So, you’ve booked your trip to Italy and you’re super excited, right? But, then you remember you have to wear clothes and bring things and then you get stressed out and your brain implodes. I get it. Packing is my least favorite thing in the world.
But, after years of global travel, I’m pretty good at it. And since I get asked about packing so much, I thought a checklist would be helpful.
Random Stuff You Need:
Ziplock bags
Grocery Bags
- Skinny jeans in a light wash or brightly colored skinny pants. Let your inner peacock fly.
- A few button-up shirts for dinner. In Italy, its considered nasty behavior to show up in public in sweats and a basketball jersey.
- Converse are always in style for any age.White is most common in the spring/summer. A pair of boots and some nice shoes are great for rainy days and evenings. Wrap them in the grocery bags so you don’t smell up your luggage (if you don’t have a separate shoe compartment.
- Slippers (the floors are always cold in hotels and Airbnb rentals).
- Robe (again, they go easy on the heat, you’ll thank me later).
- Sunglasses
- A light scarf. They’re worn year around and you’ll see a lot of guys wearing them.
- Cardigan for cooler days
- Jacket for cooler nights
- T-shirts to match your jeans and cardigan combo
Toiletries/Hair/Face
- Even if you’re a man’s man, bring moisturizer with SPF because you’ll be outside a ton and the long flight to Italy is brutal on your skin.
- Get a stylish haircut because you’re coming to the fashion capital of the world and the men invest in how they look.
- Shampoo bars. Easier to transport than liquid shampoo. I buy Francesco’s at Whole Foods but you can get them on Amazon.
- Toothbrush and toothpaste
- Skinny jeans or fitted jeans. Even if you’re 50, mom’s don’t wear “mom jeans,” in Italy. But if skinny jeans are too uncomfortable, go with comfortable trousers.
- Stretchy slacks for chilly evenings
- Black tights with a black dress (black is always in).
- Boots that are comfortable to walk in for both day and night. Think booties. I wrap all of my shoes in grocery bags if I don’t bring a bag with a separate shoe compartment.
- Would NOT recommend heels because the cobblestone makes it pretty damn difficult, unless you’re going to a city that doesn’t have cobblestone which is pretty damn hard to find.
- A nice blouse or two for dinner
- Scarves (used year-around)
- Sunglasses
- Converse or comfortable sneakers (but maybe not those crazy huge Reebocks with thick white athletic socks).
- Slippers (otherwise your feet will freeze in your hotel or apartment). Also, being barefoot inside is considered kind of weird in part of Italy.
- Robe so you don’t freeze
- Cardigans because layering is always important
- Light jacket for chilly nights. You’ll see a lot of trench coats this time of year.
- Bring a few different purses. Ideally, small bags that won’t kill your back. You really only need to fit your credit cards, cash, and passport or ID. And like some lady products.
Toiletries/Hair/Face
- Pack all of your liquid toiletries in ziplock bags for the airport. Remember, all liquids, creams, etc., need to go in here. I buy a lot of solids for travel like lotion bars, shampoo bars for Francesco, etc. They don’t leak and they’re easier to bring and don’t have to be shoved into a ziplock. Lush has shampoo bars, lotion bars, conditioner bars, all that jazz. And you can find it on amazon.
- Shampoo
- Conditioner
- Body cream
- Soap
- Contact solution
- Mascara
- BB Cream with SPF (I like this because it’s a bunch of products in one)
- Eye pallet
- Eyeliner
- Lip gloss
- Blush (I buy BITE’s 3 in 1 sticks because they work for eyes, lip, and cheeks. I’m lazy.
- Think natural for the face and hair so I wouldn’t go crazy bringing a ton of stuff. Makeup and beauty are personal and everyone is different but you definitely see more natural looks in Italy.
- Waterproof mascara because the humidity is brutal
- Anti-frizz cream if your hair gets crazy in humidity
- I see a lot of women wearing just black eyeliner in the tear line and lash line for night.
- Nail polish remover wipes
- Polish (I always get gels before I vacation because I’m too lazy to bother with my nails on a trip).
- Toothbrush and toothpaste
- Rollerball perfume
- Deodorant
- Q-Tips
- Dry Shampoo
For The Plane
- Emergen-C packets because getting sick on the way to Italy sucks. Trust me, you’re trapped in that tiny area with a bunch of people. Germs spread.
- Moisturizing face masks. I bring the sheet masks with me and I throw one on in the plane because the ride makes your skin feel and look terrible. Plus, what else do you have to do for hours and hours?
- Snacks
- A book to read, magazines or a crossword puzzle
- Aloe socks. Now, you’re thinking that this is the dumbest thing you’ve ever heard of but trust me. Once you wear these on a long flight, you’ll never travel without them again. I wear sandals to the airport and I slip them off in the plane and put on my aloe socks. Amazing.
- Lip balm. Trust me.
- Melatonin or some other natural thing to knock you out if you suck at sleeping on planes. Note, I am clearly not a doctor.
- Tea (because plane tea is nasty).
- Download podcasts or movies before you leave in case you have a delayed flight or shitty layover.
- Moisturizer
- Face wipes/makeup remover wipes
- Contact cases/Glasses
- Ibuprofen or whatever in case you get a headache or cramps or something
- Eye mask
- Ear Plugs
- Travel blanket
- Travel Pillow
- Toothbrush
- Kleenex
Other Essentials
- Converters (a power converter, otherwise you’ll explode your hair dryer or curling iron and possibly your phone or other electronics).
- Plug Adapters. We bring at least 3.
- Medication or vitamins. I bring a little 7 day container and I pre-fill it before I go.
- Camera with extra memory cards
- Italian/English dictionary
- Download DuoLingo like 1 month before your trip and do it every day for ten minutes
- Lady products because you never know
- Glass water bottle
- Earphone
- Chargers
- Keys
- Wallet
- Id/Passport
- Boarding Passes
- Cash/Credit Cards (and make sure to call and tell them you’re traveling)
Resources
- Check out my Amazon store for my recommendations. Your trip will be so much more interesting, comfortable, and more enjoyable if you take the time to learn a little bit of Italian, and learn a little about the history and culture.
- Packing Tips Video
What are your packing tips and tricks? Put it in the comments below!
