Last Updated on September 7, 2024 by Tori Pines
Wondering what to pack for your Italy Vacation? Packing for any trip is very important but for some reason I feel like Italy is extra important to bring the right things! Especially if you are planning a super busy schedule with several stops and different types of locations. The items you pack (or don’t pack) in your bags can make or break some vacations! With this Italy packing list I’ll help you make sure you don’t miss a thing in your suitcase!
I’ll include all of the things that are a little more obvious (I’m looking at you, passport!), but more importantly, I include things you probably have never thought of and no other Italy Packing list includes, that are either an absolute necessity or at least really really helpful to have.
This post may contain affiliate links for activities, destinations and products that I love, and think you will too!
Italy Packing List Must-Haves
These are the things that are absolute necessities for your Italy packing list! Any vacation to Italy will require these items. And some are things that you probably would never have thought of!
Passport
Like I said, bringing your passport is probably the most obvious thing on the Italy packing list. But depending on how far you are in the planning process for your Italy vacation, this might be an important thing that you need to take care of. If you need to get a new passport or renew one, be sure to allow more than enough time for it to come in. You’ll need a minimum of 8 weeks, but sometimes when there is high demand, this could take even longer!
I also recommend getting a passport cover to help protect it during the trip, and allow you to keep your credit cards, money and more in the cover as well.
Something important to note is that according to Italian law, you are required to carry your passport on you at all times during your vacation in Italy. So having the passport cover to protect it from getting damaged is super helpful. It’s also important to have a safe place to carry it; more information on pickpocket-proof bags below!
International Driver’s Permit
If you plan to drive at all, make sure you get an international driving permit. Legally, you are required to have one if you drive while in Italy. We got ours at our local AAA office, and you don’t even have to have a AAA membership to get one there! They ended up being about $30 per person including the photo being printed there. They are only $20 if you bring 2 official passport photos with you.
International Phone Plan
I have never bought the sim cards that many people mention, so I cannot compare. But we paid for the international pass through T-Mobile and it worked perfectly!!! It was $50 per phone and would have lasted 1 month. We had perfect service the whole time and never ran out of our 15g of data, even with a ton of streaming and navigation. I was thrilled with how easy it was to use. You can also get 10 days for $30 instead!
Travel Insurance
Okay, so I am a travel blogger which means I travel quite a lot. And with many trips every single year, the truth is I do not get travel insurance for every single trip I go on. However, with a big trip like Italy, travel insurance is an absolute must!!
There are so many things being booked and paid for in advance that you need to protect yourself should anything go not as planned. And the best part? It’s actually not that expensive. The price depends a lot on the trip details, but when we got it for our first trip to Italy it was only like $200ish dollars, which for a trip that cost thousands, I thought that was a good price for some peace of mind!
Every travel insurance plan is different, and there are many good companies to choose from. I like Insubuy because they compare a bunch of different options and price points for you and make it so simple to get coverage!
Euros
We were in Italy for 11 days, and brought 300 Euros with us and took out an additional 150 when we were there. We pretty much only used Euros when we absolutely had to. Some small stores and restaurants only took cash, or some had large minimums to use a card. We also used it for tips, and some taxi rides. I got ours from our bank about 2 weeks before we left which was an extremely easy process. We ordered it on the bank website and then picked it up at our local branch.
Travel Credit Cards
In addition to Euros, you’ll also want to bring a travel credit card. This is important because you’ll need a card that does not charge any foreign transaction fees, since you’ll be making a lot of foreign purchases before and during your trip.
Having a travel credit card is also super important for helping pay for the trip, since it is a great way to earn free flights, hotels and more for our trips. We love having a generic travel card that can be used for all different airlines and hotel brands, plus earns points for everything that you purchase. The Capital One Venture X card is perfect for this!!
We are also huge Marriott fans, so we love having the Marriott Bonvoy Brilliant American Express Card to help us earn free stays during our adventures, even for our trips to Italy!
We have flown round-trip for two people to Italy, Hawaii, St. Lucia, New York City, Philadelphia and more in just the last three years thanks to credit card points. Not to mention all of the free hotel nights we have used as well. The point is, if used wisely, travel credit cards can save you SO much money in the long run. If you want to learn more, here’s a full list of some of the best travel credit cards out there!
