How to Pack For a Vacation in Europe
~ by Peter Minkoff ~
chief editor @ highstylife.com
Oh Europe… The enchanting old continent is every traveller’s dream and if you are lucky enough to get the chance to visit, then you must be the luckiest person alive. No matter if you have decided to visit the glorious City of Light, the exciting London, the charming Barcelona, Cote d’ Azure (or some less known part of the continent) you will have to plan your packing carefully.
The weather in Europe can be quite a trickster, and a certain lifestyle dictates the fashion style too. So, unless you want to look like a lost tourist, we’ll give you some tips that should help you get ready for the journey of a lifetime.
Travel Essentials Europe is great – getting there is not. Depending on your starting point, your flight can last 7 (e.g. New York to London) to 20 (e.g. Sydney to London) hours, which, you must agree, can be one very long ‘ride’. This is why you need to go carefully through your carry-on and always have some good entertaining solution.
Pack a good book (possibly even about the city you are travelling to), travel guidebook , a dictionary, headphones and great music list on your smartphone, some movies or TV shows (20 hours in the air is the perfect chance for binge-watching), etc. Other essential items to have with you are wet wipes, eye mask, lip balm, moisturizer and travel documents.
•Weather and Fashion Appropriate Clothes
Thinking about donning nothing but your swimsuit, pareo and a pair of sandals? Well, forget about that, especially if you are travelling to Germany or the United Kingdom. First, pack the things that you would never imagine you will need, like a pair of jeans, waterproof jackets for your outdoor adventures, sweatshirt and pants, cardigan, etc.
Then move on to your usual summer packing: lightweight mini and some summerly ladies maxi dresses, cotton t-shirts and tops, swimwear, evening clothes, blouses, maxi skirt, etc. Just avoid the ‘too-tourist’ picks like baseball cap with a matching t-shirt, flip-flops, loose shorts, and similar items that scream ‘comfort is my priority’. Sure, you should feel comfortable, but search for pieces as far away as possible from your pyjama design. Of course, you should pack several bras, socks and underwear.
•Accessories & Stuff
Make some room in your suitcase and buy some of the items when you arrive at your destination. We are, of course, not thinking about shoes that can be very expensive in some of the European cities, but about flip flops that you will be wearing to the beach, floppy summer hats, sunglasses, etc. You will still need to pack several pairs of shoes for a walking or rainy days. Make your European wardrobe more versatile by packing different accessories (striking jewellery, purses and clutches etc). Do not forget to pack some essential beach items (beach bag, towel, etc.).
•Hygiene, Skincare, Hair Care & Makeup
As for the hygiene, a good skin and hair care product, search for cheap travel size products in order to save some space in your suitcase. If you are staying in a hotel, you should know that most of them offer some basic products, such as a shampoo and a shower gel. Still, don’t expect to see a good moisturizer, conditioner, hair serum, sunscreen, or body butter among them. