Only A Bag - An Italian Travel Podcast: Recent Episodes
Nathaniel Mellor
Since I was thirteen I wanted to travel the world. When I finally set off, five years later, I went with three bags strapped across my back. I went with a fairly flawed idea of how to travel, what was important and what wasn't. Since then I've traveled a number of times, most recently I've been abroad for a year and a half. I've learned how to travel, how to pack, and most importantly, how to enjoy myself. This podcast focuses on how to travel in Italy. It's the country I have the most experience in since I now live here, but most of the information can be used across the world. Enjoy! Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/onlyabag/support
Naples is an incredible city, full of history, art, the best pizza in the world, and sense of magic in the smoggy air. Unlike Rome or other large Italian cities you may visit, Naples struggles to have comprehensive public transportation in the city center. But never fear, in this episode we're talking about how to use public transit in Naples, a special look out reachable by funicular ,and much more!
The hotel we mention in the Galleria Umberto is "Art Resort Galleria Umberto". If you're looking for other specific recommendations, we liked both "NH Napoli Panorama" for its incredible view and "Relais Della Porta"* for that "old world" feel.
All links marked by an asterisk (*) are affiliate links and every time you purchase through one of them, we make a small percentage of the total sale. We appreciate your support!
If you'd like to support the podcast, you can donate to Only a Bag on ko-fi.com!
If you enjoyed this episode please leave a review and follow Only a Bag wherever you listen to podcasts! If you'd like to get in touch, you can send us a message on onlyabag.com, by email at onlyabagpodcast@gmail.com, on Instagram, or Bluesky.
For more info, check out our articles on onlyabag.com and read our Substack Letters from the Balcony.
Thanks for listening!
xDarcy and Nathaniel
Plus train stations, bus stations, and ports! Getting to your destination and accommodations can be the most stressful part of your trip, so we're breaking down exactly how to get to and from Naples. Don't worry it's pretty simple, but we've got all the tips to make it go even more smoothly.
UPDATE: We recorded this episode when the US government had just shutdown. Since then, some air traffic controllers have reportedly stopped working, are calling out sick, etc. as they will no longer receive backpay. Our statement thanking them was not intended to leave anyone out, but at the time, to draw attention to a vital part of the travel and transportation industry once again working without pay.
Hungry for more info about Naples? Check out our articles on onlyabag.com!
At the top of the episode we mention some major changes that will affect airline passengers who use a wheelchair or mobility device in the US. Here are a few links you may find helpful if you're affected by these changes.
To file a complaint you can go to the USDOT website or call 1-800-778-4838
What to Do If You Have a Problem
USDOT Complaint Form
Airline Passengers with Disabilities Bill of Rights
For getting to Naples, you can book flights and trains through our affiliate links (Flights/Trains) and we'll receive a small percentage of Omio's share. We appreciate your support!
If you'd like to support the podcast, you can donate to Only a Bag on ko-fi.com!
If you enjoyed this episode please leave a review and follow Only a Bag wherever you listen to podcasts! If you'd like to get in touch, you can send us a message on onlyabag.com, by email at onlyabagpodcast@gmail.com, on Instagram, or Bluesky.
For more info, check out our articles on onlyabag.com and read our Substack Letters from the Balcony.
As always, thank you all so much for listening!
x Darcy and Nathaniel
In this episode we're continuing our "Italy in the Headlines" segment as we discuss the recent demonstrations and protests across Italy—some of which captured international headlines and attention.
We also look into Bolzano's recent proposal to levy a "dog tourist tax", and we touch on Italy's new AI law—the first nation in the EU to pass one.
If you'd like to support the podcast, you can donate to Only a Bag on ko-fi.com! Or use our affiliate links (at no cost to you) for booking hotels, transportation, and tours/classes with booking.com, omio.com, and viator.com. Thank you so much to all of you who have donated!
If you enjoyed this episode please leave a review and follow Only a Bag wherever you listen to podcasts! If you'd like to get in touch, you can send us a message on onlyabag.com, by email at onlyabagpodcast@gmail.com, on Instagram, or Bluesky.
For more info, check out our articles on onlyabag.com and read our Substack Letters from the Balcony.
As always, thank you all so much for listening!
x Darcy and Nathaniel
This week we're talking about headlines and news that might affect your trip to Italy. Much of this episode discusses the somewhat confusing new Entry/Exit System (EES) mandates that will affect everyone entering the Schengen Zone. We also touch on the upcoming October 2-3 train strike as well as the reinstatement of a public holiday for Saint Francis of Assisi.
If you'd like to support the podcast, you can donate to Only a Bag on ko-fi.com! Or use our affiliate links (at no cost to you) for booking hotels, transportation, and tours/classes with booking.com, omio.com, and viator.com. Thank you so much to all of you who have donated!
If you enjoyed this episode please leave a review and follow Only a Bag wherever you listen to podcasts! If you'd like to get in touch, you can send us a message on onlyabag.com, by email at onlyabagpodcast@gmail.com, on Instagram, or Bluesky.
For more info, check out our articles on onlyabag.com and read our Substack Letters from the Balcony.
As always, thank you all so much for listening!
x Darcy and Nathaniel
Picking up where we left off on Wednesday, we look at what you are entitled to when your flight is delayed in the States and which part of an international flight is covered by which country's laws.
More importantly we jump into how to mitigate bad luck and flight delays, the difference in taking a European carrier and an American one, and whose fault it is when a flight is cancelled.
Plus, we touch on facial recognition in airports, specifically the use of technology like FaceBoarding. Check out our next episode for updated info on the EES (Entry/Exit System)!
Looking for flight tips? Check out Nathaniel's article 7 Best Tips for International Flights!
Thank you so much to all of those who have donated! If you'd like to support the podcast, you can donate to Only a Bag on ko-fi.com! Or use our affiliate links (at no cost to you) for booking hotels, transportation, and tours/classes with booking.com, omio.com, and viator.com.
If you enjoyed this episode please leave a review and follow Only a Bag wherever you listen to podcasts! If you'd like to get in touch, you can send us a message on onlyabag.com, by email at onlyabagpodcast@gmail.com, on Instagram, or Bluesky.
For more info, check out our articles on onlyabag.com and read our Substack Letters from the Balcony.
As always, thank you all so much for listening!
x Darcy and Nathaniel
This week, we're talking about your rights as an airline passenger. There's so much to talk about that we're breaking it up into two parts. What are you guaranteed if your flight is delayed or cancelled? Who made the rules? And what to do if you use a mobility device and it's damaged or destroyed by the airline? (Regulations have changed as of October 2025 for what rights passengers with disabilities have on flights in the US, check out our episode "Getting to Naples and Italy's Most Underrated Airport" where we talk about the updates.)
Looking for flight tips? Check out Nathaniel's article 7 Best Tips for International Flights!
Thank you so much to all of those who have donated! If you'd like to support the podcast, you can donate to Only a Bag on ko-fi.com! Or use our affiliate links (at no cost to you) for booking hotels, transportation, and tours/classes with booking.com, omio.com, and viator.com.
If you enjoyed this episode please leave a review and follow Only a Bag wherever you listen to podcasts! If you'd like to get in touch, you can send us a message on onlyabag.com, by email at onlyabagpodcast@gmail.com, on Instagram, or Bluesky.
For more info, check out our articles on onlyabag.com and read our Substack Letters from the Balcony.
As always, thank you all so much for listening!
x Darcy and Nathaniel
In this episode, we're continuing our revisit to episodes from last year about flights! We'll tell you all of our best tips for making your flight to Italy as smooth and comfortable as possible, because let's be honest, drying out in recycled air in a tube in the sky... isn't the best part of vacation. But we've got you covered!
As mentioned in this episode, if you're bringing any prescription medication with you, legally, you do need to fill out a form and have it signed by your doctor. Here is a link to the Ministry of Health website where you can download the form: https://www.salute.gov.it/new/en/tema/medicinali-stupefacenti-e-precursori-di-droghe/travelling-internationally-medicines-containing/
Thank you all to those who donated to help us purchase the new microphones! It means so much to us; your support helps us to improve the podcast!
If you enjoyed this episode please leave a review and follow Only a Bag wherever you listen to podcasts! If you'd like to get in touch, you can send us a message on onlyabag.com, by email at onlyabagpodcast@gmail.com, on Instagram, or Bluesky.
For more info, check out our articles on onlyabag.com and read our Substack Letters from the Balcony.
Want to help the podcast? You can use our affiliate links for booking hotels, transportation, and tours/classes with booking.com, omio.com, and viator.com. You can also donate to Only a Bag on ko-fi.com to keep the podcast going!
