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Cohica Travel Our Custom Travel Plans include authentic activities and cultural experiences to better connect you to the places you visit.
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Cohica is an independent and certified travel design agency, developed to better connect travelers with the places they visit. Unlike traditional travel agencies, we offer transparent pricing and have no ties to hotel chains or corporate contracts, providing flexibility to design trips that are unique and inspired, seeking out - and creating - unique activities centered around culture, learning, nature and food.

Sometimes people ask us how often we make it home. The answer is always not often enough. With our annual travel budget,...
04/12/2024

Sometimes people ask us how often we make it home. The answer is always not often enough. With our annual travel budget, we usually opt for exploring new places and seeking out crazy new adventures rather than the comfort of home. But every time we come back, to either Sonoma or Boulder, there's such an ease to it. We see old friends who know entirely different past versions of us. We hang out with our families - cooking, eating dinner, drinking coffee in the morning - more relaxed than we could be with anyone else in the world. And obviously, we get our fill of all the cozy, nostalgic American things (giant to-go coffees, dryers & dryer sheets, football, real Mexican fooooood!). We are completely aware that living abroad can look exciting, but the truth is that it can also be quite lonely, and it can take years to build friendships and community that help you feel grounded the way that family and home instantly do. So, while we will always continue to seek out new travel experiences, the answer remains... not enough. 🏡

Soaked up the Colorado sun and all-American college football vibes while watching the CU Buffalos (Megan's almamater) do...
01/12/2024

Soaked up the Colorado sun and all-American college football vibes while watching the CU Buffalos (Megan's almamater) dominate on Friday! It has been a verrrrry long time since we've been to a football game (let alone tailgated!) and we're loving every minute of being home with family. 🦬

Adios, CDMX! We have eaten a ridiculous number of tacos, quesadillas, and tlacoyos, drunk hibiscus and tamarindo agua fr...
28/11/2024

Adios, CDMX! We have eaten a ridiculous number of tacos, quesadillas, and tlacoyos, drunk hibiscus and tamarindo agua frescas, and have soaked up the colorful art, culture, and energy of this vibrant city. Once again, we're reminded of how much we love visiting Mexico and how welcoming and warm Mexicans consistently are. Leaving with sore feet, full bellies, and a fair number of memories in tow. Next up: Thanksgiving in Boulder Colorado, U.S.A. ❤️

We took a break from all the eating to swing by the Frida Kahlo Museum, aka Casa Azul. The house is where Frida grew up ...
26/11/2024

We took a break from all the eating to swing by the Frida Kahlo Museum, aka Casa Azul. The house is where Frida grew up and later lived as an adult with her husband Diego and also where she created countless works of art. As a child, she had polio, and at 18 was in a bus accident that nearly killed her and caused painful injuries and health problems that would last through the rest of her short life. These major life challenges resulted in some serious self reflection (as they do) and inspired the most colorful and vibrant creations, from paintings to poetry. Some of her most famous pieces are self-portraits that were painted from her bed, while she laid in casts and braces, by looking in a mirror that was mounted to the canopy. It was just such a cool experience to learn about her life and to see how she created such beauty in the midst of so much darkness. 💛🧡💜❤️💙🩷

Hola, Mexico City! This mega metropolis has been on our travel wishlist for awhile now - for the art, the culture and, m...
25/11/2024

Hola, Mexico City! This mega metropolis has been on our travel wishlist for awhile now - for the art, the culture and, most of all, the FOOD. We've already started strategizing how to best squeeze in as many tacos as humanly possible in our four short days here. Jet lagged and buying fresh tortillas right off the grill seems like a good place to start. Vamos!!! 🌮🌮🌮

One truth we’ve come to know over the past decade of traveling and living abroad is that the world is so much smaller th...
20/11/2024

One truth we’ve come to know over the past decade of traveling and living abroad is that the world is so much smaller than we think. Even if you’re thousands of miles away, regardless of borders, language, or cultural heritage, we’re all the same. We all seek the same love, friendship, community, security, happiness, and joy in our lives. And we all experience tragedy and loss at one point or another.

It has been 3 weeks since flash floods tore through the towns that surround Valencia, Spain. The damage was so widespread that, even with the cleanup efforts, there are still towns without working sewage systems, streets caked in mud and dotted with wrecked cars, and without open supermarkets and schools. Thousands of people were affected - from orange farmers to people who lived on the ground floors of cities - and lost all of their possessions and, in many cases, sources of income, all in an instant.

