the getAwayZ Podcast
Real travel stories and practical guides for exploring Europe the way people actually travel.
Welcome to the getAwayZ. We’re Erin and Lisa, friends and roommates who moved from the U.S. to Europe in 2017. Since then, we’ve spent years traveling across the continent, mostly by car, figuring out what’s worth your time and what isn’t.
Sometimes that travel includes Erin’s teenage son and Lisa’s dog, Rex. Sometimes it doesn’t. Either way, we talk honestly about where to stay, what to skip, what to eat and drink, when to go and what you need to plan ahead for.
Whether you’re planning a trip to Europe or thinking about living abroad, the getAwayZ shares realistic, practical advice based on real experience.
Episodes
67 episodes
Summer Rewind: Sardinia
SUMMER REWIND: This week we are bringing back our Sardinia episode. We have been three times and each trip taught us something different about the island. We talk about the beaches (some of the best in Europe, honestly), how to get around, wher...
Summer Rewind: Sicily: Best Towns, Beaches & Food
SUMMER REWIND: We are replaying some of our favorite summer episodes while we are on the road. This week it is Sicily. We cover the best towns for a summer trip, the beaches worth finding, the street food that will ruin you for any other Italia...
Cologne, Germany: What to See, Eat and Drink (And Why It's Worth More Than a Day)
We have been to Cologne twice now and somehow the cathedral still surprises us every time. In this episode we cover everything you need to know about one of Germany's most underrated cities: the Kölner Dom and the remarkable story of how it sur...
Matera, Italy: Cave Hotels, Killer Pasta and 9,000 Years of History
In this episode, we go to one of the oldest continuously inhabited places on earth and one of our favorite spots in all of Italy. Matera is built into limestone caves that people have lived in for at least 9,000 years, it's been called the seco...
Turin, Italy: The Most Underrated City in Italy and Why We Still Call It Home
In this episode, we go back to the city we called home for over five years, Turin. We make the case for why we think it's the most underrated city in Italy and walk you through everything from the French inspired piazzas to the second largest c...
Tuscany Travel Guide Part 2: Pisa, Lucca and Tuscany's Best Beaches and Hot Springs
In this episode, we continue our two-part Tuscany series by heading beyond the famous hill towns. We talk about Lucca, Pistoia, Pisa, Viareggio, Greve in Chianti and Pienza, along with the beaches, festivals and food that made us keep going bac...
Tuscany Travel Guide Part 1: Siena, Montepulciano and Tuscany’s Best Hill Towns
In this episode, we start our two-part Tuscany series by exploring some of the region’s most unforgettable hill towns and wine villages. We talk about Cortona, Montepulciano, Montalcino, San Gimignano, Volterra and Siena, along with the festiva...
Paris in 3 Days: What to Do, Where to Go and How to Plan Your First Trip
Paris is one of those cities everyone has an opinion about, which is exactly why we put off recording this episode for so long.In this episode, we’re breaking down how we would plan a first trip to Paris if you have three or four days. T...
Where to Stay in Europe: Hotels vs Airbnbs, Best Areas and What Actually Works
Trying to figure out where to stay in Europe and going back and forth between a hotel and an Airbnb? Same. We do this every single trip.In this episode we talk through how we actually decide. Not the perfect version, the real version. Wh...
Elba Island Italy: The Tuscan Beach Escape Tourists Miss
After a week in Puglia and another on the Amalfi Coast, we headed to Elba Island and it ended up being one of the most unexpected highlights of the trip.In this episode, we’re sharing what it’s really like to visit Elba, from beach hoppi...
Croatia's National Parks: Krka vs Plitvice Lakes (Which One Is Right for You?)
If you're planning a trip to Croatia and wondering whether to visit Krka National Park or Plitvice Lakes National Park, this episode is for you. We've been to both and they are not the same experience at all.Krka is an hour from Split, m...
Lavender Season in Provence: What You Need to Know
If you've ever seen a photo of Provence in June and thought you needed to go there immediately, same. This week we're talking all things Provence during lavender season, which is hands-down one of the most beautiful places either of us has ever...
Dubrovnik Travel Guide for Beaches Walls and Islands
Dubrovnik is stunning, but it’s not the effortless postcard people imagine. We’re fresh off a rough stretch of sickness and finally back behind the mic to unpack what Dubrovnik, Croatia actually feels like on the ground: steep cliffside neighbo...
Driving in Europe: What to Know Before Renting a Car
Planning to rent a car during your trip to Europe? Driving can be one of the best ways to explore the continent, especially if you want to visit smaller towns, scenic coastal roads, and countryside regions that are harder to reach by train....
Luxembourg City Travel Guide: Casemates, Castles and Europe's Most Underrated Capital
We've been to Luxembourg City four times and it started as a total accident. In this episode, we explore the UNESCO-listed upper and lower city, walk the underground Casemates built in the 1600s, stop at the famous Chocolate House right across ...
Normandy Travel Guide: D-Day Beaches, Omaha, Utah, Pointe du Hoc & Mont Saint-Michel
This is Part 2 of our two-part series. After covering Giverny, Honfleur, Étretat and Rouen in Part 1, we head to the D-Day landing sites. The beaches, the history, and the places that make this region unlike anywhere else in France.In th...
Zermatt, Switzerland: Glacier Paradise, Winter Storms and Life in a Car-Free Alpine Village
We have been to Zermatt twice and both trips were completely different.The first time we drove through a blizzard after a delayed flight into Milan, arrived at 3am, and learned quickly that cars are not allowed in Zermatt. The Matterhorn...
Why We Love Milan
Milan is a city we’ve spent real time in. Living nearby meant it was never just a stop on a trip and that changes how you experience it.In this episode, we talk about what it’s like spending time in Milan. The neighborhoods we kept going...
European Trivia Showdown: Food Edition
Erin hosts a fast paced European food trivia showdown with Lisa, Dylan and Meghan, and it got competitive fast. From iconic dishes to regional specialties and a few trick questions, this episode puts European food knowledge to the test.W...
Annecy, Aix-les-Bains & Grenoble Travel Guide | Rhône-Alps Part 2
In Part 2 of our Rhône-Alps series, we continue beyond Chamonix and talk about spending time in Annecy, Aix-les-Bains, Chambéry and Grenoble.We talk about what Annecy feels like once you’re there, how crowded it can get depending on timi...
Trailer | the getAwayZ Podcast
The Getawayz is a travel podcast about exploring Europe the way people actually do.We moved from Los Angeles to Europe in 2017 and have spent years traveling by car, often with a teenager and a dog. We talk honestly about where to stay, ...
Chamonix Travel Guide | Rhône-Alpes Part 1
In Part 1 of our Rhône-Alpes series, we’re starting in Chamonix, one of the most iconic mountain towns in the French Alps.We talk about what Chamonix is really like beyond the photos, how the town feels when you’re walking through...
New Year’s in Gothenburg
Spending New Year’s in Sweden, in the middle of winter.We spent New Year’s in Gothenburg with fireworks everywhere, busy streets and just enough going on without overplanning the days. Winter was fully in place and the city felt a...
New Year’s Traditions in Europe: Superstitions, Food and Traditions
Europe celebrates New Year’s in ways that are fun, strange, symbolic and older than most people realize. In this episode, we break down the traditions and superstitions that show up across countries like Spain, Italy, Austria, Germany, Denmark,...
Americans Living in Europe: Expectations vs Reality
In this episode, we talk about the expectations we all had before living in Europe and how those ideas compare to real life once you arrive. We cover safety, taxes, food and the small cultural shifts that stand out the most. Some things feel ea...