Rome packing list

Practical checklist for a trip to Rome — what most travellers wish they'd packed, grouped by category. Pair it with each attraction's own "What to bring" section for site-specific extras.

Clothing

Breathable layers Jun–Aug regularly tops 35°C; churches and museums are air-conned
Broken-in walking shoes Sampietrini cobbles punish thin soles — 15,000+ steps a day
Church-modest cover layer Knees + shoulders covered at St Peter's, the Vatican, most basilicas
Sun hat The Forum, Palatine and Colosseum top tiers have zero shade
One smart-casual outfit Romans dress for dinner; shorts mark you at any good restaurant
Light rain shell (Oct–Mar) Winter rain comes in bursts; summer is reliably dry

Documents

Passport Valid 3+ months past return date (Schengen rule)
Travel insurance certificate EHIC/GHIC if you're in Europe/UK; otherwise private cover
Printed copy of accommodation Border officers occasionally ask; saves the WiFi scramble
Backup card photo (cloud) Snap your passport, cards, insurance to encrypted cloud storage
Named tickets matching your ID Colosseum and Borghese check names against passports at the gate

Electronics

Type C/F/L plug adapter Italy adds the three-prong Type L — a C adapter covers most sockets
Power bank (10,000 mAh+) Long days of phone use: maps, photos, timed-entry QRs, audio guides
Phone charger + cable USB-C standard now, but bring two cables if you can
e-SIM or roaming plan Airalo or Iliad work well; EU roaming if you're European
Headphones Most attraction audio guides run via your phone now

Health

Refillable water bottle The nasoni street fountains run cold and free all over the city
Sunscreen SPF 30+ Roman sun is serious from April through October
Blister plasters Cobblestones + basilica marathons punish new shoes
Basic painkillers Ibuprofen / paracetamol — saves a farmacia trip
Hand sanitiser Metro touchpoints, market stalls, gelato before napkins

Misc

Small daypack (15–20L) Vatican and Colosseum security refuse large bags; keep it zipped
Coins for the Trevi throw Right hand over left shoulder — the €1.5M/year goes to charity
Eye mask + earplugs Centro storico nights are loud; shutters beat curtains but not Vespas
A book / Kindle Villa Borghese lawns, train day-trips to Ostia or Tivoli
Offline Italian phrase pack "Buongiorno" and "grazie" transform espresso-bar service

Money

Contactless credit/debit card Accepted nearly everywhere, including metro and buses
A few €5/€10 notes and coins Espresso at the bank, market stalls, public toilets, Trevi coin
Backup card (different network) Visa + Mastercard combo covers all card-reader edge cases
Zip pocket or money belt Bus 64, Termini and the Trevi crowd are pickpocket world capitals

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