23 Genius Italy Travel Essentials That Will Make Life Easier
This post is all about the most crucial Italy Travel Essentials.
Preparing for a trip to Italy can be overwhelming, especially when you’re staring at an empty suitcase. However, don’t worry! In this blog post, I will help you figure out what you should pack for your dream Italy vacation.
I will cover the Italy travel essentials that you must bring with you on your trip so you can travel with ease.
Best Italy Travel Essentials
Italy Travel Essentials Table of Contents:
Best Travel Bags
1. Best Luggage
The first Italy travel essentials will be the perfect bags to carry all our must-haves. My favorite bags are a mix of products from Monos and Away. Our carry-on bags from Monos not only survived our 28-day trip around Italy but remained in near-perfect condition! Also, I love that they come with storage bags.
My husband used the Monos Metro Duffel as his personal item, and it’s a very spacious bag that fits under the airline seat in front of him. And he really likes the removable QuickSnap kit that comes with the duffel.
The personal item I used was the Everywhere Bag from Away. Its numerous pockets and compartments are a game-changer, allowing me to stay organized and stress-free throughout my trip. With this bag, you can be in control of your Italy travel essentials.
2. Best Kids Travel Bag
My kids each used the small Bucket List Backpacks as their personal carry-on bags. These backpacks carried their Italy travel essentials like electronics, change of clothes, notebooks, pencils, and a water bottle.
The Bucket List Family has since improved on the original bag we used, so the 2.0 is probably even better. If you don’t know the Bucket List Family, then you definitely need to check them out. They know family travel better than anyone!!
3. Best Travel Purse
I found the perfect travel purse for my Italy travel essentials at Pom Pom London. I went looking for a compact and travel-worthy crossbody bag and found it. Pom Pom London offers a beautiful, well-made purse that is small but mighty!
You also have many interchangeable strap options, allowing you to have different looks during your trip without bringing multiple purses.
I loved this purse so much that I bought another one, and now use it daily. This company has multiple sizes. I recommend either the Mayfair bag or the City bag.
The Mayfair is smaller, and I use it for traveling. The front pocket is the perfect size for your passport. I chose the Mayfair bag in tan. It was the perfect addition to my Italy travel essentials.
*My bags were purchased years ago and are still in great condition. And I’ve bought more!
Another popular travel bag is the INICAT Crossbody Sling Bag. This is the bag I used on our recent London/Paris trip, and it worked great! It has the perfect amount of space, without being too big and bulky, and I obviously love a good crossbody bag.
4. Best Toiletry Bags
The Mossio hanging toiletry bag is an inexpensive, durable product I’ve used many times over the past year. It packs flat and holds a lot of bath and body essentials. It has multiple compartments to organize all your travel necessities. I used one for me and one for my kids. I also love the Soimeat Travel Bag that is compact but still offers plenty of storage. And it’s really cute too.
- Multiple Partitions: The size of the makeup bag is 8.2*3.5*5.5 inches, with 2 main compartments for bulky skincare products, 2 small pockets for sample, 1 mesh pockets and 6 elastic slots to hold your daily cosmetics. It is a perfect choice to organize all your beauty makeup items.
My husband opted for the Purevave men’s toiletry bag, which is even more compact. This worked great for him since he had fewer products to travel with. It has a nice minimalist design and works great for a light packer.
If you’re looking for something larger, the Telena Travel Bag has multiple compartments. It even has a spot for your jewelry. It packs flat and would be great for your checked bag.
5. Best Packable Backpack
This 4Monster packable backpack was a last-minute purchase I wasn’t sure we needed, but it was one of our most used items on our trip. So, let’s add it to your list of Italy travel essentials.
In almost every Italian city you visit, you will be walking all over the place. This bag was great for carrying a reusable water bottle and a small umbrella on walks about town. It’s water resistant, holds a lot, and packs down to the size of your hand.
We purchased the 24L size in grey, which was the perfect size for us. It held up the entire trip, and we basically used it every day. It was comfortable and durable enough for my husband to take it hiking on the Path of the Gods while on the Amalfi Coast.
The 4Monster packable backpack is a great product, and I absolutely recommend it!
6. Clear TSA-approved Bags
The PACKISM clear bags are great for packing liquids, but you also need them to help you survive the long flight to Italy. I used them as our go-to in-flight bags. Since they are clear, they make everything easy to find.
So, these are best to put hand sanitizer, facial wipes, lotion, gum, and all the other Italy travel essentials you may need during a red-eye flight.
Best Travel Electronics
7. Best Portable Chargers
I recommend traveling with at least two portable chargers as a family. Nowadays, with so many battery-powered electronics, you may need to charge multiple things simultaneously.
