Travel to Rome, Italy - Packing Tips

Please see our listing, "Travel to Rome, Italy - Needed Documents" for important packing tips.

Mastercard and VISA are the most widely used in Europe. You'll get better rates at the ATM for debit cards than credit cards, especially if they have the Maestro or Cirrus logos on the back.

Choose from money belt, security wallet, or security pouch worn around your neck; all are worn under your clothing.

In case your passport is lost and you have to get a new one during travel.

Never place anything into your checked luggage that you cannot afford to do without, especially documents, money, valuables and medications.

When traveling with a companion or significant other, each person should cross pack a complete set of lightweight clothes into the other's luggage. Then, if one suitcase is lost, that individual has at least one extra outfit to wear.

Always purchase a couple cheap watches for each person who wears one. Expensive watches can be targets for thieves who prey on tourists engrossed in the sites versus what's going on around them. Most thieves will pass up cheap watches; and if they don't, you haven't lost much.

Like wristwatches, take cheap jewelry with you - leave the expensive stuff at home. Since it's a vacation, take fun jewelry that you don’t care if you lose it. Even if you have a cheap ring but you really like it, leave it home and wear something else. Visitors who fit in with the locals tend to have less problems with thieves.

Take lightweight material clothing to take up less space and weight. Don't take outfits; instead, take clothes that all mix and match, giving you many outfits with fewer pieces of clothing. For example: a couple shirts, a couple t-shirts, one skirt, one pair of pants, one pair of jeans, one heavier sweater (wear the jeans and sweater on the plane to save luggage weight), and one pair of shorts.

Accessories - Use accessories to create different looks for your wardrobe - jewelry, scarves, belts, etc.

Unless your cruise ship has rules against it, a pair of shorts can double as a man's swimming trunks.

Don't wear black pants in the summer or white pants in the winter. Black attractions the rays of the sun and white repels. Cotton allows your skin to breath during hot weather, while wool keeps in the warmth in the winter.

If you know you won't wear something more than two or three times, leave it home.

Unless you plan to do some "fancy" activities, such as upscale restaurant, formal party, etc., try to take only one pair of comfortable, already broken in walking shoes and flip-flops for wearing in the shower to avoid foot diseases left by previous occupants. Always wear socks (not hosiery) with the walking shoes to help keep blister at bay. If you must take something more dressy, then take only one pair, even if you'll be attending more than one to-do. Just use a shoe that is generic and let your clothing take the attention. This rule is for both men and women.

You can avoid taking formal wear, even a blazer or cocktail dress (which is all that is required on formal dining nights). Rather than participating in the formal dining, eat in the Lido restaurant or use room service on those nights. Ask your travel agent for exact accommodations provided by the cruise line you're booked on.

If you are concerned about paying extra luggage weight fees but just cannot leave certain things home, consider taking only one or two of some clothing, such as underwear, socks, bras. Then, take the clothesline setup noted under Miscellaneous and wash these items as soon as you know you won't be leaving your room or cabin for the night. If you wring out as much water as possible, they should be dry the next morning. If you plan to do this, know that cotton takes longer to dry than silks and synthetic materials.

Local customs dictate that you wear modest clothing that respectfully covers your body completely from shoulders to knees when visiting religious monuments. This goes for men and women. No sheer or see-through clothing, even on the shoulders. No shorts at all. I suggest men wear lightweight pants and women where knee-length skirts (it's said that mid-calf, full skirts are cooler than pants anyway) to ensure you are not turned away from a site you paid to see.

These can be a mainstay of any travel wardrobe, regardless of age. Just remember that you don't have to take them with you. Buy them as souvenirs for home but wear them while on vacation, too.

It's said that you can hang a wrinkled article of clothing in the bathroom while you shower to steam out the wrinkles. Sometimes this works, sometimes it doesn't. My advice is to take only wrinkle-free materials.

If you plan to take jackets, turn them inside out before folding and packing to reduce wrinkles.

During travel by placing tissue paper between folded layers and clothing items.

