Only A Bag - An Italian Travel Podcast

Looking for "hidden Italy"? This may be the place you're looking for! Immaculate coastline, tiny mountain towns that non-Italians rarely find, fresh, local food, and rosemary which may be the key to everlasting youth. In this episode, we're talking about the Cilento (pronounced chee-len-toe). Head south from the heavily-touristed Amalfi Coast to find it. The Cilento is a National Park full of mountains, lush forests, small towns and cities, some of the best food you'll ever eat, and, of course, the Costa del Cilento which stretches from Agropoli to Sapri. If you'd like to support Only A Bag and you're headed to the Amalfi Coast (or anywhere!) you can use our ⁠Booking.com⁠ link to book your next trip! And if you'd like to donate, you can do so at our Ko-fi (pronounced "coffee"), linked ⁠here⁠. If you have any questions, you can find us on our website⁠ or on Instagram and ⁠Bluesky!Thank you so much for listening!

It wouldn't feel right to put out a bunch of episodes centered on how to live in Italy without also mentioning some of the things that can make Italy a difficult country to live in. We don't go super in-depth into any of these topics, instead just offering some anecdotal and experience-based information (with actual research as well, to be clear) on freedom of speech/press, Corruption and Trash, Racism, and Fascism. You might be able to tell that we're very cautious about the way we speak, and this is due to not wanting to be sued for saying something that someone else might take as slander. Though in case it isn't crystal clear from this episode: Fascism = Bad and Italy allowing those elements to forment and grow in power = Really Bad. In this episode we mention a bakery, but didn't have in our notes the exact quote. The bakery is called "L'assalto ai Forni" or "The assault on the ovens" in Ascoli Piceno.The original quote on their sign for Liberation Day was "25 aprile: buono come il pane, bello come l'antifascismo" meaning "April 25: as good as bread, as beautiful as anti-fascism." If there's any part of this episode you'd like to know more about, please don't hesitate to reach out and ask! And for those of you who prefer to just listen to episodes about what to see and where to eat, fear not! We shall return to those soon, we just wanted to wrap up the "Living in Italy" segment first. Thank you for listening!Only a Bagonlyabag.comko-fi.com/onlyabag

Deviating slightly from the episode we expected to make, this week we're talking about the Amalfi Coast. We've touched on it slightly before, but with the summer season starting to ramp up, we wanted to talk about how to get to this popular summer destination, things to look out for, some pastries to try, and how to not get trapped out there! If you'd like to support Only A Bag and you're headed to the Amalfi Coast (or anywhere!) you can use our Booking.com link to book your next trip! And if you'd like to donate, you can do so at our Ko-fi (pronounced "coffee"), linked here. Thank you so much for listening! WebsiteInstagramBluesky

To round up our series of episodes about visas, today we're talking about the digital nomad and remote worker visas. They are possibly the most complicated of the visas available mostly because there is less information about to how receive these visas compared to others like the student visa or elective residency visa. For more information on all of the visas we've talked about you can check out Nathaniel's article "How to Move to Italy: The Ultimate Guide for Americans (2025)." For more info about being a digital nomad in Italy check out some of our other articles here. In this episode we mention the list of "highly skilled" jobs that you must fall into to be approved for the digital nomad visa. You can find the list on the official government website here. At the beginning of this episode we mention the sad news of the passing of Pope Francis on Monday, April 21. We also touch on how the recently announced (and unrelated) Venice tourist tax could affect your travel this summer. Plus, we received a very helpful tip from a listener after last week's episode. They pointed out that, in March, Italy announced a decree which could affect the Jus Sanginis (or birthright visa) requirements. We will keep you updated with that as the final decision will be made in May. If you'd like to support the podcast you can donate to us on ⁠Ko-fi⁠. This fund will help us buy new equipment for the podcast, like new mics! For more information or to contact us you can go to onlyabag.com!Thank you all so much for listening!

Jure Sanguinis Update: A major "thank you" to one of our listeners for pointing out a recent decree from March 28th that affects birthright citizenship. Under the new ruling, the only people who are applicable are those with Italian parents who were born in Italy, those with Italian parents who lived in Italy for a minimum of 2 consecutive years before giving birth to you, and those with grandparents who were born in Italy. This isn't a law yet, just a decree, and the Italian government has until the end of May to pass it into a law or abolish it. We will update you all on it as it progresses! More of our mini-series "How To Live In Italy!" In this episode we talk about three of the major pathways to citizenship in Italy; the golden visa, elective residency visa (often called "the retirement visa"), and birthright citizenship (Jus Sanginis). Is the golden visa just for the uber rich? Sort of. Do I have to be of "retirement age" to apply for the elective residency visa? And finally, you've been told your whole life "we're Italian!" or maybe you just found out on an ancestry test, so how do you claim citizenship? We'll answer all of those question and more in this episode. We touched on the so called "retirement visa" in a previous episode, How To Live In Italy: Work Visa and Retirement Visa, but we wanted to mention it again because it can be a great option for people with outside income who are looking to live in Italy. And because *spoiler* there is no age restriction. For more info, you can check out Nathaniel's article "How to Move to Italy: The Ultimate Guide for Americans" on our website. Don't forget to bookmark it to reference later!If you'd like to support the podcast you can donate to us on Ko-fi. This fund will help us buy new equipment for the podcast, like new mics!Thank you all so much for listening!

We have fit everything we possibly could about this incredible city into this episode! How do I get there? What is there to do? Why is it called "The City of Caves?" Should I even bother going? Yes! We'll tell you all about it. In this episode we talk about everything you need to know to visit, but the city's history is vast, so we only touch on that a little. But we'll be doing a deep dive into the history of this 7,000 year old community in a later episode, so stay tuned!In this episode we mentioned several restaurants which were all amazing! Here's where we ate:Lunch: Da Nonna Rosa (Via Lucana, 166, 75100 Matera MT)Drinks: Monkey Drink House (Via Duomo, 9, 75100 Matera MT)Dinner: Osteria al Casale (Via Madonna delle Virtù, 29, 75100 Matera MT)Gelato: I Vizi degli Angeli (Via Domenico Ridola, n.36, 75100 Matera MT)Forno (bread shop): Panificio Paoluccio (Via del Corso, 22, 75100 Matera MT)Cafe/pastry shop: Bar Caffè Tripoli (Piazza Vittorio Veneto, 17, 75100 Matera MT)The entrance to the hike across the Gravina (ravine) is here. Thanks so much for listening! You can check out articles on ⁠⁠⁠onlyabag.com⁠⁠⁠ with new articles coming out all the time. You can help the podcast by using our affiliate links for booking hotels and rental cars! If you liked the podcast, please leave a review, it helps us immensely! You can contact us on our website and follow us on ⁠⁠⁠Bluesky⁠⁠⁠ and wherever you're listening to this podcast.

