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The best medical checkup I’ve ever had — and it wasn’t in the U.S.

view of reception area of Memorial Bahçelievler hospital in Istanbul
The reception area and lobby of Memorial Hospital Bahçelievler, Istanbul

Disclosure: If you choose to book a checkup through a link in this post, I may receive a small referral commission at no additional cost to you. I only share resources I’ve personally used and genuinely recommend.

If you have been caught out with the changes to health insurance and blindingly expensive medical care in the United States, this post is for you.

Or maybe it’s not something you need right now — but it’s one of those things you’ll be very glad you tucked away for later. For yourself. Or for a friend, partner, parent, or coworker who suddenly finds themselves stuck with the horrendous health insurance crisis in the U.S.

Last year, I had the most comprehensive medical checkup of my life.

Not over months.
Not across multiple different medical offices.
Not with surprise bills showing up later.

It all happened in one single day — at one of the most advanced hospitals I’ve ever seen — and it cost less than what I now pay before my U.S. insurance even starts helping.

And no… it wasn’t in America.

The best healthcare in the world, PLUS a mediterranean beach vacation – what more could you want? Also, in total I spent less than my health insurance deductible.

A Quiet Healthcare Breaking Point

Until the end of 2024, I had what Americans would call “decent” insurance. Last year it changed and became terrible. This year? It basically became unusable.

But let’s talk about last year because that’s when this all happened. In 2025 my deductible jumped to $5000, after which the insurance company only covered 60%. Diagnostics — bloodwork, ultrasounds, imaging, biopsies had I needed one — were no longer covered. Routine women’s reproductive care stretched from yearly to once every three years (which… makes zero medical sense).

Suddenly:

  • Bloodwork went from a $40 copay to $219–$400 per 6 monthly draw.
  • A thyroid ultrasound out-of-pocket was $460
  • A Pap smear, formerly covered by insurance now ranged from $272–$375 in the off years.
  • A mammogram now ranged from $251 – $473 out of pocket in the off years. (2025 was an off year)
  • Prescription co-pays got ridiculous too.

Preventative medicine — the very thing that keeps us healthy — quietly became inaccessible.

That’s when medical tourism stopped being theoretical and became practical.

What Medical Tourism Is (and isn’t)

Winging my way to Europe

Medical tourism isn’t about cutting corners. It’s about going where healthcare systems are designed for efficiency, prevention, and outcomes — especially for international patients.

Countries like Turkey have built entire medical ecosystems around this idea. Everything is streamlined. Physician-driven. Precision-based. Essentially geared toward the American market (we are the only ones who don’t have universal healthcare, so tend to be the biggest consumers of medical tourism) they created state-of-the-art hospitals and medical facilities, using the most high-tech equipment and employing the most highly trained medical staff.

And that’s how I found myself at Memorial Hospital Bahçelievler in Istanbul — a globally recognized, JCI-accredited hospital. (The international gold standard for patient safety and quality of care). And, I have to say, the most high-tech, modern and frankly, luxurious hospital and medical center I have ever seen, anywhere in the world.

This hospital is the epitome of modern, high-tech, precision crafted efficiency combined with absolute luxury.

Why Memorial?

There are other options, but Memorial’s reputation is exceptional — not just locally, but worldwide. Their outcomes and success rates are higher than average, and significantly higher than many comparable U.S. institutions. Many of the physicians trained at places like Harvard and Johns Hopkins. Some regularly teach in the U.S.

They created a checkup program designed around preventative medicine — getting as much meaningful baseline data as possible, before something goes wrong.

Within the professional traveler and travel influencer networks I kept hearing about everyone going to Memorial in Istanbul for incredible medical care. I checked with my own doctors in the U.S, both of whom were stunned by the scope of testing. Both said “We could never order all of this here.” One of them already knew about Memorial and was emphatic that I should go.

So I did.

