. We were done living out of a suitcase. And we missed our 8lb furball named Tinkerbell. So now we call Milwaukee home again but don’t worry we still break out the passports monthly!

Bethaney & family – Flashpacker Family

Travelled 3+ years

We made the choice to stop nomadic travel for our kids . While we thought we were temporarily stopping at home in New Zealand to sort out our house and some business situations, it has turned into a more permanent stop. Our kids both really grew to love the traditional school environment and we couldn’t take that away from them. Their behaviour and attitude have been a lot better since we have been more settled. We’re also really seeing that we can travel a lot during school holidays and that our travel bug can be satisfied with short-term travel too. I’m not ruling out long-term travel again for us in the future, but for now, it’s working for us to stay put at home .

Sabina & family – A King’s Life

Travelled 8+ years

We paused nomadic travel to give ourselves a different experience. After traveling the world semi-nomadically for 8 years, it became our normal, the 9-5, so to speak. Sitting still and experiencing one place and challenges that come from that was the ‘new’ experience for us. Also, we wanted this experience to have activities that we could not do successfully moving around: such as regular ballet classes or jiu-jitsu classes with a consistent teacher. Consistency has its place, and for this phase, who knows how long it will last, it called to us.

Alisa & family – Living Outside The Box

Our family enjoyed nomadic travel for as long as it made sense for us. I believe every lifestyle has a tradeoff. While we loved full-time travel as a family, we began to realize that having a home base would offer us opportunities that we couldn’t enjoy while on the road. We couldn’t have everything at once, and eventually, we decided that travel from a home base would offer us a better balance, and would fit better within our family goals and priorities.

Jen & family  – Live World Travel

We stopped Nomadic Travel because we wanted to have a home and were a little bit tired of living out of our suitcase. I wanted a proper kitchen with good quality accessories and a full fridge/pantry, Scott wanted to make beer in a shed somewhere and our kids were wanting a different type of life, one where they had bikes and permanent friends and family. We also noticed that we weren’t always appreciating each place we went to and increasingly were looking to spend time with friends (like you) and rent proper apartments, like these apartments for rent in bridgeport ct,  so we could spend time at ‘home’ and relax in comfort. It was lots of fun but having a home feels so good and is definitely the right decision for our family!

Ruth & Son – Exploramum & Explorason

Travelled 5+ years

We stopped nomadic travel to set up a home base which will enable stability and a sense of security to our family. After 5 years we missed familiarity – family, friends, holidays, formal schooling and buddies, special occasions and our possessions. And my son missed school so much that he asked to go back! Whilst nomadic travel is less expensive and offers incredible freedom, sometimes it takes its toll on us personally, which it did for me. I spent little time caring about ‘me’ and with constant change in climates, culture, diet etc this can often have a negative impact on our personal well being. Whilst nomadic travel is a wonderful life, we are now ready to travel using a home base which I believe is the right move for us at this point in our travel lives.

Copyright Exploramum

Talon & Son – 1 Dad 1 Kid

My teenager announced they were transgender, so we needed to return home for a legal name change, therapy, specialists, etc.

Dan – Dan Flying Solo

After over three years on the road, I’ve never been more exhausted. Travelling always will be my biggest passion but I realised my priorities had shifted. Family, relationships and growing a business have become more important over the years and setting down some roots seems the best way to get the time back to focus on that and build a community around me again.

Tanya & Andrew – Magic Travel Blog

As a team of two, we had a wonderful time traveling the world for almost five years. Once the third member of our family became mobile the places we love lost some of their shine. We had the option of a very child-friendly home base in Australia and now we take regular trips instead.

With the passing of time, one matures and certain valuable pieces of our life take on more importance. It is only a natural progression to grow out of a life situation and to grow into a new one.

Those very true and very big realities were stressing me out. So I took action. Just because nomadic travel has ended doesn’t mean I gave up my dream life. In fact, I feel like phase two of my dream life has just begun.

Read article 2: 5 Personal Pitfalls of Nomadic Travel

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It is really amazing what kids can learn from traveling once in a while. It opens there mind and heart to the world and makes them appreciate what they learn from a different perspective. Great post, Erin!

Thanks Darryl!

Group Admin Thank you Erin! Great post(s) — I look forward to reading more (it’s been awhile since I’ve kept up!… 😉 ) I do hope that you’ll post here often!

I read both of your recent posts on leaving the nomadic life — great info! I do, however, think there’s a place of balance to be found between being constantly on the road and giving it up completely. I’ve full-timed for 10 years now, and my “sweet spot” is staying in one location long enough to just park it and “live” there for awhile, instead of always feeling like I’m touristing. I join community bands and kickball teams, go to the gym and participate in local business groups, set up monthly book clubs and game nights. Certainly not for everyone, but it works for us!

We are really pleased to know that we aren’t the only ones in this position. Both Andrew and I often talk about the good old days and wonder if we could ever be nomadic again. Only time will tell. Until then, we are extremely happy living where we are and sometimes treating our home town as a travel destination!

Rose coloured glasses. I could definitely do it again, but not now. It’s seasonal and there’s something to be said for being at home <3

That was a great read Erin. I felt exhausted for you but could also see how it was all just so magical too. Motherhood, adulthood, it’s all so hectic. I am loving watching you be so happy in your new lifestyle. Xx

Hhaha. Sorry to exhaust you and thank you for helping me slot back into “real-life”

Indeed—a time and a season for all things. We loved full-time travel, and now absolutely love having a home base. I think having experienced both helps me appreciate a home-base more than I ever would have, otherwise!

Always be happy in every season. Well said!

Great to read your perspective! I find the constant planning to be the hardest part. I was okay while spending 6 months in Asia last year, as we did most things last minute and had a return date. But after spending 10 months in Europe with a dog, and the extra hassle that requires, plus aiming to visit every UNESCO World Heritage site – argh! I also re-read the requirements for flying our dog back to Australia late next year, and the paperwork and vet visits is going to be a headache or near impossible, unless we’re in s single country for at least 5-6 weeks.

Yes. Always planning! I’ve had enough. I’m sorry it’s been even harder on you and good luck with entry into Aust.

I feel you Erin. Everything you have said is me. While I never made nomadic travel my life, I do not think I can as a solo parent with ( now 6 and 4 year old ) boys. They love school, and friends and grandparents and dad at home. I love travel and the simplicity of it. But finding a place with laundry ( on our recent 4 weeks in the Middle East ), food my kids will eat, time to “force” them to do some type of school work ( and to think I wanted to be a teacher at one point ), it is HARD! I read world travel family posts all the time, and love their life too, but I know it is not me, I need time away from my kids, I like to have time to work uninterrupted, I like to send my kids to school ( and they love it ), and then plan my next adventure! Love your new blog ! Love seeing your great updates! Hope to see you adventuring with the kids again soon!

