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
Deviating slightly from the episode we expected to make, this week we're talking about the Amalfi Coast. We've touched on it slightly before, but with the summer season starting to ramp up, we wanted to talk about how to get to this popular summer destination, things to look out for, some pastries to try, and how to not get trapped out there!
If you'd like to support Only A Bag and you're headed to the Amalfi Coast (or anywhere!) you can use our Booking.com link to book your next trip!
And if you'd like to donate, you can do so at our Ko-fi (pronounced "coffee"), linked here.
Thank you so much for listening!
To round up our series of episodes about visas, today we're talking about the digital nomad and remote worker visas. They are possibly the most complicated of the visas available mostly because there is less information about to how receive these visas compared to others like the student visa or elective residency visa. For more information on all of the visas we've talked about you can check out Nathaniel's article "How to Move to Italy: The Ultimate Guide for Americans (2025)."
For more info about being a digital nomad in Italy check out some of our other articles here.
In this episode we mention the list of "highly skilled" jobs that you must fall into to be approved for the digital nomad visa. You can find the list on the official government website here.
At the beginning of this episode we mention the sad news of the passing of Pope Francis on Monday, April 21. We also touch on how the recently announced (and unrelated) Venice tourist tax could affect your travel this summer. Plus, we received a very helpful tip from a listener after last week's episode. They pointed out that, in March, Italy announced a decree which could affect the Jus Sanginis (or birthright visa) requirements. We will keep you updated with that as the final decision will be made in May.
If you'd like to support the podcast you can donate to us on Ko-fi. This fund will help us buy new equipment for the podcast, like new mics! For more information or to contact us you can go to onlyabag.com!
Thank you all so much for listening!
Jure Sanguinis Update: A major "thank you" to one of our listeners for pointing out a recent decree from March 28th that affects birthright citizenship. Under the new ruling, the only people who are applicable are those with Italian parents who were born in Italy, those with Italian parents who lived in Italy for a minimum of 2 consecutive years before giving birth to you, and those with grandparents who were born in Italy.
This isn't a law yet, just a decree, and the Italian government has until the end of May to pass it into a law or abolish it. We will update you all on it as it progresses!
More of our mini-series "How To Live In Italy!" In this episode we talk about three of the major pathways to citizenship in Italy; the golden visa, elective residency visa (often called "the retirement visa"), and birthright citizenship (Jus Sanginis). Is the golden visa just for the uber rich? Sort of. Do I have to be of "retirement age" to apply for the elective residency visa? And finally, you've been told your whole life "we're Italian!" or maybe you just found out on an ancestry test, so how do you claim citizenship? We'll answer all of those question and more in this episode.
We touched on the so called "retirement visa" in a previous episode, How To Live In Italy: Work Visa and Retirement Visa, but we wanted to mention it again because it can be a great option for people with outside income who are looking to live in Italy. And because *spoiler* there is no age restriction.
For more info, you can check out Nathaniel's article "How to Move to Italy: The Ultimate Guide for Americans" on our website. Don't forget to bookmark it to reference later!
If you'd like to support the podcast you can donate to us on Ko-fi. This fund will help us buy new equipment for the podcast, like new mics!
Thank you all so much for listening!
We have fit everything we possibly could about this incredible city into this episode! How do I get there? What is there to do? Why is it called "The City of Caves?" Should I even bother going? Yes! We'll tell you all about it. In this episode we talk about everything you need to know to visit, but the city's history is vast, so we only touch on that a little. But we'll be doing a deep dive into the history of this 7,000 year old community in a later episode, so stay tuned!
In this episode we mentioned several restaurants which were all amazing! Here's where we ate:
Lunch: Da Nonna Rosa (Via Lucana, 166, 75100 Matera MT)
Drinks: Monkey Drink House (Via Duomo, 9, 75100 Matera MT)
Dinner: Osteria al Casale (Via Madonna delle Virtù, 29, 75100 Matera MT)
Gelato: I Vizi degli Angeli (Via Domenico Ridola, n.36, 75100 Matera MT)
Forno (bread shop): Panificio Paoluccio (Via del Corso, 22, 75100 Matera MT)
Cafe/pastry shop: Bar Caffè Tripoli (Piazza Vittorio Veneto, 17, 75100 Matera MT)
The entrance to the hike across the Gravina (ravine) is here.
Thanks so much for listening! You can check out articles on onlyabag.com with new articles coming out all the time. You can help the podcast by using our affiliate links for booking hotels and rental cars!
If you liked the podcast, please leave a review, it helps us immensely! You can contact us on our website and follow us on Bluesky and wherever you're listening to this podcast.
Picking up where we left off in the previous episode, we continue to cover setting and managing expectations, especially as they surround food, sharing responsibilities, and getting clear on what you want to do and see (or don't want to).
Thanks so much for listening! You can check out articles on onlyabag.com with new articles coming out all the time.
If you liked the podcast, please leave a review, it helps us immensely! You can contact us on our website and follow us on Bluesky and wherever you're listening to this podcast.
Traveling with someone else can be an amazing opportunity to share a once-in-a-lifetime experience. It can also be incredibly stressful if you've never traveled before, or traveled together before.
In this Part 1 of 2, we discuss setting expectations around a budget and transportation.
Thanks so much for listening! You can check out articles on onlyabag.com with new articles coming out all the time.
If you liked the podcast, please leave a review, it helps us immensely! You can contact us on our website and follow us on Bluesky and wherever you're listening to this podcast.
"Is tap water safe to drink in Italy?", "What's the deal with tipping?", "Do they expect me to use the bidet in a public bathroom?", and perhaps most importantly, "Why does the alarm go off in a public toilet when I pull that thin cord?". In this episode we answer all that and more! We also discover how incensed Darcy is about a rage-bait Instagram video and Nathaniel's views on tipping culture.
Thanks so much for listening! You can check out articles on onlyabag.com with new articles coming out all the time.
If you liked the podcast you, please leave a review, it helps us immensely! You can contact us on our website and follow us on Bluesky and wherever you're listening to this podcast.
After our recent trips to Venice and Florence we thought we'd share some of our hard-learned tips that have become second nature. Can you be fined for sitting in the wrong seat on a train? What do we 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
In this episode we unpack (pun intended) all that we learned on our recent trip to Venice. How do you avoid pickpockets? What are cicchetti? Can you really buy a glass of wine for €1.50? And some important rules to follow while visiting, like don't sit on the church steps!
Stay tuned for articles on Venice and more coming soon to onlyabag.com. If you're planning your visit to Venice (or anywhere), you can help out the podcast by using our affiliate links with Booking, Expedia, and Agoda.
Thank you all so much for listening!
In a continuation of the mini-series on living in Italy, today brings us to the work visa, the retirement visa, and the working holiday visa.
In this episode, we dive into why the work visa isn't as easy to get as a student visa, how to apply for it, and how to apply for other types of permits that will allow you to work in Italy (such as the Blue Card). As we mention towards the end of the episode, we highly encourage you to find a recruiter or an agency that helps with this in order to increase your chances of success.
As two other booking keeping notes, we have an updated website and this time we've added in what SHOULD be some subtle ads. Please let us know if you visit the website and feel bombarded by ads, that shouldn't be the case.
We will also be taking a break on Wednesday, February 26th while we visit Venice for the Carnavale.
Thank you all so much for listening!
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 acodice fiscale.
We mentioned a few of the websites that we use which are:
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.
