Internet on the go, saving money

Every trip starts with a plan. Flights, accommodation, tourist passes: we carefully put every piece together to create the ideal experience.
But there is one detail that, in 2026, can sabotage even the best-laid plans: being without internet. A minor annoyance that can become a major problem.

Think about it. Being online while traveling is no longer a luxury, but a necessity. We need it for:

• 🧭 Using Google Maps or Waze to orient ourselves in an unfamiliar city.
• 🎟️ Access tickets and reservations saved on our email or wallet.
• 🚕 Booking an Uber or cab on the fly.
• 🍽️ Check reviews of a restaurant before entering.
• 📸 Share a photo or story on Instagram, use Whatsapp, read emails, and stay in touch with friends and family.

But what is the best solution? Relying on our provider's roaming? Searching for public WiFi? Or using a new technology called eSIM?
In this comprehensive guide, as always, I will explain everything in detail.
We will analyze each option, with its pros and cons, to help you choose the perfect solution for your next trip.
Our mission is to help you travel better, saving time, money, and... data!

👉 Spoiler: on most trips, the optimal solution is to purchase a Holafly data e-Sim

Don't have time to read? Learn about Holafly's eSIM data solution now

The problem: connecting abroad, a puzzle for everyone

The reality is this: when traveling outside your country of residence, the affordable rates from your phone operator are often no longer valid or the conditions change.
This applies to both calls and, crucially, to your data connection.
Consequently, anyone traveling faces a challenge: securing a reliable internet connection for all those essential apps without incurring unforeseen and substantial costs.

The rules of the game depend on two factors: your country of origin and your destination.
Our site appeals to a wide audience because of the languages in which content is offered:

• Primarily to European travelers, moving both within EU borders (where certain rules apply) and to the rest of the world.
• But also to tourists from every continent (thanks to our content in English and Portuguese), who deal the same issue when visiting Europe or any other part of the globe.

In this guide we will go through all the scenarios to give you a clear and simple solution.

The starting point: the famous European roaming ("Roam Like at Home")

Let's tackle your most likely case right away: you are a European citizen and are about to travel within Europe.
If you are a European citizen and traveling within a country in the European Economic Area (EEA), which includes all EU countries plus Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway, you most likely already have the perfect solution in your pocket.

Thanks to the landmark "Roam Like at Home" agreement , you can use the minutes, SMS and data of your domestic plan at no extra charge.
Simply put, traveling from Rome to Paris, from Madrid to Stockholm, will allow you to use your smartphone exactly as if you were at home. It is convenient, transparent and, in the vast majority of cases, all you need for your EU travels.

Expert Tip (to avoid surprises):
Before you leave, take two minutes to check your provider's app or website. Look for the "Roaming" or "My Offer Abroad" section and check exactly how many Giga you have available in Europe. Sometimes, especially on plans with lots of data, there may be a cap ("fair use policy"), which is almost always very generous anyway and more than enough for a vacation.

When is roaming not enough? The 4 limits you need to know

European roaming is an outstanding achievement in my opinion for European users, but it is not an everywhere, forever solution. There are very common situations where blindly relying on your operator can prove to be a costly mistake or an unexpected source of stress. It is essential to know about them in order to truly travel prepared.

1. "Trap" Destinations in Europe: Switzerland and the United Kingdom.

This is the most frequent and insidious case because it involves nearby and very popular destinations. Although geographically in the heart of Europe, some countries are NOT part of the "Roam Like at Home" agreement.

• 🇨🇭 Switzerland: A classic destination for those visiting northern Italy (a trip to Lugano from Milan is a classic), the Black Forest in Germany or Alsace in France. Activating data roaming here, even for just a few minutes, can incur exorbitant costs. We are talking about several euros per Megabyte consumed.
• 🇬🇧 United Kingdom: After Brexit, the scenario has become uncertain and fragmented. Many European phone companies have reintroduced roaming charges. The situation changes from operator to operator, creating uncertainty that can easily be solved at the root with an alternative solution. If you are visiting London or touring Scotland with a stop in Dublin, never assume that your plan will work the same as in the EU.
• 🇦🇩 Other Microstates: Also look out for countries such as Andorra or Munich, where rules may vary depending on your specific operator.

2. Travel outside the European Union

Here the argument is stark and leaves no room for interpretation. As soon as your plane lands in New York, Dubai, Tokyo, Thailand or any other non-EU destination, your provider's data roaming becomes prohibitively expensive. Leaving it on by mistake, even if only to receive WhatsApp notifications, is the quickest way to receive a hefty bill on your return. This is not an exaggeration: costs can exceed €20-30 per 100 megabytes of traffic.