As always, thank you all so much for listening!
x Darcy and Nathaniel
Darcy just got back from a trip to the US so we thought we'd tell you all of our best tips and heads-ups on how to make your trip as smooth as possible. This week, we're revisiting a couple of episodes from a more than a year ago: we're talking about flights!
In this episode we're focusing on the airport. Do I have to take off my shoes? Why is that security line going faster? What documents do I need to board the plane? We'll answer all of that and get into our best tips: stay hydrated and eat a snack!
Thank you all to those who donated to help us purchase the new microphones! It means so much to us; your support helps us to improve the podcast!
If you enjoyed this episode please leave a review and follow Only a Bag wherever you listen to podcasts! If you'd like to get in touch, you can send us a message on onlyabag.com, by email at onlyabagpodcast@gmail.com, on Instagram, or Bluesky.
For more info, check out our articles on onlyabag.com and read our Substack Letters from the Balcony.
Want to help the podcast? You can use our affiliate links for booking hotels, transportation, and tours/classes with booking.com, omio.com, and viator.com. You can also donate to Only a Bag on ko-fi.com to keep the podcast going!
As always, thank you all so much for listening!
x Darcy and Nathaniel
As we bring this mini-series to a close, we discuss getting a phone plan that will work in Italy (I, Nathaniel, erroneously wrote that Episode 4 dealt with phone plans, however, that self-note was out of date; this is the episode we discuss the phone plans, I apologize for the confusion!), taking tours (and watching for any tour scams), and weighing the time constraints of tours and classes versus free time!
Lastly, thank you all to those who donated to help us purchase the new microphones! It means the world to us!
If you enjoyed this episode please leave a review and follow Only a Bag wherever you listen to podcasts! If you'd like to get in touch, you can send us a message on onlyabag.com, by email at onlyabagpodcast@gmail.com, on Instagram, or Bluesky.
For more info, check out our articles on onlyabag.com and read our Substack Letters from the Balcony.
Want to help the podcast? You can use our affiliate links for booking hotels, transportation, and tours/classes with booking.com, omio.com, and viator.com. You can also donate to Only a Bag on ko-fi.com to keep the podcast going!
As always, thank you all so much for listening.
x Darcy and Nathaniel
Only A Bag
Today's episode delves into packing—though not in the same way our previous mini-series on packing for certain seasons did. In this episode, we discuss the basics of packing, how to pack a bag so it's comfortable to you, and most importantly, the type of bag to bring.
We also discuss bringing any prescription medicines or pharmaceuticals into Italy, which includes downloading the form from this website (linked here) which does require your doctor to partially fill out.
We'd also like to extend an enormous "thank you" to everyone who donated and made the new microphones a reality. Thank you all so much!
If you enjoyed this episode please leave a review and follow Only a Bag wherever you listen to podcasts! If you'd like to get in touch, you can send us a message on onlyabag.com, by email at onlyabagpodcast@gmail.com, on Instagram, or Bluesky.
For more info, check out our articles on onlyabag.com and read our Substack Letters from the Balcony.
Want to help the podcast? You can use our affiliate links for booking hotels, transportation, and experiences with booking.com, omio.com, and viator.com. You can also donate to Only a Bag on ko-fi.com to keep the podcast going!
As always, thank you all so much for listening.
x Darcy and Nathaniel
Only A Bag
Instead of putting the "kitchen sink" episode (or, the episode filled with smaller tips and pieces advice that had no where else to go that made sense) at the end of the mini-series, we decided to put it in the middle, that way it ties together with everything that came before it and that will come after it.
As also mentioned in this episode (and the two coming out next week), we finally have new microphones! Which means a MASSIVE "thank you" to everyone who donated and made this a reality. Seriously, thank you all so much.
This also means that [hopefully] we will sound better, but there’s also going to be a slight adjustment period. If you have any thoughts, suggestions, or advice, please feel free to reach out at onlyabag.com.
If you enjoyed this episode please leave a review and follow Only a Bag wherever you listen to podcasts! If you'd like to get in touch, you can send us a message on onlyabag.com, by email at onlyabagpodcast@gmail.com, on Instagram, or Bluesky.
For more info, check out our articles on onlyabag.com and read our Substack Letters from the Balcony.
Want to help the podcast? You can use our affiliate links for booking hotels, transportation, and experiences with booking.com, omio.com, and viator.com. You can also donate to Only a Bag on ko-fi.com to keep the podcast going!
As always, thank you all so much for listening.
x Darcy and Nathaniel
Only A Bag
Continuing the mini-series on how to plan your trip, this episode delves into overplanning, setting a loose schedule, and protecting your mental health. Of course, it covers so much more, such as finding your hotel in a strange areas of town, needing a kitchen, and choosing where to book your hotel.
As mentioned in the episode (multiple times), we finally have new microphones! Which means a MASSIVE "thank you" to everyone who donated and made this a reality! Thank you!
This also means that [hopefully] we will sound better, but there’s also going to be a slight adjustment period. In our free time as frequently as we can, we’ll be playing with the settings and getting familiar with how they work, but if you have any thoughts, suggestions, or advice, please feel free to reach out at onlyabag.com.
In this episode Darcy mentions a website for finding LGBTQIA+ friendly hotels. We couldn’t find the exact site Darcy was thinking of, but here are some other similar sites.
https://www.mygayhotels.com/en/region-gay-hotels-it.html
https://www.worldrainbowhotels.com/europe/italy
https://www.travelgay.com/
If you enjoyed this episode please leave a review and follow Only a Bag wherever you listen to podcasts! If you'd like to get in touch, you can send us a message on onlyabag.com, by email at onlyabagpodcast@gmail.com, on Instagram, or Bluesky.
For more info, check out our articles on onlyabag.com and read our Substack Letters from the Balcony.
Want to help the podcast? You can use our affiliate links for booking hotels, transportation, and experiences with booking.com, omio.com, and viator.com. You can also donate to Only a Bag on ko-fi.com to keep the podcast going!
As always, thank you all so much for listening.
x Darcy and Nathaniel
Only A Bag
Our mini-series on planning your trip to Italy continues! Today we're talking about step two: picking a theme. This means deciding what kind of trip you want to have. Is it a beach trip? Are you foodie looking to eat your way across the country with cacio e pepe, arancini, and gelato? Or maybe you're interested in adventure or archaeology! We'll talk about the importance of setting priorities and how that can eliminate stress during your Italy vacation.
If you enjoyed this episode please leave a review and follow Only a Bag wherever you listen to podcasts! If you'd like to get in touch, you can send us a message on onlyabag.com, by email at onlyabagpodcast@gmail.com, on Instagram, or Bluesky.
For more info, check out our articles on onlyabag.com and read our Substack Letters from the Balcony.
Want to help the podcast? You can use our affiliate links for booking hotels, transportation, and experiences with booking.com, omio.com, and viator.com. You can also donate to Only a Bag on ko-fi.com to keep the podcast going!
As always, thank you all so much for listening!
xDarcy and Nathaniel
This Wednesday's episode launches the start of this mini-series on planning your trip to Italy. Step one: figure out just how big Italy actually is, and how long it takes you to get from point A to point B. In this episode, we'll also talk about considering ways to break up your trip and tips like booking a multi-city flight.
If you enjoyed this episode please leave a review and follow Only a Bag wherever you listen to podcasts! If you'd like to get in touch, you can send us a message on onlyabag.com, by email at onlyabagpodcast@gmail.com, on Instagram, or Bluesky.
For more info, check out our articles on onlyabag.com and read our Substack Letters from the Balcony.
Want to help the podcast? You can use our affiliate links for booking hotels, transportation, and experiences with booking.com, omio.com, and viator.com. You can also donate to Only a Bag on ko-fi.com to keep the podcast going!
As always, thank you all so much for listening!
xDarcy and Nathaniel
Wrapping up this segment, we talk about the strikes that might affect your trip, the Venice Regatta (boat races), Jimmy Kimmel's Italian citizenship (though, mostly how it might change the Italian government's outlook on jus sanguinis), and the famed (or infamous) Bridge to Sicily/Messina Bridge.
And if you’re headed to Italy this summer/fall—or already here—you can grab a ferry for 10% off! Such as the previously mentioned ferry from Salerno to the Amalfi Coast! Omio is running a 10% off sale on ferry trips! Here is a link to the site and discount codes for August-October 2025.
August code: SAILANDSAVE10
September code: SEP24
October code: OCT24
If you enjoyed this episode please leave a review and follow Only a Bag wherever you listen to podcasts!
