Trip to Italy
Pack for Italy: museum tickets weeks ahead, church dress code, ZTL zones, cobblestones and dinners after 7:30 pm. Answer one question and the list adapts.

[ ] Check passport validity and visa rules
    Italy is in Schengen: your passport must be valid 3+ months beyond departure. Check visa requirements for your nationality early — appointment slots fill up in season.
[ ] Buy travel medical insurance
    Schengen visa applications require coverage of at least €30,000. Even without a visa, tourist medical visits are paid out of pocket.
[ ] Save tickets and bookings offline
    Border control may ask for a return ticket, accommodation address and insurance. Screenshots plus paper copies just in case.
[ ] Sort out money: euro cash and cards
    Cards are accepted almost everywhere, but keep some euro cash: small cafes, market stalls and taxis often prefer it. Avoid airport exchange rates.
[ ] Set aside cash for the city tax
    Cities charge €1–7 per person per night at check-in, often cash only. It's not a scam — it works like this all over Italy.
[ ] Make copies of your documents
    Photos of passport, visa and insurance go to cloud storage. Paper copies travel separately from the originals.
[ ] Pack a compact first aid kit
    Fever reducer, painkiller, blister plasters (you will walk a lot), your regular meds. Everything else is at a farmacia — look for the green cross.
[ ] Broken-in shoes for cobblestones
    Rome, Florence and Venice mean 15–20k steps a day on cobblestones and stairs. Save the heels for one dinner.
[ ] Church-ready outfit: shoulders and knees covered
    Churches — and the Vatican especially — turn away bare shoulders and shorts. A light scarf or shirt in your bag solves it.
[ ] Bring a refillable water bottle
    Street fountain water is drinkable and good — Rome has thousands of them (nasoni). Saves money and plastic.
[ ] Chargers and a power bank
    Type F and L sockets — European plugs fit; US/UK plugs need an adapter.
[ ] Set up an eSIM or local SIM
    An eSIM (Airalo and similar) beats roaming charges. Keep access to SMS codes from your bank back home.
[ ] Download offline maps and a translator
    Add Italian to your offline translator: outside tourist areas English is limited.
[ ] Book top museums in advance
    Uffizi, Colosseum, Vatican Museums, The Last Supper — timed tickets sell out weeks ahead. Buy on official sites only: resellers charge triple.
[ ] Remember: paper transport tickets must be validated
    An unstamped paper ticket counts as no ticket — €50+ fine on the spot. Same on regional trains: validate in the yellow machine before boarding.
[ ] Rental car? Stay out of ZTL zones
    Historic centers are restricted traffic zones (ZTL): cameras log every entry and fines arrive by mail — one per pass. Park outside the center and walk.
[ ] Book intercity trains early
    High-speed Trenitalia and Italo cost 2–3x less booked early. Regional trains have fixed prices — buy on the day.
[ ] Plan against pickpockets
    Rome and Naples transit, bus 64, train stations are their turf. Bag in front, nothing in back pockets, phone off the table edge.
[ ] Plan around riposo: midday closures
    Roughly 1–4 pm shops and small businesses close, especially in the south. Schedule lunch or museums for that window.
[ ] Expect late dinners
    Restaurant kitchens open around 7:30 pm. Anywhere serving dinner at 6 pm is a tourist trap tell.
[ ] Know about the coperto on the bill
    €1–3 per person as a cover charge is a legal Italian custom, not a rip-off. The upside: tipping on top is optional.
[ ] Kids' documents
    Each child needs their own passport (and visa where required). Bring the birth certificate if surnames differ.
[ ] Check kids' discounts at museums
    Many state museums are free or discounted for under-18s — but you still need to reserve a timed slot for them.
[ ] Kids' first aid kit
    Child-dose fever reducer, thermometer, plasters. Familiar meds from home beat explaining symptoms at a farmacia.
[ ] Baby carrier over stroller for old towns
    Cobblestones, stairs and Venice bridges eat stroller wheels. Use a carrier in historic centers; save the stroller for parks.
[ ] Snacks and entertainment for transit
    Offline cartoons and familiar snacks save train rides and queues. Gelato beats any bribe.

Checklist from Unload: https://unloads.me/c/italy