Are you planning a trip to Rome or another European city? You may be worried about what you need you’ll need to pack the perfect day bag for Europe!
In this post, I’ll share with you everything I had in my bag during our 3-day visit (pre-cruise) to Rome, Italy. I made small adjustments each day to get it just right. Then I used this bag and the contents noted below while exploring Athens, Santorini, Mykonos in Greece, and Ephesus, Turkey!
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Choosing the right bag.
When choosing a day bag it’s important to keep a few things in mind. There are so many options available so take your time and determine the one that is right for you. Ask yourself the following:
- What type of bag is comfortable for you to wear all day long?
- What type of bag is secure from pick-pockets and items falling out?
- Your personal needs.
When we travel in the Caribbean and typically have time at the beach, I carry a lightweight backpack. It’s so easy to pack, is lightweight, and can hold my water bottle, towel, and lots of extras! Every member of my family has one of these packable backpacks and we have used them for the last several years
To explore European cities, I knew that I wanted a more compact bag that I could keep securely in front of me but one that would hold more than my small cross-body purse.
I chose this one but there are so many great options on Amazon.
Amazon Link: WATERFLY Crossbody Sling Backpack Sling Bag Travel Hiking Chest Bag Daypack
RFID and Anti-theft bags.
You may notice that the bag I chose was not labeled “anti-theft”. I have had several higher-priced RFID and Anti-theft bags in the past including this one from the very well-respected Travelon brand. They are great for that specific purpose which may be most important to you. However, I found them to be heavy, uncomfortable, and obviously difficult to get into. I chose to use RFID sleeves to protect my credit cards and passport so that my information is safe but used a bag that was easy for me to access my contents and more comfortable for a full day.
Which is more important for you, anti-theft or comfort?
Let’s Pack the Perfect Day Bag for Europe!
Just as important as the bag itself is everything IN the bag. You want to hit the ground running, ok exploring, and you want to have everything you need without being weighed down by too much “stuff”.
1. Identification – There’s always a debate regarding whether or not you should carry your passport with you or leave it in your hotel safe, etc. For this particular trip, we all kept our passports with us. We traveled on the tail-end of places asking to see vaccination cards, etc. and we just felt better having our documentation with us if needed. Check with the specific country where you are traveling. In Italy, it says visitors are required to carry their passports. In fact, our Airbnb host took photos of them as required by the government.
I love this new passport holder we got for our son. It has a spot for your vaccination card and a strap to keep things tidy and secure.
2. Money (including a credit card that waives foreign transaction fees). Always keep a few euros handy as some pubic restrooms have attendants that will expect the tip. We only encountered this once but we were glad we were prepared.
3. Tissues – I have allergies, so I always have tissues handy. They also come in handy if you find yourself in a poorly stocked restroom. 🙂
4. Wipes – Hand sanitizer is great and convenient but some actual wet wipes or antibacterial wipes can really save the day. I have used wipes to wash our hands, wipe off a dirty table or chair, etc.
5. Sunglasses – Who wants to spend the day squinting? Pro tip: I always put my sunglasses on for photos. It’s harder to tell if your eyes are closed!
6. Hat – If your tours include ruins, you will thank me for packing a hat. The sun really beats down and reflects off of the stone! My hat was usually on my head but consider adding a small carabiner to your day bag and you will be able to easily store your hat without needing to scrunch it inside your bag. I could go on for days about the many great uses for a carabiner!
7. Mini towel – Throughout Rome, there are amazing little fountains with fresh, clean water. A small pack towel like this one is great for cooling your neck or use the dry towel to dry your hands after a restroom visit. You’d be surprised how many restrooms did not have paper towels or dryers. The mini-towel is only about 5″ square and is the perfect addition to your day bag.
Our mini towel came with our favorite travel pack towel which we always take on cruises. It dries so quickly, fits great in our bags and we never have to worry about lugging around a bulky cruise ship towel.
This towel comes in different sizes and colors!
8. Water Bottle – Speaking of the freshwater fountains – don’t forget your water bottle! I never leave home without my Yeti Rambler which did fit in my smaller day bag. However, during our days in Rome, we started carrying a disposable water bottles.
This was quite difficult for me because I HATE single-use plastic. Unfortunately, there were some reports of metal water bottles not being allowed in the Vatican and other tours. So, instead of risking our Yetis, we grabbed a disposable water bottle from our Airbnb and then refilled it throughout the day at the various fountains. As an American, I was very leery of using a public fountain but we decided…”When in Rome…” and the water was actually very good!
8. Chapstick – I am slightly addicted to chapstick so I always have it with me. Eos is my favorite!
9. Tour tickets – We booked our tours through Viator and the e-ticket saved on my phone was all that was needed. If you don’t want to rely on your phone, tuck your printed ticket in your day bag!
Related Post: The Extras of Cruising – Budget Planner
10. Sunscreen – I can’t stress enough how important it is to protect your skin. I love the sun, the beach, the ocean…all of it, but I am dedicated to protecting my skin from painful burns and damage. My favorite sunscreen is Sun Bum.
11. Emergency poncho – While you wouldn’t win any fashion awards, sometimes the value is just in staying dry. Pop-up showers can happen and you don’t want to spend the rest of the day looking like a drowned rat or ruin your fancy camera. This poncho takes up very little room and is there if you need it. In a pinch, we have also opened this up for a clean/dry place to sit for an impromptu picnic with some yummy street food.
12. Back up charger – You may not be choosing to pay for data while you’re traveling but you’ll certainly be using downloaded google maps and taking all of those selfies.
13. Medicine pouch – My family has become VERY accustomed to me being the fixer. Have a headache? No problem. Cramps? I got you. Upset tummy or heartburn? Here ya go! Years ago, I started carrying a small 7-day pill pouch labeled for everything that ails you. I keep the 7-day pill organizer (purchased from Dollar Tree) in a zipper pouch just in case one of the cases is accidentally opened. Inside the zipper pouch, there is usually room for a band-aid or two or some eye drops. I simply transfer this pouch from my purse to my backpack to my day bag…beach bag, etc.
Bonus: Good shoes and light layers!
Ok, we are outside of the bag now but this is an important note. When you hear about touring the Colosseum in Rome or Acropolis Hill in Athens, you always hear about the surfaces being slick. I believed the storytellers that have gone before me but OH MY GOODNESS! Slick is an understatement. I am in fairly good shape and steady on my feet and we all slipped more than once. Touring ruins is not the time for fancy shoes. Grab yourself some Tevas or sneakers with good tread. Trust me!
Layers are always a good idea when traveling. If you start out bright and early (as you should) you may need a light sweater but by afternoon you may appreciate wearing that tank top. By dinner, the cardigan may find its way back around your shoulders.
There you have it! We’ve packed the perfect day bag for Europe! Did I miss any of your must-have items?
Worrier’s Guide: A few side notes for the worrier in Rome
- Outside of the tour locations (Vatican, Colosseum, Forum), there weren’t any public restrooms. However, any place serving food/drink is required to allow you to use the restroom. These places are commonly referred to as “bars”. We found hotels to be a friendly option as well. We had heard that a Euro was required but we only experienced this on one occasion and that was near Pompeii.
- Pick-pockets – We came home with all of our belongings but we were quite careful to keep everything in front of our bodies secure. In Rome, we did experience professional scammers that seemed quite benign at first. One man complimented our son on his sneakers and struck up a conversation that seemed overly friendly. Then, he showed us a picture of his baby and repeatedly asked for money once we tried to walk away.
- Tours were VERY crowded even though we were early in the peak season. I would recommend very early or late tours. We found in the Vatican, it would be especially easy for you to lose track of your guide.
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