If you'd like to get in touch, you can send us a message on onlyabag.com, by email at onlyabagpodcast@gmail.com, on Instagram, or Bluesky.
For more info, check out our articles on onlyabag.com and read our Substack Letters from the Balcony.
If you'd like to support us directly, you can donate to us on Ko-fi (pronounced "coffee"), linked here.
Thanks so much for listening!
xDarcy and Nathaniel
Links marked with an asterisk* are affiliate links. By using these links you are supporting Only a Bag. If you make a purchase through these links, you will not be charged extra, but Only a Bag will receive a small cut of the business's profit.
This week we're talking about current events and news that may affect your trip this late summer and early fall. We'll tell you how to stay up-to-date on wildfires in Italy, why beaches are less crowded this year, and talk about instances of tourists behaving poorly in Italy's national parks.
Important phone numbers:
To report a fire call 115
For forest rangers call 1515
And if you’re headed to Italy this summer/fall—or already here—you can grab a ferry for 10% off! Such as the previously mentioned ferry from Salerno to the Amalfi Coast! Omio is running a 10% off sale on ferry trips! Here is a link to the site and discount codes for August-October 2025.
August code: SAILANDSAVE10
September code: SEP24
October code: OCT24
If you enjoyed this episode please leave a review and follow Only a Bag wherever you listen to podcasts! If you'd like to get in touch, you can send us a message on onlyabag.com, by email at onlyabagpodcast@gmail.com, on Instagram, or Bluesky.
For more info, check out our articles on onlyabag.com and read our Substack Letters from the Balcony.
If you'd like to support us directly, you can donate to us on Ko-fi (pronounced "coffee"), linked here.
Thanks so much for listening!
xDarcy and Nathaniel
Links marked with an asterisk* are affiliate links. By using these links you are supporting Only a Bag. If you make a purchase through these links, you will not be charged extra, but Only a Bag will receive a small cut of the business's profit.
Tying off this mini-series, we delve into Italy's least-consistent season: spring. While this episode still focuses on how to blend in and things to bring to keep you dry, we also loop in packing tips and advice since it can feel like you have to bring three seasons' worth of clothes if you come in the spring.
As we talked about in the first episode, we realized in the course of making this that we have so many more thoughts on the matter than we could stick into four episodes, so in the near future we'll revisit clothing. If you have any questions, please reach out and let us know, so we can also answer those!
And if you’re headed to Italy this summer/fall—or already here—you can grab a ferry for 10% off! Such as the previously mentioned ferry from Salerno to the Amalfi Coast! Omio is running a 10% off sale on ferry trips! Here is a link to the site and discount codes for August-October 2025.
August code: SAILANDSAVE10
September code: SEP24
October code: OCT24
If you enjoyed this episode please leave a review and follow Only a Bag wherever you listen to podcasts! If you'd like to get in touch, you can send us a message on onlyabag.com, by email at onlyabagpodcast@gmail.com, on Instagram, or Bluesky.
For more info, check out our articles on onlyabag.com and read our Substack Letters from the Balcony.
If you'd like to support us directly, you can donate to us on Ko-fi (pronounced "coffee"), linked here.
Thanks so much for listening!
xDarcy and Nathaniel
Links marked with an asterisk* are affiliate links. By using these links you are supporting Only a Bag. If you make a purchase through these links, you will not be charged extra, but Only a Bag will receive a small cut of the business's profit.
Movies may have a lot of us believing that Italy is perpetually warm and sunny, existing in a summer-time golden hour, but don't be fooled, it gets cold! Winter in Italy can be brutal, at least for a girl from the southern US (that's me). In this episode we'll talk about what the locals wear in Italy from North to South and how to pack for a winter vacation in Italy.
As we have repeated throughout this mini series: you do not need to buy a whole new wardrobe for your Italy trip, and whatever you own is perfectly fine! All of our tips on what to wear are to help you feel like you’re blending in with Italians and Italian life, however what’s most important is that you wear what you feel comfortable in!
And if you’re headed to Italy this year—or already here—you can grab a ferry for 10% off! Such as the previously mentioned ferry from Salerno to the Amalfi Coast! Omio is running a 10% off sale on ferry trips! Here is a link to the site and discount codes for August-October 2025.
August code: SAILANDSAVE10
September code: SEP24
October code: OCT24
If you enjoyed this episode please leave a review and follow Only a Bag wherever you listen to podcasts! If you'd like to get in touch, you can send us a message on onlyabag.com, by email at onlyabagpodcast@gmail.com, on Instagram, or Bluesky. If you'd like to support the podcast, you can donate to us on Ko-fi (pronounced coffee)!
For more info, check out our articles on onlyabag.com and read our Substack Letters from the Balcony.
Thanks so much for listening!
xDarcy and Nathaniel
Links marked with an asterisk* are affiliate links. By using these links you are supporting Only a Bag. If you make a purchase through these links, you will not be charged extra, but Only a Bag will receive a small cut of the business's profit.
In this episode we talk about what to wear to blend in on your Italy vacation in the Fall. We also talk about how to pack for this shoulder season. Plan for both warm and cool weather and consider what part of Italy you'll be visiting, Sicily and Tuscany have pretty different weather in the Fall.
Of course, the two main takeaways will always be: never buy a whole new wardrobe for Italy, and whatever you own is perfectly fine! All of our tips on what to wear are to help you feel like you’re blending in with Italians and Italian life, however what’s most important is that you wear what you feel comfortable in!
We realized in the course of making this that we have so many more thoughts on the matter than we could stick into this week's episode, so in the near future we'll revisit clothing. If you have any questions, please reach out and let us know, so we can also answer those!
And if you’re headed to Italy this summer/fall—or already here—you can grab a ferry for 10% off! Such as the previously mentioned ferry from Salerno to the Amalfi Coast! Omio is running a 10% off sale on ferry trips! Here is a link to the site and discount codes for August-October 2025.
August code: SAILANDSAVE10
September code: SEP24
October code: OCT24
If you enjoyed this episode please leave a review and follow Only a Bag wherever you listen to podcasts! If you'd like to get in touch, you can send us a message on onlyabag.com, by email at onlyabagpodcast@gmail.com, on Instagram, or Bluesky.
For more info, check out our articles on onlyabag.com and read our Substack Letters from the Balcony.
Thanks so much for listening!
xDarcy and Nathaniel
Whether you want to blend in as a local, or stay cool in the summer, this episode aims to answer most—if not all!—of your questions.
Of course, the two main takeaways will always be: never buy a whole new wardrobe for Italy, and whatever you own is perfectly fine! All of our tips on what to wear are to help you feel like you’re blending in with Italians and Italian life, however what’s most important is that you wear what you feel comfortable in!
We realized in the course of making this that we have so many more thoughts on the matter than we could stick into this week's episode, so in the near future we'll revisit clothing. If you have any questions, please reach out and let us know, so we can also answer those!
And if you’re headed to Italy this summer/fall—or already here—you can grab a ferry for 10% off! Such as the previously mentioned ferry from Salerno to the Amalfi Coast! Omio is running a 10% off sale on ferry trips! Here is a link to the site and discount codes for August-October 2025.
August code: SAILANDSAVE10
September code: SEP24
October code: OCT24
If you enjoyed this episode please leave a review and follow Only a Bag wherever you listen to podcasts! If you'd like to get in touch, you can send us a message on onlyabag.com, by email at onlyabagpodcast@gmail.com, on Instagram, or Bluesky.
For more info, check out our articles on onlyabag.com and read our Substack Letters from the Balcony.
Thanks so much for listening!
xDarcy and Nathaniel
Many people will tell you not to visit Italy in August, we've been those people before (check out our previous episode if you're looking for reasons not to go to Italy in August). However, there are upsides to visiting in this dreaded travel period! In this episode we look on the positive side to tell you some of the bright spots about traveling to Italy in August.
If you're craving a few nights on the water, and the few thousand euro price tag didn't make you gasp, you can see the hotel we're talking about* with a tennis court on the sea.
In this episode we mention that smaller towns become more vibrant in August and could be just what you're looking for for your vacation. You can do this easily by booking a train or bus with Trenitalia. More off the beaten areas like southern Italy , where we live, may seem more difficult to get to. If you're looking to travel to south-eastern Italy, try Lamanna, Curcio, or Sita Sud.
If you enjoyed this episode please leave a review and follow Only a Bag wherever you listen to podcasts! If you'd like to get in touch, you can send us a message on onlyabag.com, by email at onlyabagpodcast@gmail.com, on Instagram, or Bluesky.
