Take own Sheets? Itinerary: Venice, Florence, Rome, Paestum, Sorrento

No, leave the bed linens at home and you won't need to bring your own towels either. I can see you are used to a more luxurious mode of travel!

Why?? Come on, you are not traveling to a third world country. Unless planning to do some backpacking in the country side, leave the sacks at home.

Bringing your own linen is not necessary unless you will be using refugios. Sometimes the linen may be older or thinner than what you are accustomed but in my experience always clean. Save the space in your luggage.

I've been to Italy four times and it would never occur to me to take my own sheets. However you should definitely take a washcloth as virtually no place will provide them.

The only place I would consider taking sheets to is a hostel where you have to pay for sheets if you don't bring your own. But even at one of those, I still paid the 3€ so I didn't have to pack my own.

No, big waste of space! However, they don't use washcloths there, so we always take our own microfiber washcloths and a plastic bag in case we have to carry them wet. We also take microfiber towels EVERYWHERE we travel, not for use in the B&Bs but for when we get opportunities to go wading, or to the beach and for use as a blanket on the plane. Much smaller than a beach towel, and dry fast! Oh, we also use them to blot anything we wash out by hand in the sink.

Jan

I think all of the above replies have answered your question. You wouldn't even consider taking your own sheets if you were going to Texas, would you?
The other thing to mention is that American sized sheets and pillow cases wouldn't fit European beds and would be awkward to say the least.
My question would be--how in the world were you thinking of laundering these sheets and pillow cases.?
Relax and remember that lots and lots of folks have been living in Europe for centuries, eating and sleeping quite successfully.

How about your own toilet? Maybe you can fit a Toto in the suitcase too.
You are not going to the jungle in Rwanda. Do people carry their own sheets to less expensive hotels in North America?
Italians don't use wash cloths, rather they use bath sponges. Not all hotels provide a sponge, therefore you may want to buy one of those light weight mesh bath sponges.
Also some hotels provide bidet towels (for sure there will be a bidet in your hotel, no matter how inexpensive). Bidet towels are just a bit bigger than wash cloths.
Alternatively you could just use your dirty socks, so you can do two things at once: wash yourself and wash your socks.

Roberto--what a wonderful time-saving idea, I wish I had thought of that. Clean sox at least six times a day.

Your replies are hilarious! I was thinking more about bed bugs. But, now I don't have to lug the sheets! thanks so much!

Bad news, blueokoboji: personal sheets are zero protection against bedbugs. Also, do you know that bedbugs turn up at hotels of every level of luxury? It's a non-discriminatory pest. Kindly add a home-location to your profile, so it appears when you post.

Please don't make fun of this question! Hostelling years ago (I'm talking 45 years ago) meant everyone carted their sheet sleeping bag and towel everywhere. If I remember correctly a hostel bed in those days cost about 10 cents to 25 cents per night, cold showers of course as one never paid for warm (the money saved, another 25 cents, paid for that day's meals)! Oh the good old days!

Most hostels I have run into will not allow you to bring your own sheets (due to bed bugs). That may vary based on the hostel, so it's always ok to check. This is a change from about 10 years ago when I remember renting sheets (or throwing down my beach towel and hoping for the best). Interestingly the only place I have had problems with bed bugs was stateside interstate motels.

I always pack all 3 sizes of RS Micronet towels, they are tough and durable, but soft and pliable. They pack in between the cracks and weigh virtually nothing. The largest super size came in handy recently at a family owned and operated B & B near Termini Stazione in Roma. I could feel rather large sheet beads even thru the bed cover. So i covered the bed cover with my RS supersize Micronet towel and slept on that and never felt a bead.
I used all 3 sizes of RS Micronet towels in Italy. Most of the family run B & Bs where I stayed allowed me only 1 towel for the whole week, and these were old towels, rather worn out so they lasted only a day or two.
My RS Micronet towels rescued me everytime. Yes, Im attached to them, they travel with me always. And they wash up like a dream, just swish them in the bathroom basin, rinse and wring out, shake smooth and hang to dry.
Remember your floppy basin stopper and RS clothesline!

If you do decide to take along one of the larger RS micronet towels, you can save some room in your luggage by fashioning it into a smart turban before you go to the airport. You can even include some fruit in it, a la Carmen Miranda, for a nice snack on the plane. There are so many helpful ideas on this board. :-)