Ciao. Bonjour. Hello.
I'm Lauren
Welcome to My World!
I'm a California-based travel writer and photographer telling the stories of the places worth crossing oceans for.
Traveler. Dreamer. Sun-Chaser.
Always Dreaming of Faraway Places
I never want to lose the feeling of seeing a place for the first time — when everything is new and golden and a little unbelievable. I travel to find that feeling again, and write about it so you can feel it, too.
I was raised in the Pacific Northwest, with a family beach house on the Oregon Coast, and have called Southern California home long enough to know the sun never quite gets old. Somewhere between the fog and the golden hour, I fell in love with places: the feeling of them, and the stories they hold.
I think that’s where the habit started: noticing how the light changes a place, and wanting to write it down before it slips away.
These days it looks like boutique hotels in Puglia, long lunches in Napa Valley, and a roll of film in my dad’s old Olympus, so I can remember it all exactly as it felt.
My first trip abroad was to Italy, and I came home a different traveler (and a little more in love with burrata). Years later, Max and I planned our destination wedding in Puglia, a region I’d never set foot in before choosing it. A little reckless? Maybe. Worth it? Entirely.
Somewhere between the slow masseria mornings and the dinners that ran past midnight, I realized I didn’t want to keep these places to myself.
So here they are: the hotels I’d book again in a heartbeat, the tables worth the flight, and every little detail in between. Consider this a love letter from your travel-loving friend.
Where to Start
For the Wine Lovers
The wineries I’d send you to first, from the iconic to the ones you might not choose on your own.
For the Italy Dreamers
The masserie and boutique stays worth crossing an ocean for, all in Italy’s sun-soaked heel.
For the Romantics
Masserie, olive groves and whitewashed towns. Where to say “I do” in Puglia, from someone who did.
My Happy Place!
Is there a city, just one, that has your heart and probably will forever? Somewhere far a[...]
It's no secret that Puglia has completely stolen my heart — and honestly, it could take[...]
When you’re planning a destination wedding in Italy from thousands of miles away, there[...]
You may have the universe if I may have Italy.
— Giuseppe Verdi
The Wedding Edit
When I started planning our wedding in Puglia, I knew almost immediately that I wanted my[...]
Planning a destination wedding in Italy will easily go down as one of the most exhilarati[...]
When you’re planning a destination wedding in Italy from thousands of miles away, there[...]
Get to Know Me
Favorite Hotel
Masseria Le Torri
Polignano a Mare, Italy
Favorite Dessert
Gelateria de Neri
Florence, Italy
Favorite Restaurant
Trattoria Trullo
Aliso Viejo, California
Favorite Beach
Cala Deìa
Mallorca, Spain
Favorite Wine Bar
Il Santino
Florence, Italy
Favorite Shop
Tuvalu
Laguna Beach, California
For Hotels, Tourism Boards & Brands
Work With Me
Editorial features, destination photography, social content, and more — made with the same care as everything else on this site.
Just want to say hello? Send me a message at lauren@laurenbelz.com or @lobelz.
Frequently Asked Questions
You Have Questions. I Have Answers.
How did you fall in love with travel?
My first trip abroad, to Italy in 2019, turned a lifelong love of being on the move into something I genuinely crave. Before that, it was family vacations, cross-country flights, and a college spring break or two in Cabo San Lucas. After Italy, I was hooked on faraway places and on the hidden gems a few hours from home.
What's your favorite destination?
Puglia, Italy, without question. It’s where I married my best friend, and I’d never been before choosing it for our wedding. Golden sunsets over the Adriatic, whitewashed towns that climb and curve with centuries of stories, and a slower pace of life that stays with you long after you leave. If you’re dreaming of it too, start with my Puglia guides.
What do you splurge on when you travel?
Hotels and meals, always. Where you stay shapes the whole trip, and one unforgettable dinner beats three forgettable ones. I save on flights instead (everyone on that plane lands in the same city). My favorite splurge-worthy stays live in my hotel guides.
How can hotels and brands work with you?
I partner with hotels, tourism boards, and brands I genuinely love on editorial features, destination photography, social content, and more! Every collaboration is treated as editorial, which is exactly why it resonates with readers. Visit my partnerships page or email lauren@laurenbelz.com.
Got a question I didn’t cover? I’d love to hear from you! Send me an email at lauren@laurenbelz.com, or slide into my DMs on Instagram @lobelz.