Last week we said that, because we're taking a week-long break for the holidays, we wouldn't be putting out any episodes this week, but then we thought "that's not the holiday spirit!" So, this episode is a rerun of our first episode of 2025, "The Wide World of Italian Christmas Sweets (or, Wintertime Treats)!" In fact, it's the first half of that hour-ish long episode. The second half is coming to you on Friday. Happy holidays!
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, by email at onlyabagpodcast@gmail.com, on Instagram, or Bluesky.
For more info, check out our articles on onlyabag.com and read our Substack Letters from the Balcony.
Want to help the podcast? You can check out all of our affiliate links here! If you book through any of them, we receive a small commission, and it helps to keep us going! You can also donate to Only a Bag on ko-fi.com to keep the podcast going! As always, thank you all so much for listening.
x Darcy and Nathaniel
Only A Bag
WARNING: Sensitive Santa Claus data in this episode. If your kiddos are expecting a visit from Santa this year (and listening), this episode may not be appropriate.
Today we're talking about the bones of St. Nicholas! These bones, entombed in Bari, exude a mysterious liquid and, according to legend, have done so for hundreds of years. We'll also talk about some of the other dark history related to St. Nick including how his bones came to be in Bari, why there are bits of him in Venice, and tales from his life in Anatolia (modern day Antalya, Turkey).
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, by email at onlyabagpodcast@gmail.com, on Instagram, or Bluesky.
For more info, check out our articles on onlyabag.com and read our Substack Letters from the Balcony.
Want to help the podcast? You can check out all of our affiliate links here! If you book through any of them, we receive a small commission, and it helps to keep us going! You can also donate to Only a Bag on ko-fi.com to keep the podcast going! As always, thank you all so much for listening.
x Darcy and Nathaniel
Only A Bag
In today’s episode we’re talking about walking trees and holiday demons! First, we’re in a small town in Basilicata called Satriano di Lucania, where trees come to life and process through town as a part of their Carnevale celebration in February. The Walking Forest, or Foresta che Cammina, is a little-known celebration about reestablishing a relationship with the Earth and protecting the climate for future generations.
Then we go to the Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol region to talk about three Krampus parades, called Krampuslauf. These parades have ended for 2025, but there are a few other Krampus events, you can find a list of them on the Trentino da Vivere website.
The official website for the Walking Forest (Foresta che Cammina) in Satriano di Lucania, Basilicata is carnevaledisatriano.it. Here is a link to the the weeks long volunteering opportunity for people 18-30 years old, Volontari da tutta Europa per la Foresta che Cammina. This page is only in Italian, so you may need a translator in your browser.
Websites with more info for each of the Krampus celebrations we talk about are listed below:
Val di Fassa - visittrentino.info
Skiing Krampuses at Dolomiti Superski - dolomitisuperski.com
Toblach - south-tirol.com
Kastelruth - suedtirol.info
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, by email at onlyabagpodcast@gmail.com, on Instagram, or Bluesky.
For more info, check out our articles on onlyabag.com and read our Substack Letters from the Balcony.
Want to help the podcast? You can check out all of our affiliate links here! If you book through any of them, we receive a small commission, and it helps to keep us going!
You can also donate to Only a Bag on ko-fi.com to keep the podcast going! As always, thank you all so much for listening.
x Darcy and Nathaniel
Only A Bag
Carnevale in Italy doesn't always mean elaborate period costumes and papier-mâché masks, sometimes it means massive floats poking fun at political figures as well as confetti, stuffed animals, and candy being thrown into the crowd. As we mentioned in Wednesday's episode, one thing is for sure at a Carnevale celebration, it's a party.
Today we're talking about Carnevale celebrations in eight different towns across the country. Here is a list in case you'd like to look them up for yourself. Under each is a link to the official website of the celebration as well as a hotel suggestion (the hotel suggestion is an affiliate link, and if you book through our link, we receive a small commission).
