About Penguin and Pia
On this dual-language travel blog, we focus on exploring Europe and North America since these are the two regions of the world that we come from and know best.
You’ll find everything from detailed city guides and day trip recommendations to full country itineraries and transportation experiences.
As our website has grown, we have been lucky enough to share our knowledge with reputable websites and publications such as BBC Travel, Travel Channel, Business Insider, USA Today, Mashable and Matador Network.
So, why the name “Penguin and Pia”, you ask?
That’s a good question. As the story goes, we have a love for animals – penguins, in particular. Falling in love long distance can be quite tough. Eric sent Lisa a stuffed penguin named “Penguin”, from Canada for her birthday.
Months later while travelling together in Krakow, Poland, we stumbled upon a plush animal shop where we found another penguin. It was love at first sight. We bought her, Lisa later named her “Pia” – and the legend was born.
We’re Eric and Lisa, the founders…
Eric is a Canadian & Hungarian content writer with over 45 countries under his belt. From volunteering in Australia to studying his Master’s degree abroad in Edinburgh, Scotland, his travel experiences have taken him across the globe.
Next to writing on Penguin and Pia, he has also contributed to companies in the travel space such as Matador, GoOverseas and Spot. If you want to learn about Eric’s home province of Ontario, feel free to visit our second website OntarioAway.com.
Lisa is a German content writer and marketer who studied Business and Languages/Cultures at university.
She spent a year in the United States during high school, went to university in Copenhagen, Denmark, did an internship in Edinburgh, Scotland and studied abroad in Bilbao, Spain.
In addition to having travelled to over 20 countries in Europe – and having lived in 5, she now calls Canada her second home.
Our Contributors
Penguin and Pia would be nothing without our contributors. Their knowledge forms the backbone of this website.
Laura O. is a Canadian content creator who has called Quebec, Alberta, and British Columbia, as well as Australia, New Zealand, and the UK her “home”. Her travel experiences have taken her to the volcanoes of Central America, the waterfalls of Hawaii, the castles of England, and much more. In addition to creating She Who Wanders, her work can be found published on HI-Hostels Canada and Nomadasaurus.
Natalie
After leaving England in 2017, Natalie lived in a surfer town in Morocco for a few years before settling in Barcelona with her foundling street dog Zina. She is a writer and affiliate manager, and co-manages a surf brand in the UK. Her travel style is slow travel, exploring cute European towns and quiet beaches, and indulging in the culture of local food and wine.
Other contributors to Penguin and Pia include Minna from Estonia, Greg from California, United States, and Peter, a Canadian living in New Zealand.
So, welcome to our site – we’re glad you’re here. If you’d like to leave us a message, feel free to get in touch! Otherwise, happy reading!