Thanks so much Lindsay. It’s been so fabulous to have you along for the entire ride.

What an awesome post. I love to read so many different perspectives. As someone who hopes to travel with our boys in the future research is something that I feel is so important.

We really love our life and right now we enjoy travelling during our holidays discovering new places and experiencing the world with our boys. One day we hope we can find a way to support us to do this more often. But we’ve never really thought we would be able to leave a home base.

I think at some point we will do more prolonged trips. I really feel that our boys will grow from this. I love how you listed the pros to each point you made in this post.

Thank you so much for this post. I can’t wait to discuss this a little more with my husband.

So glad you got something out of it and thanks for leaving a comment. Enjoy that dream talk with the hubby. Make sure you are all on the same page because it takes a family xx

Great post. For me it’s definitely true that my son’s the one who keeps me at home with a home base, he’s a keen traveller but he also does fit well with the structure of school and it’s really important to me that he has close relationships with friends and family here that you just can’t get by moving around a lot.

Good on you putting your son first.

Yes to all of this! The constant planning of every minute detail is completely draining. We were planning on 30 months, but are scaling back to 22 months because of all these reasons and more. Good news is that we have a much better idea of the kind of travel that we would like to do when we retire.

It’s interesting to read this now. We’ve been planning a travel year with our kids for quite a while now and as it draws closer I’m getting excited but I’m also becoming more aware of the things I take for granted at home. Last night we were at our local church watching the kids doing their little Christmas pageant, sharing goodies with our neighbours, chatting with the parents of my kids’ friends, waving at the toddlers running up and down the aisles and laughing together at the kids’ antics and I really found myself wondering if I could ever give up my home and community for good. I think your post really nails down a lot of the challenges; how to keep up with medical appointments, how to keep the excitement up after 100 castles, or even what about when all you need is a hug and a cry with a good friend. Don’t get me wrong, I can’t wait to hit the road and spend a year exploring, but it won’t come without some sacrifice and I think it would be naive to make such a major lifestyle decision without acknowledging the challenges. Thanks for your honesty and great insights.

I love this. I really missed my church and friend group as well. To choose one life is to not choose the other. To not choose birthday parties and girls nights and where to sleep. Your travel will be amazing and it’s an adventure you should look forward to. But everything has a season and when the season finishes be grateful that you do get to come home- the adventure does not finish.

I really found this post insightful. I dream of full time travel, not necessarily lightening speed but not needing to be anywhere anytime is a dream. Just blogging, taking pics and living life.. But its been awesome to read your experiences and know there is another side to dreams. I know this too well. Getting to live in Fiji for our “working months” is not all peaches and cream as most would believe. So thank you for sharing your experiences and being “real”

Balance is the key. I love what Meg said above about just enjoying each season and understanding what season you need. I would like your Fiji season lol.

Wonderful post Erin, I think that everything in life requires balance, and that everything in life is but a stage. We went through out stage of nomadic travel, and who knows, perhaps being back in a home base is also a stage before we come around full circle. But I think one of the most important things in life is being able to judge when you need a break, and embrace a change of lifestyle when something has stopped working for you.

Thanks for keeping it real!

So true. I’m thinking I’d like to go again… When I’m old with no kids! Haha! 😀

I agree it was a lot easier than I thought too, we returned after 3 years on the road living on a motorbike. I am loving having my tribes back around me and having time to actually plan travel these days instead of doing it on the run 🙂

Tribes! Yes. Having community is just amazing. And planning travel is fun again 😀

Hey there. First up, thanks for mentioning up top. I saw the post and was like Whaaaat, why hasn’t she asked me? Maybe I missed it. We’re on almost 5 years now and we still LOVE it. But, it takes the 2 of us. Chef is now ” retired” and the plan was for him to help me, but we find he’s actually spending ALL his time on the travel planning, Then there’s the kids and doing stuff with them and his Ironman training. We don’t spend the majority of our time in one place, don’t know where you got that idea. I think we’re the most active travellers of the bunch. I actually HATE slow travel and find it really boring. We’re backpackers through and through but this year we had 2 months stationary in Hoi An, first time we’ve ever rented a house like that while we’ve been on the road. Plus we have ( had, it’s gone) our base in Romania, but we flitted back and fore, we never stayed there very long in single stretches. Jeez, please don’t ever call me a slow traveller or a worldschooler, I don’t like either term. Off from Bangkok tomorrow to Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia and back to Vietnam. Then….who knows. We don’t like to plan much either 🙂

Alyson, as if I could ever forget you! 😀 Thanks for clarifying your travel style. I figured since you had your home in Romania you had slowed right down. So good to hear you are still travelling like crazy. You make up one of the families that do it successfully. And that’s a great testament to the wonderful family you have built and the amazing husband who is a life partner helping you out. Merry Christmas wherever you end up! 🙂

Seems like a lifetime ago now, hey?

[…] you are reading on from my previous article about the 7 Startling Realities of Nomadic Travel you would realise that nomadic travel isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. I explained how hard it […]

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Nomadic Nurse Ankit

The Travel Bug-An Essay

The Travel Bug Ankit Shukla

Travel Bug: The Most Contagious Disease Going around the world, coast to coast, sea to sea, there are many illnesses out there that strike people. These illnesses may devastate people and even those closest to them. I will not be discussing these devastating illnesses today. What we will discuss right here, right now, is one of the most contagious diseases on the planet. Also, it is in no way devastating. Unless we are talking about your bank account. The travel bug is something that never goes away once you have it.

My Own Experience When I was a young boy growing up in Nevada, my traveling experience was very limited. With the lack of resources and money, it just was not an option at the time. Finally, when I was 15, I traveled with my dad to my birth country of India. It was truly a unique experience and something I had never seen before. I did not realize it at the time, but I would be riddled with an illness that I would never be able to get rid of. After this point, I had the travel bug. It grew slowly over the years, and by the time I was in my early twenties, it was full-blown. I would travel anywhere I could. Road trips were some of my favorite adventures. In fact, they still are to this day. I have never been able to get rid of the traveling bug, and I never will. The only thing I can do is manage it, so it does not completely destroy my bank account. I just have to figure out how to travel for me and I am set for life.

Managing The Travel Bug While the travel bug is the most exciting illness to be stricken with, it is still quite expensive and can heavily weigh down on your bank account. There really is no cure for the travel bug. The only antidote is a heavy dose of leaving your neighborhood and seeing the world. Take small trips or go to the other side of the world. This will be your only recourse for battling this contagious disease. Every few months, or whenever you can manage, take a trip out of your local neighborhood. This could just be a road trip to a nearby town, a flight across the world, or anything in between. There is no cure, but traveling can at least help relieve the symptoms. The worst thing that can happen is the inevitable hit to your savings. Don’t worry though, manage your trips with the resources you have and remember that memories last longer than money.

