My husband and I are going to Italy for the first time next month and I am wondering if it is practical to carry a backpack(camelback) for sightseeing. I've read Rick Steve's entire Italy guidebook and only recall one mention of having to check all bags, and that was for St. Mark's in Venice. It would be nice to have a place to carry to carry the guidebook, maps, umbrella and a camera. Do most of the major museums allow you to bring in cameras? Also, I get quite thirsty and I wonder what the policy is for bottled water?
Posted by
Northern California
118 posts
Hi Mia,
I don't have a perfect memory of each museum's policies, and it varies widely, but the one that stood out to us was the Vatican Museum. They don't allow any beverages, but you can bring your small bag and camera:
http://mv.vatican.va/3_EN/pages/z-Info/MV_Info_Consigli.html
Most of the museums should have similar info on their websites as well. But off the top of my head, I believe there's no bag check at all at the Accademia in Florence, and at the Uffizi you have to check large bags, but everything else is OK. Of course, the guards will get you if you pull out a camera or a sandwich in front of their Botticellis. :-)
My husband is like you with the bottled water, and art-viewing can be hard without any h2o. You'll be parched but enjoying some amazing art!
Posted by
Vernon, Canada
32349 posts
mia,
Most of the Museums allow Cameras, however in most cases both Flash and Tripods are prohibited. Art Galleries are another story.
The Borghese Gallery in Rome requires just about everything to be checked, including larger Cameras, Backpacks, Purses, Camera cases, etc.
While it would be possible to "sneak" a small P&S into the Gallery, using it would likely result in a humiliating expulsion, as there are Guards and CCTV Cameras in every room.
Happy travels!
Posted by
Calgary
2297 posts
Museums don't like people walking around with backpacks, regardless of content, because the person carrying the backpack doesn't have eyes in the back of his head and may inadvertantly touch an exibit with the backpack. Especially in crowded places.
"Small" backpacks may be allowed but each place will have its own definition as to what is small and what is too big.
Posted by
US Pacific Northwest
10344 posts
Beatrix mentioned one of the reasons museums often restrict carrying in of backpacks. Another reason is security, obviously. The 1993 terrorist bombing of the Uffizi, killing several people and damaging artwork, was a wakeup call for museums.
Posted by
Seattle, WA, USA ☔️
6788 posts
Expect a high degree of inconsistency. Some places don't seem to care, others are obsessive. And even the obsessive ones apply their policies randomly. Some are OK with smaller bags, others not so much.
For example, on our last trip to Europe, my wife and I had the same small day packs. Some places were OK with them, others insisted on checking them. In one museum, they told me I had to check mine, but my wife was allowed to take hers in(!). In another, I was told I could only take my day pack in with me if I turned it around and wore it on my chest - but my wife could wear hers on her back. I was tempted to start quoting an old Woody Allen movie ("all underpants must now be worn on the outside!") but my language skills failed me at the time. Really, I think some of the staff just make up stuff on the spot just to mess with us and keep themselves entertained - kind of like the TSA and flight attendants....
Bottom line: you can't predict what they'll insist on. Roll with the punches, even if they seem to be silly and arbitrary. You will not win any arguments.
Posted by
OP
ellicott city, md, usa
3 posts
Thanks for all those helpful posts. I think I will try to take your advice and just roll with it. :)
Posted by
Seattle, WA
1317 posts
Yep, that's Italians for you. Inconsistent. :-)
We carried everything in a small tote/purse. In there, we had guidebook, camera, medicine supplies, sunglasses, map, water bottle and probably a couple other miscellaneous things. If I recall correctly, the only place we checked it was the Borghese, which is absurdly strict as Ken mentioned. Generally, I found the following two things to be true:
Rome: Most sites allow non-flash photos, with the exception of the Borghese and in the Sistine Chapel (the rest of the Vatican is fine). Everywhere except the Borghese lets you carry your camera even if you can't use it.
Florence: Very FEW sites allow any photography at all. But I don't recall anywhere that asked us to check our cameras. The Museum of San Marco asked everyone to leave their wet umbrellas outside. I imagine other places would as well. We chose to use water-proof jackets with hoods and forgo the umbrellas.
Secondly, if it looks like a purse, you will probably be allowed to keep it. If it looks like a backpack, your chances of being asked to check it go way up. And in response to David's experience, I am speculating, but suspect that men get the "rules" enforced on them moreso than women.
Posted by
Vancouver, BC
162 posts
Few museums allow photography inside, but they will allow the camera inside the building. But I do have a small tripod. They found this when I was trying to enter the Vatican Museum. I was not allowed to take this in. Luckily my guide was not going in and he carried it for me while I went in. They found this in the X-Ray machine.
I don't have a small backpack, which are often not allowed in. I have started using a side over one shoulder travel pouch, almost as large as a small backpack. This is always allowed inside the buildings.