Finally, holiday time has arrived! This time next week I leave dreary rainy old England and head off with my husband for five days in Venice. We're staying in one of only two 5* hotels in Venice that have an outdoor pool, so hopefully as well as soaking up some culture I will also be able to soak up some sun!
The main question now though is what to pack? Holiday packing is difficult enough as it is, but even more so when you're going somewhere as well known for its love of fashion as Italy. There are so many boxes to tick: you want to look good, be comfortable for sight seeing, and blend in without standing out as a tourist (unless of course you like having your camera stolen!)
The best think about shopping for a summer holiday now is that because we've had such a terrible summer here in the UK, the seasonal sales have started early: Everything on my wishlist is in the sale!
Black zigzag straw hat, River Island, £2
Full gold jacquard skirt, Topshop, £10
Cross body bag, Peter Jensen @ ASOS, £135
Black cowl front dress, River Island, £15
Oversized sunglasses, Pieces, £7
Black sandals, Chocolate Shubar @ Sarenza, £33.40
Snake print bikini, Clothing at Tesco, Bottoms £3.50, Top £5
Black and white striped shorts, River Island, £7
Here are my tips and ideas for city break packing:
-If your hotel has a pool, make sure you pack your swimsuit! You might be planning to spend all your time sight seeing, but if you get tourism burnout having your suit handy means you can take a break by the pool.
-Carry a small over-body handbag. This will deter pick pockets and won't be too bulky or cumbersome to be comfortable carrying around all day. Backpacks are a major no-no: aside from the fact they're frankly ugly, they're also too big to carry into narrow shops or around narrow galleries and cafes.
-Stick to one colour palette when you're packing. That way you can pack light, knowing that all of your clothes can be mixed and matched with each other. I like to stick to a simple black and white base and then throw in one accent colour. This time I've gone for gold, but you could pick almost any bright summery colour!
-Take care of your skin: there's nothing uglier than sunburn and wrinkles caused by sun exposure! When you're going on a city break, its easy to forget you don't need the same supplies as you do for a beach holiday. But remember the sun screen, and a wide hat and sunglasses to protect your face!
- Pack one versatile dress. I always make sure I pack something (in crease free jersey!) that I can wear to dinner, the pool, or out and about for the day. Dresses like this are hard to find: if you find it, buy two and keep them forever!!
-Finally, shoes are heavy: don't take too many pairs! For a 4 or 5 night break if possible try to pack only two. Make sure both are really comfortable. I am opting for one pair of sandals and one pair of well worn pumps.
Are you going away on holiday this year? And have you packed for yours yet?
Love Tor xx
