Not used to backpacks. . . can I carry a purse or tote bag?

The tour guide is Roy Nichols. Do you know him? And I did see that the web site states that the backpack to be included is a Civita, so maybe it's the same company. I've traveled a lot in Europe, but not for about 10 years. I'm just a little worried about how literally people take Rick's advice on these tours. I get the money belt. I know to pack lightly and wear comfortable shoes and I don't THINK I will have too much trouble walking 6 miles a day as long as I don't have to carry something heavy along with me while I'm doing it.

I have been travelling to europe for over 40 years and have never used a backpack. Seem to get along fine without it. I sometimes carry my camera and lenses in a biggish bag with handles(padded at the bottom with a sweater) or just strung around my neck. My wife carries her purse with a shoulder strap. We have never felt a need to carry more than that. maybe some fold up umbrellas. I have become converted to rollalong luggage, but you leave that at the hotel

I use a purse that I wear cross body. I never take it off while out and about, even while eating at restaurant, etc. When you take it off is when you risk someone taking it from the floor, hanging from your chair or whatever. Also, when you set something down you are more likely to accidentally leave something behind.

I also always use a crossbody purse; it does help with security but also I have tried carrying a tote bag, and by the end of the day it has thrown my back all out of whack, so the crossbody distributes the weight evenly.

I too have never liked a backpack. I travel to Europe almost every summer and for the past 20 years have been using a slim profile purse with a crossover shoulder strap. I don't take it off when I'm out for the day. For the past 12 years I've been using a Baggallini brand that I use for my everyday purse because it is so comfortable and well organized.

I never wear a back-pack either. They are a pain in the neck to use, since every time you want to get something out of it, you have to take it off, unzip it, take out the item and then put it back on. Plus, while wearing it in crowded stores, you risk knocking things off of shelves, hitting people with it on buses and trains, and every time you sit down, you again, have to take it off. If you wear a messenger bag, cross body, it relieves your shoulders, you can leave it on all the time and have easy access to the items inside with out having to remove it.

Add me to those who dislike backpacks, for the reasons already stated by others. Another disadvantage is that you are often required to check them when going into museums and other buildings, but you can usually keep a cross-body bag with you. I don't recommend a tote either because anything that hangs from your hands or arms will wear you out by the end of the day. If you go with a cross-body bag, as most of those of us responding do, try to find one with a wide strap, or with some cushioning in the strap.

Yes, I too am on the never liked a backpack list,,never used one either. A good messanger style purse with a wide adjustable strap which I wear cross body. It has a zippered top that is coverd with a flap that clasps closed too. I have used same purse for last 6 years of travel, love it so much just reordered a new one!
Just don't use an open style bag.. for obvious reasons, its too tempting.

Several years ago I bought a Pacsafe cross body bag and it goes with me on every trip. Large enough for my camera, items I need for the day and even a pocket on the outside for a small water bottle. You will hear that some think this brand is too heavy, but I didnt' find that at all. It has locks on all the zippers and a strap reinforced with mesh so it can't be cut. I don't wear a money belt, I just use my bag. I'm always aware of where it is, and like someone else said, I NEVER put it down or take it off my body. Sitting down to eat, it's still across my shoulders and sitting on my lap.

Well, Rick sent me this backpack and money belt when I joined the tour, so I guess I feel like I should use it. But since this is my first Rick Steves tour, I was wondering if everybody else did or just do their own thing.

Barbara, the money belt isstill useful,, if used correctly !The purpose the money belt is deep storage, for stuff you do not need to use or have out. I carry only about 50- 100 euros in my purse at any time.
I also use the hotels safes to store stuff in, glad I didn't wear my moneybelt in Rome, it was like 100 degrees and those who were wearing money belts were suffering having a warm wet patch in front of their shorts even! Those who didn't put their passports in a plastic bag also had soggy passports, those that did were not enjoying the plastic,, no win situation. I however did wear my money belt INTRANSIT,, when going from city to city , and of course if hotel did not have a safe. I know you said you've used moneybelts before, so will add I did find the one RS sent was pretty comfy myself, but my mom gave me one that had a few seperate compartments, liked that alot, kept my credit and atm cards seperate from my cash so that I did't accidently drop one while going for cash or vice versus.

For years I carried the RS Civita bag, and always felt like my back was sweating in the heat of summer. Before our trip to Italy last year, I purchase an Overland Equipment Donner bag at REI http://www.rei.com/product/786598/overland-equipment-donner-bag-womens. I wore it cross-body most of the time. It worked really well for me and I was never asked to check it at museums or churches. I used the outside pouches for a water bottle and my rolling widebrim hat. My camera, a Canon G12 (which I LOVE) fit nicely inside the seperate section inside the main compartment. If you are nervous about the lack of lock on the zipper, you can add a lock or just carry a twist tie to use on occasion. I never felt like it was a problem since I could carry it in front of me in crowded spaces. I still use a money belt, but only for passport, credit/debit cards and larger amounts of cash-deep stoarge. Money for the day goes in the day bag.