This is the same situation a non-European traveler finds themselves in (e.g., American, Canadian) even when visiting Europe: international roaming costs are prohibitive.

3. The “Fair Use” policy and running out of data

As mentioned, operators enforce a "fair use policy" to prevent abuse, such as permanent use of a foreign SIM in a country.
Keep in mind that the share of data available for roaming is almost always less than the total provided by your domestic offer.
This limit hardly affects a one- or two-week vacation, but it can become a problem for:

• Long-term travelers: If you are away for more than a month.
• Erasmus students or expatriate workers: Who reside abroad for several months.
• Digital nomads and heavy users: If you use a lot of data for work or passion (high quality video streaming, heavy file uploads, long video calls).

In these cases, a local data solution or a data eSIM can offer more freedom and many gigs available.

4. Traditional alternatives and their limitations

Okay, no roaming. So what? The "old-fashioned" solution was to look for a local phone store.
But this entails a number of annoyances: wasting valuable vacation time, facing language barriers to understand rates, paying in local currency, and, most importantly, having to handle the tiny physical SIM card, risking losing your own.

The other approaches currently available are the use of public wi-fi and any packages provided by your telephone provider. Let's analyze both.

Use public or hotel wi-fi

Option always possible, but not able to give continuity to your connection.
You can take advantage of it at the hotel in the evening before you return and in the morning before you leave, but during the day you are uncovered.

There are public wifi, at cafes, museums, attractions or stations: but they force you to continually register, as well as having to linger longer in various situations to do all the Internet tasks you have queued up in the meantime. Certainly not a strategic choice for travel and itinerary.

In addition, connecting to public wi-fi networks inherently exposes you to security issues, which you should avoid except in cases of extreme necessity.

Use the data plans for foreign countries provided by your telephone operator

A good solution to consider, when available.
Currently, every provider offers connectivity packages in major tourist destinations.
However, these often come with very high costs and limited variety in available data allowances and service options.

Check what your operator offers: if you have a good solution, adopt it.
But very often you will be faced with plans that are quite expensive (compared to Holafly's data E-Sims that I will present in a moment), and perhaps with too little or too much GB quota for your needs.

The modern, global solution: data eSIMs

Enter the technology that is changing the way people connect on the go: the eSIM (embedded SIM).
Don't let the name scare you off; the concept is dead simple.

An eSIM is nothing more than a digital SIM card. Instead of a plastic card, it is a small chip already soldered inside your smartphone (all mid- to high-end models produced from 2019 onward have one). This chip allows you to download and install a phone provider "profile," like an app. You can have multiple eSIM profiles saved and choose which one to use based on the country you are in.

The benefits are concrete and make a huge difference for travelers:

• ✅ No Physical SIM: Your main SIM remains in place, safe, and you add everything digitally
• 🏠 Activation from Home: Buy the plan online before you leave and activate it in 2 minutes by scanning a QR Code. Maximum convenience.
• 🛬 Instant Connection on Arrival: You land, activate your eSIM from your phone's settings, and you're immediately online. No more hunting for airport WiFi.
• 💬 Keep Your WhatsApp Number: The most loved benefit! Because you do not remove your primary SIM, your WhatsApp number, with all chats and contacts, remains exactly the same.
• 🌍 Global Flexibility: Your phone may contain multiple eSIMs (Apple's iPhone, for example, supports up to 8 at once). You can have one eSIM for the US, one for Japan, and one for Switzerland, and activate them only when needed. Great for those who make recurring trips.

Our recommended choice: Holafly

The market for eSIMs is growing, and includes several vendors doing the same service.
But after field-testing several solutions, the one we feel like recommending for completeness, reliability and ease of use is Holafly.

Holafly offers eSIMs for more than 190 destinations, with a focus on unlimited data and simplicity.

Holafly is not just an eSIM vendor, but a service designed specifically for travelers.
A simple purchase and installation process, explained and guided step by step, really intuitive and suitable for everyone.

Why Holafly? Key benefits

• Unlimited Data for Maximum Peace of Mind: This is their biggest selling point. In most popular destinations (USA, Mexico, Japan, Turkey and all of Europe) Holafly offers plans with unlimited data. It means you can use maps, social media, streaming and video calls without ever, ever having anxiety about running out of data. It's priceless freedom on the go.
• Simple, Step-by-Step Setup: You can’t go wrong. Buy the plan, receive an email with a QR code and clear instructions—often accompanied by video tutorials. Get everything set up before you leave, so you won’t have any stress when you arrive.
• Extended and Reliable Coverage: With coverage in over 190 countries, they have you covered almost anywhere you want to go. They rely on the best local operators to ensure a stable and fast connection.
• 24/7 customer support in your language: If you have a question at 3 a.m. in Tokyo, you’re not alone. You can contact their support team via chat directly from the website or via WhatsApp, and they’ll respond in your language. This added peace of mind—believe me—can make all the difference.