Picking up where we left off in the previous episode, we continue to cover setting and managing expectations, especially as they surround food, sharing responsibilities, and getting clear on what you want to do and see (or don't want to). Thanks so much for listening! You can check out articles on ⁠⁠onlyabag.com⁠⁠ with new articles coming out all the time. If you liked the podcast, please leave a review, it helps us immensely! You can contact us on our website and follow us on ⁠⁠Bluesky⁠⁠ and wherever you're listening to this podcast.

Traveling with someone else can be an amazing opportunity to share a once-in-a-lifetime experience. It can also be incredibly stressful if you've never traveled before, or traveled together before.In this Part 1 of 2, we discuss setting expectations around a budget and transportation. Thanks so much for listening! You can check out articles on ⁠⁠onlyabag.com⁠⁠ with new articles coming out all the time. If you liked the podcast, please leave a review, it helps us immensely! You can contact us on our website and follow us on ⁠⁠Bluesky⁠⁠ and wherever you're listening to this podcast.

"Is tap water safe to drink in Italy?", "What's the deal with tipping?", "Do they expect me to use the bidet in a public bathroom?", and perhaps most importantly, "Why does the alarm go off in a public toilet when I pull that thin cord?". In this episode we answer all that and more! We also discover how incensed Darcy is about a rage-bait Instagram video and Nathaniel's views on tipping culture. Thanks so much for listening! You can check out articles on ⁠onlyabag.com⁠ with new articles coming out all the time. If you liked the podcast you, please leave a review, it helps us immensely! You can contact us on our website and follow us on ⁠Bluesky⁠ and wherever you're listening to this podcast.

After our recent trips to Venice and Florence we thought we'd share some of our hard-learned tips that have become second nature. Can you be fined for sitting in the wrong seat on a train? What do you do if you get separated while traveling? We will also talk about setting expectations, the importance of communicating your needs to your travel partner(s), and how crucial it is to bring two pairs of shoes (Nathaniel didn't and paid dearly).In this episode we mention Nathaniel's article "Espresso Drinks and How to Order Them" which explains each type of coffee drink you can order at a cafe in Italy; hint: an American "macchiato" is not an Italian macchiato. Thanks so much for listening! You can check out more articles on onlyabag.com with new articles coming out all the time. If you liked the podcast you, please leave a review, it helps us immensely! You can contact us on our website and follow us on Bluesky and wherever you're listening to this podcast.

Nathaniel has had about four cups of coffee, so please bear with him as he and Darcy jump into the world of the Venice Carnavale. I can hear you now, your questions coming to me:What is the Carnavale? Why is it in February, one of the worst times to go to Italy (or best, if you're on a budget!)? What are the little fried pieces of Heaven called "fritelle"? And most importantly, I want a mask, where do I get one?Well, this episode has you covered! It covers everything you need to know, and some things that are just nice to know.Plus:Where to buy authentic masks:La BautaAtelier MaregaLa Bottega Dei MascareriSan Marco 596Fritelle (or, Pastry Shops):MajerTonoloRizzardiniDal MasPasticceria Toletta (Next door at the Bar all Toletta has great (and cheap) sandwiches!)Rosa SalvaThank you all so much for listening!Darcy and NathanielOnly A Bagwww.onlyabag.com

In this episode we unpack (pun intended) all that we learned on our recent trip to Venice. How do you avoid pickpockets? What are cicchetti? Can you really buy a glass of wine for €1.50? And some important rules to follow while visiting, like don't sit on the church steps! Stay tuned for articles on Venice and more coming soon to onlyabag.com. If you're planning your visit to Venice (or anywhere), you can help out the podcast by using our affiliate links with  ⁠Booking⁠, Expedia⁠, and ⁠Agoda⁠.Thank you all so much for listening!

In a continuation of the mini-series on living in Italy, today brings us to the work visa, the retirement visa, and the working holiday visa. In this episode, we dive into why the work visa isn't as easy to get as a student visa, how to apply for it, and how to apply for other types of permits that will allow you to work in Italy (such as the Blue Card). As we mention towards the end of the episode, we highly encourage you to find a recruiter or an agency that helps with this in order to increase your chances of success. As two other booking keeping notes, we have an updated website and this time we've added in what SHOULD be some subtle ads. Please let us know if you visit the website and feel bombarded by ads, that shouldn't be the case. We will also be taking a break on Wednesday, February 26th while we visit Venice for the Carnavale. Thank you all so much for listening!www.onlyabag.comBluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/onlyabag.comLinks:Blue Card: https://www.apply.eu/BlueCard/Blue Card Information: https://immigration-portal.ec.europa.eu/eu-blue-card/italy_enWork Visa Information: https://visaguide.world/europe/italy-visa/long-stay/work/Elective Residency Information: https://visaguide.world/retirement-visa/italy/ Working Holiday Visa: https://visaguide.world/europe/italy-visa/long-stay/working-holiday/

If you're thinking about moving to Italy and studying or working here, then one of the first steps is securing housing. While this might sound dry, trying to find an apartment in Italy can be one of the most rage-inducing aspects of living here, but it can also be one of the most exciting.In this episode, we break down what to expect, what to look out for, what the lengths of a contract are, where to find apartments, and even how to get acodice fiscale.We mentioned a few of the websites that we use which are:immobiliare.itidealista.itcasa.ithousinganywhere.comAnd if you'd like to support Only A Bag, you can do so by using our affiliate link to sign up forTrusted Housesitters (if housesitting is something you'd like to explore!).If you want to look at and compare the different costs of living in Italy, you can useNumbeo.You can find us ononlyabag.com,Instagram, orBlueSky.

