You’ve booked your trip to Italy (or anywhere from Paris through southern Europe) and now you’re thinking about what to pack. The average American tourist thinks about comfort first – leggings and sneakers, short skirts and crop tops to beat the heat, or God forbid, the mass tourism uniform of work out shorts, chunky ugly sneakers and a fanny pack.
No Italian will ever confuse us as being one of them – everything about the way we dress, the way we walk, the way we carry ourselves, screams that we’re not from there. And that’s fine. But it is nice to blend in a little and not stand out for looking sloppy.
This also has a safety element attached to it. Most international cities with high tourism also have pickpockets. Pickpockets know that the more clueless you look, the easier you’ll be to rob. By contrast if you look like you blend in and seem to know what’s up, you are less likely to be targeted. Rick Steves was pickpocketed in Paris a couple of years ago, but to be fair, he spends so much time in Europe’s biggest and busiest cities every year, and this was the first time in decades that this happened to him.
I live in Italy, have been leading private tours of Italy for 15+ years and have 5 internationally best-selling books about travel in Italy (The Glam Italia How To Travel Italy series). Along the way I’ve picked up some great tips about packing and what to wear in Italy.
So let’s look at 10 tips to help you pack wisely and wear the right things on your trip to Italy.
1. Dress Nicely
This one is simple. Italians dress well, no matter which socio-economic group they belong to. They take pride in their appearance. If you go about Italy looking like a hot mess it can seem disrespectful both to them and to yourself. Of course you don’t need to be wearing designer duds as you explore the cities, towns and villages, just make an effort to look nice. Workout shorts, a T-shirt, and a fanny-pack might be super comfortable and could be great for a hot day walking around somewhere like Vegas, but in Italy you want to dial your look up a bit.
2. Leave The Athleisure At Home.
In the U.S it’s considered relatively normal to wander around/run errands/be out and about dressed in athleisure. For some people yoga pants and a t-shirt is even a daily uniform. Here in Italy athletic wear is worn at the gym. Not walking to and from the gym, or pretty much anywhere that’s not the gym. When planning your trip to Europe don’t plan on walking around in yoga clothes or workout gear. It’s seen as incredibly gauche/clueless.
The same applies to cruising around wearing any form of workout clothes. Save them for Vegas, and take just a tiny bit more effort.
3. Bikini Tops Belong On The Beach
If you live in Malibu pretty much no one will bat an eye if you’re walking down the street in a bikini top and a skirt/shorts/jeans/pants/sarong/whatever. Here in Italy it’s an absolute no no. To the point where some towns (like Sorrento)have laws that fine tourists €500 for wearing bikini tops or swimwear in the street. (See more in this article.)
Italian beach clubs have showers and changing rooms. There is an expectation that you’ll put yourself back together before leaving the beach. If you’re at a public beach then it’s up to you to get yourself sorted out. Italian women leave the beach looking totally put together and ready to walk into aperitivo hour. If you are hitting the beach or the pool, make sure you get changed and cover up when you leave. As in don’t walk down the street in swimwear.
4. Graphic T’s Aren’t Cool
Italian men don’t wear graphic t-shirts. It’s just not a thing. You’ll see them in a well cut simple t-shirt, but in general they’re not cruising the streets of Rome in a Slayer T. You should also leave t-shirts announcing your favorite city at home. I love New York as much as the next person, but an I Love NY t-shirt seems either clueless or rude. The same with college sweatshirts – who cares where you went to school? Keep them at home and make just a tiny bit more effort.
You also don’t typically see Italian men schlepping around in ill fitting cargo pants. If you’re a guy wanting ideas for what to wear and look cool while in Italy, look more to a nicely fitted chino style pant with slim legs and hemmed at slightly above the ankle. Or, outside of summer when jeans are too hot, a great pair of jeans. For shorts in the summer just find something stylish. You won’t see too many Italian men out and about in shorts but you will see plenty other travelers in them.
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5. Baseball Caps
A baseball cap earmarks you as an American tourist from a hundred yards away. Funnily enough I do sometimes see Italian men, like taxi drivers, wearing Yankees ball caps. I don’t know why Yankees over any other team, but it seems to be a thing. But in general I suggest maybe leaving the ball cap at home. It really does mark you as an American, and pickpockets know Americans are likely to have more cash to grab than other nations.
**I don’t advise wearing red baseball caps either, regardless of your politics or what the cap might say. Non-Americans will assume it’s a political statement, one that will guarantee you enemies. (This is based on what I see living in Italy, and having to explain that this particular red cap has a different slogan stitched on the front.) Offhand I can’t name a single country where it would be received well.
6. Cover Up In Churches
As a rule for both men and women, your shoulders and thighs should be covered when going inside churches or religious locations. Places like the Vatican won’t let you in if inappropriately dressed, regardless of how much your ticket cost. Other locations like the Pantheon may let you in wearing a short skirt but will make you cover your shoulders. I’ve even seen tourists asked to leave churches due to inappropriate dress.
If you’ve ever seen so much as a single Instagram post of mine while in Italy you’ll know that I’m typically sleeveless all summer long. I keep a scarf in my bag to throw over my shoulders if entering a church. Zero drama. However, on the rare occasions I go to the Vatican I make sure I wear (short) sleeves and that everyone in my tour group has covered thighs and shoulders. Some churches like Basilica San Marco in Venice will sell you a paper skirt and shawl to wear inside, but be advised, they’re super uncomfortable.
