Italy Essential TRAVEL TIPS 🇮🇹 - Watch BEFORE You Visit! The Pros, Cons, and Cost to Travel

Planning a trip to Italy? You've come to the right place! In this complete travel guide for Italy, we're diving deep into the essential tips you need to know before you embark on your Italian adventure.
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[@johnkeith1964]

Love the outtakes and the banter when Carrie contradicts Brian. We have long done slow travel, but we did a two week of fast travel with a couple who didn’t have much time. Not doing that again. Fast travel got us out of our routine of catching up and reading first thing, hitting the gym mid morning, lunch, then touring/volunteering/pickleball in the afternoon. Like you, we usually eat in with an occasional evening meal out. All mirroring our routine back home. Not an Instagram user but will be curious where you head next now that you are close to your 90 days in Europe.

[@BrianandCarrie]

So happy you enjoy the videos ☺. We totally agree fast travel isn't for us. The lack of routine really gets to us - we look forward to our quiet mornings working on KZbin or catching up on whatever else and you just don't get that when you have to sightsee every day. We are actually now in Turkey, and have been for the past 1 1/2 months - loving it!! That video series starts next week. Thanks so much for watching - Cheers 🍻

[@k.k.9897]

​@BrianandCarrie ooooh, looking forward to Turkey

[@OhShunz]

Wow fantastic video! So great to hear that you guys did a few off camera vacay days just for yourselves!❤ The cost breakdowns were really fascinating and although you mention that roughly $3000 a month was high for you I couldn’t help think that $3000 (or more) is what some of us pay just for monthly rent/mortgage! Hearing that this amount might be considered expensive was actually pretty encouraging especially with as much as you both did in those two months! Thanks a ton for sharing!

[@roadtofreecollege6337]

I had the same thought. Would cost far less than staying home, plus airfare, of course.

[@BrianandCarrie]

Thank you so much, we are happy to hear you found it helpful 😊. It is interesting that $3000 is well below what we used to pay a month in the states and here we are traveling the world for that. Thanks for watching! Cheers 🍻

[@Jruss508]

Thanks so much for the information. I think it's so much better to get honest reviews and be prepared than to only hear glowing reviews. Thanks for the energy and time you put into this and other videos! Much appreciated

[@BrianandCarrie]

Thank you so much for your kind words, we are happy to hear you enjoyed it and found it helpful. We really do try hard to bring the honest side of what we experience, as that is what we look for as well. Thanks so much for watching! Cheers 🍻

[@ChristinaDeAngelis-b7g]

Wow! Such a comprehensive overview of Italy, and you are on point with both the pros and cons. It amazes me how little you spend and still have the best experiences as you navigate each country. I am learning so much from you both and appreciate your honest feedback. ❤

[@BrianandCarrie]

Thank you and we appreciate your support!! ❤

[@dianemao-wn2pw]

Thanks!

[@BrianandCarrie]

Thank you so much for this!!! We very much appreciate the support! ❤🙂🍻🙏

[@houseofroos]

I think you did very well at $100 per day. For shorter trips, not extravagant, I have $200 per day in mind for two people. Thanks for the breakdown !

[@lauranieves1446]

Thank you for your honesty about your experiences. This is good information to help me plan my next trip to Italy.

[@BrianandCarrie]

You are very welcome, we are happy to hear you found it helpful. Cheers 🍻

[@lf1666]

There’s nothing like Italy. Love it! Sophisticated beautuful and incredible food and wine. But it comes at a price. And too many people want to see it!

[@lf1666]

I wouldn’t go to Palermo !

[@lf1666]

Naples also can be dirty but it’s a fascinating fun city. Italy is my favorite!

[@glauciod2444]

I am happy you two had a break, you definitely deserve it! And I really appreciate you sharing all the costs associated with your travel lifestyle. As always, thanks for another fun and informative video. Safe travels!

[@BrianandCarrie]

Thank you so much 😊. We are happy you found it interesting/helpful. Cheers!!

[@chrisf1881]

Thanks for the info. I loved Bari (Bar e). I loved the woman out in the street making pasta. Just a wonderful place. Glad you got to relax. I know i could never do what you two do. Too much, but thanks for taking us along.

[@BrianandCarrie]

So happy you enjoy following us along on this journey ☺ Cheers!!

[@shannonchance9105]

I appreciate your honesty about your experience and explains why you didn’t feature Palermo on your vlog. Love your work!

[@BrianandCarrie]

We have had too many people tell us that they visited an area based on our recommendation. So, with that, we will never recommend a place that we don't like. We would prefer just not doing a video at all. 😀 Thank you for watching and commenting! ❤

[@shannonchance9105]

@@BrianandCarrieindeed,after your video last week I’d been asking myself why I haven’t made it to Palermo. Now I have a better travel plan, and will move Pulia up my list - thanks for your great videos!

[@michaelbiasini7215]

Hi B & C, Thanks for another great video. We just returned from Italy including 6 days in Rome. A con for me was the amount of other tourists! The major sites in Rome (and there are many) were swarmed. We learned how to avoid the masses but at times it was impossible. The smaller towns were a nice reprieve however. I think overtourism is common throughout Europe nowadays. I’m guessing Puglia and Tropea (thanks for introducing us to this lesser-known town) were more chill? Hope you enjoyed your transatlantic cruise (my fingers are crossed that you’ll do a video on that experience). Ciao!

[@BrianandCarrie]

We will be in Rome next month and are hoping for less crowds than there have been. Tropea and Puglia were very much a nice break from the typical heavy tourist congestion we'd experienced in the northern areas. We are so excited for our cruise and will absolutely be sharing the experience as we think this could be a great way to move area to area for those of us that have the time to spare. Cheers!!

[@suegriggs5384]

I am very glad you did this video because of your honesty. I want to visit Italy and originally look at it as a possible place to live. This has opened my eyes and I will visit to enjoy and not to look at Italy as a future “home”. Great video. Very informative. Thank you.❤❤❤❤

[@BrianandCarrie]

Thank you for watching and happy travels!! ❤❤

[@andreablack4573]

Thank you for your views on Palermo. I have just come off a 3-4 week trip to Italy including 10 days in Sicily. I was sad I didn’t make it to Palermo but thanks to you FOMO all gone!

[@BrianandCarrie]

We honestly don't believe that you missed anything. We want to explore more of Sicily someday, but we won't return to Palermo. Thank you for watching and commenting! Cheers!!🍻

[@andreablack4573]

@@BrianandCarrie Naples the highlight of my trip. Also very affordable. I’d recommend that for your future travels.

[@rubbertoad3681]

I also broke off the key in the lock of our Italy apartment. It was our 2nd day there. Glad to hear I am not the only one!!

[@TexasDoug393]

Dandy of a video. 😀 Getting one of those 1 Euro houses in Puglia is one of my fantasy retirement scenarios (maybe 4th or 5th). Great access to southern Italy and a fairly short hop over to Greece. Hopefully, there will be some carbs left. Great info.

