Some advice on what to bring to Europe...?

Question

I am traveling to Italy to study abroad for about 4 weeks. Following school, I will be staying an extra 10 days to travel and will end up in Paris. Everything I have read has said that I need to bring all the "essentials" with me to Europe because if I choose to buy them there it will cost me an arm and a leg.

so

I know what "essentials" are, but I need to know if there are "little known secrets" that would be good tips for packing. Does anyone have unusual advice on what to bring with me? What to buy while I'm there?

Even general advice from people who have traveled to Italy before: What should I look out for? Anything amazing I should visit in spare time that won't cost a fortune to get to?

Thanks for the help!

Answer 1

I went to Italy last summer for two weeks. One of the most important think to have when you go there or any other place in Europe is to have really comfortable walking shoes and i suggest you put the foot pad things because they will really help u will be walking a lot and most of the attractions are a few miles away. And make sure to exchange some money before you leave for your trip in case something happens. and if u are traveling around Europe make sure u have a map of all the places u are going before hand it really helps. Also if u are going to take the subway especially in Italy make sure u be fully aware and and keep ur stiff close to u because there are a lot of pit pockets in the subway. and i also suggest u to have a backpack with u to keep ur camera and maps and bottles of water with u instead of having to carry them around. and always have ur passport with u at all times even if ur going down the street for lunch always have it. oh and make sure u have a power converter kit because the plugs there are different then here in case u need to charge your camera or something.

Answer 2

I just spent 4 months in Italy, the things I had to buy included Q-tips, shampoo, food (obviously), and something nice to wear.

A few tips: Bring 6 weeks worth of all toiletries, but try to pack light. If you are high maintenance, now is the time to change. Bring all types of clothing, from very casual to very dressy. I ended up going to La Scala in Milan and had to buy shoes and a dress in Italy, which cost me double what it would cost at home. I brought a jar of peanut butter with me to make quick sandwiches, it is hard to find there and sometimes you just don't want to sit at a restaurant for an hour.

Where to go in Italy depends on where you are staying. I was in Northern Italy, so Turin, Milan, Genova and Cinque Terre were reasonable to get to, as well as Nice and Monaco. If you are in Naples, obviously going to Milan is quite a trip. The train can be very expensive for long distances, but for short trips (less than 100km) it is reasonable.