The 1 euro house project has been talked about in countless articles, on the news, and spread across social media. So, can you really buy a house in Italy for 1 euro? Sort of. What most people don't mention are the extra costs like taxes, fees, and renovation costs. Plus, did you know about the renovation timeline a homeowner has to adhere to? In this episode we lay out the details of buying a "1 euro house" and the alternative, buying an inexpensive house in Italy "regular style." In this episode we mention two great resources. Idealista article: "1 euro houses in Italy: the villages still in the spotlight in 2025" by Flavio Di Stefano  One Euro Houses article: Map of 1 euro houses The HGTV show we mention is Fixer to Fabulous (during recording Darcy mistook this show for Home Town (a cuter show in her opinion)). If you'd like to support the podcast you can use our affiliate Booking link or Trusted Housesitters link. Thank you so much for listening! We would absolutely appreciate it if you could follow us and rate us wherever you listen; it helps the podcast grow and it makes us feel like we're making a difference!  You can find us at ⁠⁠onlyabag.com⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠@onlyabagpodcast⁠⁠. 

If you aren't related to an Italian and can't get the jus sanguinis visa, perhaps the easiest way to live in Italy is by acquiring a student visa. Can I go to college in Italy? Can I take courses taught in English? How much does it cost? In this episode we answer all of those questions and more. This episode is a part of our "How to Live in Italy" series where we dive into different visa options. It would mean so much to us to know if you liked this episode. Please check out our poll in the previous episode or contact us via email or through our website to tell us if you want to hear more on topics like this one, or if you prefer to hear about being a tourist and short term travel tips. If you don't want to commit to a year-long visa, like a student visa, but want to visit Italy on a tourist visa, we can't recommend housesitting enough. We use ⁠Trusted Housesitters⁠* which has a fairly steep upfront cost (a few hundred dollars) but that's covered with a few nights of a house sit which should never cost you money.  Thank you so much for listening! We would absolutely appreciate it if you could follow us and rate us wherever you listen; it helps the podcast grow and it makes us feel like we're making a difference!  You can find us at ⁠⁠onlyabag.com⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠@onlyabagpodcast⁠⁠. 

After a trip filled with good pasta, great gelato, and a wealth of national treasures, what could be more natural than wanting to live here? At least, that was our thought! In this episode, we look at four of the most common avenues for residency: jus sanguinis, work visa, student visa, and digital nomad visa. We will delve into each of these more in depth in later episodes (poll below, if you'd like to tell us which kind of episodes you prefer), but for now, he's a little bit of information to get that imagination started! And if you'd like to get your feet wet with living in Italy, we can't recommend housesitting enough. We use Trusted Housesitters* which has a fairly steep upfront cost (a few hundred dollars) but that's covered with a few nights of a house sit which should never cost you money.  Thank you so much for listening! We would absolutely appreciate it if you could follow us and rate us wherever you listen; it helps the podcast grow and it makes us feel like we're making a difference!  You can find us at ⁠onlyabag.com⁠ and ⁠@onlyabagpodcast⁠. 

Planning on taking a cruise to/around Italy? Not sure what that entails? Struggling to see how it's possible given the fact many of the towns are land-locked? After Darcy talked to her mom about an upcoming trip to Italy, we were inspired to do a little digging into cruises to, from, and around Italy. Some are massive cruise ships with multi-port journeys, water slides, and endless buffets others are, in fact, ferries with an unassuming bar and restaurant that get you from point A to B. In this episode we get into the pros and cons of it all plus touch on what the environmental impacts of various transportation might be. If you're planning on going to Rome in 2025, we highly recommend booking your hotels (and potentially even your flights) as soon as possible. If you'd like to help out Only A Bag, you can use our affiliate links marked with an asterisk.  For hotels, we tend to use Booking* since we're already a part of their member program, but Expedia* also has a robust member program with similar prices on hotel rooms. For an aggregate that seems to offer slightly better deals across the board, we recommend checking out Agoda*.  And if you've always loved the idea of staying in Italy for an extended period and becoming part of the culture, we can't recommend housesitting enough. While it does often entail taking care of someone's pet, it can also be a gateway to seeing Italy in a totally new way. We use Trusted Housesitters* which has a fairly steep upfront cost (a few hundred dollars) but that's covered with a few nights of a house sit which should never cost you money.  Lastly, if you're already looking to book flights, we like to use the airline's website, however, some aggregates do offer better deals, so we always recommend checking Expedia* or Booking* before purchasing.  Thank you so much for listening! We would absolutely appreciate it if you could follow us and rate us wherever you listen; it helps the podcast grow and it makes us feel like we're making a difference!  You can find us at ⁠onlyabag.com⁠ and ⁠@onlyabagpodcast⁠. 

Why do Italian children put out their shoes on January 5th to be filled with candy? Why are there so many witches and witch-related accoutrement after Christmas? And what can you do on January 6th in Italy to celebrate (or just partake) in Epiphany? Well, free candy galore, for one! In this episode, we dive in and give you everything you need to know about Epiphany. If you're planning on going to Rome this year, we highly recommend booking your hotels (and potentially even your flights) as soon as possible. If you'd like to help out Only A Bag, you can use our affiliate links marked with an asterisk.  For hotels, we tend to use Booking* since we're already a part of their member program, but Expedia* also has a robust member program with similar prices on hotel rooms. For an aggregate that seems to offer slightly better deals across the board, we recommend checking out Agoda*.  And if you've always loved the idea of staying in Italy for an extended period and becoming part of the culture, we can't recommend housesitting enough. While it does often entail taking care of someone's pet, it can also be a gateway to seeing Italy in a totally new way. We use Trusted Housesitters* which has a fairly steep upfront cost (a few hundred dollars) but that's covered with a few nights of a house sit which should never cost you money.  Lastly, if you're already looking to book flights, we like to use the airline's website, however, some aggregates do offer better deals, so we always recommend checking Expedia* or Booking* before purchasing.  Thank you so much for listening! We would absolutely appreciate it if you could follow us and rate us wherever you listen; it helps the podcast grow and it makes us feel like we're making a difference!  You can find us at ⁠onlyabag.com⁠ and ⁠@onlyabagpodcast⁠. 