Cento in Emilia Romagna
Official Site: carnevalecento.com
Hotel suggestions: Monteborre (Cento) and Hotel De Prati (Ferrara)
Foiano della Chiana in Tuscany
Official Site: carnevaledifoiano.it
Hotel suggestions: Boutique Hotel L'Imperatrice (Foiano) and Vogue Hotel Arezzo (Arezzo)
Viareggio in Tuscany
Official Site: viareggio.ilcarnevale.com
Hotel suggestionss: Villa Tina Hotel (Viareggio) and Hotel Ilaria or Hotel Palazzo Alexander (in Lucca)
Ronciglione in Lazio
Official Site: carnevaledironciglione.org
Hotel suggestions: La Canonica dei Fiori - Anna Fendi Country House (Ronciglione)
Putignano in Puglia
Official Site: carnevalediputignano.it
Hotel suggestions: Petrantiche - Albergo Diffuso and Dimora Clementina (Putignano)
Acireale in Sicily
Official Site: carnevaleacireale.eu
Hotel suggestions: Baroque (Acireale) and Habitat Boutique Hotel (Catania)
Fano in Marche
Official Site: carnevaledifano.com
Hotel suggestions: Siri Hotel and Hotel De La Ville depandance di Hotel Augustus (Fano)
Milan in Lombardia
Official Site: comune.milano.it
Hotel suggestions: Hotel Milano Castello and Palazzo Segreti (Milan)
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, by email at onlyabagpodcast@gmail.com, on Instagram, or Bluesky.
For more info, check out our articles on onlyabag.com and read our Substack Letters from the Balcony.
Want to help the podcast? You can check out all of our affiliate links here! If you book through any of them, we receive a small commission, and it helps to keep us going!
You can also donate to Only a Bag on ko-fi.com to keep the podcast going! As always, thank you all so much for listening.
x Darcy and Nathaniel
Only A Bag
Carnevale is just around the corner, so let's talk about it! When is it? What is it? Well, that all depends on where you are. In Venice, Carnevale means Venetian masks, costumes, and comedy. Near Turin in Ivrea, it means historical, and very sticky, orange fights (yep, the citrus fruit). Wherever you are, Carnevale means festive food and a party.
The official Venice Carnevale website is carnevale.venezia.it.
The official Ivrea Carnevale website is storicocarnevaleivrea.it.
To learn more about Carnevale pastries in Venice, check out Darcy's articles Traditional Venetian Pastries for Carnival (or Carnevale) and 7 Best Places to Eat Frittelle in Venice.
Looking for Hotels in Venice? Check out
Ai Mori d'Oriente in Cannaregio - A great area for restaurants and bars, a little quieter as well.
Acca Hotel in San Polo - Convenient, between San Marco and the Santa Maria train station.
Aqua Palace in Castello - Near the Arsenale Water Show
Hotel A La Commedia in San Marco - The heart of the city around Piazza San Marco (St. Mark's Square) where the main festivities of Carnevale happen.
Palazzo Veneziano in Dorsoduro - More residential with lots of great wine bars and places for small bites.
Looking for Hotels in Ivrea? Because it's a small town, there are very few, but here are our suggestions. Including three in nearby towns which are drivable to Ivrea.
3T Boutique Hotel in Ivrea
ReArduinoIvrea in Ivrea
Villa Soleil in Colleretto Giacosa
Il Talucco B&B in Valdengo
Hotel Cavour Et Des Officiers in Bard
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, by email at onlyabagpodcast@gmail.com, on Instagram, or Bluesky.
For more info, check out our articles on onlyabag.com and read our Substack Letters from the Balcony.
Want to help the podcast? You can check out all of our affiliate links here! If you book through any of them, we receive a small commission, and it helps to keep us going! You can also donate to Only a Bag on ko-fi.com to keep the podcast going! As always, thank you all so much for listening.
x Darcy and Nathaniel
Only A Bag
In this episode we're continuing our discussion about visiting Italy in the winter. Today we're talking about how different cities and regions change during the cold months. What cities go along with business as usual and which turn to ghost towns? Are things closed in the winter? Does it get cold in southern Italy? In this episode we'll tell you all about it, so you can plan your trip fully prepared.
If you're planning to visit Venice this winter, check out Darcy's article When Does Venice Flood?
Want to learn more about the holiday lights in Salerno? You can visit their website here.
The cities and towns that we talk about in this episode are:
Venice (Veneto)
Florence and Siena (Tuscany)
Perugia (Umbria)
Rome (Lazio)
Naples, Sorrento, Capri, Amalfi Coast (Campania)
Taranto and Locorotondo (Puglia)
Palermo (Sicily)
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, by email at onlyabagpodcast@gmail.com, on Instagram, or Bluesky.
For more info, check out our articles on onlyabag.com and read our Substack Letters from the Balcony.