Conclusion. In the end, getting stricken with the traveling bug was one of the greatest things to have happened to me. It forced me to see the world and get out of my comfort zone. If you have the travel bug, feel blessed, because you are on your way to experiencing the beautiful world, we live in. Enjoy the traveling bug, but certainly, do not let it take over you. The travel bug is contagious, but I cannot think of a better illness to be stricken with.

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My name is Ankit. I am a Registered nurse, author, world traveler, and of course, a coffee connoisseur. I am here to discuss all coffee-related topics, so if you have any ideas, I would love to hear about them! View more posts

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The Best Travel Insurance for Digital Nomads

Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, more and more people were transitioning to remote work. Digital nomads were becoming increasingly common as people quit the cubicle to work from wherever they felt like.

Today, as the pandemic recedes, an even greater number people are working remotely. Studies show that remote workers are happier even as productivity has stayed the same — if not increased. Numerous countries now offer visas exclusively for digital nomads too.

I’ve written about finding the best travel insurance a ton over the years. That is for emergencies on the road, with the idea that if something really bad happens, you’ll go home and take care of it. After all, trips usually have a start and end date.

But being a digital nomad or remote worker is a different thing. When you are roaming the world without an end date and need prescriptions and regular checkups, normal travel insurance won’t really do.

If you’re considering the transition to working remotely abroad or becoming a digital nomad , it’s important to know your options.

Table of Contents

What to Look for in Travel Insurance for Digital Nomads

The 3 best insurance companies for digital nomads, frequently asked questions.

Digital nomads need to make sure their travel insurance plan doesn’t just cover emergencies. They need a plan that also includes routine medical coverage (more on that later).

First, though, I’d make sure your policy has at least $100,000 USD in medical coverage. Such a high limit is important, because if you get sick or injured or need serious attention and have to seek professional care, you want to make sure your high hospital bills are covered. The worst thing you can do is go cheap and get a policy with a $50,000 USD coverage limit and then burn through it in an emergency, leaving you to potentially foot a bill in the tens of thousands of dollars.

Second, you want to make sure your policy also covers emergency evacuation (separate from your medical coverage). If a natural disaster occurs or if you fall and break a leg hiking in a remote area and you need to be evacuated somewhere else, your plan should cover that as well, at least up to $300,000 USD (emergency evacuations are expensive!).

Additionally, here are a few other standard provisions a good travel insurance policy will have coverage for:

• COVID-19 (and pandemics in general)
• Lost, damaged, or stolen possessions (including some coverage for your electronics)
• Cancelations (hotels, flights, tours, etc.)
• Accidental death or dismemberment
• Political emergencies and natural disasters

It should also offer:

• Financial protection if any company you are using goes bankrupt
• 24/7 assistance (you don’t want to be told to call back later during an emergency)

A comprehensive policy will have all of this and more — these are just some of the most important things to keep an eye out for when evaluating one.

Now, as a digital nomad, on top of emergency coverage described above, you’ll also want coverage for more standard medical situations. These include, but are not limited to:

• Routine dental and vision care
• Doctor checkups
• Prescription medication
• Mental health support
• Screenings and vaccinations
• Maternity care

These elements are not covered by standard travel insurance, because that is only for emergencies. So, by buying a plan that covers emergencies as well as routine care, you’ll be able to wander the world with confidence, knowing that all your medical needs will be looked after, no matter what the road throws your way.

Just keep in mind that these long-term plans with nonemergency coverage are going to be more expensive than standard travel insurance, because they include much more than just basic emergency support.  

Nomad Heath is a fully equipped health insurance policy designed specifically for remote workers and nomads. If you spend most — or all — of your time abroad, this is a good plan for you. (Note: Nomad Health is not currently available for US residents.)

Here’s a look at Nomad Health and what coverage it includes:

• Up to $1,500,000 USD annually
• Emergency evacuation up to $100,000 USD
• Eye exams and glasses
• Rehabilitation and specialized treatments
• Screenings and vaccines
• Routine dental care
• Cancer and surgery
• Organ transplants
• Psychiatric treatment
• Maternity coverage
• Full coverage in your home country

If you’re 18–39, a Standard Nomad Health plan costs around $133 USD per month. For a Premium Plan, that same traveler will pay $208 USD per month. Unlike the company’s standard travel insurance, there is no deductible for Nomad Health.

Here’s a look at the coverage for IMG’s Global Medical Insurance:

• Maximum limit options from $1,000,000 to $8,000,000 USD
• Prescription drugs
• Some mental health care
• Some preexisting conditions
• Optional vision care (included in the Platinum plan)
• Nonemergency dental care (included in the Platinum plan)
• Maternity (in the Platinum plan only)

IMG has four tiers: Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Platinum. The latter two have the option to add sports activities; the Platinum plan can be bolstered to include terrorism incidents, if that’s a concern for you. As always, prices vary based on location and age (they cover up to age 74).

Here’s a look at what’s included with Insured Nomads:

• Emergency and nonemergency medical care and consultations
• Preventive screenings
• Vision care
• Maternity care and support
• Substance abuse support
• Vaccines, travel immunizations, and prescription drugs
• Telehealth consults
• Mental health counseling

Like IMG, Insured Nomads offer numerous deductible options to help you keep costs down. While prices vary, plans start at just $145.60 USD.

Click here to get a quote .  

Is travel insurance mandatory? For most travelers to most destinations, it is not mandatory. However, many digital nomad, work, and student visas do require some form of insurance — as do many tours and excursions.

In short, travel insurance generally isn’t mandatory — but it’s always a good idea to have, since you never know what will happen on the road.

Can’t I just use regular travel insurance? If you just want basic coverage for emergencies, lost luggage, theft, etc., then general travel insurance plans will work for you. However, on these plans, you will only have emergency coverage. That means none for general checkups, basic dental care, prescriptions, etc. But if that’s fine with you, then standard insurance can work!

What isn’t covered by travel insurance? While this varies by plan, generally you can expect injuries sustained while intoxicated, extreme sports, reckless behavior, lost or stolen cash, and civil unrest to not be covered by most plans. Again, it all varies by policy, so make sure you read the fine print!

Does travel insurance cover COVID-19? Most plans now provide some coverage for COVID-19 and other pandemics.

