Hello and welcome! My name is Alessandra, and Penna a Spillo is my blog.

I was born and raised in Genoa, right by the sea, where I graduated with a law degree and practiced as an attorney for many years. I worked non-stop, even as my three sons—Matteo, Filippo, and Andrea—arrived into my life, born just a few years apart from one another.

I’ve always been fascinated by the idea of living abroad. A few years ago, while chatting with my husband, we came up with the plan to move our family to London for a short stay—just a year, or so we thought! That year quickly turned into a much longer journey. That’s how I began discovering and sharing the story of this incredible, vibrant city that I fell head over heels in love with from day one.

Today, I’m a freelance blogger and visual storyteller, splitting my time between Genoa and London. Through my stories and photography, I help you experience London like a true local. My SoulMap™ program guides you through hidden corners, authentic details, and off-the-beaten-path routes, far beyond the traditional tourist itineraries.

My passion for photography and eye for detail led me to become an Official Contributor for Accidentally Wes Anderson, with a selection of my shots published on their official platform. On top of that, in 2024, one of my photographs was selected to be part of the prestigious AWA international touring exhibition across several cities worldwide.

Here on Penna a Spillo, you’ll find stories of my life and discoveries in London—a cosmopolitan city bursting with events, exhibitions, concerts, art, music, trends, and boundless creativity, where everything moves at lightning speed and no two days are ever the same.

You’ll also find my travel stories. I’ve always loved traveling the world, and even more so now that my London life has gifted me friends in every corner of the globe.

So, if you want to discover London day by day and travel along with me, follow along here on the blog and across all my social media channels (you can find me as @fotoaspillo; @pennaaspillo)

If you’d like to stay up to date on London’s must-see exhibitions, events, and happenings, subscribe to my free monthly newsletter!

To explore more of my photographic work, feel free to check out:

• My portfolio on Behance

• My profile on Fotografiska Emerging

• My Contributor profile on the Accidentally Wes Anderson Official website.