We are leaving for Rome in just under 2 weeks. We have 2 overnight trips planned that we will be packing just in backpacks and leaving our main luggage in Rome. We are going to be visiting the Accademia Gallery in Florence, as well as the Archeological Museum in Naples. Will we have an issue getting into either of these with a small backpack?
Posted by
San Diego, California, USA
1145 posts
Many places have - like the Accademia - have something along the lines of "purses but no backpacks" policy and this is generally enforced at the airport style security check. Honestly, whether a specific backpack is small enough to be allowed often depends on the guard who happens to be standing there and how much attention they're paying.
However these places also have bag check you will be sent to if your bag is deemed to be "too big" to be taken in. You may also just opt to check your backpack even if they don't say you have to - just to be free of it for a while. Keep in mind what you might want - guidebook, glasses, etc - when you check it in and pull those things out.
Water is a also a point of contention with places forbidding large obvious water containers but often not flagged smaller, inconspicuous bottles tucked into a smaller bag or backpack. Again it often depends on who is on duty.
They deal with streams of visitors everyday and they have the details of handling them, and their bags, worked out. Keep an eye on the signage and it is usually straightforward.
Have a great trip,
=Tod
Posted by
888 posts
I think you’ll need to check your backpack at the Archeological Museum in Naples. I think it’s free (the checking, not the museum). Great museum!
Posted by
Seattle
303 posts
I have a 28 liter Patagonia backpack that I use along with my carry-on. I thought about using that as my "daypack", but decided it was too big. Therefore, prior to our VFR Tour in October, 2023, I purchased the small Tom Binh café bag for daily use. It passed muster in every museum and site we visited, except the Borghese Gallery, where every bag needed to be checked. I was amazed at the number of people who tried to enter sites with suitcases and/or large backpacks. In fact, there was a very heated argument just in front of us at the Giotto Tower when someone tried to take a backpack in, even though all posted signs (and the tickets) said they were prohibited.