Pack light! That is my best packing tip and I tell it to everyone especially the people I travel with since I want no part of helping people carry heavy luggage. Take the smallest suitcase you can. Think about what you really need to take with you to enjoy your trip.

When most of us travel we spend the night in several different cities which means hopping on and off trains and buses where you have limited luggage storage. You constantly have to lift your suitcase to put it in the overhead compartment. Many hotels have small elevators or no elevators so you are lugging your suitcase up and down stairs or trying to squeeze into an old elevator made to fit one or two people with no luggage. Don’t even get me started on trying to haul big suitcases over the bridges and up and down the steps in Venice.

I have lost count of how many times the airlines have lost my luggage over the last few years. I never check luggage anymore. In the past I have been stranded for days without my luggage.

Twice in the past year I have made it halfway to my destination only to be dumped in a city not of my choosing but very thankful to have my luggage with me.

Why pay the fee to check luggage? Save your money and treat yourself to a good meal in Italy.

Here is how you pack light for your trip to Italy:

You have made your plane and hotel reservations. You know where you will be going and where you will be staying.

There are some other things travelers need to consider. Anyone traveling abroad should be aware of any effects the local landscape and climate may have on them. If you are sensitive to pollution or to humidity, or to other conditions of your destination, consult with your physician. Although you should not have problems with things like altitude in Italy, you may encounter heavy pollution in some cities so do your research before you leave home.

Don’t forget to leave a copy of your itinerary with someone at home. It is always good to have a friend or relative know where you will be staying and how to get in touch with you in an emergency.

What else do you need to do before you leave for your trip to Italy? Here are some things you need to do before you set of on your trip.

How do you develop a travel itinerary? In other words, how do you get where you want to go and where should you stay when you get there?

Some travelers like to wing it when they travel. No hotel reservations, no advance purchase of train tickets or reservations on ferries. Armed with their plane ticket, yes you always need to purchase that in advance unless your schedule is very flexible and your pocketbook knows no bottom these travelers set off on their trip.

Other travelers schedule every minute of every day they are away from home. Most of us fall somewhere in the middle, hotel reservations when traveling during the high season or if we really want to stay in a particular hotel in a particular city.

Most of us like to plan some things but leave enough time to take advantage of spur of the moment activities whenever they pop up. Happening on a town having a festival can be so much fun that you want to be able to change your plans and stay there for the night.

And, of course, there are times when you have to change your plans because of strikes, illness, travel delays or any number of things that happen when you travel.

Here are some tips to developing your travel itinerary for your trip to Italy:

Some people were born to travel on their own. They love the adventure, they don’t like structure and they love the unexpected. If all those things strike fear in your heart then you should consider traveling with a tour group.

These days there are tour groups to satisfy every interest and style of travel. Gone are the days of taking a bus through 10 countries in 6 days. Now you can find tour groups of all different sizes, covering different interests and that last from one week to one month.

If your travel group is large enough contact a tour group and they will plan a trip for you, arrange transportation and provide tour guides.

Of course, you can always mix it up. Travel with a tour group then stay an extra week or go a week early and meet your group when they arrive.

Are you a tour group traveler?

Planning your trip to Italy can be almost as much fun as taking your trip. By making your planning fun, you can start enjoying your trip before you even leave your house.

Traveling provides a lifetime of memories. Make the most of your trip by turning away from the familiar and overcoming your fear of the unknown. The more you plan the more you will eliminate those things that make you afraid to travel.

Don't forget to include some relaxing time in your trip. Mingling with locals at a market, enjoying a cappuccino in the morning while you watch people heading off for work, eating a gelato in the afternoon sitting on a park bench watching children play or drinking a glass of wine in the evening while you watch the boats come in and out of the harbor in Vernazza may turn out to be the highlight of your trip.

So here are a few tips for planning your trip:

Which is better for you? Solo travel or Group Tours? That depends on how you like to travel, how comfortable you are with traveling by yourself or with family and friends and how much you enjoy planning a trip.

Italy is an easy place to find tours that cater to your specific interests. Like art? There are plenty of group trips that focus on museums? Like walking? There are tours that cater to serious hikers and leisurely walkers.

Italy is also a country you can easily explore on your own or with a small group of family and friends. Italians are used to tourists and try to accommodate reasonable requests even if they don’t speak Italian. And there are so many travel guidebooks focusing on Italy that help is close at hand.

Now there is something called independent travel which combines the two. You travel with a tour group but you can decide to tour on your own or participate in a group tours. As for me, I like to plan my own trips but there are times when group travel makes sense especially if you are traveling to hard to get to places or places with restricted access.

Here are some tips to help you decide if you should plan your own trip: