jgg

Ladies, what type of purse do you carry when sightseeing and shopping? We will be travelling to Italy for the first time in March with our two kids (ages 12 and 9).

When at home I usually carry a medium size purse that I can sling over my shoulder and can usually fit brochures or any smaller purchases we might make.

I am sure several hours of sightseeing and carrying a purse like that will give me a back/shoulder ache and I also worry about the ease of someone taking it.

Today in a travel store I saw a nice leather bag made by HOBO. It slung nicely across the chest and laid flat by my side. It has a place for all cards, documents, money etc. so would not have to bring a wallet.but was very narrow, i.e. nothing very thick would fit inside. Before I purchase anything thought I would ask what you experienced travellers like to carry.

Thanks for any advice.

vcl

I carry a medium size "healthy back" microfiber bag.
Of course, it's excessive and I agree I have a screw loose somewhere to carry anything that large.
But it holds my wallet, my passport, my medications, my husband's medications, my umbrella (we travel in the British Isles, usually) my maps, a book to read while waiting for buses, trains, tubes, or in queues, the spare camera and anything we might pick up along the way short of a small refrigerator.
I'm used to it. And when it gets to be too much I just say "we're taking a cab, I'll pay for it."

TravelingMom

Several years ago, I came across a very plain, slightly ugly khaki purse at American Outfitters. It is, I believe, the only purchase I've ever made at the store - but I use it on every trip! It's just the right size for my camera, torn out pages from tour books, and sunglasses. It's got a zippered flap on the outside for things I need quick access to (small bills or change) and an interior zip pocket for things I don't want to lose (passport, if I have to carry it). It's got a back pocket with a snap where I can slip in my airplane tickets or whatever else I need to pull out. It's got a very long strap so I can sling it across my shoulder and chest rather than juse wearing it on one shoulder. AND, since I've been traveling with baby recently, I've even discovered that I can squeeze in 2 diapers, wipes, and small bag of cheerios and I can use a snap-lock to attach his water bottle to the strap.

elaine

here are some previous threads on this topic

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34496230

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...&tid=85866

Postal

No purse at all. I wear amoney belt with passport and money. Then carry a net bag or clear backpack to show that I'm not carrying anything valuable.

Christina

I just carry a regular purse like I would at home. I only use shoulder bags, medium size perhaps, black leather. These are regular-looking purses, not tote bags, etc. I don't use them for purchases or anything bulky, just a regular purse (money, small map, etc.

When sightseeing, I carry a separate tote bag for "things", small purchases, camera, etc. This isn't huge, just a small tote -- either like urban women may carry around (and that I do in the city when at home), or sometimes if I'm dressed really casual, it can be converted to a backpack. This is not like a typical ugly constructed backpack. It is easier on the shoulders than having a shoulder bag, I admit.

The bag you found in the travel store sounds okay.

Scarlett

jgg, is it this sort of shape?
http://www.wilsonsleather.com/sm-adj...i-1834605.html

I always carry a bag that has long straps, so the bag can go across my chest, bandolier style. In front, not in back of you.
Coach makes great bags in this style, but the micro fiber bags are lighter and clean up nicely.
Keep in mind that you will most likely be in Shopping Heaven and will want to bring home a nice Italian leather bag ..

TahitiTams

I use a Leather Handbag/Backpack that crosses so no pickpocketers can get in when it is in Backpack mode and it is perfect for travel..My hands are free to do whatever instead of lugging a bag over my shoulder all day long..
It is a Frederic T Handbag and I got it at Bink Handbags on the web.. I travel alot and I have had more strangers come up to me and ask "where did you get that great bag".. Hope this helps!

travelbunny

I do as Christina does. I have my usual black shoulder purse that I use all the time. It is not a "travel item". I then bring a small tote for extras. Again I dont always carry the tote, but I do if I am carrying a sweater or if I have a picnic lunch. It is plastic and says chinese laundry on it. It is the same bag I use at home for the same reasons. To be quite honest when I travel the only extra I really have is my passport and one or 2 extra wallets with local currency (I travel enough on business that I keep a euro,pound and "other" at home and just hope I grab the right one as I am leaving). I really find that I dont vary my wardrobe when I travel except for temperature.

Kayb95

I am constantly in search of the perfect travel bag - not too big or heavy, but big enough to fit my camera, mapbook, water bottle, etc...