This week, we take a look at some of our favorite wintertime desserts, treats, and pastries. From the popular panettone to the less-known fried chiacchiere (or, chit-chat), we take you down the sugary path of what to look forward to in Italy this time of year. We also want to extend a huge "thank you" to everyone who listened to us this year, who followed the show, left a review, and enjoyed it. It means the world to us and we're looking forward to 2025! We hope you have a Happy New Year! Darcy and Nathaniel Only A Bag www.onlyabag.com

Why is Christmas celebrated on December 25th and is it because of a Roman Emperor? Did Romans take off work and celebrate the winter holidays like we do? We'll tell you all about that as well as how Christmas is celebrated in Italy today. We'll answer questions like who brings gifts to Italian children on Christmas eve and do Italians have Christmas trees? With the Jubilee coming up we highly recommend booking hotels in Rome as soon as possible, if you're planning on visiting in 2025. If you're visiting other parts of Italy in the coming year and want to know when to book hotels and flights, check out our episode ⁠When to Book: Hotels and Flights ⁠ and even ⁠When to Book: Trains and Buses⁠. If you'd like to help out Only A Bag, you can use our affiliate links marked with an asterisk.  For hotels, we tend to use ⁠Booking⁠* since we're already a part of their member program, but ⁠Expedia⁠* also has a robust member program with similar prices on hotel rooms. For an aggregate that seems to offer slightly better deals across the board, we recommend checking out ⁠Agoda⁠*.    If you're looking to book flights, we like to use the airline's website, however, some aggregates do offer better deals, so we always recommend checking ⁠⁠Expedia⁠⁠* or ⁠⁠Booking⁠⁠* before purchasing.  And if you've always loved the idea of staying in Italy for an extended period and becoming part of the culture, we can't recommend housesitting enough. While it does often entail taking care of someone's pet, it can also be a gateway to seeing Italy in a totally new way. We use ⁠Trusted Housesitters⁠* which has a fairly steep upfront cost (a few hundred dollars) but that's covered with a few nights of a house sit which should never cost you money.    Thank you so much for listening! We would absolutely appreciate it if you could follow us and rate us wherever you listen; it helps the podcast grow and it makes us feel like we're making a difference!  You can find more at ⁠⁠onlyabag.com⁠⁠ and contact us via email at onlyabagpodcast@gmail.com or on Instagram at ⁠⁠@onlyabagpodcast⁠⁠. 

Which Christmas market is the most popular? Which is the oldest? We'll answer those questions and more in this episode! Edit, and this is a big one: In this episode Darcy is super excited about the "biggest Christmas tree in the world." Upon further fact checking, it is not in fact a living tree, but Christmas lights arranged along the side of Mount Ingino in the shape of a Christmas tree. We do our best to deliver only accurate information, but sometimes things slip through the cracks, like "the biggest Christmas tree in the world." We also do our best to tell you when we're wrong and we appreciate your understanding. That said, there is tons more in the episode that is correct, so we hope you give it a listen! With the Jubilee coming up we highly recommend booking hotels in Rome as soon as possible, if you're planning on visiting in 2025. If you're visiting other parts of Italy in the coming year and want to know when to book hotels and flights, check out our episode When to Book: Hotels and Flights and even When to Book: Trains and Buses. If you'd like to help out Only A Bag, you can use our affiliate links marked with an asterisk.  For hotels, we tend to use Booking* since we're already a part of their member program, but Expedia* also has a robust member program with similar prices on hotel rooms. For an aggregate that seems to offer slightly better deals across the board, we recommend checking out Agoda*.    If you're looking to book flights, we like to use the airline's website, however, some aggregates do offer better deals, so we always recommend checking ⁠Expedia⁠* or ⁠Booking⁠* before purchasing.  And if you've always loved the idea of staying in Italy for an extended period and becoming part of the culture, we can't recommend housesitting enough. While it does often entail taking care of someone's pet, it can also be a gateway to seeing Italy in a totally new way. We use Trusted Housesitters* which has a fairly steep upfront cost (a few hundred dollars) but that's covered with a few nights of a house sit which should never cost you money.    Thank you so much for listening! We would absolutely appreciate it if you could follow us and rate us wherever you listen; it helps the podcast grow and it makes us feel like we're making a difference!  You can find more at ⁠onlyabag.com⁠ and contact us via email at onlyabagpodcast@gmail.com or on Instagram at ⁠@onlyabagpodcast⁠. 

In this episode, we teach you how to order coffee in Italy like a natural. Some of you might see that this is a quasi-repeat of a previous episode. Part of that is due to us learning more about the coffee culture in Italy, and part of that is due to us watching Lidia Poet on Netflix and wondering why they were drinking tea. So in this episode we delve into the history of coffee in Italy, and teach you how to order your favorite drinks. If you're planning on going to Rome in 2025, we highly recommend booking your hotels (and potentially even your flights) as soon as possible. If you'd like to help out Only A Bag, you can use our affiliate links marked with an asterisk.  For hotels, we tend to use Booking* since we're already a part of their member program, but Expedia* also has a robust member program with similar prices on hotel rooms. For an aggregate that seems to offer slightly better deals across the board, we recommend checking out Agoda*.    And if you've always loved the idea of staying in Italy for an extended period and becoming part of the culture, we can't recommend housesitting enough. While it does often entail taking care of someone's pet, it can also be a gateway to seeing Italy in a totally new way. We use Trusted Housesitters* which has a fairly steep upfront cost (a few hundred dollars) but that's covered with a few nights of a house sit which should never cost you money.    Lastly, if you're already looking to book flights, we like to use the airline's website, however, some aggregates do offer better deals, so we always recommend checking Expedia* or Booking* before purchasing.  Thank you so much for listening! We would absolutely appreciate it if you could follow us and rate us wherever you listen; it helps the podcast grow and it makes us feel like we're making a difference!  You can find us at ⁠onlyabag.com⁠ and ⁠@onlyabagpodcast⁠. 