For more info, check out our articles on onlyabag.com and read our Substack Letters from the Balcony.
Thanks so much for listening!
xDarcy and Nathaniel
Links marked with an asterisk* are affiliate links. By using these links you are supporting Only a Bag. If you make a purchase through these links, you will not be charged extra, but Only a Bag will receive a small cut of the business's profit.
Why do so many people recommend not visiting Italy in August? Is it the heat, the train line maintenance, the packed beaches? Yes. Looking for a reason to vacation in Italy anytime makes sense, but August? We'll break down all the difficulties associated with traveling this month and explain why so many Italians are confused by international travelers visiting in August.
If you enjoyed this episode please leave a review and follow Only a Bag wherever you listen to podcasts! If you'd like to get in touch, you can send us a message on onlyabag.com, by email at onlyabagpodcast@gmail.com, on Instagram, or Bluesky.
For more info, check out our articles on onlyabag.com and read our Substack Letters from the Balcony.
Thanks for listening!
xDarcy and Nathaniel
As Part 2 of the "Instead of Positano, Try Scario" episode, we focus on the beaches. Scario has some of the most beautiful, cleanest, and picturesque beaches in the area—so if you're looking for a laidback beach vacation, consider Scario!
Scario is a beautiful seaside town on the Cilento Coast about three hours south of Positano. It's less expensive, less crowded, and with far more Italian tourists and town-natives, it's more authentically "Italian" feeling.
You may notice that this episode is shorter than normal. We're testing out a new format, two shorter episodes per week rather than one. You'll still get the same amount of podcast, just broken up a bit. We'd love to know which format you prefer! One one-ish hour episode or two 30-ish minute episodes? You can let us know in the comments or at onlyabag.com/contact. We're also intending on still publishing both episodes on Wednesday, but this can also change, based on feedback!
We have two hotel suggestions if you'd like to stay in Scario:
For a nice hotel on the newer side of town we suggest Hotel Ristorante Cavaliere. If you're feeling adventurous, you can check out La Francesca Sud . This is advertised as "glamping" but actually more like camping tiny-home-style in a forest rooms. However, it has private beaches and is surrounded by nature, so it's the perfect option for anyone looking to disconnect.
Both of those are affiliate links, and if you use them, Only a Bag will make a little percentage from Booking without any cost to you!
If you enjoyed this episode please leave a review and follow Only a Bag wherever you listen to podcasts! If you'd like to get in touch, you can send us a message on onlyabag.com, by email at onlyabagpodcast@gmail.com, on Instagram, or Bluesy.
For more info, check out our articles on onlyabag.com and read our Substack Letters from the Balcony.
Thanks so much for listening!
xDarcy and Nathaniel
If you're looking for a calmer, more laidback version of Positano, you can visit Scario! This is the first episode of our "Instead of" series, in which we offer alternatives to tourist hot-spots.
Scario is a beautiful seaside town on the Cilento Coast about three hours south of Positano. It's less expensive, less crowded, and with far more Italian tourists and town-natives, it's more authentically "Italian" feeling.
You may notice that this episode is shorter than normal. We're testing out a new format, two shorter episodes per week rather than one. You'll still get the same amount of podcast, just broken up a bit. We'd love to know which format you prefer! One one-ish hour episode or two 30-ish minute episodes? You can let us know in the comments or at onlyabag.com/contact. We're also intending on still publishing both episodes on Wednesday, but this can also change, based on feedback!
We have two hotel suggestions if you'd like to stay in Scario:
For a nice hotel on the newer side of town we suggest Hotel Ristorante Cavaliere. If you're feeling adventurous, you can check out La Francesca Sud . This is advertised as "glamping" but actually more like camping tiny-home-style in a forest rooms. However, it has private beaches and is surrounded by nature, so it's the perfect option for anyone looking to disconnect.
Both of those are affiliate links, and if you use them, Only a Bag will make a little percentage from Booking without any cost to you!
If you enjoyed this episode please leave a review and follow Only a Bag wherever you listen to podcasts! If you'd like to get in touch, you can send us a message on onlyabag.com, by email at onlyabagpodcast@gmail.com, on Instagram, or Bluesy.
For more info, check out our articles on onlyabag.com and read our Substack Letters from the Balcony.
Thanks so much for listening!
xDarcy and Nathaniel
In this episode we'll tell you all you need to know for visiting Positano. Is it really that expensive? Can you visit Positano on a budget? What is the best way to get there? What's the beach like? And more?
From living in Italy and hearing what other people thought of Positano, we had specific expectations, but it wasn't exactly what we thought it would be. You'll have to listen to find out!
In this episode we mention a few helpful links. Here are links Only a Bag's articles on Positano and the Amalfi Coast:
How to get to Positano from Rome
How to get to the Amalfi Coast from Rome (strangely, not the same as Positano)
3 Best Towns on the Amalfi Coast for Families
For more check out our Amalfi Coast page on onlyabag.com.
The ferry that we took from Salerno to Positano was with Travelmar. We highly recommend it! However, there are several different ferry companies, you can check them out on Omio* which acts as a ferry aggregate.
In the episode, we mention that there is an easier walk up to the top of town and a harder one. The easier way to walk to church of Santa Maria Assunta, then walk along via dew Mulini, and take via Cristoforo Colombo up to the top of town. The harder way (which is okay for coming down, but difficult to walk up) is a walking path between Viale Pasitea/Via degli Oleandri above and Via del Saracino below.
Thank you so much for listening! If you'd like to learn more about traveling in Italy, check out our website onlyabag.com! If you have any questions about your trip, comments, or concerns, you can reach out through our website or Instagram.
Please follow us wherever you listen to podcasts, on Instagram, Bluesky, and Substack!
Links marked with an asterisk* are affiliate links. By using these links you are supporting Only a Bag. If you make a purchase through these links, you will not be charged extra, but Only a Bag will receive a small cut of the business's profit.
Thanks for listening!
xDarcy and Nathaniel
Just an hour south by car from the famed Amafi Coast is the lesser known (to anyone but Italians) Cilento Coast. The Amalfi Coast is incredible—there is a reason it's so heavily touristed. But let's be honest, it's packed with tourist and expensive! If you're looking for an Italian beach town with fewer tourists, more "Italian" Italian food, and protected forests and coastline, you're looking for the Cilento Coast. Plus, with fewer tourists, comes a smaller price tag.
In this episode we'll tell you about a few of our favorite towns on this coast, how to get there, and what to do.
The boat tours we mentioned in this episode are both based in Palinuro.
Cilento Coast Company* (2.5 hr tour of the blue grotto, natural arch and more + two 20 min. swim stops)
Cooperativa Palinuro Porto* (1.5 hr tour of the blue grotto, natural arch and more)
If you're planning your trip via train or bus to the Cilento, we highly recommend that you book through Trenitalia. Few other sites have schedules and correct info for public transit from Naples or Salerno for instance, where you're likely coming from.
We also mention Cilento Link in this episode which is a bus line you can use to get from town-to-town on the Cilento Coast.
If you'd like to book a ferry, for instance from Salerno to Agropoli, you can use Ferry Hopper.
If you enjoyed this episode, please follow us and leave a review! As always, if you have any questions, you can reach out on our website, on Instagram, and via email!
You can also check out our new Substack for more whimsical articles. You can support Only a Bag by donating on Ko-fi to help us reach our goal of buying new mics!
Links marked with an asterisk* are affiliate links. Using an affiliate link does not cost you extra, but the company gives us a small percentage of the sale which helps Only a Bag!
Thanks for listening!
xDarcy and Nathaniel
It's our 100th episode! We're celebrating by mixing things up a bit. In this episode we address some of the major headlines in the news about Italy and talk about what they mean for your trip this summer. We're talking about transportation strikes across the country and the increased price for public transit in Rome. We're also talking about new selfie rules at the Uffizi in Florence and cool things to see in Siena. We've got the info you need for your summer Italy trip 2025!
In this episode, we mention two links that are easier to read and reference than a verbal list.
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This is a full breakdown of Rome's ticket prices for public transit in Nathaniel's article on understanding Rome's public transportation system.
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For info about strikes this July 2025, check out this link to a Wanted in Rome article and the official website for strike notices. If you can't read Italian, you'll need a translator app for the official site, which is of course, entirely in Italian, but the Wanted in Rome article has great info.
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You can check-out our new Substack called Letters from the Balcony
We're excited be celebrating 100th episode with you and are always happy to share our advice on traveling in Italy! If you have any questions, you can reach out on our website, on Instagram, and via email!