One of those people is Pilar, who is the owner of a pet sitting company. She used to watch dogs (including our sweet pup, Mac) from her house in the countryside before the flood water demolished her property and filled her entire home all the way up to the ceiling. Her family barely made it out alive, and now, in addition to not having a home, she has no way of continuing her business. We have set up a fundraiser (link in bio) to help Pilar and her family. If you're in a place to donate, or if you could share the fundraiser with your network, we would be so appreciative. ❤️

A very heartfelt thank you for the messages, DMs and emails that we've received over the last couple of days following t...
01/11/2024

A very heartfelt thank you for the messages, DMs and emails that we've received over the last couple of days following the storm and floods in and around Valencia. We are completely safe, as we were thankfully in the city center at the time, which was much less affected than the surrounding areas. However, there are absolutely no words to describe the devastation and loss that so many people here are going through right now. We know people who have lost everything - cars, homes, pets - within minutes as flood waters rushed through towns, streets, and highways. With every new image and video we see, our hearts break for the city that has been our home for so many years. 

Last August, the highest temperature in history was recorded in the Mediterranean Sea, which, combined with a sudden drop in temperatures, resulted in the storm clouds that dropped more rain in 8 hours than this region usually sees in almost a year. It is the worst natural disaster in Valencia's history. We know we are far away and that this may feel like another natural disaster to add to a long list, but if you are in a place to help, we will post some organizations that are accepting donations in our stories (one being Cruz Roja - the Red Cross in Spain). Also, if you are an American reading this, please vote next week for leaders who not only believe that climate change is real, but who will work with the rest of the world to collectively reduce carbon emissions so the number of natural disasters doesn't continue to rise and we can have a safe and secure future. 🇪🇸❤️

Sunny Saturday! One of the best things about Spain is that summer can stretch far into October - something we've really ...
27/10/2024

Sunny Saturday! One of the best things about Spain is that summer can stretch far into October - something we've really come to value and appreciate after four years of winters in rainy Toscana ( ). But this year has felt quite shockingly autumnal (for all you Americans, that's a real word that our British friends use on a surprisingly regular basis. Kinda like what we would consider pumpkin spice vibes 😂). We went to Japan and it was summer, and we came back to full-on fall. Leaves are changing, there is a surprising amount of rain and grey, and we are still sitting here, in shock that somehow those long, warm days are gone again. (Does it feel like time goes by faster every year for anyone else??!). Trying to embrace the cozy vibes, but still not totally ready to move into winter just yet! 😩

Well, somehow, it's officially fall, which also means it's running season in Valencia! 🏃‍♀️🏃‍♂️ One of the many reasons ...
22/10/2024

Well, somehow, it's officially fall, which also means it's running season in Valencia! 🏃‍♀️🏃‍♂️ One of the many reasons we love it here (and have kept coming back over the years) is this city's commitment to fitness, running, and generally being active. If you walk through the riverbed-turned-city-park on any day of the year, you will see tons of running clubs, walking clubs, hiit classes, yoga classes, dance classes, cyclists and any other type of movement you could imagine. Every age, interest, language, and body type is represented, and we're constantly just completely inspired by it all. Over the weekend, we ran in a race to support cancer research. There was a heat for runners, walkers, and skaters/rollerbladers and over 18000 people participated! And, over the next few months, there will be a different race or event virtually every weekend. Living abroad can be tough (yup, even after all these years), and it's so wonderful to have found events, activities, and communities that are fun and inspiring to be a part of. Soooo vamoooos! Let's gooooo! 🏃‍♂️ 💪 🇪🇸

When we were planning our trip to Japan, every single person told us that we would love Kyoto. Not exaggerating! We were...
17/10/2024

When we were planning our trip to Japan, every single person told us that we would love Kyoto. Not exaggerating! We were completely set up to love it. But, as we've learned over many years of traveling, expectations can also be the thieves of joy. Not saying that we didn't love this culturally rich and beautiful city, we just needed to get to know it on a deeper level...

Our initial experience was all crowds. Like, stand in a line and shuffle through the market, or through a tunnel of torii gates, or through a bamboo forest, kinda crowds. Like the ones you expect at Disneyland, but not in Japan. 😳 We knew we were visiting at a popular time and that Kyoto is on evvvvery tourist's travel itinerary, but this kind of sightseeing is 100% not our jam. So, we pivoted. We decided to rent bikes and explore different areas of the city, stopping at some of the lesser known temples and shrines to soak up the magical energy that Kyoto is known for. We booked a tour of Gion after dark, when the district is far less crowded, and (bonus) we had the chance to see geishas walking to and from tea houses. We cycled to the outskirts of town to have the best sushi of our lives in a 4-table restaurant, and we found a small, authentic tea house where we witnessed a very real and non-commercialized tea ceremony that turned out to be one of the highlights of our whole trip. 👍 We absolutely still went to all the tourist sights to check them out, but after five days, we really figured out the best way for us to fall in love with this popular city.

