Travel Europe with Babcia and YiaYia Travel The World – Details, episodes & analysis

Thanks for joining us today! As always, we hope that our travel nonsense translates into your travel success! For more on how to frame your river cruising or any of our other show notes, ⁠click here⁠!

In this episode, we can answer:

• Why are gifting experiences?
• What are our options for Vatican City?
• What are 5 travel challenges we have had and how did we pivot?

Get our take on how we create trips and ensure that every person on every trip enjoys themselves every time! For a full rundown on our conversation, check out our show notes ⁠here⁠!

Now follow us on ALL the social media!

Facebook   ⁠@babciaandyiayia⁠

Instagram   ⁠@babciaandyiayia⁠

TikTok   ⁠@babciaandyiayia⁠  (We LOVE your questions too!)

Have ideas or questions about what you'd like us to cover? Please e-mail us your questions or ideas at babciaandyiayia@gmail.com

Visit our blog and website by clicking ⁠here⁠!!

Thanks for joining us today! As always, we hope that our travel nonsense translates into your travel success! For more on how to frame your river cruising or any of our other show notes, click here!

In this episode, we can answer:

• Best travel lit picks

• Our 2025 tour schedule

Get our take on how we create trips and ensure that every person on every trip enjoys themselves every time! For a full rundown on our conversation, check out our show notes here!

Now follow us on ALL the social media!

Facebook   @babciaandyiayia

Instagram   @babciaandyiayia

TikTok   @babciaandyiayia  (We LOVE your questions too!)

Have ideas or questions about what you'd like us to cover? Please e-mail us your questions or ideas at babciaandyiayia@gmail.com

Visit our blog and website by clicking here!!

It’s Us! Babcia and YiaYia! We are here to give you every hot tip, great travel hack, hidden gem, and experience based itinerary you are looking for. We’ve traveled all over Europe and we want to share our experience and expertise with you!

Thanks for joining us today! As always, we hope that our travel nonsense translates into your travel success! For more on traveling to Florence as well as your other travel options like small group travel when traveling to Europe or any of our other show notes, click here!

In this episode, we can answer:

• What are the best hacks and tips when traveling to Florence?

• How do I plan really well when I travel to Florence?

• What are the best tips when traveling to Florence?

• How do I make everybody happy when I'm in Florence?

• What are the best secrets for traveling to Florence?

Now follow us on ALL the social media!

Facebook   @babciaandyiayia

Twitter   @babciaandyiayia

Instagram   @babciaandyiayia

TikTok   @babciaandyiayia  (We LOVE your questions too!)

Have ideas or questions about what you'd like us to cover? Please e-mail us your questions or ideas at babciaandyiayia@gmail.com

Visit our blog and website by clicking here!

We were last in Europe in the Summer of 2023!

It’s Us! Babcia and YiaYia! We are here to give you every hot tip, great travel hack, hidden gem, and experience based itinerary you are looking for. We’ve traveled all over Europe and we want to share our experience and expertise with you!

Thanks for joining us today! As always, we hope that our travel nonsense translates into your travel success! For more on our take on Travel agents and travel insurance as well as your other travel options like small group travel when traveling to Europe or any of our other show notes, click here!

In this episode, we can answer:

• What are the best travel tips when traveling to Europe?

• How do I efficiently plan when I travel to Europe?

• What are the best questions to ask my travel agent?

• How do I find out more about travel insurance?

• What are the best ways to protect my trip to Europe?

Now follow us on ALL the social media!

Facebook   @babciaandyiayia

Twitter   @babciaandyiayia

Instagram   @babciaandyiayia

TikTok   @babciaandyiayia  (We LOVE your questions too!)

Pinterest

Have ideas or questions about what you'd like us to cover? Please e-mail us your questions or ideas at babciaandyiayia@gmail.com

Visit our blog and website by clicking here!

We were last in Europe in the Summer of 2023!

Our answer is simple!!! USE A TRAVEL AGENT TO BOOK YOUR AIR!!!!

When booking air, consider asking about these questions:

• Is that the best price or the best layover?