Want to help the podcast? You can check out all of our affiliate links here! If you book through any of them, we receive a small commission, and it helps to keep us going!
You can also donate to Only a Bag on ko-fi.com to keep the podcast going! As always, thank you all so much for listening.
x Darcy and Nathaniel
Only A Bag
It's wintertime in Italy and the most northern bits of Italy know how to make things festive and cozy. In this episode, we're talking about towns in the Italian Alps. These towns are great choices for an Italian winter vacation with skiing, snowshoeing, Christmas markets, mulled wine, and thermal baths.
In case you want to look them up on your own, the towns we're talking about specifically are:
- Gressoney-Saint-Jean (Aosta)
- Gressoney-La-Trinité (Aosta)
- Livigno (Sondrio)
- Tirano (Sondrio)
- Bormio (Sondrio)
- Bressanone/Brixen (Trentino-Alto Adige)
- Merano (Trentino-Alto Adige)
- Bolzano (Trentino-Alto Adige)
We also talk about the Treninio Rosso in Tirano, a scenic train through the Italian Alps, as well as Dolomiti Superski, a project connecting ski facilities, hotels, rental, etc. in 12 towns in the Dolomite mountains.
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, by email at onlyabagpodcast@gmail.com, on Instagram, or Bluesky.
For more info, check out our articles on onlyabag.com and read our Substack Letters from the Balcony.
Want to help the podcast? You can check out all of our affiliate links here! If you book through any of them, we receive a small commission, and it helps to keep us going!
You can also donate to Only a Bag on ko-fi.com to keep the podcast going! As always, thank you all so much for listening.
x Darcy and Nathaniel
Only A Bag
In this episode we're talking about more recent news including a story that has struck people internationally about a family who were living off the grid in Abruzzo. We're also talking about the floods in the Friuli-Venzezia Giulia region which killed two people and forced hundred to evacuate. As well as an upcoming ban on e-scooter rental and new outdoor seating regulations in Florence. Lastly, we touch on the Winter Olympics which will be held in Milan and Cortina this February.
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, by email at onlyabagpodcast@gmail.com, on Instagram, or Bluesky.
For more info, check out our articles on onlyabag.com and read our Substack Letters from the Balcony.
Want to help the podcast? You can check out all of our affiliate links here! If you book through any of them, we receive a small commission, and it helps to keep us going!
You can also donate to Only a Bag on ko-fi.com to keep the podcast going! As always, thank you all so much for listening.
x Darcy and Nathaniel
Only A Bag
This week we're talking about Italy in the news. In today's episode we'll talk about the upcoming strikes and how they could affect your trip. We'll also talk about the collapse of Torre dei Conti which tragically killed one person, the new deputy president of Tuscany, a landmark law which defines consent, and the ongoing saga with the bridge over the Straight of Messina.
As mentioned in the episode some train journeys and flights are guaranteed during strikes. Here you can find guaranteed trains with Trenitalia and Italo.
Here is a list of guaranteed flights for the strike on November 28. Darcy mistakenly said that flights are guaranteed from 6pm to 7pm on the 28th, but the window is actually 6pm to 9pm according to the National Civil Aviation Authority. Flights departing between 7 and 10 a.m. as well as from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m are guaranteed. Flights are trickier to deal with during a strike, in my opinion, if you plan to travel on November 28 keep a keen eye on any travel apps you use for updates.
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, by email at onlyabagpodcast@gmail.com, on Instagram, or Bluesky.
For more info, check out our articles on onlyabag.com and read our Substack Letters from the Balcony.
Want to help the podcast? You can check out all of our affiliate links here! If you book through any of them, we receive a small commission, and it helps to keep us going!
You can also donate to Only a Bag on ko-fi.com to keep the podcast going!
As always, thank you all so much for listening.
x Darcy and Nathaniel
Only A Bag
Finally, we have come to our conclusion! The end of the Naples miniseries, in which we wrap up the past few episodes into one!
Just as in Wednesday's episode, I (Nathaniel) realize I'm also talking pretty quickly in this episode and I still apologize! In the future, we'll try to come back and re-record these for clarity!
I hope Darcy's part is still enjoyable!
If you'd like to support us, but you don't have the time to hunt down all of the affiliate links scattered across the website, a listener suggested (thank you!) putting them all in one place, so we have! Head over to www.onlyabag.com/affiliate-linksand 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).
Below are some of our favorite hotels to stay in while we're in Naples. Each of the links are affiliate links, and if you book your stay through the link, we earn a small percentage of the booking platform's fees.
