What to pack for a European city break, based on our trip to Rome: comfortable walking, staying charged and keeping your bag light.
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Weekend and short city breaks in Europe, including Rome and other walking-heavy cities
A city break is all about walking. On our trip to Rome we spent most of each day on foot between the historic sights, and we barely played any games at all. So this checklist is built around comfortable walking, staying charged and keeping your bag light.
Most city breaks are short enough for hand luggage only. If that's you, our hand luggage only checklist covers liquids and bag sizes in detail.
Comfortable, broken-in shoes – the single most important thing to pack. Cobbled streets are hard on your feet, and new shoes are a recipe for blisters.
Blister plasters – just in case.
A small crossbody bag that zips shut – easier to keep an eye on in crowds than a backpack.
A refillable water bottle – Rome has public drinking fountains all over the city, so you can refill for free as you walk.
Collapsible water bottle
Folds flat when empty, so it's easy to carry around all day and refill as you go.
Power bank – maps, tickets, photos and translation apps drain a phone well before dinner.
INIU 10,000mAh 45W Power Bank
Compact, fast USB-C charging and enough capacity for a full day out without becoming a brick in your bag.
Anker 10,000mAh 30W Power Bank
A good alternative if you prefer an established charging brand, with 10,000mAh capacity and USB-C fast charging.
Travel adapter – Italy uses a mix of socket types, so a slim two-pin European adapter is the safest choice.
MyTravelPal Pro Universal Travel Adaptor
One grounded adaptor with USB ports, so you can charge several devices from a single socket.
Cable organiser – keeps chargers together in a small hotel room.
BAGSMART Travel Cable Organiser
Keeps chargers, cables and a power bank together, so nothing gets left plugged in when you leave.
Offline maps and tickets – saved to your phone before you leave the hotel.
Pre-booked tickets – for popular sights such as the Colosseum and the Vatican Museums, booking ahead saves a lot of time queuing.
Something to cover shoulders and knees – churches, including St Peter's Basilica, expect modest dress. A light scarf or shawl is easy to carry.
Sun hat, sunglasses and sun cream – there's very little shade at outdoor sites like the Forum.
NIVEA Sun Protect & Moisture Spray SPF 30 (200ml)
Worth having in your day bag for long hours outside between sights.
Portable fan – genuinely useful for a summer city break in southern Europe.
GAIATOP Portable Handheld Turbo Fan
Rechargeable, compact and surprisingly powerful on hot sightseeing days.
Layers – mornings and evenings can be much cooler than the middle of the day.
One smarter outfit – for a nice dinner out.
A light waterproof – outside the summer months.
Regatta Stormbreak Waterproof Jacket
A lightweight, unlined hooded waterproof that's easy to carry in a day bag, so a shower doesn't end a day of sightseeing.
Packing cubes – keep a small case organised when you're in and out of it every day.
Amazon Essentials 4-Piece Packing Cubes
Good-value starter set for trying packing cubes without spending much.
Honestly, we hardly played any in Rome. There was too much to see. If you want something for waiting for dinner or a quiet evening in the hotel, a deck-sized game takes up no space at all.
Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza
Barely bigger than a pack of cards, and reliably gets the whole table laughing.
Heavy guidebooks – a phone and a power bank do the job.
More than two pairs of shoes – one comfortable pair for walking and one for the evening is plenty.
A big camera bag – you'll be carrying it all day.
A book or a Kindle – a Kindle weighs less than a single paperback and holds a whole holiday's worth of books, so you'll never run out halfway through the trip.
Amazon Kindle
About 158g and smaller than the Paperwhite, so it's our pick for travel. It isn't waterproof, so keep it away from the pool.
Dungeon Crawler Carl: Book 1
Our favourite holiday read: funny, addictive and eight books long. It's for adults, not children.
Games on these lists are ones we've packed and played ourselves. Other products are linked to our researched guides, so you can check whether something is genuinely worth the space before you buy.
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