Stuff small items, such as socks, belts and scarves, into shoes to save room in your luggage when packing.

Plan to take only one pair of jeans and bulky sweater with you, and wear it on the plane. It usually gets chilly aboard planes anyway, and this will save space in your luggage.

Ask your travel agents if there is any specific clothing you will need for your specific trip.

If you plan to pack only a couple pieces of underwear and purchase them as needed abroad, these can generally be purchased very cheaply. If you have a specific brand and western (not European) style preference, however, take what you will need with you.

If on a cruise ship, many ships have self-serve laundry and ironing facilities for your use. Though I prefer to use the laundry and dry cleaning serves from the ship or hotel, rather than waste my vacation time doing household chores. Washing out a few pieces before you retire for the night is one thing, doing laundry and ironing is another.

Leave any shoes with metal clips on them, including on the sole, at home. They will set off security gateways, which you will encounter not only during travel but also at many sites in Rome.

Take lightweight mittens if you are planning a trip to the surrounding areas of Rome, especially if you are going into mountainous areas. It's funny that you see snow on a mountain in the month of July and forget it's not going to be warm, even when the weather is. If you're around the snow for any length of time, you will be just as cold as in the winter.

These one-piece outfits are going to be the easiest to use for your baby during travel in warmer weather. Take a warm cover-up for the plane and other chilly areas. They also can be washed easily. In colder weather, use a warm terry jumpsuit and snowsuit. These items are always better than the "cute" little garments, and more comfortable for the baby, too.

For all younger children down to babies, choose colorful clothing that won't show the dirt.

Children will appreciate long sleeves when outdoors to protect their sensitive skin from the sun – also lots of sun block spf 30.

I have seen that taking soft, foldable hats and t-shirts with catchy sayings on them can start conversations with locals and other travelers. Nice way to meet people.

Rather than take eyeglasses, extra pair, contacts and extra pair, cleaning solutions and containers, prescription or non-prescription sunglasses and an extra pair, just enjoy yourself with one pair of eyeglasses and a pair of clip-on sunglasses. Do take an extra pair of clip-ons and a copy of your prescription for the eyeglasses. This will all take much less packing space.

This tip is one I haven't tried. It's a homeopathic product that is suppose to overcome jet lag. Tourist to Rome who came be cruise ship wouldn't have jet lag; however, if you fly directly to Rome from across the globe, jet lag could hit you really hard - and this product might work. It would be worth having some with you. WARNING: Like any other drug, know the ingredients and ensure there's nothing in the product that could interact with other medications - prescription and over the counter - or cause you harm. I'm not recommending it, but only mentioning that it exists at the URL above.

If your ankles and lower extremities have a tendency to swell during air travel, wear compression socks as a preventative measure.

Small waterproof toiletries bag for each person - pack anything liquid or that could damage your clothing in ziplock baggies and then in the toiletries bag in your checked luggage; even if security personnel don't recap something correctly, the mess should remain in this bag versus on your clothes.

Use very sparingly during travel or not at all. You will be in close quarters with other people, especially in the airport and on the plane, who may be allergic to the scent.

Rather than take all of your cosmetics and hair care paraphernalia, go much more natural (which means less time to get ready each day and keep it up while touring) and leave most of those items at home. Try the look a couple time on weekends at home before leaving, so it's not such a drastic change.

Don't forget a wash cloth for each person - many European hotels do not provide these, and you can wash them out after each use.

Take a small cord to use as clothesline for washing out items at night, universal sink stopper, a small ziplock bag of clothes soap (or small bottle of Woolite), and Shout Wipes for stain removal.

Purchase as much toiletries as possible when you arrive at your destination (small or travel sizes only) and toss them before leaving for home. What you must take, purchase travel sizes only that haven't been opened. Hopefully, this will make it easier to get through security. If you place liquids, gels or powders into travel containers, which I would advise against, ensure you label each container with its contents.

Ladies, tampons are more compact to pack than napkins, which can be purchased in Rome. Just DO NOT try flushing any menstrual materials down the toilets in Europe or aboard ship.

