Reflections on taste, transformation and the untethered journey. One piece at a time.
Welcome to Tessera, the intentional travel blog by The Untethered Traveler. Discover meaningful travel stories, taste-led journeys and unique travel experiences from around the world. From hidden gems to immersive cultural encounters, Tessera inspires you to explore with purpose and create lasting connections - one piece in the mosaic at a time.
What is a Tessera? A tessera is a single tile in a mosaic - small on its own, but essential to the bigger picture. Each story here is a tessera: a moment, insight or connection that shapes a more meaningful way of traveling. Together, they create a vibrant portrait of journeys made with intention.
Solo Travel with Intent - A Journey of Freedom and Self Discovery
In the quiet of solo travel, the world begins to speak back.
Santorini’s Sacred Pull: Intentional Travel in the Greek Isles
How a place of beauty, flavor and connection became the birthplace of a travel philosophy and a setting for life’s most unexpected gifts.
Where Miracles Once Were: Traveling Israel Beyond Labels
A personal travel essay exploring the complexity of visiting Israel in 2022 - where sacred sites, cultural contradictions, and human connection collide.
A Different Kind of Departure: Traveling With Purpose as a Reset
When the urge to travel reawakens after a season of stillness, destination becomes more than a place - it’s the catalyst. This is the story of choosing Eastern Europe not for escape, but as the first step toward a new chapter of intentional living.
Indulgence, Interrupted: A Bali Journey Toward Purpose
A Bali trip that began in pure indulgence shifted into something more lasting. Through reflection, rituals, and unexpected clarity, this travel story uncovers how meaning often waits beneath the surface of luxury.
The Call to Adventure: Croatia’s Coastal Beauty and Taste-Led Discovery
From Croatia’s sun-soaked islands to the old town of Dubrovnik, this journey follows the pull of adventure - and the freedom found in moving with taste-led intent, self-discovery, and an open heart.
Austria: The Untethered Turning Point That Changed My Travel Forever
An impulsive trip to Austria became a momentum-shifting moment. In Vienna and Salzburg, taste-led exploration sparked a lasting shift toward intentional travel and a deeper way of moving through the world.
When Hong Kong Opened My Appetite to the World
In Hong Kong, every street, shop, and plate bursts with possibility. From Michelin-starred Indian at Chaat to artisan treasures at PMQ Staunton, this journey revealed not just new tastes - but an entire world of flavors still to explore.
What Falls at Our Feet: Flavors, Finds and the Moments That Move Us
From smoked fish epiphanies to linen treasures in Porvoo, my time in Helsinki revealed how taste, style, and chance encounters can quietly change the course of our lives.
The Art of Storytelling Through Travel and Treasures
From Morocco textiles to Tuscan wine labels, my travels have filled my home with living stories. This reflection explores how collecting art connects us to the places we visit and the people we meet.
Lanterns, Flavors and Stillness in Hoi An
In Hoi An, paper lanterns float across the river as flavors, art, and human connection fill every day. This is the story of a city that restored my spirit and deepened my love for intentional travel.
San Sebastián, My Travel Muse and Culinary Kindred Spirit
San Sebastián is more than a culinary capital - it’s my travel muse. From pintxos bars to Basque cheesecake, this city’s flavors and spirit reshaped my sense of purpose and set a new course for intentional travel.
Travel with Purpose
When taste and travel finally collided, they revealed something deeper - a life purpose. This story traces a journey from career upheaval to creative renewal, showing how intentional travel can transform both outlook and self.
A Feast for the Senses in Vietnam’s Cities and Streets
Vietnam is a symphony for the senses. From $2 bowls of pho to the artistry of Manzi, this journey celebrates the tastes, textures, and human moments that make travel truly transformational.
Tuscan Heartbeats: Slow Travel Through Italy’s Countryside
In Tuscany, beauty is everywhere - but the true heartbeat is in its people. From Chianti vineyards to family-run kitchens, this story is about flavors, landscapes, and connections that stay with you long after you leave.
The Shape of Taste: Slow Travel Through Granada and Cordoba
In Granada and Cordoba, taste takes shape in unforgettable ways. From Moorish-inspired dishes to Michelin-level menus without the price, this journey is a masterclass in savoring place through setting, ambiance, and flavor.
Mouthwatering Artistry in Florence
Florence is more than art and architecture - it’s a feast for the senses. From truffle pasta in Oltrarno to Bottura’s creations at Gucci Osteria, this is a love letter to a city that stirs taste, creativity, and purpose.
Returning to Paris: A Journey of Self-Discovery and Renewal
Some cities call us back, not just to see them again but to see ourselves anew. From Paris to Seville, this story explores how returning with intent deepens both the journey and our sense of self.
The Call Back: Returning to a City You Love with Intentional Travel
Some cities call us back - and when they do, they meet us exactly where we are. This reflection explores the richness of returning, the slower rhythms, and the deeper connections that emerge the second (or third) time around.
In Between Bites: Slow Travel and the Taste of Presence
Between familiar Spanish favorites, I explored Segovia and Toledo - tasting unforgettable dishes, meeting unexpected friends, and learning that joy often comes in the pauses between planned adventures.