Plan A

The Memorial Hospital Group offers multiple different checkups specifically divided between men and women. The regular checkups are the Essential Female and Essential Male checkups. These take one full day to complete, with you visiting multiple specialties. Next there is an Advanced Female or Male checkup, which takes on more scope and requires two full days to complete. Finally they offer a Premium Female/Male checkup which takes 3 days. They also have a comprehensive suite of cancer checkups.

I initially booked the Essential Female checkup. This encompassed a comprehensive series of lab tests, plus gynecology, cardiology, radiology, surgical medicine, bone density testing, ophthalmology (hello new glasses prescription!) and a visit with an internal medicine doctor at the end.

But then the unthinkable happened.

If you are a member of my Glam Italia Newsletter, you’ll already know that out of nowhere my best friend was diagnosed with terminal cancer on April 30th last year (2025). 28 days later she was gone.

Melissa and me in Arezzo, June 2024. Who could have known she would be gone less than a year later? I’m not sure I will ever get over the loss of my best friend.

It was horrific on every level, but even more haunting because Melissa had been looking amazing. Glowing skin, glossy hair, toned, healthy. In fact, while we were running around Albania together 6 months prior, I told her I had never seen her look so fantastic. There was no sign, no telltale warning that she was terminally ill. No greying of the skin, no physical decline.

I started worrying about a stealth cancer sneaking up on me too, and ultimately had Memorial Hospital change my checkup from an Essential Female Checkup to their Fundamental Oncology Checkup For Women. Allowing for the fact that every year millions of people are caught off guard by late cancer diagnoses, as had Melissa, I wanted to get proactive. They say cancer detected early is more treatable, less invasive and easier to heal from.

The Day That Changed How I Think About Healthcare

Choosing Memorial’s Fundamental Oncology Checkup for Women still feels like one of the most empowering things I’ve ever done.
In a single day, I experienced the ultimate in health diagnostics, moving seamlessly through:

  • Extensive bloodwork
  • Dermatology
  • Ophthalmology
  • Gynecology
  • Cardiology
  • Multiple ultrasounds
  • Mammogram
  • Full thorax CT
  • Internal medicine review

All coordinated. No waiting around. No confusion. No stress.
An interpreter stayed with me all day. (Although almost everyone was fluent in English)
Even transportation was arranged door-to-door. And food was provided at the hospital’s tremendous restaurant, where healthy, delicious, real foods are prepared by a chef. The food here is fantastic.

You end the day at an appointment with an internal medicine physician who, completely un-rushed,  reviews every result in detail. They are able to prescribe medications, recommend treatment, schedule surgery if needed. The hospital is set up so that if something bad is found, or if there is treatment you want to do there, they can get you in within a couple of days.
Precision medicine. No waiting.

With this intense amount of information in front of her, the Internist had an almost complete picture of my total health, all the info, ultrasounds, CTs – everything telling her a much more complete story.

She did order a couple of prescriptions which were delivered to me 10 minutes later at the cost of $5 each.

All reports were translated into English to take to my doctor at home.
I’ve never experienced medicine like that.

** They offer multiple different cancer checkups including genetic/hereditary cancers. You can check them out here.

Memorial Bahçelievler Hospital in Istanbul

And the hospital itself…

Memorial Bahçeliever is the most luxurious hospital you have ever seen. It looks more like a luxury hotel than a hospital. The huge reception area has an LED waterfall and a piano playing,  so instead of stark, anxious hospital vibes it radiates Four Seasons luxe.

There was intentional psychology behind this. The architects designed the hospital with an environmentally conscious approach and an understanding of the positive effects of green spaces on human health and psychology. The public areas of the hospital are full of living, green, non-allergenic plants. Meanwhile the building itself is eco-friendly and energy efficient. The artwork, LED waterfall, piano music, lighting and overall design were created to de-stress patients, calm nervous systems and promote healing. I’ve never seen anything like it. A hospital intentionally designed to reduce stress and support healing.

