Rome What to Pack

Luggage and bags: When I pack I usually leave some empty space in my suitcase for souvies. Now we are not the "statue, ashtray, tacky souvenier" type. We usually buy clothing, jewelry or other small, easily packable items. Because of this, I don't need an extra bag in order to get my new things home. However, if you do like to buy big things, or a lot of things, then consider putting a colapsable bag inside your suitcase for the trip home. This way you wont have to send anything or worry about how large your carryone will be. Just check it with your normal suitcase. I always bring a change of clothes in my carry-on(usually just a fresh blouse). This way I can change before the plane lands and feel a little fresher than I would after sleeping in the same clothes all night.

Clothing/Shoes/Weather Gear: I usually travel in the off season. This means cooler weather. I always check the weather the week before I leave. I check it every day to see what the weather trend is, this way I know how heavy a coat I will need. I always pack in layers. I bring 4 or 5 t-shirts, 2 or 3 long sleeve button up shirts, 3 or 4 sweaters (lighter weight ones will be fine), 2 pairs of jeans, 3 pairs of khakis, and a mid weight jacket. It doesnt get very cold in rome, so just layer your clothing. It is easier to adjust what you're wearing if you dress in layers. Now for the shoes: don't wear new shoes to Rome!!!!! Invest in some GOOD walking shoes. I cant stress this enough. Rome will tear up your feet. It is a city to walk in, and you do walk a lot. Do not wear heals as you can twist your ankle on the cobblestones and ruin your whole vacation.

Toiletries and Medical Supplies: As far as toiletries, the usual will do. Bring a bar of soap just in case. You should email your hotel and ask if they offer items such as shampoo, hair dryers, wash clothes, alarm clocks, tissue.... Whatever they dont supply, you will need to bring with you or buy when you arrive. Also, bring some travel packs of kleenex. I carry these with me all day because most of the public restrooms in rome are disgusting. Some don't even have toilet paper. I also bring 5 extra pair of contacts, just in case. As far as medical supplies, some athletic tape, some tylenol, some immodium, and some dramamine (I get air sick).
This is most of the stuff that I bring when I travel. I do tend to travel with a lot of electronics, but that is another subject and post.

Photo Equipment: Everyone has their own personal preferences when it comes to cameras. I now use my digital almost exclusively. It's the one I take when I travel. I have two 512 memory cards and a 2 gig card. If I am going on a day trip (Pompeii, Florence, Naples...) I take the 2 gig with me. For out and about in the city, the 512's will do. I also take an extra battery with me just in case. If you have a digital slr, invest in a circular polarizer filter. These are usually around 30 dollars and will make a big difference in your pictures. They reduce the reflexions that you see when looking in windows or in water. They also make the sky more vivid.
Take some kind of storage divice to download your pictures to. We take our laptop and download all our pictures every night. This also lets you review your pics to see how they came out. It's better to find out while you're still there and can retake the pics, then to find out when you get home.

Toiletries and Medical Supplies: Earplugs will really help you make your holiday on to remember, not one you want to forget. There could be street noise - even with double-glazed windows. There could be noise from the hallway, the room next to you, etc

Luggage and bags: As always, take a money belt that can be discretely hidden under clothing where you can keep cards, passports and the bulk of your money out of harm's way.

Clothing/Shoes/Weather Gear: Comfortable shoes are a must, with a good grip if possible because after rain the streets can become very slippery.

Many sights (eg the Vatican) have a strict dress code - no bare shoulders and no bare knees. Ladies will probably find a long skirt more suitable than trousers in the heat.

Toiletries and Medical Supplies: The one thing that we didn't like about Rome was that although the cobbled streets are very attractive to look at, walking on them can, quite literally, be a pain. Even wearing the most comfortable shoes we owned, my friend and I were both the victim of some excruciating blisters caused by walking on uneven surfaces all day. So make sure your shoes are super-comfy and you always have your plasters with you.

Luggage and bags: 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/Shoes/Weather Gear: 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!!

Toiletries and Medical Supplies: 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.

Photo Equipment: 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.