Can I go to Italy as a medical tourist? What if I want to get some dental work done, or visit a health clinic? In this episode, we try and explore the idea of medical tourism (visiting Italy solely for health-related needs) and what kind of basic healthcare you might have access to in Italy. If you're planning on going to Rome in 2025, we highly recommend booking your hotels (and potentially even your flights) as soon as possible. If you'd like to help out Only A Bag, you can use our affiliate links marked with an asterisk.  For hotels, we tend to use ⁠Booking⁠* since we're already a part of their member program, but ⁠Expedia⁠* also has a robust member program with similar prices on hotel rooms. For an aggregate that seems to offer slightly better deals across the board, we recommend checking out ⁠Agoda⁠*.  And if you've always loved the idea of staying in Italy for an extended period and becoming part of the culture, we can't recommend housesitting enough. While it does often entail taking care of someone's pet, it can also be a gateway to seeing Italy in a totally new way. We use ⁠Trusted Housesitters⁠* which has a fairly steep upfront cost (a few hundred dollars) but that's covered with a few nights of a house sit which should never cost you money.  Lastly, if you're already looking to book flights, we like to use the airline's website, however, some aggregates do offer better deals, so we always recommend checking ⁠Expedia⁠* or ⁠Booking⁠* before purchasing.  Thank you so much for listening! We would absolutely appreciate it if you could follow us and rate us wherever you listen; it helps the podcast grow and it makes us feel like we're making a difference!  You can find us at ⁠⁠onlyabag.com⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠@onlyabagpodcast⁠⁠.

We've heard opinions from Italians and western tourists about Venice. We've seen questions like “What time does Venice close?” and “Does anyone actually live in Venice?” Nathaniel had been to Venice before, but two weeks ago I visited for time. We stayed for just one night and in this episode we address these questions and share our first impressions.  Shout out to the Enoteca (wine bar) mentioned in this episode called "Stappo." You can check them out here stappovenezia.com . As always thank you for listening! 

Happy Halloween, witches! In this episode we talk about the history of witchcraft in Italy. From herbs and invocations to hallucinogenic oils and riding animals following Herodias. And who is Herodias? Who is the queen of witches? We'll tell you. We also talk about the far too unknown Italian witch trials as well as how witchcraft exists in modern life in Italy. Welcome to our special Halloween Episode! As always thank you for listening!

Darcy is still under the weather so it's just Nathaniel in today's episode! If you'll forgive the random tangents and the "um"s scattered throughout, I will try to help you understand the difference between travel insurance, travel health insurance, and at the end, I'll quickly discuss how to bring prescriptions with you on the plane. (Spoiler: you will need the .pdf from this website, or your own note.   If you're planning on going to Rome in 2025, we highly recommend booking your hotels (and potentially even your flights) as soon as possible. If you'd like to help out Only A Bag, you can use our affiliate links marked with an asterisk.  For hotels, we tend to use Booking* since we're already a part of their member program, but Expedia* also has a robust member program with similar prices on hotel rooms. For an aggregate that seems to offer slightly better deals across the board, we recommend checking out Agoda*.  And if you've always loved the idea of staying in Italy for an extended period and becoming part of the culture, we can't recommend housesitting enough. While it does often entail taking care of someone's pet, it can also be a gateway to seeing Italy in a totally new way. We use Trusted Housesitters* which has a fairly steep upfront cost (a few hundred dollars) but that's covered with a few nights of a house sit which should never cost you money.  If you're in the market for travel health insurance, you can check out Visitor's Coverage* through our affiliate link! Lastly, if you're in the market for a basic, no-fee credit card you can use on the road, you can try out Capital One's Quicksilver or Savor One. Both offer $200 cash back when you spend $550 in the first 3 months, zero foreign transaction fees, and some decent travel benefits. Thank you so much for listening! We would absolutely appreciate it if you could follow us and rate us wherever you listen; it helps the podcast grow and it makes us feel like we're making a difference!  You can find us at ⁠onlyabag.com⁠ and ⁠@onlyabagpodcast⁠. 

Hello everyone! Darcy caught a bit of a cold/flu situation so she's been in bed recovering for the past few days. Instead of listening to an hour long monologue by yours truly, we thought it would be better to push the episode to next week, where we'll either double-publish on Wednesday or publish Monday and Wednesday. As always, thank you all so much for your support!

Don't wear a weeding ring, don't take out your phone, cover up any expensive labels. There are countless tips out there to avoid looking like a target, so is getting pickpocketed a real fear? Likewise, what are some scams you might run into while traveling in Italy? And is it safe to walk around at night? In this episode, we talk about crime, safety, and everything around it. If you're planning on going to Rome in 2025, we highly recommend booking your hotels (and potentially even your flights) as soon as possible. If you'd like to help out Only A Bag, you can use our affiliate links marked with an asterisk.  For hotels, we tend to use Booking* since we're already a part of their member program, but Expedia* also has a robust member program with similar prices on hotel rooms. For an aggregate that seems to offer slightly better deals across the board, we recommend checking out Agoda*.  And if you've always loved the idea of staying in Italy for an extended period and becoming part of the culture, we can't recommend housesitting enough. While it does often entail taking care of someone's pet, it can also be a gateway to seeing Italy in a totally new way. We use Trusted Housesitters* which has a fairly steep upfront cost (a few hundred dollars) but that's covered with a few nights of a house sit which should never cost you money. It's free to make an account and look through ads, but you have to pay to send a message. Lastly, if you're already looking to book flights, we like to use the airline's website, however, some aggregates do offer better deals, so we always recommend checking Expedia* or Booking* before purchasing.  Thank you so much for listening! We would absolutely appreciate it if you could follow us and rate us wherever you listen; it helps the podcast grow and it makes us feel like we're making a difference!  You can find us at ⁠onlyabag.com⁠ and ⁠@onlyabagpodcast⁠. 