Train Station
Budget: Vergilius Bilia. Clean and modern. https://agoda.tpm.li/Gu6XirQM
Mid-Range: Starhotels Terminus. Old-school but nice, right next to the station. https://agoda.tpm.li/hCbKTXYR
Centro Storico
Budget: Hotel Caravaggio. Old-school but clean. Centrally located. https://agoda.tpm.li/NdMJaOfl
Mid-Range: UNA Hotels Napoli. Equidistant to the train station and centro storico. Nice views of the city. https://agoda.tpm.li/QcnssG4V
Upper Crust: Palazzo Caracciolo Naples. On the edge of centro storico, but with modern amenities. https://agoda.tpm.li/ulwHhc9i
Spanish Quarter/Toldeo
Budget: Hotel Il Convento. Small rooms, but in the action of the city. https://agoda.tpm.li/GLl8jEPN
Mid-Range: Art Resort Galleria Umberto. Stay in the Galleria Umberto. What more needs to be said? https://agoda.tpm.li/6EhwUpfW
Upper Crust: Hotel Romeo. Little slice of luxury near the port and centro storico. https://agoda.tpm.li/kQdItv3Y
Chiaia
Budget: Pinto-Storey Hotel. Like an old-school Bed and Breakfast. https://agoda.tpm.li/isL35cGe
Mid-Range: Hotel Majestic. Modern but like 2010 modern: https://agoda.tpm.li/mh6RUnZi
Upper Crust: Grand Hotel Parker’s. Swanky, near the water: https://agoda.tpm.li/KaH7yHzf
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, by email at onlyabagpodcast@gmail.com, on Instagram, or Bluesky.
For more info, check out our articles on onlyabag.com and read our Substack Letters from the Balcony.
Thanks for listening!
xDarcy and Nathaniel
Rolling up the next few episodes into one, this episode delves into the different neighborhoods, street food, and pastries.
As a quick note, I (Nathaniel) realize I'm talking pretty quickly in this episode and apologize! Almost all of the Naples episodes were recorded back to back, so I started speaking quicker and less clearly. In the future, we'll try to come back and re-record these for clarity! However, since Darcy's just returned to town (yay!) we won't have time before they go live.
I hope Darcy's part is still enjoyable!
If you'd like to support us, but you don't have the time to hunt down all of the afiliate links scattered across the website, a listener suggested putting them all in one place, so we have! 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).
Below are some of our favorite hotels to stay in while we're in Naples. Each of the links are affiliate links, and if you book your stay through the link, we earn a small percentage of the booking platform's fees.
Train Station
Budget: Vergilius Bilia. Clean and modern. https://agoda.tpm.li/Gu6XirQM
Mid-Range: Starhotels Terminus. Old-school but nice, right next to the station. https://agoda.tpm.li/hCbKTXYR
Centro Storico
Budget: Hotel Caravaggio. Old-school but clean. Centrally located. https://agoda.tpm.li/NdMJaOfl
Mid-Range: UNA Hotels Napoli. Equidistant to the train station and centro storico. Nice views of the city. https://agoda.tpm.li/QcnssG4V
Upper Crust: Palazzo Caracciolo Naples. On the edge of centro storico, but with modern amenities. https://agoda.tpm.li/ulwHhc9i
Spanish Quarter/Toldeo
Budget: Hotel Il Convento. Small rooms, but in the action of the city. https://agoda.tpm.li/GLl8jEPN
Mid-Range: Art Resort Galleria Umberto. Stay in the Galleria Umberto. What more needs to be said? https://agoda.tpm.li/6EhwUpfW
Upper Crust: Hotel Romeo. Little slice of luxury near the port and centro storico. https://agoda.tpm.li/kQdItv3Y
Chiaia
Budget: Pinto-Storey Hotel. Like an old-school Bed and Breakfast. https://agoda.tpm.li/isL35cGe
Mid-Range: Hotel Majestic. Modern but like 2010 modern: https://agoda.tpm.li/mh6RUnZi
Upper Crust: Grand Hotel Parker’s. Swanky, near the water: https://agoda.tpm.li/KaH7yHzf
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, by email at onlyabagpodcast@gmail.com, on Instagram, or Bluesky.
For more info, check out our articles on onlyabag.com and read our Substack Letters from the Balcony.