[@BrianandCarrie]

Puglia was a highlight for sure, we will be going back to explore more of the area soon. I have heard that the carbs have been replenished since we left! 😂 As always, thank you for watching! Cheers!!🍻

[@amikailua9504]

You guys are AWESOME! I do the same kind of budget/expense tracking for all my travels, which allows me to estimate for the next visit.

[@BrianandCarrie]

Thank you 😊. It's a nice way to travel as it keeps us on track and we know when we need to reign things in a bit. Thanks so much for watching - Cheers!!

[@HH-fo9sg]

Five pm is time for aperitivo! In the best case, you might get olives, peanuts, and even a tray of sandwiches with your cocktail or beer. Dinner generally after 9 pm, so an afternoon rest is a good idea! 😄

[@minnesotamiki]

Nice job on this video! Especially appreciate your budget as that’s helpful for most of us looking at extended:slow travel. If you don’t mind sharing I wonder what you eat when dining in? Might be a fun video!😉

[@BrianandCarrie]

Thank you 😊. We have had this request so often that we are looking at doing that video here shortly. Thanks so much for watching.

[@KiwiJock75]

Hey guys, so glad you highlighted Palermo. We were there about a month before you, thankfully only for 4 days, and we couldn't wait to leave because it was absolutely disgustingly filthy so believe me you're not alone. Spent most of our days travelling out of town to get away from it!

[@BrianandCarrie]

It's so nice to hear others feel the same about what they experienced. Thanks so much for sharing. Cheers 🍻

[@HH-fo9sg]

So, we did stop back in Palermo in October. Yes, there were overflowing trash cans, but they did get emptied overnight. It does have a grittier personality than many other cities. We took a bus to Syracuse, walked everywhere while there, and left by train-all went like clockwork. Rome two nights (amazing hotel bargain, $125/nt with breakfast!), then very comfy bus to Siena. We are happy with our budget-maybe we ate out a bit too much 😂

[@carolesselink7794]

Love your videos very informative. Thanks for your honest opinion on Palermo, as we were going to book it for one month next year. We decided to just stay two months in Puglia instead. Happy travels!

[@BrianandCarrie]

So happy you find them helpful ☺. We really try to bring our honest reviews to the places we visit. We've had many people go to a location based on our review and then message us telling us about their experience. How horrible we would feel if we had been misleading or only showed the pretty part and they then arrived disappointed. Cheers 🍻

[@snewogerg]

I have T Mobile, and when I was in Europe, it was an extra $50 a month for cell and data. Worked great the whole time I was there. Also, I was amazed at how cheap the food was in Italy compared to America.

[@HelenFaber7]

Very informative. Thanks Brian and Carrie! Heading back to Italy again soon. Can't wait 😀

[@leapintothewild_original]

Love how halfway through Brian decided you were in Palmero instead of Palermo! Just teasing because you guys are so good about pronouncing all the vowel-less, tongue twister places you’ve been. 😂 I really appreciate the budget breakdowns, and so glad you took time off. Really looking forward to the cruise!! We’re planning on a transatlantic to get to Europe when we start our nomad life - seems a great way to cover room and board with less stress and way more fun than a flight - at a very similar price.

[@Maria-js9ou]

vowel-less ? Not Italy, for sure

[@leapintothewild_original]

@@Maria-js9ou Didnt say it was Italy. Guess you didn’t see where they were a few months ago! Lol

[@Maria-js9ou]

@@leapintothewild_original Wrong guess 🤣

[@BrianandCarrie]

Haha - he says it's quite the tongue twister for him 😂. We are so happy you found these breakdowns helpful, they were something we sure did look for prior to starting our full-time travel life. We are really looking forward to the cruise for many reasons - a few big reasons are cost comparison to flying home as well as ease of travel. We look forward to sharing what we find out. Thanks so much for watching! Cheers 🍻

[@CarrieJamrogowicz]

I know you are not talking about Poland because I didn’t hear them pronounce any of those places correctly once 😂

[@newlifesteev]

In my three month trip to Italy earlier this year I also stayed in Palermo for a month and Bari for a month, (I also went really expensive and stayed in Venice for 2 weeks.) I would agree with a lot of your comments. The garbage issue in Palermo is only equalled by where I am now, Pristina in Kosovo, although I was also a bit shocked travelling through northern Albania (I'm going to be spending a month in Tirana soon.) Messina was a nicer town in Sicily and I wish I had spent more time there (I did 3 nights) I also took the train ferry to the mainland. Yep, there is a train that goes ON the ferry. That would have been a great video on it's own. Not sure why they do it as it's a lot of shunting and messing about, but it is a cool thing to do as I think it's the only one in Europe.

[@virtual_travel_worldwide]

where is this train? / Ferry? It sounds very nice:)

[@BrianandCarrie]

We looked at doing the train that went on the ferry, but it didn't line up with when we were traveling so we opted for the one we did. It's a pretty cool idea though, it would have been fun to see. Thanks so much for watching and safe continued travels ☺

[@BrianandCarrie]

It's the train that takes you onto the island of Sicily ☺

[@terrymurphy5586]

Very helpful video, thank you.

[@BrianandCarrie]

Thank you for watching, Terry! 😊

[@denismichaeljames]

Italy on the whole is so inspiring. You certainly gave us some places to add to our list. We agree with you on Palermo, we did 5 nights. The opera house night was the best thing we did, but it was a bit rough around the edges, quite a lot of poverty, even loose dogs chasing bikes. And the litter is an issue. But elsewhere Sicily is beautiful and we want to do more of it. We especially wish to see Sardinia. Thanks for your analysis you do a great job for us, always upfront and honest. So you deserve time well way from the camera. See you next time. Safe travels.

[@BrianandCarrie]

We LOVED our time in Italy and feel so fortunate that we had the time we did to explore. Palermo, sadly, was a letdown - but we've learned we can't win them all. There are places we absolutely love and some we are ready to leave not long after arriving. Thanks so much for watching - Cheers 🍻

[@denismichaeljames]

@@BrianandCarrie PS. Forgot to say that, on your lovely Albania trip film you so enthusiastically gave we are going to Tirana for a week on the 13th Nov, very close to where you recommended in what looks like a nice B&B.

[@GwenMilley]

Awesome video ... My niece and I are going on a tour in September for our 60 th birthdays .Thanks so much for your advice .

[@BrianandCarrie]

Thank you for watching and safe travels!!! ❤

[@PaulVega-y9v]

I live about 30 mins from Palermo, along the coast. You are correct. It is Incredibly dirty. It’s a shame. I just got my citizenship and I’m gonna raise a little hell about it….at least in Terrasini, (home-base), where the coastline is incredibly beautifully. I am retired and I slow travel. One month at a time in one country. Then within, I mix it up with a little fast travel 3-4 with 7-10 starts in one place. I call it my scouting phase of living and traveling in Europe.

