I'll be in S. Italy from mid to late October. A rain coat seems bulky to carry - Is a full length rain coat a necessity? I'm planning to bring fall weight clothing - is that right? I'm planning to bring 2 pr. of black, Rockport walking shoes and a pair of lavender flats. Attempting to plan wardrobe around black and lavender to be able to mix and match. Any tips welcome!
Posted by
Forest Grove, OR
11338 posts
It depends a bit on where you are going in Italy. We went north to south last October, Venice to Rome, between Oct 4 and 22. Coldest: 39 degrees in Orvieto mid-month (I had a very light pair of gloves), before the crack of dawn on our way to the train. Hottest: 70 degrees in Rome on Oct. 20, I think. In Tuscany we hit light rain and fog a couple of days, in Milan it poured one night. Weather? You cannot predict! But you can plan for it. I did not carry a full length coat. I had a below-the-hip rain-resistant jacket with a hood (not a rubbery waterproof one) from Lands End. I had a light pullover sweater, 2 blouses, a dressy knit top, a casual knit top (a lavender-hued leopard print that woudl fit your wardrobe!), and a vest to layer over any of these tops. I was never cold but occasionally a bit warm in the sun. One of the blouses was almost gauzy it was so ightweight and I was glad to have it. I love jeans, so I had two pair of trouser-type dressy jeans that I could wear for two or three days each without washing, and a dressier pair of pants. Next time I'll skip the dressy pair. Could have worn my dressy jeans everywhere. I had Ecco walking shoes and a pair of Keen maryjanes to trade off. Smart wool socks were great for this time of year. A sunhat may come in handy, too, and a small umbrella to keep the heavy rain off, should that occur.
Posted by
OP
East Harwich, MA, USA
2 posts
Thanks for your thoughts. I'd prefer to bring a over the hip jacket rather than my raincoat because of bulk. We'll only be from Rome south, which I believe can be a bit warmer, but since it's October, I figured layers - a couple short-sleeved Ts and a couple long-sleeved with a couple thin sweaters. I do plan to bring trouser jeans, a pr. of dress slacks for dinners and a skirt for either warmer days or dinners. I found in Paris that people repeated clothes lots more often than in the US. We'll be on a bus tour, and we've never taken a tour before.
Posted by
Los Angeles
1825 posts
I would skip the raincoat and buy an umbrella for 5 euros from any of the numerous vendors that sprout up if/when it rains.