Thanks for listening!
xDarcy and Nathaniel
Now we've arrived to the beginning of the end of the miniseries on Naples!
For those of you who have been following along on this miniseries, you'll have heard most of this information already. This episode, and the next two, are "condensed" and designed to give all of the past 10~ episodes worth of information in 3.
They're intended for those of you who don't have much time to delve into 5 hours of episodes, or those of you who came to this podcast after we published the miniseries so you can start with the condensed and go to the long-form if you find something interesting.
Below are some of our favorite hotels to stay in while we're in Naples. Each of the links are affiliate links, and if you book your stay through the link, we earn a small percentage of the booking platform's fees.
Train Station
Budget: Vergilius Bilia. Clean and modern. https://agoda.tpm.li/Gu6XirQM
Mid-Range: Starhotels Terminus. Old-school but nice, right next to the station. https://agoda.tpm.li/hCbKTXYR
Centro Storico
Budget: Hotel Caravaggio. Old-school but clean. Centrally located. https://agoda.tpm.li/NdMJaOfl
Mid-Range: UNA Hotels Napoli. Equidistant to the train station and centro storico. Nice views of the city. https://agoda.tpm.li/QcnssG4V
Upper Crust: Palazzo Caracciolo Naples. On the edge of centro storico, but with modern amenities. https://agoda.tpm.li/ulwHhc9i
Spanish Quarter/Toldeo
Budget: Hotel Il Convento. Small rooms, but in the action of the city. https://agoda.tpm.li/GLl8jEPN
Mid-Range: Art Resort Galleria Umberto. Stay in the Galleria Umberto. What more needs to be said? https://agoda.tpm.li/6EhwUpfW
Upper Crust: Hotel Romeo. Little slice of luxury near the port and centro storico. https://agoda.tpm.li/kQdItv3Y
Chiaia
Budget: Pinto-Storey Hotel. Like an old-school Bed and Breakfast. https://agoda.tpm.li/isL35cGe
Mid-Range: Hotel Majestic. Modern but like 2010 modern: https://agoda.tpm.li/mh6RUnZi
Upper Crust: Grand Hotel Parker’s. Swanky, near the water: https://agoda.tpm.li/KaH7yHzf
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, by email at onlyabagpodcast@gmail.com, on Instagram, or Bluesky.
For more info, check out our articles on onlyabag.com and read our Substack Letters from the Balcony.
Thanks for listening!
xDarcy and Nathaniel
While Naples is certainly known for its seaside day trips, for those of you who are more interested in a bit of history and delving into the past, the area around Naples has far more than simply Pompeii.
From the nearby first Greek city on mainland Italy, Cumae, to the no-longer-ruined palace in Caserta (rivaling that of Versailles), to the tomb of Virgil, this absolute plethora of non-water-centric ruins and castles can make any trip educational and interesting!
Below are some of our favorite hotels to stay in while we're in Naples. Each of the links are affiliate links, and if you book your stay through the link, we earn a small percentage of the booking platform's fees.
Train Station
Budget: Vergilius Bilia. Clean and modern. https://agoda.tpm.li/Gu6XirQM
Mid-Range: Starhotels Terminus. Old-school but nice, right next to the station. https://agoda.tpm.li/hCbKTXYR
Centro Storico
Budget: Hotel Caravaggio. Old-school but clean. Centrally located. https://agoda.tpm.li/NdMJaOfl
Mid-Range: UNA Hotels Napoli. Equidistant to the train station and centro storico. Nice views of the city. https://agoda.tpm.li/QcnssG4V
Upper Crust: Palazzo Caracciolo Naples. On the edge of centro storico, but with modern amenities. https://agoda.tpm.li/ulwHhc9i
Spanish Quarter/Toldeo
Budget: Hotel Il Convento. Small rooms, but in the action of the city. https://agoda.tpm.li/GLl8jEPN
Mid-Range: Art Resort Galleria Umberto. Stay in the Galleria Umberto. What more needs to be said? https://agoda.tpm.li/6EhwUpfW
Upper Crust: Hotel Romeo. Little slice of luxury near the port and centro storico. https://agoda.tpm.li/kQdItv3Y
Chiaia
Budget: Pinto-Storey Hotel. Like an old-school Bed and Breakfast. https://agoda.tpm.li/isL35cGe
Mid-Range: Hotel Majestic. Modern but like 2010 modern: https://agoda.tpm.li/mh6RUnZi
Upper Crust: Grand Hotel Parker’s. Swanky, near the water: https://agoda.tpm.li/KaH7yHzf
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, by email at onlyabagpodcast@gmail.com, on Instagram, or Bluesky.
