What do I pack for Italy in March?
 

I am planning an Italy trip: End of March - arrive Venice then travel via train to Florence and then train to Rome before we fly home.

We are trying to limit what we pack to make it easy...

What will the weather be like?

Typically we pack a day outfit and then an evening outfit...but thinking we have to limit because of the luggage situation and making it easier to travel.

Any advice? thanks!

8-)

The same things you would pack for Baltimore, Raleigh, and Charlotte in late March. Bring a rain coat and wear layers.

Do a trial run. Load your suitcase and lug it up a flight of stairs and see if you think you can drag it on and off trains and put it in luggage racks.

Hello cwojo, do you mean a day outfit and an evening outfit for each day of your trip?

That is not necessary. You could pack using seperates and layering so that if it is cold (which it probably will be) you have a lovely sweater to wear over a blouse or Tshirt. Pants can be worn more then once. One pair of dressier pants or a skirt can be used when you want to feel more dressed for the evening with a couple of dressier tops. I would sure take (wear on to the plane) an outerwear that can handle rain or cold weather. Cashmere sweaters are so comfortable and so lightweight in your luggage. Personally I like black as my basic color. But pick the basic color that works for you. Wear your heaviest shoes on the plane. I always like to have a total of three pair of shoes. Two for walking/sightseeing and one dressier pair for evening.

If you want to feel dressier in the evening tuck in a small purse in your luggage. You can put your lingerie in that purse so it is not wasted space.

In that you are going by train to each location, a very good idea by the way, the smaller and lighter your luggage is the happier you will be. Have fun planning your trip to beautiful Italy!

We were in Rome this past March. It rained heavily every day and was unusually cold. We had polar fleece jackets which we wore under a rain/windproof jacket and were still cold. Thank goodness I packed hats and mittens at the last minute. Bob's advice is best; dress in layers. Be prepared for anything.

We were in Rome in March of 2007 and experienced very cold winds, some rain and several bad hail storms. I think the wind got to me more than anything - it just went right through all of my layers and became downright tiring.
I wonder if these were mistral winds?

Test pack now and figure out what will not work. If you have opportunities to purchase travel items before your trip, buy what is missing. (I always consider travel implications when I buy my outfits...)

Look at weather forecast as you get closer to your trip to make best guess adjustments based on actual trend.

And finally, hey, you are in Italy. They have lovely items of clothing in Florence and Rome, if not at bargain prices.

We've been to Rome and Florence in March but not Venice. Yes, dress in layers. Had very cool weather and be preapred for some rain/fog. We took lined London Fog coat and worked out fine (lining was removed for a couple of "warmer" days). Certainly take gloves and scarf.

We took a couple of basic outfits with different sweaters/shirts that could be used to vary the outfit depending on how formal/informal we wanted to be.

we visited in mid-March a few years ago : day time was sunny and worm, night time really cold ( I was glad I had a wool coat).

We did that trip in late March several years ago. Venice was overcast with light rain, maybe in the 50s most of the day and cooler at night. FLorence was sunny and 70s. By the time we arrived in Rome it was sunny and 80s. So warm that we could have used som eA/C in the evening (most hotels have the building A/C turned off until the warmer weather so it is unavailable).

I just want to add, the evenings it did cool down, but maybe by 10 degrees, not as extreme as danon experienced.

warm, not worm. LOL
The weather is tricky in the spring.
April this year was really rainy in most of Italy.

The end of March can be tricky to predict ..... whatever it is, likely, it'll be colder in Venice (north) than what you'll encounter in Rome. You can check weather/temps during March of this year on Wunderground site --
http://www.wunderground.com/global/IY.html

Here is Florence data over many years.
http://www.weatherbase.com/weather/w...812&refer=

End of March can be a changeable time for weather in most places. I would pack with outer wear and clothes that can be layered and colors and pieces that mix & match. That is the trick to packing light.

I was glad to have my lightweight long underwear a couple of days last March in Rome. Weighs practically nothing and can wash and dry. I Also took a gray turtleneck in that fabric that works under lots of things. Enjoy.