I travel with the Veger Portable Charger which has built-in cables and plugs directly into the wall to recharge.
I also have the Charmast Power Bank with built-in cables. Both brands have worked great for us, and I recommend adding them to your Italy travel essentials.
8. Noise Canceling Headphones
I always travel with my Apple AirPods, but I also recommend over-ear noise-canceling headphones when traveling by plane. They are much better at drowning out the airplane buzz.
The Bose QuietComfort 45 Wireless Bluetooth Noise Cancelling Headphones are the best-priced, highly rated Bose Headphones. They fold up nicely for travel and are very comfortable for extended wear. I have the Bose QuietComfort Ultra, which are more expensive, but have worked great for me. It feels like magic when I put these on. They completely block the plane noise. I LOVE them!!
But for kids, I recommend something much cheaper. I can no longer find the headphones my kids love, but I’ve done a lot of research and can recommend a few other options.
Soundcore Anker Life Q20 Hybrid Active Noise Cancelling Headphones are rated highly on Amazon for comfort and battery life and are a great price.
BERIBES 65H Bluetooth Over-Ear Headphones. People say these are very comfortable and fold up easily for travel. They probably don’t have great noise cancellation, but they are very inexpensive, so I think they are an excellent choice for kids in addition to their other Italy travel essentials.
9. AirFly Pro Bluetooth Transmitter
The AirFly Pro Bluetooth Transmitter lets you connect to the in-flight entertainment system without worrying about wires. It pairs with two wireless headphones, so you and your partner can easily watch the same in-flight movie.
You don’t realize how comfortable you can get when you don’t have to deal with long, tangled wires. Ensure the transmitter is fully charged and paired with your headphones prior to your flight. This will make everything easy and convenient. And with the long battery life (25+ hrs), you can watch multiple movies without issues.
10. Wired Earbuds
Don’t forget your wired earbuds for the airplane, just in case your Bluetooth transmitter has technical difficulties, or you forget to charge it. I always carry backups, especially when traveling with kids.
I recommend the wired earbuds with 3.5mm jack to work with the in-flight entertainment system. And, you should add these earbuds to your clear in-flight bag along with your other Italy travel essentials, so they are easy to locate.
11. Apple AirTags
Apple AirTags are more Italy travel essentials. We used them on our trip to track our smaller personal items. My kids had them in their backpacks, which gave me a slight sense of security.
Knowing that if my kids wandered off during a busy travel day at the train station, I could locate them quickly. Many people put an AirTag in their checked bags, so in case their bag is lost, they will know what city it’s in, etc.
The best deal is to buy these AirTags in a 4-pack. Amazon and Walmart tend to be the cheapest places to buy. I would also pick up some inexpensive keychain-style AirTag holders to make it easy to secure them in your bags.
Best Travel Accessories
12. Downy Wrinkle Releaser
Personally, I am not a fan of traveling with a steamer, so the Downy Wrinkle Releaser (travel size) is the next best option for removing wrinkles from well-traveled clothes. This also gives your clothes a refreshing scent.
If you need something more, most hotels and rentals will offer an iron. A steamer is a waste of valuable luggage space, in my opinion.
13. Best Small Travel Wallet
This small bifold leather pocket wallet fits perfectly in the Pom Pom London crossbody bags. The dark brown color is an excellent match with my tan Mayfair purse.
And it’s really cheap, so this wallet won’t break the bank. Another compact and inexpensive option is the Telena Small Wallet for Women. This wallet holds a bit more and looks a little more feminine in my opinion.
- Premium Quality: Crafted from high-quality PU leather, this wallet women offers a soft, luxurious feel while ensuring durability. The material is not only comfortable to touch but also resilient to everyday wear and tear
- Functional & Versatile: This card holder wallet for women has 6 Card Slots, 2 ID Card Slots, 1 main compartment for cash, keys, credit cards and other small items. It’s designed to keep your essentials organized without bulk
14. Best Packing Cubes
I am a firm believer that packing cubes are a must. I’ve tried multiple brands and found them all super helpful. You can’t go wrong if you purchase them directly from the luggage brand you choose or buy a separate set from Amazon.
Packing cubes make traveling to multiple cities during one trip manageable. And if you get compression packing cubes, you may be able to squeeze a little more into your suitcase. Including just a few more Italy travel essentials.
Packing and unpacking is easy when you just have to take your 3 or 4 packing cubes out of your luggage and place them into the drawers at your hotel or Airbnb. This also means that your clothes don’t touch the inside of the drawers; they stay safe and clean in their zippered cube.
