About Vagabonda
OUR TEAM & TRAVEL STYLE
Why Would You Travel With Us?
We like to go slower, dive deeper, have fun...
Vagabonda is a new agency, going into our 3rd year of existence, but our small team has so much experience in the travel industry! Combined, the 3 of us, have approximately 70 years of experience with planning and booking trips for individuals and for groups. You can read more about our team below, but we all agree on one - we like to show the world to our guests slower, deeper, and more authentic! Whether you are looking to travel independently, solo, with friends or family, or to join one of our small group tours, you can always expect to see the destinations in the most balanced possible way, at a slower travel pace that includes always free time, but also with authentic experiences that deepen your connection with the local community and life. We always aim to touch your hearts, change your lives, and enrich them with those unforgettable travel moments.
Planning Travel
GUIDELINES WE FOLLOW FOR
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Love to stay a bit longer in each location
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Always visit the main sites but also go a bit off the beaten path to see life that is untouched by mass tourism
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Plan free time in each location we visit, time to relax and enjoy, and wander around without a plan
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Love to stay at smaller, locally owned, and managed hotels with outstanding service and great locations (we avoid big chain hotels whenever we can...)
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Love to support smaller local businesses for any tours, services, or experiences we book
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Are passionate about exploring all the local cuisine, and all the authentic restaurants
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Love to include some fun experiences but always in a leisurely way! You can expect boat tours, cable car rides, and hot air balloon flights (It is always possible to opt out from those!)
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Love to hang out with the local communities and learn about local life through the different experiences we set up
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Always work with people we know and love - local licensed guides, drivers, and other amazing local service providers
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More than anything else, we love to share all of the above with like-minded travelers.
Meet The Team
I am 100% Croatian by blood, but I was born and raised in Italy. My parents moved back home to Croatia when I was 10 years old, and that's where I grew up and started my travel industry career. In 2016 a job offer led me to move to Florida, US where I lived and worked for 5 years. Since 2021 my family and I have lived as digital nomads. I am happily married and have an 11-year-old son. I love my family, and I love to travel - just about anywhere! I love to meet and hang out with interesting people, I love good music and dancing, a glass of wine, and a nice meal! What else does one need!?
During the pandemic, I lost everything I had created till then. My job, my career. But I didn't give up, I started to post videos on TikTok and founded Vagabonda Travel.
Now, here we are... Vagabonda Travel, my agency - is thriving! I LOVE what I do!
With every person I send off traveling, I believe I make this world a little better! Vagabonda is here to change lives! Those of travelers, team members, and partner suppliers.
Alida Paljevic
FOUNDER & PRESIDENT
Alida's Career
My first job was "as a front desk clerk" at a hotel on the island of Hvar, I was only 18 years old!
At 20 I got my first job as a travel Advisor with a small travel agency in Zagreb, Croatia, and started to brush up my skills as a tour manager. I have led groups to many different destinations over the years and worked as a product manager for several tour companies.
In 2008 I got a job with a big and powerful Croatian travel company called Atlas. I started as a travel advisor in one of their branch offices and worked my way up slowly to the middle and executive management. In 2016 They chose me, among many other candidates to move to the US - to run their US-based office. It was a life-changing year for me and my family.
At that moment all my hard work through the years was materialized and rewarded. Unfortunately, in companies as big as Atlas things tend to change, and unfortunately, I did not like some of the changes that happened through 2018/19 which led me to seek another opportunity.
In 2020, I joined IWorld of Travel - a US-based tour operator and wholesaler that only works with travel advisors. I moved to Croatia and started their European Head office, so working from Croatia, I held 2 positions with this company. I was the president of the branch in Croatia and the Vice President of the Product Development department for the US-based wholesaler.
But I felt with all my heart, that after so many years of dreaming about it, it was time to launch my own travel agency, and it was a very tough decision to leave my “secure job” and do this leap of faith. But I had an amazing person in my corner, my husband, who believed in me often more than I believed in myself. With his love and support, together we launched Vagabonda Travel.
Vagabonda – is the Italian word for a woman who has the need to wonder and explore. To me, Vagabonda means to always seek new experiences, preferring the windy seas over a peaceful harbor. It embodies me personally, I am never happy in one place, even though I have places where I will always go back <3
25 YEARS EXPERIENCE AS A TRAVEL INDUSTRY PROFESSIONAL
Born and raised in Zagreb, Croatia.
