TIPS FOR FUTURE TRAVELERS
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Before you travel
1. Before the trip, it’s a good idea to buy some Euros. After doing some research, we chose Wells Fargo Bank, since they had the best deal.
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2. Get in shape. It’s helpful to get plenty of exercise ahead of time. Practice walking long distances, going up and down hilly areas, and even climbing steps. You will do a lot of long distance walking which includes hilly streets and climbing lots of different kinds of stairs, often uneven.
3. Don’t bring extra jewelry, especially if it’s valuable.
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Things to include on your packing list
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While on the tour
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1. Take care of yourself. Sometimes you may need to take a rest period. Even if you are missing out on something with the group, it will pay off in the long run.
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2. Take pictures of the Daily Schedule posted by your tour guide. It will help you remember the details of the next day and also serve as a record to help you organize your pictures when you return home.
3. Use your time on the bus to rest, write in a journal, send emails home, and read about your next destination.
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2 pairs of walking shoes and 1 pair of flat, lightweight shoes for evening.
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2. Money belt and a coin purse –they use more coins than we do.
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3. Rick Steves’ Guidebook and Italian Phrase Book and Dictionary
4. Bug Bracelets - refer to my explanation in Vernazza (purchased at Target)
5. Rick Steves’ clothesline, laundry soap, a sink stopper, and 2 Rick Steves’ microfiber towels- These towels are very thin, lightweight, and work wonderfully for rolling hand-washed clothes to remove excess water. They also dry very quickly!
6. Rick Steves’ washcloths - None of the hotels provide washcloths so I brought a few of these and just rinsed them out.
7. Depending on where you are going, a small, compact umbrella that can fit in your jacket pocket.
8. A hat that can be used for sun or rain, a scarf, and a warm, but lightweight jacket with a hood and lots of pockets. Pockets work best for going quickly through security checks. I managed to put my few important small items like glasses, Kleenex, Chapstick, phone, etc., in my inside and outside pockets which zipped up.
9. Small backpack or daypack and packable tote bag to use for downsizing or shopping
10. Packing cubes to help save on space - The long, narrow ones worked best for me.
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11. Cell phone and charger - Make sure you download the Rick Steves’ apps before the trip. These are so helpful when you are not with the tour group.
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12. Small TSA approved locks for your carry-on bags - It’s a good idea to bring an extra one. One of our locks wouldn’t open at the beginning of our trip. Luckily, the man at the desk in our first hotel, was able to cut it open.
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13. Small, lightweight hair dryer, if this is important to you. Most of the hotels had hairdryers, but not all. Some didn’t work very well.
I bought a BaByliss Pro - a very tiny, lightweight, dual voltage one
that resembles a toy but works fantastically! It's about the length
of a soup can. You can buy it at Bed, Bath, and Beyond or on
Amazon.
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14. Earbuds- It’s good to bring your own for the walking tours with the local guides. They will provide you with one but it is only for one ear and sometimes it is difficult to hear in noisy areas. Also, they aren’t as comfortable.
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15. Extra Ziploc baggies of various sizes – These come in handy for many uses when you’re traveling.
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16. Hand sanitizer and/or hand wipes