Anybody recommend something besides a backpack to carry sunglasses and a few items like a roll of hiking TP,wipes etc...

Following, as we're planning on taking a trip there in '25

Edit: Our trip will probably base out of the Rome area.
Hope to try to get to the Ferrari and/or Alfa Romeo museums.
And, if timing is right, see about catching the F1 race at either Monza or Imola.

We went in June of 23 but from a cruise ship

How are you getting there? Where are you staying/stopping? When are you going?

Spent time in Venice and Rome, didn't really carry a back pack or have a need, since being in the city everything you'd need you have access to easily, no different than walking in downtown Dallas, Atlanta, Orlando etc.

"Italy has been experiencing overtourism, Starting this June, tour groups in Venice will be capped at 25 people per group, as part of the new rules, tourists are also asked to no longer pause while traversing the city's bridges. 

According to the World Tourism Organization in 2022, nearly 50 million people visited Italy, a nearly one-for-one match on the nation's total population of locals. As a result, Italy has strengthened its stance against overtourism, with new entry fees and group size restrictions in Venice for 2024 being the latest in a slew of new regulations. Additionally, a few recent events have led the European nation to propose policies to combat transgressions by ill-behaved visitors.
Take, for example, in 2023 when a tourist took a swim in the centuries-old Trevi Fountain, one of Rome's most iconic sites. The occurrence was so dramatic that local officials contemplated limiting access to the historic monument. However, like previous calls to erect a glass barrier around the fountain to protect it from unruly travellers, this notion was shut down after experts said it would impede the view of the fountain, with one expert telling La Repubblica the idea was “really silly”. (Just around the corner at the Spanish Steps, though, officials enacted a rule back in 2019 stating that neither locals nor tourists can sit on the steps, even for a photo opp. If caught taking a seat, tourists risk a €250 (£214) fine.)

But it’s not just bad behaviour Italy is contending with. It’s sheer overtourism too. 
People come to the country regardless of the month of the year thanks to the good weather."  tourism is a major contributor to the Italian economy. In fact, it accounts for more than 10% of Italys GDP. with one out of every nine jobs in the country coming from hospitality. Nonetheless, "overtourism is a problem in Italy. For instance, the sidewalks in Rome are very narrow, so with so many tourists, it's impossible to walk comfortably in the streets. Another challenging thing is public transportation. People are squished in autobuses and metro trains sardines in a can. And don't even let me start on the litter problem." 

We did this trip for 9 days November last year. Flew in to Venice. Took train after 4 days to Rome. Flew out from Rome back to Vegas. To the OP, I guess it depend on where exactly you want to go. I imagine if I will go to the countryside, I will bring a small pack with flushable baby wipes and some TP (in case there aren't any). Most restrooms do not provide toilet seat covers like we do here in the US. Had to constantly use TP as seat covers.

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Originally posted by HRK:
Spent time in Venice and Rome, didn't really carry a back pack or have a need, since being in the city everything you'd need you have access to easily, no different than walking in downtown Dallas, Atlanta, Orlando etc.

I'm just going to write as things come to me. If you are just asking for packing advice the only piece of advice I suggest is take a collapsible duffel bag and put it in your suitcase. If you end up buying souvenirs or clothes or whatever and need to find a place for it you can use this bag.

My sister spent a year in Grottaglie with Boeing. We visited Ostuni, a walled whitewashed city on a hill, aka The White City. It was a nice visit with awesome views.

We visited Pompeii. I didn't have a great time that day as I was in a mood, but would love to go back.

On a separate trip a couple of buddies and I visited Rome and the Vatican. You can do your own research as there is plenty of info out there, but something I didn't know until I got there is that you can gain access to the roof of St. Peter's Basilica. Awesome view of the square from up there. They offer night tours of the Vatican Museum and Sistine Chapel. Seemed like it was less crowded and you beat the heat. If you are Catholic and you show up to the Basilica on Sunday morning, you can gain access to the Basilica for Mass. We got there and thought we were going to have to wait in a LONG line before we could get into the Basilica, but both my buddies are Catholic. One of the best parts of my visit there was getting to watch my buddies take the Eucharist at the Holiest place on Earth according to their faith. I know it meant a lot to them and so it meant a lot for me.

Visit one or two of the little towns in the Cinque Terre. We visited Monterosso and it was wonderful.

I was there last year, Rome - Vatican, touristy stuff..

It was extremely hot when we went so water was a must but it gets very heavy, we ended up buying as needed. Bring wipes, sanitizer normal stuff. I carried medical with me as well but I didn't use a backpack but a sling bag. Pick pocketing is a big issue there so we used small locking carabiners ( Amazon Link on the zippers to make it harder to open and walked with bags in the front vs to the side/back.

Get a travel cc or two with no international fees and link it to a contactless payment, apple pay etc if so inclined. I used it mainly while I was there and carried a few hundred Euro as well.

If you have Schwab their checking account has no fees, globally. They basically refund you any fees incurred.

We were able to go up tp the rooftop that you mentioned. It was quite a walk heading up there. I had to stop and step aside to one of those window frames to rest. I got dizzy walking round and round that spiral steps. I did not know they offer a night tour of the Vatican Museum and Sistine Chapel. I will look into that one. I am planning on taking my mom this August for her 80th birthday. Just the 2 of us. I was able to attend mass inside Vatican and receive the holy communion. I was teary eyed the entire time. What an experience. One of the staff said the Pope holds an outdoor mass during Tuesdays. I am planning of flying in on a Monday so I can take my mom for the Tuesday mass.