Please check out our new Substack and if you enjoyed this episode, follow wherever you listen! You can also donate on Ko-fi to help us reach our goal of buying new mics.
Thanks so much for listening
x Darcy and Nathaniel
Only a Bag
Everything you need to know for traveling to Rome in just over an hour! This is an update to an episode with a similar title we put out almost two years ago. In this episode we talk about whether Rome is safe, how to get there, getting around, three of our favorite markets, music festivals, and how to stay cool in the heat.
Edit: In the episode we mention the app "Waidy Wow", it has a new name "Acquea."
Acquea (formerly Waidy Wow): app for locating drinking fountains in Rome
We have lots of articles on onlyabag.com about Rome and general travel tips, but the essentials we mention in this episode are:
How To Get From Rome’s Fiumicino Airport To Rome
How To Get From Rome’s CIA Airport To Rome
Getting Around In Rome: The ATaC Transportation System
If you're looking for a vacuum sealed water bottle, like we mention in this episode, or any sporting goods you can check out Decathlon. Here is a link to the Decathlon near Eataly which is the closest to the city center.
As mentioned in the episode, the emergency phone numbers are
112 (general line)
113 (police)
115 (fire)
118 (medical/ambulance)
As always, thank you all for listening!
Only A Bag
Instagram (where you can follow and message us)
Kofi (where we accept donations)
Overtourism has been in the news recently with protests in Spain, Portugal, and Italy as residents come together to resist the soon-to-be-coming wave of tourists this summer. While we also believe overtourism is a problem, we don't believe it's entirely the tourists' fault.
So, how can you help? In this episode we offer seven pieces of advice that may help you be a more mindful tourist. Our goal is to encourage tourists to travel and benefit local communities rather than putting a strain on them.
If you have any thoughts on overtourism, or if you have any questions either about Italy or your upcoming trip, you can find us on our website or on Instagram and Bluesky!
If you'd like to support the podcast, you can do so by using our Booking.com link when booking your trip to Italy or anywhere!
If you'd like to support us directly, you can donate to us on Ko-fi (pronounced "coffee"), linked here.
As always, thank you for listening!
From getting there and getting around, to food and museums, we're covering everything you need to know for visiting Florence! How many museums can I see in one day? What is classic Fiorentini food? What's the best way to get to and from the airport? We'll answer all of that and more!
Here are some helpful links that we mention in this episode:
AT Bus App: App for purchasing tickets with the Autolinee Toscane (Tuscany bus company who runs public transit in Florence)
The bus ticket office is here, near (but not inside of) the Santa Maria Novella train station.
App Taxi: App for requesting a taxi in Florence (and other cities)
There are two taxi companies in Florence, they are named after the last four digits of their phone numbers:
4242: +39 055 4242
4390: +39 055 4390
Firenze Card: Museum pass
Map of water fountains: this map loads quite slowly so you can also search "public water fountains" in Google Maps
Public drinking fountain in Piazza della Signora
Map of public bathrooms: keep in mind that these charge 50 cents to one euro to use
If you'd like to support the podcast, you can donate to us on Ko-fi (pronounced "coffee"), linked here.
You can also support us by using our Booking.com link when booking your trip to Italy or anywhere!
If you have any questions, you can find us on our website or on Instagram and Bluesky!
Thank you for listening!
Does Florence have an off-season? What's it like on the south side of the city? Where can you find good food without having to spend €20 on a plate of pasta? Where can I look for leather goods that are high-quality? In this episode we answer those questions and more! After visiting Florence back in February we intended to record this episode in the winter, but alas we did not, so here it is now!
It's going to be summer soon and the height of tourism, so stay tuned for next week's episode: Florence Condensed! We'll tell you the essentials for visiting Florence from transportation and food to museums and the David.
The restaurants, bars, and cafes we mentioned in this episode are:
On the south side of the Arno:
Trattoria Sabatino - Via Pisana, 2R, 50143 Firenze FI
Fuor di Porta - Via Pisana, 29/r, 50143 Firenze FI
Circolo Rondinella del Torrino - Lungarno Soderini, 2, 50124 Firenze FI
La Cité - Borgo S. Frediano, 20/R, 50124 Firenze FI
Piazza Santo Spirito (this is a piazza with many bars/cafes) - 50125 Firenze FI
On the north side of the Arno:
Trattoria Le Mossacce - Via del Proconsolo, 55r, 50122 Firenze FI
Caffè Gilli - Via Roma, 1r, 50123 Firenze FI
Il Mercato Centrale - Piazza del Mercato Centrale, Via dell'Ariento, 50123 Firenze FI
Vino Divino - (Neri is the name of the lovely owner) Via Taddea, 6, 50123 Firenze FI
Da' Vinattieri - Via Santa Margherita, 4/6r, 50122 Firenze FI
The leather school we mention is called Scuola del Cuoio - Via di S. Giuseppe, 5/R, 50122 Firenze FI
The roads Darcy mentioned with artisan and antique shops are Via Lambertesca, on the north side of the Arno, and Via Santo Spirito/Borgo San Frediano, on the south side of the Arno. As you walk over the Ponte Vecchio to the south you will end up on Via de' Guicciardini which is the road infant of the Pitti Palace, there are several great shops there as well and closer to the tourist attractions.
If you'd like to support the podcast, you can donate to us on Ko-fi (pronounced "coffee"), linked here.
You can also support us by using our Booking.com link when booking your trip to Italy or anywhere!
If you have any questions, you can find us on our website or on Instagram and Bluesky!
Thank you so much for listening!
Trigger warning: In this episode, we talk about femicide, assault, women in the workplace, abortion, IVF, and adoption. We do our best to put trigger warnings where appropriate so you can skip ahead. If this episode isn't for you or if you're not in the headspace to listen, we completely understand!
This episode is a bit of a departure from our normal topics, but it's something we care deeply about: women's rights, equality, and access to healthcare. We also touch on another topic important to us, LGBTQ+ family's rights and healthcare. As we've said before, it feels irresponsible to encourage you all to visit and stay while only talking about the beautiful coast, rich history, and incredible food. We want to tell you the good and the bad.
You may notice that I (Darcy) say "uh" and "um" a lot in the beginning of this episode. I was fairly nervous to talk about these topics, because they are serious and heavy issues, unlike our typical lighthearted episodes. I hope it doesn't take you out of the episode and I appreciate your understanding!
If you are experiencing violence or stalking you can call 1522 where you can reach professionals who are trained to help victims of violence and stalking. They also have an online chat and app. This hotline is multilingual and available 24/7. If you are in an emergency call 122, which will connect you to an operator for police, ambulance, and fire (it's like the US's 911 or the UK's 999).
More resources:
Vita di Donne is a great resource for women's health. They have articles and further recourses for assistances well as a hotline as well as emergency numbers for the morning-after pill and gynecology services.
Artemisia Anti Violence Center has resources for women and children who have been or are experiencing abuse.
Arcigay is an overarching organization made up of 72 associations and committees across the country who fight for LGBTQ+ rights in Italy.
We'd love to hear from you! You can reach out to us on our website Only a Bag and on Instagram. If you would like to donate to us, you can do so at ko-fi.com/onlyabag.
Thank you all so much for listening!
In this episode we’ll tell you all you need to know about renting a car in Italy. "Do I need an international driver's permit? Should I rent a car for a wine tour? I can't drive manual, can I rent an automatic?" From personal experience and in-depth research we’ve got you covered from getting a permit, renting a car, road rules, and everything in-between. One thing we forgot to mention: "Which side of the road do they drive on in Italy?" in Italy, we drive on the right!
If you'd like to support Only A Bag, you can use our affiliate links to book your rental car through Booking.com and DiscoverCars.com.
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!
Thanks so much for listening!
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 Bag
onlyabag.com
ko-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 check out some articles to get an idea of how to plan your trip, you can check them out below:
3 Best Towns on the Amalfi Coast for Families
How to Get to the Amalfi Coast from Rome
Is there an Amalfi Coast Airport?
And on our website, you can find even more!
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!
Website
Bluesky
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, 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 Bauta
Atelier Marega
La Bottega Dei Mascareri
San Marco 596
Fritelle (or, Pastry Shops):
Majer
Tonolo
Rizzardini
Dal Mas
Pasticceria Toletta (Next door at the Bar all Toletta has great (and cheap) sandwiches!)
Rosa Salva
Thank you all so much for listening!
Darcy and Nathaniel
Only A Bag
www.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.
