The Italy Travel Podcast - An Only A Bag Podcast

While it can be amazing to stay right smack-dab in the middle of Sorrento, it can also come with unforeseen challenges. Likewise, staying just outside of Sorrento might be a quiet retreat from the hubbub, but it can also mean you don't get the experience you were hoping for.

In this episode, we break down the various small towns around Sorrento and neighborhoods in Sorrento to help you figure out the best place to stay.

As mentioned in the episode, our "comments" on Spotify have been a little strange. We've been getting notifications for comments, but they don't always appear. So if you've left a comment and we haven't responded, please feel free to leave the comment again or reach out to us directly!

You can join our Patreon for free! Want a shout out on the podcast? Check out our paid tiers. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/cw/theitalytravelpodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

For articles written by us about Italy, check out our website ⁠⁠⁠⁠onlyabag.com ⁠⁠⁠⁠

If you'd like to support us by using affiliate links, but don't have the time to hunt them down, we have put them all in one place! Head over to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.onlyabag.com/affiliate-links⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and you can see all of the companies we have partnerships with and you can use them to support Only A Bag (which we deeply appreciate). 

Thanks for listening! 

xDarcy and Nathaniel

We're back!

Today we're talking about Sorrento, which we had briefly started talking about two weeks ago. This episode focuses on how to catch the bus, things to keep in mind surrounding using the bus, our experience with using taxis, and, of course, food. While in the past we've normally tried not to give specific recommendations (mainly as we know that food can be highly subjective, and what we might love y'all might not), we do end this episode with a few recommendations for where to eat.

As mentioned in the episode, our "comments" on Spotify have been a little strange. We've been getting notifications for comments, but they don't always appear. So if you've left a comment and we haven't responded, please feel free to leave the comment again or reach out to us directly!

You can join our Patreon for free! Want a shout out on the podcast? Check out our paid tiers. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/cw/theitalytravelpodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

For articles written by us about Italy, check out our website ⁠⁠⁠onlyabag.com ⁠⁠⁠

If you'd like to support us by using affiliate links, but don't have the time to hunt them down, we have put them all in one place! Head over to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.onlyabag.com/affiliate-links⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and you can see all of the companies we have partnerships with and you can use them to support Only A Bag (which we deeply appreciate). 

Thanks for listening! 

xDarcy and Nathaniel

We are still out of town, but we'll be back next week! Until then, please enjoy one our episodes from the end of last year.

"How could we talk about Naples and not about the pastries? After all, this is why you listen to Only A Bag! After a few thousand years of outside rule, one of the few good things (which is a weird way of saying, "Thanks for leaving behind some of your food when you ruled over us with an iron fist.") that came from it is the introduction of pastries. Graffa from the Austrian krapfen, baba from the French (and earlier Polish) baba, and sfogliatella from the nuns of Conci die Marini and then through a pastry chef who purchased the recipe and the rights to sell it (which is far more wholesome!). 

And, of course, like any other sweet thing over the course of history, someone looked at it and asked the age-old question, "Yes, but can it also be fried?". With that, we introduce you to the wonderful world of Neapolitan pastries!"

You can join our Patreon for free! Want a shout out on the podcast? Check out our paid tiers. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/cw/theitalytravelpodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

For articles written by us about Italy, check out our website ⁠⁠⁠onlyabag.com ⁠⁠⁠

If you'd like to support us by using affiliate links, but don't have the time to hunt them down, we have put them all in one place! Head over to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.onlyabag.com/affiliate-links⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and you can see all of the companies we have partnerships with and you can use them to support Only A Bag (which we deeply appreciate). 

Thanks for listening! 

xDarcy and Nathaniel 

As mentioned in last week's episodes, we are out of town this week! Instead of leaving you all without an episode, we're going back into the past to bring you an episode from the fall of last year. We hope you enjoy!

"Continuing the Naples theme, we delve into dinner time, street food (like the famous pizza portafoglio, or pizza folded into a triangle) and the most famous dish to ever come out of such a storied city: pizza not folded into a triangle. 