Am I covered if I visit my home country? Possibly. Some plans provide coverage for short-term stays in your home country while others don’t. It all depends on the policy you get. Some companies have an upgradable option for you to visit your home country, while others let you do so but only provide coverage if you’re not near your actual home (e.g., if you’re from New York, you are covered if you visit California, but not if you return near your home).

I have preexisting conditions. Am I covered? That depends. Every policy — and every medical condition — is different, so I would call your prospective travel insurance companies to ask them directly. This is the best way to get accurate, up-to-date information about your specific situation.

After many years on the road, I’ve learned the hard way to never leave home without travel insurance. Whether for a quick weekend getaway or a multi-month adventure, I always travel with travel insurance . It provides peace of mind, so I don’t have to think twice about being covered in an emergency.

As a digital nomad, you have more important things to focus on. Travel insurance removes the worry, so you can enjoy your journey, grow your business, and live your best life on the road.

Book Your Trip: Logistical Tips and Tricks

Book Your Flight Find a cheap flight by using Skyscanner . It’s my favorite search engine because it searches websites and airlines around the globe so you always know no stone is being left unturned.

Book Your Accommodation You can book your hostel with Hostelworld . If you want to stay somewhere other than a hostel, use Booking.com as it consistently returns the cheapest rates for guesthouses and hotels.

Don’t Forget Travel Insurance Travel insurance will protect you against illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. It’s comprehensive protection in case anything goes wrong. I never go on a trip without it as I’ve had to use it many times in the past. My favorite companies that offer the best service and value are:

• SafetyWing (best for everyone)
• Insure My Trip (for those 70 and over)
• Medjet (for additional evacuation coverage)

Want to Travel for Free? Travel credit cards allow you to earn points that can be redeemed for free flights and accommodation — all without any extra spending. Check out my guide to picking the right card and my current favorites to get started and see the latest best deals.

Need Help Finding Activities for Your Trip? Get Your Guide is a huge online marketplace where you can find cool walking tours, fun excursions, skip-the-line tickets, private guides, and more.

Hi, I’m Nomadic Matt, the New York Times best-selling author of How to Travel the World on $50 a Day and Ten Years a Nomad, as well as the founder of this website! And I’m here to help you save money on your next trip.

Got a comment on this article? Join the conversation on Facebook , Instagram , or Twitter and share your thoughts!

Disclosure: Please note that some of the links above may be affiliate links, and at no additional cost to you, I earn a commission if you make a purchase. I recommend only products and companies I use and the income goes to keeping the site community supported and ad free.

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• Best overall
• Best for cruises
• Best for reputation
• Best for preexisting conditions
• Best for digital nomads
• Best low-cost
• Best for road trips
• How we reviewed travel insurance companies

Ultimate Guide to Choosing the Best Travel Insurance in June 2024

Affiliate links for the products on this page are from partners that compensate us (see our advertiser disclosure with our list of partners for more details). However, our opinions are our own. See how we rate insurance products to write unbiased product reviews.

Traveling is an adventure, a leap into the unknown, a story waiting to unfold. But every story needs a safety net, and that's where travel insurance comes in. In this guide to the best travel insurance, we'll embark on a journey to help you better understand travel insurance and uncover the benefits that make it an indispensable companion for any traveler.

Our Picks for the Best Travel Insurance Companies

Best overall: nationwide travel insurance.

• Runner-Up: AXA Assistance USA
• Best for Cruises: Travel Guard
• Best Reputation:  C&F Travel Insured
• Best for Pre-existing Conditions:   Tin Leg Travel Insurance
• Best for Digital Nomads:   WorldTrips Travel Insurance
• Best Low-Cost Option:   Trawick International Travel Insurance

Best for Road Trips: Travelex Travel Insurance

How we rate travel insurance »

Compare the Best Travel Insurance Companies

The best travel insurance companies offer comprehensive coverage options for a wide range of people and needs. For this guide, we looked at coverage options, customizability, and the best companies for specific situations, such as pre-existing conditions.

Here are Business Insider's picks for the best travel insurance companies in 2024. 

• Trip cancellation coverage of up to 100% of trip costs (for cruises) or up to $30,000 (for single-trip plans)
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Three cruise-specific plans to choose from
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Annual travel insurance plans available
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Strong trip cancellation coverage
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Cancel for any reason coverage available
• con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. CFAR insurance not available with every single plan
• con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. Medical coverage is lower than what some competitors offer

Nationwide Travel Insurance offers many of the standard benefits you might see with a travel insurance policy. This can include things like trip cancellation coverage, so you can recover pre-paid costs or trip interruption in the event your vacation is interrupted by an unexpected event. There's also baggage delay coverage and medical coverage.

• Cancel for any reason coverage available

Nationwide Travel Insurance is of the largest players in the travel insurance space, offering nearly endless options for any customer on the travel spectrum, including annual travel insurance plans which can offer frequent travelers the flexibility to "set it and forget it" on their travel insurance coverage.

Nationwide Essential also offers some of the most affordable policies in the market compared to similar plans from competitors, which makes it a great pick for just about anyone. Buyers can discuss bundling options as Nationwide also sells homeowners, auto, pet, and other insurance products. Its travel insurance quoting is just as easy as it has been with other Nationwide insurance products.

Read our Nationwide Travel Insurance review here.

Best Travel Insurance Runner-Up: AXA Assistance USA

• Trip cancellation coverage of up to 100% of the trip cost
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Generous medical evacuation coverage
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Up to $1,500 per person coverage for missed connections on cruises and tours
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Covers loss of ski, sports and golf equipment
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Generous baggage delay, loss and trip delay coverage ceilings per person
• con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. Cancel for any reason (CFAR) coverage only available for most expensive Platinum plan
• con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. CFAR coverage ceiling only reaches $50,000 maximum despite going up to 75%

AXA Assistance USA keeps travel insurance simple with gold, silver, and platinum plans. Emergency medical and CFAR are a couple of the options you can expect. Read on to learn more about AXA.

• Silver, Gold, and Platinum plans available
• Trip interruption coverage of up to 150% of the trip cost
• Emergency medical coverage of up to $250,000

AXA Assistance USA  offers consumers a great option for no-stress travel insurance: low-priced plans, generous coverage limits on key categories including primary insurance on lost luggage, and up to 150% reimbursement for qualifying trip cancellations.

While add-ons are limited and rental car coverage is not included by default on cheaper plans, AXA is a perfect fit for travelers who don't plan to drive (or who already hold a travel credit card with rental car coverage), and don't need any additional bells and whistles.

Read our AXA Assistance USA Travel Insurance review here.