Luggage and bags: Leave room to bring back purchases & souveniers. I usually pack a small collapsable duffle bag for this. Hire a car/taxi to take you to the hotel. It's really not that expensive and after such a long flight the last thing you want to do is attempt to find your way around a foreign country with luggage. Make sure you are VERY CLEAR on how much luggage your hired car will hold. Cars are incredibly small compared to those in the USA and your idea of packing light might not leave room for you in the car.

Clothing/Shoes/Weather Gear: Bring VERY comfortable shoes. Walking on cobblestones (and that's pretty much all you'll be walking on) is incredibly rough on your feet, so put them in the most comfortable walking shoes you have. Sunscreen was also invaluable.

A friend who spends a lot of time here said to bring mosquito repellant, so we did. And it sat unopened in the hotel room the whole time. Guess it just wasn't that time of year.

Toiletries and Medical Supplies: Put small tissue packs or napkins along with individually wrapped wet wipes in your purse. You will be very happy you have them when you manage to find a bathroom - most bathrooms don't haveTP or soap. Also pack a few band-aids & neosporin for any blisters you get from that marathon day spent walking half the city.

If you get even slightly seasick: pack Dramamine. This city moves. My sister & I both suffered from motion sickness due to the ground refusing to hold still (nope - no alcohol involved). With everything being built on top of something else & the metro running underground it all, it's like standing on a ship at sea.

If you have allergies: we found it helpful to write (in Italian) on a 3x5 card my mom's food allergies and on the other side her medical allergies. This made it much easier when ordering food and if there had been an emergency would have been a huge help in communicating with Dr's. Pack that epi-pen if you're allergic to bees. Lots of beautiful flowers here = a whole bunch of bees.

Photo Equipment: We packed a ton of film, so didn't need any. But, we saw several one-hour film shops with plenty of Kodak film.

Miscellaneous: Sunglasses, washcloth (the hotels don't have any), a small container of liquid laundry degergent for washing out clothes in the bathroom sink (means you won't have to pack as much), clothes that mix & match, a good guide book or three, and a pocket language dictionary. Churches have strict dress codes, so it's easiest to sightsee in pants, capri's, or long skirts and a shirt that has sleeves that at least cover your shoulders.

Miscellaneous: Oxford Archaeological Guide: Rome, by Amanda Claridge, is an indispensable book for researching the depths of history to be found in Rome (literally depths - centuries are built on top of each other in layers!)

Luggage and bags: A big bag because you will back home with new cloth, souvenirs, books, paints, etc................

Clothing/Shoes/Weather Gear: Good shoes if is possible trainers, very confortable clothe to be walking all whole day.

Toiletries and Medical Supplies: Pills if you are suffering for headache or medicine for general illness.

Photo Equipment: First thing on your hand luggage a camera, and if it is a digital one, get all many cards believe me you will not stop taking photos.

Luggage and bags: Back packs are the 'only' way to travel in Europe. The little wheels on our luggage don't provide stability on cobble stone streets, plus many hotels do not have elevators.

Clothing/Shoes/Weather Gear: Wear only 'proven' foot wear. A tour around Rome in new shoes is not too wise. Leather sandles in summer, although comfortable, tend to stick to the parts of your foot that they come in contact with, creating blisters (due to the perspiration) I suggest a suede sandle.

Layer your clothing, it is easier to remove a sweater in the heat of the afternoon in winter, than removing your down filled jacket, and paying for it later that night with a fever.

In summer,a light weave cotton is best, with longer shorts. Churches frown upon bare shoulders and tight, short shorts. Carry a light scarf or shawl, or purchase one from a street vendor.

Toiletries and Medical Supplies: Kleenex is readily available in all pharmacies, and the travel pack tissue is larger and more absorbant than tissues in North America. Cold remedies 'as we know them in North America' are non-existant, so place your trust in the Pharmacist.

Photo Equipment: film is available everywhere, including all major (and minor) sites. Additional cost for availability however.

You'll never have a problem downloading photos from your card to a disc. Shops everywhere. Spare memory cards are expensive in Europe, especially Rome.

Miscellaneous: Carry paper plates and plastic forks, for a mini picnic in your room. There are many shops to buy cheese, shrimp, cold meats, vino, and bakery items. Sometimes you just don't feel like going out after a full day of sightseeing.