How I Packed for 20 Days in Italy With Just a Carry-On

If you had told me a few years ago that I'd spend 20 days traveling through Italy with nothing but a carry-on suitcase and a personal item, I probably wouldn't have believed you. But after doing exactly that, I can confidently say I'll never travel any other way.

There is an art to packing your whole life into a small box on wheels for your vacation, and here's exactly how I recommend doing it.

Build Outfits, Not Individual Pieces

One of the biggest mistakes people make is packing clothes they might wear. Instead, pack pieces that work together.

Stick to a simple color palette so everything can be mixed and matched. A few neutral tops, versatile bottoms, and a lightweight jacket can create far more outfits than you might expect.

Europe Isn't Built Like America

One of the best pieces of advice I can give is to pack for the destination, not just the weather.

In Italy and many parts of Europe, you'll likely be walking through narrow streets, pulling your suitcase over centuries-old cobblestones, climbing staircases without elevators, hopping on trains, and weaving through busy crowds. Many hotels, Airbnbs, and train stations don't have the conveniences we're used to in the U.S., and that's all part of the charm.

The lighter your luggage, the more you'll enjoy getting from place to place. Trust me, after carrying my suitcase up endless flights of stairs and across more cobblestone streets than I can count, I was incredibly thankful I hadn't packed more.

Choose Comfortable Shoes (Really)

Shoes take up the most space in your suitcase, so be selective.

I brought three pairs: one pair of comfortable yet stylish sneakers for walking all day, sandals for beach days, and one pair of wedge espadrilles that could easily be dressed up for dinners or evenings out. That's all I needed.

Your feet will thank you after walking miles through cobblestone streets.

Plan to Do Laundry

This was the biggest mindset shift.

Instead of packing twenty different outfits, I packed enough clothes for about a week and planned to wash them during the trip. Many hotels and Airbnbs have washing machines, and laundromats are easy to find in most cities.

Doing one load of laundry halfway through my trip saved a huge amount of suitcase space.

Roll Your Clothes

Rolling instead of folding helped me fit more into my suitcase while keeping wrinkles to a minimum. Packing cubes are great for staying organized and quickly finding what you need without unpacking everything, but rolling is always the winner for me.

A little side tip: I always pack my socks and T-shirts inside a small mesh laundry bag. It doubles as a packing cube while traveling, and when it's time to do laundry, I can simply throw the whole bag into the wash without worrying about small items getting lost.

Leave Room for Souvenirs

One of my favorite tips is actually not filling your suitcase completely.

I always leave a little extra space because I know I'll come home with something, whether it's a fun pair of shoes, leather goods, a new dress, or a few small keepsakes.

I also intentionally pack pajamas that have seen better days. In a pinch, they're the first thing I'll leave behind if I need to make room for new purchases. It may sound silly, but it works!

Just remember... future you will appreciate the extra room.

Keep Your Essentials With You

My personal item carried everything I wanted within easy reach: my passport, chargers, headphones, medications, a reusable water bottle, snacks, and a light sweater for flights.

Having those essentials separate meant I rarely needed to open my suitcase while traveling.

There is one bag I swear by for my personal item because it always fits under the seat, no matter how much I manage to stuff into it. The best part is that it has a separate shoe compartment on the bottom. I keep my bulkiest shoes there, which saves valuable suitcase space and lets me swap shoes mid-flight without having to open the overhead bin.

My Final Thoughts

Traveling with only a carry-on gave me more freedom than I expected. I never worried about lost luggage, I moved easily between trains, ferries, and airports, and I spent less time hauling heavy bags up staircases and over cobblestone streets.

After 20 days traveling through Italy with just a carry-on and a personal item, I honestly don't see myself going back to checked luggage anytime soon.

Sometimes traveling lighter lets you enjoy the journey a little more.