Did you know? The Rome Jubilee is based on Jewish tradition. The Holy Door is walled up and must be broken down so that the Pope can unlock it with a hidden key. Your sins can be absolved (according to the Catholic church)! In this episode we get into the history and details of the Rome Jubilee. Plus, go check out our previous episode for all of the modern-day practicalities of visiting Rome during the Jubilee, just as many fun facts but in the 21st century not the 14th.  If you're planning on going to Rome in 2025, we highly recommend booking your hotels (and potentially even your flights) as soon as possible. If you'd like to help out Only A Bag, you can use our affiliate links marked with an asterisk.  For hotels, we tend to use Booking* since we're already a part of their member program, but Expedia* also has a robust member program with similar prices on hotel rooms. For an aggregate that seems to offer slightly better deals across the board, we recommend checking out Agoda*.  And if you've always loved the idea of staying in Italy for an extended period and becoming part of the culture, we can't recommend housesitting enough. While it does often entail taking care of someone's pet, it can also be a gateway to seeing Italy in a totally new way. We use Trusted Housesitters* which has a fairly steep upfront cost (a few hundred dollars) but that's covered with a few nights of a house sit which should never cost you money.  Lastly, if you're already looking to book flights, we like to use the airline's website, however, some aggregates do offer better deals, so we always recommend checking Expedia* or Booking* before purchasing.  Thank you so much for listening! We would absolutely appreciate it if you could follow us and rate us wherever you listen; it helps the podcast grow and it makes us feel like we're making a difference!  You can find us at ⁠onlyabag.com⁠ and ⁠@onlyabagpodcast⁠. 

The cost of the transportation system is rising, and they're thinking about instituting a small charge to see the Trevi Fountain. But it's not all bad! If you want to walk to Rome, they're also pouring money into the Via Francigena to make it easier for pilgrims to make their way along the Canterbury-Rome road. And if you want to take part in the festivities, we have you covered! Here's a link to the Vatican Website where you can go ahead and get your Pilgrim Card! If you're planning on going to Rome in 2025, we highly recommend booking your hotels (and potentially even your flights) as soon as possible. If you'd like to help out Only A Bag, you can use our affiliate links marked with an asterisk.  For hotels, we tend to use Booking* since we're already a part of their member program, but Expedia* also has a robust member program with similar prices on hotel rooms. For an aggregate that seems to offer slightly better deals across the board, we recommend checking out Agoda*.  And if you've always loved the idea of staying in Italy for an extended period and becoming part of the culture, we can't recommend housesitting enough. While it does often entail taking care of someone's pet, it can also be a gateway to seeing Italy in a totally new way. We use Trusted Housesitters* which has a fairly steep upfront cost (a few hundred dollars) but that's covered with a few nights of a house sit which should never cost you money.  Lastly, if you're already looking to book flights, we like to use the airline's website, however, some aggregates do offer better deals, so we always recommend checking Expedia* or Booking* before purchasing.  Thank you so much for listening! We would absolutely appreciate it if you could follow us and rate us wherever you listen; it helps the podcast grow and it makes us feel like we're making a difference!  You can find us at ⁠onlyabag.com⁠ and ⁠@onlyabagpodcast⁠. 

While it's taken a long time to come to fruition, it looks like the EU is set to rollout their new visa scheme in the first half of 2025. So, what does this mean as a non-European? Do Americans (if you are American) now need a visa to go to Italy? And what about this raised tourist tax we keep hearing so much about? Do you actually have to pay 25 euros a night in addition to a hotel room? In this episode, we hope to inform you and assuage those fears about what 2025 will look like for travelers. Until then, if you're planning a trip to Italy and you'd like to help out Only A Bag (read: Darcy and Nathaniel), you can do so by booking your hotel or train trip through our affiliate links. *Links with an asterisk are affiliate links. By using our affiliate link to book hotels you help our podcast! We get a kickback from the company and you will not be charged extra.  When looking for hotels, we usually cross-reference Booking*, Expedia*, Priceline, and Agoda*. We typically book with Booking.com* because we like their “Genius” deals and it seems like they often have the best or comparable prices. When looking for trains our go to is Train Line*. We cross reference it with Rail Europe* to find the best deal. You can also book directly through train companies websites like TrenItalia .  As always, thank you all so much for listening. It means a great deal to us! If you liked what you heard and you want to help us make a change, you can do so by following us and leaving a review. You can find us at ⁠onlyabag.com⁠ and ⁠@onlyabagpodcast⁠. 

Or, as Darcy likes to call it, Creepy Crawly Cuties! Are there mosquitos in Italy? What are those tiny little bugs that bite me so painfully? Do I have to worry about scorpions? Most importantly, do I have to worry about rabies? In this episode, we delve into the biting, stinging, flying, and slithering side of Italy! As always, we truly appreciate you all for listening! You can find us at ⁠onlyabag.com⁠ and ⁠@onlyabagpodcast⁠. 

Do you love trains? Travel back in time on trains from the 1930s and 50s for family friendly day-trips at around 7-12 euros with Fondazione FS. Or travel in style (there is a dress code), in all out luxuriousness with La Dolce Vita by Orient Express or Venice Simplon Orient Express by Belmond with trips stating around 4,000 euros. In this episode we talk about it all. Let's get into it. Want to support our podcast? You can use our links to book your train trip.  *Links with an asterisk are affiliate links. By using our affiliate link to book hotels you help our podcast! We get a kickback from the company and you will not be charged extra.  When we travel by train we typically book through ⁠Train Line*⁠ which is an aggregate site or directly on the train company website at ⁠TrenItalia⁠ and ⁠Italo*⁠. Did you miss your train while listening to this podcast? Or want to be prepared just incase? Check out Nathaniel's article ⁠“What to do if you miss your train in Italy”⁠ on our website!    Thank you so much for listening! We would absolutely appreciate it if you could follow us and rate us wherever you listen; it helps the podcast grow and it makes us feel like we're making a difference!  You can find us at ⁠⁠onlyabag.com⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠@onlyabagpodcast⁠⁠. 