Best for Cruises: AIG Travel Guard

Trip cancellation coverage for up to 100% of the trip cost and trip interruption coverage for up to 150% of the trip cost

• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Trip cancellation coverage of up to 100% of the cost, for all three plan levels
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. CFAR covers up to 75% of total trip costs (maximum of $112,500 on some plans) 
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Medical coverage of up to $500,000 and evacuation of up to $1,000,000 per person
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Includes COVID coverage 
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Above average baggage loss and delay benefits
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. High medical evacuation coverage
• con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. Premiums may run slightly higher than competitors

Travel Guard is a well-established and highly rated name in the travel insurance industry. It offers three main coverage options to choose from, and in general its policies have above-average coverage for baggage loss and baggage delays, plus high medical evaluation coverage limits.

• Trip cancellation coverage for up to 100% of the trip cost
• Trip interruption coverage for up to 150% of the trip cost
• Preexisting medical conditions exclusions waiver must be purchased within 15 days of initial trip payment
• Annual travel insurance plan and Pack N' Go plan (for last-minute trips) available

Travel Guard is well-known insurance provider, and a great fit for travelers who want to ensure that they can get their money back in the event of canceled or interrupted travel plans.

While the company's policies can be pricey compared to its competitors, the high medical and evacuation limits make AIG a solid choice for older travelers who value peace of mind and simplicity over highly customizable plans that may be bolstered with medical upgrades.

Read our AIG Travel Guard review here.

Best for Reputation: C&F Travel Insured

• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Offers 2 major plans including CFAR coverage on the more expensive option
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Cancellation for job loss included as a covered reason for trip cancellation/interruption (does not require CFAR coverage to qualify)
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Frequent traveler reward included in both policies
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Up to $1 million in medical evacuation coverage available
• con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. Medical coverage is only $100,000
• con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. Reviews on claims processing indicate ongoing issues
• C&F's Travel Insured policies allow travelers customize travel insurance to fit their specific needs. Frequent travelers may benefit from purchasing an annual travel insurance plan, then adding on CFAR coverage for any portions of travel that may incur greater risk.

While every travel insurance company has negative reviews about its claims process, C&F Travel Insured 's claims process has a consistent stream of positive reviews. One customer wrote that C&F processed a claim within 48 hours. Additionally, C&F regularly responds to customer reviews within one business week, making reviews a consistent way to reach the company.

Additionally, in C&F's fine print, it mentions that any claims that take more than 30 days to pay out will begin to accrue interest at 9% APY.

C&F's reputation isn't the only thing to speak highly of. It offers an array of add-ons uncommon in the travel insurance industry, such as Interruption for Any Reason insurance and CFAR coverage for annual plans. C&F also offers discounts for children on its Protector Edge plan and free coverage on its Protector plan.  

Read our C&F Travel Insured review here. 

Best for Pre-Existing Conditions: Tin Leg Travel Insurance

• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Policy coverage includes most pre-existing health conditions
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Generous medical and evacuation amounts for peace of mind
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. COVID coverage included by default on all insurance plans
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Offers a wide range of plans for various budgets and travel needs
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Some plans offer CFAR, “cancel for work reasons,” financial default, and unemployment coverage
• con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. Limited add-on coverage options
• con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. Baggage loss and delay coverage is low compared to competitors

Tin Leg travel insurance offers eight travel insurance plans to meet the unique needs of travelers.

• Tin Leg was founded in 2014 by the travel insurance industry experts at Squaremouth. Designed to meet the most common needs of travelers, these policies offer comprehensive Trip Cancellation and Trip Interruption benefits, and a range of Emergency Medical and Medical Evacuation limits.

Tin Leg Travel Insurance is a great fit for travelers with medical issues in particular. Seven of Tin Leg's eight travel plans include coverage for pre-existing conditions as long as you purchase your policy within 15 days of your initial trip payment.

Thanks to coverage for pre-existing medical conditions as well as for potential COVID-19 infection while traveling, this company offers some of the best financial investment options for travelers who are or will be exposed to higher health risks and issues.

Read our Tin Leg Travel Insurance review here.

Best for Digital Nomads: WorldTrips Travel Insurance

• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Affordable base plans that can be customized with add-ons including rental car, pet care, hunting and fishing, and vacation rental coverage
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Insurance plans available for international student travelers
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Trip delay coverage benefit that kicks in after just five hours
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Pre-existing conditions waiver can be purchased within 21 days of initial trip payment
• con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. Lower medical, evacuation and accidental death limits
• con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. Limited, secondary baggage loss coverage although baggage protection can be upgraded at a low cost
• con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. No special coverages for pets, sports equipment, etc.

WorldTrips has been a reputable travel insurance provider for more than 20 years. Unsurprisingly, it boasts an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau and positive reviews from thousands of customers.

• Travel medical insurance (Premium, Group, Annual, and International Student options)
• Trip cancellation insurance
• Trip protection insurance

WorldTrips Travel Insurance has affordable premiums, highly customizable add-ons, and generous coverage for core categories of travel insurance. All this makes it a great option for digital nomads, students studying abroad and backpackers.

However, travelers should keep in mind that plans are not particularly flexible, and coverage amounts are limited unless you plan ahead to pay for the areas and amounts that you need.

Read our WorldTrips Travel Insurance review here.

Best for Affordability: Trawick International Travel Insurance

• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Useful for adventurous travelers headed to higher-risk destinations
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Affordable plans with varying levels of coverage
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. 10-day free look option
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Generous baggage loss replacement policy
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Trip delay coverage kicks in after just six hours
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Some policies allow a CFAR add-on
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Up to $1 million medical evacuation coverage limit
• con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. Baggage and trip delay coverages don’t kick in until after the 12-hour mark
• con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. International student policies available for temporary stints abroad
• con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. Complaints about claims not being paid or involving an intermediary to resolve claims

Trawick International travel insurance offers plans customized to diverse travelers' needs. We look at coverage options, claims processing, pricing, and other important factors for savvy travelers.

• Travel medical insurance
• Trip protection and cancellation
• International student insurance
• Visitor medical insurance (for traveling to the US)

Trawick International Travel Insurance is another insurance provider with robust medical travel insurance  that can help higher-risk and anxious travelers find peace of mind while on the road. This company offers one of the most generous medical evacuation policies in the market, although travelers will need to remember to add on rental car coverage if they need it.

Read our Trawick Travel Insurance review here.

• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Options to cover sports equipment
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Option to increase medical coverage
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Can cancel up to 48 hours before travel when CFAR option is purchased
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Affordable coverage for budget-conscious travelers
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Includes generous baggage delay, loss and trip delay coverage
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Optional "adventure sports" bundle available for riskier activities
• con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. Only two insurance plans to choose from
• con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. Medical coverage maximum is low at up to $50,000 per person
• con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. Pricier than some competitors with lower coverage ceilings
• con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. Some competitors offer higher medical emergency coverage

Travelex travel insurance is one of the largest travel insurance providers in the US providing domestic and international coverage options. It offers a basic, select, and America option. Read on to learn more.