[@BrianandCarrie]

It really is, it could be a very beautiful area but the filth takes so much away from it. Happy scouting in Europe 😊

[@JH-me]

Great video , I was thinking of going to Italy for a few months in Spring next year . Have decided on Spain and Portugal now instead ..

[@BrianandCarrie]

We loved Spain, and Portugal is still at the top of our list!! We spent 2 months in the Algarve a year in a half ago.

[@ashvoj]

​@@BrianandCarriethanks! Will you be doing a video (an update) on your top 5 list? Cheers!

[@BrianandCarrie]

We will be doing a few videos on our past experiences and top places coming up by years end! 🍻

[@ashvoj]

@@BrianandCarrie I can't wait.. thank you 🙏❤

[@alicemallen8997]

Love your videos. Thanks for the heads up about Palermo. Spent time in Cesme, Turkey area this summer. Went to Ilica Plaj (beach) there. Beautiful beach & water but sadly thousands of cigarette butts & litter on the beach. You have to go to a private beach club to find a clean beach experience.

[@BrianandCarrie]

We have just arrived in Antalya and won't be doing any beaches this time of year. We have loved our time in Turkey, first in Istanbul then Cappadocia. We have found each place that we have visited to be clean and very accommodating! Thank you for watching our videos! Turkey is our next series! Cheers!!🍻

[@d.y.e3803]

It's good that I just happened to wake up early as I'm not a morning person. Your vlog popped up and posted that it started 8 minutes ago. What a nice way to start the day. Smiles. I agree with quite a few of those pros and cons having traveled Italy starting in the mid-1970s up until the summer of 2017. I really appreciate that you tell it like you personally experienced it and that you don't sugar coat things. Where are you going next? Greetings from Los Angeles

[@BrianandCarrie]

We really do try to bring our honest views of the places we visit. When we are researching a new place to travel, this is what we look for in a video as well. We appreciate that others also find this helpful. We are so happy you enjoy waking up with our video to watch ♥

[@d.y.e3803]

Thanks for giving your honest opinions of places whether others agree or not as we are all different and have different likes and dislikes. Greetings from Los Angeles @@BrianandCarrie

[@katierodriguez7150]

I do want to add something about the gluten thing. My mother was seriously celiac, she had a MUCH easier time finding gluten free pasta and pizza in Italy than she does in the states. The menus are very clearly marked. AND people who work in restuarants took cross contamination more seriously. As for the carb thing - I would tell people to eat whatever they want - eat like the Italians. They live WAY longer and healthier lives than us. In fact, I would recommend dropping any American "diet" you may want to keep, and just eat like Europeans - smaller portions, better, more filling food, and more walking.

[@BrianandCarrie]

Thank you for adding this, Katie. We get a lot of questions about food. Organic, gluten-free, vegetarian, etc. so we think it is worth mentioning. We had medical checkups while in Chang Mai last spring, and we are both healthy, but the doctor did say that I (Brian) need to get off the American diet. 😳 Thank you again!! ❤

[@jameshall2299]

Some people will find that they can tolerate gluten in Europe as it doesn’t have glyphosate(roundup). All the food in Europe have fewer chemical additives.

[@sheilaa1333]

We had the same experience - NO trouble at all finding gluten free foods. We had more trouble finding a hamburger when my kids were sick of pizza and pasta. 😂

[@katierodriguez7150]

@@jameshall2299 actually Italy gets a whole lot of its wheat from America. It’s not the glycosphate necessarily at all.

[@humungushumungus213]

Stay away from tourist traps, surprisingly the food was lousy, I had the best meal there in Rome airport it was a company called Eataly the swordfish was a real portion and super fresh and tasty and descent price, my best meal in Italy turned out to be at an airport Eataly food court😂

[@mutters40]

Great video again. We were looking at visiting Palermo in January for my wife's birthday but i think a rethink is needed. We are off to Venice in a couple of weeks for a few days(3rd time).

[@BrianandCarrie]

I loved Venice ♥! We were far from impressed and just found there are some many wonderful places to visit in Italy that offered so much more. Enjoy your trip and safe travels! Cheers 🍻

[@roadtofreecollege6337]

Excellent video, chock full of helpful information. I especially appreciate your frank opinions about Palermo. Thanks. -Elizabeth

[@BrianandCarrie]

Thank you Elizabeth 😊. We are happy to hear you appreciate our honestly. We really do try to keep it real so people know what to expect if they visit (our opinion at least 😉). Cheers!!

[@Fell214]

Appreciate the honest information and opinions. Continue to be the best travel channel for retired nomads.

[@BrianandCarrie]

Thank you so much, that means a lot ❤️

[@Fell214]

@@BrianandCarrie It’s true. We watch several similar channels, but you folks seem to share our style of travel. We adding Austria and Poland to our standard spring six weeks in Split this year partly due to your experiences. We have settled into an annual pattern that has us hiking in the UK for four months, flying to Split for a couple months, visiting 1-2 new countries in Central Europe for a couple of months, then back to Oregon for a few months to visit family. Still getting up the courage to add SE Asia to the rotation.

[@michaelfrew5652]

If you do get eSim devices Airalo is brilliant we spent 93 days in UK, Northern Europe, Switzerland, Austria and Italy, the Airalo eSim cost USD $97 for 100G for 6mths. We had service everywhere and only used 50G each in 93 days, we surfed internet, booked all accommodation and used Maps to navigate on our bicycle for 2300km. Airalo was brilliant ❤

[@bluesky5587]

How do u connect eSIM ..I know with physical sim u just put it in …how does eSIM work …thank u

[@BrianandCarrie]

We've heard great things about Airalo and will definitely check them out when we have phones that accept eSim. It will be a much easier and more cost-effective way to have service.

[@michaelfrew5652]

The Telco’s App in this case Airalo installs the eSim via the internet so you just need a phone that supports eSim, the App from the telco and WiFi

[@traciannveno]

In Bari you can find a month for about $600 in an updated place depending on when. I would rent a car even though it would cost 1000$ with insurance (you need full). Because all the towns up north from there are amazing and St Michael’s cave and in Trani. Then the mountains and there is a safari where you can feed giraffes for like $20. I hope you can go back. One more thing, Italy has some crazy time shares for super cheap. If you want to stay for a few months for a few years consider it. I saw by Monopoli a time share for 6 months for 5k. Haha anyway Thank you!!

[@HH-fo9sg]

Palermo was actually less gritty than we had heard, but returning for 2 weeks in October. We always find beautiful spots to stay for a little over $100/nt, our goal for accommodations. We strolled into a chamber music concert and highly recommend the restaurant/bar on the top floor of Rinascente department store. This trip, I want to get comfy with the amazing markets and cook some things. I think if you are used to real city centers in the U.S. (NY, Chicago, a few others), you will feel fine about Palermo.