For more info, you can check out Nathaniel's article "How to Move to Italy: The Ultimate Guide for Americans" on our website.
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.com
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/onlyabag.com
Links:
Blue Card: https://www.apply.eu/BlueCard/
Blue Card Information: https://immigration-portal.ec.europa.eu/eu-blue-card/italy_en
Work 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 a codice fiscale.
For info on of all of the visa options to live in Italy, 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!
In this episode, we mentioned a few of the websites that we use for finding apartments/houses which are:
immobiliare.it
idealista.it
casa.it
housinganywhere.com
And if you'd like to support Only A Bag, you can do so by using our affiliate link to sign up for Trusted 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 use Numbeo.
You can find us on onlyabag.com, Instagram, or BlueSky.
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.
For a breakdown of all the visa options for living in Italy 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!
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!
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!
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!
Does Italy have nude beaches? Can you spend the night on the beach? What's the deal with all of those umbrellas that look the same?
We answer all of those questions and so much more in this episode!
As always, thank you so much for listening!
Palazzi under the sea, a cursed island, and the queen's bath, you can swim there and we'll tell you how. While the Roman Empire once spanned countries and coastlines, very few ruins are near the shoreline in Italy. In this episode, we delve into three locations where you can actually swim among Roman ruins (or places to have a chill beach day), while also offering a hefty dose of history.
If you liked this episode, or the podcast, we would love it if you could follow us!
As always, thank you for listening!
Does Italy really hate tourists?
Does the new €5 fee at Venice affect you? Why are people protesting against it?
What about all these new rules like no flip-flops in Cinque Terre, or no swimsuit in Sorrento?
In this special episode, we dive into all the things that people are saying (and writing) about Italy, in order to help put those fears at ease!
As always, thank you for listening!
While many people go to Pompeii while visiting Naples (and for good reason) there's so much more! In this episode we briefly look at Pompeii, Herculaneum, Pozzuoli (the Campi Flegrei), and lead into our next episode where we will talk about the islands around Naples and where to swim among Roman ruins.
Thank you all so much for listening!
If you have any comments or feedback, you can find us at onlyabag.com.
Welcome back for Part 3 of 3!
I hope we don't sound too tired—what began as a quick 45-minute episode ended up as a two-hour megalith!
In this episode, we discuss the culture of Naples, what those hand gestures might mean, and why Italians often say "I can't understand anyone from Naples."
If you have any questions, or anything you'd like us to make an episode on, please let us know at onlyabag.com.
Welcome back to Part 2 of 3!
In this episode, we take a look at some classic Napolitano dishes—some of them might sound very familiar to you, such as pizza! Or, the ever popular, spaghetti with olive oil and garlic.
If there's anything you'd like us to cover, or any other questions you might have, please let us know! You can find us at onlyabag.com.
Welcome back!
We're sorry we were gone for so long. Life jumped out at us in so many ways, and while we were in the States visiting, we just couldn't seem to find the [quiet] time to sit down and record a few episodes.
However, now that we're back, we're planning on releasing a new episode every week on Wednesday.
In this episode, Part 1 of 3, we start talking about Naples. Specifically, the history! While it's not quite as full of battles, giant buildings, and togas as Rome, the city of Naples is even older than Rome and has remained one of the most important cities in the Mediterranean; even today that history affects the food, language, and culture.
If there's anything you'd like us to cover, or questions you might have, please reach out to us through Darcy's website (darcymeltonfineart.com) since we only now realized that Only A Bag's website (onlyabag.com) doesn't have a contact page! Soon to be rectified.
Until then, as always, thank you so much for your time and for listening!
If you asked a friend, "In one hour, tell me everything that's important about visiting Rome," this would be pretty close to their response.
If you'd like to support the podcast, one great way to do so is to sign up for Trusted Housesitters through our affiliate link here. Not sure what house sitting is? Well, we'd love to be the ones to introduce you to the best way to travel through the articles here, or our podcast episodes here.
Thank you all so much for listening!
In this episode we delve into the people using broad generalizations, what kind of transportation to expect (or not expect), why the south feels so chaotic, what's with all the 1980s apartment buildings, and did we say "witchcraft"? Why yes, we did.
If you'd like to support the podcast, one great way to do so is to sign up for Trusted Housesitters through our affiliate link here. Not sure what house sitting is? Well, we'd love to be the ones to introduce you to the best way to travel through the articles here, or our podcast episodes here.
Thank you all so much for listening!
In this second episode we cover the differences in coffee (shorter and punchier), food (dry pasta is southern), and the Mediterranean Diet. As well as a whole slew of other sidetracks.
If you'd like to support the podcast, one great way to do so is to sign up for Trusted Housesitters through our affiliate link here. Not sure what house sitting is? Well, we'd love to be the ones to introduce you to the best way to travel through the articles here, or our podcast episodes here.
Thank you all so much for listening, and we hope you enjoy this episode.
This is going to be a two-part episode, with this as part one: a rambling history and some general ideas of what to expect. The next episode will [hopefully] focus more on concrete expectations!
To support Only A Bag, you can sign up for one of the travel-oriented credit cards below. None of them have a yearly fee, which is one of the reasons we like them so much. (To learn more about the cards, you can either listen to the 3rd episode in the series, or search online for reviews about the card.) If you're not comfortable with opening a Credit Card, we encourage you not to. There is no pressure here, just some helpful tips.
Our favorite simple-to-use card: Capital One Quicksilver
Our favorite for food and restaurants: Capital One Savor
Our go-to for purchasing flights and lodging: Chase Freedom Unlimited
All-around solid card with great cash back: Discover it
As always, you can check out www.onlyabag.com for more information about traveling in Italy!
Thanks for listening,
Darcy and Nathaniel
Points, Miles, Cash Back: Which is best for you? And do you really need a credit card?
We finally purchased a second microphone, so this special episode mini-series might sound a little uneven while we work ou the kinks. If it sounds especially atrocious on your headphones/phone/speakers, please let us know!
To support Only A Bag, you can sign up for one of the travel-oriented credit cards below. None of them have a yearly fee, which is one of the reasons we like them so much. (To learn more about the cards, you can either listen to the 3rd episode in this mini series, or search online for reviews about the card.) If you're not comfortable with opening a Credit Card, we encourage you not to. There is no pressure here, just some helpful tips.
Our favorite simple-to-use card: Capital One Quicksilver
Our favorite for food and restaurants: Capital One Savor
Our go-to for purchasing flights and lodging: Chase Freedom Unlimited
All-around solid card with great cash back: Discover it
As always, you can check out www.onlyabag.com for more information about traveling in Italy!
Thanks for listening,
Darcy and Nathaniel
Checking accounts, debit cards, and how to access your money abroad without paying extraordinary fees.
We finally purchased a second microphone, so this special episode mini-series might sound a little uneven while we work ou the kinks. If it sounds especially atrocious on your headphones/phone/speakers, please let us know!
To support Only A Bag, you can sign up for one of the travel-oriented credit cards below. None of them have a yearly fee, which is one of the reasons we like them so much. (To learn more about the cards, you can either listen to the 3rd episode in this mini series, or search online for reviews about the card.) If you're not comfortable with opening a Credit Card, we encourage you not to. There is no pressure here, just some helpful tips.
Our favorite simple-to-use card: Capital One Quicksilver
Our favorite for food and restaurants: Capital One Savor
Our go-to for purchasing flights and lodging: Chase Freedom Unlimited
All-around solid card with great cash back: Discover it
As always, you can check out www.onlyabag.com for more information about traveling in Italy!
Thanks for listening,
Darcy and Nathaniel
How to convert currency, let your bank know you're traveling, and everything else you need to know before you hit the road!
We finally purchased a second microphone, so this special episode mini-series might sound a little uneven while we work out the kinks. If it sounds especially atrocious in your headphones/phone/speakers, please let us know!
To support Only A Bag, you can sign up for one of the travel-oriented credit cards below. None of them have a yearly fee, which is one of the reasons we like them so much. (To learn more about the cards, you can either listen to the 3rd episode in this mini series, or search online for reviews about the card.) If you're not comfortable with opening a Credit Card, we encourage you not to. There is no pressure here, just some helpful tips.
Our favorite simple-to-use card: Capital One Quicksilver
Our favorite for food and restaurants: Capital One Savor
Our go-to for purchasing flights and lodging: Chase Freedom Unlimited
All-around solid card with great cash back: Discover it
As always, you can check out www.onlyabag.com for more information about traveling in Italy!