• Optional CFAR insurance available with the Travel Select plan
• Trip delay insurance starting at $500 with the Travel Basic plan
• Emergency medical and dental coverage starting at $15,000

Travelex Travel Insurance  offers three plans:

• Travel Basic
• Travel Select
• Travel America

The Travelex America plan is meant for trips limited to the U.S., but it has the highest coverage limits in many areas compared to its other programs. If you're flying somewhere, the lost baggage limits are higher. Its natural strengths shine for road trippers, though. Travelex America adds coverage for roadside service and rental car coverage for unexpected accidents. It also covers pets should you be involved in an accident while on the road.

While your standard auto insurance does extend to car rentals within the U.S. for a limited time, any accident would affect future rates. Travelex would eliminate the risk of reporting to your auto insurance provider for minor incidents within its purview.

Read our Travelex Travel Insurance review here.

Introduction to Travel Insurance

Why travel insurance is a must-have.

The unpredictable nature of traveling – from flight cancellations to medical emergencies – can turn your dream vacation into a nightmare. Travel insurance acts as a personal safeguard, ensuring that unexpected events don't drain your wallet or ruin your trip.

Understanding Different Types of Travel Insurance

Not all travel insurance policies are created equal. From single-trip travel insurance policies to annual travel insurance plans , from minimal coverage to comprehensive protection, understanding the spectrum of options is your first step in finding the right fit for your journey.

Key Features to Look for in Travel Insurance Coverage

Travel insurance for medical emergencies.

Imagine falling ill in a foreign country; daunting, right? A robust travel insurance plan ensures you don't have to worry about how much emergency medical care while traveling will cost, even in the most remote corners of the globe. This coverage will often come in tandem with emergency medical evacuation coverage.

Trip Cancellation and Interruption Benefits

Life is full of surprises, some less pleasant than others. Trip cancellation and interruption coverage ensures that you're not left out of pocket if unforeseen circumstances force you to cancel or cut your trip short. You may also look for cancel for any reason and interruption for any reason options, which will reimburse you for a percentage of your nonrefundable fees, but expands the covered reasons you can cancel a trip. You can find our guide on the best CFAR travel insurance companies here.

Coverage for Personal Belongings and Baggage Loss

Losing your belongings is more than an inconvenience; it's losing a piece of your world. Insurance that covers personal belongings and baggage loss ensures that you're compensated for your loss, helping you to rebound and continue your adventure.

Support and Assistance Services

In times of trouble, having a lifeline can make all the difference. Look for insurance that offers 24/7 support and assistance services, giving you peace of mind that help is just a phone call away. Also, check websites that field customer reviews like Trustpilot, the Better Business Bureau, and InsureMyTrip , to see how well a company responds to customer requests.

Choosing the Best Travel Insurance

Reputation and reliability of the travel insurance provider.

A provider's reputation is not just about being well-known; it's about reliability, customer satisfaction, and the ability to deliver on promises. Researching and choosing a reputable provider is a cornerstone in ensuring your safety and satisfaction.

Understanding the Policy's Fine Print

The devil is in the details, and understanding the fine print of what your travel insurance policy covers is crucial. Be aware of coverage limits, exclusions, and the process for filing a claim to avoid any unpleasant surprises.

Customer Reviews and Feedback

In the age of information, customer reviews and feedback are goldmines of insight. Learn from the experiences of others to gauge the reliability and customer service of the insurance provider you're considering. While the ratings are important, you should also look at whether or not a company responds to customer complaints.

How to Get the Most Out of Your Travel Insurance

Knowing your policy inside out.

Familiarize yourself with every aspect of your policy – what it covers, what it doesn't, how to file a claim, and who to contact in an emergency. Being informed means being prepared. 

Steps to Take When a Problem Arises

If you face an issue during your travels, knowing the immediate steps to take can make all the difference. Keep important contacts and your policy details handy, and remember, your insurance provider is there to assist you.

How to Pick the Best Travel Insurance Company for You

There isn't a one-size-fits-all policy that works perfectly for every traveler. Young, healthy solo travelers can opt for much cheaper plans that offer bare-bones coverage, while families juggling complex itineraries will do best by investing in a robust policy that can help defray any costs associated with lost baggage, delayed transportation or other trip-impeding obstacles.

That being said, you can't go wrong with a travel insurance provider that boasts a reputable history and offers a wide range of customizable plans. In some cases, you may be comparing plans that are only a few dollars' apart from each other. In such situations, you should generally opt for the insurance company that offers the strongest customer service. It's also worth considering whether or not the travel insurance provider has been reviewed by other travelers with similar itineraries to your own. 

An insurance aggregator like InsureMyTrip or Squaremouth is one of the best tools for searching travel insurance policies. Once you input the specifics of your travel itinerary, you'll be able to see hundreds of search results to compare the ones that catch your eye. If the options are too overwhelming, use the filters to the left of your search page to eliminate as many irrelevant plans as possible.

How We Reviewed the Best Travel Insurance Companies

To come up with our list of the best travel insurance companies, we evaluated each insurer based on the following factors:

Guide Methodology: What We Considered

Policy Types

Travel insurance is essential, but often underused partly because people aren't getting what they want. Business Insider's 2023 travel study showed 10.65% of travelers surveyed bought cancel for any reason insurance. Cost may be a factor, but in many cases, the coverage is more affordable than you might think. Regardless, companies must offer a diverse range of coverage options. We award five stars to companies offering all standard coverages and additional options like pet and sports equipment protection.

Our 2023 travel study indicated the majority of purchases were made through the travel provider (ex: flight protection insurance when you're purchasing your airline tickets). While these may be sufficient for some customers, we look for companies offering a more comprehensive range of services.

According to the U.S. Travel Insurance Association, the average cost of travel insurance will be between 4% and 8% of total travel expenses. Anything beyond that price point should include additional benefits beyond the standard inclusions, such as CFAR protection or upgraded medical coverage. Anything below that 4% threshold may leave you lacking important or sufficient coverage in an emergency.

Convenience and Flexibility

Whether you're an infrequent traveler or a suitcase warrior, a good travel insurance company should have you covered. In many cases, you might not even have to talk to a person in order to purchase your policy.

Many people think of travel insurance in context with specific trips, but most of these top contenders sell both single-trip and multi-trip policies, also known as annual travel insurance. Some companies also offer plans specifically designed for cruisers, students abroad, and business travelers. (Read our guide to the best cruise travel insurance companies for more details.) Finally, all of these providers offer multiple options for getting the specific areas and amounts of coverage that you want.

