collegetraveler

Hello! I've never been to Europe before and will be backpacking with a friend all over---Ireland, Spain, Italy, and Germany for 6 weeks, spending half my trip in Italy. What kind of wardrobe/things should I pack for a time like this.. I'm trying to pack light, so do I need boots, and a big coat, or is will a light coat and thermals work, etc.? Will the weather be drastically different throughout? I have no clue! Will I regret traveling at this time of year? A little help please
~thanks

bvlenci

Germany is likely to be the coldest part of your trip, but it would partly depend on where you're going in Germany. The same is true for the other countries. Parts of Spain are likely to be pleasantly warm in April, but we had snow once on May 1st in Avila. I live in Italy, and there can be great variation in temperature here even within the same province. Near the sea in Le Marche, where I live, it rarely snows. At higher altitudes, sometimes just 30 km away, it can snow in April.

I suggest you plan out your itinerary a bit more and when you know your exact destinations, do a little historical weather research, and also ask advice here, because historical temperature averages can only tell you so much.

I don't think you'll need boots anywhere, unless you'll be at high altitudes. I find a lightweight insulated coat with a hood, that can be layered with a heavy sweater, to be much more versatile than a heavy coat.

collegetraveler

Thank you! We are wanting to spend about 3 weeks in Italy-- Staying in Florence, Milan, and Rome (staying in Rome for Easter because we're both Catholic and would love to experience the festivities). Do you have any must-see recommendations for visiting Italy, or any cheap places we could stay the night in and make day trips to our sought after destinations. Do you have any advice as to if we'd be better off getting a eurrailpass/flying/renting a car/taking a train? I know this is a lot of questions, SORRY! I love outdoorsy experiences and sight seeing!!!

laurie_ann

A good website for historic weather is www.wunderground.com (find the "weather" and then the "travel planner" section which lets you put in a place and dates and see the last few years weather for that time). A general suggestion for that time of year might be to organize your trip more south to north direction so that you have the weather more in your favor but if you have your heart set on Italy for Easter I wouldn't change that.

You might get the most out of a book like "The Rough Guide to First-Time Europe" or or Rick Steves "Europe Through the Back Door". They both have comprehensive explanations about how to plan and execute this kind of trip that random advice on this board can't fully address. Then, when you have more specific questions, this board can be more helpful.

collegetraveler

Will do, thank you..

dedec

We spent those months in Italy last year and LOVED the fact that you will not found the crowds you would encounter at other times of the year. I found layering under my raincoat was all I needed. You can always pick up gloves and scraf in the market if needed. I always find Rome to be on the warm side.

bvlenci

Considering the places you want to visit, the best way to travel around is by train. There's no rail pass that will save you money in Italy; you should be able to save some money by buying your tickets for fast intercity trains in advance:

http://www.trenitalia.com/cms/v/inde...005817f90aRCRD

You have to use the Italian names for the cities (Firenze, Milano, Roma).

I use www.booking.com to find lodging. You can select a nieghborhood (or the city center) and then sort the list by price or by guest rating. Pay attention to the guest rating, and read the guest reviews.

It's almost certainly too late to find convent lodging, especially at Easter, but there's a good list for Rome at www.santasusanna.org/comingToRome/convents.html .

You might also try www.hostelworld.com .

nytraveler

Germany in March and Spain in April can be VERY different weather (we had mid to upper 80s in Andalusia in mid April) and in Germany you could still be getting cold temps and even possible snow.

I would start in the south and head north to take advantage of the warmer weather.

RoamEurope

Pack lighter than light! Layering is the key. If you bring a "heavy" coat then make it a packable down type and bring the lightest possible packable rain coat. Ex officio travel underwear, two pants, max of two pairs of shoes (light... very unlikely to need boots... gortex trail runners at most).

Here is the key: You don't need more stuff for 6 weeks than you need for 1 week. It just gets worn over and over.

Pack it all up well in advance and then remove 30%.

There are lots of good light packing lists on the web but happy to give more detailed suggestions.

Southam

You may need a hat on chilly days so buy one there as a souvenir. Shoes, however, require some attention before you pack. They can be bulky and heavy in a suitcase. Because you have a good chance of sloshing around through at least some rain, you might need more than one pair. I wear my sturdy walking shoes on the airplane and pack a light pair to serve after the basic shoes get wet.