Thanks for listening,
Darcy and Nathaniel
Perugia is a city of great food, and an abundance of it. It's almost impossible to find a bad restaurant, but just in case, we offer some of our favorite restaurant—especially for those of you who are getting tired of Italian food.If you'd like to support the podcast, one great way to do so is to sign up for Trusted Housesitters through our affiliate link here. Not sure what house sitting is? Well, we'd love to be the ones to introduce you to the best way to travel through the articles here, or our podcast episodes here.And if you're looking for a food tour of Perugia, you can click our affiliate link here, or search for "Perugia Food Tours" through your favorite search browser.You can find a list of our favorite places to eat in Perugia here, our handy-dandy Google Maps list. Lastly, we would love it if you were to take this poll on your listening habits! https://forms.gle/SZPLF1Xy5iU3uHrd9Thank you all so much for listening, we hope you enjoyed this episode!
Perugia, a relatively unknown city in the north; a just-as-beautiful relative of Tuscany at a fraction of the price.
(At some point Nathaniel mistakenly said Montepulciano is in Umbria, when it is in fact in Tuscany, so, sommelier classes aren't going so well.)
As always, if you'd like to support us, you can do so by using this link to sign up for Trusted Housesitters!
We also mentioned we'd look for a link to a tour that we've heard of and trust, so when we find one, we will add it here!
Lastly, we mentioned two rental websites, which are below:
https://www.idealista.it/
https://www.immobiliare.it/
As always, we'd love it if you were to check out our ever-improving website www.onlyabag.com
Thank you all so much for listening, and we hope you enjoy the episode!
The larger-than-life stretch of towns along the Ligurian Coast with their pastel homes and craggy coves have inspired tourists for years. In this episode, we delve into what those towns are, what sets the apart, how to get there, how to walk between them, and some of our favorite food.
To support us, consider signing up for Trusted Housesitters through our affiliate link—we'd deeply appreciate it!
And for those of you who want to grab a pair of hiking shoes (or any other last-minute gear purchases), consider checking out Moosejaw with our affiliate link.
This website (linked here) has all of the trails as well as when they closed and when they're open, as well as some ticketing information.
And for an easy-access list of our favorite food, we've made it into a simple Google Maps List.
As always, we hope you enjoy this episode! If you could like it, rate it, follow us, or whatever the "good" button is on your platform, we would seriously appreciate it.
While the Palio and the Duomo are two of Siena's major draws, they're not the only reason to visit this hilltop town.
In this episode we cover getting there, the history of the Palio, why the Duomo is so interestingly built, and why you should try panforte and cantucci. Plus, some of the best day trips!
To support us, you can use this Trainline link to buy your bus and train tickets (for anywhere, to just Italy!) or our Tiqets link to purchase things like entry to the Duomo (only 9€!).
As always, we would love you forever if you were leave us a review or follow us on Spotify.
Thank you for listening!
Using Florence as a home-base for your Italy trip? Here are the top 17 places to visit in one-day from Florence. We're talking about places from 40 minutes one-way on the fast train to Bologna to 3 hours, for those bucket-list locations like Venice and Cinque Terre.
If you'd like to support us, you can do so by purchasing your next train or bus trip through Trainline, an easy-to-use aggregate of train and bus fares. It's the way we search for and buy our tickets! You can find our affiliate link by clicking here. It won't cost you anything extra, but it will give us a dollar or two.
If you like Only a Bag, please like, or click the "positive button" wherever you're hearing this podcast.
Sandwiches, pastries, gelato, wine to-go, and what is lampredotto? We've got you covered with a list of our favorite food in Florence.
As always, thank you for listening!
If you'd like to support us, you can do with by purchasing your next train trip through Trainline, an easy-to-use aggregate of train and bus fares. You can find our affiliate link by clicking here!
And if you're planning out which sights to see and when to go, Tiqets has you covered with tickets! This is also an affiliate link that will support Only A Bag with a small portion of Tiqets' cut.
If you'd like to follow us on Instagram, we'd love that! We can be found at only
_a_bag. Likewise, you can keep up to date with what we're doing on our website, www.onlyabag.com.
Hello and welcome back! In this episode we are back to talking about Florence!
Listen now for tips on what to see and what to skip, what’s free, and what’s worth the price.
While we mentioned in episode 3, Florence can be a day trip, an ideal trip to Florence could be 4-6 days. Enough time to see the galleries, catch a few sunsets from the rose garden at the Piazzale Michelangelo, and stroll the Ponte Vecchio.
As always, we hope you enjoy!
We'd love it if you followed us on Instagram: Only_a_bag And, of course, check out our new website! www.onlyabag.com
Benvenuti a La Settimana Infernale, or Week of Hell, named for the intense heatwave lazily moving across southern Europe. Here's an update on what's happening in Rome, what to do if you're visiting during the anticyclone causing the heatwave, and what is an anticyclone?
Hello, hello! Welcome back to Episode 3 of Season 2.
In this episode, we're talking about Florence. Specifically, we are taking about how to get there (planes, trains, and automobiles (buses)), and how to get around.
We're also offering a very brief history. Not necessarily of Florence, but of Italy as a whole, and how the local dialect of Florence ended up as Italy's national language.
In this episode, we mentioned Trainline, a way of purchasing train and bus tickets in a surprisingly easy way. Here's our affiliate link: https://trainline.tp.st/Xo3tZo7p
Of course, we'd love it if you were to check out our brand-new website onlyabag.com!
Hello and welcome back to Episode 2!
Before we get to talking about the North, Florence specifically, we wanted to very briefly go over a few points of interest about Rome that we haven't previously mentioned. In particular, we wanted to talk about how to stay cool on those heat-wave days that send Rome past the triple digits, and which day trips are feasible (and which aren't).
In this episode, we mention a few parks:
Villa Borghese (Near Flaminio)
Piazza Vittorio Emmanuele (Near Termini)
The grounds of Palazzo Barberini (The front area of the Museum)
Giardino degli Aranci (Near the famous keyhole)
Giardino di Sant'Alessio (Also near the keyhole)
Villa Celimontana (Near the Baths of Caracalla and the Colosseum)
As always, our website is www.onlyabag.com
And we would love it if you were to follow us on Instagram @only_a_bag.
Enjoy!
Hello and welcome back!
We apologize for having been gone for so long. While Only A Bag has always been on our minds, we couldn't figure out the time to sit down and finally record another episode.
And then we found the time!
Here's episode one of Season 2.
We lightly delve into "northern" Italy vs "southern" Italy, and how it might affect your trip to Italy.
At one point, we mentioned a bakery in Siena, which is here: https://goo.gl/maps/Js4UEQfURAr1JEr5A
We have also re-vamped our website: www.onlyabag.com.
Thank you all so much for listening! We hope you enjoy the episode!
Welcome back!
(If you prefer to read the podcast as an article, you can find it here!)
Now that you've learned all you can about getting started with house sitting, we thought we could share our favorite house sitting websites. These might not be the best, but these are the ones we've had the most luck with, or the most pleasant interactions with homeowners through.
Like always, we hope you enjoy!
Nathaniel and Darcy
Here are some links to the mentioned websites! If you use an affiliate link, we'll make a little money.
Trusted House Sitters: Affiliate Link | Non-Affiliate Link
Nomador: Non-Affiliate Link
MindMyHouse: Non-Affiliate Link
House Sitters UK: Affiliate Link | Non-Affiliate Link
House Sitters America: Affiliate Link | Non-Affiliate Link
(These are not the best house sitting websites in the world, only the ones we like.)
Our website: Only A Bag
Instagram Page: Only_a_bag
Medium: @Nathanielmellor
This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/onlyabag/support
Welcome back to another episode of our housesitting series!
In this episode, we talk about the "house." For us, this means cleaning the house when we leave, how to treat the house when we're there, and what to do in the absolute certainty that you break something.
We hope you enjoy!
Want to jump right into house sitting? Here are some links to our favorite websites!
Trusted House Sitters: Affiliate Link | Non-Affiliate Link
Nomador: Non-Affiliate Link
MindMyHouse: Non-Affiliate Link
House Sitters UK: Affiliate Link | Non-Affiliate Link
House Sitters America: Affiliate Link | Non-Affiliate Link
(These are not the best house sitting websites in the world, only the ones we like.)
Our website: Only A Bag
Instagram Page: Only_a_bag
Medium: @Nathanielmellor
This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/onlyabag/support
Welcome back!
Now that we've talked about setting up your profile for various house sitting websites, in this episode we discuss our tips on how to get your first sit!
We hope you enjoy!
Want to jump right into house sitting? Here are some links to our favorite websites!