[@sheilakelly6015]

great video! thanks you two!

[@BrianandCarrie]

Thank you for watching! ❤

[@raidermanjeff]

great video guys thanks for the info

[@BrianandCarrie]

Thanks so much for watching 😊

[@robertmcfarlane4151]

Terrific video and detailked cost content that anyone considering a longer term stay in the regions you were in would benefit from. I defy any of them to do any better at the same level of quality that you did. You may get negative comments, but given the time and distance travelled by you both throughout the world, I think you can call out Palermo for their unacceptably dirty streets which were worse than SE Asia. You have earned that credibility by your experiences. Not having travelled SE Asia, I recognize the comment, and respect that you are not posting a video slamming that area in Sicily. Still two months in Italy and although your expenses are higher than your own comfort level, you are still doing remarkably well. Thanks for the overview and all the videos for two months! Cheers!

[@BrianandCarrie]

Thank you so much for your support and kind words. We really anticipated some kick back for our views on Palermo, but all we got was numerous comments from people confirming that is what they saw as well. We try very much to keep it real so people know what to expect. Thanks for watching. Cheers!!

[@MaryBoling-n3p]

I agree with you about Palermo. We were there for 30 days.

[@BrianandCarrie]

We left a week early!!! 🤣

[@Prettypolly2011]

I had been fascinated with Palermo and Sicily, but this has certainly given me pause for thought. I know there is sometimes a payoff between grittiness and authenticity - and once you get past the overflowing bins or graffiti you discover an amazing place (I'm thinking Naples), but this would just drive me insane.

[@BrianandCarrie]

We were so excited to get to Sicily and were very put off by what we found. We don't want to jump to any judgment that this is what all of Sicily would be like, so do hope to go back and visit the eastern side. Cheers!!

[@chrisf1881]

Parts of Naples also very dirty.

[@carsmusicfan]

Indeed, on the graffiti. We were so very disappointed at Granada with nearly Everything covered in spray paint. Even the cathedrals were tagged, which normally is kind of against an unwritten "code".

[@jademoy4923]

@@BrianandCarriewe went to Catania (one night) Taormina (2 nights) and Siracusa (3 nights) in April. The food was really great, the setting of the Greek theater in Taormina is spectacular. Unfortunately, we couldn’t go to Mt. Etna on Easter because of the weather conditions

[@anivee5863]

My suggestion is to get through Palermo as fast as possible and go to Cefalu and the other smaller cities ... I don't remember too much about Messina but Syracusa and Taormina and the Valley of the Temples are spectacular!

[@muravi8167]

BnC, you are spot on about Palermo and so are some parts of Naples. We spent 33 days in Italy and 7 days in Florence. Just letting you know our 3 trips to CT, Pisa-sienna-S Gimignano, Tuscany winery region cost us total 165 USD ! ( guess got very lucky ). Our 33 days in Italy of 8 cities/regions total cost including the to/fro flights, visa, insurance, Airbnb stays, ( got lucky with great view stays in venice, como, amalfi ) day trips, internal travel, attractions, food, minimal shopping cost us 9k USD ! You guys have done 2 months time in just under 6k USD ! thats fantastic !! Thank you for the vlog. loved it and looking forward to the next....till then SAFE TRAVELS AND STAY HAPPY. P.S.......Love Brian's dry wit humour.

[@BrianandCarrie]

The cost can add up quick if you don't keep an eye on the wallet!! We eat out very little and if we do it's cheap street food. That really helps keep our costs as low as possible. Sounds like you had a great trip that you will remember forever! Can't put a price on that!! 😀🍻

[@ChilloutLars]

Priceless reporting, guys. Tend to agree, you can't put a price on "good" memories. 12 different travellers would most likely experience 12 different experiences in Italy. A positive attitude is a definite advantage. However, waiting several hours for a restaurant to open after a big hungry day would grind my gears. Thank you again 👏

[@BrianandCarrie]

You are right, we all have something different that we are looking for. Overall, we loved Italy. Just surprised by the garbage. Thank you for watching! Cheers!!🍻

[@joannachapman-ellis7998]

I follow the carnivore way of eating and eat very well. One problem we have had is no lifts at some train stations. Swapping platforms is a common problem. We’ve almost missed trains in Bologna. Free WiFi is available in all the piazzas. We spend six months a year travelling Italy. It’s never been a problem. You can go into the local TIM shop for a SIM card. I spend £30 as an add on to my contract for WiFi. I spend approx £5,000 for a month for myself and my fourteen year old daughter. Florence is our ‘home’ base.

[@BrianandCarrie]

Happy you've found your home base and enjoy it there. Cheers!!

[@nathanbristow8194]

Thank you for sharing. Nate and I are going to Melito Di Porto Salvo (Calabria), as well as Sicily for our first 90 days in the Shengen area of Europe, starting December 12, 2023. We have found monthly AirBnb for $500- ish. Then we are headed to Albania, Montenegro and Serbia.

[@BrianandCarrie]

That sounds like a great trip!! We really enjoyed Albania, Montenegro, and Serbia, very affordable!! We would also recommend Bosnia and Romania if you get the chance. Thank you for watching and safe travels! Cheers!!🍻

[@nathanbristow8194]

@@BrianandCarrie We are hoping to visit Romania before it becomes Shengen. We had not thought of Bosnia.

[@BrianandCarrie]

Mostar and Sarajevo are worth visiting.

[@tammyvig8253]

Loving your Italy videos!

[@BrianandCarrie]

Glad you like them! Cheers 🍻

[@seandavie3672]

I 100% agree about the "dirty" comments. It absolutely blew my mind when I travelled through Italy. That and the dogs that litter too.

[@BrianandCarrie]

It's very unfortunate for such a beautiful country. Yes, the animal mess is very much a thing as well. Thanks so much for watching - Cheers!!

[@seandavie3672]

​@BrianandCarrie Keep up the great content. I'm off to Japan in December, I do love Italy, but Japan just does transport and 'clean" to a whole new level.

[@sbkpilot1]

You will be receiving a call from the Palermo tourism board shortly 😂

[@BrianandCarrie]

Haha - well, sorry but not sorry. It's unfortunate that an area that could be so nice is so dirty - it's like people just don't care. We actually watched someone who was on a train, throw a Mcdonalds' bag out the door when it stopped.....who does that? Brian picked it up and threw it away, at least we did our part ☺. Thanks so much for watching!

[@freetowandernow]

Ciao! Hello again; this time from Cefalu. As we have a similar travel style (great fun on a budget) I will say that our expenses were similar. Yes it is pricey but, honestly, we just came from Scotland and that was really pricey. Also, we're from Canada and so almost everywhere is less expensive than home. Tonight we are splurging on a very nice trattoria literally across the ancient street from our beautiful Airbnb which has a Michelin designation and the entrees are around 20 Euro which is more than we usually spend but similar to Moxi's and soooo much better. We've been travelling ft for 2 years and originally intended to document our travels as well but we would have to call it "The Lazy Travellers" because the idea of doing it all is beyond us. We love watching you though:) Cheers!

