Best of Sicily Ladies Packing Report

That's great to hear back what worked and what didn't.
BTW: What's a ruana?? or is that a typo...

I had to Google. A ruana is a sort of poncho.

A comment and a question. Comment: I mostly agree with this list, but I take only 5 pairs of undies and 2 bras. Question: why both a wrap and the ruana?

A ruana is a cross between a shawl and a poncho - much like a cape but with ready cut arm holes. Mine (I have several) are from Evereve here in Minneapolis and the manufacturer is Lovestitch. You can wear them long or tie the front like I do. They are great for dressing up a pair of jeans and they work year round. I am always on the lookout for simple pieces that change the look of an outfit for a reasonable price!

Hi Laurie Beth! Our comments seemed to have crossed. I always take that black cashmere wrap because I get cold on planes. It also does double duty over my car coat, depending on what the climate is - it got used on this tour, though not quite as much as the other tours we've done. The ruana is one of my very favorite wardrobe pieces as far as versatility goes - it can change the look of an outfit in an instant and it's very lightweight - doesn't take up much room. Since I don't take a robe to save space I keep that ruana by the bed to throw on over my nightie in case of an emergency - fire, etc. I try not to get tired of my travel wardrobe but sometimes it's difficult - a little thing like that ruana makes me feel like I have an extra choice.

Thanks, and BTW I used to live in Edina where I had a wardrobe of sweaters, shawls, jackets and coats. When I lived in TX my townhouse didn't even have a coat closet and I used to laugh about that.

What beautiful colors for a capsule wardrobe! Sitting here on a cold snowy day the black, rose and white just seem so fresh, clean and happy!

You know I love to read what people take on their trips so thanks so much for posting your packing list. It looks like everything worked for you. Interesting that you had old standbys that you didn't wear much. I wasn't familiar with the Evereve company but they have some pretty stuff on the website.

Were the temps as expected in Sicily? I've been watching temps in Paris for a trip soon and it's been warmer than I thought it might be this time of year.

So glad you had fun!

Hi Pam! The weather in Sicily was absolutely beautiful every single day of the tour - even the local guides commented on how lucky we were. It did take a turn the day the tour was over and apparently was very cold for the locals - it was in the 40s and they were dressed as we Minnesotans are when it is below 0 - parkas and scarves. I had no idea they even owned parkas and scarves. We were planning on staying two extra days but left after one because of Etna's behavior - we thought it prudent to get back to Rome so we could make our connection to Amsterdam as planned. I'll write more about this when I post my tour report.

Thank you for your kind comments about my packing list. You are one of the women on this forum who took the time to help me when I was getting ready to take our first tour in 2015 and had no idea what I was doing. Pack light? What? I can't do that! Well, now I know that I can, and it is very liberating. I find it rewarding to pass on what I've learned to other women who may be wondering what in the world to take on a tour. A few key quality pieces, some fun accessories, comfortable footwear and I'm ready to go!

Thank you so much for this helpful post. I'm going to Sicily in September, so different weather I'm sure.

I enjoyed reading your post. I am kind of obsessed with packing and specifically packing light, and am always interested in seeing what other ladies bring. Thanks!

Great list. I always enjoy reading others' packing lists to reinforce my packing light with some options of new clothing added. I too travel with Teva de la Vina boots - either the low or tall, one time both, and really love how they perform for me. I like your color combinations too. The rose and white is refreshing and to me signals a spring is coming theme.

I've never worn any Eileen Fisher clothing but have seen mention of it several times here on the forum.

Thank you for sharing with us!

I was on this same tour, and I can assure you that Liz looked fabulous every day.

Nice post! Glad you had a great time and the weather cooperated.

How about your luggage?

Stan! What a nice way to start the day - reading your sweet comment! Thank you. That was such a beautiful tour with a great group of people! I had to laugh when your wife sent out that funny picture regarding too much cannoli - the food and wine on this tour were so consistently outstanding that I really didn't want to step on the scale when we got home but thought, well, better face it right away. Imagine my shock and delight to see that I'd dropped 8 pounds! I laughed with my daughter yesterday, saying that maybe I should go back and repeat the tour several more times. Haha!

Hi Liz. This was such fun to read! It sounds as if you packed exactly right and really enjoyed your tour. I DID repeat this one! I do love a list and am going to print yours for future reference and also will forward it to my granddaughters. It will be a great place for them to start for the Paris tour we will be taking later this year. Thanks for taking the time to post; you have indeed "paid it forward"!.

Can you share a link to the Leith shirts? I cannot find anything like that on the Nordstrom website. And is the fabric "slinky" or clingy?

Hi Andi! I can certainly see why you took this tour twice - it was simply awesome! Hi Lola - the shirt is actually called the "Leith Relaxed Seam Detail Top" and, according to the website, is sold out in all sizes. It is not slinky or clingy - the fabric content is 83% rayon and 17% nylon, which explains why the wrinkles fell out while air drying. If you are interested I would keep checking the website every few weeks - since Leith is a Nordstrom brand and they've sold so many of these shirts, chances are good that they'll bring it back like they do other best selling items. The retail climate is difficult right now so it would seem to me they'd want to cash in on a well made, popular item. One tip - order a size up. I first ordered my usual size and it shrunk almost a full size after hand washing it! I can still wear it but like my clothing a bit relaxed. I then ordered both colors and sized up, hand washed them and was quite happy with the fit. I'm always on the lookout for reasonably priced pieces that can do double duty at home and for travel so will let you know if I find something comparable to it. Cheers!