How holafly works in 3 simple steps

1. Choose and Purchase (from home): Go to the Holafly website, choose your destination (e.g., "USA") and the length of your trip (e.g., "10 days"). Complete the purchase.
2. Scan the QR Code (always from home): You will immediately receive an email with a QR Code. Open your phone's settings, go to "Mobile Data" > "Add eSIM" and scan the code with your camera. The plan will install in seconds. (Important: Don't activate it yet!)
3. Land and Activate (at destination): Once you land, turn off roaming on your main SIM. Then, go back into settings, select the newly installed Holafly eSIM and activate it as your primary data source. You'll be online instantly!

🎁 Super Advantage for Passturistici.com readers! 🎁
Use our exclusive discount code:
NYFACILE
at the time of payment to get an instant 5% discount on your purchase! It's a small gift to make your trip even smarter.

Click here to visit Holafly's website and automatically activate the discount

How much does the Holafly data eSIM cost?

We come to one of the most important questions: what is the cost of this service?
The answer is: there is no single price, but a variable cost that makes Holafly very flexible.

The price of a Holafly eSIM depends mainly on two factors:

• 🌍 The Destination: A plan for a single country will have a different cost than a regional plan covering, for example, all of Europe or all of Asia.
• ⏳ The Duration: This is the main factor. You can purchase plans ranging from 5 days up to 90 days. Obviously, a short duration plan will cost less than a longer one.

To give you a concrete idea, prices for the most popular destinations generally start at around €19 for short plans (5 days) and go up to larger figures for long plans (3 months). Most plans for a standard 10-15 day vacation, with the huge advantage of unlimited data, cost comparable to dinner out or a ticket to a tourist attraction.

The best way to evaluate the cost is to view it not as an expense, but as an investment in peace of mind for your trip. With a fixed expense known in advance, you completely eliminate the risk of returning home with hundreds of Euros in roaming fees to pay.

Check the Updated Prices on the Holafly Site

* click on this link, enter your destination, and you will immediately find a clear summary of available plans with their updated prices

Holafly in practice: which plan to choose?

With Holafly you can travel to virtually any tourist destination(over 190 countries in the catalog) and choose the plan with the duration that best fits your trip, almost always with the peace of mind of unlimited data.

Let's see how to apply this to your specific trip with practical examples.

✈️ CASE 1: Imagine going on vacation to New York for 10 days.
The choice is simple and almost inevitable: Holafly is the best solution. You'll avoid crazy roaming charges (even €50-60 for 1GB!) and you'll be connected with unlimited data from the moment the plane touches down. You can search for the subway, book an Uber, and video call home from Times Square hassle-free, uploading lots of impressive photos and videos to your social media profiles.
➡️ Your choice: Holafly eSIM for New York City

🏔️ CASE 2: Imagine visiting Dubai, concentrating your trip in the emirate.
Again, the best choice is to do an E-Sim Holafly for Dubai alone, for the period you need it. Minimal cost, maximum yield.
➡️ Your choice: eSIM Holafly for Dubai

🇪🇺 CASE 3: Imagine you are going on a 3-week European tour: Italy, France, and Spain.
Are you European and does your data plan have fair use limits that you fear you will exceed with such a long trip? Or are you a non-European tourist (American, Canadian, Brazilian...)? Holafly's Europe eSIM is perfect. One eSIM covers you in all EU countries (and often Switzerland and the UK, check the site) with unlimited data. Zero stress in going from one border to another.
➡️ Your choice: Holafly eSIM for Europe.

Conclusion: travel connected, travel smart

Traveling informed is the first, critical step to a successful adventure.
Now you know all the tools at your disposal to manage your Internet connection around the world, stress-free and without spending a fortune.

Remember the golden rule:

• For your travels in the European Economic Area, as a European user, your free roaming will almost always be your best and most loyal travel companion.
• For all other situations-whether you are an out-of-town European or a non-EU traveler visiting Europe or the rest of the globe-an eSIM like Holafly is your guarantee of a peaceful, connected trip without surprises.

Are you ready to travel without the anxiety of connection anymore?