Only A Bag - An Italy Travel Podcast

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,...

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...

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 a...

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&#39...

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...

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...

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. I...

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 reco...

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 o...

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...

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...

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...

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 Ep...

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...

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...

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 durin...

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&...

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 t...

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  ⁠onlya...

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...

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?...

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...

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 mi...

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...