Barbara, I assume you're referring to a Daypack rather than a Backpack for travel? Based on comments I've seen here on the HelpLine, there are a variety of methods used by the group here. Some prefer Daypacks, others like Messenger Bags or cross-body packs that can be worn on the front. You might find it helpful to have a look at the Magellan's website, as they have lots of different products. Regarding the Civita Pack that's supplied with the tour packages, I always pack one along and while I don't typically use it for day touring, it is useful for some situations. For example if the group will be touring a nearby site, I usually pack a coat, extra water, perhaps a Guidebook and a few other items in the pack. I usually leave the it on the Bus while out touring the site. The Civita pack is very easy to travel with as it packs flat. It's difficult to secure the zippers, so some "caution" would have to be used if wearing it in crowded situations. Many of Rick's Guides seem to prefer a Messenger Bag, similar to This model (there's another slightly larger model that accommodates an iPad). I'd suggest looking at several options to determine which one best fits with your travel style. Which tour are you taking? I'm also signed up for a tour this year, and anxiously awaiting my tour package. I believe this is the first year they've provided a Civita pack for each tour member. Happy travels!

I just went up to look at it again and it's not a Civita; it's a Kiva. Very lightweight and I suppose it can be carried as a shoulder bag, but there's no padding for things like cameras or laptops. Just seems kind of awkward to carry if you don't want to carry it on your back. I'm going on the 14-day trip of Europe.

Barbara, Thanks for the information. I'll be interested to see what type of Pack they send with my tour package. Kiva Designs is the firm that manufactures much of Rick's travel gear, so I suspect it's similar to a Civitia. I'm sure you'll have a fantastic time on the "Best of Europe" tour! I'll be taking my sixth RS tour this year, and really looking forward to it. The tours are kind of "addictive" in a way. Do you know yet who your Guide will be? You'll be receiving an invitation for the annual Tour Reunion, which usually takes place in mid-January in Edmonds. If you're able to get there, the events area a lot of fun and you'll likely get the opportunity to visit with your Guide again (and perhaps other members of your tour). Cheers!

Barbara, I believe I've met Roy, but I've never travelled on one of his tours. All of Rick's Guides operate from the same "playbook" and they're all outstanding, so I'm sure you'll have an excellent tour! You'll probably find that the atmosphere on the tours is very relaxed and a lot of fun. The people that choose an ETBD tour tend to have a similar travel philosophy and therefore they usually get along really well (at least that's been my experience on the tours). One thing that is a bit "literal" is departure times. The Guide will make sure everyone knows what time the Bus is departing in the morning. When travelling from one place to another, the Buses stop every few hours both to provide a break for the group as well as the Driver (that's the law for commercial Drivers in Europe - their driving times are monitored by a "Black Box" and there are penalties for exceeding the times). When the group is out day touring, you may walk quite a distance but it will usually be at a somewhat "relaxed" pace. I often find that the standing listening to local Guides is more difficult than the walking. There will also be free evenings and usually one free day, where you can wander about and explore at your own pace. When will your tour be taking place? When you return, be sure to post a "Trip Report" in the new section of the HelpLine with your impressions of the trip. Buon Viaggio!

The tour starts on May 13, but I'm going to be there on the 9th, spending a night in London and two nights in Bath before the tour starts, plus an extra three nights in London after the tour ends on May 26. I planned to be in GREAT shape for the tour. . . and then in March got this minor back problem that kept me off the treadmill for several weeks. Now I'm going back on it for shorter periods (on the advice of my physical therapists) and I think I will be okay with walking up to six miles a day. In any case, I'm not canceling! Fortunately, I just noticed that the only "strenuous" day is in London. . . the others are "moderate" or "moderate to strenuous--your choice".

Barbara, Roy was the tour guide for a Best of England tour I took a few years ago. He was an AWESOME tourguide! Extremely knowledgeable, fun, and really good a managing a group of people with a variety of needs / personalities!

Barbara, Could you clarify - are you taking the "Best of Europe" 14-day tour (as mentioned above) or the "Best of England" 14 day tour. I'm assuming from comments in a few of your Threads that it will be the latter tour. In any case, I'm sure it will be absolutely fantastic! If you're planning to take any day trips while in Bath, you might have a look at the Mad Max Tour of Stonehenge and Lacock (as I recall it's about half a day). They also offer a day trip to the Cotswolds, which are beautiful. If you need the name of a good Italian restaurant in Bath, I'll try and find it in my notes. Cheers!

You have a "Civita" daypack. That's the name/model of the bag. Kiva is the company that makes it. Rick Steves' just licenses out his name.

Barbara, I avoid backpacks because of a shoulder repetative use injury. A lifesaver for me is the Healthy Back Bag by Ameribag (http://www.ameribag.com/). You might want to look at their website. The microfiber version weighs almost nothing and is really easy on my shoulder, neck, back, etc. You can wear it over the shoulder (which I do, since I don't want to be dragged along by a thief who takes my purse) or across the body. I travel with the medium size, and it easily fits a camera, travel book, bottle of water, small bottle of sun screen, notebook, and rolled up hat... in addition to the regular stuff that goes in a purse. I could never put that weight into a regular shoulder purse, but this design somehow protects me from the weight. And a nice plus is that museums that make you check a backpack consider this to be a purse. (I've seen guards require small packs be checked, and yet they don't object to my larger bag.) I now use the HBB as my everyday purse. Where I live, these bags are sold at "comfort"-type shoe stores, so you might be able to try one out at that kind of store. I've also seen them at some stores that sell outdoor/camping goods.