This is the reception area of the hospital. Note the LED waterfall, piano and greenery

Then There’s The Staff

 I also want to talk about the staffing at Memorial.
They have masses of administrative staff members, all nicely dressed, professional, well groomed, calm and happy. They embody the philosophy that by being calm, friendly and measured, you in turn make the person you are speaking to feel calm. The nursing and medical staff were the same.

One thing I noticed was they all looked healthy. I didn’t see harried, stressed out, overworked and exhausted staff, instead everyone looks happy. It’s easy to have faith in a medical system when the enormous staff working there all look like the picture of health you want to achieve.

The Cost Reality (this part is hard to ignore)

When everything was converted from Turkish Lira, my entire day of care came in just under $1,000.

Let that land.

For context:

  • That’s less than piecing together just a couple of these tests at home
  • And adding airfare and hotel still cost far less than what I now pay annually just to access care. And cost way less than my medical insurance deductible.

And yes — all in one day.

On top of that, even though I arrived to Istanbul two days before my checkup and was leaving for a beach trip to the Mediterranean Coast a couple of days after, Memorial still provided transport (in a Maybach no less!) from the airport to my hotel and a few days later hotel to airport. They also provided transport to and from the hotel to the hospital.

The airport transfers were worth €50 to €65 each way. An Uber from the hotel to the hospital would have cost around €35-€40 each way.
My friend and I stayed in a very nice hotel in the Sultanahmet neighborhood (a bit touristy but walking distance to everywhere) and I think each of our rooms for 5 nights + traditional Turkish breakfast cost us $250 or thereabouts.

This one-day checkup abroad cost vastly less than accessing the same care at home — details here if you’re curious.

And yes — all in one day.

More Than Just Healthcare

The day before the medical checkup we spent sightseeing in Istanbul with our guide and now good friend Melissa. Here we are at the Hagia Sofia. Istanbul is just fantastic.

Istanbul is modern, vibrant, safe, and beautiful — one of the most visited cities in the world.
Many people combine these medical checkups with travel in Turkey or Europe. We spent 5 days in Istanbul and then another 5 or 6 days at the beach in Antalya. 

Turkey is also famous globally for Beauty Tourism – think everything from nose jobs to facelifts to boob jobs, every kind of plastic surgery. Also all your injectables and laser treatments, hair transplants – it’s all huge there. The doctors are amongst the most brilliant in the world. And the cost is way lower than the U.S. 
A $30,000 deep plane facelift in America runs from $4000 to $7000 in Turkey.
The same Botox that runs from $10 – $16 per unit in the United States averages around $3 per unit in Turkey, and the needle is wielded by a master injector. Even things like hair extensions are a fraction of the price.

People also come to Turkey for Dental Tourism. Again amongst the best in the world but at a fraction of the cost. The same crowns that cost me $2000 each in America cost $285 in Turkey. I was told if I wanted to upgrade to the better quality ones, the cost would be $350.

Whether you build a checkup around some of these other things or not, the value is still just undeniable.

After Istanbul we headed to the mediterranean coast of Türkiye for a beach vacay. It was fabulous.

Why I’m Sharing This

Obviously this is not Italy travel content, but since I had my checkup last year almost everyone I’ve told about it has wanted to go do it themselves.

I’m going back later this year — not because something is wrong, but because this is what preventative medicine should look like.
Also, dollar for dollar, it will cost me drastically less than my co-pays and now $8500 deductible in the U.S.
The Internal medicine doctor told me I won’t need another cancer check up for 10 years (unless I get symptoms of something) but suggested I do the math and see where I’m better off coming to Istanbul for regular medical care. It turns out, I am.

If you’re curious, Memorial offers a range of checkups for men and women, from essential to advanced. And if it’s useful, I’ve included a link below where you can explore their programs directly.
No pressure. No urgency.
Just an option worth knowing exists.
👉 Learn more about Memorial Hospital’s one-day preventative checkups here

Sometimes the smartest healthcare decision… is simply looking beyond our borders.

