Untold Italy travel podcast

When Italy is just a few short weeks or months away (exciting!), what are the things you need to do and check to make sure your trip runs smoothly. In this episode we cover train tickets and shedules to attraction tickets and local rules to be aware of so you are ready for your trip of a lifetime. Find the episode show notes at untolditaly.com/332 Want someone who really knows Italy to help plan y...

In Italy, the waiter brings your child's pasta out first, strangers stop to admire your baby at tollbooths, and gelato is a perfectly reasonable parenting tool. In this episode, Katy sits down with Untold Italy team members Olivia and Cassandra, two mothers living and raising kids in Italy, to talk through what family travel there really looks like. From choosing the right stroller for Roman cobbl...

A quick update from Katy on the Palio di Siena, happening in Piazza del Campo this Thursday July 2. The race itself takes ninety seconds. The four days of build up around it are why people come.  Summary: Katy walks through what happens during the four days of the July Palio, including the daily trials, the Corteo Storico procession, the contrada street dinners, and what you need to know about get...

Local Silvia Riganese takes us on an inspirational walk though Sicily's capital Palermo. We visit the markets and main sights but also delve deep into local neighborhoods like Ballarò where you can feel the beating pulse of the city. Of course our day ends up on the beach with a beautiful sunset after a coffee, or three! Find the episode show notes at untolditaly.com/330 Want someone who really kn...

A quick update from Katy on the one thing that catches out even experienced travelers heading to Italy: the International Driving Permit. Summary: If you are driving or renting a car in Italy on a license from outside the EU, Italian law requires you to carry an International Driving Permit alongside your home license. Katy explains what the permit is, why the rental desk and the Carabinieri will...

Learning some Italian before your trip can transform your experience in Italy - and it may be easier than you think. Regardless of your age or previous language-learning experience, Italian is considered one of the most accessible languages for English speakers. In this episode, Italian language coach Monica Cazzamani Bona from Su Misura Italy shares practical strategies to help you learn Italian...

Eight hundred years ago, St Francis walked the roads of central Italy with nothing — and today, those same roads are waiting for you to explore.  Katy sits down with Sara Zanni, Bologna-based archaeologist and hiking guide, to explore the Via di Francesco. Thirteen trails through Umbria, Tuscany, and Lazio, all converging on Assisi, through ancient forests, olive groves, and small towns home to ar...

A quick update from Katy on short-term rental restrictions in Italy and why she thinks hotels are the smarter choice for most travelers. Summary: Cities including Florence, Venice, Bologna, Milan and Rome are all introducing their own restrictions on short-term rentals like Airbnb and Vrbo. Florence has gone furthest, banning new tourist lets in its historic centre and expanding that ban. Katy sha...

Your Italy travel questions answered. In this Q&A episode, Katy covers choosing a base in Tuscany and for the Cinque Terre, getting around the northern lakes, electrical sockets, how not to get ripped off by taxis, and ordering in restaurants. Practical, honest advice and travel inspiration for anyone planning their Italy trip. Show notes with links and resources here >  untolditaly.com/321...

A quick update from Katy on the heatwave currently hitting Italy and what it means for your trip, plus a note on today's Festa della Repubblica national holiday. Summary: Italy is under Level 3 red heat alerts across Rome, Florence, Bologna and Turin, with temperatures hitting 35 degrees in late May. Katy shares practical tips for traveling in the heat, from shifting your day to beat the midday su...

Local guide Francesca Ermini maps out a perfect day in Florence, starting early near the Duomo, crossing the Arno into Oltrarno, and ending at Piazzale Michelangelo as the afternoon light drops. From a 13th century church most visitors walk straight past, to craftsmen working behind unmarked doors, to the iris garden that opens for just a few weeks each spring. Florence is a dream and it is worth...

A quick update from Katy on reports some visitors have been denied entry to the Colosseum recently. Summary: Some visitors have been denied entry at the Colosseum because their tickets were purchased through operators not on the approved supplier list. Katy explains what is actually happening, which suppliers are safe to book through, and why going inside the Colosseum may not be the right call fo...

