what to pack for early may 2012 italy honeymoon?

cyan45

hi everyone,

so sorry i haven't had a chance to throw my 2-cents on your forum posts lately! i do however find time to lurk just to stay in touch

anyway, i am researching italy for art, food, lovely scenery and of course fashion related points of interest...and i haven't a clue what to pack!

we plan to visit early to mid-may, and try to hit the north, central and south if possible. just like our trip recent family trip to vietnam, we each packed all our clothes in a carry-on for 3-weeks. thank god for clothing compression bags and wrinkle free/moisture wicking wardrobe! lol.

also, my hubby-to-be and i are both on the hunt for euro appropriate SHOES! something comfy enough for walking around town, but dressy enough for eating out.
if he can wear shorts, what kinds of shoes are good? are there any dressy looking walking shoes for me when i wear dresses/skirts? i have NO IDEA where to start looking...

thanks so much, i hope to get back on the forum soon!

12 years ago

Dressing

8 replies

Latest reply was from learning curve

Ornella

(website)

Veteran

Amyreh went to Italy, but it was summer. I still hope she might have great tips and will chime in.

12 years ago

amyreh

(website)

Veteran

Sounds like a wonderful honeymoon! My husband and I went to Italy as well, we spent a week in Capri and a week in Florence. I loved them both, but must say that if you can get to Capri you definitely should, it was the most beautiful place I have ever seen! We went at the end of June this year. My husband wore nice shorts around, it was hot! I would suggest some casual sundresses, a fancier dress or a casual dress that can be "dressed up", a pair of white jeans if you will have access to laundry, a pair of dark wash jeans, a pair of shorts that can go casual or be dressed up, and some cute t-shirts/blouses/cardigans that can be mixed and matched. I guess "walking shoes" depends on how fussy your feet are. My husband wore mostly loafers with his shorts and pants, unless we were headed to pool or ocean. For days when we were walking a lot I wore flat dressy sandals, but also wore wedges a few days. Here is a few pics that show my flat sandals and hubby with shorts, along with a few other outfits. You are awesome to pack a carry on, I had an enormous bag - I had to have all my high heels too! : ) Have a wonderful time, let me know if you want anymore info on Capri or Florence! : )

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12 years ago

Makrame

Veteran

I was in Italy in early November so it was probably colder than May. We were in Venice, Florence, and Milan. As far as shoes, I discovered that my super-comfortable boots turned super-slippery on wet cobblestones when it started raining. We actually missed a train because of that.

I am not sure I would try putting everything in a carry-on, especially since you'll have one checked bag free on international flights, but it sounds like you are a pro at packing. We left one bag in the "left luggage" at train stations so that we wouldn't have to lug everything around. The cost is about 4 euro per day, and there are attended left luggage kiosks at all major stations (Florence, Milan, Venice etc.).

My husband wore World Tour by Rockport and was quite comfortable. I actually had to switch to "gear-ish" shoes by Merrell at some point because my feet were complaining but we were walking pretty much non-stop (and climbing bell towers etc.). I just got a pair of oxfords (Born Arletta) that I think might be the perfect shoes for wearing with both skinny pants and skirts on long trips, because they are very soft. I would highly recommend these shoes as "emergency" shoes, just in case your feet get tired. Of course, neither World Tours nor Arletta are very suitable for wearing with shorts or summer skirts.

By the way, keep in mind that some tourist destinations (like St. Mark's basilica in Venice) may not allow men (or women) in shorts to enter. Same goes for bare shoulders and short skirts. This is only true for a few places, though.

12 years ago

mamaKate

Veteran

Congratulations on your upcoming nuptials! I will defer most of the comments to our European friends, but I can say during the handful of times I've been to the continent in May, the weather is still very turbulent and spring-like: warm and summery one day and rainy and cold the next. So you will have to be prepared with layers and options. And I second the consideration of wet cobblestones for footgear!

12 years ago

HelenInCanada

Veteran

Wow - beautiful pictures in Italy, amyreh!

May in Italy can be cool and rainy, so I would make sure to pack early-spring like clothing (pants and jeans, cardigans, closed-toe leather walking shoes.) The smart thing to do is have items that can double for both casual and dressier environments. I always felt self-conscious if I was sloppy or too casual in restaurants and galleries. Other than the tourists, you should be seeing lots of fab fashion in Italy!!! Have a wonderful trip and congrats!!!

12 years ago

Anonymous

I have some very low-heeled ( 5 cm or less ) clunky closed toe mary-jane. It's more supportive than a ballet flat ( And you will see a lot of those) . It strapped to my feet. My walking shoe. My young friends called them uncool but then they were amazed how unobtrusive and useful they wore. I have some very bad pics ( cropped from big touristy images) but I hope you get what I mean. If you're going in may, I recommend finding some comfy flat non-sandal shoe. Maybe Angie can help, I remember she has some nude beauties.

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12 years ago

cyan45

Active Member

thank you everyone for your kind words and helpful tips!

amyreh, your pics are gorgeous! i'll def check out capri and florence (and start bugging you about details later)

makrame, good point about having extra luggage (and slippery cobblestone!) yikes. mental note to self...

mamakate, thank you i'm kind of hoping the weird weather we've been having these last couple years will spill over in 2012 (namely, unusually warm italian weather in may vs. buckets of rain).

helenincanada, thanks for your packing tips (especially the multi-purpose/occasion plan). so far, wrinkle free / hides stains / elegant fit / neutral colors / mix & match is my game plan. maybe this will evolve in time

anya, LOVE your shoes and pics! can i ask where you got them? it seems mary janes tend to be round toe; i really like your almond toe shoes. very functional AND cute!

12 years ago

learning curve

Active Member

Yay, Italy! One of my favorite places to visit. I am a big fan of packing only a carry-on, even for international travel. The one category I will prioritize space for is shoes, especially in a place like Italy where there are good reasons to have a pair of dressy shoes (for eating at nice restaurants, attending the opera, etc.) , a pair of really comfortable walking shoes (for all day sight-seeing on cobble-stones and many, many stone stairways), and a pair of casual sandals (for walks along the beach, for resting your feet after a long day of walking, etc.).

As far as the comfortable walking shoes, I wore shoes similar to these when I was last in Rome for a week: http://www.skechers.com/style/.....-true/ofwt
They are a bit more stylish than regular athletic shoes and provided the traction and support my fussy feet needed to spend hours walking through ruins, etc. They are also lightweight so they, plus dressy ballet slippers, plus lightweight casual sandals don't really take up much space.

Also, I find a pretty, lightweight scarf can be a good multi-tasker. It can help ward off a spring morning chill, make an outfit look more dressy, etc.

Congratulations, and have fun planning!!

12 years ago

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