Do you belong to the Glam Italia Newsletter? If not join the tens of thousands of members from all over the world whose inboxes get a luscious monthly dose of all things Italy! This year I’ve added a weekly Tuesday Travel Tip quicky newsletter to give bite sized pieces of travel info, sourced from the questions I get asked the most. Join here – it’s free!

Best Tips To Avoid Pickpockets In Italy: how to outsmart the thieves

If you are traveling to any busy tourist city, anywhere in the world, you need to be aware of pickpockets. I write about travel in Italy so will focus this post on avoiding pickpockets in Italy, but the same information applies to anywhere in Europe, or anywhere else in the world.

Pickpocketing can happen anywhere, anytime, but for the most part pickpockets prefer crowded areas where their victims are either distracted or not paying attention. Although you can still get pickpocketed away from the high tourist attractions, it is less likely. And if you carry yourself like someone who is on top of it and knows what’s up, they are more likely to bypass you and go for the easier victims.

If you are new around here, I live between Italy and the U.S. I lead private tours for women and write Amazon’s highest rated, best-selling Italy travel guides called the Glam Italia! How To Travel Italy series. (Available worldwide on Amazon)

Let’s look at ways you can protect yourself and still focus on having a fantastic time while you are away.

Three Core Principles To Avoiding Pickpockets In Italy

  • Always be aware of your surroundings
  • Always keep your possessions close/have your hand on your belongings
  • Avoid looking like an easy target.

You Are Not A Local

One thing to always remember is that no matter how much you want to seem like a local, you always stand out as not being a local. If someone needs help, needs directions, has any kind of questions, they can and should ask a local. In the high tourism areas most people speak English, so there are plenty of other people they can ask. There are always police around, waiters at restaurants, people manning market booths and shops – there is zero reason to ask you.

Be very wary of anyone you don’t know entering your physical space to ask you for anything.

Pickpockets used to look like huge gypsy women wearing giant skirts full of pockets. Now they dress like priests, American tourists, students, school teachers – for the most part you won’t be able to pick them in a crowd. No one you don’t know personally has any reason to be inside your physical space. If anyone comes within arms distance of you, be on high alert.

Avoid Looking Like A Tourist

There are some dead giveaways that A) you are a tourist and B) that you are clueless to what’s going on around you.

  • The first is the way you dress. Wandering the streets of Rome/Florence/Venice wearing a baseball cap, athleisure, flip flops, graphic t-shirts, T-shirts announcing that you love New York or which university you went to, inappropriately short skirts and cropped tops etc, all make you look both like a tourist and like easy pickings.
  • Standing in the middle of the sidewalk consulting a map or phone also makes you stand out. Firstly it’s really inconsiderate of anyone else who is trying to walk past, secondly it advertises that you are either lost or distracted. If you do need to check your map or check something on your phone, I recommend leaning back against the wall. It makes you less accessible and helps you be aware of anyone getting close from your front or either side. Also it is considerate and implies you don’t want to inconvenience people going about their day, which makes you look less like an inconsiderate tourist and more like someone who’s on top of it.
image via TheSavvyBackpacker.com

RELATED POST: Packing for Italy: 10 Super Important Things You Need to Know

Smart Security Tips

  1. Leave your diamonds and rolexes at home. Flashy displays of wealth draw pickpockets to you. The same applies to wearing faux rolexes and diamonds. If you’re hoping to convince others they’re real, pickpockets will also think they’re real.
  2. Avoid wearing a backpack. They’re easy for pickpockets to get into when you’re in a crowd, are super annoying for every person you bump into, and in many museums, art museums and historic sites won’t let you bring them inside. If you do wear a backpack be sure to use carabiners to secure the zippers. It’s inconvenient for you, but even more so for anyone hoping to rob you.
  3. Don’t put your phone on the table. This one is a little trickier as most of us photograph our food and other things going on around us. However, it is super easy to swipe a smart phone or a camera from a table. An alternative is to use a phone lanyard like this one. Recent model iPhones are particularly desirable to pickpockets.
  4. Wear a crossbody bag. I always wear a crossbody bag when I’m traveling. They are much more difficult for anyone to snatch, and much, much easier for you to protect. Keep your bag zipped closed at all times
In Rome wearing a Kate Spade crossbody bag.