We're home now and are diving into all the exciting details of our Japan Designed Trip. And yes, Kyoto will absolutely be included so travelers can experience the amazing city for themselves, choosing whatever way is best for them to fall in love with it too. ❤️

Very often, the things you don't plan turn out to be the most memorable. This was going to be our longest day on the Nak...
13/10/2024

Very often, the things you don't plan turn out to be the most memorable. This was going to be our longest day on the Nakasendo Trail. We had planned to sleep in, stuff ourselves with miso soup and matcha and head out for, what we had read, was a relaxing 4-5 hour hike. But the night before, we heard people talking about a storm that was expected. The weather forecasted that the rain would start at noon, so we woke up before sunrise to get the hike in before it began. We were the only people on trail for the first 3 hours and walked through towering bamboo forests, past fields of rice paddies, over little wooden bridges, and under wild forest monkeys. It was one of the most amazing hikes either of us have ever been on, so when we rolled into the tiny village of Tsumago and there was no sign of rain, we didn't want the day to end. So, with tired legs, we decided to continue on and do the following day's 5 mile stretch as well. But about an hour in, the rain started. It was pouring, and we were completely soaked immediately, hiding beneath trees and wrapping our laptops in t-shirts to put in the middle of our packs. It felt like a true adventure, with all of our belongings on our backs, slipping and sliding down ancient cobblestones and surrounded by low clouds and very few other (crazy) hikers. When we reached Magome and ducked into a tiny udon noodle restaurant, we were completely spent, soaked and starving. But boy, was that bowl of hot soup the best thing we had ever tasted!

In the end, the sights, the museums, the temples have all been amazing. But I think that both of us will remember this day (and those noodles) for a very, very long time. 🍜

We've traded skyscrapers for cedar forests and officially kicked off a 3-day hiking adventure along the old Nakasendo Tr...
08/10/2024

We've traded skyscrapers for cedar forests and officially kicked off a 3-day hiking adventure along the old Nakasendo Trail. 🎒🥾
There's a bit of a first-timers circuit in Japan, and while we've been super hyped to visit the must-see cities, we also wanted to experience a bit more of the slower, everyday life, away from the tour groups and neon lights. Enter the Nakasendo Trail. This path goes along the ancient road that once connected Tokyo to Kyoto, winding through the incredibly pretty Kiso Valley and connecting a series of historic 'post' towns. It's a nature/culture/history lovers dream come true, with towering cedar trees, old stone bridges, raised walkways through bamboo forests, and old wooden villages that look right out of a movie.
The only problem - there isn't loads of information (at least in English) on how to navigate it, where to stay and how to get from one leg to the next without going through a big tour company or hiking for only one day. So, we did as much research as possible, shipped our luggage to Kyoto, and hopped on the train, confident that with a little help from Google translate, and a lot of help from the very friendly people here, we would figure it all out. And we did.
We've stayed in the most cozy and welcoming ryokans (Japanese style inns), stopped at silent shrines in the forest, soaked in onsen style baths, and have figured out all the logistics in order to add a couple of days of moderate hiking to our new Designed Trip. And if hiking's not your thing, we'll include an option to go to Hakone and relax and unwind in a traditional onsen instead. Either way, without a doubt, leaving the cities and experiencing the nature and culture of this incredible country is as much of a 'must do' as Tokyo or Kyoto... and has honestly been something we will never, ever forget. ❤️

When a lot of us picture Tokyo, we imagine neon lights and crowded streets. But in our short time here, we've found that...
06/10/2024

When a lot of us picture Tokyo, we imagine neon lights and crowded streets. But in our short time here, we've found that there are sooooo many cool, quiet neighborhoods to discover, tiny local restaurants and noodle shops to pop into, and beautiful temples to learn about. Although it can feel overwhelming at first, like many cities, each district is a city of its own, and the public transport system makes it so easy and efficient to hop from one to the next.
We could spend MUCH more time here, but after more than a week in big, bustling cities, we're jumping on the train to the forested mountains of the Niso Valley where we will spend the next few days hiking the old Nakasendo Trail from one tiny town to the next. Arigatōgozaimasu, Tokyo. It's been delightful. ❤️

All of the touristy things! If you've been with us awhile, you may know how much we love seeking out authentic, unique, ...
04/10/2024

All of the touristy things! If you've been with us awhile, you may know how much we love seeking out authentic, unique, and off the beaten path experiences. But it doesn't mean that we're against the things that everyone does. I mean, you don't go to Rome and skip the colosseum! It's all about balance, between seeing the things that interest or inspire you and maybe pushing yourself to try something new. Besides, usually, the most popular sights, tours, and experiences are popular for a reason. 👍
We've been loooooving our time in Tokyo, seeing and doing things that we've read about and watched in movies over the years. Teamlab Planets, Shinjuku, Shabuya, conveyor belt sushi, matcha evvvverything. We're here for it all!

