HOW TO TRAVEL in the 21ST CENTURY (Tips & Tricks)

[@GabrielTravelerVideos]

One thing I should have mentioned is how I'm able to use my cell phone in foreign countries. The simple answer is I have T-Mobile which has the best international coverage of any US cell phone company, so my phone and data works almost everywhere I go. It also includes free text messages and affordable calling (25 cents a minute in most countries). The exceptions so far were Morocco, UAE, Oman and Jordan. But for most countries that I visit, I simply show up and my phone works right away, the same as being in the US (except the internet access tends to be slower). So if you plan to travel internationally a lot you might want to get T-Mobile.

[@Nitrogen24]

Man u r awesome!

[@mr90s48]

My travel tip is use booking.com for its pictures but book through hotels.com I find if always cheaper u might b getting discount but 4 me hotels.com is always cheaper plus u get a reward night

[@GabrielTravelerVideos]

That's right, no extra charges unless I make phone calls. Data for internet access, google maps, instagram, etc. is unlimited and doesn't cost anything extra when I'm outside the US.

[@leafamania1]

T-Mobile is only for U.S residence and it seems you have a very good plan with your free data roaming ... as a Canadian my cell provider charges $12 a day for international roaming ... we need to explore other options such as 3rd party SIM cards when travelling to make it more affordable ... love your vlogs cheers!

[@hitherehi135]

I've used Google Fi which also has international coverage. My US phone number and data plan works in many countries.

[@wernerxytra6151]

Nothing beats Italy/Spain food, weather, culture, vibe, price, value -- they are the best

[@udishomer5852]

Italy > Spain. But they are both great.

[@erturtemirbaev5207]

Really? Are you sure? How about Kyrgyzstan? You have been to Kyrgyzstan 🇰🇬🇰🇬🇰🇬?

[@Shahid-oz2vc]

@werner don't be moms boy up to the late of century. 😒

[@egilolavanseth1252]

Portugal.

[@edwardsbarbara25]

You seem like such an honest, authentic person

[@carlmark4658]

Amazing, Gabriel, i stayed at that very same hotel in Umbria in 2012 for one night and then with my Italian cousins for 2 nights. I was born in Calabria, Italy and now live in Canada. I went to 17 cities and 7 regions in Italy for one month in that year. I am very moved by your videos, they bring back lots of memories. God bless you on your travels!

[@TheAdventurousVlogger]

I’ve been rewatching your India and Nepal videos again recently mate. I’m off in 5 weeks for a month. Your videos are so helpful. The best travel vlogger on KZbin 🙌

[@GabrielTravelerVideos]

Right on, that's great you're going to that part of the world. It will be an adventure for sure.

[@TheAdventurousVlogger]

@@GabrielTravelerVideos Thanks for all the help, Need to keep on my A game all trip lol

[@GabrielTravelerVideos]

Yeah no doubt, it's intense around there but a blast.

[@100Livello]

He is!

[@AlexWong]

Your travel videos are so personal and raw. It captures everything about traveling in real life. Let’s travel the world together!

[@01cthompson]

Great video. My only phobia of digital based travel is from watching the experience of a fellow traveler. A man, his wife, and their three kids arrived at a resort my family was staying at. I watched as the desk clerk advised him tha the hotel was full and that there was no record of his pre-paid reservation. Despite tryiong to shove his smartphone in the clerks face he didn't get very far. As a result I always print out my itinerary and copies of my reservation confirmation from the hotel website.

[@dee74raz]

Yes I do that as well. Its an extra precaution

[@TheNinjaMarmot]

My smart phone has changed the way I travel as well. I can now rely on good gps and uptodate maps to find where I am. I use offline maps from mapsme, google. I can now dl apps for translation software. Surf the internet for places to visit. But tickets and have them electronically downloaded show I can show them on trains for example. Another great thing is you can find a lot more places have free wifi. So you can catch up on research. A pocket pc I could only wish for when watching star trek next gen. The camera and video quality has improved a lot too. So much so, I only use my trusty camera only when I really need to.

