"Strange energy"

Trip to save marriage, in love with travel guide

A US tourist not only fell in love with the Italian Amalfi Coast on her trip - but also with the travel guide (symbolic image).(Bild: APA/AFP/Filippo MONTEFORTE)

When US-American Monica Kennedy booked a trip to the Italian Amalfi Coast in 2017, she hoped to save her struggling marriage. But instead of a reconciliation, an unexpected encounter awaited her that would change her life forever.

Monica lived in a beautiful house in Connecticut, worked as a paralegal at Yale Law School and had two grown-up children. On the outside, her life seemed perfect, but her marriage, which had lasted over twenty years, had begun to falter, as CNN Travel reported. "We had gone in different directions," Monica recalls. Italy was supposed to be a last chance to save the relationship.

Heads turned on an exclusive tour
On the Amalfi Coast, she met Isidoro Langella, a charming tour guide from Naples. He organized exclusive tours for discerning travellers and introduced them to the culture, history and cuisine of his homeland. Monica immediately liked him, but at the time she was still traveling with her husband. Isidoro, on the other hand, only noticed a "strange energy" between the couple that day.

Unexpected reunion
A year later, after her divorce, Monica approached Isidoro again. A friend wanted to send her daughter on a trip to the Amalfi Coast, and Monica recommended Isidoro as a tour guide. But the plans fell through and Monica apologized to him profusely. This initial contact led to a lively exchange. They discussed movies, literature and life. "I would never have thought that we had so much in common," says Monica.

The online conversations became more and more intense until Monica decided to fly to Italy to see Isidoro again in person, despite her family's skepticism.

Long-distance relationship put to the test
When the two met at the airport, the situation was surreal at first. But after a few minutes, they felt as familiar as they had in their many conversations. They spent a week full of unforgettable moments on the coast and decided to give their relationship a real chance.

Monica kept visiting Isidoro in Italy until he finally visited her in the USA and met her children. The pandemic put their long-distance relationship to the test, as they were unable to see each other for almost 300 days. But when the opportunity finally arose, Monica flew to Italy again. "We knew we wanted to spend our lives together," she says.

"It's incredible how life can turn out"
In 2021, they married in an intimate ceremony on the Sorrento Coast, CNN Travel continues. Shortly afterwards, they decided to move the center of their lives to Italy. They founded the tour company "To Amalfi With Love Tours of Italy" and bought a house in the idyllic village of Castiglione del Lago in Umbria.

"It's incredible how life can turn out," reflects Monica. "I would never have thought that such a wonderful second chance could arise from a failed marriage." Isidoro also sees their life together as a gift: "We are both dreamers, and perhaps the world belongs to dreamers."

Today, they lead a happy life together in Italy and help others to experience their own dream journey. And Monica is certain: "You should never stop looking for happiness. Because sometimes a single encounter leads to a new, unexpected chapter in life."