Tokyo is somehow exactly like we imagined it to be and completely different than anywhere we've ever been. There are som...
02/10/2024

Tokyo is somehow exactly like we imagined it to be and completely different than anywhere we've ever been. There are something around 38 million people living in and around the city, yet there is an unspoken system for where to walk, how to get on and off the train, when and where to talk and eat, that appears to be seamless. It's the cleanest city we've ever been to (maybe other than Singapore), with very few trash cans on the street because people dont walk around with food or coffee. If you buy something to eat at a convenience store, you eat it and throw away the trash there. The city is incredibly well maintained, down to the landscaping. There are public bathrooms everywhere that are usually very clean. For a city of millions, it is quiet. No honking on the streets, no talking on the train. We have been told that it is very, very safe. People leave their bags on a chair to save a spot and don't lock their bikes on the sidewalk (this may be the most shocking coming from Spain)! There is a system or ritual for almost everything - eating, preparing for bed, drinking tea - all done methodically, with care and attention.
We've traveled quite a bit through southeast Asia and generally can sense an underlying thread of similarities between different countries. But what makes Japan such a special and outstanding place to visit is that it's completely unique. Everything here is quintessentially Japanese, making for such a distinct and authentic travel experience (our favorite kind 😉). We are so excited to be learning, meeting, and understanding as much as we possibly can in order to develop a really special Designed Trip when we get home. 🇯🇵

Oh hey, JAPAN! 👋🍜 After a 4-hour flight from Hong Kong, we arrived to rainy and dark skies in the ginormous city of Toky...
30/09/2024

Oh hey, JAPAN! 👋🍜 After a 4-hour flight from Hong Kong, we arrived to rainy and dark skies in the ginormous city of Tokyo. We picked up our metro cards, successfully navigated the train from the airport, and checked into a very cozy boutique city hotel in the Shimbashi district. Starving after a long travel day, we wandered out and found a tiny Udon shop, which we ordered through a ticket machine on the street (with the help of Google translate). And then there we were, standing at the counter in a tiny room among businessmen in pressed black suits, slurping (yes, the slurp is real), the most amazing noodles either of us have ever eaten. On the way out, we saw the chef (noodle maker?) rolling out the dough surrounded by giant piles of flour. The whole thing felt like we were in a food documentary - authentic, special, delicious...
And this is just the beginning! We'll be in Japan for the next two weeks, soaking up the culture, sights, nature, history, and food in order to develop our newest Designed Trip, just for you. Let's gooooo!

A very happy birthday to Cohica's co-founder, CFO, director of hotel selections, transportation expert, IT manager, and ...
30/09/2024

A very happy birthday to Cohica's co-founder, CFO, director of hotel selections, transportation expert, IT manager, and all-around amazing guy, Ryan! 🎂 We've traveled to over 50 countries together, and every single time, we're reminded of how much we love THIS... meeting local people, figuring out how to get from point a to b, trying flavors that we've never tasted before, practicing a few phrases of the local language... we love traveling SO much and are grateful every day to help other travelers feel the same spark, passion, and excitement as we do every time we step off the plane...
We just arrived in Japan and are busy busy busy meeting, touring, learning, and seeing as much as we can to create our next Designed Trip. Stay tuned!

Hong Kong! What a wonderful, crazy, exciting sensory overload you are. We are learning fast that there are so many sides...
28/09/2024

Hong Kong! What a wonderful, crazy, exciting sensory overload you are. We are learning fast that there are so many sides to this fascinating city. It's innovative and rundown, flashy and foreign. There are trendy and expensive cafes next to markets selling snake meat and turtles. The giant skyscrapers make the streets feel more hectic than they are, but 10 minutes up the hill, we're sitting in a lush jungle. We are here for all of it. The differences, the customs, and yes, sometimes the discomfort, are all reasons we love traveling more than anything. And Hong Kong is doing the trick. 🇭🇰

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About us

Cohica is a modern travel design agency based in Lucca, Italy developed to better connect travelers with the places they visit.

​By understanding each traveler’s personal interests, utilizing our vast travel knowledge and network, and partnering with the best providers worldwide, we design trips that are completely customized, unique and inspired. Our dedication, attention to detail, and fully mobile Travel Plans ensure that every travel experience is seamless and worry free.

At Cohica, our mission is to make a positive impact through travel. We accomplish this by partnering with industry leaders and like-minded organizations, supporting independent and sustainable hotels, and focusing on experiences that are low-impact, locally operated and culturally insightful.