Trying to decide on our luggage. We do not want to check bags for our two week trip to Italy. (Venice, Florence, CT and Bellagio)
How crazy is it to have wheeled carryon? Will we be carrying it most of the time due to cobblestone streets? If so, might as well use backpacks, but I’m 5’2 so not a huge fan. (There’s just not a lot of back length for the pack length!!😂) We are staying in Airbnbs and using trains to travel between cities.
Appreciate suggestions
I’ve gone all over Italy with wheeled luggage and had no problem pulling over cobblestones. The spinners are problematic so just pull them too.
Venice and the towns in Cinque Terre are not 100% cobbled . I think just the old center and not the whole town in Florence is. Take some form of public transportation from the train stations or dock where you are arriving.
Many airlines, especially overseas carriers like Swiss and Lufthansa, limit the weight of carry-on bags to 18 lb. If you keep the weight to that, when you hit cobble stones, you just grab the handle and carry it.
You will be fine with a wheeled carry on. I’ve been to Italy seven times and always used one packed light. The places I am carrying it vs. rolling it are up & down the stairs to transfer trains, and I do pick it up and carry it anytime I’m hearing the annoying sound of rolling it over cobblestones. Also, you could have several bridges to go up & down to reach your lodging in Venice.
Have a great time!
Our first trip to Italy, we took nearly the same itinerary that you are planning. We travel with wheeled carry on backpacks. We got them so we could switch between wheeling and carrying if necessary. I have a Rick Steves one and my sister has a Hypatia. Mine looks more suitcase-like. Hers is more backpack-like and doesn't have much internal structure. It is a little lighter but if we get anything fragile, it goes into my suitcase. On flights, we check because we can't be bothered to schelp cases through airports. Checking has never been an issue.
None of the streets in Italy have been a problem. We wheel them down streets, up hills and on trains. The only time I remember switching to backpack-mode was in Venice. It was rainy and I didn't want to pull it through a bunch of puddles.
This summer will be our third Europe trip. I will be taking the same RS case but the Hypathia has not stood the test of time.
We just did 2 weeks in Florence, Venice, Rome, using trains between cities. We each had a carryon wheeled suitcase, lighter backpack plus 1 cpap. Our flights weren't nonstop so on the way there we didn't check any bags so we had to keep to aerlingus size and weight (10kg). We never had trouble with the luggage between train station and hotel. In Venice we took the vaporetto one stop to avoid carrying over the grand canal, so we only had to lift the suitcase over one small bridge. In Rome we even had an extra bag (end of trip, the collapsible bag we brought was full) and we managed to take a bus from Termini to Trestavere without much problem. It was a little bulky and we did stand on the bus, but still not bad and it was the most efficient way of getting to where we were staying. We checked bags for the return flights, not caring if dirty laundry gets lost or delayed!
Will we be carrying it most of the time due to cobblestone streets? If so, might as well use backpacks, but I’m 5’2 so not a huge fan. (There’s just not a lot of back length for the pack length!!😂)
My wife (5'4") have traveled to Scotland, London and Paris with just the RS classic backpack, which we bought in 2002 and are still going strong. You should be good with wheels where you are going. I remember walking up a cobbled street in San Gimignano behind a group with wheeled luggage. The clattering was deafening!
Great advice! I think maybe we will invest in some RS pieces this year. I appreciate everyone’s input!!
