Packing List for Winter?

Well the latest I've been to Italy was November but my packing strategy worked in Normandy and Scotland during the damp and dreary seasons. I pack a mid thigh length waterproof jacket (with a removable liner), one light weight and one medium weight sweater, two light weight cotton flannel shirts, t-shirts. Layering is the key here. Cold put more on. Hot, put less on. Knit cap, lightweight lined leather gloves - takes almost no room or weight but can save you if it turns really nippy. I take two pairs of shoes (one a pair of thick rubber soled leather slip on mules and one a pair of sneakers). Remember you're wearing one pair on the plane! Forget the boots unless you're hiking...way heavy. Alternate shoes daily possible. Take some fabric softner sheets to put in the toes of your shoes - destinks like magic overnight (newspaper is good also). Take lots of cotton socks to keep your feet dry and for goodness sake buy good well fitting shoes and wear them BEFORE you go.

We spent last December traveling all over Italy, from Venice to Sorrento. Here's what worked for me. - long microfiber raincoat with hood. I did not take the liner as it is too bulky. I layered clothes instead. Also hat, gloves, scarf - Merino wool sweaters: one cardigan, one longsleeve jewelneck. Turtle necks are too hot indoors. - 2 silk jewelneck sweaters to wear alone or layer under the cardigan or - My polartec fleece for really cold days, or as an alternate to the coat - 2 lightweight trouser-type jeans, one pair black pants - a vest that coordinated with everything - Smartwool socks (not cotton!) will keep your feet warm and wick away moisture - Gortex walking shoes and black maryjanes by Keen, both with Walking Company i-n-s-e-r-ts, which I swear by Add a couple of pretty scarves, some siple jewelry to dress up the sweaters, and you are good to go anywhere but teh fanciest of restaurants. We just don't do "fancy" on the road so it worked for us, even for Christmas.

I didn't even think to mention shoe s because, well, I've been using them for years. I buy Super Feet brand (available at my shoe repair shop or on-line) but any good will make a world of difference. After about four hours of walking the ball of my left foot would start aching. Not anymore and not in the past 10 years due to the s. You can take the s out of one pair of shoes and use them in your extra pair. The liner for my coat is actually a lightly padded vest like thing and certainly you don't want to take anything bulky. I like cotton socks because they will dry overnight but the wool blend socks give more cushion and wick away moisture better. The point about being outside where it is quiet, ah, nippy, and inside where it's warm is a point well taken - heed it and dress in layers. Happy travels!

Our winter packing list only changes a small amount from summer. We always have waterproof shoes so that doesn't change. The two s sleeve shirts and one long sleeve becomes two long and one short. The light weight sweater becomes a medium sweater. Long underwear is added along with gloves, scarf, wool stocking cap. We always wear wool socks so that does not change. A fleece vest is add for under the rain jacket we always wear. If headed to colder areas like Germany then the rain jacket is replaced by a medium weight, waterproof, jacket. Lands End has a great jacket for that purpose. Make sure the fleece vest will fit comfortably under the jacket. The big issue is that you are still inside a lot so even if you dress for sub freezing temps it is easy to be too warm so you want layers of light to medium weight clothing that can be added or removed to met the temp.

I'm a guy, so here goes: Waterproof rain jacket with hood, mid weight fleece sweater to layer under it, long sleeve shirt, long synthetic capilene underwear top and bottom, dockers or jeans, plain black Rockport pro walkers, smart wool socks, fleece hat and gloves. This is what I have used on my many off season winter trips through Europe. When its warmer, I simply take a layer off. I think I travel just as light in the winter using the right clothes as I do in the summer. Another advantage of winter travel: I ditch the awful neckpouch/money belt thing and just carry my essentials in a buttoned front shirt pocket (its covered by the sweater and jacket).

My favorite winter travel item is a velvet coat, just below the knee. It is lightweight with a silk lining, but warm and cozy as well. I can wear this over jeans, black yoga pants, or with a mid calf skirt and it always looks great. Does not wrinkle and I will wear it with a scarf or with a pashmina or shawl over it for really cold days. It has gotten me through Venice during Carnavale and also the Christmas markets with light snow. Just because I am traveling I do not want to look like it. I also only take one pair of shoes in the winter and those are wool Haflingers. My feet are never cold and these are really comfortable for me (not the cutest fashion statement... but my comfort comes first) I tend to pack as simply as possible and if I really need something I can buy it. Lots of black clothes and layering. I also tend to do a lot of skirts and wear leggings under them. Nice and warm. Also hat and gloves and lots of scarves.

For European winter travel I always take a pair of silk long johns, just in case of a real cold spell. (Us Southerners have thin blood and get cold easily.) My coat is a Goretex jacket with a hood, with thin lining. I layer sweaters, etc. underneath and take a light fleece jacket for warmer days. Don't forget your sun glasses!

For some reason the word "insert" only comes out as s. So it's a shoe insert I'm talking about.

Thank you for all the replies. I'm thinking 2 pairs of shoes, no boots. I do have one pair of Munro shoes that have removable insoles, so I might see if they sell the insoles separately. I have a raincoat with a button out liner but otherwise most of my coats are maybe too heavy for Italy. The only vest I have currently is a light-to-medium weight down vest. I wasn't originally thinking of packing long underwear, but I'm wondering if I should reconsider that. The average temps at that time of year are a good 30-40 degrees warmer than they would be at home that time of year but at home during the winter I'm not usually outside for more than an hour at a time unless I'm clearing my driveway.

I would suggest bring silk long underwear. They take no space and can help. You are undoubtly more used to cold than I am (or could ever be), but it couldn't hurt to have them. Even when I haven't used the long underwear during the day, there have been some nights I was very glad to have them.

Of course, check forecasts right before you go, as the weather might not be as cold as you expect (or, I suppose, it might be colder). I will just add to the already great suggestions here the fact that I personally found it often to be quite warm and stuffy in some places during the winter. So it would be good to focus on layering also. But as I can recall, this winter I didn't need my heavy wool coat until at least January: before that it was just fairly light jackets, with maybe a sweater on occasionally underneath.