[@BrianandCarrie]

Hi! We completely agree, when we compare our costs to what we would spend at home in the States, it's a bargain! Scotland is our our list, but it will be another splurge trip and we have a bit to wait to do that. Hope you enjoyed your dinner, sometimes you gotta splurge on those things. Cheers 🍻

[@pamelagoodson9034]

I’m sorry you did not enjoy Palermo. It has been several years since I was there. We had a guide for sights and history one day. Palatine chapel was amazing. And to be honest we took a couple of day trips. One to Monreale with amazing mosaics. So we were not in Palermo but for a few days. Our hotel was very nice too. We found a pottery shop with three sisters. Perhaps time has made a difference in the city. I do hope you will go to Taormina and other places on another trip. Of course, your travel is more nomadic and mine is as a tourist. I am enjoying your videos.

[@BrianandCarrie]

We wish we would have enjoyed it now, just wasn't for us. But we appreciate everyplace we get the opportunity to travel. Thanks so much for watching 😊

[@mablo8224]

I’d love to hear about the meals you make while you “eat in”. It’s hard to plan meals that you use all the ingredients and not leave so many bottles and spices. Thanks so much. We are about to embark for a year and maybe longer.

[@BrianandCarrie]

We have found spice packets that we can use up before our month-long stay is over. We can also pack away the dry spices if we do have anything left over. Olive oil is something that we sometimes leave behind. Thank you for watching!!

[@VictorCegielski]

we are going to italy for a month then croatia for a month and finally greece for a month. this will be our 1st jumping off to start our slow travel life. :) We are staying at each place (town) for a month (per y'alls recommendation) to save on accommodation cost? So with that being said what 3 towns would y'all pick, and as you guys we also enjoy both city,small town and water. THX so much for the wonderful and informative videos. see ya on the road some day we hope :) vic and jill

[@BrianandCarrie]

We really love Tropea in Italy, Split, Croatia and Chania, Greece. There are so many places that we haven't been to in each country but really liked each of these places. Thank you for watching and safe travels! Cheers!!🍻

[@matthewrutledge5028]

Puglia and Calabria is the perfect place to put the cameras away and take a break, Puglia is just fabulous! Yes Palermo, only been there once and for one night and that was enough for me. Catania and Siracusa on the other hand (east coast Sicily) is absolutely the best!

[@BrianandCarrie]

We've heard wonderful things about the East coast of Sicily and do plan to return to visit there. We're happy we chose to take a break and just enjoy Puglia...what an absolutely beautiful area. Cheers!!

[@rosemaryleonetti6544]

My daughter and I spent two weeks on a family genealogy trip. We did all BNB and private tours it was amazing and awesome Better luck next time

[@sweetsimpleslowlife2709]

Greetings from Venice Italy ❤ I’m so grateful for your videos and you sharing your experience. We’re going to be visiting Italy for a little over a month, namely Venice, Trieste, Florence, Milan and Rome, about a week in each city. I am calling it Italy Part 1, and hoping for Part 2 in the future. So far I’ve noticed that there are gluten free items in restaurants in Venice but I haven’t tried any of those dishes. We are lucky that our phones accept esim, so I’m using Airalo for data. We will be traveling via train from city to city within Italy, so I’m curious how that experience will be for us. Accommodations are also Airbnb and I did pay an adult tourist tax, my daughter is now 18yo, for every place, for each of us. Yes, I agree, it’s pricey 😬 However, this was my dream for over 35 years and it finally came true. 🎊 🎉🥳

[@BrianandCarrie]

That sounds like an amazing trip! We really enjoyed Milan, Florence, and the surrounding area. We took the train down to Puglia, over to Tropea, and down to Palermo with no problems. The only delays we encountered on the trains were all short commuters. Thank you for watching and commenting, we very much appreciate the support. ❤

[@vaguelyvagrant9694]

I can't wait to see the video from Turkey!!!

[@AddieSth]

I find your expenses videos really interesting, my comment on how expensive is would be depends on where you go and what experiences you want to have. If you want to stay in the main tourist sites of Florence, Venice, Rome, Cinque Terre, Tuscany, Amalfi coast, Lake Como, then it's expensive regardless of what time of year you're there. Puglia is now turning into the new Amalfi coast (for foreign tourists, Italians have been going there for years), parts of Sicily as well are really popular. Not Palermo, I agree with your views on that city, it's never been great in my opinion. But if you want to have an Italian experience, it's cheaper to avoid those tourist spots and look at different places eg Piedmont (great wine and mountainous scenery) Fruili Venezia-Giula is hardly visited by English speaking tourists and you'll get traditional towns, cobblestones etc at half the price of Tuscany. Calabria with its mountain villages and beaches much cheaper than the Amalfi coast up the road. To make visiting Italy more affordable is a case of not just spending time in the famous towns and areas. (But if you want to visit Florence, Rome, Venice nothing wrong with that, be realistic about the fact if won't be cheap.)

[@BrianandCarrie]

We 100% agree with you on choosing some of the smaller, much less touristy towns if possible. We continue to learn as we travel and this is one thing that keeps getting clearer to us - stay out of the main area and travel there to just visit. Best of both worlds, avoid the crowds and have a much more authentic and less expensive experience. Thanks so much for watching - Cheers 🍻

[@billricheter5678]

Very accurate in regards to Palermo. It’s dirty for sure. I have found Italy very inexpensive in October through March even in the big cities. Love Italy, but a few dirty areas like Palermo and naples

[@denasutera]

Travel is a lot like Remodeling a home - Always figure 10% above your budget. Try to stick to a budget but “expect” added or extra unexpected cost! My Travel Tip

[@BrianandCarrie]

Yes, very true! Cheers!!

[@bruceketcheson4877]

Completely agree on Palermo. The whole city needs a good scrubbing and coat of paint. I suspect the towns pay for these services, but the special 'group' paid to do the work is likely the issue

[@BrianandCarrie]

We are really not sure who is to blame but it is definitely an issue. 😒

[@FollowingTheStones]

Thank you for the informative videos! My girlfriend and I watch them every week to get pointers and facts, but also enjoy seeing your personalities. We are from the Puget Sound area ourselves, and will begin our journey early 2025 after our planned retirements. We are planning on a repositioning cruise of 15 days to get to Italy for the first Schengen zone stay. Keep the videos coming and stay safe out there. Which reminds me. With world issues as they are, how are you keeping up with security issues where you are? I know the US State Dept has information, but do you use any others?