For more info, check out our articles on onlyabag.com and read our Substack Letters from the Balcony.
Thanks for listening!
xDarcy and Nathaniel
So, we've sold you on Naples. Now the question is, where else can you go near Naples, and it's a valid question! Despite Naples' hectic, chaotic, caught-in-time feeling, it's surrounded by a gorgeous sea with a handful of islands and coastlines that cool down any summer trip!
As we've mentioned in previous episodes, the farther south you go from Naples (until you hit Calabria, no disrespect) the seaside tends to get less busy and more local, so if you have a few extra days and you'd like to spend the night somewhere, check out the Cilento Coast!
Below are some of our favorite hotels to stay in while we're in Naples. Each of the links are affiliate links, and if you book your stay through the link, we earn a small percentage of the booking platform's fees.
Train Station
Budget: Vergilius Bilia. Clean and modern. https://agoda.tpm.li/Gu6XirQM
Mid-Range: Starhotels Terminus. Old-school but nice, right next to the station. https://agoda.tpm.li/hCbKTXYR
Centro Storico
Budget: Hotel Caravaggio. Old-school but clean. Centrally located. https://agoda.tpm.li/NdMJaOfl
Mid-Range: UNA Hotels Napoli. Equidistant to the train station and centro storico. Nice views of the city. https://agoda.tpm.li/QcnssG4V
Upper Crust: Palazzo Caracciolo Naples. On the edge of centro storico, but with modern amenities. https://agoda.tpm.li/ulwHhc9i
Spanish Quarter/Toldeo
Budget: Hotel Il Convento. Small rooms, but in the action of the city. https://agoda.tpm.li/GLl8jEPN
Mid-Range: Art Resort Galleria Umberto. Stay in the Galleria Umberto. What more needs to be said? https://agoda.tpm.li/6EhwUpfW
Upper Crust: Hotel Romeo. Little slice of luxury near the port and centro storico. https://agoda.tpm.li/kQdItv3Y
Chiaia
Budget: Pinto-Storey Hotel. Like an old-school Bed and Breakfast. https://agoda.tpm.li/isL35cGe
Mid-Range: Hotel Majestic. Modern but like 2010 modern: https://agoda.tpm.li/mh6RUnZi
Upper Crust: Grand Hotel Parker’s. Swanky, near the water: https://agoda.tpm.li/KaH7yHzf
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, by email at onlyabagpodcast@gmail.com, on Instagram, or Bluesky.
For more info, check out our articles on onlyabag.com and read our Substack Letters from the Balcony.
Thanks for listening!
xDarcy and Nathaniel
Still not sure what to do in Naples? No worries, we've got you covered!
As we mention in both episodes, Naples has tons to do, it also just suffers from the unfortunate aspect of being under—or simply not—advertised.
Below are some of our favorite hotels to stay in while we're in Naples. Each of the links are affiliate links, and if you book your stay through the link, we earn a small percentage of the booking platform's fees.
Train Station
Budget: Vergilius Bilia. Clean and modern. https://agoda.tpm.li/Gu6XirQM
Mid-Range: Starhotels Terminus. Old-school but nice, right next to the station. https://agoda.tpm.li/hCbKTXYR
Centro Storico
Budget: Hotel Caravaggio. Old-school but clean. Centrally located. https://agoda.tpm.li/NdMJaOfl
Mid-Range: UNA Hotels Napoli. Equidistant to the train station and centro storico. Nice views of the city. https://agoda.tpm.li/QcnssG4V
Upper Crust: Palazzo Caracciolo Naples. On the edge of centro storico, but with modern amenities. https://agoda.tpm.li/ulwHhc9i
Spanish Quarter/Toldeo
Budget: Hotel Il Convento. Small rooms, but in the action of the city. https://agoda.tpm.li/GLl8jEPN
Mid-Range: Art Resort Galleria Umberto. Stay in the Galleria Umberto. What more needs to be said? https://agoda.tpm.li/6EhwUpfW
Upper Crust: Hotel Romeo. Little slice of luxury near the port and centro storico. https://agoda.tpm.li/kQdItv3Y
Chiaia
Budget: Pinto-Storey Hotel. Like an old-school Bed and Breakfast. https://agoda.tpm.li/isL35cGe
Mid-Range: Hotel Majestic. Modern but like 2010 modern: https://agoda.tpm.li/mh6RUnZi
Upper Crust: Grand Hotel Parker’s. Swanky, near the water: https://agoda.tpm.li/KaH7yHzf
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, by email at onlyabagpodcast@gmail.com, on Instagram, or Bluesky.
