Winter in Tuscany, What to Pack
By: Travel With Wally
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Winter in Tuscany, What to Expect
Tuscany is a beautiful region of Italy. It’s incredibly scenic, with exemplary wine and mouth-watering food. You can’t wish for a better Italian region. Expect hot summers, crisp falls, fresh springs, and rainy winters. Make that COLD and rainy winters. You may think you are in Great Britain due to the rain that you’re bound to encounter at least a couple of times.
Being a native to the northern United States, I do not mind the cold or the rain. I welcome it after the hot summers. I really dislike the heat. I sweat a lot, it’s really annoying and gross. The cold is refreshing and makes staying at home with a hot cup of coffee and my laptop much more enjoyable. So if you share my dislike of heat and enjoy some rain and cold, then winter in Tuscany is the right place for you to visit.
Something else I love about the winter in Tuscany is how green everything becomes. The trees may have lost their leaves, but the grass, fields, and vineyards are bursting with green. I love it! During the summer, it rains very little and things turn a bit brown. Brown is just not my color. It clashes with my personality.
But back to winters in Tuscany. I am not trying to deter you from visiting during the winter, it’s just as beautiful and romantic as ever. In December you will be greeted by festive Christmas markets, sparkling lights, and crisp, cool weather.
What to Pack for Winter in Tuscany
I know that packing is hard. It is especially hard when you are going to travel to a place you have never been before. Then you add the restrictions by the airlines. Maybe you are trying to avoid extra fees by packing just a carry-on or even a mere backpack. The stress of it is no joke!
My husband has no problem. I don’t know how such a large human can pack his belongings into such a small space, it’s kind of annoying. He doesn’t mind wearing the same shirt multiple days in a row, while I really dislike the feeling after maybe two days. Plus what if we want to dress up for something? Do I need extra shoes? Does the hotel provide shampoo and conditioner? The list goes on and on.
The number of things you pack is of course dependent on many factors. How long are you going to be gone? Where are you going to be? Are you going to move from place to place? Will the weather change? Are you going to a fancy dinner or maybe the opera?
Fancy clothes, warm weather clothes, cold weather clothes, casual clothes, jackets, socks, toiletries, shoes…I am starting to stress myself out already.
I hope that this list of basic packing tips helps you prepare for your Tuscan adventure.
What to Pack
- Warm socks
What is worse than cold feet? Maybe wet socks, but cold feet are up there on the list. With the cold and wet winter, I highly recommend some nice cozy socks to wear inside your cozy boots.
One of my favorite brands of socks that I wear here are Darn Tough socks. They are awesome, plus if you get a hole, they will replace them for FREE! (I get nothing for you buying these, it’s just me saying how awesome they are.)
- Shoes
Going back to cold feet, I do not recommend wearing sandals. Brr! I am shivering just thinking about it. I have yet to see an Italian wearing sandals during the winter. Honestly, they are bundled up from head to toe.
I like to wear a pair of leather Chacos boots. Andrew also has some Redwing boots that he swears by. So something that will protect your feet from the water and cold.
- Umbrella
This one is pretty self-explanatory. As I previously mentioned, it rains quite a bit in the winter. We ended up investing in a good umbrella. If you forget or don’t have the space to pack it, you will easily find one to buy.
- Raincoat
Or something water repellent. Perhaps you prefer ponchos or some other anti-water wear. Whatever it is, I recommend bringing it along. The great thing about raincoats is that they tend to be really easy to pack. They scrunch down into small spaces. Unless they are insulated, then maybe wearing on the plane is a better idea. But that is really your decision, you do you.
- Pants
It would be a bit strange to show up without pants at any time of the year in Tuscany. Well bottoms I mean, but during the winter in Tuscany, I highly recommend wearing warm pants. Maybe even insulated pants. The wind can be chilling at times. A nice pair of warm socks, boots, and cozy pants sounds like a great winter outfit for a winter trip to Tuscany.
But then what about the top part of the body?
- Sweaters
Do you have a favorite sweater? One that really brings out the color of your eyes or simply feels gosh-darn fantastic? I say bring it. You will not only feel fabulous but also warm.
Think layers as well. Believe it or not, the sun does come out from time to time. Actually, as I write this on a day in early December, it is gorgeous and sunny outside. I love it. Yesterday it was pouring. Wally was so sad, seriously, he hates the rain. Lucky for him, he has the most fashionable raincoat for such days. As well as a sweater for the extra cold and rainy days.
Even our dog wears layers during the winter here in Tuscany.
- Coat
So this goes along with the raincoat, but perhaps you want to bring your coolest suede coat. It’s warm and stylish, but boy is it allergic to water. Well for those rainy days you can put your trusty little raincoat over the rad coat you love. It may not be as fashionable, but it keeps you warm and your coat dry.
If you want to go hiking, be ready for some snow, and bring a warm coat! Andrew and I both have coats from KUHL that we love. Water-resistant, toasty warm, and fashionable.
- Hat, Gloves, Scarf
You can’t bring all of these other cold-weather clothes without thinking of your head, neck, and hands. The winter in Tuscany has really taught me not to underestimate the fragility of my hands when it comes to being wet. It’s nearly as bad as wet socks.
If you are one of the folks that are attached to your phone, don’t worry, they have gloves for that too! And I get it, I dislike having to continuously take off my mittens to use my phone as well.
Traveling During The Winter in Tuscany
Did you know that almost no one leaves voicemails here in Italy? I guess people figure that if you want to hear what they have to say then you will call back. It definitely threw me off, it’s just one more aspect to culture shock. This was just a little side tangent. Back to winter.
I don’t want you to be scared to come to Tuscany in the winter. It is ridiculously beautiful no matter the season, and chances are you won’t be battling throngs of tourists during the winter months. Just come prepared for some chilly days and cold nights. Don’t believe what the weather says, most of the time it is wrong. Oh, and it will probably rain once or twice, so you can enjoy a relaxing day in a museum. Can I recommend a lesser-known museum near Pisa?
The Museum of Natural History is awesome! I can’t wait to check out their new exhibit. It is just a short bus ride away from the heart of Pisa.
Have a jolly warm and simply joyous visit to Tuscany!
Where Should I Go In Tuscany? I have your back!
Tip: Download WhatsApp, it is truly how most people contact each other in Europe. It works with wifi or data. Even some restaurants use it for making reservations. I have had hotels contact me via WhatsApp as well, it’s crazy popular.