[@onedirection3510]

Excellent! Florence looks beautiful! Have you ever thought of picking two or three places that you love and spending let’s say one month in each place? The idea would be that you could totally relax and slow down your pace as well as give us a very in-depth rundown of each place. Sometimes as much fun as you are apparently having I almost feel bad for you because you are moving so fast! Lol

[@sandyfacunparas3692]

God bless you Gabriel.. May God guide and bless you as you travel from the different countries of the world... 🇵🇭🇵🇭🇵🇭🇵🇭🇵🇭

[@Nickyboy73]

Gabriel you are a true inspiration, I have booked to visit Chania based on your recommendation thank you and keep doing what you're doing bro👍

[@krzysztofnowak5501]

YOU are Amazing--Thank you for Yours advice--Fantastic Canal --ALL THE BEST FOR YOU --Kris --Poland

[@ritaelinfjeldbo2999]

"I heard something about a tower" (19.58). You are just hilarious, sometimes!

[@sKaraptor2]

Just found your channel on my recommended lists & I'm so glad I did. I've always wanted to travel to Europe but was always under the impression that things like finding a place to stay & transportation would be crazy expensive so these vids are definitely an eye-opener for me. May finally book flights to the Netherlands & to Italy now :) Love all the content btw

[@MikeSlabaugh]

Gabriel, Could you please create a video about using your smartphone when traveling. I think most people would like to know these things about using a phone when traveling: 1) what service do you use, why and when? 2) Do you use more than one sim, why and when 3) How much do these services/items cost?, 4) Are there times when you cannot use your phone, i.e. lack of service, etc. and what do you do then? 5) What cell phone do you use and why? Thanks for all the good work and information you provide on your channel.

[@GabrielTravelerVideos]

Good topic, I'll keep it in mind for a future video.

[@ChubbyChecker182]

I think the mobile phone is great for other reasons too.whilst traveling.... (So long as your mobile package allows it,.in the UK I think most of the providers do now, I am.with 3 mobile and it's been good in most countries) 1)- Can listen to home radio stations (for news and music, etc) using apps such as Radio Player. Used to be able to.do the same with TV, but alot of those apps have gone down, and the official.ones do not allow it. However, worth trying. 2)- Google.Maps is fantastic, as well.as using to get to.a place it is also.useful when in a place. If you just focus on where you are and type in supermarket, for example, you will get the nearest supermarkets showing, and their opening times etc. This has been invaluable for me, rather then spend ages looking for a place. Also great for seeing local.points of interest you might otherwise miss. 3)- in the UK we have an app called TrainPal which can give cheaper journeys for train fares than the official apps as the rail.services and prices in the UK are a bit odd really. 4)- Many travel sites, such as Booking.com and Expedia, etc, can be found on CashBack sites such as Quidco or TopCashBack, which often offer between 4-12% on hotels or holidays booked. Smartphones really have made travel.so easy

[@ropersix]

That Rome2Rio is really good. I just used it to plan part of a trip, which I figured would be easier than it actually was to find info. on. Thanks for the tip!

[@jillyarley2022]

You can also use tech to book tickets to jump queues... also best time of year to travel (we did Florence & Venice in february) no crowds/queues, cheaper hotels and car hire...

[@aimeeburch8329]

I am always amazed by the beauty that you get to see every day. So glad that you share these videos with us

[@MultiAnne36]

Gabe, we are the same age, I can relate to you. I am still living with a flip phone. On my trips to Europe I was doing the same thi ng. Use free WiFi , research with a laptop and write it all down on paper. It has worked out fine for the most part but I may follow you down the high tech path next time. Cheers!

[@chaisepomme4070]

Very informative and helpful travel tips and also a fantastic travel video as well. It was a long time ago when I visited Pisa --- the tower was undergoing renovations as I think it was leaning over too much. I was with another friend who was a much better driver than me so we drove by Pisa just to visit the tower and take pictures and then went on our way to visit Cingues Terra. Since we didn't stay in Pisa I'm curious to see more of Pisa. Cinques Terra was a bit of a disappointment because it was so crowded and much smaller than we expected. But Sienna, Florence and Rome were amazing. We stayed at a charming farmhouse a few miles from Sienna. Italy was beautiful, historical and had the most amazing food.

[@TravelClast]

You are totally right! I love how technology has allowed adventurous travelers to improvise in a way we have never been able to before. This is very informative video that should help some scared travelers feel better about getting out there!

[@nyonyopraia]

Umbria Jazz Festival, one of my got to. Thank you for showing the view of the city.

