Italian transplant Simone Tiligna has made the Milan-to-New York travel leg something of an art form. A native of Turin, the business executive recently moved to New York to create Sola Hospitality, a food and beverage enterprise in the form of chic Italian pasta bars that are bringing some Via Brera vibes to the streets of SoHo and beyond. Here, Tiligna shares his go-to travel hacks, flying soundtracks and why a window seat is always the best seat.
Simone Tiligna’s Travel Intel
My go-to airline is: Alitalia when flying from Italy. The airline reminds me of fond memories from childhood vacations. But I have to appreciate Delta because it is the airline that brought me to New York.
My favorite seat on the flight is: Window. I feel free when I see the ocean from the sky.
My go-to in-flight beverage is: Coffee to wake me up after a long flight.
My favorite airport/terminal is: Barajas in Madrid, because it is a lovely modern airport.
The second I get on a plane, I: I love to read books, usually novels.
My go-to travel uniform is: A comfortable hoodie and cotton pants from the Gap.
My carry-on consists of: Lately it consists of shirts and suits because as of late, I have only been traveling for work.
The pieces I take EVERYWHERE are: My favorite parfum, Tuscan Leather by Tom Ford.
My flying soundtrack is: Pop music, both Italian and American. I like to discover new playlists created by Spotify, like Chill Hits and others. Right now, I’ve been listening to the artist Black Coffee a lot.
My favorite thing about flying is: Landing in a new place.
The worst part about flying is: The time right before boarding the plane.
My one flying hack is: My one flying hack is to wear comfortable shoes. The flight can be long and it’s important to stay comfortable. You will appreciate it.
The second I land, I: Turn on my phone.
As soon as I check into my hotel room, I: Take a hot shower.
My favorite hotel in the world is: The Delano in Miami. I love the vibe and incredible service.
My favorite city in the world is: Milano. It makes everyone feel special.
A concierge will know that I prefer: That I am never home.
My favorite hotel memory is: The first time I traveled with my parents and I had my own hotel room. It made me feel independent, like I was an adult. I was 12.
I conquer jetlag by: I drink a lot of espressos.
My biggest piece of travel advice is: I always say travel is the best way to grow yourself and feed your soul, so my advice would just be to travel as much as you can!
