Packing For Italy in Summer + Packing Tips

Has there ever been a place you have always wanted to go? Number one on your bucket list? Well, for me that was Italy. Something about the ancient ruins, beautiful coastal views, wineries and sunset gondola rides has always intrigued me.  There is so much to see and do in Italy that it would surely take many a trip to do everything on my list. But this past summer, I finally got to visit some of the more well-known destinations and historical sites and check a big item off of my bucket list.

But before we share tales of our venture to Rome, Venice, Sorrento and Florence, I wanted to do a post on one of my favorite parts of travel: packing!

I know some people find it strange to love packing and often put it off until the last minute. I am not one of those people. I don’t know if it is just the excitement and anticipation of going somewhere but, if I am really excited about a trip, I start planning what I am going to pack months in advance. Now, I normally change my mind about some things (namely clothes) as time goes by (and I go shopping), but I can’t help but start my list as soon as a trip is booked.

I do manage to reign myself in and not actually pack anything until at least a week prior to leaving (most of the time). But when the countdown to Italy hit the single digits, I was more than ready. So what did I pack? Do I have any tips? Read on!

Something I would definitely recommend you do before packing is to do your research. You want to make sure you know a bit about where you are going, especially if it is somewhere you have never been. What is the weather like for example? If you’re going to Italy June – August, it is HOT. I had several people tell me this before I went, but I didn’t truly understand it until I was there.

Make sure to pack breathable fabrics, like cotton and linen. I wouldn’t recommend long pants or long sleeved tops as it will probably never get cool enough outside to wear them. If you get cold easily, like I do, bring a light jacket or cardigan for layering.

Bring a water bottle! You will need it. And there are several places around the cities you can fill them up, so you won’t have to keep buying plastic bottles.

Plan to do a lot of walking in Italy, especially in the city. Bring comfortable shoes! I took one pair of sneakers for days we walked a lot, flats as a nicer option and sandals for days I wanted to let my feet breathe. I also took a pair of cheap flip flops to wear on the beach. The beach near our hotel in Sorrento had a lot of rocks, so walking barefoot would have been a bit painful. Not to mention the black sand can get quite hot and no one wants sand in their good shoes.

You also want to know a bit about expectations. Are you going anywhere with a dress code? For example, we went to quite a few churches on our trip and, in Italy, most churches require you to have your shoulders and knees covered. Several of them do provide cover ups, but I wouldn’t count on that just in case. You will be denied entry if you’re not in proper attire. Scarves or cardigans work great for shoulders, and I wore capris or leggings on church days. The good thing about leggings with a dress is that, once you exit a church, you can take the leggings off if it’s too hot and they won’t take up too much room in your day bag. Another recommendation if you’re wearing a dress is to wear slipshorts underneath to keep your thighs from chafing in the hot weather.

People in Italy do tend to dress stylishly. Though locals could most likely tell we were tourists as soon as we opened out mouths (and because we were usually with a large tour group), we still wanted to blend. Because of this, I took dresses and nicer tops and no jeans. Though, several people in our group did wear jean shorts and t-shirts and no one seemed to mind.

Basically, you don’t have to write a book report (or a long blog post), but it is good to know at least a little about your destination so you know what clothes and shoes to pack.

Another tip is to make a packing list. I can’t tell you the times I have forgotten something important when traveling (I once left with no underwear). Now, I always make a packing list when I go anywhere, even on short trips.

I have started making my packing lists on Google Drive because it is easy to edit and share. You can get the app for your phone or tablet, which allows you to edit your list from virtually anywhere. You can also share the list with friends with the click of a button. Another option is to make a list on your phone under the Notes app or, if you want to kick it old school, just make it on a piece of notebook paper.

No matter where you make the list, make sure to consult it while packing. I have learned that just because something makes it on the list, does not mean it will make it into the suitcase. When I am ready to pack, I print out my list and check items off as I go.

Below you will find my personal (edited) packing list for my two-week trip to Italy. I like to separate my list by checked bag and carry-on. Then, I further separate it by category (ie. clothes, shoes, toiletries).

I also like to include a section for recommendations in the months leading up to my trip. These are any items that have been recommended by other travelers that I have discovered in my research. Once it’s time to pack, I go through this section and decide if I think I really need to take any of those items and add them to my official list.

When it comes time to pack, I would recommend you use packing cubes. They help keep your clothes organized & easy to find, and they help save space in your suitcase. This is especially helpful if you are only packing a carry-on bag.