[@kabardinka1]

I was just in Italy for a month and got Vodafone's Dolce Vita Sim Card (it was around $30/for 30 days). In Italy (it also works in other European Countries, just with not as high a data limit) it worked flawlessly and the coverage was better than I have in the US. Just make certain you go to an actual Vodafone store (not a generic phone store which just sells Vodafone products) because it will get activated quicker (mine took about 70 mins). It also includes unlimited WhatsApp, Google Maps and Skype along with a generous allotment for international calls. It does NOT include SMS messaging but you can do that through WhatsApp.

[@mwarner6828]

wow,Florence is so beautiful

[@carbootseller]

Hi Gabriel, I really liked that video with lots of useful information, the place looks beautiful thanks.

[@ToastedCigar]

Even though I'm not the biggest fan of mobile technology and social media, I do think that smartphones have made travelling so much easier compared to the past! Especially nowadays, when we have these international phone plans. It's great that you can check anything at any time without worrying about roaming costs, or call home with a reasonable price, whereas 10 years ago it would had been crazy expensive to use the phone at all.

[@francischin1332]

When in southern france check out aix en provence and the towns nearby.

[@travelpixels2415]

I love your authenticity, keep it up! Just starting making videos too 😃

[@paultakeotravels6325]

Rome2rio is a great site but you still need to check if the schedule is correct. I found out there's a bus linking Minot, ND to Bismarck via Jefferson Lines but when I clicked the link and checked, Jefferson Lines does not have a bus going between the cities so it pays to double check. Great info video.

[@rocsurgeon752]

I've wanted to ask for so long if you ever use Airbnb? I just did a Colorado trip and had great stays for cheap. Just wondering. Have fun and be safe on your many travels. Always fun to watch.

[@bootdriven]

You are excellent navigater.

[@kathmandoo]

I am very surprised that you haven't been to Florence before. Wonderful city.

[@chrisbrown8748]

I wish that I had a smartphone or even internet access back in 1999-2000 while traveling all over Europe on deployment in the Marine Corps. I never knew exactly where I was going until we arrived so any sort of research was next to impossible since Google wasn’t yet a option but in some ways that added to the adventure. Now days I feel like a expert on every country I visit.

[@dee74raz]

I agree it’s too easy now. Back in the 20th century it was the maps and guide books, as well as asking a lot of people for directions. There was more interaction in those days

[@Mikes_Travels]

An older video but still very useful Gabe, thanks

[@johnaguirre9079]

I really liked this sort of behind the scenes episode, very useful. thanks Gabe!

[@stevecook706]

I used Ryan Air a few years ago to travel from Birmingham, UK to Arrecife, Lanzarote in the Canary Islands and it cost me £8.99 each for me and my wife!!

[@NaturalBeautyGlow]

Cool video! Lots of tips to travel

[@user-kq5qp6dh8l]

Freeze a small bottle of water in your hotel fridge , carry a small cooler bag with other bottle in it. Hydration is everything.

[@sylviasoesan5247]

Hi, you might find the app called maps.me better for sat navigating your way around as once you have downloaded the maps for the area you require you can sat,nav off line and not have to pay for using the local Wi FI. Take care

[@jumanjiwarlord]

I’m a big fan of maps.me for offline use. 🌍📍

[@searam1]

Very helpful! I can tell you I will use it in London! Oh, I purchased one of your books on Amazon and I am really enjoying it! Sean

[@kabardinka1]

One city where Google Maps has problems is Venice... perhaps it's just the complexity of the streets and density of users? Especially in the Southern part of the islands it gets confused and often lists restaurants, etc. on the wrong streets. I found I often had to search for some places three or four times before I got the little compass cursor.

[@rejualumgal4744]

Hi Gabriel, Thanks.I like your genuineness,keep it up. Im planning Europe tour next May or June and looking forward for your advise.

[@elisha770]

Food is amazing in Italy. No kidding they open in Vegas the 'Eataly' place. Just a technical question. Any practical reason you don't use a type of handle to carry your gopro?

[@JeSuisHulk]

Travelling now is so easy and cheap compared to 15-20 years ago. I never travelled before the internet and smart phone era but i remember my sister did and my parents were so worried lol.. she would walk to hostels ask if they had room if they didn't she moved on to an other.

[@JeSuisHulk]

She also told me hostels used to hand out maps of the area with pinpoints of places to visit. now we got google maps making every thing so much simpler

[@GabrielTravelerVideos]

Yeah that was exactly how I did it on my first trip to Europe. You could do a lot of walking around to find a place to stay.