• Find good layover options

• Usually about the same as expedia or other third party flight choices

• Does that come with baggage?

• What are the seat assignments with that ticket?

• Is my ticket refundable or reschedulable?

Have your air travel backed up with a little help.

• If something happens while I’m on my travels, can I call you for help? 

• Most airlines won’t help you if things get serious, they will insist that you call your agent. 

• A home base to call should something go wrong.

Get your travel insurance plan together

• What is the best kind of insurance to cover this trip?

• A little investment goes a long way

• The fastest way to take care of an issue away from home

• What exactly does this policy cover? Air ambulance, luggage, flights, delays, hospitals….

• MEDJET vs. Nomad Insurance

• Who do I call if there is an emergency? Like ask for the number!

It’s Us! Babcia and YiaYia! We are here to give you every hot tip, great travel hack, hidden gem, and experience based itinerary you are looking for. We’ve traveled all over Europe and we want to share our experience and expertise with you!

Thanks for joining us today! As always, we hope that our travel nonsense translates into your travel success! For more on our take on Travel day trips as well as your other travel options like small group travel when traveling to Europe or any of our other show notes, click here!

In this episode, we can answer:

• What are the best travel tips when traveling to Europe?

• How do I efficiently plan when I travel to Europe?

• What are the best ways to extend my travel in Europe?

• How do I make the most of my travel in Europe?

• What are the best ways to extend my time in Europe?

Now follow us on ALL the social media!

Facebook   @babciaandyiayia

Twitter   @babciaandyiayia

Instagram   @babciaandyiayia

TikTok   @babciaandyiayia  (We LOVE your questions too!)

Pinterest

Have ideas or questions about what you'd like us to cover? Please e-mail us your questions or ideas at babciaandyiayia@gmail.com

Visit our blog and website by clicking here!

We were last in Europe in the Summer of 2023!

It sounds like such a great deal! But there a couple of things you should know when it comes to those too good to be true travel deals.

     You pay for how your time is used and keep that in mind for everything that you do.

Getting a group rate airfare means that there is no upgrading and not many options. In short, the control of your flights does not belong to you.

You can’t use points or miles for upgrades

You can add the trip to your account though

If there is any delay or cancellations, the tour company or cruise line will be in charge of how the problem gets remedied.

The before and after

Choose to fly in early and explore something close by or stay on later to enjoy after your tour. A few examples are PARIS, ROME, A GREEK ISLAND

Even cruises are jumping on board the extended stays! Often, these are offered as an add on but look closely and you will see that they often easily arranged and cover simple venues and activities.

The Layover

The art of the layover has been analyzed from every angle possible!!! From Anthony Bourdain’s show to movies about airport life. The Layover is a great way to capitalize on your time. 

Airport Layovers like Munich or Istanbul

Get out layovers like copenhagen or Heathrow

Airports that might have a tougher layover: Dublin, Paris, Amsterdam You need MORE than 10 hours to make these worth it. 

You have the options!

It’s Us! Babcia and YiaYia! We are here to give you every hot tip, great travel hack, hidden gem, and experience based itinerary you are looking for. We’ve traveled all over Europe and we want to share our experience and expertise with you!

Thanks for joining us today! As always, we hope that our travel nonsense translates into your travel success! For more on our take on Travel day trips as well as your other travel options like small group travel when traveling to Europe or any of our other show notes, click here!

In this episode, we can answer:

• What are the best travel tips when traveling to Europe?

• What should I know when I travel to Europe?

• What are the best day trips in Europe?

• What should I know when I am day tripping in Europe?

• What are the best day trips in Europe?

Now follow us on ALL the social media!

Facebook   @babciaandyiayia

Twitter   @babciaandyiayia

Instagram   @babciaandyiayia

TikTok   @babciaandyiayia  (We LOVE your questions too!)

Pinterest

Have ideas or questions about what you'd like us to cover? Please e-mail us your questions or ideas at babciaandyiayia@gmail.com

Visit our blog and website by clicking here!

