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Northern Italy Packing Report

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I was in Northern Italy for 2.5 weeks returning to the U.S. mid-September. I was in Milan, Turin and Lago Maggiore and attended a wedding, biked and hiked. The diverse activities combined with flying Condor from Seattle to Frankfurt and Lufthansa from Frankfurt to Milan and wanting to carry on my bags made packing a challenge. Condor’s hand baggage allowance is a 55x40x20 cm (21.6x15.7x7.9 in) suitcase and a 40x30x10 cm (15.7x11.8x3.9 in) personal item. Lufthansa’s is 55x40x23 and a similar 40x30x10 personal item. Both airlines have a suitcase weight limit of 8kg (17.6 lbs). Although I would be in business class for the Condor leg I would be in economy on Lufthansa between Frankfurt to Milan. Given reports of how strict Lufthansa is and how chaotic Frankfurt baggage transfer is I was determined to carry on my bags, especially since the wedding was at the beginning of the trip. I used an Osprey Fairview 40 liter backpack as my suitcase and a Fjalraven Kanken 15” laptop bag as my personal item. The Kanken laptop bag is technically 3cm too deep but it’s squishable and wouldn’t be full so I wasn’t worried.

Here’s what I packed:
1 cocktail dress for the wedding - 1 dress for pre-wedding activities and dinners - 1 sundress/pool coverup – Nightshirt - 4 undies - 2 bras - 3 pair no show socks - 2 pair ankle high hiking socks - dress sandals – Birkenstocks - 1 black Ex Officio hiking pants - 2 Columbia hiking skorts - 3 silk/silk blend tank tops - 2 short sleeve t-shirts - 1 long sleeve button up shirt/sun shirt - 2 belts - 2 electrical adaptors - several zip lock bags in different sizes - Pashmina scarf - nylon cross-body purse – hooded REI Goretex lined raincoat - cashmere cardigan - sun hat - coin purse - money belt - packable 30 liter duffel - swim suit - solid shampoo and conditioner - makeup remover - sunglasses.
Total weight of the Osprey backpack was 7.3 kg.

The Kanken laptop bag had my phone, mini-iPad, toiletries, charging chords, noise cancelling headphones, cash, cards and documents. I didn’t weigh it but my guess would be about 5 kg.

On the plane I wore jeans, a T-shirt, a long sleeve button up shirt, ankle height hiking socks and hiking shoes.

What I learned. Because the hiking pants were black with a slim profile and because the hiking skorts were in solid colors I did not feel out of place going to nice restaurants with them on. I was not “on-trend” but I rarely am. Besides, the current “look” is not flattering to a short middle-aged woman. A sundress can do triple duty: sundress, pool coverup and with a short sleeve T underneath, can be worn to a church. And it gives both the sundress and the T-shirt another look. The solid shampoo and conditioner I brought “just in case” were unnecessary and will probably be dropped from the packing list. The raincoat and cashmere cardigan were each worn once but I think they’re necessary evils. The pre-trip extended forecast showed rain in Lago Maggiore and cooler temps. Similarly, I didn’t need the extra long sleeve button up shirt. I did need to buy hydrocortisone for bug bites and but for a traveling companion having OFF, I would have needed bug spray. I don’t think I would bother to pack either of those items in advance since I think they are more “just in case” and are readily available anyways.

I’m really glad I did carry on even though I was tempted not to. One wedding guest’s bags didn’t make it in time for the wedding. Two days after arrival we saw the courier going up to the village with the bag as we were going down to the wedding in the taxi. Lufthansa left another guest’s bag in Frankfurt on the way home. It was eventually delivered.

To be continued.......

Posted by
1643 posts

Perhaps because we flew business class on Condor, my bags were never weighed or sized on the way over and I didn’t see any sizers at the Frankfurt gates. Nor were my bags weighed or sized on my departure from Malpensa. The Lufthansa gate agent gave my backpack a hard look but didn’t say anything and didn’t bat an eye at the now almost bulging personal item. I didn’t need the packable duffel after all but if I had bought just one thing more, I would have. I did see at least 3 people who were required to gate check their roller bags. Not because of the suitcases’ size but because their personal items were too big. They looked too deep to fit under the seat.