[@roygoad2870]

Compare prices Italy to Thailand in Udon Thani it’s 60 baht $1.95 for a beer in a bar and 500 baht $16 a night for a room in a 2/3 star hotel and in food markets you easily find a meal for $1 or $2

[@GabrielTravelerVideos]

Yep, Thailand is nice and cheap.

[@BrusselsDude]

I would have stayed in Florence for the night instead of Pisa. It’s completely different at night when all the tourists leave and has an amazing atmosphere. I didn’t think Pisa was very interesting.

[@vincents5869]

Florence is gorgeous and fun, very busy with the tourists though.

[@Andrij_Kozak]

Almost each Italian region is very busy with the tourists.

[@hubertvancalenbergh9022]

Very short shorts are evidently de rigueur this summer . . . 12:44.

[@rebeccar4312]

I love watching your videos and how you hop from here to there. Got to say that this one made me laugh, as I am a long time traveller in the 21st Century and I don't have or do any of those things. I both not don't have a smart phone, but no phone at all and have never used any on-line booking agencies to book places to stay...so, just want to say there are many ways to travel. Have been to Perugia...if you can, stop in Cinque Terre-the five villages. It is probably highly tourists these days. I was there before Rick Steve's broadcast the place to the world! Happy travels...though surprised you chose to be in hot, crowded Europe in the summer.

[@GabrielTravelerVideos]

Lots of different ways to travel, you're right about that. Good on ya for going the old fashioned route.

[@kloatlanta]

I admire your wanderlust!

[@hoz49]

I bought a smartphone (Azus Zenfone) with dual sim card slots. If I'm in a country for a week or more I just buy a cheap local sim card and minutes.

[@avamaria8447]

I was thinking he's still behind if he's using t-mobile while travelling

[@TheWeardale1]

booking.com is decent, however, if I'm looking at a small independent place and find it via booking.com (as it's a good place to search), i'll often see if they have their own website and see if it's cheaper there, or sometimes contact them directly, as they have to pay booking.com commission on bookings..

[@jaymeez]

Beautiful Italy Tasty Looking Lunch but a bit expensive for my budget & I agree a smart phone is essential! 👍

[@davidr5366]

I stayed in that exact same hotel when I went there, in fact, I stayed in that exact same room 😂 I recognize the bed with wood panelling and the view!

[@GabrielTravelerVideos]

No way, that's awesome.

[@yazanmimi1362]

Great Gabriel looking forward to your next journey

[@Nasenmann80]

I'm doing it the exaxt same way with mobile phone and booking.com/skyscanner combi for a few years now....it made travelling way easier and a lot more spontaneous. Thanks Gabe for your videos.

[@marafarnham595]

Phenomenal Italy! Love love the beautiful architecture! Thank you Gabriel! ❤😊 stay safe 🙏❤

[@avrilyaxley2084]

Hi Gabe.can I suggest that one day you visit lake Como.also Reims where the wonderful Pont du Gard also a Roman Arena xx enjoy la belle Italia. 👍

[@wilfredotorres6628]

Hi Gabriel, Beautiful Florence Italy the birthplace of the Renaissance. How can you not stop for that amazing cuisine desserts pastries.

[@redhorse554det1]

nice camera pan. thanks for all the travel info. malta , a must return visit, hopefully. hope you got her phone number, you had one waitress that is a 10. dark hair'd girl at that one restrant that had a fantastic view and vibe. safe travels gabriel.

[@Kaisersozze]

Good topic, things have changed even since I travelled 5 years ago. What sort of data plan do yo have? Or do you buy sim cards in each country? Typically its super expensive to use internet data abroad on a Canadian phone plan. Cheapest is $12 a day using my phone company.

[@dee74raz]

He has T Mobile international coverage

[@Cryyysha1]

Love theese videos. Passing knowledge to others.

[@isamaaltaein8672]

Hi Gabriel ,thank you for shearing this great video We waiting for next one .chaos

[@ArcAudios77]

Was good to hear of the Sites you use regularly for Flights & Hotels. Thanks & best wishes sent.

[@darunner4701]

Also you like hiking, go visit Tre Cime Di Lavaredo, google it.

[@claudiaberger9639]

13:41 = Ponte Vecchio. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ponte_Vecchio

[@beebeer]

It's always a good idea to have a back up incase your phone brakes down or is lost.

