Italy Travel Tip: Packing Your Carry-on Bag

Recently we visited Italy's Campania region with 18 people who had arrived at the Naples airport from the US (having changed planes en route). Two of them arrived without their luggage. The following week another group of nine arrived but this time four were without luggage. Of course, this could happen anywhere you travel, not just in Italy, in fact it's happened to me even on US flights.

This prompted me to put together a few tips for packing your carry-on travel bag (besides the 3-oz bottles of liquid you can have in your one baggie)

• Medication: always pack all your medicines in your carry-on bag. Make a copy of your prescriptions or a list of your medicines (not the generic names) and carry it separately. If you need medicine while in Italy, take the list to the farmacia, pharmacy (read more about the pharmacy in Italy).
• Change of Clothes: pack a spare change of clothes, at least a shirt and underwear, in case your clothes don't arrive.
• Computer and camera: If you're bringing a laptop or other electronic equipment, it's much safer to carry it with you. This is especially true of cameras. I've heard of people's cameras (and other items) being stolen from the check-in bags in many countries.
• Important personal information: Of course you'll have your passport with you, but it's a good idea to carry a copy separately. All money, credit cards, tickets, important phone numbers, and your travel itinerary should be kept with you. When leaving the airport, it's a good idea to safeguard your passport and money.

One way to lessen the possibility of lost luggage is to fly non-stop whenever possible. We usually pick a starting destination where we can arrive without changing planes and start our travels from there. More non-stop flights are being offered to Italy from the east coast, including recently added flights to Pisa, Genoa, and Bologna from New York on Delta. (see our Italy Airport Map for airport locations)

More Italy Travel Tips