Let's be honest, catching a train can be confusing, especially for those of us who aren't accustomed to public transportation. In this episode we explain the difference between Italy's two major train operators and what they offer. Plus, we answer common questions like "Do I need to validate my ticket?" and "What is validating a ticket?" Want to support our podcast? You can use our links to book your train trip. *Links with an asterisk are affiliate links. By using our affiliate link to book hotels you help our podcast! We get a kickback from the company and you will not be charged extra.  When we travel by train we typically book through Train Line* which is an aggregate site or directly on the train company website at TrenItalia and Italo*. Did you miss your train while listening to this podcast? Or want to be prepared just incase? Check out Nathaniel's article “What to do if you miss your train in Italy” on our website!    Thank you so much for listening! We would absolutely appreciate it if you could follow us and rate us wherever you listen; it helps the podcast grow and it makes us feel like we're making a difference!  You can find us at ⁠onlyabag.com⁠ and ⁠@onlyabagpodcast⁠. 

Picking up where we left off, this episode gets into the meat of the matter—the flight itself. Boiled down, it can be summed up as: moisturize, bring noise-cancelling headphones, moisturize, bring a change of clothes, and make sure your skin stays hydrated and moisturized. We also talk about finding the perfect seat on any airplane. To do this, we use SeatGuru. It's often easier to simply search on Google the carrier and plane type, such as "Air France Boeing 777 SeatGuru" and it will direct you to the search result page you need. For noise-cancelling headphones, the world is your oyster. We've found that a pair of $50 headphones works just fine, but you might want to try out something a little more powerful if you fly frequently. *Links with an asterisk are affiliate links. By using our affiliate link to book hotels you help our podcast! We get a kickback from the company and you will not be charged extra.  When looking for hotels, we usually cross-reference ⁠Booking*⁠, ⁠Expedia*⁠, ⁠Priceline⁠, and ⁠Agoda*.⁠ We typically book with ⁠Booking.com*⁠ because we like their “Genius” deals and it seems like they often have the best or comparable prices.  While Booking, Expedia, and Priceline do offer flight booking we usually use ⁠Google Flights⁠ or ⁠ITA Flight Matrix⁠ (also by Google) and then book the flight directly through the carrier or our credit card portal. Thank you so much for listening! We would absolutely appreciate it if you could follow us and rate us wherever you listen; it helps the podcast grow and it makes us feel like we're making a difference!  You can find us at ⁠onlyabag.com⁠ and ⁠@onlyabagpodcast⁠. 

In recent years, the flight has somehow become the worst part of any trip. It's not just the delays and cancellations, but the baggage fees, the seat selection fees if you'd like to do something crazy like sit next to the people you're traveling with, and even the tiny, narrow seats. In this episode (and the next one) we delve into how to prepare for a flight and how to maximize (or minimize) your time in an airport. Because we completely forgot, we also briefly touch on using your credit card travel portal (like Capital One Travel or Chase Travel) to book a flight since they have baked-in protection like price-drop protection and lost baggage reimbursement. You don't need a travel credit card to use these platforms, we use basic, no foreign-transaction fee credit cards like the Savor One and Quicksilver (both are referral links). As we mention in this episode (and the next) something that we've found to be priceless is a power bank. Even though we don't put our boarding passes on our phones, having our phone die while in the midst of a trip can be disastrous. If you'd like to support Only A Bag, you can use our affiliate link for Belkin. However, pretty much any power bank will work! Lastly, as we mentioned in the previous episodes, we rarely book flights through an aggregate, preferring to use the airline's website or our credit card's travel portal. When looking for hotels, we usually cross-reference ⁠Booking*⁠, ⁠Expedia*⁠, ⁠Priceline⁠, and ⁠Agoda*.⁠ (Affiliate links are marked with an asterisk.) We typically book with ⁠Booking.com*⁠ because we like their “Genius” deals and it seems like they often have the best or comparable prices.  While Booking, Expedia, and Priceline do offer flight booking we usually use ⁠Google Flights⁠ or ⁠ITA Flight Matrix⁠ (also by Google) to find the price-range and then book the flight directly through the carrier or credit card portal. Thank you so much for listening! We would absolutely appreciate it if you could follow us and rate us wherever you listen; it helps the podcast grow and it makes us feel like we're making a difference!  You can find us at ⁠onlyabag.com⁠ and ⁠@onlyabagpodcast⁠.   

What to do if you miss your train? When should you book your train trip? Where do you get bus tickets? In this episode we will answer all of those questions, talk about best practices for booking train and bus journeys, and give you to scoop on where to find help at the station; it's not always where you think. *Links with an asterisk are affiliate links. By using our affiliate link to book hotels you help our podcast! We get a kickback from the company and you will not be charged extra.  When looking for trains and buses our go to is Train Line*. We cross reference it with Rail Europe* to find the best deal. You can also book directly through train companies websites like TrenItalia .  As we mention in this episode, bus tickets are often purchased from the brick-and-mortar ticket office a few days ahead of time or the day of, some bus tickets are even bought on the bus. However, for booking cross country bus journeys with carriers like Flix Bus, Marino Bus, and ITA Bus, you can use an aggregate site like Bus Bud*.   Want more? Like reading? Check out Nathaniel's article “What to do if you miss your train in Italy” on our website!    Thank you so much for listening! We would absolutely appreciate it if you could follow us and rate us wherever you listen; it helps the podcast grow and it makes us feel like we're making a difference!  You can find us at ⁠onlyabag.com⁠ and ⁠@onlyabagpodcast⁠. 

Should you really book a flight 6 months out? And when's the best time to book a hotel room? In this rambling episode, we talk about the best practices for booking a flights and hotels while also taking you on a number of [hopefully] engaging tangents. *Links with an asterisk are affiliate links. By using our affiliate link to book hotels you help our podcast! We get a kickback from the company and you will not be charged extra.  When looking for hotels, we usually cross-reference Booking*, Expedia*, Priceline, and Agoda*. We typically book with Booking.com* because we like their “Genius” deals and it seems like they often have the best or comparable prices.    While Booking, Expedia, and Priceline do offer flight booking we usually use Google Flights or ITA Flight Matrix (also by Google) and then book the flight directly through the carrier.    Thank you so much for listening! We would absolutely appreciate it if you could follow us and rate us wherever you listen; it helps the podcast grow and it makes us feel like we're making a difference! You can find us at onlyabag.com and @onlyabagpodcast.