15. Best Tech Case
You must get a case to organize and carry all your charging cables, portable power banks, and wired earbuds. I recommend the NISHEL travel case through Amazon.
I love this tech case because it holds a lot of stuff, packs flat, and is a stylish and quality product. The color and quilted design is soft and trendy.
16. Best Travel Plug Adapter
This is very important to have on your Italy travel essentials list. I purchased this 3-pack of European plug adaptors from Vintar, which was plenty for our family of 4. It’s also great to bring along a universal travel adapter if you plan on visiting multiple countries. See some great options below.
I packed one in each of our rolling carry-on bags for the flight, and once we arrived, we would always keep one handy in our backpacks. You will find it helpful if traveling by train and needing to charge your phone.
17. Best Travel Mirror
Deweisn Folding Vanity Mirror. This seems like it shouldn’t fall under the essentials list, but trust me, if traveling as a family, you’re gonna need it. This thin folding lighted mirror comes in handy if staying in cramped accommodations. So, no more waiting for the bathroom to finish your hair and make-up.
It’s easy to stow this under your packing cubes in your roller bag or the computer compartment of your personal item if you aren’t carrying along your laptop. I love that this mirror has different lighting settings and can be set up anywhere.
Best Travel Necessities
18. Best Travel Laundry Detergent
If you travel for a long time, you’ll eventually need to do laundry, right? Well, I’ve found something that makes both traveling and laundry a lot easier—Tru Earth Eco-Strips.
They smell great and clean clothes like a charm. And the best part? By using them, you’re helping the environment by reducing plastics in oceans and landfills!
19. Sunscreen
You must pack sunscreen as part of your Italy travel essentials. I recommend packing sunscreen sticks; this way, they don’t count toward your TSA liquids. Pack a sunscreen stick for your face and also a body stick.
I like the Sun Bum sticks for the face, which smells like lovely banana cream and is reef-compliant.
For the body, we’ve always used a Coppertone Sport Stick. It has a larger stick size, making it easier to cover a larger area, but it is still compact enough to travel.
20. Best Travel Toiletries
There are some vital products that I recommend traveling with, especially to improve long flights. For our in-flight (clear TSA-approved) bag, I pack:
- Colgate Wisps mini brushes
- Individually wrapped Neutrogena facial wipes
- Hand sanitizer in a travel pump-these are not sticky and don’t dry out your skin!
- Anti-bacterial travel pack hand wipes
- Gold Bond hand lotion 1oz travel size
- Favorite gum and/or mints
And anything else that you want immediate access to during your flight. Have this bag out and ready before takeoff. I also bring this little bag with me to the airplane bathroom to help me freshen up.
21. Best Travel Towel/Blanket
I love products that can serve multiple functions. The Sand Cloud beach towel is a soft, sand-resistant, fast-drying, ultra-absorbent Turkish cotton towel.
It rolls up compactly and works perfectly with my kid’s rolltop bag. Since it is a soft cotton, it doubles as a light blanket when needed during travel.
The towels come with amazing designs, some with special edition collabs. We have a couple Disney inspired towels!
Also, we love that 10% of the company’s profits go toward marine conservation! Check out Sand Cloud’s mission.
22. Reusable Water Bottle
Nefeeko Collapsible Water Bottle. When traveling in Italy, you will have many opportunities to refill your water bottle. I loved using this collapsible silicone water bottle. It’s lightweight and travels easily. It comes in multiple colors and holds up to 26oz.
My kids carried a smaller 11-oz stainless steel water bottle from Disney that they loved. The bottles had different designs, but I will share a similar available option linked above.
23. Comfortable Walking Shoes
I recommend wearing a comfortable, white, classic sneaker for women. There are many brands out there, but I wore the Women’s Adidas Nizza Platform Athletic Shoe in white. They go great with everything, and the platform gives them a unique look. I literally walked miles in these, and they never rubbed me the wrong way.
Another highly rated shoe is Dr. Scholl’s Women’s Time Off Sneaker. I’ve recently purchased these and can tell you it’s like walking on a cloud. I’m on my feet at work for 10 to 12 hours a day, and can attest to their comfort.
My girls wore cute white Converse slip-ons with everything from shorts to dresses. They are available from multiple places, but I will link DSW.
Time to pack up all your Italy Travel Essentials!!
In this blog post, I shared all the things that I used and loved on our big Italian dream vacation. I hope I was able to help you pack your bags, and travel with ease. Let me know if you have any Italy travel essentials you have added to your list. And as always, if you have any trip planning questions just CONTACT ME!