We mentioned a list of the best pizzerias in Italy which can be found here: ⁠https://www.50toppizza.it/50-top-pizza-italia-2025/ "

You can join our Patreon for free! Want a shout out on the podcast? Check out our paid tiers. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/cw/theitalytravelpodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

For articles written by us about Italy, check out our website ⁠⁠⁠onlyabag.com ⁠⁠⁠

If you'd like to support us by using affiliate links, but don't have the time to hunt them down, we have put them all in one place! Head over to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.onlyabag.com/affiliate-links⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and you can see all of the companies we have partnerships with and you can use them to support Only A Bag (which we deeply appreciate). 

Thanks for listening! 

xDarcy and Nathaniel

Following up from Wednesday's episode, today we're talking about the actual trip planning portion. How is AI used to plan a trip, where does it succeed, and where does it fail. We also offer some alternatives for those of you who are planning a trip and prefer to not rely on AI.

You can join our Patreon for free! Want a shout out on the podcast? Check out our paid tiers. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/cw/theitalytravelpodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

For articles written by us about Italy, check out our website ⁠⁠onlyabag.com ⁠⁠

If you'd like to support us by using affiliate links, but don't have the time to hunt them down, we have put them all in one place! Head over to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.onlyabag.com/affiliate-links⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and you can see all of the companies we have partnerships with and you can use them to support Only A Bag (which we deeply appreciate). 

Thanks for listening! 

xDarcy and Nathaniel

Today, we're talking about something we've actually wanted to talk about for a few years. It's something that we knew would inevitably evolve, just as with any other AI application. After hearing and reading stories of AI chatbots and trip planners making up fake destinations, misrepresenting walking areas and how long it takes to get from point A to B, or recommending closed restaurants and hotels, we thought it was finally time to take a dive into discussing planning your trip using AI.

But before we are able to even get into the trip planners in particular, we first wanted to layout some of the pitfalls and drawbacks of using AI. While it doesn't have much—or really anything!—to do with Italy, we felt that it was important enough to warrant its own episode.

You can join our Patreon for free! Want a shout out on the podcast? Check out our paid tiers. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/cw/theitalytravelpodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

For articles written by us about Italy, check out our website ⁠⁠onlyabag.com ⁠⁠

If you'd like to support us by using affiliate links, but don't have the time to hunt them down, we have put them all in one place! Head over to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.onlyabag.com/affiliate-links⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and you can see all of the companies we have partnerships with and you can use them to support Only A Bag (which we deeply appreciate). 

Thanks for listening! 

xDarcy and Nathaniel

If you're like us, you might have already been here without knowing you were here. And where is here? Parco della Caffarella, or, Caffarella Park. Near the Appian Way, this park sits as a haven for all manner of wildlife, an active pasture for sheep, and a place to relax outside the hubbub of Rome.

Links:

Caffarella Park (scroll down for information about the electric minicar): https://www.caffarella.it/il-parco/

List of flora: https://www.caffarella.it/il-parco/da-conoscere/la-vegetazione-del-parco-dellappia-antica-e-della-valle-della-caffarella/

List of Fauna (including birds): https://www.caffarella.it/il-parco/da-conoscere/la-fauna/

Appia Antica Regional Park's Page on Caffarella Park: https://www.parcoappiaantica.it/itinerari/la-valle-della-caffarella/

You can join our Patreon for free! Want a shout out on the podcast? Check out our paid tiers. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/cw/theitalytravelpodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

For articles written by us about Italy, check out our website ⁠onlyabag.com ⁠

If you'd like to support us by using affiliate links, but don't have the time to hunt them down, we have put them all in one place! Head over to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.onlyabag.com/affiliate-links⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and you can see all of the companies we have partnerships with and you can use them to support Only A Bag (which we deeply appreciate). 

Thanks for listening! 

xDarcy and Nathaniel

Spring has sprung (and we're a little late) but in that season of renewal (spring and our brand-new name and cover art) we thought we'd look at some little-known parks in Rome that are right in the middle of everything, but hidden.

We've often talked about how difficult it can feel to find green space or a place to relax in Rome's historic center. In this episode, we tell you about two gardens near the Trevi Fountain that overlook the crowds: the gardens of the Palazzo Quirinale and Villa Aldobrandini.