[@wendylim1936]

Thank you for another one of your very informative vlog.

[@ahmetalgn7511]

Great video , thanks. I was curious about the roaming charges one would had to pay buy using mobile and internet so freely but you explained about t mobile. No use for us. I also wonder , despite I am sure you have visited florence many times , don't you feel like spending more than one day in such a city. And How can I see the dates that videos are recorded. Do you always travel alone. And lastly despite all the weight you carry and the heat you don't seem to sweat at all.

[@ptjones57]

A very good and informative video. You could also do a video on wifi only travelling. I did an around the world using wifi only and it is quite doable, you just have to know how to do it and what apps work without internet.

[@SisterSherryDoingStuff]

I have a hard time with Google Maps, when walking. Challenging to navigate. You seem to have it down. Look forward to seeing your other videos in Italy!!

[@wowamy4196]

Sister Sherry Travels I do too. I always want to walk the opposite way. I have learned to turn my phone around.

[@SisterSherryDoingStuff]

@@wowamy4196 ...but when I turn my phone around, THE MAP TURNS!! 😫😫😫😫

[@mumblic]

@@SisterSherryDoingStuff I think that's the point and normally it should make navigation easier , but you can temporary switch this off! Also google has released an AR version, maybe that will help (at the moment only on Pixel Phones)

[@specialingu]

try "here we go" app, formerly here maps, i found google maps (webpage one) lags and is inacutate with which way you are pointing and positioning, while here is much better and has realtime compass feedback, which is really very nice. and u can use it offline too :)

[@Worldofourown2024]

@@SisterSherryDoingStuff The Android device turns out to be tricky one to use while walking. To get full wide screen view, one has to have auto rotate screen on so the screen always flips while walking. This keeps many annoyingly engrossed in their screens waiting to experience life when it simply needs a setting to keep the widescreen position locked.

[@gauravuniyal4948]

When south Africa, new Zealand or Australia..?????

[@GabrielaMudras]

EasyJet, Ryanair, Jetcost and FlyBe are usually the cheapest fly companies in Europe depends on the destination, season and also day but if you can choose/wait then you can fly VERY cheap in the Europe. There are also some other cheap companies. :-)

[@Nomad_34]

Gabe,. How are you able to check Google Maps at 4:00 on this video) when you are walking? Do you have roaming on a cell phone and if yes, how much does that cost and who is the wireless carrier?

[@GabrielTravelerVideos]

I have T-Mobile, it works internationally, around $100 a month.

[@pasqualeabarno]

❤️❤️❤️Bravissimo... Gabriel... Bella Italia... Compliment... Super Video... You are amazing man... In deed a very good job of you... Magnific... 👍👍👍👍♥️♥️♥️♥️

[@neilymanadventures6577]

Great video, I was in Tuscany last year and loved it so this is bringing back happy memories, hope you managed to check out Lucca and Viareggio as well, looking forward to seeing your other videos of the area.

[@AlbertTV13]

enjoy Italy, happy travels

[@JohnF677]

I use hotels.com these days. After 10 nights you get a free night. Value of the free night is worked out from your other nights. Great for longer term travel.

[@Grovel007]

Looking forward to the next video.

[@libbyjones552]

Hi Gabriel..Very nice video..This city is beautiful. Your cell looks like a Samsung Galaxy 8S+. I had one for 2 years, but I just updated to a 10s + .. I've used Samsung Galaxy for about 8 years. I love them.. Looking foward to your next video. Take care and God Bless you!💮😉💮

[@chriso.9227]

Travelling* De nada! Greetings from a German in Mexico

[@annethenomad]

Stunning buildings.

[@sandvenexplorer]

In a few years EVERYBODY will have their own KZbin travel channel, walking around with GoPro and a selfie stick....trying to be like Gabriel Traveler, LOL. Awesome country Italy by the way.

[@dee74raz]

It seems on KZbin nearly everyone does

[@mathieutallard6328]

Not really. You tube is too censored for me to go throw the trouble of posting and just doing what everybody does is a waste of effort. I post my stuff on facebook messenger and only people i know will see..

[@sandvenexplorer]

@@mathieutallard6328 U are so right about the censorship problems going on..

[@mathieutallard6328]

@@sandvenexplorer Yahp. Since im against all sort of censorship, the hell with me posting on KZbin. Doesn't need it to make a living.