I live my life near Zagreb in a house surrounded by nature with my husband and two children, an 11-years-old daughter and a 6-years-old son (with a cat and a dog too 😊)
I love my family and living outside the crowded city, I love to travel and explore new destinations, good music, and hang out with my friends and family.
I love spending time in nature, especially by the sea, it really fulfills me!
Working in tourism is something I truly enjoy; my father spent his entire life working in the travel industry so I fell in love with travel and tourism as a little girl, and ever since, I knew that would be my career path too.
Mirna Mrvica
OPERATIONS MANAGER
Mirna's Career
Graduated from the Faculty of Hotel and Tourism Management in Croatia.
My first job was in the booking department in Croatian tour operator company Atlas where I gained a lot of experience. Through the years I had the opportunity to work in different departments, from booking operations, sales, production, finance...
During my time working at Atlas, I met Alida. We worked closely together for a period of time.
In 2020 Atlas unfortunately closed its doors due to the pandemic. So I was forced to take another path and left the travel industry for a while. I worked shortly for a bank and real estate agency, but nothing could replace the travel industry.
I was thrilled to reconnect with Alida and join Vagabonda as the Operation Manager.
It really makes me happy to be a part of Vagabonda as we absolutely share the same vision of providing our clients with unforgettable travel experiences.
20 YEARS EXPERIENCE AS A TRAVEL INDUSTRY PROFESSIONAL
Born and raised in Slovenia, moved to Florida in 2007, where I started a new chapter in life and created a family. Happily married and a proud mother of an 11-year-old daughter. Speak 7 languages, out of which 3 on a daily basis. Started learning my first foreign language at the age of 6.
Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics, with a major in marketing.
I love my family, exploring the world (near and far), meeting people from different cultures, and indulging in local cuisine. Explored over 60 countries, with my favorites being Slovenia, Spain, Portugal, Greece, Mexico, and Rwanda.
Love my weekend getaway with my childhood friends whenever I go back to Slovenia. My hobbies: travel, photography, shelling. My professional passion: creating unique itineraries for in-depth tours all over Europe.
Ursa Klikovac
CO-FOUNDER + VICE PRESIDENT
Ursa's Career
Over 20 years’ experience in the travel industry, creating tours for all Mediterranean, Central and Eastern European destinations, such as Slovenia, Croatia, Spain, Portugal, Greece, Italy, Austria, Germany, Baltic states, Eastern Europe, to name just a few.
My work experience started at a young age, as I helped at the family’s company, and after I finished my studies took over the position of Sales and Marketing Manager.
Transitioned to travel industry over 20 years ago and rapidly climbed the ranks, eventually becoming the President of Kompas USA. My leadership and expertise led to significant revenue growth for the company.
Seeking new challenges in 2019, I joined Gate 1 Travel as a Senior Product Manager, overseeing the development of European destinations and tours. This role allowed me to collaborate with owners and senior managers, further enriching my global perspective and knowledge of the market.
Recently joined Vagabonda Travel and am very excited to share my knowledge, expertise, and love for travel with Vagabonda travelers and help create their travel memories.
20 YEARS EXPERIENCE AS A TRAVEL INDUSTRY PROFESSIONAL
- The Coscia-Mancuso Family, White Plains, NY
We cannot thank Vagabonda Travel enough for custom-designing our family trip to Italy. Memories to last a lifetime. Every detail of our trip was perfectly curated and exceptional. We would have never been able to plan this adventure on our own. Communication with the staff is excellent and we felt secure knowing we had contact number while we were traveling. Cannot wait to book our next trip with you soon!
Trip of a lifetime.
Happy Clients
- Megan and Jerry, Los Angeles, California
We have never used a travel service before, and Vagabonda absolutely blew us away! From their hotel bookings, to the day-by-day itinerary, to hidden gems we definitely would have never found on our own, we can't thank their team enough! Highly recommend for anyone who wants an authentic experience in Europe!
BEST TRIP EVER! We'll remember this for the rest of our lives!
Happy Clients
- Pete and Paula, Lindenhurst, New York
When my husband and I started planning our 30th Anniversary trip to Italy we had no idea where to even begin. That’s when I stumbled across Alida’s TikTok videos. I absolutely LOVED her content. To be honest, at first I was skeptical about planning a trip like this off of someone I saw in a TikTok video, but after meeting with her we knew we picked the right travel agency. Our 17-day trip was absolutely incredible. Alida and Vagabonda Travel made our lifetime dream of touring Italy one we will never forget!
Happy 30th Anniversary to Us! A TRIP OF A LIFETIME!
