While your instinct may be to pack a bunch of sweaters, coats, and shoes to see you through rainy days and chilly weather, you have to remember that you’ll need to carry what you pack wherever your vacation experiences in Italy take you. Plus most airlines are charging for baggage checked or extra bags so packing light is better on your muscles and your travel budget.
The challenge is of course to pack enough to be comfortable and warm into a small suitcase and one carry-on bag. Does that feel like mission impossible? It’s not. Our travel packing tips will ensure you have the basics you need for a package tour like Avventure Bellissime’s 12-Day Magic of Italy Package or any of our custom Italy vacation packages:
Start with the right suitcase or backpack. The ideal travel suitcase or backpack should be compact, lightweight, and durable. If you don’t want to have to check your suitcase, the dimensions must meet airline guidelines (you’re usually safe with 9" × 21" × 14").
If you get to Italy and discover that your backpack (or any of your gear for that matter) just isn`t working, there are as many travel + outdoor adventure supply stores in Italy as there are anywhere else. Here`s a great Yelp.com list of some of the best outdoor gear stores in Rome. Here`s another post from The Savvy Backpacker reviewing the Best Daypacks for Europe Travel. Check it out!
Set out what you think you’ll need on your bed. Don’t start stuffing things into that case! Take the time to choose items you think you’ll need and then evaluate what you have selected. Look at everything and assess whether you’re covered for walking tours in Italy, dinner out to enjoy Italy’s diverse regional cuisine, changing weather, and more modest dress for visiting churches or taking tours of the Vatican. The best travelers pack things that mix and match - items that can be dressed up or down to suit the occasion. Consider this great packing list by the @TravelFashionGirl for backpacking Europe in winter.
Practical footwear for cooler weather. You will want to choose sturdy walking shoes or warm leather boots (with flat heels!) to navigate the cobblestone streets and walkways in Italy. Pick up the shoes you’re thinking of bringing and think, could I wear these without weeping for a walking tour of Ancient Rome and all its secrets? Think whether your boots or shoes would keep your feet dry if it did start to drizzle during the Venice in one day tour or warm while you explore the spectacular Dolomite Mountains? If you can also wear those shoes or boots with dressier slacks or a skirt with leggings or tights, that’s a bonus!
This Travel+Leisure post, 19 Comfy, Travel-Friendly Shoes Made for Walkin`, includes lots of great style ideas:
Plan for efficiency. You don’t need a different outfit for every day and you can plan to wash out your underwear and cotton t-shirts in your hotel at night. Nobody is going to judge you for wearing the same tops or bottoms successive days - and they likely won’t even notice if the clothes are clean! Black or brown are great color choices for mixing and matching with bright coordinates during the cooler months.
Pack what you have selected and test the weight. Remember that you can plan to wear bulkier items and a serviceable all-weather jacket on the plane, which gives you more room in your small luggage bag. Your bag should not be difficult to close and you should be able to carry it easily on your own for several blocks. Try it out and if it’s too heavy, be ruthless! If you really decide you need another top, scarf, or sweater remember that there are plenty of opportunities to shop for fashions in Italy! Ladies, if you tie a nice silk or wool scarf around the handle of your purse or carry-on bag it will give you an extra warm accessory and deter pickpockets from trying to unzip your bag.
Packing light for your Italy Tours and Italy Vacation Packages will get you on and off the plane and in out of hotels more quickly and let you walk around the cities and towns without Herculean effort. That’s not all! You won’t be calling attention to yourself as a tourist, which can make you the target of con artists and thieves.
Think how ready you’ll be to warm up with a real Italian coffee this autumn or winter in Italy: Visit Avventure Bellissime online now to build your fall and winter Italy vacation packages.
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