So you’ve got a trip planned—but now you’ve got a question: What do I pack for Europe? And how?
Packing well is balancing act— part art, part skill, and part guessing game. On a first trip overseas, or a first time to a destination, it’s often hard to predict what will/won’t be essential. I’m here to help. One good rule to follow: err on the side of packing light.
So what does that mean exactly? To me, it means packing what will fit into one unexpanded 22” carry-on sized bag, plus a small backpack. My current bags are an Eagle Creek rolling 22”carry-on like this and a North Face Surge pack. [Pro tip: don’t get a black or gray suitcase. They’re harder to spot at baggage claim.] I’ve traveled for as long as a month with this set-up and made it work. [Yes, I expanded the suitcase before I got home.]
You may be thinking ‘oh, there’s no way I can pack in a bag that small.’ You can. I promise. My mom, who loves clothes, tried to take two rolling bags on her first trip overseas. After struggling with those bags in and out of airports, cabs, subways, hotel stairwells, and back, she never made that mistake again. I’ve also seen friends take 25” bags or larger—also a mistake. Dragging a huge bag down a cobbled street from train station to hotel, or up a couple of flights of stairs in an older, elevator-less hotel or apartment building a time or two makes a believer out of these folks. Pack light. Trust me.
How?
The basics. My descriptions here are for me; I’ll do a separate post for the ladies (written by a lady) but this should give anyone a ballpark idea of what/how much to pack. [Some links are affiliate links.]
In general, simplify your toiletries as much as possible, as liquids take up space and add weight. Pack small bottles, and buy what you run out of. If you’re traveling to Europe, most of the things you can get here can be found there: deodorant, shampoo, toothpaste, contact solution, shaving cream, sunscreen (and, I assume, cosmetics).
Unless you’re headed somewhere arid, pack a small travel umbrella (I like the Kolumbo –compact, light, but very sturdy). If you forget it (or lose it), they’re widely available overseas, though often low-quality.
Use packing cubes like these from Eagle Creek to separate items and keep them compact, organized, and findable in your bag. [There are several varieties of these; the ones linked also compress to save space.] I use a packing folder for most of my shirts and some of my pants.
Clothes Pack things you can mix & match, and clothes you can re-wear. Lots of options for this: Icebreaker offers a line of merino wool shirts (among other things) that are perfect for travel: they can be worn multiple times, and easily washed in a hotel sink and hung dry overnight. I pack several Icebreaker shirts every time I travel. [Note: do not put these in the dryer—hang dry only. This isn’t an issue for their socks, but their shirts will shrink.]
Pants/shorts I usually (again, depending on destination) wear a pair of jeans and pack two more jeans/pants, a pair or two of hiking shorts, and a pair of athletic shorts.
Shirts/tops I typically pack 2-3 nicer polo-type shirts and 3-5 more casual shirts (usually one cotton t-shirt and then several Icebreaker shirts). I can make that work for the whole trip, or I can find a Laundromat or send essentials out to laundry as needed. [One big advantage to renting an apartment can be having a washer. You’ll usually have to hang stuff to dry, though. Some hotels may have on-site laundry or offer laundry service.]
Speaking of washing things: pack 3-4 pairs of synthetic underwear and 4-5 pairs of socks you can sink-wash and hang dry. Saves a lot more space than you might think. [My preferences are Patagonia synthetic underwear and shirts, and Icebreaker socks.]
I’ll do a separate post on doing laundry, but I take several little Woolite packets with me, and wash and dry as I go. This takes maybe 10 minutes 2-3 times a trip and saves me dragging around a bunch of dirty clothes.
Summer temps in Europe can vary a lot—check weather before you go, but pack a light jacket and maybe one long-sleeve shirt you can use to layer as needed. Again, my go-to here is a thin Icebreaker long-sleeve t-shirt. In winter, temps are generally colder there than I’m used to (I live in TX): I pack my heaviest non-ski coat, gloves, and a wool scarf and generally wear them every day.
Pack one change of clothes (underwear, socks, shirt, at least) in the bag that goes with you on the plane if you check a bag. Also, to the extent you can, keep meds with you on the plane, too. That way, if your checked bag ends up in a different country than you do, you’ve got a change of clothes to start your trip with and aren’t scrambling to replace prescriptions.
Shoes Pack. Comfortable. Shoes. And you need two (or three—no more) pairs of good, lightweight shoes—counting the ones you wear. I try to stick to wear one, pack one—and I generally take a pair of sneakers and a pair of leather Eccos that are weather-proof, slightly less casual than sneakers, and comfortable to walk in. No one’s looking at your shoes. Leave all the cute/cool ones at home, and pack for comfort.
One addition: I discovered this pair of travel slippers [the women’s are here] several years ago, and they always go in my carry on bag. This may sound odd, but I love them: they’re light, comfortable on the plane, and offer some protection from the nasty airplane bathroom floor. They’re also good for getting out of the shoes I’ve worn all day when I get back to the hotel or apartment.
Finally, I pack a day bag (separate from/smaller that my backpack) to carry around during the day like this one or this [pricier but theft-protected] one.
I’ll do a separate post on packing for the flight, but meds, electronics, change of clothes, and something to read are essentials.
Have your own packing tips? Share ‘em in the comments. And happy packing!
Need help with the planning? I’m a travel advisor specializing in Europe and European river cruises. Shoot me an e-mail, and I’ll help you make it happen.
