Pack for 7 days. Travel for 14. The secret: wash your clothes halfway through. Italy has self-service laundromats (lavanderie self-service) in every city — €4-8 for a wash+dry cycle. Your luggage weighs half. Your airline doesn't charge you. Your cobblestone-wheel-dragging distance is halved. Packing list →
Where: Every Italian city with 50,000+ residents has self-service laundromats. Chains: Speed Queen, Wash&Go, Onda Blu. How to find: Google Maps "lavanderia self-service" or "laundromat" near your hotel. Cost: Wash €4-5 (8kg machine, ~30 min). Dry €3-4 (~30 min). Detergent: €1 from vending machine inside. Total: €7-9 for a full load, clean+dry in 1 hour. Hours: Most open 7am-10pm, some 24/7 (keycard/coin operated, no staff). Tip: Go at 8am or 8pm — midday is busiest.
Major cities: Rome: Wash & Dry (Via degli Zingari, Monti — near Termini, open 8am-9pm). Onda Blu (multiple locations). Florence: Wash & Dry (Via dei Servi — near Duomo). Speed Queen (Via Nazionale). Venice: DIFFICULT (few laundromats due to island logistics) — Speed Queen (Cannaregio, Calle Chioverete). Milan: Speed Queen (Via Vigevano, Navigli area). Lavanderia Onda Blu (Porta Romana). Naples: WashNow (Via Toledo area). Bologna: Onda Blu (Via Irnerio, near university).
Hotel laundry service: Available at most 3-5 star hotels. Cost: €15-30 per bag (or per item — shirts €3-5, pants €5-7). Turnaround: Same-day or next-morning. Expensive but convenient. Hand-washing in the hotel sink: Works for underwear, socks, light shirts. Bring: A travel clothesline (€5, stretches between shower fixtures) + travel detergent sheets (€3-5 for 30 sheets, flat, no liquid). Dry on the balcony (Italian sun dries clothes in 2-3h summer). Dry cleaning (lavanderia a secco): Available in every neighborhood — look for "Lavanderia" signs. €5-10 per item. Useful for: Suits, dresses, anything you wore to the opera.