This is the one on my Christmas list this year: Travelon Large Travel Shoulder Bag (QVC item #F-8399)

StCirq

Like Christina, I carry a normal purse, over the shoulder. I think the more "normal"" you look, the less likely you are to be a target of theft.

happytourist

I recently spent 30 days in Europe with the "healthy back bag" and it was the perfect choice. Get the microfiber one as the leather is too heavy. I have both the medium and large sizes and, although I took the large one, the medium one would have been sufficient. I like the wide strap and the fact that you can wear it diagonally across your body for extra protection and to keep your hands free, especially when trying to keep track of two kids. It also has a double zipper and I just kept a small combination padlock on it. You can buy it at most of the travel catalogs. You might also do a search at ebags.com and read the reviews of the bags you like.

jgg

Thank you to everyone for your suggestions. I looked up all the specifics everyone gave me and read the threads as well.

Tahiti Tams - I loved the Frederic T Handbang at Bink Handbags. I love that it can be a tote and a backpack (for when my shoulder starts to ache!). Am considering getting one, I could definitely use it at home as well, and it is very nice looking. Then I could just get a small thin bag to keep copy of passport, money etc. under my clothes. If someone snatches the backpack ( I lose a nice backpack but not my important papers).

We will be travelling in March and realized with maps, umbrellas, guidebooks, etc. the purse I had originally looked at would not be big enough.

nytraveler

There have been several very lengthy thread on this fairly recently. If you search you will get dosens of answers.

I always use a Sportsac while traveling - heavy duty parachute nylon - rather than leather - IMHO leather is too heavy when you're carrying a lot of traveling paraphanalia and you'll be walking all day.

CarolA

I have a Save Your Back Bag from Norm Thompson.com that I love. It has some really nice features that the Healthy Back does not have.

I also have a "camera" purse from Target that I use. Not quite as comfortable, but has padded spots for my SLR and lens and looks like a purse rather then an expensive camera bag.

Kate_W

In the daytime, I carry my very comfortable, 33 litre North Face daypack, which I use all the time at home and abroad. When I'm abroad and sightseeing in a place where I have concerns about theft, I don't put anything I can't afford to lose in the daypack: it has the map, guidebook, sweater or rainjacket, umbrella, bag for essentials (blister bandages, lip balm, hand sanitizer), even my camera (which I could lose if I had to). I lock up my credit cards, ATM card, most of my ID, passport and plane ticket in the room or hotel safe, and only carry cash for the day and some relatively easy-to-replace ID. I window shop a lot (without credit cards), but limit my real shopping (with credit card) to a "special purpose" outing (i.e. not one where I'm also sightseeing in high-risk areas). On such excursions, I'll carry a purse and likely will take cabs, instead of public transportation.

But these kinds of precautions are limited to only a few places - e.g. touristy parts of Madrid, Barcelona, Rome, Florence - where there seems to be a relatively high risk of tourist-targeted pickpocketing. In most of the places I've travelled in Europe, I just carry my wallet in my daypack and don't worry about it.

LoriNY

I usually try not to carry a purse when I travel. I usually have a wallet on a string thing that I can put around my neck and then under my coat - works in the cooler weather. Otherwise, I have a Mandarina Duck backpack that I carry, or a Longchamp medium shoppers tote. Both fit the camera, travel books, papers etc.

LynnieD

I have the very HOBO purse you saw. I really really like it for traveling. It zips all the way around and the flap snaps over the zip. I felt secure with this bag. I carried this purse thru China and the UK

I had a backpack in France and had to wear it as a frontpack to avoid theft at the flea markets (at the advise of vendors). Very uncomfortable.

jgg

Thanks again for everyone's input. Fodorites are great!! You are really making me think about what it is that I may need to carry in a bag and making sure everything will fit and that it is comfortable but not too touristy looking. I think it is important to keep money, credit cards, etc. seperate from the bag/backpack carrying "stuff".

Thanks again for all the tips.

elaine

I tend to walk around each day with a lot of stuff. All the usual purse things, plus map, guide book, bottle of water,sometimes even an extra sweater (or I want room to be able to stow the one I'm wearing).
I use a microfiber black totebag with several interior zipped pockets, andlong straps for shoulder wearing, but some bags stay on the shoulder better than others I find,so when I find a comfortable bag I hang onto it for a long time.