"It did take a turn the day the tour was over and apparently was very cold for the locals - it was in the 40s and they were dressed as we Minnesotans are when it is below 0 - parkas and scarves. I had no idea they even owned parkas and scarves."

Oh gosh, this made me laugh. I've had that happen in Rome and Paris!! In Rome I had on a SS Tee and capris and the locals had puffy jackets and scarves, lol!! Just one more way that I can be ID'd as a tourist!

Thank you for your kind words. When I started light packing in about 2010 I, too, could not believe I could do this. I got a lot of ideas here and various websites/blogs on how to put together a capsule wardrobe and it still fascinates me. To me, having a beautiful basic color palette is a key factor and your black, rose, white is exactly that. I might have to go to Land's End today and see what I can find in a pink tee in my usual travel tee shirt line!

A digression here - many years ago a woman who ran a dress shop in a small town told me she always put pink clothing in her windows in February and things would fly off the racks. She felt people were sick of winter and the pink was a harbinger of spring. Oddly this was in West Central FL where the days were sunny and not particularly cold! That is exactly what your colors reminded me of...and yes, I need some pink today to counteract the snow and gray!

Funny you and Stan were on the same tour. Get cracking both of you on your Trip Reports, lol!!

Yes, trip reports please!

Liz, I am enjoying High Tides right now.

I would publish my packing list too, but, as my wife says, I make everything look like aspiring hobo-chic. And I think I "found" the weight you lost.

I will just add that I am thinking mid March-early April would be the optimal time to go to Sicily, weather-wise.

Thanks Stan! I personally loved the weather we had, but I'm from polar vortex country and every day we were there was like a beautiful spring day in Minnesota. I can certainly see why you would think that March/April would be the best time to go, but I could never handle the heat in the summer months, particularly with all the walking and scampering around on ruins. Pam and Tammy - I have 28 pages of notes to condense for my Trip Report, so I need several days to organize them into a report that won't bore people to death. Besides, I have really fun things to do here like laundry, cleaning, looking out the window in disgust and wishing I were back in Sicily, etc, etc. You know, the usual fun filled extravaganza that greets you when you return from a trip. Cheers!

Seems like a lot of clothes to me. Last time I went to Italy it was in November/December. I was there for 3 1/2 weeks (Rome, Venice, Brescia). My color scheme was black, white and purple. I took a pair of black jeans and black cords, 1 pair very light lounge/sweat pants; 1 pair walking shoes and a pair of black flats; 1 black cardi; 1 black long sleeve v-neck sweater; 3 nice t-shirts - one saved for evening; 1 button up long sleeve shirt (purple), 4 pairs of socks, 4 undies I could throw away (more below), 2 night shirts (also throw aways), 2 bras (beige & black), a rain jacket (Lands End, folds into its own pocket), wool scarf, gloves; One generic watch (cheap), 2 pairs of earrings (1 silver tone, one gold tone). I wore the black jeans, slipover sweater, long sleeve shirt, rain jacket and walking shoes. I take throw away undies - undies that are kind of on their last legs, and night shirts because I throw them away before I return to have room in my bag (1 bag. 19 inch) for purchases. I also purchase a touristy t-shirt or 2 in large sizes to wear as night shirts and bring home ( I have a collection of Hard Rock Cafe t-shirts that I wear as night shirts at home). Toiletries take up a huge amount of space so I use the toiletries in the hotels except for my own face soap. I travel solo so I pack very light. Lugging suitcases on and off of Italian trains is no fun. More than once I've tossed clothes that I found I didn't need. I quit taking "in case" clothes. I've discovered that I will get by with what I bring, or if something is really a necessity, I can buy it. (Once I went to Florence in April and it was much warmer than I expected, so I bought a lighter top and capris). If the bag is expandable, I don't expand it until I am on my way home.
I am curious to know what people think of various types of luggage. I've used a 22 inch and 19 inch Victorinox, which I like but they are heavy. I just bought 2 expandable Biaggi roller bags because they are so light weight. They look like they will be difficult to roll through train stations, however, as they have straps not hardware for pulling (which also means there is more space inside). I also bought a contraption at Edwards Luggage that you use to fold your clothes very flat into something like an envelope. It works very well. I've been using packing cubes for a long time. They make packing and unpacking much easier.

1stonesfan1, welcome to the Forum! Thanks for posting - it's always fun to see what works for other women. We had the same amount of bottoms and shoes, but I had one more top than you. I won't get into undergarments. I think my list looks longer due to the accessories, but then again I am an accessories person, When compared to clothing, they weigh pretty much nothing and can change that same old outfit in a flash. My carry on bag is 22" by 14" and weighs 20 pounds. I have learned to live with it.

Thank you for your detailed list. I am planning for a 15 day trip (including a week long Norwegian Fjords Cruise) and am appreciating the choices everyone makes. It’s very helpful for someone like me.