CameronsItalytrip

We're headed to northern and mid regions of Italy in the latter half of June for 10 days. Dad of two, 10 and under, meeting up with other family members in Milan. Nothing fancy planned, am a casual dresser as are my kids. Stops in Vicenza, Venice, 7 day stay in a villa in Montisi, and then fly out of Rome. Born in Vicenza, though left when I was 6 months old, never been to Europe since. Trying to make it as easy as possible, two or three changes of cothes, couple pairs of shoes? A list to work off of would be great. Butterflies are afluttering. Anything helps. Tim

capxxx

Ok, how about this (plan to do laundry on day 5 or 6)

6 polo or good-quality t-shirts
2 button down shirts to wear over t-shirts or dress up a little
4 pairs khaki slacks
1 pair jeans (and 3 khakis) if you really have to. Jeans are bulky and harder to clean.
2-3 pair shorts for the villa. Don't wear shorts to visit cities.

1 windbreaker or sweater
1 belt
1 nice outfit (shirt, tie, slacks, belt) if you think you'll need it.

1 pr sneakers (wear on board plane)
1 pr nicer shoes (but comfy)
1 pr flip-flops or sandals

1-2 sets pajamas
swimsuit
6x underwear
7x sox

toiletries kit

CameronsItalytrip

Thanks Cap!! You're very thorough and I appreciate it.

capxxx

Don't mention it -- I write em out for my teenage sons all the time. For the kids, I would suggest more shirts (they can go through a couple a day), and less slacks/more shorts.

wojazz3

That seems like a lot of clothes for 10 days

Jean

Yep, lots of clothes for 10 days unless there's a heat wave or you're a sloppy gelato eater, spaghetti slurper, etc.

AtlTravelr

That is a great list and I agree with most but have the following comments:

My husband gets by with 2 pair of pants + 2 shorts for a two week trip.

Consider lightweight button down shirts instead of "polo type" or tee-shirts. My husband gets really hot and the knit shirts - especially some of the polo shirts which can be a very heavy knit - are pretty hot for Rome. He might take one golf/polo shirt but the other 5 would be lightweight cotton or some of the travel type shirts - they are much cooler than tee shirts. I don't know if your 10 year olds are boys or girls, but I even had my 10 year old son bring the inexpensive short sleeve shirts from Old Navy when we were in Italy.

nytraveler

You've all forgotten your umbrellas. It WILL rain - at least one day.

tedgale

For 10 days? With access to a washing machine?

I'd say "Cut capxxx's list in half".

And I'm a clothes-horse, by the way.

For my last trip to Italy (March 08) and France -- almost 4 weeks -- I packed a bit more than what capxxx recommends for 10 days.

Prada + Armani but also jeans + T-shirts.

I came home with unused items.

CameronsItalytrip

Thanks all. Now I'm headed in the right direction with decisions to be made. My kids ar 6 and 10, both boys, we're coming from Seattle and I've never needed an umbrella myself here, not afraid of a little rain. We'll just jump into the pool.

GSteed

Too much, too much, too much! Why would anyone be changing clothes every few hours? In the USA, people get up, dress and that is it for the day. Chances are they wear the same clothes the next day....Don't belive me? Keep a record for one week...note personal clothing worn at 8am, 1pm and 7pm. Log the children too.

grapes

I would cut that clothing list in half. Something like 2 pants (wearing one, one in suitcase), 2 shorts, 3 short sleeve shirts, 1 long sleeve shirt, wind breaker. Wear your shoes and bring 1 pair of sandals/flip flops. Have a great trip!

travelgourmet

<i>Chances are they wear the same clothes the next day</i>

Not anybody I know. I think this is more common in Europe, but I don't think it common in the US, at all. Even among children.

Myself, I almost never wear any shirt that goes against my skin (t-shirt, undershirt, etc) more than once without washing. Might be able to get by with wearing it twice in cool weather. Italy in July? No way.

Pants &amp; shorts are a different matter, but I still don't count on wearing them more than a couple of times.

AtlTravelr

Responding to all who say &quot;too much&quot;. My husband is not a neat freak who needs a clean shirt at all times. But even he brings at least 6 shirts now for all our trips as he really found that he sweat a great deal walking around all day in places like Rome in the summer. For any trip in the summer we plan to wash at day 6 or 7 and he needed all those clean shirts to get to that day without feeling totally gross. If you do get VERY lightweight shirts they don't take up much space or weight. We always travel with one carryon size per person and have enough room to bring stuff back. The biggest weight/space issue for men is shoes and heavy pants - not shirts.

Our last trip to Europe was this past March and we WERE able to get by without washing for 1 week as it was cold and rainy and we were inside as much as outside and definitely not nearly as sweaty as our summer travels. We were in Rome last June and it was 100!

AtlTravelr

You can also get by with fewer socks if one of your pair of shoes is walking sandals. For your boys, if they are used to them, the Teva type sandals are great. My son wore these all over Italy the first time when he was 10. They were great for rugged ruins/terrain and also for being in Venice when it was wet.

I personally didn't bring any close toed shoes last summer in Italy - just two pairs of good sandals. My husband, however, alternated between sports shoes (for ruins) and leather sandals (for the cities).

Proenza_Preschooler

&gt;Jeans are bulky and harder to clean&lt;


They are?

I don't get that one at all.

Thin

bdjtbenson

I made a visual mens travel pack list.

Check it out at this address:

http://www.polyvore.com/cgi/set?id=1440268

For Italy in June, I would take only one light sweater but still bring a light rain shell.

bdjtbenson

There is only three pairs of socks and underwear in my carry on pack list. I wash a pair of socks and underwear each evening so three pairs is plenty. I wash a t-shirt every other day by hand. I use a laundromat about midway through a typical 30 day trip to give everything a good wash.
I keep a couple of dryer sheets in my bag to help keep things fresh and bring a small spray bottle of fabreeze in case something gets smoky.

Lexma90

After traveling to Europe several times with our now-12yo son, the more important item to take is several different spot removers and detergent. He did tend to get food on his shirts, so we ended up washing spots out pretty often.

In late June, maybe just one pair of pants for the kids (a nicer pair); our son wore shorts most days last year in Spain and France. I think he took two t-shirts, several collared shirts (polos and the like) and 1-2 dress shirts (we had several formal dinners). I don't remember how many pairs of pants he took, but they included zipoff pants, which were very useful. Kids can wear shorts wherever they are.

I think he only took two pairs of shoes (same with my husband, I think). Son took 1 pair Vans (which were subdued enough to double as his dress shoes) and 1 pair sneakers.