[@BrianandCarrie]

Hi, Greg! Thank you for the kind words! We are currently in Turkey, so were a bit nervous when the war broke out. We signed up to get email alerts from the US State Department on any planned protests. We did leave Istanbul a few days early, but we haven't had any problems in Cappadocia or Antalya where we are now. Thank you for watching our channel!! Cheers!!🍻

[@karengreen9332]

Agreed with a lot of your points - we spent 13 days in 4 locations in Sicily and Palermo was definitely our least favorite place, when we were there this past September it was HOT and HUMID which made the grittiness/dirtiness of the city even worse. We did go to Monreale and see the cathedral which was just gorgeous and we also went to Cefalu. If you go back to Sicily, definitely go to Agrigento to see the Valley of the Temples and go to Villa Romana to see the amazing Roman mosaics, we also really enjoyed Ortigia (the old section of Syracuse) and Taormina was lovely (but can get very crowded if a cruise ship is in town). We have been in Rome for the past month in an Air BnB and are really enjoying it here - the garbage situation can be an issue in some areas of the city, but it feels much more like Florence than Palermo. Also the transportation is great - buses, metro, tram at $35/month. We enjoy your videos - I've commented before that we live in Lake Stevens, WA so not too far from your neck of the woods! Can't wait to see where you two travel to next!

[@BrianandCarrie]

We will be heading to Rome for a few days next month. Happy to hear the garbage situation is a bit better there, as we've heard mixed reviews. Safe travels!!

[@annamayfair-diaznovelspoet8436]

Hey Brian and Carrie, love from Sonoma! You are my Saturday morning fix and thanks for another wonderful video of you're amazing travels. I think it's great that you're candid and you're explaining what you're experiencing. I wanted to go into the Puglia area in Italy because I have a friend who I met on the hike in Spain in 2019 on El Camino and he always tells me how great Puglia is and they have Saint Nicholas's relics there somewhere in the cathedral... so now that I saw a little tidbit of this video and your detailed expenses, it seems Puglia is more affordable than the other cities. My budget is $1900/month on SS. Tight. I think I might go ahead and take that trip to Puglia after a month in Spain when I begin my long-term travel. Btw, I am doing great 7 months after cancer treatment so in case I get sick again, I decided with the blessing of my son, to go and do the B&C trek and live life traveling, maybe write & follow in your footsteps. I will get that Cignal Global Health ins too. I read that you need a return ticket when you purchase your first initial ticket from US to Europe so I got a refundable ticket on American Airlines in May of 2024. I read that it is very important to have a RT especially when you arrive in your first port of entry. The country or TSA Customs wants to see you will be departing their country back to your home country to control illegal immigration. My Port of Entry will be Madrid Spain to begin trekking. Question: How did you guys do it, at first? Thank you again for this great 2 mo recap on your Italian experience. Cheers and keep up your great stamina and fun and happy trails!! - Anna ps Glad you took a break and did a little no work traveling. Isn't that what's it all 'bout!🍁❤🦐🙏🍷🍺

[@BrianandCarrie]

That's sounds like a wonderful plan. And, although some areas may be a bit snug on that budget, there are plenty of places to follow it up with to save a bit. The balkens are a wonderful area to travel and cost much less. Interesting about a return ticket. We've had that question many times and it's nothing we've ever had or been asked for. Now, we have a US passport, so if that is what you have we'd be under the same rules. Basically the Schengen includes so many counties you're typically entering into one country and leaving from another. Or, like us, taking a bus into Montenegro, out of Schengen. If you overstay your 90 days they will know when you exit, that's all they worry about. The only time we've heard of needing a return ticket to show is if your applying for temporary residency in a specific country, totally different ballgame. Hope that helps - Cheers!!

[@annamayfair-diaznovelspoet8436]

@@BrianandCarrie that sounds great Brian and Carrie, thank you for replying and letting me know how you guys got around that return ticket. Regardless it's a refundable return so I can always change it. Everything you've explained really helps me in my own Journey. Be safe, be happy, and enjoy every minute, you both inspire many of us Americans here. I will keep you posted.👍🍺🙌🙏

[@jameshall2299]

Just returned from 30 days in Europe including Venice and Verona in Italy. The prices are definitely higher but you can still find budget options if you look hard. Heading to Thailand and Vietnam for 3 months starting January 1. Looking forward to better prices.

[@jameshall2299]

Would love to meet you guys in Thailand if you’re going to be there in January 2024. We have a week planned in pattaya, a week in Koh phangan, a week in chiang mai, and a week in Bangkok before heading to Vietnam for February and then back to Thailand for march.

[@BrianandCarrie]

Yes, you can still find great deals if you're willing to search for them that is very true. You'll for be saving some money on your next adventure in SE Asia 😊. Cheers!!

[@BrianandCarrie]

We had originally planned to head back that way early 2024 but made a change of plans. Part of the fun of full time travel 😜. We can't wait to get back there though... Especially for some Thai food!

[@jameshall2299]

@@BrianandCarrie I just booked a 16 night cruise to Hawaii from Los Angeles February 25-march 13 on princess. You guys should join us. $2500 total. We are flying to Vietnam after we get off ship and visit a few days with friends in La

[@jameshall2299]

That’s 2025, so next year!

[@telluwide5553]

Actually, when you think about it, for 2 months in peak tourist season in Italy turns out to be about $1500 per month per person, including all your accommodations, food etc. is cheaper, sometimes much cheaper than living in the US per month..... In addition, eating out in restaurants in Europe turns out to be cheaper than the US as well since all the taxes are included in the prices of the meals on the menus, not at the end, and no obligatory 20% "Tip" is added on at the end as well.....Although, I usually round up a Euro or two at the end if I like the service and find the wait staff much more appreciative of that than the 20% I give to wait staff in the US who feel entitled to it.... I also find the service better, since although it may be slower, they aren't hounding you constantly to see if you need anything else trying to pad up the bill and aren't dropping off the check before you ask for it, which I always find a bit rude. It's like they want you to spend as much as possible then push you out the door. Besides, tipping culture, like everything else in the US has just gotten way out of hand....I mean a tip jar at convenience stores?... Come on! P.S. I hope you check out France one day)

[@BrianandCarrie]

We couldn't live in the US off what we are living off now. We chose this lifestyle knowing that it would be years before we could live back in the US permanently. We will make our way to France before long!! Thank you for watching and commenting! Cheers!! 🍻

[@365vacay]

Yet another great video. I know, I know.... your phones don't accept e-sim cards, but it may be worth an upgrade. I found 3GB of data for 30 days for $10 in Italy. Plus... you have coverage right away... no searching for sim cards. Just a thought. Keep the videos coming. Cheers!

[@BrianandCarrie]

This is something we will for sure be on the lookout for when it comes time to upgrade! Thanks so much for watching - Cheers 🍻

[@livingworkingoutsidebox]

Thanks for sharing your journey and costs for these travels. Its amazing how affordable full time travel can be.😮 money 💰 I will have to see if you have a video on how you earn a living to afford this type of traveling.

