Travel to Italy. Advice please.?

What you pack depends on whether you want to fit in or not. If you don't care if you stick out as an American, bring shorts and sunscreen. It will be VERY hot.

However, Italians have an idea of Americans that we are slobs, so I would recommend that you bring light colored, light material clothes, but don't wear shorts and try to avoid T-shirts and flip-flops. Besides, Italians walk everywhere and (if you're planning on doing the local thing and walking) you're feet will get really sore in flip-flops because most of their streets are cobblestone.

I got a pocket-sized phrasebook and it was perfect. I recommend you make an effort to try to talk to them in Italian as best you can. If they see you're making an effort (like greetings, thank you, etc.) they will be very patient with you and really bend over backwards to help you.

Bring toilet paper. It sounds weird, but it's very hard to find over there in bathrooms, plus they don't really have kleenex and a lot of people have allergies in Italy, even ones that don't normally have a problem, so bring allergry meds too.

I agree mostly with the other answer. You do want to pack light as most people going to anywhere in Europe will pack too much and that just complicates your trip. You can always find a laundromat to wash your clothes or some hand washing in the hotel sink even for small items like socks and underwear. It is a good idea to have a small book with basic phrases. If you even try to speak Italian people are very kind and helpful. Being humble goes a long way. My husband and I went all over Italy and it really helped. Also, even in Paris, if you are not a typical "American Tourist", which the French interprets as loud and rude, you can get along very well.

It is a good idea to bring a small bottle of hand sanitizer. You will use it often after the restroom, etc. For me, taking a fanny pack instead of a purse is a great idea. It can fit under your shirt and you can keep a watch on it. I wouldn't recommend a backpack because thieves can unzip it easily.

Lake Como is beautiful!

Anyways Italians can pick out Americans like they can with supermarket pasta, so they will know that you are a tourist when your wearing "typical" American clothing. But that I mean shorts, a ball cap, tennis shoes with socks, or flip flops and lugging around your camera. So I would avoid wearing those altogether. Also even though it is a resort town, wearing flip flops on cobblestone steps will reek havoc on your feet, so I wouldn't suggest that you wear them. I would bring light coloured clothing like polo's, slacks, some dress shirts (for the evenings), loafers, and a light jacket. Also bring sun screen because your going during the summer months and it's extremely hot.

Since it's not Rome and Florence not everyone will know how to speak English in every cafe or restaurant so bringing a little Italian phrase book will help you. And you should know simple things like Buongiorno (Hello), Ciao (Hi/Bye), Come va? (How are you?), Grazie (Thank You), Scusa (Excuse me), Quanto costa? (How much is this?)..and more depending on your situation. Anyways Italians are probably some of the most genuine, friendliest, poliet people you will meet (at least in my experience), if they see you're struggling or lost they will surely help out. I would suggest always bringing water with you while your walking around, because it's expensive there. I didn't bring a money belt when I went to Italy and I was more in the metropolian areas where the pick pocketing rate was high and I didn't get pick pocketed so I don't think that you will need one.

Have fun!