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Originally posted by Skull Leader:
On a separate trip a couple of buddies and I visited Rome and the Vatican. You can do your own research as there is plenty of info out there, but something I didn't know until I got there is that you can gain access to the roof of St. Peter's Basilica. Awesome view of the square from up there. They offer night tours of the Vatican Museum and Sistine Chapel. Seemed like it was less crowded and you beat the heat. If you are Catholic and you show up to the Basilica on Sunday morning, you can gain access to the Basilica for Mass. We got there and thought we were going to have to wait in a LONG line before we could get into the Basilica, but both my buddies are Catholic. One of the best parts of my visit there was getting to watch my buddies take the Eucharist at the Holiest place on Earth according to their faith. I know it meant a lot to them and so it meant a lot for me.

Book ahead your main tours.
We were not into the internet age ourselves, a couple of years ago, and found out that there was no visiting a bunch of places because we couldn’t buy tickets on site.

Endless lines at the Vatican under a murderous sun. No Sixtine Chapel for the spousal unit.

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Originally posted by 0-0:
Book ahead your main tours.
We were not into the internet age ourselves, a couple of years ago, and found out that there was no visiting a bunch of places because we couldn’t buy tickets on site.

Endless lines at the Vatican under a murderous sun. No Sixtine Chapel for the spousal unit.

0-0

Good call out.. yes book tours now and ensure they have skip the line options.. Vatican/Chapel and Coliseum if so inclined..

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Originally posted by valkyrie1:
Anybody recommend something besides a backpack to carry sunglasses and a few items like a roll of hiking TP,wipes etc...

You DO know that Italy is a civilized country with modern inventions like toilets and toilet paper...right?

Rather than carry TP, carry the Euro coins you'd need for the pay-toilets that are common in Europe.

I spent 6 weeks in Italy a while back, in October and November. It was great missing the tourist season. Never, ever went on a tourist bus or anything like that. Walked pretty much everywhere, except when on a train, and this was great.

Italians travel themselves a lot. Sometimes they will take off every weekend or two and travel by train to a new city. MY recommendation is to travel light, with everything in a single backpack, to make changing locations easy.

Many Italians speak English, but it you could bring a language book and learn a few words, that would help.

My wife and I were talked into a Perillo tour by our neighbors. I would of preferred to do my own thing but hey they are good people. Last time I was in Europe was 1981 in France and I had a great time. Be landing in Rome and leaving from Milan. Crime wasn’t that bad in 81. I know it can be an issue. Just wanted some ideas about a fanny pack or shoulder pack that is not cumbersome. Have Eagle Creek for the main luggage. I speak French and German and common Italian words I know

Get a money belt that goes inside your pants for your passport, any other important documents, cards, and most of your money. Only carry what you'll need for the day in your pocket. Pickpocketing is really bad. Some of our girls got felt up by perverts on the bus, too. That could happen anywhere, but the Italians were pretty overt about it compared to other places I've been. The guys in our group ended up forming a protective wall any time we got on a crowded bus or train after that.

Somebody else already mentioned water...it gets hot as hell in the summer. I'd probably bring a small backpack for hydration and snack items....wouldn't put anything valuable in it, though. You may have to check it at the counter when you go into certain museums or tourist areas.

I've spent time in Rome, Venice, southern Italy, and Trieste. It's a beautiful country...I'd love to go back to the northern part and spend some time in the alps. There's a lot of natural beauty, but also a ton of historical, religious, and cultural stuff. The food is also amazing. It's one of my favorite places I've been in Europe.

The Turin auto museum. Museo Nazionale dell'Automobile

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Originally posted by PASig:

quote:

Originally posted by valkyrie1:
Anybody recommend something besides a backpack to carry sunglasses and a few items like a roll of hiking TP,wipes etc...

You DO know that Italy is a civilized country with modern inventions like toilets and toilet paper...right?

Rather than carry TP, carry the Euro coins you'd need for the pay-toilets that are common in Europe.

If i remember correctly, deodorant was extremely expensive. Choice was limited too.


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Originally posted by Z06:
The Turin auto museum. Museo Nazionale dell'Automobile

I spent a lot of time in Turin on business but was not aware this museum existed. I found out about it too late.

However, I did go through the Museo Egizio (Egyptian Museum) and found that to be very interesting.

The Lago Maggiore area north of Milan is beautiful. Spent a day there with a colleague and enjoyed a great lunch on a restaurant terrace overlooking the lake. I had the fish.

Sanremo on the Italian Riviera was fun. I stayed at the Royal Hotel, walking distance to the Mediterranean. And Monte Carlo is only a short drive away from Sanremo.

On one trip, I flew my wife over and we spent a weekend at the Hotel Helios in Santa Margarita Ligure. It was like a 2nd honeymoon, we enjoyed a very romantic weekend.

Venice. Spent 4 days there.
Stayed at the Hotel Antiche Figure.
Right on the Grand Canal. Across the Canal by way of overpass (walking distance) is the train station to go to different areas.
Oh and don't order a pepperoni pizza. Pepperoni is a vegetable.
Enjoyed Rome also. Good sightseeing areas.