Common Scams and Things That Are Not Scams in Italy: Part 2
Fri Feb 06 2026
We're continuing our discussion about common scams you may encounter on your trip to Italy. In this episode we're talking about scams you may encounter on transportation, on buses and in taxis as well as when purchasing tickets.
We're also talking about things that may seem likes scams but actually are not. We'll answer questions like "All of the Italians are staring at me. Is that normal?" and "The hotel asked me to pay the city tax in cash, was that a scam?"
As with our previous episode, we'll tell you how to spot and avoid these common scams and warn you about things that may feel weird, but are totally normal.
To see our episodes on scams in article form, check out Darcy's article "15 Common Scams (and not Scams) in Italy and How to Avoid Them" on onlyabag.com.
For clarity and transparency, we recommend booking train tickets directly through the train provider like TrenItalia and Italo. However, there are sometimes good deals on Omio*, a third-party site we use. It's best to compare prices by looking at TrenItalia's Italian language site (we recommend TrenItalia over Italo) and Omio in your native language.
We recommend looking into travel insurance for your trip. This can cover things like lost or stolen credit cards, missed connections, rental car damage and more. World Nomads* is a great place to start when looking for travel insurance.
*Links with an asterisk are affiliate links. We do not work for or represent these companies. If you purchase services through these links we receive a small commission.
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 or on Instagram.
Likewise, if you'd like to read our "Retrospective" of the year, you can check it out on Substack: "A Year in Retrospect: Ai Tempi Belli".
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
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We're continuing our discussion about common scams you may encounter on your trip to Italy. In this episode we're talking about scams you may encounter on transportation, on buses and in taxis as well as when purchasing tickets. We're also talking about things that may seem likes scams but actually are not. We'll answer questions like "All of the Italians are staring at me. Is that normal?" and "The hotel asked me to pay the city tax in cash, was that a scam?" As with our previous episode, we'll tell you how to spot and avoid these common scams and warn you about things that may feel weird, but are totally normal. To see our episodes on scams in article form, check out Darcy's article "15 Common Scams (and not Scams) in Italy and How to Avoid Them" on onlyabag.com. For clarity and transparency, we recommend booking train tickets directly through the train provider like TrenItalia and Italo. However, there are sometimes good deals on Omio*, a third-party site we use. It's best to compare prices by looking at TrenItalia's Italian language site (we recommend TrenItalia over Italo) and Omio in your native language. We recommend looking into travel insurance for your trip. This can cover things like lost or stolen credit cards, missed connections, rental car damage and more. World Nomads* is a great place to start when looking for travel insurance. *Links with an asterisk are affiliate links. We do not work for or represent these companies. If you purchase services through these links we receive a small commission. 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 or on Instagram. Likewise, if you'd like to read our "Retrospective" of the year, you can check it out on Substack: "A Year in Retrospect: Ai Tempi Belli". 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