BUT…to keep you from making the same mistake I did, here’s a bit of advice regarding packing cubes. This was my first experience with them and I had the brilliant idea of putting all of my clothes in the largest cube. They fit, so I thought this was a good plan. However, one of the reasons to use packing cubes is that they help to keep you organized. Well…if you put all of your clothes in the same cube that is much harder to do. I still had to go through everything to find the correct shirt and made a mess of my suitcase every single day. Sure, it was a more contained mess, but a mess all the same. I would recommend placing your clothing in separate cubes (one for shirts, one for bottoms, etc.).

Speaking of suitcases… what is the best sized suitcase to carry for a two-week trip to Italy? Well, that depends on several factors. How are you traveling? Are you going solo? With a small group of friends? With a tour group? Will you be renting a car? Taking the train? Are you staying at hotels? Or hostels? All of these are important questions to answer before deciding on a suitcase.

In my case, I traveled with a tour company (Perillo Tours). We were allowed one checked bag and one small carry-on. They moved our large bags for us between cities (we just had to put them outside of our rooms on the morning of our departures and someone would come by to get them and load them on our bus). We only had to keep up with our carry-ons, so having a checked bag worked great. If you are traveling with a different tour company, you will want to check their guidelines. Some companies will not allow you to bring anything larger than a carry-on.

If you are traveling by train around Italy, it may be easier for you to pack only a carry-on. The same would be true if you were traveling solo or staying in hostels. Also remember the streets are largely cobblestone, so dragging a suitcase around might be a bit of a challenge.

I most definitely could not have fit everything I packed into a carry-on bag. I did good to close the one I had on the way back (after all of my souvenir buying). In my defense (sort of) I did have the medium sized suitcase, not the large, in the particular brand I bought. So that’s… something… But I did realize upon returning that there were items I took that I did not use and, whereas I thought I was packing light where clothes were concerned, I actually had enough clothes to wear a different outfit almost everyday.

There are many benefits to packing light. For one thing, some airlines will charge you to check a bag. So, if you only travel carry-on, you could save money. Also, the smaller and lighter your bag is, the easier it is to lug around and the less you have to keep up with.

There are also benefits to having checked luggage. For one, there are certain restrictions with carry-ons that do not apply to checked luggage. Your liquids, for example, can only be 3.4oz and must fit in a quart-sized clear bag when flying.

Regardless of the type of bag you chose to travel with, you can still pack light. Don’t cram your suitcase full before you even leave home. You won’t have room to bring anything back. And, trust me, you will want to bring things home from Italy.

Admittedly, packing light is easier said than done. We all have our own definition of what travel essentials are. So, if your bag is looking a bit full, just take a look at everything you think you need and prioritize it. Then consider leaving the items at the bottom of that list at home.

So what did I take that I didn’t need? Well, for one, I took too many clothes. Like I stated earlier, I had almost one outfit for everyday I was gone and I even took items I didn’t wear at all. I wish I hadn’t taken workout clothes because I ended up not wearing the few items I brought (sports bra, one workout top and yoga pants) I knew we weren’t going to be doing any hiking or similar activities (and def not going to the gym), but I convinced myself I might need those items anyway. I didn’t.

You’ve probably heard this before, but it is also a good idea to pack clothing that can be mixed and matched. When you’re going somewhere for more than one week, the best plan is to still only pack for a week, but take tops and bottoms that can all be paired together. This way you can create different looks with fewer pieces.

If I could do it again, I would leave behind several items of clothing, a few toiletries (like my heat protection hair spray) and so many hair tools. I actually didn’t need my hair tools at all because, as it turned out, my power converter did not work with them. I have since edited my list to reflect only MY essentials: the things I actually used (or would have if my power converter had worked properly).

What did I not take that I wished I had? Washcloths and a loofah! I actually meant to take a loofah but didn’t put it on the list and consequently forgot it. But, in case you were not aware, they do not have washcloths in Italian hotels. At least they didn’t in the four I stayed in. Luckily, one of my traveling companions brought some of those compressed washcloths, but they were hard to use (especially more than once). We did have regular and flushable wipes, but those are also not very good for bathing. I would most certainly recommend taking normal washcloths (maybe the quick drying kind) and/or a loofah.

If you do happen to forget something important, don’t fret too much about it. Most people don’t find packing as enjoyable as I do, so I can understand how it could cause stress. But it’s important to remember that, at the end of the day, you will be fine. You will be able to find almost anything you need when you get to Italy.

If you’re curious as to why I packed any certain item, ask away in the comments. Most of these items are on my list every trip.

What are the things you can’t travel without? Do you get as excited about packing as I do? Just me? Okay. 🙂

Hopefully you found my list and tips at least somewhat helpful. Stay tuned for more blogs on our trip to Italy!

~Mallory