Barbara, First regarding Stonehenge. Whether it's "worth it or not" would I suppose depend on personal interest. I wanted to to see the site first-hand, so it was of interest to me. While there is a shin-high wire barrier that prevents visitors from touching the stones, it's nice to be able to walk around the stones and see the size and the way they're arranged. If you use Mad Max Tours, Lacock is one of the stops included so you'll have to tolerate that. As I recall, the village is managed by the National Trust, and I found the history to be interesting and not "sterile" at all. It's only a short stop. I believe one of the Harry Potter movies used one of the houses in Lacock. The Cotswolds are also VERY beautiful, but not sure if you'll have time to take tours of both areas. Cheers!

It's a "Best of England" tour. About Stonehenge: I've heard you can't even get very close to it. Is it really worth the trip? I've seen similar stones in France (Carnac) and we COULD actually get right up to them. What's the draw? I did see some other day tours out of a Bath, like one to southern Wales. We'll be in northern Wales (Conwy), but it might be fun to see another part of it.

I am in Europe about six months out of the year some years and I tried very hard to become a backpack person, but just haven't been able to pull it off. They're not terribly stylish, for one thing, and they pull at all the undeveloped muscles in my neck and back. I'm not getting any younger, after all. If you feel compelled to carry a backpack just because everyone else is doing it, you're not going to really enjoy yourself. You should feel free to carry your own bag! Right now, I've got this great Bagallini purse that I only wish I had had last summer in Paris, when I carried a black rollup shopping bag I'd found for about $5 in a supermarket here in Sweden. I liked it, but it was not intended to look stylish, or be all that organized; it was intended to hide, to some extent, the fact that I was just another tourist. But then, I travel differently than other people, what I have come to call "In Santa Croce with no Baedeker," after a chapter heading in E. M. Forster's "Room With A View." Just carry the bag you're comfortable carrying! Otherwise you're going to be very uncomfortable, and being uncomfortable ruined more trips than not fitting in with everyone else!

I haven't used a backpack/daypack while traveling since I was 20. In my opinion in a lot of places they make you look like a tourist and/or student (if you're young enough) and they just aren't very fashionable. (Not everyone here cares about that, but some of us do). I also don't think they're very safe if you're in an area that targets tourists for theft. I normally travel with a regular shoulder purse, a fairly large one. However I'd really recommend messenger bags to people who are concerned about safety/theft or have shoulder or back pain. My husband loves his. I'm planning on getting one soon to use both at home and for travel when I want to carry a bit more than I would in a purse (like taking the netbook down to the biergarten for outdoor blogging, etc)

I have had pleasure of Roy being my guide twice, once for Best of Britain and once for Scotland. He is VERY knowledgeable and has a great personality. As for the day bag, I have the Chivita, which is also the one that is now given as a freebie. (I just received mine for my upcoming RS tour, they ARE addictive.) I tried to carry it and wound up disliking it. I purchased a messenger bag, at a Paris market. I now use this regularly, it is a great memento of a fabulous trip.
Don't worry, you will see a mixture of day bags and travel bags. Just remember to pack light, and do hand washing each night. There is a laundry day, or there was when I took this tour.

If you are looking for a suitable alternative to a day bag or backpack, you might have to look at the bags made by Kipling. I use mine all the time, not just while traveling. I have two different sizes and have traveled with both of them, though not at the same time! Macy's carries this brand and you can find them on sale from time to time.

STonehenge: To me it is one of my favorite places to be. To me it is awe inspiring, whether you can get to touch the stones or not (I have been there when you could walk among the stones). I also like visiting Avebury where you can touch (or lean against) the stones- interesting vut not as awesome If you do a tour from Bath, I found Lacock a bit disappointing and "sterile' (overstating it), the houses are of stone, not as cute as other villages in Cotswolds. If you can only do one- do a Cotswolds tour rather than Lacock

I didn't see anyone mention this, but under Tours (above, Travel Planning FAX, it says, "Each tour member will be sent a complimentary, graphite Civita Day Pack, ideal for your daily sightseeing. (If you have another day pack you'd rather bring on your trip, pass this one along to a friend! ...)" It says, another day pack, but I think day pack is meant in a generic sense. Personally, the only "backpack" I use is my primary pack. For day time use, anything goes in my jacket pocket or the purse size case with my netbook. I've never felt the need for anything else.

I have a cross-body bag onto which I attach a second padded shoulder strap. I then put it on so the straps cross in back, an "x" between my shoulder blades, and the bag hangs squarely in front of my waist. I have found this to be most comfortable: keeps my back cool, straps don't bind under my armpits, my camera is close at hand, when I sit the bag is in my lap, my bag is always in view, and the weight is evenly distributed over both shoulders. Bonus: it covers my tummy bulge full of gelato and pastry!