We were last in Europe in the Summer of 2023!

Zakopane

Hydra

Kinderdijk

Brugges

Lucerne

Stirling

Milan

Giverny

And more!!!

It’s Us! Babcia and YiaYia! We are here to give you every hot tip, great travel hack, hidden gem, and experience based itinerary you are looking for. We’ve traveled all over Europe and we want to share our experience and expertise with you!

Thanks for joining us today! As always, we hope that our travel nonsense translates into your travel success! For more on our take on Travel tours and packages as well as your other travel options like small group travel when traveling to Europe or any of our other show notes, click here!

In this episode, we can answer:

• What are the best travel tips when traveling to Europe?

• What should I know when I travel to Europe?

• What are the best tour options to visit in Europe?

• What should I know when I am traveling to Europe?

• What are the biggest mistakes travel companies make in Europe?

Now follow us on ALL the social media!

Facebook   @babciaandyiayia

Twitter   @babciaandyiayia

Instagram   @babciaandyiayia

TikTok   @babciaandyiayia  (We LOVE your questions too!)

Pinterest

Have ideas or questions about what you'd like us to cover? Please e-mail us your questions or ideas at babciaandyiayia@gmail.com

Visit our blog and website by clicking here!

We were last in Europe in the Summer of 2023!

Dear Babcia and YiaYia-

I’ve been researching trips to Italy and Ireland. I don’t want to plan an entire trip DIY style but I don’t want to follow a package deal on a crowded bus either. So far, I haven’t found something that takes into account everything that I’m hoping to do. With so many travel and tour companies to choose from, how do I know that I’m investing my time and money correctly? I don’t want to be disappointed in the end and I don’t want to waste my time. Can you give me some advice?

Lets breakdown all the different tour packages that you can use to experience 

The first rule of travel is that you will always pay for your time. Without a slower travel pace and a flexible calendar you are not going to see a huge savings. This is especially true

1. All inclusive stays and tours including cruises

Add on to one of those?

The second rule of travel is that something will go wrong

1. Tour packages that include group based activities that may include air, etc.

Often from a church or a community group (bus tours of ___) 

 The third rule of travel is that you’ll NEVER, EVER get to everything on your bucket list

1. Boutique travel experiences that create bespoke itineraries for specific goals These kind of experiences include a consultation, and a lot of preplanning, we like to include a lot of pre and post trip communication and will even add in workshops for things like packing or passports Customized itineraries like bamboo travel reach out for more detailed travel

Not the “best of”

The fourth rule of travel is that DIY isn’t always the best option (Christmas cookie ingredient analogy)

1. DIYers (the Disney effect)

It’s Us! Babcia and YiaYia! We are here to give you every hot tip, great travel hack, hidden gem, and experience based itinerary you are looking for. We’ve traveled all over Europe and we want to share our experience and expertise with you!

Thanks for joining us today! As always, we hope that our travel nonsense translates into your travel success! For more on traveling to Venice as well as your other travel options like small group travel when traveling to Europe or any of our other show notes, click here!

In this episode, we can answer:

• What are the best hacks and tips when traveling to Venice?

• How do I plan really well when I travel to Venice?

• What are the best tips when traveling to Venice?

• How do I make everybody happy when I'm in Venice?

• What are the best secrets for traveling to Venice?

Now follow us on ALL the social media!

Facebook   @babciaandyiayia

Twitter   @babciaandyiayia

Instagram   @babciaandyiayia

TikTok   @babciaandyiayia  (We LOVE your questions too!)

Pinterest

Have ideas or questions about what you'd like us to cover? Please e-mail us your questions or ideas at babciaandyiayia@gmail.com

Visit our blog and website by clicking here!

We were last in Europe in the Summer of 2023!

It’s Us! Babcia and YiaYia! We are here to give you every hot tip, great travel hack, hidden gem, and experience based itinerary you are looking for. We’ve traveled all over Europe and we want to share our experience and expertise with you!

Thanks for joining us today! As always, we hope that our travel nonsense translates into your travel success! For more on our take on Travel mistakes when traveling to Europe or any of our other show notes, click here!