Claims Handling

Most travelers never have a large claim. Premiums are low, and it provides peace of mind for the just in case situations. So they leave reviews based on their reduced stress levels. But what happens if you lose your luggage or have to stay a few extra days due to an unexpected accident? Will your insurance carrier cover your claim without all the hassle? We check real customer reviews to sort this out for you.

Ease of Use and Support

When purchasing, during your trip, and throughout the claims process, you may need extra support. Does the company have a 24/7 help line? Does it have an online or mobile system allowing you to self-manage? Essentially, what are the options when you need help? We look at the big picture to evaluate the average customer experience with each company.

You can read our full insurance rating methodology for even more details.

Best Travel Insurance FAQs

There isn't a one-size-fits-all solution for every traveler. Determine the benefits that are most important to you, like baggage delay coverage, medical coverage, and trip delay coverage, then look for a company with solid customer ratings, especially when it comes to processing claims.

Travel insurance will pay out if you experience a covered event, such as a travel delay or delayed or lost baggage. If you're looking to get travel insurance for a specific reason, such as needing to potentially cancel your trip due to work reasons, make sure your policy will cover you in that situation before purchasing it. You should also check customer reviews to see other travelers' claims experiences, as it varies wildly from company to company.

The average cost of travel insurance is 4% to 8% of your total trip cost, so it could vary widely depending on where you're traveling and the length of your trip. Your age, the number of people in your group, and other factors can also influence how much you'll pay.

Most comprehensive travel insurance policies include travel medical coverage that can come in handy if an emergency occurs and you need medical evacuation. Some travel insurance plans offer more specialized coverage for travelers with pre-existing conditions , so shop around if medical coverage is a top priority for you. 

$100,000 should be a sufficient medical coverage limit for travel insurance. If you're planning on doing extreme sports or anything particularly risky on your trip, you may want to increase your coverage level. A high medical coverage limit is especially useful when you're purchasing cruise travel insurance, since medical evacuations are more involved at sea.

Editorial Note: Any opinions, analyses, reviews, or recommendations expressed in this article are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any card issuer. Read our editorial standards .

Please note: While the offers mentioned above are accurate at the time of publication, they're subject to change at any time and may have changed, or may no longer be available.

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Potentially record summer travel + low housekeeping staff = bed bug nightmares

When Sarah Luepker of Chicago flew to Colorado for a friend’s bachelorette party, the first thing she did when she got to her highly rated Airbnb was check the mattress for bed bugs.

Several days later, her body was riddled with bites. They were up and down her arms, dotted her face and clustered on her neck. Most looked like mosquito bites but others swelled to golf ball-sized welts.

Turned out, bed bugs had been hiding among fabric buttons on the headboard where she had been sleeping.

Andrew Forcier of Columbus, Montana, and his wife were in a hurry to catch a concert after they checked into their Airbnb in Montreal. Forcier set his 83-year-old father up with a movie and left without inspecting the apartment.

When Forcier and his wife returned a few hours later, his father had been in bed for an hour without noticing bed bugs in the headboard and a couple on the sheets. Luckily his father didn’t get any bites but Forcier said he’s still out $500 for the hotel they booked after they fled the apartment.

Learn more: Best travel insurance

Luepker and Forcier aren't alone. Entomologists say that bed bugs appear to be surging as more and more people are taking trips that got sidelined during the pandemic. And with the busy summer season upon us, they're warning travelers to be extra vigilant.

“This year is a unique year because we're seeing such a huge surge and resurgence in travel activity,” said Michael Bentley, director of training and education at the National Pest Management Association . "Bed bugs are incredibly effective travelers just like we are. As we evolved to travel around the world, bed bugs evolved to travel with us."

The problem

Travel among Americans is skyrocketing, according to AAA.

“More Americans are planning trips and booking them earlier, despite inflation,” Paula Twidale, senior vice president of AAA Travel said in a news release last week. “This summer travel season could be one for the record books.”  

The agency had projected that more than 42 million Americans would travel 50 miles or more from their homes over Memorial Day weekend, a 7% increase over 2022 and the third busiest Memorial Day weekend since 2000.

Meanwhile hotels and other hospitality industries are struggling with staffing levels that haven't returned to pre-pandemic levels.

About 79 percent of hotels in the U.S. are experiencing staffing shortages, 22 percent severely so, according to a January survey by the American Hotel & Lodging Association. The most critical shortage was in housekeeping, with 43 percent of hotels flagging it as their direst need.

A potentially record number of travelers combined with a housekeeping crisis is a recipe for bed bugs to thrive and spread, said Halee Whiting, owner of a hotel sales support company and a popular TikToker who created a viral video about how to check your lodging for bed bugs.

"I think its concerning, especially with a lot of the brands keeping rules where you have to ask for housekeeping now," Whiting said. "That's a way for them to trim costs, trim hours on housekeeping. That is concerning for me because I think it's just a recipe for things to get missed."

No property is immune

One of the biggest challenges about spreading the word about bed bugs is a lot of people don't realize that they can thrive anywhere from cheap motels to five-star hotels.

"Bed bugs don't see dollar signs," Bentley said.

Whiting recalled bed bugs popping up at one of the nicest properties she's worked for.

"Many people think that they're in sleazy motels but they can happen anywhere," she said. "People forget they're brought in by people ... But it's all about how you handle it."

In her line of work, Whiting said hotels that get bed bugs ideally will put the room out of order, as well as the rooms on either side, above and below, as they work with a professional pest company to get rid of the bugs.

One general manager she worked for incentivized cleaning staff to avoid the problem altogether.

"She would meet with all her housekeepers every so often and say, 'Hey, if you find a bed bug in a room I will hand you $50 cash out of the drawer," she said. "She wanted to identify them before a guest did and get them treated appropriately."

One property, however, only put the room in question out of order, which allowed the bugs to spread and eventually forced the closure of 24 rooms until the problem could be solved, Whiting said.

Lessons learned

Luepker, the Chicago woman who got covered in bed bug bites in Colorado, posted about her nightmare experience last week on TikTok in a viral video that now has more than 4 million views.

She said she did it in part to help other travelers. She had checked her mattress for the bugs but it was her friends who found them only after a deep inspection once her bites showed up.

“My friend comes out looking white as a sheet, (and said), ‘We found them. Every other bed had a wooden headboard and yours was cloth,'" Luepker said in her TikTok. "And you know those little indented fabric buttons? They were wedged in and under those buttons. They were really hard to see.”

Forcier, who found bed bugs at his Airbnb in Montreal, said he will never forget to inspect a property after he arrives and will make sure that any booking he makes has hundreds of positive reviews. The Airbnb he had booked in Montreal was new and only had a handful of reviews.

