Are you planning a week-long trip to the picturesque region of Tuscany, Italy? With its rolling hills, charming vineyards, and historic cities, Tuscany offers a truly enchanting experience. To make the most of your 8-day adventure, it’s crucial to pack wisely and ensure you have everything you need. In this packing guide for Tuscany, we’ll help you prepare for your journey by highlighting the best season to visit, offering tips on what to wear, and providing essential packing lists for both men and women.
Disclosure: This post contains Amazon affiliate links, which means if you make a purchase via the links in this post (which I hope you do), I may earn a small commission, at no additional cost to you. Thank you for your support.
Choosing the Perfect Season
Tuscany experiences distinct seasons, each offering its own unique charm. Tuscany’s Mediterranean climate offers mild winters and hot summers. For an optimal experience, plan your visit during the pleasant springtime (April to June) or the delightful autumn (September to October). These seasons offer comfortable weather and smaller crowds, allowing you to fully immerse yourself in the beauty of the region. However, September stands out as our favorite time to explore this region. The summer crowds begin to dwindle, the weather is pleasant, and the landscape takes on beautiful autumn hues. With average temperatures ranging from 20°C to 25°C (68°F to 77°F), it’s important to pack accordingly.
Always Check Weather Conditions
We recommend checking Wunderground.com just to check. This website is a good place to look online for weather, as it has a history tab so you can see what temps were at during a specific time period (for example – from late September 2021 or 2020) so you can get an idea of averages for a particular time of year. When taking weather into consideration for packing, I think “layering” will always be the best option for everyone.
Clothing Essentials for September in Tuscany
In general, this packing guide for Tuscany will explain that recommended attire is informal and comfortable. You will be spending lots of time in the beautiful Tuscan countryside. You will want to make sure you pack comfy shoes and clothes for truffle hunting, farm visits, vineyard hikes and cobblestone streets, and pack a sweater or light jacket for the cool mornings/evenings. Pack a swimsuit to wear while enjoying the pool at your accommodation or beach.
Sample Packing List
Clothing
- 5-7 Tops:
- WOMEN choose versatile tops, including a mix of short-sleeved blouses, long sleeve shirts, and tank tops for layering
- MEN choose lightweight and breathable shirts, including a mix of short-sleeved button-down shirts, polo shirts, and T-shirts.
- 3-4 Bottoms:
- WOMEN choose an assortment of comfortable jeans, long pants, capris/leggings, skirts, dress for optimal styling options
- MEN choose an assortment of comfortable jeans, trousers, lightweight casual pants for evenings or dressier occasions
- 1-2 Shorts: for warmer days, preferably in neutral colors like khaki or navy.
- 1 Sweater: lightweight cashmere sweater that can be in a color that can be layered over different outfits.
- 1 Travel Jacket (waterproof), light jacket or fleece
- 2 pr Shoes: a pair of comfortable walking shoes for exploring the cities and countryside, such as sneakers or loafers. Add a pair of casual sandals for warmer days.
- Hat & Sunglasses: Consider a stylish hat for sun protection and a pair of sunglasses to shield your eyes from the Tuscan sun.
- 1 Swimsuit: for visits to the coast or accommodations with pools.
- 7 Undergarments & 4 Socks (& WOMEN 4 Bras): Pack enough underwear, bras and light socks for the duration of your trip
- 1 Sleepwear: Pajamas, Sleep shorts, Nightgown
Toiletries
- Soap* Travel Size
- Shampoo* Travel Size
- Toothbrush/Travel Size Toothpaste/Floss
- Travel Razor and shaving cream
- Deodorant
- Sunscreen
- Moisturizer
- Comb or Hairbrush/rubberbands/hairclips
- Hand Sanitizer
- Mosquito repellent
- Bandaids & Antiseptic cream
- Glasses/contact lenses/solution (with prescriptions)
- Earplugs & Sleepmask
- Makeup: Lipstick, Mascara, Facepowder, eyeshadow, eyeliner
- Makeup Remover: I hear Neutrogena Make-up Remover wipes are great for travel.
- WASHCLOTHS*- In Italy these are not provided. If you use washcloths in the shower or to remove makeup and/or mesh loofahs to scrub, bring/pack them. These compressed washcloths are handy to keep in your bag
- Hanging Toiletry Bag – You need a really good bag to hold all of this stuff in. I love my hanging dobb kit.