For more info, check out our articles on onlyabag.com and read our Substack Letters from the Balcony.
Thanks for listening!
xDarcy and Nathaniel
Happy Halloween to those who celebrate! And to those who don't, happy random Friday in October!
In this episode, Darcy takes us into the history of the Napoli Catacombs, as well as a few other spooky and haunted places!
If you're curious about taking a walking tour, you can check out the links below! They are affiliate links, so we do make a small commission, which helps us keep the show going!
Walking Tour: Naples Mysteries and Myths
Walking Tour: Folklore and Superstitions
Walking Tour: Murals, Catacombs, and the Sanita District
Official Links for things mentioned in the episode:
Below are some of our favorite hotels to stay in while we're in Naples. Each of the links are affiliate links, and if you book your stay through the link, we earn a small percentage of the booking platform's fees.
Train Station
Budget: Vergilius Bilia. Clean and modern. https://agoda.tpm.li/Gu6XirQM
Mid-Range: Starhotels Terminus. Old-school but nice, right next to the station. https://agoda.tpm.li/hCbKTXYR
Centro Storico
Budget: Hotel Caravaggio. Old-school but clean. Centrally located. https://agoda.tpm.li/NdMJaOfl
Mid-Range: UNA Hotels Napoli. Equidistant to the train station and centro storico. Nice views of the city. https://agoda.tpm.li/QcnssG4V
Upper Crust: Palazzo Caracciolo Naples. On the edge of centro storico, but with modern amenities. https://agoda.tpm.li/ulwHhc9i
Spanish Quarter/Toldeo
Budget: Hotel Il Convento. Small rooms, but in the action of the city. https://agoda.tpm.li/GLl8jEPN
Mid-Range: Art Resort Galleria Umberto. Stay in the Galleria Umberto. What more needs to be said? https://agoda.tpm.li/6EhwUpfW
Upper Crust: Hotel Romeo. Little slice of luxury near the port and centro storico. https://agoda.tpm.li/kQdItv3Y
Chiaia
Budget: Pinto-Storey Hotel. Like an old-school Bed and Breakfast. https://agoda.tpm.li/isL35cGe
Mid-Range: Hotel Majestic. Modern but like 2010 modern: https://agoda.tpm.li/mh6RUnZi
Upper Crust: Grand Hotel Parker’s. Swanky, near the water: https://agoda.tpm.li/KaH7yHzf
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, by email at onlyabagpodcast@gmail.com, on Instagram, or Bluesky.
For more info, check out our articles on onlyabag.com and read our Substack Letters from the Balcony.
Thanks for listening!
xDarcy and Nathaniel
This might be the biggest question for any tourist to Naples: what can I do there? Well, tons! Unfortunately for Naples, it doesn't quite have anything that draw the imagination quite like Rome's Colosseum, or Florence's Duomo, but it still packed with history, artifacts, Egg Castles, weird automatons, and so much more!
Below are some of our favorite hotels to stay in while we're in Naples. Each of the links are affiliate links, and if you book your stay through the link, we earn a small percentage of the booking platform's fees.
Train Station
Budget: Vergilius Bilia. Clean and modern. https://agoda.tpm.li/Gu6XirQM
Mid-Range: Starhotels Terminus. Old-school but nice, right next to the station. https://agoda.tpm.li/hCbKTXYR
Centro Storico
Budget: Hotel Caravaggio. Old-school but clean. Centrally located. https://agoda.tpm.li/NdMJaOfl
Mid-Range: UNA Hotels Napoli. Equidistant to the train station and centro storico. Nice views of the city. https://agoda.tpm.li/QcnssG4V
Upper Crust: Palazzo Caracciolo Naples. On the edge of centro storico, but with modern amenities. https://agoda.tpm.li/ulwHhc9i
Spanish Quarter/Toldeo
Budget: Hotel Il Convento. Small rooms, but in the action of the city. https://agoda.tpm.li/GLl8jEPN
Mid-Range: Art Resort Galleria Umberto. Stay in the Galleria Umberto. What more needs to be said? https://agoda.tpm.li/6EhwUpfW
Upper Crust: Hotel Romeo. Little slice of luxury near the port and centro storico. https://agoda.tpm.li/kQdItv3Y
Chiaia
Budget: Pinto-Storey Hotel. Like an old-school Bed and Breakfast. https://agoda.tpm.li/isL35cGe
Mid-Range: Hotel Majestic. Modern but like 2010 modern: https://agoda.tpm.li/mh6RUnZi
Upper Crust: Grand Hotel Parker’s. Swanky, near the water: https://agoda.tpm.li/KaH7yHzf
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, by email at onlyabagpodcast@gmail.com, on Instagram, or Bluesky.
