Luggage and Bags for Italy
/You may have noticed in our earlier post about luggage that we put some very specific information about the bags you might want to bring on a longer trip to Europe. Many people plan to check a larger bag, whether it be soft or hard-sided. I personally love both my hardsided luggage and a great soft-sided bag I got from Victorinox, so either is fine. It’s just very important that the bag is something each traveler is comfortable pulling, carrying, and lifting. On our trip, we have a steep staircase to accommodate as we enter one convent where we stay, and we use trains to transfer from Rome to Tuscany.
As far as carry-ons go, there are of course very specific measurements required by airlines: 22" x 14" x 9" or 56 x 35 x 23 cm. For some, this bag will double as a day-pack, which is what we really want to address today. (I personally take a day-pack inside my carry-on for maximum flexibility on the trip.
Day-packs can come in across-the-shoulder or backpack styles, and it's really up to what each traveler feels good about carrying, along with considering how much that traveler will be carrying on a daily basis. Some use backpacks, others do across-the-shoulder. The trip leaders actually bring one of each along. Since when we are leading a group, we sometimes need to carry a first-aid kit and multiple copies of medical releases, etc. For those times, we need a backpack to handle the volume. We also bring a smaller across-the-shoulder bag for moments when we don’t need to have so much with us. Whether travelers carry a day-pack or not, they need to be aware and prepared to sling it across the front at times, especially when moving in crowds or traveling on public transportation, in order to protect their possessions.
Some students choose to carry something a little smaller than I would as trip leader on a day-to-day basis. The usual items that travelers carry with them on a typical day: water bottle, journal, trip notebook, sunscreen, and an umbrella and/or rain jacket. However, some days there's a little more they need, like the day we go to an archaeological site outside Rome, followed by a trip to the beach, so travelers sometimes need a little more space for their swimsuit and beach towel. There are also some days when we tell our travelers to bring no bags or at the most smaller purse-sized bags, i.e. no backpacks, because the museum or site we're going to doesn't allow them or we would have to check them before entering (which can be a big hassle). We also always warn our travelers ahead of time when we're going somewhere that we can't bring bigger bags so that they can plan ahead for that day.
Of course, another thing to keep in mind is that you may not want to keep your wallet and cash in your day-pack as you are traveling. In terms of where the wallet/money goes, a money belt that fits inside the waistline of pants is the safest option, and that is what we as trip leaders do. Whatever you choose to do, think carefully about how you will both make sure that you have what will make you comfortable on a daily basis and help you protect your possessions, cash, and important identification information. It’s important to balance the number of bags you want to take with flexibility for each day’s adventures.