Trusted House Sitters: Affiliate Link | Non-Affiliate Link
Nomador: Non-Affiliate Link
MindMyHouse: Non-Affiliate Link
House Sitters UK: Affiliate Link | Non-Affiliate Link
House Sitters America: Affiliate Link | Non-Affiliate Link
(These are not the best house sitting websites in the world, only the ones we like.)
Our website: Only A Bag
Instagram Page: Only_a_bag
Medium: @Nathanielmellor
This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/onlyabag/support
(For the article version, click here. And as always, we love feedback about our website! Especially with regards to ease of reading and the amount of ads. Thank you!)
Welcome back!
In this episode of House Sitting: Miniseries Darcy and I discuss setting up your profile, what to include and what to leave out, and sending that first message!
We hope you enjoy!
Nathaniel and Darcy
Want to jump right into house sitting? Here are some links to our favorite websites!
Trusted House Sitters: Affiliate Link | Non-Affiliate Link
Nomador: Non-Affiliate Link
MindMyHouse: Non-Affiliate Link
House Sitters UK: Affiliate Link | Non-Affiliate Link
House Sitters America: Affiliate Link | Non-Affiliate Link
(These are not the best house sitting websites in the world, only the ones we like.)
Our website: Only A Bag
Instagram Page: Only_a_bag
Medium: @Nathanielmellor
This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/onlyabag/support
(For the article version, click here. As we mentioned in the podcast, we would love any feedback about the website, especially around the amount of ads and ease of reading. Thank you!)
Hello and welcome back!
In previous episodes, you might have heard us mention "house sitting." Well, in this episode, we discuss our introduction to house sitting, as well as some of the websites we like to use.
In the beginning of the episode, we cover some "housekeeping" items, such as our new website, Instagram page, and our new use of affiliate links which will be disclosed. We will also use non-affiliate links in the descriptions of our podcast alongside affiliate links, in case you don't trust affiliate links (we totally understand!).
Thank you all so much for listening and your continued support! We can't tell you how much it means to us.
Nathaniel and Darcy
Want to jump right into house sitting? Here are some links to our favorite websites!
Trusted House Sitters: Affiliate Link | Non-Affiliate Link
Nomador: Non-Affiliate Link
MindMyHouse: Non-Affiliate Link
House Sitters UK: Affiliate Link | Non-Affiliate Link
House Sitters America: Affiliate Link | Non-Affiliate Link
(These are not the best house sitting websites in the world, only the ones we like.)
Our website: Only A Bag
Instagram Page: Only_a_bag
Medium: Nathanielmellor
This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/onlyabag/support
Hello all, and welcome to our "Kitchen Sink" episode for Rome.
There were so many little things we wanted to mention in the last few podcasts that either didn't fit, or we weren't factually sure on. So we added them into one large podcast. A "just in case" type of thing.
Some of it is also updates to prices or practices as we've experienced them
We also have a website! www.onlyabag.com. We will post the blog version of podcasts here as well as any and all other information we think is interesting. At least if it relates to Italy. And we have an instagram! https://www.instagram.com/only_a_bag/ Or, if you want to find it yourself, @only_a_bag.
We hope you enjoy this episode!
As always, if you have any questions, please let us know!
Nathaniel and Darcy,
Thanks for listening.
—————————————————————————————————————
Things we said we'd mention in the description:
Piazza Del Popolo fountains: There are four fountains in the center and two on the edges. None of these are potable. There is another fountain near the street entrance that is potable.
Emergecy Numbers:
112 - General Europe Emergency Number
113 - Italy specific Emergency Number
115 - Firefighters and Search and Rescue
118 - Medical Emergency Number
ATAC Cards:
Kids under 10 ride free.
Tickets lengths are 100 minutes (€1.50), 24 Hours (€7), 48 Hours (€12.50), 72 Hours(€18), and 1 week (€24)
General Updates:
Gelato = More Expensive
Air Conditioning = Less Common
This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/onlyabag/support
Welcome back to another episode of the Rome series!
In this episode we discuss how to navigate the used clothing markets of Italy, and the ones we like to frequent.
We hope you enjoy!
If you have any questions, please feel free to get in touch.
Towards the end we mentioned a group of vintage stores in the Monti neighborhood which are:
Pifebo Vintage Shop
Flamingo Vintage Shop Roma
Humana Vintage Roma
King Size Vintage
Pulp Vintage
Blue Goose
Abito
This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/onlyabag/support
Welcome back after our impromptu 6 month break!
To get things started, we figured we should round out the last of the food episodes talking about the thing we love best: gelato. Not only do we discuss the parts of a gelato cone, we discuss things to look for when hunting for the best gelateria in any city.
At the end, we mentioned our list of our all-time favorite gelaterie in Rome, and here it is! Some of these gelateria have multiple locations, we list the ones we visited.
Neve di Latte -
Via Luigi Poletti, 6, 00196 Roma RM
Otaleg! -
Via di S. Cosimato, 14a, 00153 Roma RM
Fatamorgana -
Via Roma Libera, 11, 00153 Roma RM
Gracchi -
Via dei Gracchi, 272, 00193 Roma RM
I Caruso -
Via Collina, 15, 00187 Roma RM
We're headed back to Rome in July, so if there's anything you'd like us to cover, please let us know!
Nathaniel: @MellorNathaniel on Twitter
Darcy: @not_mr_darcy on Twitter
Thank you all so much for listening!
This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/onlyabag/support
What's the best way to order a coffee in Rome?
Do you sit down and wait for someone to come over? Or go to the bar?
What is a "normal coffee?"
What are those red drinks everyone is drinking around 5 o'clock?
Are the water fountains in Rome potable?
In this episode Darcy and I take a look into coffee and drink culture in Rome.
As always, I hope you enjoy!
Nathaniel: @MellorNathaniel
Darcy: @not_mr_darcy
Also, we kept pronouncing "brusque" as "brisk." I only noticed while editing. Sorry!
This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/onlyabag/support
Everyone tells us where to eat in Rome. Where to find the best cacio e pepe or pizza. Even Google Maps gives advice.
So we wanted to tell you all how to eat at restaurants and what to expect when you do.
As always, I hope you enjoy!
Nathaniel on Twitter: @MellorNathaniel
Darcy on Twitter: @not_mr_darcy
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/onlyabag/support
Welcome back to our episode on food! We try to lay the groundwork for any trip you might take to Rome by discussing street food, food markets, groceries, the customs around food, and what to do if you have allergies.
Darcy was coming off a bit of a cold, so I did a heavy portion of the talking, sorry about that!
We hope you all enjoy!
This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/onlyabag/support
Hello everyone!
We are so sorry for our long absence. We moved houses again, lost internet, and real life got in the way. We are now back!
In this episode we talk about getting to Rome by flying there, getting from the airport to the city, and getting around Rome once you're there.
I also mentioned a website for cheap student flights which is called www.studentuniverse.com.
Some of my talking might be quick in this episode, and I do apologize! I realize I talk quickly when I'm excited about something, and I'm working on talking slower so everyone can understand.
I hope you enjoy!
This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/onlyabag/support
For the next few episodes Darcy and I will be talking about Rome, since that's where we are currently!
Instead of talking about the normal sights and "to-do" lists, we thought we'd talk about some of the quieter sides of life. Like gelato, used clothing markets, and finding good food!
I hope you enjoy!
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/onlyabag/support
In this episode I invited my travel partner, Darcy, to talk with me about traveling together. We discuss the pros and cons, costs, and how it's important to sometimes take some time apart.
I hop you enjoy!
This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/onlyabag/support
Possibly the greatest debate while traveling is whether or not to go alone. For some, it's an eye-opening experience, a chance to connect with themselves and learn about the person they really are without distractions. For others, it's a deeply lonely experience that reinforces how far out of their comfort zone they are.
In this episode, I discuss having a new normal, changing your perspective, and learning how to travel alone.
I hope you enjoy!
This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/onlyabag/support
In this episode I cover things you will need before you hit the road. This isn't about packing or any gadgets, but the bare basics such as a passport, visa, vaccines, travel insurance, and more.
I hope you enjoy!
This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/onlyabag/support
Welcome to Only a Bag, a travel podcast!
Since this podcast will weave certain topics in and out of every episode, I thought it would make sense to give a brief overview of those topics: One bag, ethical traveling, long-term traveling, and housesitting.
I will go into more depth in the following episodes.
If you have anything you'd like to hear me talk about, please let me know!
Thanks for listening,
Nathaniel
This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app
Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/onlyabag/support