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A Complete Packing List For Men Who Are Coming To Rome

ByBeppe Castro

Searching for a complete packing list for men coming to Rome is difficult because most are focused on women, so I wanted to offer a complete guide for the guys.

Packing List For Men - Backpacks

While is it true that the most common answer to the question about what you need to pack when coming to Rome focuses on what women need, and are usually written by women, I can speak from experience that just as many visitors to Rome are men, so I wanted to create a complete packing list for men so that you can be as confident with your travels as others.

What Should I Pack For A Man In Italy?

Ok, let’s assume that someone is doing the packing for you, which is great, but knowing what is important to bring, and what isn’t, will make traveling so much easier because your suitcase or backpack will be that much lighter. I will get into the specifics of what to pack later in this article, but a simple guide is that generally you should pack one more daily worn item (socks, underwear, contacts, medicine, etc.) than the number of days you will be in Rome, including your day of departure.

In other words, these questions have pretty simples answers:

  • What Should I Pack For 3 Days For Men In Rome? – 4 days worth of daily wear items.

  • What Should I Pack For 5 Days For Men In Rome? – 6 days worth of daily wear items.

  • What Should I Pack For A Week For Men In Rome? – 8 days worth of daily wear items.

There is much more to pack, but these items will vary depending on the length of your visit to Italy. It is also important to remember that you aren’t including your travel day to Italy because you will handle this at home, but it is important to include your return travel day.

Packing List For Men - Air Travel

What Is The 5-4-3-2-1 Packing Method For Men?

The 5-4-3-2-1 Packing Method for men is a silly mnemonic device, or they call it a mantra, that was posted in an article in the NYT. Again, it was clearly written by and for women, so I found it pretty useless and I prefer a nice checklist. Also, this mantra is only geared for a weeklong trip, so again, it is pretty narrowly focused and not very flexible, so I say: “Skip it!”

What Should Men Wear In Rome?

There are a number of things to consider when packing for Rome and the most important one is: “What time of the year are you traveling?”. I’ll get more into the seasonal variations below, and in subsequent articles, but as rule of thumb you want to include:

  • Sturdy Walking Shoes – These can be sneakers or hiking shoes, whichever you can spend the entire day in. I don’t recommend waterproof because you will be sweating all day in them and you want something that vents. Trust me on this one.

  • A Hat – With the exception of people who work outdoors, most people do not spend an entire week outdoors in the sun, so you will probably need some shade. Keep in mind that you will need to remove it when entering religious sites, but most of these are indoors and not a problem.

  • Pants – I’m not trying to be funny, because even in the summer you will probably need a pair of pants for an evening or early morning event. Also, there are quite a few mosquitoes in Rome, so covering your legs at dusk will be important if, like me, the mosquitoes love you.

Complete Packing List For Men Coming To Rome

This packing list is not cast in stone, but it is intended to be a checklist you can review to make sure you didn’t forget anything. I would also try to visualize getting ready in the morning and walking around all day in the sun while you are still at home. Visualization is a great exercise that has saved me from having to buy something at my destination quite a few times.

Packing List For Men - Suit Bag

Pre-Packing Requirements

These are some steps you should consider a day or two before you head out to the airport:

  • Take a scan of your passport(s), credit cards and driver’s license and store them in the cloud, like on a google drive.

  • Back up your cell phone and make sure it is completely charged.

  • If you are bringing a camera, make sure your batteries are changed and you have enough memory card storage space available.

  • If you take medication, be sure you have enough for the trip and a few days more for when you return home.

  • Convert some cash to Euros, if that isn’t your national currency.

  • Call your bank and tell them you will be using your credit cards abroad.

  • Download movies to your cell or computer for the flight or hotel. 

Packing Documentation

For your documentation, you want to consider how you will be carrying these around with you. If you didn’t know, you are technically required to have your passport on you at all times as you travel around Italy. I say “technically” because this requirement isn’t enforced consistently and you might get away with only having a copy of it on you. I prefer to carry it, so I bought a passport carrier that hangs around my neck, with space for credit cards. Other things to consider are:

  • All your tickets (plane, bus, train, ferry, etc.)

  • Valid passport(s) with more than 90-days left until expiration.

  • Have some Euros on you. The amount depends on your lifestyle, but I think €500 is a good place to start.

  • Bring only 1 or 2 credit cards including one from which you can take an emergency cash advance.

Packing Technology

Some of these recommendations depend on what you plan on bringing. For example, using your cell to take pictures is certainly a viable option, but I also bring an Interchangeable Lens camera and that has requirements to be aware of. Here are some tech items to consider:

  • Adapter and Converter –  There are three EU standard plug types, C, F and L and the voltage is different that in the US, so you want to use an adapter for things like a laptop or cell phone that adjust, but a converter for things, like a hairdryer that only works with 120-volts.

  • Laptop and Cell Phone – Be sure to include all the charger cords that you might need and USB adapters.

  • Headphones – Many people are traveling with noise canceling headphones with a Bluetooth connection, which I love, but also consider you might want to bring wired headphones for tours or inflight entertainment.

Packing List For Men - All Weather

Packing Entertainment

These aren’t required, but you want to consider what you will be dining on those long flights, as well as those late nights when you can’t get to sleep because of the time difference. Might I suggest:

  • Books (physical or Kindle)
  • Movies (Confirm download)
  • Podcasts (Confirm download)

Packing Toiletries & Medicine

If you don’t travel much, I would strongly recommend that you buy a travel toiletry bag, also known as: a toiletry kit, ditty bag, personal hygiene kit or a travel kit. This ditty bag will keep you organized with the following:

  • Soap (optional – you can buy it in any pharmacy)
  • Shampoo
  • Brush/Comb
  • Hair Gels
  • Deodorant
  • Contact Lenses, Solution and Glasses
  • Medicine – If you require it, be sure to bring one day’s worth more than the days you will be traveling. Consider a daily pill box for better organization.
  • Toothbrush, Toothpaste, Floss
  • Razor (Don’t bring shaving cream, use soap)
  • Earplugs (You will thank me later)
  • Pain Medication
  • Nail Clippers, Tweezers

Packing Clothing

I will have additional posts that I will link to below that are seasonal packing list items that men need to be concerned about, so here I will only include those items that you will need year around:

  • Underwear, Socks, T-Shirts – One more than the number of days you will be traveling, including your return travel day.
  • Pajamas, Slippers, Hat, Belt, Sunglasses – Only one of each of these items will be needed. I indicated PJs, but really I meant whatever you sleep in.
  • Jeans, Pants, Shorts – This depends on the season and how formal you intend on being. Even during the summer, however, be sure to bring a pair of pants.
  • Shirts, Sweatshirts, Hoodies – Again, it depends on the season if you should go heavier on sweatshirts or short sleeve shirts, so be sure to know the weather.
  • Jacket – If you are traveling during the rainy season, a rain jacket is a good idea, and if you are traveling in the winter, a heavier jacket seems prudent. Just be sure to check the weather expectations.
  • Optional – Additional shoes or a swimsuit will depend on your plans, gloves/scarfs will depend on the season.
Packing List For Men - Travel Plans

More Help Getting Around Rome

If you enjoyed this complete packing list for men coming to Rome, then these other articles should help you with your planning for an amazing trip to Italy. Check these out:


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