Headed to Italy + Greece? Good news, you are about to be BLOWN away by history and breathtaking scenery. Italy and Greece are crowd pleasers for a reason. They are both unbelievably beautiful, historically rich, and incredibly inviting. BUT you may find yourself at a loss for what to pack. After all, air conditioning isn’t a standard, and there are specific dress codes for certain sites. Not to worry though, we’ve got your back. Here is your ultimate packing guide for this trip-of-a-lifetime!

The first key is to pack light! Since you’ll be carrying your luggage on and off the plane, the bus, hotels, and winding staircases (think Oia, Santorini), you should try to condense what you need into one small suitcase and a carry-on.

Packing essential items into a carry-on has other advantages too! You will basically eliminate the risk of your bag getting lost or delayed. Win! Just make sure your bag meets the dimensions required for the airline you're flying.

If you're traveling with Land + See, you can check out Delta’s carry-on baggage weight and dimension requirements by clicking here.

Here is a list of essential items you won’t want to forget to pack.

Travel Aids

· Chewing gum

· Meds for motion sickness and sleep

· Travel Pillow

· (The airplane will likely supply earplugs, headphones, and a sleep mask so you can leave those at home unless you are partial to your own).

Clothing and Accessories

· Comfortable walking shoes

· Shirts (Have a few with sleeves in order to meet Italian church dresscode: shoulders and knees covered)

· Socks and underwear/bras

· Watch

· Jewelry

· Pants/jeans/shorts (again, a few with covered knees)

· Pajamas

· Glasses/contacts

· Sunglasses

· Belts

· Bathing suit (Be aware, in Santorini the water can stain your suit so plan accordingly)

· Dressier outfit

· Raincoat and/or umbrella

· Scarf or coverup (for Italian Churches)

· Hat or other sun protection

· Collapsible tote/duffel bag for dirty clothes, souvenirs (if only using a carry-on)

· Luggage tags

· Journal (if planning to document your trip)

· Backpack or daybag

Toiletries

· Toothbrush

· Toothpaste

· Floss

· Mouthwash

· Shampoo/conditioner

· Soap

· Deodorant

· Hairbrush/comb

· Hand sanitizer

· Straightener/curling iron (If you have wattage converter)

· Hair styling products

· Hair accessories

· Cleanser

· Moisturizer/Sunscreen

· Shaving Cream

· Razor

· Perfume/Cologne

· Makeup

· Makeup Remover

· Feminine Hygiene Products (if applicable)

· Nail clippers

· Nail File

· Hand wipes

· Tweezers

· Cotton swabs

· Tissues

· Lint Roller

· First Aid Kit/Band Aids

· Lip Balm

· Washcloths (not standard in European hotels)

· Any medications (in addition to a copy of any prescription)

· Spare set of contact lenses/glasses (if applicable)

· Saline Solution (if applicable)

Money

· ATM card (Call your bank prior to departure to alert them of the trip; foreign purchases sometimes result in a hold on bank accounts.)

· Personal credit card

· At least $50 converted to the currency of the first country that you’re visiting

· Pouch for storing money and passport under clothing

Electronics/Technology

· An alarm clock (Many hotel rooms won't have one.)

· An adaptor/converter (details for Italy + Greece plug types found here)

· Camera with extra batteries or charger

· Cell phone and charger

· Portable charger (my personal favorite travel item)

Documents

· Passport—(Remember to leave one copy of it at home and bring a couple more copies on tour, in case your passport gets lost.)

· Emergency contact information

· A copy of your medical insurance card (and trip insurance if you’ve purchased it)

· A copy of the tour itinerary

· A list of important phone numbers

· Addresses to send postcards home

· Copy of any prescriptions (Customs officials may want to verify that a container's contents match its label, so all medication should be carried in its original container.)

· List of medications/prescriptions

Carry-on bag

Here’s a short list of things travelers might need on the first day of the trip. These should be packed in your carry-on in case your checked luggage is delayed:

· Passport

· Money

· Money Belt

· Airline boarding pass

· Toothbrush and toothpaste (Check tsa.gov for current security requirements.)

· Hairbrush

· Contact lens case/glasses (to sleep comfortably on the plane)

· A change of clothes (in case luggage is delayed)

· Medication

· Any valuables

Hopefully this helps ease the burden of knowing exactly what to pack. You know yourself and what you need so if you see something on the list you know you just won't need, skip it!