[@BrianandCarrie]

We are very budgeted! After working for 30+ years we each have a small amount of money saved and we supplement what we can with KZbin, Our website, and the upcoming podcast. We are also debt free so that really helped to make the decision to full-time travel. Thank you for watching and commenting! Cheers!!🍻

[@kerrya5064]

I have looked, but cannot seem to find links to any of your Italian accommodations. Please guide me to where it may be. Thank you 😊

[@BrianandCarrie]

Hi! We really wouldn't recommend the places we stayed in Florence, the area was wonderful but the Airbnb was too cluttered and dirty for us to recommend.

[@sanyacypert2670]

Thank you for the honest video regarding Palermo. I've never been to Palermo, but get ready for dirty in Naples and Rome. I think the garbage and grafitti are the biggest drawbacks. My daughter goes to school in Florence and she pays 20euro/ month at Vodafone. It's not a student discount, it's just the price/month there. I'm surprised you could only find it for 40euro/month.

[@BrianandCarrie]

We are already preparing ourselves best we can for Rome and Naples, as we've heard it's quite dirty there as well. Interesting about Vodafone, we checked with them at two different locations in Italy as well as two other carriers and we're always quoted the same price. We do know you can purchase the plan online and then go into the store and get your SIM card, but I heard to many bad reviews on doing it that way. Thanks so much for watching 😊

[@Susanneshares]

Thanks for another informative video. Have you visited Rome and Venice (or do you have plans to)?

[@BrianandCarrie]

We did go to Rome a few days before our cruise, we loved it and wished we'd had more time. I (Carrie) went to Venice years ago and absolutely loved it. Cheers!!

[@cidsanta4204]

Funny! I was there in the mid 80s and it sounds like not much has changed! 😊. Do cafes still charge more if you sit vs. stand to drink your coffee?

[@BrianandCarrie]

Good question! We didn't find that, but didn't go often enough for take awaybvs sit down to compare. But, there is a added service charge when ever you sit to eat, so I'm thinking you probably do. Thanks so much for watching 😊

[@lilg2300]

Drinking the coffee directly at the counter has a fixed price by law. When you sit down they can raise the price as the like.

[@88mphmusic27]

Another Great Video - Thank You! Question: Can you escape into San Marino for Schengen respite? (It's not part of the Schengen??)

[@BrianandCarrie]

Andorra and San Marino are not part of the Schengen, but it is included as part of the 90 days. Thank you for watching!! Cheers!!🍻

[@88mphmusic27]

@@BrianandCarrie

[@clairecoles7680]

Can you link the Airbnb you stayed in at each location please?

[@BrianandCarrie]

We put accommodation links for the areas we stayed. Due to multiple reasons, we don't link the exact Airbnb. Thanks so much for watching 😊

[@wizardofoz4284]

Hello, Can you kindly share with us the links for the air b and b in Florence, hotels in Bari and Tropaia please. Thanks.

[@BrianandCarrie]

We will have links to our accommodations up soon. Stay tuned...

[@monicarollo2462]

Tropea

[@telluwide5553]

Guy hits an elderly lady with his car, it's so normal that he got out of his car to get her a glass of water and she was fine....In the US we call that a "Pay Day"! Cha Ching! 5 Ambulance chasing Lawyers would be directly on the scene, before that guy could even open up his car door. LOL! Great Vid! Thanks!

[@BrianandCarrie]

Very True!! 🙄

[@johnperkins5450]

Not sure if you are iPhone people or not, but if so, as you may know, iPhone 14 & 15 only have e-SIMs, no physical SIM. I prefer to have ability to have one physical SIM, and option for adding on e-SIMs. You might be able to find yourself a sweet deal on a new unlocked iPhone 13/13Pro that gives you both. I have a 13 Pro, and will probably wait longer than usual to upgrade, due to e-SIM only with newer iPhones. I’ve been using Airalo for e-SIMs, though as you know, in country physical SIMs can also be quite cost effective based on your situation. Good luck 🍀

[@BrianandCarrie]

Hi, John. We do not use iPhones. Are phones being both paid for and work great so spending the money to get a new phone just isn't something that we are willing to do. As soon as we need to get new phones e-sim will definitely be a factor in what we buy. Thank you for watching!! Cheers!!🍻

[@johnperkins5450]

@@BrianandCarrie ok, gotcha 👍🏼 I miss understood. I thought you were currently looking into/considering options for being able to use e-SIMs. Can’t wait to see your Turkey 🇹🇷 videos. 🤗

[@JohnJones-fg1dd]

I haven't been to Sicily since my twentites, and I loved it then. I might not feel the same if I return. We are thinking of visiting Sicily in 24. Our friend is from there, and she will probably help us with an itinerary. I know she isn't keen on Palermo. Thanks for the video. BTW my husband and I agree with Brian: you can't put a price on memories. NO offense to Carrie.

[@timnelson252]

Really enjoyed this video! You mentioned that you walked a lot in Florence and I’m curious how much of the city you were able to see if you only walked and didn’t use cabs or Uber. How far from your Airbnb would you say that you were able to walk on your trips?

[@BrianandCarrie]

We average walking 6 to 8 miles a day when we're exploring. Florence is very walkable and all the main sites to see you can get to easily on foot.

[@FotosLostnFound]

Good tips! Are you planning all your travel to be in schengen zone for the max time? And then out for 90 days?

[@BrianandCarrie]

We usually do, yes. We saved ourselves 10 days this time for a reposition cruise home next week. Thank you for watching!! Cheers!!🍻

[@ed5421]

I see that you made a day trip to Alberobello. Did you go to Matera as well?

[@BrianandCarrie]

We did not make it to Matera. We were only in Puglia for 3 days. When we return to Italy, we will explore more of the area including Lecce.

[@jimdepew9679]

Have you considered a mobile hotspot or "internet dongle" as called in many places outside the US? Just buy a Sim chip and a months data upon arrival at each country. Data is usually extremely inexpensive compared to the US.

[@BrianandCarrie]

Interesting - we will have to look into that more. Thanks for the tip. Cheers 🍻

[@NewCastleIndiana]

I really want to visit Pulia/ Apulia. I almost went last year. They have a language school that meets in the morning to learn Italian and I thought I could do that and still work my day job remotely from overseas. Instead in April, I went to the UK and worked remotely for a while and did some of my car guy stuff. But I’d still like to go back to Italy. Some round-trip flights this week are $420 from Indianapolis. $1750 seems high for Florence. 17:30 what is that wine fridge?

