I’m taking a two week trip to Europe at the end of August, and flying back home from Rome, Italy. I’d like to take a very late flight back home, so I can fully enjoy my last day exploring Rome. However, I don’t want to pay a hotel just so I have someplace to stow my luggage. Can I just check my baggage at the airport first thing in the morning, and then leave to go exploring? If not, what other options do I have? Also, if you have any advice on places to visit in Rome, feel free to chime in.
Just leave it with the valet at the hotel (or another hotel that provides such services) after you check out. They’ll store it for you and you can pick it up on the way back to the airport at night. Any decent hotel will provide this service for you.
Yes, just leave it at the hotel. You don’t want to shlep all the way to the airport in the morning, then return to the city, then return to the airport for your flight.
But I’m confused . . . are you staying in Rome the previous night, or will you have just that one day there?
It sounds as if he’s not spending the night in Rome. Just a long day. And he wants to know where he can safely leave his luggage while he tours the city.
I dont know the answer to your question, as I don’t spend alot of time in airports. But I would imagine that your situation is not uncommon and there is some way to store your luggage at the airport, maybe for a small fee? I typed “Airport luggage storage” in google and got results from various airports with fees and a phone number to call. So try that with the name of whatever airport you’ll arrive at.
I will not be staying overnight in Rome…I’ll only be spending the last day there.
If I’m not staying overnight at that hotel, will they still provide this service? I assume there may be a charge for this? And does one tip the hotel staff in Rome? As you can tell, I’ve never done this before. Traveling alone is a little scary so I need to plan everything out.
FYI, the website for the Rome airport authority says, “Is there a left-luggage service at the airport? Fiumicino’s left-luggage service is located on the arrivals level of Terminal C and is open every day from 6:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. Ph. +39 06 65953541. For more details click here. At Roma Ciampino airport there is no left luggage available.”
So it depends on which airport you’re flying out of. My guess is that you will be able to check in that morning and then go away, but you should really check with the airline.
So how will you be arriving in Rome? If you’re coming in by train to Termini, you could drop your luggage at the Left Luggage office at the station. This would be convenient if you’re then going to take the train to the airport in the evening for your return flight. Be warned though - there can be very long queues to use this service, depending on the time of day.
I’m wondering if it’s possible to actually check-in for the evening flight that far ahead of time. If you’re planning on checking your luggage anyway, they might let you do that. Call the airline.
I have done this quite a lot when travelling. Almost all decent-size airports and train stations have left-luggage offices. (In the past, these were usually coin-operated lockers where you could just dump your bags, but with modern security paranoia it’s now usually a manned office where your bags are X-rayed and/or searched before being accepted.)
I assume you’re referring to European airports. In America, I’ve never seen a “left luggage”* service. Am I missing something obvious?
*([snarky comment] doesn’t that phrase sound silly ? Is it the opposite of ‘right luggage’? Why can’t you furriners call it “luggage storage”?-- like Americans used to, back in the days when it existed. Back then, it was usually self-service lockers, where you inserted a coin and twist the key. But these disappeared long ago, about 1970 or so. A rumour/urban legend then was that the lockers were being used for drug deals.)
Sure they do. they’re just not called “left luggage”- they’re called “lockers”.
If you’re arriving in Rome by train, the train station is your best bet I think. IIRC, the Rome airport is like 45 minutes out of the center of town, so going out there, checking luggage, and returning would cut a big chunk out of your day.
I have not seen lockers in a US airport before security in a long time.
I’m going to second checking with your airlines.
We were in Zurich about a year ago, and at that time, we could check in up to 24hrs ahead of time. That would let you check your luggage in the morning, and reduce what you had to do at the end of the day.
“Left luggage” is where luggage is left to be retrieved later. Seems logical to me.
Thirding to checking your airline. Some airlines at my (non-Rome) airport offer late-night check-in if you take an early flight.
Also, I have seen lockers at train stations all the time - they are open around the clock, unlike the luggage office (which also usually costs more), but I’ve not been to Rome in the last decade. I doubt the Italians have had so much bomb trouble that they would remove lockers, though…
And if you are going to the airport by train, you will go to the main station anyway, I presume.
Tips for Rome in August, though? Don’t go 
It will be hot, very very hot and full of tourists - the Italians go on holiday for the whole August for a reason.
Churches are cool places to rest, but you have to look a bit decent to go inside. Italians have the clever idea of putting little water taps on public squares where you can get drinking water by turning the handle.
The “spanish stairs” is the famous place to meet people and pick up girls, but only in the evening/night (too hot during the day), I think.
Thanks everyone for your replies and advice.