Southern Italy trip

It's all personal preference. Both my two wheel and four wheel carry-ons are Tumi, but the two wheel has sturdier wheels that are easier to navigate on the old streets. Enjoy the trip!

My budget-priced 4-wheeler survived through just one trip to Europe, though admittedly it was a long trip. But well before the wheels failed, I noticed that the bag didn't roll effortlessly on smooth surfaces, which is one of the major advantages of a 4-wheeled bag. So consider how you would feel if that feature of your bag was wiped out by over-exposure to rough pavement.

My guess is that the tour is short enough that you won't need to roll the bag over enough rough surfaces to mess up the wheels, especially if it's a good-quality bag. Not having taken the tour, however, I don't know whether 4 wheels will really be an advantage other than in airports and hotel hallways.

Thanks for your help Sounds like two wheel would be more practical on this type of trip

I used a spinner last time in Italy and had no trouble, even in Venice. However, I stayed in Salerno, not in one of the "Amalfi" towns. I often strapped my backpack to the spinner. With a wheelie, you have to support a lot of weight on arm, not so with the spinner.

Yes, it is personal preference. Last two trips, including like Chani to Salerno, we had no problem comparatively with the spinners. I find them much, much better than two wheelers. We each had another small bag that we slipped through the telescopic handle of the spinner and had a bungee cord for extra support.

You really want the 4 wheels on the relatively smooth surfaces in transport hubs like train stations and airports. You can really walk more quickly and let the momentum of the bag take away any pulling-along aspect from you. However, cracks in sidewalks, inclines/declines and (AHHH!) cobblestones prove to be a bit more challenging. Then you might as well revert to the 2 wheels and pull it along. As I said, that's when the extra support of the bungee helps anything on top of the spinner stay put.

But in almost any instance--except if I was in a place like Pompei 100% of the time--I would pick the spinner over two wheels.

I always travel with a two wheeler and have no issues with the cobblestones and uneven pavements in Italy. My husband carries a bag that converts to a backpack and he can easily put that on the luggage. The real trip is packing light!! It sounds easy, but not always the case. Just realize that if you pack it, you have to lift it onto trains, buses, overheads, etc.

We did this trip last spring. I had no trouble with my 2 wheel bag. I don’t remember it being difficult in Sorrento or Positano, or anywhere on the trip. The longest luggage schlep was in Matera from my memory but it can depend on which hotel you stay in. Enjoy your trip.