I’ve used the Kate Spade Rosie Leather Crossbody bag (pictured above) for several years now. Apart from being a good crossbody bag it is also completely innocuous. It’s not flashy, it’s not a designer bag – it’s intended to not draw attention. And it goes with everything, so I don’t need to change out bags while I’m away. I don’t care that it’s a little beaten up at this point, the job of this bag is to keep all my possessions safe, close to me, and in my control.

Another great choice for crossbody bags are the various bags from Travelon.

Travelon Crossbody Bag

Travelon crossbody bags (like the one pictured above) are an excellent choice for travelers. They are slash-proof, which is more something I see in Paris – I’ve never seen or heard of bags being slashed in Italy. Also they have RFID blockers, multiple zipper pockets, and all exterior zippers have little carabiners, which make them a nightmare for pickpockets to try to get into. I don’t recommend hanging any bag over your chair in a restaurant, as it is a flashing neon light to pickpockets and opportunists, but the Travelon bags have steel cables running through the insides. You can clip the strap securely through the back of your chair, and no one can cut it and run.

** the only time I’ve seen a bag snatch was in Paris a few years ago. A young man grabbed the handbag of a Parisian woman sitting at a table with friends. He took off down the street and no one could catch him. I never have my bag hanging on the back of a chair. Instead I loop the strap over my legs and have the bag either sitting on my feet or secured between them.

Men’s Travelon Anti-Theft Bag

They even have a variety of Travelon crossbody anti-theft bags for men. (See here on Amazon) My friend’s husband just used one on a trip to Portugal and loved it. His was smaller than the one in the photo above though. Men should never put their wallet in their back pocket. If seated they should also be aware of how easy it is to slip the wallet from their front pocket too.

Separate Your Cards And Cash

I recommend traveling with two cards and some cash. Keep one card and half your cash locked in the hotel safe, or tucked away in your airbnb. Separate the remaining cash and card in your handbag, so if you do get pickpocketed they don’t get everything. This is where the Travelon bags come in so handy, with their multiple zippered interior pockets it’s easy to keep everything separated. You can also separate your passport into it’s own zippered compartment.

RELATED POST: How To Travel Italy On A Super Tight Budget

Photograph Your Documents

I recommend photographing/photocopying all your travel documents, travel insurance, credit cards and drivers’ license and emailing them to yourself. This way if your phone is stolen you won’t have a problem accessing the information from a computer. In Italy you are supposed to carry your passport with you at all times, and may find police stop you to check your documents. I’ve had mine checked multiple times by police on trains/in train stations.

Withdrawing Cash

I always recommend arriving to any country with a couple of hundred dollars in local cash. I order it from my bank at home and take it with me, even though the exchange rate isn’t going to be so good. Then once in Italy I pull cash as needed. Only use Bancomat machines attached to a bank. Most banks have an option to use their cash withdrawal machines inside the bank. Always use this option. Pickpockets can keep an eye on you if you use an outdoor cash machine, and can see where you put the cash. Also, machines inside the bank are less likely to be cloned.

Don’t use ATM machines. You’ll see plenty of signs for ATM machines. These are owned by money exchange companies and give you the worst possible exchange rate as well as the least security. In Italy the regulated, bank owned machines are the bancomats.

Also, don’t bring cash from home to change at the money changing places you see all over the tourist cities. These are a rip off, have the worst exchange rates and the highest fees. Plus any enterprising pickpocket can watch you make your transaction and with he open storefront model they can easily see where you put that wad of cash.