Depending upon how long you plan to be on individual tours and how you will get there (walking, tour or limo tour services, etc.), use a fanny pack or small ultra-light daypack (looks like a backpack) to carry everything you will need to keep you comfortable during tours - something for blisters, camera, bottle water, etc. Personally, I have always found fanny packs to be sufficient for day tours. Never keep money or anything you cannot live without in a fanny pack or a daypack.

Even well worn shoes can cause blisters, even if you are not doing that much walking.

With hood that folds up to nothing and small plastic bag to put it in when wet for each person.

Include a knit hat if traveling during cold weather. Nice to have with the sun beating down all day.

You may believe you can share, but each person should have their own for those, "Let me see, too" moments.

When touring with a baby, take a hand towel with you to protect baby from diaper changing surfaces. Also, have a wipe to clean the surface before laying down the towel to protect against germs left from other users.

A wide-brimmed, soft hat will protect your child's eyes better than sunglasses, especially babies and toddlers.

Take ziplock bags to put baby's dirty and/or wet diapers in, as well as wipes, tissues and smelly clothes. Also, take along an extra onesie or shirt for the young ones who are prone to be messy.

A good sturdy diaper bag for babies and toddlers with lots of pockets and holds a lot.

For each trip out, take a bowl with appropriate baby/toddler food that won't spoil without refrigeration, a tight lid for the bowl, a plastic spoon, and a cup with lid and/or bottle. Small children can be hungry at inconvenient times. Also, feed small children BEFORE you tour a site, such as the Vatican. You won't be allowed to use food at many sites, and your small child/baby can get very hungry (and irritable) by the time the tour is over.

Save packing space by taking a PDA and folding keyboard with you. Here's everything you can replace with these two small electronic gadgets and one recharger: guidebook; phrase or English-to-Italian dictionary; maps; currency conversion chart; camera manual - all can be downloaded into your PDA from the Internet. PDAs come with an address book/contact list, calendar with alarm reminders, games and so many other features. You can purchase a word processing software for your PDA to use for journaling, taking notes, writing letters and so on. Anything your PDA does not have can generally be purchased for a nominal fee and installed into it. Then, everything can be downloaded to your computer and/or printed upon your return. PDA uses are limited only by its memory size. I prefer PDAs that use a charger versus batteries, as the batteries run down quite quickly and you do not have to carry extras.

Whether not using a PDA and you plan several stopovers for sightseeing, don't take guidebooks for each location. Just tear out the needed pages, and staple them together. Saves a lot of weight and space. Remember, you probably won't have information at your fingertips once in Rome, so do your homework before you go and include directions, prices, etc.

Don't take any hard-bound books - too much weight; and don't take any more than one new or just-started-to-read paperback. Unless you don't plan an sightseeing, you won't need more than that.

These are good distractions during travel. Choose books they have read before for younger children, and new ones for older children and teens.

If your toddler has a favorite "blankie" or toy, take it with you to calm your child during travel and touring. Just be sure not to lose it!

If your child is old enough, allow him/her to help pack a small lightweight backpack that they can then carry onto the plane - just like mom and dad. A backpack means the child won't get tired of it and just leave it somewhere. Don't let the child put too much or heavy items in it - perhaps that favorite blankie or toy only.

If you are taking a portable CD player with a few favorite CDs or an iPod with favorite tunes already downloaded to it, use retractable earbud headphones that take very little packing space - some even come with over the ear stablizers. Also, purchase a doubler plug that allows you to plug two sets of headphones into the same electronic player or watching a DVD movie on a laptop.

Take only if it works internationally; otherwise, if you MUST have a cell phone, purchase or rent an international cell phone for your trip - NOTE: Europeans are not as tolerant of cell phone use in inappropriate places, such as dining or theaters. You may find yours tossed in the trash by an irritated Italian.

Only if you absolutely MUST. Regardless of the best-laid plans, you will not get any work done. Also, there are Internet cafes where you can check your email, send photos to friends and relatives, and so on. Find a couple and what you will need to use them before you leave on your trip. Use a PDA instead - harder to steal, break or lose and easier to carry in a fanny pack or daypack; also cheaper to replace.