A couple of interesting things I noticed about Lufthansa, at least as it applied to my trip. If you have a third personal item, like a sling bag or cross body bag, they’ll let you carry it on as long as you keep it on your body. And if you have to gate check, you have to gate check. The baggage handler is standing right next to the gate agent waiting to whisk your bag away.

Posted by
14997 posts

Thanks for posting your experience and a packing report! I've not flown Condor or Lufthansa but so happy you were able to meet their fairly strict weight guidelines!

"If you have a third personal item, like a sling bag or cross body bag, they’ll let you carry it on as long as you keep it on your body."

This is very interesting. I've watched a number of travel youtubers over the last year or so who have been wearing fanny packs and turn them around to the back while boarding to "get away with it". I have a very small cross body purse (about 4x8 inches) that I wear under an overshirt that I keep on during the flight. Traveling solo I just feel better if my passport, CCs and money are on me on the plane and this is more comfortable than a money belt for me while sitting for 10 hours, lol.

I'm glad your packing worked well and that you had clothing for the wedding! I agree that even though you didn't wear the rain jacket, it's essential as well as your warmer layer. Really, going to mountain areas you have to be strategic with choices and agree that they are necessary.

Excellent job of packing and having what you needed when you needed it!!

Posted by
400 posts

Posted by Pam

Thanks for posting your experience and a packing report! I've not
flown Condor or Lufthansa but so happy you were able to meet their
fairly strict weight guidelines!

"If you have a third personal item, like a sling bag or cross body
bag, they’ll let you carry it on as long as you keep it on your body."

This is very interesting.

I find this interesting too. I used to carry a wallet sized "purse" with a cross-body strap. Whenever I tried to keep it on for a flight, the FA would make me remove it and put it under the seat or in my under seat tote bag. It was less than 6x4x3-inches.

A friend tried to travel with a baby in a strap-to-the-parent type sling. My friend was buckled in. The baby was attached to parent in the sling, but not within the seat belt. Nope. Hold the baby in your lap with nothing holding baby to parent. So entirely up to parent to keep hold of baby in case of turbulence.

Posted by
170 posts

I LOVE reading packing reports. Thanks for sharing. I especially appreciated how you managed with a special occasion.

Posted by
3153 posts

Packing is always an adventure and a challenge. Loved reading your report, especially since I’ll be in northern and central Italy same time next year. Thanks for sharing.

As for small purses, United ignored my tiny crossbody Travelon. And barely glanced at the RS Rolling Carry-on and squishable RuMe tote.

Posted by
39 posts

I am packing right now for a trip that is partially on Lufthansa. The big question always is - are they going to weigh and measure. I've started my journey with Lufthansa out of San Diego before. They did, indeed, have a scale/measuring bin at the gate and used it. The gate attendant was incredulous when my bag was exactly 8 kg and fit perfectly in the sizer bin. She wondered how I did that - and it wasn't easy.

This time, I fly to Denver first, and then from there to Munich (and then Florence via Air Dolomiti). I think the big question is "Will Lufthansa gate check in Denver?" It's going to be considerably harder to stay under the weight and size limits for this trip. I'll take a back pack that they have let me fly with before, as well as my roller carry-on. Fortunately, they have never weighed my backpack (unlike Air France.) I appreciate this thread a lot.

Posted by
8019 posts

”A sundress can do triple duty: sundress, pool coverup and with a short sleeve T underneath, can be worn to a church.”

I love the versatility of a sundress, too, and also thought of it as a backup in case my nightie wasn’t dry from washing it in the sink. I haven’t added the t-shirt - just used a lightweight scarf.

I smiled reading that you didn’t need your raincoat when you were at Lake Maggiore. I had my wettest experience in Europe the last day that I was at Stresa, Italy. Beautiful weather for two days, and then it dumped water like a Gatorade bucket at a baseball game!

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