Common PickPocket Tricks

The easiest places to pick pockets are the most crowded ones. The Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps, outside the colosseum or the Vatican in Rome are prime pickpocket territory. Tons of tourists, none of them paying attention. In Florence the Ponte Vecchio all day long, Piazza della Signoria, around the Duomo, outside and inside the Uffizi and the Accademia are all prime spots. In Venice the Rialto Bridge, Piazza San Marco during the day, and the Ponte della Paglia (where you stand to look at the Bridge of Sighs are hotspots. Every McDonalds, Starbucks, Burger King and Subway anywhere in the country or anywhere in Europe are perfect spots to rob Americans.

Tourist crowds at the Trevi Fountain. Don’t waste your precious time in Rome coming here with the crowds and pickpockets when there are hundreds of other equally cool places to see, without the crowds. Read about them in Amazon’s most highly rated Rome travel guide (mine!) Glam Italia! 101 Fabulous Things To Do In Rome
  1. In crowds or anytime someone gets physically close to you, keep your hand firmly on your bag.
  2. On the metro (in any city in Europe) don’t stand by the door. Pickpockets will rob you then jump off the train right before the doors close.
  3. If anyone asks you to take their photo, politely decline. Remember most pickpockets just look like regular folks/tourists. While you’re distracted taking their photo their buddy is picking your pocket.
  4. If asking a stranger to take your photo using your iPhone, don’t open the phone. From the closed position swipe left and the camera will open while everything else stays locked. Remember though that iPhones are more desirable to thieves than Androids, so think twice before giving a stranger your phone.
  5. Don’t give money to beggars in the street. Many/most are eastern European gypsies with partners across the street watching to see where you pull your cash from. There is one I’ve seen for at least 15 years in Florence, always bent over in the gutter, begging. When no one’s around she pulls out an iPhone more recent than my own and checks her messages.
  6. They normally work in groups, passing off the goods they’ve stolen. If you were to catch the one who robbed you, your belongings would already be gone in the opposite direction with their accomplice.
  7. They will often create a distraction – a crazy guy in the street, someone shoving you so you turn around, or a group of girls approaching you with something in their hands like a newspaper, a big bag, a jacket over their arm, anything to distract you so you don’t see the hand that robs you. Just always remember, there is zero reason for anyone to enter your physical space. If girls or guys are getting close while flirting with you, assume they’re pickpockets.

RELATED POST: Essential Items For Every International Traveler

Recap:

Pickpockets generally look for the easiest marks. If you aren’t dressed like a tourist, don’t wear flashy jewelry, but instead wear a crossbody bag, keep your hand securely on the bag when others are close, avoid overcrowded situations, and just be aware, chances are they’ll pass you by and go after someone easier.

Their best advantage is you getting distracted. Your best advantage is being prepared and not letting them.

I hope this helps you keep yourself and your belongings safe while traveling to the coolest country in the world! You can get more tips on traveling in Italy from my book Glam Italia! How To Travel Italy and from joining my free monthly newsletter here.

Happy travels!

Packing For Italy – 10 Super Important Things You Need to Know

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.

American tourists in Rome.

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

Even the police uniforms are well cut and stylish.

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.

My neighbor in Rome, not expensively dressed but nicely put together. As a non-Italian I would go flatter with the sandal, mostly because I am walking long distances all day, every day.

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.

RELATED POST: 10 Fantastic Travel Tips To Know Before You Fly

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

Friday night Vatican visit during covid + heatwave. Everyone including our guide had their shoulders and thighs covered and it was zero drama.

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.

Flip flop style sandals are not a good idea in Italy, unless you’re at the beach.

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

Don’t overpack – you’ll regret bringing heavy luggage

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.

Variations of this outfit have traveled with me for years. The skirt goes with at least 4 tops in my suitcase, the top goes with multiple bottoms. I can recreate interesting combos so I don’t feel bored, meanwhile the luggage stays light.

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.

Taos’ Sideway Sandal
  • 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

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