7. Flip Flops Like Bikinis, Are For The Beach Only.
Don’t wear flip flops or flip flop type sandals anywhere other than at the beach. Apart from it looking tacky, you also put yourself at more risk of getting hurt. Remember no streets in Italy are flat, even the flat ones! You’ll be walking on cobblestones and flagstones and walking up and down hills – even in the flat towns and villages. The only time I’ve had tour clients fall has been when they’ve been wearing flip flop type footwear, even though I’ve warned them not to. It is essential in Italy to wear good, supportive footwear that won’t trip you up. Trust me on this one!
Some places like the Cinqueterre will fine you as much as €2500 for wearing flip flops. (This is due to the cost of the non-stop rescue operations mounted to rescue flip flop wearing tourists who get hurt or stuck walking the hiking trails between the villages.)
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8. Pack Light
Another huge mistake first time tourists make is bringing too much luggage and bringing too heavy luggage. A good rule of thumb is to only bring what you can personally carry on and off trains, up and down stairs, and along cobblestoned streets. I stick to a medium sized suitcase and a carry on that sits on top of it.
I really learned this one the hard way, nearly wrenching my arms out of their sockets trying to board a train, then having to climb 4 flights of stairs to my airbnb with heavy luggage. Never again. Decant hair care, skin care, body care products into travel sized jars and bottles (see examples here). Cut back on the amount of clothing you’re bringing (see below) and be super aware of the weight. It takes some strategy, but it’s so worth it!
9. Plan An Outfit For Each Day.
The easiest way to not overpack is to plan an outfit for each day, and stick to the plan. Planning separates that mix and match is another great strategy.
2 skirts, 2 pairs of pants and 4 tops that all work together gives you something like 16 outfits. I am never that paired down, but normally do a few sundresses and some separates. Don’t bring any just-in-case items. You won’t need them.
I recommend creating a capsule travel wardrobe with some core pieces that travel well, look chic and are easy to launder. For years I’ve traveled with these Eddie Bauer Departure Pants. I have them both in olive and in black. They’re great to fly in, in terms of comfort, breathability and looking decent when you deplane. They are also fantastic for day to day wear while I’m away.
I pair them with a variety of tops, and love being able to wash and hang them to dry overnight. They pack down to nothing. I also like Amazon Essentials T-shirts For Women and great little basic travel capsule wardrobe pieces. They’re well cut, well made, and can handle a thrashing while traveling and still look smart. I always wash my whites separately so they don’t go yellow or grey, but I find the Amazon white T’s stay vibrant white for a long time. And they cost next to nothing.
The key to travel packing is both finding cool pieces that can take you through a variety of events, and choosing fabrics wisely. I look for fabrics that pack down small, breathe in hot/muggy/humid weather, are easy to launder, and don’t require a lot of ironing or maintenance. When you have some good core items in your capsule travel wardrobe, you can bend them to meet your needs. Dress them up, dress them down – their variety of uses means you can do away with just-in-case items.
It makes it so much easier already knowing what you’re wearing tomorrow, and being able to plan out any laundry you may need to do while away. I try to wear each item two times. it doesn’t always happen, but it has helped me to pack so much lighter!
10. Bring The Right Shoes
This one is so important. Italy is all walking, all day, every day. You are almost never walking on flat surfaces like the average American sidewalk, instead its uneven pavement, cobblestones, and hills as mentioned before. In the bigger cities like Rome, Florence and Venice you can expect to walk at least 20,000 steps per day. I’ve often found myself clocking in 32,000-35,000 steps in Rome. So with all this walking it is crucial that you have the right footwear.
- For summer I recommend one pair of stylish looking sneakers that really support your feet, ankles and lower back. In the past I’ve put padded insoles in my sneakers to give extra cushioning.
- Also in summer pack some really supportive sandals. This summer I wore this Taos sandal in caramel and loved it. We had a heatwave in Italy so I ended up wearing them every day and with all the walking they held up amazingly. I also like this pair. You can see from the photo above the sole is super cushioned, which not only supports your foot and ankle but also supports your lower back. The Taos leather is really soft – my shoes didn’t need any breaking in. The back strap keeps your foot in place and aligned.
- For winter and fall and maybe early spring I want to make sure my shoes don’t get wet, so wear a waterproof sneaker and an ankle boot. I like Chelsea boots in the wet weather, not only because they’re comfortable, but the tread on the bottom stops you from slipping on the cobblestones and hills, which do get really slippery.
- If I’ll be going to the beach I pack flip flops.
- I may pack one more back up sandal, but in general planning 2 pairs of shoes is ideal. Definitely no more than 3 pairs – shoes weigh a lot and take up too much space in your luggage.
I hope you found these tips helpful! None of this is intended to be snarky or unkind. Most of us don’t know the customs, dress codes or appropriate etiquette in every other country – I know I don’t. So this was intended to help you.
You can get more tips for planning your trip, executing the most awesome Italian trip ever, and also help with bits and pieces while in Italy, in my best selling Italy travel guide Glam Italia! How To Travel Italy: Secrets To Glamorous Travel On A Not So Glamorous Budget. With more than 700 5-star reviews this is not only one of Amazon’s top rated Italy travel guides, but is also Amazon’s top rated for readability. Which basically means the tens of thousands of readers around the world have said they find it fun and easy reading, delivering great information in an easily understandable and accessible way. Check it out – you’ll find it super helpful too!
Happy travels! Corinna
