Alessandra Zunino was born and raised in Ventimiglia. Soon after high school she started travelling and lived in the U.K, France and Spain, while studying tourism and foreign languages. For quite a few years Alessandra had been in charge of marketing and international relations at a language school owned by the Monaco Principality. Travelling is Alessandra's biggest passion in life and she sees travel as a unique opportunity for learning and expanding the mind.

"Seeing the world for me is most of all an opportunity for personal discovery and cultural exchange."

Her travel experiences have brought Alessandra, amongst many other things, to the planning of a series of trips around the world as part of an environmental art project called “Journey into fragility” started by her friend Rebecca Ballestra. Alessandra has also had the chance to discover different ways of life in countries less privileged to her own. She has done volunteer work in South America, Africa and visited refugee areas in the Middle East. Closer to home Alessandra has also been involved with the Caritas immigration camp in Ventimiglia.

"Along with a group of other locals, we are trying to make the best out of a dramatic situation with very few facilities and supplies available. The community is currently under great strain but also great efforts have been made by many to ensure that everyone is helped to the best of our abilities. It is no longer possible to ignore the immigrants and refugees’ plea as we are now experiencing it right under our very eyes. We are living in an era of epochal change so we better brace ourselves." says Alessandra.

We asked Alessandra our 5 famous questions and this is what she said to us...

1) What makes you smile?

My nephews, my dog and reminiscing about the past with my friends.

2) What or who inspires you?

Travelling, discovering new landscapes and cultures, meeting people.

3) Do you believe in gut instincts?

Yes, but strangely my gut feeling is usually more correct if related to my friends’ life rather than mine…

4) Your three essential things if you were stuck on a desert island would be what?

A book (“how to survive on a desert island”) - a hat and my beloved pillow to relax in front of the sea

5) If you are planning a day/night out, what do you enjoy doing the most?

Eating out, chatting with friends planning a new trip, visiting art exhibitions and doing something new as often as I can.