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 | Rome Packing Lists | Tips 11 - 20 of 146 |  |
Popular Packing Lists | Other Packing Lists Tips | All Tips (146) My sister and I economized with the packing. We took a carry-on that was filled with 2 pairs of pants each and enough shirts to last 6 days. The trick is to roll all the clothes to fit properly. Bring an extra bag with you for extras or just buy one while there.
My oh my! I decided to bring one pair of shoes, but these shoes are the ones I wear on a daily basis here, are broken in, and look good with everything. So I was in for a big and painful surprise when they didn't stand up to the uneven cobblestone roads and the vast amount of walking we did. Ended up with blisters so bad, that my ankle and leg were hurting and was limping the rest of the trip. BRING 2 PAIR OF SHOES WITH YOU TO INTERCHANGE, AND MAKE SURE ONE IS A FASHIONABLE PAIR OF SNEAKERS.
Bring the bare essentials. Because of the new travel guidelines you want to get the mini travel sizes. Some stuff you can definitely buy abroad other things are better if you just bring them with you, namely deodarant and eye solution for contacts. Get tiny toothpaste, a perfums, and then buy shampoo while there.
Oh ya, because i was in so much pain I had to stop at a pharmacy and stock up on bandages, blisters doughnuts, and Dr. Scholl's products or 24 Euro worth of foot aid. Not cool.
I just brought a USB cable that I loaded with my days worth of photos and deleted them off my digital camera. You can do this at any internet cafe (which there are aplenty) or in my case my friends laptop.
We didn't bother with bringing umbrellas and needed them, unfortunately, while we were there. We got them for 5 E and they were really good ones.
Bring the bare essentials, because it really is a drag bringing more than you need. Also worse case scenario you need to go shopping....wait, that can't be that bad;) |
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Romans dress up for everything. Italians don't wear shorts or flipflops. Most women wear dresses all the time and the men always wear slacks, never shorts. Seeing how nicely they dress can make you a little self concious. Don't worry. Just pack some of your nicer, more comfortable clothes and you will be fine. In the evening a nice dress will blend in and for men a nice pair of pants with a button shirt will always work.. As far as shoes go, bring something that is already "broken in". White tennis shoes are not very popular in Rome. I bought a tan pair that were very cool looking and did fine. You can get great walking shoes at any mall, and believe me, you will need them. Dont wear heels while exploring Rome or you will pay the price. All the cobbles make it a really bad choice not matter how nice they look. A hat in the summer is a good idea also, and not just for men.
Clothing that can be layered is the way to go in Rome. For women, in the summer, sleeveless tops for outside with a large scarf or a lightweight shirt ( with sleeves) for churches will do fine. Capri pants or a skirt is also a good choice, as you are not allowed to show your knees inside church out of respect. For men, those pants that have the zip off legs is a great way to go. Just put the legs on for any church and you're set. In the winter, layering is a must. The mornings and evenings can be quite cold, yet the afternoons can warm up quite a bit. I have found that long-sleeved T's, cardigan sweaters and a mid weight jacket work well. Again, dont forget good, broken in shoes!!
Don't forget to bring the sunscreen! The sun in Rome is very strong. Not only will it make you very hot, but it will easily cause you to burn. As for shampoo, soap, etc.... email your hotel and ask if they supply these and other toiletries. If you don't need to bring them, it makes it much easier to pack.
As far as photo equipment is concerned, I bring my digital SLR and two 512 memory cards. I also bring a laptop that I can download all my pics to at night. I have stopped taking my film camera because I hated carrying around all that film. Memory cards, card reader and laptop are much easier for me carry and I can play games on the plane on the trip over. If you don't have a laptop or are hard up for space, you can use an ipod as a storage device instead. Any ipod will work, but the ipod videos are the only ones that will let you view your pics in color. Just download your memory card as needed and you're all set. The more memory the ipod has, the more pics it will hold. This is a great solution if you are on a daytrip to pompeii and are worried about a small memory card. Just take your ipod with you and download as needed. You can listen to music on the train and store all your photos during the day so you never miss a shot. Leave a Comment Other Contact: monorail@zbzoom.net |
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My husband and I purposely brought a suitcase that was twice the size of what we needed for our clothes, so that we had plenty of room to pack all our little souvenirs. This worked well because then, heading home, we still only had one piece of luggage to manage.
Sure you might feel silly wearing sneakers in fashionable Rome, but your feet will thank you. I brought flip-flops that I am very comfortable in at home, but they were impossible to wear in Rome because of the cobblestone streets - you really need shoes with good support. Bring some cute shoes (or buy some there!) but save them for going out at night when you know you will not be walking very far.
Our hotel did not provide washcloths or tissue (Kleenex). Also, the soaps were miniscule, so you might want to bring a bar. There was no alarm clock in the room either, and I found it disconcerting to wake up and have no idea what time it was. Oh and bring some Bandaids for your inevitable foot blisters!
There was a camera shop (don't recall the name, sorry) at the bottom of the Campidoglio steps where I bought a memory card for my digital camera, for about what it would cost in the US. Leave a Comment |
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My wife was very concerned about packing for carry on only. After a few days in Italy and the transfers we had to make in train stations and etc. she said "we still packed too much!" I can't suggest too strongly to pack light. We bought an extra inexpensive piece of luggage for packing our souvenirs and checked this bag in on our return trip home. We saw many people struggling with far too many bags in train stations and streets.
With the new carry on restrictions, it actually made our decision to pack light much easier. Once we arrived at our first location, we simply bought what we needed. We left my wife's hair dryer at our last accomodation. IF your really worried about getting toiletries and such, they sell most of the essentials in airports.