[@dee74raz]

I wonder do you buy new SIM cards every time you go to a new country or do you have some contract with a supplier that allows you to use the internet and calls without paying huge bills?

[@GabrielTravelerVideos]

I have T-Mobile which has international coverage and it works almost everywhere I go. Probably should have mentioned that in the video.

[@dee74raz]

Gabriel Traveler thanks, do you know which countries the T Mobile international coverage doesn’t cover?

[@funnybones6131]

Wowww I’m going to Florence Pisa and Rome in October so nice to see a demo here. One question on data usage, do you roam all the time (except where WiFi) which is usually very expensive or do you buy local data SIM soon you land? Thanks and happy travels 😁

[@funnybones6131]

Sorry, and going to Pisa as well

[@GabrielTravelerVideos]

I have T-Mobile which has international coverage, so I don't have to do anything. I just arrive and it works in almost every country I visit, no extra charges.

[@Howard0Beale]

beautiful thanks for posting

[@Sonny0276]

Great Video. Thank you for posting.

[@hlb979]

for what concerns MOBILES: and, specifically for Italy (I think the same is true for other countries around Europe at least), some mobile providers (most notably, TIM, but also Kena, I think Wind, etc) offer a "one month only SIM option" for a reasonable price for having voice/sms and quite a bit of data otherwise, for longer trips in the Old Continent, if you can manage to get a fully fledged european SIM, you'll end up under the *Regulation (EU) 2017/920* (see wikipedia) that is if you "roam temporarily" you can use part of the *same SIM (data) all over the EU*. The exact amount varies, but I think that if the SIM is purchased in italy, one of the best options at the moment of writing this should be CoopVoce; it's a virtual operator of one of the largest supermarket/mall chains in the country, and uses one of the two largest mobile provider networks (again, TIM); I'm saying this because at the moment afaik they'll allow for you to use ALL the data included in your option. Having e.g. 30GB/mo in your pocket is quite reassuring. as usual, everyone please read and understand the contracts.

[@paul0gb]

15:25 I was in Florence earlier this year....how did i miss out on that pizza...damn!

[@sunny_dhende6289]

I simply love all your videos, you are so informative and a lovely voice at that! Enjoy your travels, stay safe until the next video. You RoCk GaBe! ✌👍👊

[@angelagina3194]

Very enjoyable video

[@CushdelaCush]

Pisa Centralaaaaayyy ahh the memories I stayed at a Hostel just 5 mins straight down from station guy who runs it does free Ghost tours cant remember name of it

[@johnhallam7352]

Hi gabriel, my wife and I are from northern California just like you. We live 15 minutes from San fransisco. We've traveled to lots of the European locations that are in your videos. We wanted to know which phone carrier you use? Love your videos, keep them coming.

[@GabrielTravelerVideos]

T-Mobile.

[@johnhallam7352]

@@GabrielTravelerVideos thank you!

[@mathieutallard6328]

Under Toscane sun......Very good movie......

[@murdomacinnes6176]

Another cool vid man - been using Booking .com and Skyscanner ( Scottish outfit based in Edinburgh ) for years - great apps that do what they say on the tin

[@walkeattravel3732]

Agoda is almost always a couple dollars cheaper for the same room than booking.com but they are owned by the same mother company

[@Coffee240]

Thanks Gabriel 😊

[@darunner4701]

While your're in Italy, why not visit Matera....you gonna love it.

[@zorin40]

Is this due to global warming or Europe always had hot summers? 32 degrees - man even in Australia unless there is a heat wave normally coastal towns are under 30 - but imagine Australia's harsh dry weather to Europe's!

[@hlb979]

about italy, summer has always been over 30 at its peak (the period nicknamed "solleone", that is "lion-like sun"), but rather dry, with a bit of ventilation therefore bearable, especially along the coastline, better over the hills or the mountains (if you check a geographical map, you'll see it's the most of the territory). It is worse in larger towns (that fortunately are the minority), in a plain, away from the coastline. Milan, Florence, Rome (yeah, I know, technically it's hills) all sort of match the description. BUT. over the recent years the situation became harsher quickly; everyone thinks it's definitely the Warming; main technical mechanism is that, instead of summer being under the influence of the Azores Anticyclone (the "usual" one), it's under the influence of the African one, that of course is quite hotter. This year we had two rather long heatwave peaks, each one with several towns reaching or exceeding 40 degrees as max temp.