In this episode, we can answer:

• What are the best travel tips when traveling to Europe?

• What should I know when I to travel to Europe?

• What are the best places to visit in Europe?

• What should I know when I am traveling to Europe?

• What are the biggest mistakes travelers make in Europe?

Now follow us on ALL the social media!

Facebook   @babciaandyiayia

Twitter   @babciaandyiayia

Instagram   @babciaandyiayia

TikTok   @babciaandyiayia  (We LOVE your questions too!)

Pinterest

Have ideas or questions about what you'd like us to cover? Please e-mail us your questions or ideas at babciaandyiayia@gmail.com

Visit our blog and website by clicking here!

We were last in Europe in the Summer of 2023!

Not editing your trip well.

Not taking the time to Journal

Not pre booking the big draws

Not leaving the good stuff at home

Being the target

Additionally, things like statement tees (especially offensive ones) are frowned upon. This isn't a judgement thing, it's simply a safety thing. Take this statement "we love when Americans visit! They spend so much money!" Remember those pick pockets.

Lastly, the number one cause of death for tourists is car accident. Predictable. The number two? Accidental falls and drownings. In other words... death by selfie.

Not paying attention to the calendarNot Shopping around.Thinking that cheaper is always betterRenting a car for the whole time Not Booking as directly as possible. Breakfast plans, anyone? Not thinking through your breakfast optionsNot putting in the Research time.Not  Finding a playground.Not  Booking some downtime.

It’s Us! Babcia and YiaYia! We are here to give you every hot tip, great travel hack, hidden gem, and experience based itinerary you are looking for. We’ve traveled all over Europe and we want to share our experience and expertise with you!

Thanks for joining us today! As always, we hope that our travel nonsense translates into your travel success! For more on our take on Travel and travel books like passports and TSA pre-check or any of our other show notes, click here!

In this episode, we can answer:

• What are the best travel books of 2024?

• What should I buy for my friends who like to travel to Europe?

• What is the best gift for the traveler in my life?

• What should I read when I am traveling to Europe?

• What books have europe as the setting?

Now follow us on ALL the social media!

Facebook   @babciaandyiayia

Twitter   @babciaandyiayia

Instagram   @babciaandyiayia

TikTok   @babciaandyiayia  (We LOVE your questions too!)

Pinterest

Have ideas or questions about what you'd like us to cover? Please e-mail us your questions or ideas at babciaandyiayia@gmail.com

Visit our blog and website by clicking here!

We were last in Europe in the Summer of 2023!

Mystery Maniac

The Venice Sketchbook by Rhys Bowen

Murder in Tuscany by TA Williams (book 3 in the series is the newest story about Dan, a retired English detective who helps the local authorities. Helping him along the way is his loyal dog Oscar.

Historical Fiction Junkies

The Paris Library by Janet Charles

The Paris Apartment by Kelly Bowen

The Paris Dressmaker by Christy Camberon

Poland by James Michener

Non Fiction Lovers

A Pope and A President by Paul Kengor

The Turning Tide: a biography of the Irish Sea by Jon Gower

For Foodies

Ireland’s Green Larder:  The Definitive History of Irish Food and Drink by Margaret Hickey

Searching for Italy by Stanley Tucci

1,000 foods to eat before you die: food lover’s life list by Mimi Sheraton

The Unknowns: The Untold Story of America’s Unknown Soldier and WWI’s Most Decorated Heroes Who Brought Him Home by Patrick O’Donnell

Warsaw 1944: Hitler, Himmler and the Crushing of a City by Alexandra Richie

Romantic Reads

The Christmas Castle in Scotland and The Cozy Cottage in Ireland by Julie Caplin

A Postcard from Italy by Alex Brown

Love and Gelato by Jenna Evans Welch

Logistics Lover

Paris In Stride Jessie Kanalos Weiner

Les Frenchies

Walking Amsterdam by NatGeo

Building the Cycling City: The Dutch Blueprint for Urban Vitality By Melissa Bruntlett