One item I was quite concerned with was exchanging US dollars into Euro's. The first thing we had to do was catch a train from the Rome Airport to Rome Termini train station, this required euro's. My local bank wanted to charge me service fees and such that was just crazy. When we were at the international terminal getting ready to depart on our flight to Italy I saw a small booth that said "International Money Exchange". I had travellers' cheques as a back up and asked if they accept these for exchange to euro's. It was no problem and my worries were unfounded. So, if your in this predicament, look for this exchange booth, I don't know if all airports have them but, they do at Cleveland Hopkins! Leave a Comment |
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woolly hat, muffler, gloves, umbrella ...
Why is the Winter also very cold if Rome is much more south than Germany?!?
One day it was terrible cold and it was raining. I didn't know if it was a hallucination but it was also sleet !!! Also the wind is very very chilly!
Never imagined that I would spent money for a woolly hat in Rome :-))
I'm not sure if I'm the only one who takes countless pictures. During this short stay I used 7 films ...
Be sure to have enough rolls with you. I always have the impression that films are more expensive than at home Leave a Comment |
Be sure to pack your alarm clock. The whole time we were in Rome we had no clue what time it was. We were constantly pestering the front desk by calling and asking the time. One day we had been up I am sure to the wee hours of the morning the front desk called and asked us do you want maid service today. I felt it odd they would call and ask us but when I asked her the time and she said 1:40 in the afternoon I realized why. So Bring your travel alarm clock. |
Always take less than you think that you need and wash clothes while there. One of my best experiences was talking to the owner of a very modern automated laundry mat in Paris.
Buy good quality , comfortable walking shoes. I bought a nice pair of Merrell jungle mocs and will buy more in the future. They don't even require a break- in period.
Take the basics. You can always augment your needs by getting toiletries locally.
I might put away my camera in my checked luggage next time because I suspect that my film was made faint by too much exposure to x-rays at the many airport security check points.
Take travel rolls of toilet paper... just in case. Buy a security pouch that attaches to your belt and slips inside your pants. Pick pockets are expert in Europe and who needs the grief of having your wallet lifted? Rely on ATMs while in Europe to get your Euro's, pounds, etc. The exchange rate is so much better in Europe than in an American Bank or airport and European banks don't tend to rip you off with fees like they do in the states. Leave a Comment |
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Wheels are a great idea, but if you are on your own - wheeling luggage around streets in Rome can be dreadful. You spent a fortune flying over...spring for the taxi and ride in comfort to your hotel and/or the train station. Don't think you can do it all on your own just because you are young and healthy. Save your energy for exploration once your bags are in your room!
I wear dresses - I don't panic about entering certain sights. A scarf and/or light cardigan is all you need to get into St. Peters. Don't die of heat stroke wearing jeans and/or slacks. Take comfortable shoes... you'd be surprised at how many women wear high heels to explore in. I wearing hiking boots, and no one even glances. I also take a steamer and travel iron. In Italy, you are expected to wear your "nice" clothes in public. It is an insult to dress "down" and and enter someone's restaurant looking like a slob. Exceptions: Pompeii or Ostia Antica. I take a fresh cotton top in my bag if I am wearing shorts and intend to go to a casual dinner after being out all day. I take 3 pair of capri pants; 3 cotton dresses; 3 long shorts; and 5 tops for a 3-4 week trip. Also one black dress for anything dress up, along with some black sandals. And don't forget a straw hat... it looks nice and blocks sun from my eyes.
If you are allergic, don't forget an epi-pen. I love Italy, but have to run from bees frequently, especially in Assisi in the summer...! Take benadryl, ibuprofen (take two tablets with your breakfast, it helps you from developing leg cramps or swelling as badly), antibact wipes, the usual stuff! I also take a small (3-4) bottle of pure aloe vera gel and wear serious sunscreen. Rome's sun can be brutal.
Take a box camera along with your other equipment. If someone offers to take your picture, give them the point and shoot box camera - you won't have to explain how to use your camera, and you have less of a chance of getting a blurry pic of you in front of some important sight.
If you are older, think about one of those walking sticks that has the built in sling chair when unfolded. I felt dreadfully sorry for people on the tours I have been on that were older and just completely exhausted by the time we had trapsed around sights all day. St. Peters is huge, and the Vatican is an all day event. Prepare to be exhausted.
I take 3-4 large mailing envelopes, preaddressed, so I can mail back brochures, small books, etc., that weigh a ton and take up room in luggage when returning home. Just mail it back to your self...! Leave a Comment |
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Rome is one of the shopping capitals of the world. And even if you can’t afford anything from Gucci, Armani or Versace, there are plenty of lower priced stores and some excellent boutiques. So just make sure you leave some room in your suitcase.
Comfortable and ‘breathable’ shoes for walking in is recommended, something with a good grip as there are a few hills in Rome.
I was in Rome in summer and there were two things I made sure I had with me at all times, a bottle of water and an umbrella (as one day I was walking around and there was a sudden downpour of rain). See my ‘tourist trap’ section for a tip on buying water. Leave a Comment |
Bring a rolling suitcase. I know, it's not really backpacking if you don't bring a backpack, but you don't need it for city travel, at least not Rome, and it will be much easier on your back and more comfortable.
If you don't want to stand out as a tourist, be prepared by bringing your nicest clothes. Romans wear stilettos to the grocery store and fix their hair to take a walk down the street. Especially the young people, they all look as if they've dropped off the cover of next month's Vogue. Good luck keeping up.
Bring disposable cameras! I only brought my really good camera and I did not want to bring it out at night, but oh the fun I never captured! Good thing my travel companion had brought a couple with her! Leave a Comment |
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