When you’re Gen Z but live in a 900-year-old European castle

11.18.23

Meet a young woman who grew up in a fairytale Italian castle and another who lived in the Tower of London, plus here's what you need to know if you're planning to hit the roads (or skies) this Thanksgiving.

By Maureen O'Hare

👸 In their princess era

Ludovica Sannazzaro Natta at home in her castle. (Ludovica Uberta Sannazzaro Natta)

For most young people, living back home with your parents is about economic necessity. But for 22-year-old Ludovica Sannazzaro Natta and 23-year-old Megan Clawson, it's about living their absolute best life.

Sannazzaro Natta is descended from Italian nobility and moved into a 900-year-old fairytale Italian castle when she was four years old. She talked to CNN about what it was like to grow up in a home with turrets, secret passageways and a moat.

And while a lot of people's lives changed during the pandemic, few did as dramatically as Clawson's. At the age of 20, she moved into the world-famous Tower of London to see Covid out. Her father's a "Beefeater," one of the tower's ceremonial guardians, which is how she ended up living in Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn's former pad.

🌎 Destination inspiration

Time Out's annual list of the world's "coolest neighborhoods" always sparks hot debate among the urban dwellers who know the cities best. But if you're looking for a fun nabe to base yourself in while you live like a local, it's an excellent guide.

The 2023 list is topped by a "laid-back" tree-lined corner of a South American capital.

For equally authentic destinations but on a smaller scale, the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) has released this year's list of the "best tourism villages."

More than 50 small towns and villages have been recognized, from places as diverse as Mexico, China and Ethiopia.

And looking to the year ahead, Lonely Planet's "top places to go in 2024" includes popular favorites such as Croatia and St. Lucia, as well as lesser visited spots such as Benin and Uzbekistan.

💕 Hotel happiness

A fizzy hot tub for two. (Margaret and Corey Bienert/Courtesy Artisan Books)

Cove Pocono Resorts in Pennsylvania was known in the 1960s as the "Honeymoon Capital of the World," thanks to its gorgeous mountain setting and array of themed accommodation. Thankfully you can still enjoy those adults-only hotels today, with kitsch features such as circular beds and a seven-foot-tall champagne-glass whirlpool for two.

Down in Tennessee, a brand new resort lodge has opened in the mountains, owned by none other than the Queen of Country, Dolly Parton. The feel is "high-fashion rustic," says Parton, with a down-home vibe that aims to be as warm and welcoming as the superstar herself.

If you have a trip coming up to a dream destination or romantic resort, you might want to enhance your experience with a perfect little weekend bag or super-comfy new shoes. Our partners at CNN Underscored, a product reviews and recommendations guide owned by CNN, have this roundup of best-selling travel products their readers love.

✈️ From dream to reality

A first-grade teacher turned her classroom into a plane and took her students on a mock "trip to Mexico." It ended up leading to an actual airplane adventure. Watch what happened.

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