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 ...
Dec 18, 2024•1 hr 7 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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 "th...
Dec 11, 2024•1 hr 6 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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 recom...
Nov 20, 2024•1 hr 6 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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 l...
Nov 13, 2024•53 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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...
Nov 06, 2024•58 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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!...
Oct 30, 2024•1 hr 12 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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 po...
Oct 16, 2024•1 hr 1 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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!
Oct 09, 2024•2 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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) ...
Oct 02, 2024•1 hr 22 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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 go...
Sep 25, 2024•41 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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 pla...
Sep 25, 2024•53 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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 travel...
Sep 18, 2024•1 hr 11 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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 ....
Sep 10, 2024•1 hr 10 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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 a...
Sep 04, 2024•57 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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 usin...
Sep 04, 2024•1 hr 3 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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 yo...
Aug 28, 2024•49 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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 c...
Aug 28, 2024•41 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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 lo...
Aug 21, 2024•58 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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* , ...
Aug 21, 2024•1 hr 2 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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'...
Aug 14, 2024•58 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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 ind...
Aug 12, 2024•50 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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 ...
Aug 07, 2024•1 hr 7 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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.
Jul 31, 2024•38 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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 )!...
Jul 31, 2024•29 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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 ( on...
Jul 24, 2024•49 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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...
Jul 24, 2024•58 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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_b...
Jul 17, 2024•1 hr 1 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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!...
Jul 12, 2024•1 hr 13 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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, t...
Jul 10, 2024•11 min•Transcript available on Metacast 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 ....
Jun 26, 2024•1 hr 17 min•Transcript available on Metacast 
