10 days in Italy in a carry on?
 

Can I manage 10 days worth of clothes and health and beauty aids in a carry on for Italy? We're going to be hopping off the plane in Rome and grabbing a train for Italy then coming back to Rome. No time to hang around waiting for lost luggage.
If so, what do you veteran light travelers pack?

Sorry I can't resist this if you're hopping of the plane in Rome and grabbing a train for Italy, which country is Rome in?

Yes you can - Doesn't matter if it is "Italy" or Greenland - you can easily do 10 days out of a carry on. And not wear the same things over and over. Do a search - there are many threads on here w/ hints/tips and packing suggestions.

I use a 21 inch rollaboard for trips of 5 days or 5 weeks . . . .

A fantastic Fodorite has just arrived at her destination and since she had four change of planes she only had a carryon with her..and is she ever happy that is how she packed! No worries about lost luggage etc. And she dresses beautiful so if she can do it I think we all can.

Leonora, excuse me for teasing you, but it is best that you not travel in Italy IN the carryone, lol. I just couldn't resist. Imagine you are probably traveling onto Florence when you land in Rome?

Have a fun time!

You can do it! I used a 19" rollaboard and a messenger bag (my personal item) for a two week trip. Just be sure to check the carry on restrictions for the airlines you'll be flying with. They can differ in size of luggage, weight and number of items.

And check out the threads posted by Therese - she's an expert on packing light. Here's the link to one of them.

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...ack-part-8.cfm

If you click on her name, you can read all of them.

easily done - just take things that mix and match; don't take any denim since its heavy and takes forever to dry if it gets wet. one or two pair of shoes, wear your 'biggest' outfit on the plane both ways and you'll be just fine. i've done up to 3 weeks with a rollaboard.

I traveled with a carry on going to Italy for 2 weeks. It was fine.

Very happy with this bag:

http://www.ebags.com/ebags/weekender...?modelid=15026

Ironically, since we had a long stopover in Amsterdam on the way home, we checked our luggage and it didn't arrive home until 2 days after we did. Much better to happen at home than in Italy.

We did 14 nights in Italy last year with a 22 in carry on and backpack each and did the same for a winter trip to Germany and Austria. And I had my laptop and hubby two cameras with assorted lenses.

Fabrics are key as are color combinations; only pack items that work with other items. Planning is essential.

We use packing cubes and we are both clothes horses - we had laundry done a couple of times as needed and it worked out well. And we did some rinsing out as well.

For toiletries, we share as much as possible so only one of us has to take shampoo and conditioner for example and just enough to get by in case what the hotels provide is just bad. I use towlettes for make up removal and also cleansing and I accumulate travel sizes of as many cosmetics as I can (mascara, moisturizers, etc) and generally only have to purchase a good quality body lotion when I arrive as 3 oz does not cut it for me for 2 weeks.

Wear your heaviest shoes and do bring a change of walking shoes - it does give tired feet relief. And I make do with one pair of dressier shoes/boots for evenings since we do dress for dinner.

You will be very glad you traveled light!

Not even a little bit difficult, Leonora, and if you want to be walked through it there are plenty of Fodorites to help you.

When you say "we", who do you mean? Will this person also be doing carry-on only? Have you looked into the cabin luggage rules for your carrier? They vary considerably among airlines.

The big space wasters are shoes, jeans and beauty products. If you can make the trip with one pair of all purpose shoes -- I have some really comfortable black suede flats that are dressy and casual at the same time and use the shampoo/conditioner/soaps/etc in your hotels, you'll save a ton of space and weight. Take all black or blue or brown. Two pair of pants (one long, one capri) in something that doesn't wrinkle too badly. Take a black skirt - longish that can go day or evening. Some tees and/or camis that look good under light weight cotton sweaters. Pack a couple of really pretty scarves to jazz up everything. A dual purpose rain/wind jacket. A little tiny pair of blinging sandals for dinner out. Take only things that can serve at least three different occasions. And pack for occasions -- one thing for whatever activity you think you'll need -- day casual, dressy casual, dressy, hiking, rain, heat, cold.....whatever. Don't worry that you've worn things over and over. Who will know? Have some laundry done along the way. Wear your heaviest, bulkiest things on the plane. You'll be fine. Enjoy traveling light.

