About Me

It’s time to discover somewhere new.

I’m Julianna Barnaby, a culture and travel writer, and I started The Discoveries Of to help you discover the best of new destinations around the world.

Sure, you’ll find the better-known sights, but you’ll also find the context behind them, the quieter corners, the neighbourhoods with a bit of grit, and my honest take on what isn’t worth the queue. Everything here is built on first-hand travel and written to be used, not just skimmed.

How I got here

I wrote my first bucket list at the tender (or precocious) age of seven, and I’ve been filling passports ever since.

I’ve always been obsessed with travelling and writing. I read English Language and Literature at Oxford and started freelance travel writing while I was there, a career I carried on after graduating as I travelled and wrote my way around the world. I’ve since co-written AA Travel Guides and written for Sunday Times Travel, Business Traveller, Rough Guides, Lonely Planet and Time Out, among others.

When I came back to London, I decided it was time to get a “proper” job. I retrained as a lawyer and qualified as a corporate tax solicitor at Travers Smith in the City, something my friends still find hard to believe. Several years and a few grey hairs later, I left.

And so, in 2016, The Discoveries Of was born.

What you’ll find here

• Deep-dive destination guides that cover not just where to go, but why it matters
• Detailed itineraries with realistic timings, routes and logistics
• Neighbourhood explorations that get beyond the obvious areas
• Cultural context so you understand the “why”, not just the “what”
• Honest recommendations, including the things I’d skip