NOTE: Items above marked with and asterisk (*) are not provided everywhere like in the USA, so we recommend you bring your own. Also, remember, if you forget something you can always grab them in Florence or in any city you pass thru during your pre-night stay.
Medical
- Medications: If you take any prescription medications, ensure you have an adequate supply for the trip. Don’t forget to pack your medicine in their original prescription bottles that bear your name and the name of the medicine, etc. We also recommend traveling with the printed prescriptions for your medications.
- Vitamins
- Medical Devices – CPAP & Letter of Medical Necessity from doctor.
- Diabetic Supplies (insulin, injectors, alcohol pads, etc.)
- If you use medical sharps and will have bio hazardous waste during your trip (such as diabetic testing lancets, used testing strips, injection needles, etc) please bring a travel sharps and medical waste container where you can collect all of your bio waste during your trip. It is compact and made for travel.
- Motion Sickness Medicine
- The terrain in Tuscany is hilly and, as a result, has many winding roads. If If you plan on taking any type of transportation, and you suffer from motion sickness, please bring motion-sickness relief with you. Consider medicine like dramamine tablets or accupressure wrist bands. Another option to combat nausea – ginger chews.
- Walking Sticks
- If you have had hip/knee surgery and/or require care in walking on uneven surfaces in general, you may want to consider bringing some support. Italy is rife with uneven surfaces, cobblestones in the city, and gravel incline/declines in the countryside. Walking sticks are very light to pack and very handy. Here’s a highly rated one on Amazon with an anti shock feature!
Electronics
Please note that there is a difference between a plug adapter and an electrical converter. Most modern electronics are dual voltage so you would not need a converter and only need a two round prong plug adapter. Look at the electrical information printed on your electronic items to determine if they are dual voltage. If it says INPUT: AC100-240V, then your item is dual voltage .
This article will help you understand the electricity in Italy: https://www.tripsavvy.com/electricity-in-italy-1548048
- Mobile SmartPhone (preferably iPhone) – so you can use it to access the internet and as a camera. Make sure to confirm with your cell provider you can use your phone in Italy/Europe.
- Tablet, iPad, or E-Reader
- Noise-cancelling Headphones or noise-cancelling earbuds
- 6ft Charging cables and power cords – for your electronics (phone, watch, laptops, tablets, ipads, kindle, e-reader, etc).
- BACKUP BATTERY (POWER BANK) – HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!! Using your phone as a camera and connecting to the internet drains your battery super fast. Bring cables so you can charge when it runs low so it will be charged when you need it. 75% of guests have an issue because they didn’t bring a battery backup. I use this 10000mAh Portable Charger and love it!!
- Electrical Adapters – Even if your item is dual voltage, you will still need a European style C plug adapters for each plug you intend to use. Another option would be this plug adapter with USB ports -which is what I use and I love it!
- Camera and related gear (if not bringing a smartphone)
- Apple Airtag – Never wonder if your luggage made it and drop an Airtag in your bag!
Day Bag Kit
- Lightweight Packable Daypack
- Refillable Water Bottle
- It is important for your health to stay hydrated. In Italy tap water is also clean and safe to drink. Most accommodations provide tap water for drinking but it doesn’t really taste good. You should really bring a filtered water bottle. You can choose from these highly rated filtering water bottle styles: non-insulated water bottle by Lifestraw or an insulated stainless steel water bottle from Philips.
- PLEASE NOTE: There are a few fountains in Italy where it is not safe to drink the water (such as on trains) and they are marked as “acqua non-potabile”.
- Sunglasses
- Small Flashlight
- Bandaids & Antiseptic cream
- Umbrella
- Snacks
- Sunscreen Stick
- Tide Stain Remover Stick
- Wet Wipes
- Notebook
- Pens
- Guidebook(s) – you should really just load your iPad with digital books.
Lastly, Don’t Forget these Documents and Photocopies
- Passport
- Proof of Vaccinations
- Printout of Airline E-Ticket
- Pre and Post Tour Hotel Reservation Confirmations
- Travel and Health Insurance details
- Guidebooks/Maps
- Copies of Medicine Prescriptions
Conclusion
Packing for an 8-day trip to Tuscany in September requires careful consideration of the weather and your planned activities. By following this comprehensive packing guide for Tuscany, you’ll be well-prepared to enjoy the beauty and wonders of Tuscany without any wardrobe-related worries. Remember to pack light, stay comfortable, and leave some space for souvenirs you may pick up along the way. Happy travels!