Once in Rome, if you find you need some electronic equipment (such as fax machines, computer, etc.), there are business centers that can supply your needs. Also, many up-scale hotels have business centers on site for your convenience, as do some cruise ships.

Take these; otherwise, your plug-in electronics will not work in Europe, which uses DC voltage versus the AC voltage used in the US.

Don't take more than you actually need to make your trip comfortable. From our listings, have each person make a list of what they are planning to take. Then, everyone sit down together (even two friends traveling together) to see what can be eliminated, what perhaps one person can pack and share with the other, etc. We always take more than we ever need, especially those things we believe we'll have time to do but we won't. You don't have to pay over weight fees with the airlines. Just know the weights, number of bags (including carry-on; some airlines now say a purse is a carry-on and will charge you for a second carry-on bag), and weigh as you pack. A dry run of packing and weighing luggage is a good idea at least one week ahead of time.

Even if allowed, keep to the one large checked luggage with the foldable inside, and one carry-on. Take it from a frequent traveler, more luggage makes the trip all about getting the luggage from one place to another. Ensure that you take bungee cords to strap all three together (one on top of the other) for easy transport or get a multi-bag stacker at the above URL. However you plan to transport your bags, pack everything one week before, hook them up, and ensure you can actually move them easily without much effort.

Fold a lightweight, durable duffel bag into your checked luggage. Then, on your return trip home, use this extra bag for items you purchased on your trip.

Rather than the extra bag above, mail your purchases home to save being held up in customs.

Even if you take an extra bag with you, also take mailing address labels, already completed. Large, breakable items should always be mailed home versus taking in checked luggage.

Insert your clothing, roll up to expel excess air through the one-way nozzle, and place in your luggage; great for bulky clothing and saves tons of space.

Of your children and the city in which you live; just enough to fit in your wallet - travelers love sharing these with each other.

Consider having some made with your photo, city and state, and email address on it. These are great for giving to the new friends you make during your trip. Very inexpensive to have made on the Internet, but do this several months before your trip.

If you are visiting friends in Rome or you are taking a cruise, purchase a few small gifts to take with you for the friends or the people you come in contact with daily aboard ship, such as the person who cleans your room - leaving a nice gift with a good tip is very much appreciated. The money may be the most important, but a nice gift along with it will put a step in their walk.

Take with you a micro luggage scale (very small) to know the weight of your luggage before you leave home AND before you leave on your return trip.

Keep an eye on the weather forecast for your stopovers as a guide of what clothing you will need. I suggest you use The Weather Channel.

It is no longer advantageous to take garment bags on airplanes. Leave it at home and pack your luggage better.

Pack the heavy items on the edge where the wheels are located with the lighter items on top to make it easier to pull the luggage in airports and hotels/cruise ships. Place very delicate items, including silk tops, in ziplock bags for more protection.

Take photos of your packed luggage inside and out before leaving. It may help transportation officials in locating your lost luggage.

Men, if you have that shiny spot on top your head, not only should you being wearing a hat any time you are outside but also should be using sun block. Sun burning strength in one country may be different from another.

For very small toddlers and babies, it may be best to ensure their safety during travel and touring with a combination unit, such as the one pictured at the URL above.

For older toddlers, rather than carrying them, a lightweight umbrella stroller that folds up really easy for carrying may be best, as the one pictured at the URL above.

Whichever one you choose, I would also suggest a clip-on umbrellas that is position flexible and folds up with the stroller while still clipped onto it, as the one pictured in the URL above. Even though your stroller may have a hood, if you are walking directly toward the sun, the hood won't be much good; however, the clip-on umbrella can be positioned to block the sun from your child.

Even if you're not worried about mosquitoes, take along some netting to provide a sleeping child/baby some protection from flies and the atmosphere in general. It also deters people who like "cute babies" from bothering the child when asleep.

Please see our other listings on travel to Rome, Italy, for other tip ideas and helps, especially the essential packing needs.