Episode #247: New Ways to Research Your Trip to Italy

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Planning a trip to Italy but feeling overwhelmed by the sheer amount of information out there? Whilst there is a huge variety of resources offering advice, not all of it is the most reliable, in context or detailed information. Discover where to look for trustworthy advice, expert tips, and innovative ways to make for smoother journey planning!

Summary

In this episode, we dive into the best resources for researching your Italian adventure and some of the pitfalls you may find along the way. We also introduce Zia, a fun and free new tool to streamline your trip-planning process. Zia, your AI-powered travel assistant can provide instant, verified answers from Untold Italy’s extensive content, making your trip research quicker and more efficient. Why not try Zia out through the link below?

What you’ll learn in this episode

  • Katy has an upcoming trip to Italy, visiting Rome and the Dolomites. This has meant some specific research and she is lucky to have Kate and Vin from Throne and Vine as a resource. Check out our Untold Italy Tours Instagram account to see what they got up to on our recent Dolomites tour
  • Google searches can often not work out as valuable when researching your trip – with irrelevant information, advertisements and snippets and a lacking in the importance of context and trustworthiness of the sources
  • Even valuable tools such as Rome to Rio, and Google Maps have their limitations – such as not countering in things such as terrain, the type or business of the roads – for instance having to take a cable car in the Dolomites, or the busy, narrow roads and lack of parking on the Amalfi Roast
  • Forums like Reddit and even our Italy Travel Planning Facebook Community are great, but it can mean getting advice from those who don’t have a great deal of experience themselves, or even are simply giving out incorrect information
  • Instagram, TikTok and Facebook, whilst providing inspiration, are not often a great place to find the best information. Those creating any content including YouTube and podcasts like our own, are creating information at a moment in time, so there is difficulty keeping information up to date
  • Traditional guidebooks are still a good resource as they do rigorous research and validation. Trusted publications and authors include Lonely Planet, Rick Steves, and Corinna Cooke’s Glam Italia guides. A map, as some guidebooks include, is still a great, underrated aid for travel planning
  • If you’re feeling overwhelmed then finding expert help can feel like a lifeline. Whether it is our Trip Consultation Services or a travel agent specializing in Italy, access to experience and knowledge can not only mean your trip is less stressful and more fulfilling, but that you spend less of your valuable time researching the un-fun stuff
  • Untold Italy launches its new tool: Zia – the online Italy travel assistant. The perfect way to get your questions answered, with Zia accessing information from Untold Italy’s database of content which is kept relevant with regular updates
  • Zia means Aunty in Italian and like we trust our wise aunty’s, Zia can be like a handy trusted travel aunt to help with your queries. Give her a go here >> untolditaly.com/ask-us

Timeline Overview

  • 05:33 Researching online can be frustrating without expertise
  • 11:35 Prefer experts over forums for tailored advice
  • 14:55 Social media misleads; critically evaluate and research
  • 17:57 You don’t have to take anyone’s advice if it doesn’t suit your travel style
  • 22:16 Generic AI tools can struggle with unstructured information online
  • 25:45 Zia – Untold Italy launches the Italy travel assistant offering expert advice

Italian places, foods and concepts mentioned

Places

  • Seceda Peak mountain peak, part of the Dolomites 
  • All’antico Vinaio – famous sandwich shop
  • Salerno – city in Campania, that makes a great base for the Amalfi Coast

Words / Concepts

  • Lonely Planet – guidebook publishers
  • Throne and Vine – fabulous resource for information on exploring the South Tyrol and Dolomites area
  • Romewise – Rome guide from American expat Elyssa, who lives there
  • Rick Steves – trusted resource for information on Italy and Europe
  • Corinna Cooke – Glam Italia guidebook author, boutique tour guide and favorite Untold Italy podcast guest
  • Rome to Rio – online route planning
  • Google Maps – useful mapping for trip planning and a useful travel app to have with you
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