Milan is the Italian city people most often skip. It does not look like the Italy most of us grew up dreaming about and that is exactly why it gets left off the itinerary. But it has something few Italian cities can match: a collision of tradition, design and innovation that is genuinely exciting to be inside. In this from the vault episode, Katy is joined by her friend and local guide Inge for a...

A quick update from Katy on strikes in Italy. There was a nationwide general strike yesterday, Monday May 18, and another one is coming on May 29. Summary: Strikes are frequent in Italy but they are almost always announced in advance. Katy covers which train and flight services usually run even during a strike, what to do if your service is canceled, and how to get ahead of future strike dates. Un...

If 2027 is your year for Italy, this episode is where the planning starts. Not with a destination list and not with a Google search but with the questions that many travelers skip. These are the ones that can make a big difference to your trip.  Katy walks you through three big questions to answer before you get into the weeds of your planning.  The episode closes with 2-3 things to do this week....

A quick update from Katy on two things affecting Italy travelers right now: the jet fuel crisis and the new EES biometric entry system, recorded May 12, 2026. Summary: Air France-KLM has raised fuel surcharges twice in five weeks however other airlines are quietly adding costs through baggage and seat selection fees. RyanAir and EasyJet have committed to not raise prices this summer. Katy breaks d...

Italy has over 70 pilgrimage routes, thousands of kilometres of cycling paths, that offer a unique way of to see the countryside, and connect with local people. Monica Price joins Katy to open the door to active travel in Italy, from gentle walks in Emilia Romagna to rides through the Dolomites. Show notes with links and resources here >  untolditaly.com/323 Want someone who really knows Italy...

A quick update from Katy about crowds in Italy. You may have seen huge crowds at popular tourist destinations like Rome, Florence and Cinque Terre last weekend. We have thought on this. Summary: Last week was a long weekend for May Day in Europe plus in Italy the week coincided with Liberation Day making it a super long weekend so crowds were predictable. Katy shares how to plan around these key m...

Venice is one of the most beautiful cities in Italy with well documented challenges related to tourism. It's also one of the most expensive. What if when you visit, you could cut out some costs and make a positive impact on city in the process. Venetian Marco Capovilla joins us to share a simple, practical change that stretches your travel budget further and helps protect the city at the same time...

A quick update from Katy about what we are seeing on the ground in Italy with respect to fuel due to the ongoing situation in the Middle East. Summary: Fuel prices have increased in Italy and some short haul and low cost airlines are consolidating flight departures to manage jet fuel supplies. Travel through the Middle East remains severely disrupted. Our sympathies to those of you who have had to...

Your Italy travel questions answered. In this Q&A episode, Katy covers solo train travel safety, the real differences between Tuscany and Umbria, how to find live music in Italy, choosing a base in Puglia, keeping children engaged in Rome and Florence, and what to do when you change your plans at the last minute. Practical, honest advice for anyone planning their Italy trip. Show notes with li...

There is a neighborhood in Rome where locals call themselves Trasteverini before they call themselves Roman. In this episode, Katy sits down with food and travel writer Maria Pasquale, who lived in Trastevere for over a decade, to explore its markets, bars, trattorias and cobblestone streets. Find the episode show notes at untolditaly.com/320 Want someone who really knows Italy to help plan your t...

The coffee bar in Italy is not just somewhere you get coffee. It is where Italy actually happens. In this episode from the vault we explore the history, the rituals, and the unwritten rules of Italian coffee culture. From espresso to shakerato, the cappuccino rule, how to order like a local, and the best bars in Milan, Florence and Rome. Italy is more than a checklist. And a perfect espresso at th...

Milan in winter is a different city to the one most people remember. Add two young kids, the Olympics, and a ski trip to the Aosta Valley and you have a lot of moving parts. Startup founder Alex Tryon planned all of it, got stuck, asked for help, and ended up somewhere she never would have found on her own. Find the episode show notes at untolditaly.com/318 . Want someone who really knows Italy to...

Ciao friends! We are doing a Q&A episode, and we want to hear from you. Planning your first trip? Going back and wanting to go deeper? Not sure which region is right for you or how to piece it all together? Send your questions to ciao@untolditaly.com and Katy will answer as many as she can in our upcoming episode. No overthinking it. Just hit send. Not sure where to start? Get the Untold Italy...