[@BrianandCarrie]

That's a great deal for a roundtrip flight! Florence is just expensive, year-round. But so happy we did stay there as it was top on my list of places I wanted to visit. The wine fridge was located at the market in Florence, it was pretty cool ☺

[@telluwide5553]

Next time you travel to Europe, buy your Sim card in a country like Romania, Bulgaria or even Greece. I bought a Vodaphone sim card in Greece paid like 35 Euros for the number and the 1st month, then it was just 11 Euros a month, it included 300 minutes and 13GB of Data (within the EU). They also give bonuses for just topping up your account even before buying a package which extends the 30 days a little longer. The beauty of it is, I used it everywhere I travelled to in the EU, no roaming charges etc. Going from country to country, WiFi access etc. was seamless. Recharging it was easy as well through their app. It's even still good for use in the UK despite Brexit....

[@BrianandCarrie]

We have been to Romania, Spain, Poland, and Portugal just to name a few where the sim cards are very affordable. It is especially nice when like you say, we can top them off. 🍻

[@ilbobisss]

Hi guys! We are in Italy as well, heading to Tirana in 2 weeks. I agree with you both 100% Expensive!!! We are in Umbria, safe and beautiful, however locals not very friendly and not as clean as we thought. So far which country is your favorite and where you guys eventually will settle and relax? Thank you kindly and keep the awesome job.

[@BrianandCarrie]

Great question! We are going to be doing a year-end (or really 2 years) recap where we cover all the areas we've been and where we can see ourselves returning to spend longer stretches. Hopefull that will be helpful. Thanks so much for watching!

[@denasutera]

Transportation from Florence to Cinque Terre?

[@BrianandCarrie]

Train or bus. We took the train.

[@MikeS29]

My short list of cons also includes stray cats and dogs, and the frequent need to "persuade" technology to work, such as elevator buttons, fare gates, and ticket machines.

[@BrianandCarrie]

And don't forget about the WIFI!!

[@carsmusicfan]

Thank you for a real assessment of Palermo. We were torn on whether or not to like it. It was shameful with the graffiti and litter along with animal droppings everywhere. The cathedrals were SPECTACULAR! We were shocked at some of the most understated church exteriors only to find the interior to be unbelievable. Waiter: "Will there be anything else?" Brian: "Yes! Another round of gluten for me! "

[@BrianandCarrie]

Another round of gluten, please!! 😂😂 Palmero does have beauty it's just a shame that it can't be cleaned up. We understand it is a difficult problem to solve, but we noticed that individual shop owners wouldn't sweep up in front of their own shop. It just seems like if everyone would do their part it would go a long way. Who knows? Thank you for watching and commenting! Cheers to gluten! 🍻🍻

[@ferney2936]

run down & dilapidated looking from the outside but really beautiful inside is common in Italy. Not sure why.....

[@Joseph-xt2qg]

Catania was also extremely dirty as well. Garbage all over the place. It's sad. I just got a monthly sim card with 150gb of data for 20 euros in Sicily.

[@BrianandCarrie]

That's so unfortunate to hear - we really had hoped the East side was a bit better. Unfortunately, you're not the first to make that comment 😔. Thanks so much for sharing - Cheers!!

[@mountains365days2]

I agree on many comments eg. Palermo dirty and for handicapped people it is difficult to move but some comments are maybe because of language barriers eg. Italy is super cheap for mobile/sim contract…7Eur/month you have an unlimited access, also (at least in Europe Italy has the biggest choice & awareness of gluten free food…

[@TheSwimmom1]

It might be worh it for one of you to upgade your phone. We uses Airalo $10 US for 30 days in Italy. really only one needs it.

[@BrianandCarrie]

eSim will be a great option when one of our phones needs a upgrade for sure. But, both are going strong at this point 🤞. Thanks for watching!! Cheers 🍻

[@missmomus]

This makes me nervous...I have a month long trip booked for Palermo, although I can still cancel before the end of the month. I have heard about the garbage issue, but I thought I could live with it. Mostly interested in architecture and history.I have a tighter budget, so I can't justify a month in Florence, sadly. Maybe it would be better to check out a few different areas of Sicily before committing to a longer stay.

[@BrianandCarrie]

It's really tough to say. We honestly felt this may just be our opinion and would get a lot of kickback by saying we didn't care for it at all. But based on the comments we've received, it seems this opinion is shared by many. As for staying in Florence, in hindsight, we had wished we stayed in a smaller village nearby. The train system is good enough and very affordable that you would still be able to visit a few times. But also central to all the other areas you want to see. Might be a more affordable option. Thanks so much for watching - Cheers 🍻

[@cookmaster3626]

Agree with you on the cost. We went in Oct/Nov time frame, 2 years back and there was no discounting on ABnB rates. I noticed that the typical BnB rates were generally on the high side . The country for most part is filled with natural beauty and a treat to your eyes. On the cleanliness side, most areas we visited were clean and Naples was a big disappointment with trash strewn all over. Naples we heard was supposed to be "THE place for Pizza to try." It was a disappointment with the pizza being like a sheet and served folded. Whereas in Milan and other cities the Pizzas were good and more like the US style. Overall I liked Italy a lot, and would want to visit again (after 2 previous trips) and would like to cover Portofino, Dolomite mountains, Turin etc. As for your spends in Florence its not too bad for a month at $2800 plus for what you enjoyed. As always thanks for the great video and have a great trip.

[@BrianandCarrie]

We will go back to Italy as well. We want to see more of Puglia and Sicily. We were disappointed with the garbage and were warned about Naples before we visited so we didn't go. We will be back in early Dec, to catch a cruise back to the States so we will confirm. We had a wonderful experience, but we also want to be true to the channel and tell it as we see it. Thanks, CM!!

[@Maria-js9ou]

Maybe you're too used to U.S. pizza, and the real pizza isn't American, hence your disappointment with the pizza in Naples. Pizza with a thin, folded crust has a name - calzone.

[@billandsuzyhammel4117]

Great video. However, it is quite easy to eat gluten free in Italy as the country is very informed. The AIC is fantastic and can find restaurants that are certified. I have Celiac Disease and traveled across Italy and never have any issues. Since it is a medical condition, you can buy GF free in pharmacies. My go to travel country is always Italy for the GF food. 🇮🇹

[@BrianandCarrie]

Good to know, thanks so much for sharing ❤️

[@mariagillinson8527]

Guys which VPN do you use?

[@BrianandCarrie]

This is the one we use and have been very happy with: www.avantlink.com/click.php?tt=cl&merchant_id=d4bfb5df-f0c4-499b-bbb0-4734c69aa265&website_id=07ce4335-e112-4c0a-932c-33a2e51dc93e&url=https%3A%2F%2Fnordvpn.com

[@TanShiT.T]

i just wanna ask , Can i easily get vegetarian food there ??

[@BrianandCarrie]

Absolutely you can! 😊

[@Xrusader]

I found Athens to be very dirty as well (outside the tourist areas). Lisbon/Cascais seems to have a good handle on the trash situation. I'm heading to Italy/Sicily next year. Great info in this video - thanks Brian and Carrie!

[@BrianandCarrie]

Thank you, happy you found it helpful! We found Portugal all around to pretty quite clean, which was very nice. Thanks so much for watching 😊