"The first thing I will be doing going into anything now, I will be pulling back the sheets," he said. "I will be looking at the situation and then really assessing that when I go in any place now."

The Unique Burial of a Child of Early Scythian Time at the Cemetery of Saryg-Bulun (Tuva)

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Pages:  379-406

In 1988, the Tuvan Archaeological Expedition (led by M. E. Kilunovskaya and V. A. Semenov) discovered a unique burial of the early Iron Age at Saryg-Bulun in Central Tuva. There are two burial mounds of the Aldy-Bel culture dated by 7th century BC. Within the barrows, which adjoined one another, forming a figure-of-eight, there were discovered 7 burials, from which a representative collection of artifacts was recovered. Burial 5 was the most unique, it was found in a coffin made of a larch trunk, with a tightly closed lid. Due to the preservative properties of larch and lack of air access, the coffin contained a well-preserved mummy of a child with an accompanying set of grave goods. The interred individual retained the skin on his face and had a leather headdress painted with red pigment and a coat, sewn from jerboa fur. The coat was belted with a leather belt with bronze ornaments and buckles. Besides that, a leather quiver with arrows with the shafts decorated with painted ornaments, fully preserved battle pick and a bow were buried in the coffin. Unexpectedly, the full-genomic analysis, showed that the individual was female. This fact opens a new aspect in the study of the social history of the Scythian society and perhaps brings us back to the myth of the Amazons, discussed by Herodotus. Of course, this discovery is unique in its preservation for the Scythian culture of Tuva and requires careful study and conservation.

Keywords: Tuva, Early Iron Age, early Scythian period, Aldy-Bel culture, barrow, burial in the coffin, mummy, full genome sequencing, aDNA

Information about authors: Marina Kilunovskaya (Saint Petersburg, Russian Federation). Candidate of Historical Sciences. Institute for the History of Material Culture of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Dvortsovaya Emb., 18, Saint Petersburg, 191186, Russian Federation E-mail: [email protected] Vladimir Semenov (Saint Petersburg, Russian Federation). Candidate of Historical Sciences. Institute for the History of Material Culture of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Dvortsovaya Emb., 18, Saint Petersburg, 191186, Russian Federation E-mail: [email protected] Varvara Busova  (Moscow, Russian Federation).  (Saint Petersburg, Russian Federation). Institute for the History of Material Culture of the Russian Academy of Sciences.  Dvortsovaya Emb., 18, Saint Petersburg, 191186, Russian Federation E-mail:  [email protected] Kharis Mustafin  (Moscow, Russian Federation). Candidate of Technical Sciences. Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology.  Institutsky Lane, 9, Dolgoprudny, 141701, Moscow Oblast, Russian Federation E-mail:  [email protected] Irina Alborova  (Moscow, Russian Federation). Candidate of Biological Sciences. Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology.  Institutsky Lane, 9, Dolgoprudny, 141701, Moscow Oblast, Russian Federation E-mail:  [email protected] Alina Matzvai  (Moscow, Russian Federation). Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology.  Institutsky Lane, 9, Dolgoprudny, 141701, Moscow Oblast, Russian Federation E-mail:  [email protected]

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Rusmania • Deep into Russia

Out of the Centre

Savvino-storozhevsky monastery and museum.

Zvenigorod's most famous sight is the Savvino-Storozhevsky Monastery, which was founded in 1398 by the monk Savva from the Troitse-Sergieva Lavra, at the invitation and with the support of Prince Yury Dmitrievich of Zvenigorod. Savva was later canonised as St Sabbas (Savva) of Storozhev. The monastery late flourished under the reign of Tsar Alexis, who chose the monastery as his family church and often went on pilgrimage there and made lots of donations to it. Most of the monastery’s buildings date from this time. The monastery is heavily fortified with thick walls and six towers, the most impressive of which is the Krasny Tower which also serves as the eastern entrance. The monastery was closed in 1918 and only reopened in 1995. In 1998 Patriarch Alexius II took part in a service to return the relics of St Sabbas to the monastery. Today the monastery has the status of a stauropegic monastery, which is second in status to a lavra. In addition to being a working monastery, it also holds the Zvenigorod Historical, Architectural and Art Museum.

Belfry and Neighbouring Churches

Located near the main entrance is the monastery's belfry which is perhaps the calling card of the monastery due to its uniqueness. It was built in the 1650s and the St Sergius of Radonezh’s Church was opened on the middle tier in the mid-17th century, although it was originally dedicated to the Trinity. The belfry's 35-tonne Great Bladgovestny Bell fell in 1941 and was only restored and returned in 2003. Attached to the belfry is a large refectory and the Transfiguration Church, both of which were built on the orders of Tsar Alexis in the 1650s.  

To the left of the belfry is another, smaller, refectory which is attached to the Trinity Gate-Church, which was also constructed in the 1650s on the orders of Tsar Alexis who made it his own family church. The church is elaborately decorated with colourful trims and underneath the archway is a beautiful 19th century fresco.

Nativity of Virgin Mary Cathedral

The Nativity of Virgin Mary Cathedral is the oldest building in the monastery and among the oldest buildings in the Moscow Region. It was built between 1404 and 1405 during the lifetime of St Sabbas and using the funds of Prince Yury of Zvenigorod. The white-stone cathedral is a standard four-pillar design with a single golden dome. After the death of St Sabbas he was interred in the cathedral and a new altar dedicated to him was added.

Under the reign of Tsar Alexis the cathedral was decorated with frescoes by Stepan Ryazanets, some of which remain today. Tsar Alexis also presented the cathedral with a five-tier iconostasis, the top row of icons have been preserved.

Tsaritsa's Chambers

The Nativity of Virgin Mary Cathedral is located between the Tsaritsa's Chambers of the left and the Palace of Tsar Alexis on the right. The Tsaritsa's Chambers were built in the mid-17th century for the wife of Tsar Alexey - Tsaritsa Maria Ilinichna Miloskavskaya. The design of the building is influenced by the ancient Russian architectural style. Is prettier than the Tsar's chambers opposite, being red in colour with elaborately decorated window frames and entrance.

At present the Tsaritsa's Chambers houses the Zvenigorod Historical, Architectural and Art Museum. Among its displays is an accurate recreation of the interior of a noble lady's chambers including furniture, decorations and a decorated tiled oven, and an exhibition on the history of Zvenigorod and the monastery.

Palace of Tsar Alexis

The Palace of Tsar Alexis was built in the 1650s and is now one of the best surviving examples of non-religious architecture of that era. It was built especially for Tsar Alexis who often visited the monastery on religious pilgrimages. Its most striking feature is its pretty row of nine chimney spouts which resemble towers.

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