You can learn more about Palazzo Quirinale and buy tickets here:

palazzo.quirinale.it

The Villa Aldobrandini is a free park open from 7:00am to sunset.

You can join our Patreon for free! Want a shout out on the podcast? Check out our paid tiers. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/cw/theitalytravelpodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

For articles written by us about Italy, check out our website onlyabag.com

If you'd like to support us by using affiliate links, but don't have the time to hunt them down, we have put them all in one place! Head over to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.onlyabag.com/affiliate-links⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and you can see all of the companies we have partnerships with and you can use them to support Only A Bag (which we deeply appreciate). 

Thanks for listening! 

xDarcy and Nathaniel

In this episode we'll talk about how to get to Sorrento and the pros and cons of traveling there by ferry vs. train. We'll also talk about the difference between two trains from Naples to Sorrento which are often confused with each other, the Circumvesuviana train and the Campania Express train. Having just been to Sorrento via ferry and left by train, we've also got a couple of fun anecdotes. We're always here to make the mistakes and find solutions so you don't have to!

Taxi rates in Sorrento are standardized, but can be a bit confusing. The most important things to know are:

- The initial charge is €6.00 with surcharges for each 50 meters (between €0.30 and €0.15).

- Each piece of luggage costs €1.00.

- There is an addition €3.00 nighttime charge for rides between 10:00pm and 7:00am.

- There is a holiday surcharge of €2.00.

- The minimum fare, no matter the distance, is €12.00.

- If the taxi is hired to take you outside of Sorrento and drop you off there, therefore returning to Sorrento empty, there is an addition 20% fee. For reference ,hiring a car from a private company (rather than a taxi) to take you to the Naples airport typically costs around €155.

As mentioned, we have some articles about getting to Sorrento from Naples on our website, ⁠onlyabag.com⁠.

⁠Naples to Sorrento.⁠

⁠Naples Airport to Sorrento. ⁠

As mentioned in this episode, we'll be changing our name to "The Italy Travel Podcast" as well as our podcast cover art next week. Plus we started a Patreon! To learn more about these changes you can listen to our "⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Fireside Chat episode⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠" and you can check out our Patreon here, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/cw/theitalytravelpodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠!

If you'd like to support us by using affiliate links, but don't have the time to hunt them down, we have put them all in one place! Head over to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.onlyabag.com/affiliate-links⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and you can see all of the companies we have partnerships with and you can use them to support Only A Bag (which we deeply appreciate). 

If you'd like to support the podcast in other ways, 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. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Thanks for listening! 

xDarcy and Nathaniel

While we've talked about great deal about the Amalfi Coast, we only recently realized on a short trip up to Sorrento that we've never talked about it by itself, despite the fact we've been there so often. Today, we've decided to rectify that! In this episode we talk about the general vibe of Sorrento, our first impressions upon seeing it through the eyes of tourists, and who we think Sorrento is the best fit for in terms of vacations needs (versus Positano or Capri).

The restaurant we recommended in this episode is called "L'Angolo Del Gusto Di Astarita Bruno E Ferdinando." It's just past the Ristorante Sant'Antonino, on Via Santa Maria delle Grazie.

The gelato shop we mentioned in this episode is called Raki, which has two locations, one on Via S. Cesareo and the other on Sorrento's main street Corso Italia.

As mentioned, we have some articles about getting to Sorrento from Naples on our website, onlyabag.com.

Naples to Sorrento.

Naples Airport to Sorrento.

As mentioned in this episode, we'll be changing our name to "The Italy Travel Podcast" as well as our podcast cover art next week. Plus we started a Patreon! To learn more about these changes you can listen to our "⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Fireside Chat episode⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠" and you can check out our Patreon here, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/cw/theitalytravelpodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠!

If you'd like to support us by using affiliate links, but don't have the time to hunt them down, we have put them all in one place! Head over to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.onlyabag.com/affiliate-links⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and you can see all of the companies we have partnerships with and you can use them to support Only A Bag (which we deeply appreciate). 

If you'd like to support the podcast in other ways, 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. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Thanks for listening! 

xDarcy and Nathaniel