Short answer: absolutely yes.
My husband and I never travel to Europe with anything more than a carry-on. And in the 30+ years that we've been traveling together, we have never -- never, ever, one single bingle time -- regretted it!

We have a philosphy If you can't carry it, you don't derserve taking it. This goes especially for women. Men don't be chivalres (sp) and carry her bags. I'm 64 and my husband does not carry my luggage. Everyone suggestions are up the right alley. Everything matches, learn to wash things out, pare everything down (cosmetics etc.) to get you started until you can find a store to replace things. Have one outfit for dinner ladies. More than likely no one will see you twice and if your stunning, who cares. You may want to "burn" the outfit when you get home, but that's OK.

Packing cells are a gift from God! They keep things orgainized and you can tell in a second if something is missing. The less you take, the less you have to think about. You will never know until you force yourself to just "do it" We travel for 6 weeks on one!!! carry on suitcase. We check nothing.

Read and reread all those great suggestions. Practice. Carry your packed bags around town for an afternoon and I'll guarantee you'll make an effort to change. Really!! It's extremely liberating.

Sure it can be done. One place you can really save space and lighten your load is taking only the minimum of shampoo, lotion, etc. I use 1-2 oz. containers I fill myself that is just enough for the amount of time I'll be traveling.

Best advice is you need clothes that pack well, mix & match, can be layered, and tops & undies that can be washed out in the hotel sink. Also being willing to wear the same thing over & over. Those are the tricks!

Of course you can. I routinely do trips of 4-6 weeks with a carryon, and I love to be nicely dressed no matter where I am. It's especially easy in spring and summer and fall, when you don't need heavy clothing. All you need is to lay everything out and pick things that mix and match well, so that you can make 50 outfits out of 10 articles of clothing.

I do carryon-only for at least half my trips. It's not that I love it, but often I have tenuous itineraries where it would really mess me up not to have my luggage from the get-go, even if I packed a change of clothing or two. Or I know I'll be in a situation where I might want to take a different flight, or get an offer to do so, and it's no good to have checked luggage in that case.

I do have at least one extra pair of comfortable shoes, and sometimes also sandals. I also pack a fair number of books to read, as I require them as much as anything. With the health and beauty aids, research about the 3-oz. restrictions on such products (except for certain medical items).

definitely...the one carry on is the way to go. I feel if you are going to be in europe for over a week regardless of place that you are going to have to launder some clothing articles. I would put any european trip at a minimum of 10 full days not counting travel days to make it worthwhile (airfare expense-wise anyway). As some have mentioned by others, and myself included, I have done it without laundering anything. If I run across a hotel that is really good with customer service that has a reasonable laundry option then I take advantage.
Schleppin' another big bag around and of course the potential for said bag to get "redirected" is not even worth considering.

Hi Leonora-
Here's my take on it. Last year, 24 days in Italy, stowed luggage and carry-on. We rented a car and drove to Gaeta, Napoli and Calabria. By the second day, our luggage was known as the "bitch and the bastard". We had to cut our trip short because my husbands back went out on him. This year, 9 days in Italy(we flew to Rome, stayed in Itri for 3 days and Napoli for 4 before returning to Rome) on nothing more then a carry-on. And that is our plan forever. Motto: Don't pack it - buy it there.

I seriously need help!!

I WANT to do this.

But how, then, do you bring all the purchases home with you?

ekscrunchy, you don't have to adhere to "carryon only" for your return trip, and probably won't if you purchase a lot. Pack a thin, unfilled duffel bag or some such thing so that you can easily expand your capacity for the return trip. If traveling with a companion or spouse, that person can also carry such a duffel bag, and you should be fine. The worst case scenario is that you would have to buy another suitcase.

As Will points out you can check your sturdy carry-on for the return flight and then carry a second bag with you in the cabin. I don't even bother to pack the second ultra-lightweight bag/duffle, and instead just use a shopping bag that I've picked up en route. If you're checked bag doesn't make it it's not nearly so big a deal if you're at home waiting for it, as you've got all sorts of clean underwear and toothpaste waiting for you there.

I rarely have to do this, though, despite some serious shopping, as you can get a lot (really, an enormous amount) into a suitcase that you think is full. Shoes, ceramics, all sorts of stuff.

About the only time I bother to check a bag for the return is if I've got liquids that don't meet carry-on restrictions.