Now that you're done packing, let's get back to our countdown! If you're like me, you've got this itinerary pinned already and you check it daily, but I'll throw it on here anyway so you can get back to daydreaming about the Aegean!

Let the countdown begin!

Italy + Greece Itinerary

Italy has its own special kind of magic. Chances are you’ve fantasized about eating hand-rolled pasta at least once in your life, or of drinking a glass of wine under the Tuscan sun, or of viewing masterpieces of human handiwork like Michaelangelo’s Sistine Chapel, or countless other bucket list items found only in Italy.

When I thought about visiting Europe for the first time, I always imagined it would be to Italy. It wasn’t; and while it was an amazing trip, it did leave me with a feeling that I’d missed out.

I’ve always said, if you can only go to Europe once, make sure you go to Rome. It has a wild mixture of ancient and modern. It’s quite the head trip walking down its cobbled streets and realizing it’s very likely you are walking down the same streets as greats like the Apostle Paul, Julius Caesar and everyone in between. Just experiencing the vibrant city connects you to all those that came before and anyone else who has stood in that spot. It’s something no textbook can teach you. No wild story can prepare you for. It’s an instant conversation starter. I’ve yet to meet someone who has been to Rome and hasn’t felt star struck. It has everything! From the mighty Colosseum, to the Roman Forum, the Pantheon, the Spanish steps, the Trevi Fountain, the Vatican. The list goes on and on. Take a journey to Rome and you will return a storyteller.

Our tour to Italy and Greece begins in the heart of Rome. You can check out the full itinerary by clicking here, but in the meantime I’d like to breakdown the adventures we will encounter on just the first day on the ground.

We will have technically spent our first day traveling on an overnight flight, which is an adventure in and of itself. I’m not being sarcastic. I LOVE the first flight day and all the anticipation it brings.

We will arrive in Rome at the Fiumicino Airport early in the morning on Day 2. Even the airport name is fun to try to pronounce. Say it with me. Fee-oo-me-chee-no. I encourage you to try wrapping your tongue around as many fun Italian phrases as you can. You will find the Italians pleased to watch you stumble through their E’s and O’s and quick to offer a helping hand and an encouraging word. They really are some of the friendliest people you will come across. Don’t believe me? Just wander into a fun neighborhood like the Piazza Navona during your free time and watch how many locals are ready and willing to help you.

Anyway, back to Day 2. From the airport we will hit the ground running with a morning tour of the might Colosseum. My favorite moment in tour history is our first trip group trip to Rome. The Colosseum was right around the next corner and none of the travelers knew. I turned around and walked backwards just so I could watch the look on their faces as they saw the might Colossus for the first time. It honestly takes your breath away and is one of the most surreal experiences. Whether it’s your first time in Europe, or your 12th time to Rome, this is one place that never disappoints.

We will take a guided tour and learn all about its construction, its bloody, violent and controversial past, how it marked Rome as a powerhouse of strength, and why the Emperor Vespasian gifted it to the Romans.

From here we will walk mere steps through the Arch of Constantine, Rome’s largest triumphal arch, commemorating the victory of Constantine, to Palatine Hill and the Roman Forum, the center of day-to-day life in Rome and the birthplace of modern government. We will walk amongst the ruins and learn why this area was so historically significant not only to Rome, but the modern world as we know it.

Right next to the forum is the prison where the Apostles Peter and Paul were held during their imprisonment in Rome. Make sure to snap a picture as we go by.

From here we will take a scenic bus tour of the city of Rome, the eternal city. We will take in sights like the Santa Maria Maggiore Basilica, the Colosseo, Circo Massimo, Piazza Venezia, The Vatican City, Trevi Fountain and so much more. We will hit several of these sights on foot and in-depth on the following days as well, but the bus tour will give us some orientation to the city and wet your appetite for the days to come.

After this tour by bus, we will check in to our hotel, freshen up a bit and head out to the best part of the day, dinner! Try a hand-tossed pizza, homemade pasta, grandma’s meatballs, or whatever suits your fancy. One thing is for sure, this dinner will ruin you for “Italian” restaurants at home. You will leave your heart in Italy and come away with a new understanding about the phrase “the best way to someone’s heart is through their stomach.”