Outlet Converter
The outlets in Italy are not shaped the same as the ones in the U.S. (or many other places around the world). So you will need an outlet adapter to change the shape from U.S. (or wherever you live) to the shape of Italy’s outlets.
While technically you can get away with an adaptor for most items, a power converter will also change the voltage. This is necessary for things like hair dryers and curlers, and heavy technology like laptops. Italy uses 220v, while the U.S. uses 110v. This means that if your electronic item doesn’t have a built-in voltage converter, it will fry it. To be safe, and to cover all my bases, I got one converter with 6 outlets and used that for everything.
That being said, the nicer hotels typically have USB plugs in the outlets by the bed so you may not even need it to charge your phones, but I would not count on that. This is definitely crucial for your Italy packing list!
Power Bank
When planning your Italy packing list, this is one of the absolute most critical items that should be on your list. A power bank is a portable charger that allows you to charge your phone (and other devices) on the go! With long days sightseeing in Italy, we used this thing constantly and carried it on us at all times! Between frequently using navigation and taking tons of photos, our phones died quickly each day. This power bank from Amazon is perfect, fits in my purse, and charges your phone probably 6 times before dying so you don’t even have to recharge it often. If you only buy one thing for your next Italy trip, buy this!
Pick-pocket Proof Bag
If you talk to five people about visiting Rome, chances are at least one or two will bring up pick-pocketing. In Rome and the other larger cities pick-pocketing can be fairly common. Of course there’s always horror stories, but I find the cities very safe as long as you are a smart traveler! Keep your cross-body bag in front of your body at all times, and leave a hand on it when you are in crowds.
But to be safe, I bring, and always recommend, a pick-pocket proof bag. I have the Travelon messenger bag and absolutely love it. It has all of the pick-pocket features you need including clips on every zipper which makes me feel safer walking around in the big cities in Italy and around the world, for that matter. But it also has other features like a spot for a water bottle, and great pockets for passports, cards, money, etc.
Teema Towel
Where do I even begin!?! My Teema Towel is the first thing that I pack for every single trip, no matter where I am going. And Italy is a place where I highly recommend you bring one as well!
Teema Towels are incredibly soft and durable Turkish towels that roll up super small and dry extra fast. They are perfect for use at the pool or beach (visiting Italy’s beach towns like the Amalfi Coast, Lake Como, or Cinque Terre anyone??), taking a dip in any of the natural hot springs in Tuscany, or as a picnic blanket as you watch the sunset over Florence. But it is also the best blanket for cold plane or train rides, and can be used as a shawl to cover your shoulders to enter churches (more on that later!!).
I’m telling you, you will use this thing for everything and is an absolute must-have for your Italy packing list. I seriously cannot tell you how much I adore my Teema Towel.
Collapsible Water Bottle
As you walk around for miles and miles throughout Italy each day (and you will, I promise) you will need to stay hydrated with plenty of water. I hate buying plastic water bottles because of how bad they are for the environment, plus that cost does add up!! So instead, I insist that you bring a water bottle with you each day during your adventures.
The tap water in Italy is completely safe for foreigners to drink, plus in the cities, there are public water fountains everywhere. They’re built into the huge beautiful ancient architecture and spout out clean, cold drinking water that is completely free!
But, carrying around a huge clunky water bottle can get extremely annoying, so I highly recommend you pack these collapsible water bottles instead. That way you can fill up when you want, or tuck away into a small purse when you don’t. We love having these with us as we travel and always include them on our Italy packing list, and you should too!
Bluetooth Headphones
If you’ve read any of my Italy travel guides, you’ll know that I love recommending Rick Steves’ free audio tours in most of the major cities in the country! They are a really great (and free) way to learn all about the ancient cities that you are visiting and appreciate everything so much more.
But in order to do these audio tours, you’ll need to bring headphones to listen as you walk. I personally prefer using these bluetooth headphones; that way you don’t have to carry your phone in your hand the whole time, but I also love that they are connected in the back which for me means they are less likely to get lost. Because things just seem to run away when they are too small. Ha!
Medications
It’s pretty obvious that you’ll need to include any prescription medication that you might need in your Italy packing list, but you also need to think long and hard about what over the counter medicine you should bring as well.
