Hey everyone! I am Carolina, and I am studying abroad in Rome during the Fall semester! I have been in Rome for about a month now and wanted to share some tips and tricks for packing for a Fall semester in Rome! Here is everything I packed, what I wish I had brought, and what I wish I hadn’t! For context, I brought a checked bag (28-inch luggage), two carry-ons (a North Face Recon book bag and a 20-inch luggage). 

Tips

• BRING A PILLOW!! I didn’t think my pillow would be uncomfortable, but it was, and I had to go out and buy a squishmellow because I couldn’t sleep!!  
• A lot of people say to leave space in your luggage, and that’s what I did. However, looking back, I wish I had brought more clothes–shopping for clothes isn’t cheap in Rome, and the sizes are different. I also plan to mail some souvenirs back home to save space. Another option is that every Sunday, they have a market called Porta Portese. They sell luggage at really affordable prices, and they are willing to negotiate. If it comes down to it, I plan to purchase another luggage to check in and have two checked bags! 
• Use compression packing cubes instead of vacuum-sealed bags. You can pack a lot of clothes in the packing cubes, making packing more organized. This also made it easier to unpack my clothes since it was already organized. 
• Put your heavier clothing items (like coats, jackets, and shoes) in your carry-on luggage. This will make a huge difference, ensuring your checked bag isn’t overweight.  
• I also recommend bringing medicine! I got sick the first week, and NyQuil, DayQuil, and Neti Pot were all lifesavers. Some other medicines to bring would be: cough drops, Tums, Vicks, allergy medicine (Benadryl and Allegra), and MELATONIN! 
• Personally, I love to blow out my hair and was expecting to buy all the materials I needed in Italy. I have not found a round brush to save my life, so if you do hair, I recommend bringing your specific tools or a dual-voltage hair tool! 
• Pro Tip: I packed a fanny pack in my travel bookbag and wore it under my sweater when I boarded the plane, keeping my wallet and passport safe! 
• I read that many people brought their Brita water bottles, but I recommend against it. Instead, opt for a bottle that keeps your water cold. I found that the taste of the water didn’t differ whether it was from the Brita bottle or just regular water.

Highly recommend packing dresses, skirts, and linen pants!

Packing List:

Technology and Documents 

• A charger for ALL electronic devices you are bringing  (Apple Watch, phone, laptop, headphones, etc)
• 1 portable charger (I made sure it charged through USB-C so that I could use the same charger as my phone to charge it) 
• 2 adaptors 
• Digital camera 
• Printed documents of your insurance card, arrival guide, housing assignment, copy of passport (I brought three copies and keep one copy in every bag), copy of all documents used for visa application, flight itinerary, and a Doctor’s letter (for medications)
• At least $100 converted to the currency of the first country or region that you’re visiting

Toiletries

• Hairbrush 
• Hair Products 
  • curl cream, FRIZZ CONTROL, leave-in conditioner – these are all products I wish I had brought! The ones I have bought here do not work that well on curly, frizzy hair
• Hair spray
• Dry shampoo 
• Makeup (Pro tip: I bought a travel lash curler, which saved me a lot of space!) 
• Tampons/Pads
• Prescription medicines 
• Basic medicine 
• Deodorant 
• 6 pairs of contacts (if you wear monthly)  and contact solution 
  • Optional: I wish I had brought travel-sized contact solution along with my full-size size for weekend travel 
• Skincare (Make sure you can buy a replacement of your favorite skincare brand in the country you travel to)
  • Pimple patches and acne wash! Skin reacts differently to change
• Nail clippers and tweezers 
• Plastic travel toiletry bag for weekend travel
  • Bring a travel-sized version of all your essentials for when you do weekend travel 
• Shampoo and conditioner
• Tooth brush, Tongue scraper 
• Toothpaste 
  • Travel-size toothpaste 
• Razor
• Retainer and retainer cleaning tablets 
• Wet Wipes 
• Shower cap 

Accessories and Shoes

• Jewelry
  • Travel jewelry holder
• Hair straightener/curling iron/blow-out brush (that are dual voltage)
• Sunglasses 
• Tote bag for school (make sure it has a zipper!) 
• 1 cute purse 
• 1 fanny pack 
• Umbrella 
• Waterbottle 
• 1 pair athletic tennis shoes 
• 1 pair of cute sneakers that are comedy (I love my Sambas!) 
• 1 pair of boots
• 1 pair of sandals (that can be dressed up for dresses) 
• 1 pair of shower shoes

Clothes 

• 6 basic tops (short-sleeved)
• 4 tanks
• 4 nicer/staple tops 
• 4 going out tops
• 6 long-sleeved tops 
• 3 dresses  
• 1 legging
• 3 sweatpants/joggers
• 3 jeans (make sure they are all different washes) 
• 2 linen pants (different colors!) 
• 3 skirts (long flowy skirts and a jean skirt)
• 2 swimsuits
• 2 sweaters
• Rain jacket 
• 2 coats (North Face puffer and trench coat)
• 5 regular bras and 2 sports bras
  • Don’t forget fashion tape, a strapless bra, and sticky bras 
• 12 pairs of socks
• 12 pairs of underwear 
• 6 oversized graphic tees to sleep in!

Written by: Carolina, Rome Fall 2025 student from Furman University