In this episode, we address some of the issues that Italians (and everyone who lives in a tourist-friendly town) have with AirBnb and why they've become the poster child for negative tourism. However, hope is not lost! We also discuss a list of alternative types of stays in Italy that might not be available in other countries, such as convents, or farmstays. If you're thinking about booking something for Italy, we'd love it if you could use our ⁠Booking.com⁠ affiliate link. There's no extra cost to you, and it supports the podcast! If you enjoyed this episode, please follow and rate us on whichever platform you use! If you like to follow us, we're ⁠@onlyabagpodcast⁠ on Instagram, and you can sign up for our newsletter on ⁠onlyabag.com⁠.

Welcome back to a Special Episode where we revisit the Venice tourist tax (a 5 euro tax for almost anyone entering Venice) that we first covered in a previous episode titled "Italy isn't breaking up with you, she's just setting boundaries". While the fee may have ended for 2024, this episode covers what Venice learned from the experiment, how it affected tourism, and what they're planning on doing next year. We also discuss other changes Venice has made to their tourism industry since the start of summer. If you're planning a trip and you'd like to support Only A Bag, you can do so by purchasing your flight or lodging through our Booking.com affiliate link. We'll make a small percentage of Booking's portion, at no cost to you! If you enjoyed this podcast, we would deeply appreciate it if you left a review, followed us, or simply told a friend! It goes a long way to helping us grow. As always, thank you all so much for listening! If you like to follow us, we're ⁠@only_a_bag⁠ on Instagram, and you can sign up for our newsletter on ⁠onlyabag.com⁠.

Almost every hotel in Italy has some amount of stars, 1-5. On first glance, this can look straightforward, however, dig a little deeper, and you might find that the hotel you want isn't necessarily the one with the most stars. More than that, we also dig a little deeper into what to expect from a hotel in Italy, whether it's the elevator, the quality of the room, or even the breakfast spread. If you're thinking about booking something for Italy, we'd love it if you could use our Booking.com affiliate link. There's no extra cost to you, and the podcast will be helped out! If you enjoyed this episode, we would love it if you were to follow and rate us on whichever platform you use! If you like to follow us, we're @only_a_bag on Instagram, and you can sign up for our newsletter on onlyabag.com.

Horse racing, kidnapping, and trips to the sea; this is the history of Ferragosto. Since 18 BCE Italians have celebrated this holiday whose origins are dubious at best.

Since ancient Roman times people have celebrated a holiday called Ferragosto. What does that mean for modern Italians and tourists? Empty cities, closed shops, and crowded beaches. We'll tell you all you need to know for your August vacation in Italy. As always, thank you for listening! If you have any questions, send us a message on Instagram (@only_a_bag), or contact us through our website (onlyabag.com)! 

In this episode Darcy guides us (mainly Nathaniel) on the brief history of some of Italy's more famous cocktails like the Aperol spritz, the Campari and soda, and the Negroni. We also discuss the lack of beer culture, and the blooming cocktail culture that expands beyond the use of Campari and Aperol. As always, thank you for listening! If you have any questions, please leave a comment (on Spotify), send us a message on Instagram (@only_a_bag), or send us a message through our website (onlyabag.com)!

Do you sit at a table and then order, or order first and then sit at a table? What about that age-old rule of no cappuccinos after 11am? And have you ever been curious as to why Italians eat their meals in a specific order, or why they often use the excuse of "I just took a coffee" to decline eating anything else? This episode has you covered! We cover digestion, café/bar culture, and even a few drinks you can expect to see on the menu. If you enjoyed today's episode, we'd love it if you were to leave us a rating, follow us, or subscribe. It keeps us going and we so deeply appreciate the support! If you have any questions, you can leave us a comment on Spotify (if that's where you listen), or send us a message on Instagram @only_a_bag, or send a message through onlyabag.com. Thank you for listening!

Do you want to know how to "act Italian" at restaurants? What to avoid (such as eating and walking around)? How about the dos and don'ts of pizza? Well, this episode has you covered with all of that and so much more! If you enjoyed the episode, we'd love it if you were to rate us, follow, subscribe, comment, etc. It means the world to us and keeps us going! If there's anything you'd like us to cover specifically, you can find us at onlyabag.com or on instagram @only_a_bag.

Do you need to order a primi and secondi? Why can't you order pizza for lunch? What's the coperta? Navigating the way an Italian menu is set up can complicated—we're here to help! Thank you all so much for listening, we really appreciate it! If there's anything you'd like us to cover, please reach out on www.onlyabag.com. And if you'd like to compliment Darcy on our brand-new cover, you can find her at darcymeltonfineart.com or @darcymeltonfineart on Instagram!

Thanks for listening to this mini-sode! A full-length episode will be out on Friday, and next week we will return to our normally-scheduled Wednesday episodes. We had intended to be back in full-force today, but we returned from the States an unintentional day late due to canceled flights, so the jet lag is still hitting hard. This month will focus on restaurant etiquette, how to order, what's okay and not okay to do, and even what kinds of drinks to expect at every Italian bar. As always, thank you all so much for listening! If you have any questions, please reach out at onlyabag.com!

Headed to the Amalfi Coast? How do you even get there? What is the Amalfi Coast? How many towns are there, and what is the difference between the Sorrentinian Coast and the Amalfi Coast? This, and so much more is covered in today's episode! As always, thank you all so much for listening! If you liked the episode, we would love it if you followed us wherever you listen to podcasts! If you have any questions, you can find us at onlyabag.com.

While visiting Naples could easily take a week by itself, there's so much more to the area than the city. Just off the coast you can find the resort island of Capri, the thermal springs island of Ischia, and the "blue collar" island of Procida. How to get there? What to see? And when did these islands first host people? These questions and more are answered in today's episode! As always, thank you all so much for listening!