When you are traveling within the U.S. you can run to a drug store and pick up any meds you might need if something happens. But in Italy, it’s not that easy. First, drug stores look nothing like what you are used to in America. They’re pretty intimidating. Plus, they don’t necessarily speak English, or at least not great English. And finally, all of the medications look TOTALLY different then what you can get in the US. So, it’s a little scary trusting someone who doesn’t speak good English to sell you something that looks nothing like what you’re used to and hope and pray that it’s what you need. Yikes.
So, be sure to bring anything you might need while in Italy. I recommend the normal pain relievers you might use on occasion at home, but I also highly recommend you bring an acid reliever! With all of the wine and tomatoes we ate in Italy, my acid reflux was absolutely killing me during our trip and I so wished I had added these Tums to my Italy packing list the first time around. Please please bring some. You’d rather be safe than sorry!
Sunscreen
No matter when you are visiting Italy, and no matter what places you are traveling to, I recommend you add sunscreen to your Italy packing list! You will be spending tons of time outside exploring throughout your entire trip and are bound to get some sun. Protect yourself and put some sunscreen on each day!
Shawl
One thing you must know before taking your trip to Italy is that all churches require you to have your shoulders and knees covered when you enter. This is important because you will likely visit several churches during your time in Italy, especially when visiting the big cities like Rome, Florence or Milan! That’s because the churches are often some of the most popular sites to visit.
In Rome, this includes the Pantheon (my personal favorite building in all of Italy!!), St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City, the Basilica of Santa Maria in Trastevere and many, many more. In Florence, the most notable is the Duomo of course, and if you want to climb to the top then you must have your shoulders and knees covered. And in Milan this is the stunning Duomo di Milano, among others.
All that to say, you need to dress accordingly. Many times you’ll plan to visit these places, and can dress accordingly that morning. But other times you’ll be walking past the most beautiful building and want to go in, but without the right attire you can’t.
This is especially problematic in the summer when ladies wear tank tops or sleeveless dresses. So I highly recommend you bring a light shawl to throw in your bag each day, that way you are always prepared to step into a church whenever the time arises!
Comfortable Shoes
For shoes I wore white Keds every. single. day. I also use Vionic arch inserts and that combination let me walk over 10 miles a day and my feet didn’t hurt at all!! That being said, everyone’s feet are different, so make sure to test out shoes before you go, pick comfort over style and definitely don’t pack too many pairs! I promise you don’t need them. I would have been okay with just the one pair; that’s all I wanted to wear!
Clothes
A huge part of an Italy packing list involves what you will be wearing! So, spend some time crafting the perfect wardrobe for your dream trip to Italy.
There’s a lot of differing opinions on this topic. Some people say, “Italians dress nice, so as tourists we should too”. Others say, “who cares how we look, we should be comfortable and it’s okay if we look like tourists, because we are”.
I fall somewhere in between, but definitely lean more on the side of looking nice. Italians dress super chic, so bring classy, timeless pieces. Whether you like to dress up a bit or not, always be comfortable because you will be walking SO much!
As you plan out the clothing for your Italy packing list, I highly recommend attempting a capsule wardrobe. This means bringing several pieces that go with many different outfits! This can mean one skirt with a few different tops, one tank that can go under a few different things, etc. This will help you save space in your luggage!
But I also can’t help but love a long flowy floral dress for twirling. And if you plan on going to the bright and colorful island of Burano (which you definitely should), then I recommend bringing a white dress to stand out among all the colors!
I’ve linked below a few of my favorite suggestions for things to wear in Italy!
As for guys, dress the same; classic, simple but look polished!
Heavy-Duty Suitcases
And now for a super important part, suitcases. First and foremost, do your best to bring one carry-on and one backpack per person. Now I know that’s not super realistic for everyone, I definitely brought a huge checked bag for our first trip to Italy; it is what it is!
But more important is to buy very heavy-duty suitcases that can handle a lot of wear and tear. That’s because you’ll likely be rolling them along cobblestone roads, and that is not easy on suitcases’ little wheels!
We took some fairly budget-brand suitcases on our first trip and learned the hard way when one of the wheels broke on the third day, so that was rough!
