Walking Around Italy
 

What is suggested to carry on your person when you are walking around town, (i.e. Rome, Florence and Venice) on your own and on tours? Do you need to bring your driver's license if you have your passport?

No, I don't travel with my driver's license unless I plan to rent a car (rarely) and have never needed it. You might take it to use as ID if you plan to rent an audio guide. I keep my passport in my money belt, and carry a copy of the picture page to use as ID for Internet cafes, and it also works for audio guides.

Hi S,

>Do you need to bring your driver's license if you have your passport?

Only if you plan to drive.

((I))

While I was in Italy for the month of May, I found no need for my passport or driver's license while on the streets of Rome, Florence, Venice, or another city or town.

However, I always carry my driver's license. Why not?

Are you driving to or from the airport from your home?

The same stuff I carry around with me at home or anywhere: my wallet, with driver's license (even if I'm not going to drive), glasses, lipbalm, pda, plus passport, map, and often a guidebook.

As thursdayd mentioned, I've also left my driver's license as "collateral" for audio guides.

"However, I always carry my driver's license. Why not?" Why take something you don't need that would be a pain to replace if lost or stolen? Especially something that might be used for identity theft.

I carry my passport at all times when traveling. Some people prefer to leave it in the safe at the hotel. I leave my drivers license at home because I won't be driving. I carry one xerox copy of the main page of my passport in case of emergency.

What I carry: passport, disposable camera, kleenex, sunglasses, lipstick, street map, 3x5 spiral notebook, pen, business card with hotel address on it.

<i>&quot;However, I always carry my driver's license. Why not?&quot; Why take something you don't need that would be a pain to replace if lost or stolen? Especially something that might be used for identity theft.</i>

I also carried on my person my credit card, bank card, and health insurance cards, just as I do in the States. Any of these could have been misused if stolen, but they weren't stolen.

My personal property is just as safe in Western Europe as it is any place in the US. I am cautious at home, and I am equally cautious when traveling.

Those who feel uncomfortable carrying a driver's license should not carry one. The rest of us should do as we please.

I do not feel &quot;uncomfortable&quot; carrying my drivers license. I just know I don't need it in Europe so leave it home. I don't take my Macy's charge card either (lol).

Right, and I didn't take my library card or my pass for USA National Parks.

We left our passports in our hotel room safe and just carried a copy of the photo page in case we needed it. I would worry more about losing the passports when carrying them around rather than having them stolen from our accommodation. I left a credit card as the deposit on audio guides without any problems at all.

Make sure you have tissues (for toilets!), lip balm/lipstick the usual stuff that you would carry.

Some toilet doors are coin operated, so make sure that you always carry some small denomination coins. A small notepad and pen is also handy.

ALWAYS take a map and I like the DK Eyewitness Top 10 guides as they aren't too heavy to cart around.