Laura Pattara
Verified Author

Laura Pattara

Australia

@laura-pattara

Author
Member since Jul 12, 2024
Australia
51 published articles

Loquacious from birth and nomadic by nature, Laura holds a BA in Interpreting and Translation, focusing on linguistics and cultures from Sydney, Australia. For the past 20 years, she has tour-guided overland trips through South America and southern Africa and independently explored northern Africa, the Middle East, and Central and Far East Asia. Laura's adventures include a six-year motorbike journey from Europe to Australia and exploring the Arabian Peninsula in an old postie van. When she's not uncovering our planet's hidden gems, Laura moonlights as a freelance travel writer.

Education

BA Interpreting and Translation Western Sydney University, 1996

Areas of Expertise

LinguisticsTravel
The Starry Night and Woman looking at paintings in gallery

8 Masterpieces You Didn’t Know Were in American Museums

Discover some of the best-traveled masterpieces and the surprising journeys that turned American museums into unlikely guardians of some of the world’s greatest works.

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Osaka Castle and Tokyo National Museum

Top 8 Museums to Visit in Japan

Japan’s museums cover a wide range of historical periods, from early state formation and Buddhism to urban life, modern art, and postwar rebuilding.

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Interior views of three oldest museums

10 Oldest Museums in the World (That You Can Still Visit)

The oldest museums began as collections accessible only to the powerful elite. Luckily, societies have become a little more egalitarian nowadays.

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Mummified Fiji mermaid taxidermy with an axe in the background

Top 8 Weirdest Exhibits You Will Encounter in European Museums

Europe’s big museums hold masterpieces, but the small ones hold the fun, from fake mermaids to hairballs. Discover some of the weirdest exhibits across Europe.

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historic italian food

The True Origins of 12 Famous Italian Foods

Italian food is more than just recipes. Learn how these 12 iconic dishes helped shape Italy’s national story through centuries of conflict and change.

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Famous Italian landmarks: Colosseum, Leaning Tower, Florence Cathedral

Italy’s 6 Top Historic Attractions & Their Fascinating Stories

These are the most famous historic attractions in Italy and their enlightening backstories.

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Inca stone roads through mountains

The Hidden Roads of the Mighty Inca Empire

The mighty Inca Empire built an enviable road system that stretched across the Andes, and it is still walked to this day.

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Visitor facing ancient temple ruins

Sicily, the Cultural Crossroad With a Rich Historical Heritage

Sicily may just be the most coveted island in Mediterranean history, and its culture, architecture, and cuisine reflect every wave of influence that shaped it.

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Viking longhouse and trade routes map

Following the Viking Trail Across the North Atlantic

From Norway’s fjords to Newfoundland’s shores, follow the daring westward route of the Viking Trail—a thousand-year-old path carved by skill, survival, and ambition.

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Expedition ship beneath satellite Earth imagery

The Ancient Routes That Navigated the Arctic

Long before maps labeled the Arctic as empty, people were navigating it. This story explores the ancient routes they carved across ice, sea, and tundra.

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Berber village in Atlas Mountains and blue streets of Chefchaouen

8 Unmissable Historical Sites You Must Visit in Morocco

A history lover’s guide to the very best historic sites in Morocco.

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Lidar mapping and Maya pyramid ruins

The Lost Ancient Cities of Central America

Laser technology is revealing vast lost cities beneath dense rainforest, rewriting everything we thought we knew about Central America’s pre-Columbian past.

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