Invest the money now and you’ll have these suitcases for a very long time! I would at least go for the Samsonite luggage brand.
As for size, carry-on is much more manageable especially if you plan on riding the trains (which I highly recommend you do!). The storage space on all of the trains we rode were overhead (fits carry-ons and backpacks) and behind the seats (which barely fit our large 26” suitcases). It’s possible but definitely a little difficult to find ample spacing on each train.
Suitcase Locks
The final need to have would be suitcase locks. These are important to have for any time you will be storing your luggage. If you check out early but are in that city all day, you’ll have to store your luggage. Or adversely if you get into the city early but can’t check in until that afternoon, again you’ll have to store your luggage.
And while I am a very trusting person, and Italy is definitely super safe, I would still recommend locking your suitcases so nothing goes missing.
Nice to Have
The following items on my ultimate Italy packing list may not be absolutely necessary, but for many people can be really great to have. I packed these things for my trip to Italy and was SO glad I had them with me!
Wine Bottle Bubble Wrap
We bought a pack of wine bubble wrap off Amazon, not intending to bring wine home, but more for olive oils or limoncello. We ended up getting two bottles of wine from our hotels that we didn’t drink so the bubble bags came in super handy. They worked perfectly and nothing broke! They’re extremely easy to use, pack flat so they take up basically no room until you inflate them. Also, it comes in a large pack so you will have plenty for all of your return trips to Italy, because I promise…you will be planning a return trip before you even get home.
Packing Cubes
Another really nice thing to include on your Italy packing list are packing cubes! If you’ve never used them before, they’re definitely worth adding to your collection of travel items as you’ll start using them for all of your trips no matter where you go.
They not only help you organize all of your clothes, but they compress everything to help you save space, which will definitely help if you have more than a week’s worth of clothes coming with you!
I really truly love my Tripped Travel Gear packing cubes. They’re amazing quality and come in cute colors and patterns. PLUS you’re supporting a small business; fellow travel content creators Tim and Fin created this wonderful product!
Swim Suit
Also depending on the time of year and destinations you visit (beach towns or hot springs of course), you’ll want to bring along a cute swimsuit. Here’s a few cute ones I love and scream Italy vibes to me.
Sun Hat
Depending on the time of year you are visiting and the locations you plan to go to, you might want to consider bringing a sun hat, or something to protect your face from the sun! This could mean a legit sun hat (smaller ones like this are definitely appropriate in both coastal towns and cities) or a simple baseball hat (this one would be super classy and perfect for Italy!). Either will be helpful during the sunny summer months, and also look super cute as you go galavanting through the Tuscan countryside.
Extra Duffle Bag
Italy has an incredible amount of souvenirs to bring back home with you. Going into our trip I was not sure what the best way to get the things we bought back home was. I ended up bringing along an extra duffle, rolled up in the suitcase, to pack our purchases in and carry onto the plane home. It ended up working perfectly. The only thing I would have done differently, would be to bring a larger one so we could have brought home even more clothes, shoes, and olive oil!! I adore my Vera Bradley duffle bags, they are so pretty, durable and roll up pretty small. No matter the size you decide on, you will not regret getting one of their bags, they will last you forever because they’re such good quality!
Umbrella
If you’re visiting during the rainy season, (October through January, and again in April) then you’ll want to consider bringing a small travel umbrella. Now you could get away without one, but you just might get wet or spend some time waiting out the rain and missing out on sight seeing.
Our first trip to Italy was in April and we had a little bit of rain during our 2 weeks in Italy, but not much at all! It rained overnight once that we know of, and one afternoon while we were in Venice. So this might be something you throw in your suitcase if you have any extra space, or a light raincoat instead.
Airtag
And last but certainly not least, I have started putting an Airtag in my suitcase! This is great for when you check a bag, so you can have peace of mind that it actually got loaded onto the plane, or to help locate it if it were to unfortunately get lost. It’s also another way to confidently leave your bags in storage at a hotel, since you can always track its location. Not an absolutely must-have for your Italy packing list, but it is definitely a nice thing to consider!
And there you have it! Everything I think you need or might like to have in your suitcase for a trip to Italy. Packing for Italy should be fun and easy; you’ll be living “la dolce vita” soon, after all! Enjoy your trip to Italia!!