For more info, check out our articles on onlyabag.com and read our Substack Letters from the Balcony.
Thanks for listening!
xDarcy and Nathaniel
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!
If you're planning your trip to Naples and would like to help out Only A Bag, you can do so by booking through one of the links below! Each of the links are affiliate links, and if you book your stay through the link, we earn a small percentage of the booking platform's fees.
Train Station
Budget: Vergilius Bilia. Clean and modern. https://agoda.tpm.li/Gu6XirQM
Mid-Range: Starhotels Terminus. Old-school but nice, right next to the station. https://agoda.tpm.li/hCbKTXYR
Centro Storico
Budget: Hotel Caravaggio. Old-school but clean. Centrally located. https://agoda.tpm.li/NdMJaOfl
Mid-Range: UNA Hotels Napoli. Equidistant to the train station and centro storico. Nice views of the city. https://agoda.tpm.li/QcnssG4V
Upper Crust: Palazzo Caracciolo Naples. On the edge of centro storico, but with modern amenities. https://agoda.tpm.li/ulwHhc9i
Spanish Quarter/Toldeo
Budget: Hotel Il Convento. Small rooms, but in the action of the city. https://agoda.tpm.li/GLl8jEPN
Mid-Range: Art Resort Galleria Umberto. Stay in the Galleria Umberto. What more needs to be said? https://agoda.tpm.li/6EhwUpfW
Upper Crust: Hotel Romeo. Little slice of luxury near the port and centro storico. https://agoda.tpm.li/kQdItv3Y
Chiaia
Budget: Pinto-Storey Hotel. Like an old-school Bed and Breakfast. https://agoda.tpm.li/isL35cGe
Mid-Range: Hotel Majestic. Modern but like 2010 modern: https://agoda.tpm.li/mh6RUnZi
Upper Crust: Grand Hotel Parker’s. Swanky, near the water: https://agoda.tpm.li/KaH7yHzf
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, by email at onlyabagpodcast@gmail.com, on Instagram, or Bluesky.
For more info, check out our articles on onlyabag.com and read our Substack Letters from the Balcony.
Thanks for listening!
xDarcy and Nathaniel
(I apologize for the late upload! I (Nathaniel) got back into town late and got my days mixed up!)
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/
If you're looking to plan your stay in Naples, consider some of the hotels below! They're either ones we've stayed in and enjoyed, or ones we've heard/read great things about. Each of the links are affiliate links, and if you book your stay through the link, we earn a small percentage of the booking platform's fees.
Train Station
Centro Storico
Spanish Quarter/Toldeo
Chiaia
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, by email at onlyabagpodcast@gmail.com, on Instagram, or Bluesky.
For more info, check out our articles on onlyabag.com and read our Substack Letters from the Balcony.
Thanks for listening!
xDarcy and Nathaniel
Welcome back to Staying in Naples as we delve into each of the neighborhoods, weighing pros and cons, and offering our insight into which part of the city might be best for you! We do want to mention that this is solely our opinion, of course. There's no "one best location for everyone" just as there's not hotel like that. However, we do try to give you as much actionable information as possible, whether you're a solo traveler, traveling with kids, or traveling with a partner.
In this episode, we mention that we'll provide links to some hotels that we like, or hotels we've heard good things about but haven't gotten around to staying at yet. Each of the links are affiliate links, and if you book your stay through the link, we earn a small percentage of the booking platform's fees.
Train Station
Centro Storico
Spanish Quarter/Toldeo
Chiaia
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, by email at onlyabagpodcast@gmail.com, on Instagram, or Bluesky.
For more info, check out our articles on onlyabag.com and read our Substack Letters from the Balcony.
Thanks for listening!
xDarcy and Nathaniel