Rome What to Pack

Clothing/Shoes/Weather Gear: Bring comfortable shoes - as there'll be plenty of walking around, since most of the sights are withing walking distance. It'll also get very dusty when walking around in the dust - so if you can't live with dusty shoes, then bring cloths to clean your shoes with.

Toiletries and Medical Supplies: If you're travelling in the summer, bring sunblock! Most of the ancient city sights have no cover, and the sun can be very unforgiving.

Luggage and bags: Space Saver Bags - really great for conserving space.
Backpack type bags (with wheels...and added bonus) - heavy cumbersome luggage adds stress (which you don't need if you're on vacation; especially on narrow, cobbled streets)
Money belt (the ones you can wear underneath your clothes) - you can put your passport, credit cards, extra money, and anything you want to keep close to you (literally) --> great for your peace of mind.

I got some of the above items I needed at the ebags site: www.ebags.com

You can also try: www.ebay.com

Clothing/Shoes/Weather Gear: Bring versatile clothing (e.g. black skirt/pants - they can go with ANYTHING, a few bottoms and lots of tops - mix and match)
You don't want to bring too much because you don't want to have to worry about lugging things around...if you are really adventurous and don't mind roughing it a bit, you can always wash and dry your clothes once they get dirty!
Comfortable walking shoes - Rome is too beautiful to see through a taxi.

Rick Steve's Packing Lists & Useful Tips:
http://www.ricksteves.com/plan/tips/home.htm (Look under the "Packing Tips" Column)

Toiletries and Medical Supplies: You can always get what you need in Rome..."when in Rome, do as the Romans do" - I loved trying out their toothpaste (even though it was probably the same type as back home, it was great because I got it from Rome). :-)
Make sure to have basics form emergencies (e.g. small towel, hand wipes ~ can be used as body wipes if necessary)
There are hospitals here but bring a basic first aid kit & make sure to bring your medications with extra refills (depending on your stay).

Rick Steves: http://www.ricksteves.com/plan/tips/home.htm (Look under the "Health" column)

Photo Equipment: Lots of film...if you have a digital camera (bring a memory card with LOTS of memory or a storage device to transfer your pictures to)

Miscellaneous: Converters are a great asset.
An ATM card (confirm with your home bank that you can use it overseas & find out the charge for using it overseas)
A credit card - mostly everyone takes credit card ( I found VISA and Mastercard to be accepted wherever I went).
Spare Cash (for emergencies & so you won't have to keep using the ATM)

Willingness to mingle, even if you don't speak Italian - Italians are wonderful, friendly people who are willing to help; if all else fails, use hand signals

Guidebooks - Rick Steves is one of the ebst (the best in my opinion). I've used his books, videos, stayed at places that he recommended. Also his travel specialist can help you build an itinerary for free; just e-mail them at: rick@ricksteves.com

Rick Steves' Europe Through the Back Door
130 4th Ave N
POB 2009
Edmonds, Wa 98020

Tel: 425/771-8303
Fax: 425/771-0833
E-mail: rick@ricksteves.com

Travel Tips:
http://www.ricksteves.com/plan/tips/home.htm

Luggage and bags: My best advice when travelling to Rome is to pack light - you never know how much shopping you may do whilst there!

Also, cobble stones don't make it easy to drag luggage from the train station to your hotel....

Clothing/Shoes/Weather Gear: Make sure you bring comfortable shoes - you will walk and walk and walk in Rome.

I never bother with heels when travelling in Italy - too many cobble stones to contend with.

Photo Equipment: Never leave home without your camera, and plenty of spare batteries, cf cards/films etc.

There are so many great photo opportunities in Rome.

Miscellaneous: Another good reason to pack light - imagine if you ended up with a hire car like this one!!!

Photo Equipment: absolutely

Miscellaneous: a city map! you absolutely want to take a rather precis city map along! For instance in Trastevere there are lots of curvy and winding vicolos (alleys), you will loose yourself if you don't have a good map of the area...

Luggage and bags: Neck pillows, Tylenol PM and eye masks for the plane trip. Northwest Airlines as many airlines has TV screens on the back of the seats which, even off, glare blue.

Clothing/Shoes/Weather Gear: Umbrella and rain cape. It was beautiful when arrived and then it poured within a couple of hours. We did bring - just didn't put in the backback.

Toiletries and Medical Supplies: Take travel kleenex and travel packs of baby wipes or Wet Ones and toilet seat covers. Most toilets were well maintained but we were glad we had them all day. We took travel toilet paper roll but did not use.

Miscellaneous: Don't use the money changers in the airport in the baggage claim area. Very high exchange rate/surcharge. Wait for an ATM. You can purchase your Termini traing tickets at the tabachhi shops with a credit card or wait to exchange outside the baggage claim area.

Luggage and bags: pack an extra duffle/gym/tote bag for trinkets and souvenirs.

A shoulder type bag to carry your camera, books, maps, a smaller purse.

Clothing/Shoes/Weather Gear: Vatican dress code requires all those entering St. Peter's to be modestly dressed. Shoulders must be covered. No shorts are allowed for men or women. Men must wear long pants and women choosing to wear skirts must have the length to the knee at minimum.

Bring a light jacket/umbrella in case of rain, but temperatures do reach into the 80s in late May.
When touring around the rest of Rome. dress comfortably....spring dresses, shorts, capri pants, skirts, linen pants, t-shirts are all good recommendations for tours in Rome. The Romans are quite fashionable, you will stick out less as a tourist if you dress well and sensibly.

Bring something nice for a evening out. Comfortable shoes for walking. I did manage to walk around Rome in heels for a few hours but be careful around cobblestones as they the heel sometimes will get stuck.

Toiletries and Medical Supplies: Band-aids, prescription medication and prescription if in need of refills, contact lens cleaners/solutions, extra contact lens case, pain medication (ibuprofen, aspirin, etc....you will be paying a lot more for them in the pharmacies in Rome).

Antibacterial hand wipes/gels for those moments when you just can't get to wash your hands.

Photo Equipment: Have a big enough card if you have a digital camera and extra batteries (you might have to pay more in Rome if it is a specialty battery)

Extra film for 35 mm point and shoot/SLR cameras.

Miscellaneous: SUNGLASSES!!!! Your eyes will thank you. (If you forget them, treat yourself to a nice Italian pair, just not those fake ones they sell on the street).

Money belt or money pocket when in more sketchy areas of Rome (Termini Station)
Journal to write down all the great places you visited throughout your trip.

Chewing gum/breath mints to neutralize all that garlic ;-)

Luggage and bags: A day pack is a necessity and you will also want a net bag for grocery shopping. Carren used one quite extensively. I was the pack mule though. I came back from the supermarket several time with my big backpack loaded down.

Clothing/Shoes/Weather Gear: Comfy walking shoes. Cobblestones, steps, stairs, and cement. If you wear cruel shoes you will regret it.

Toiletries and Medical Supplies: Rome is ultra modern so you need nothing special. They have anything you will need.

Photo Equipment: Buy your film at your local shop before you come. Even though film is plentiful it is expensive here because of all the tourists.

Miscellaneous: A jacket with lots of pockets is a must. I carried maps, a compass, water, film, etc.

Luggage and bags: Take tupper ware containers so when you have bought the food you can put them in there and pack them into your suitcase. They wont get squashed then and no leaks! Just make sure you take decent tupperware!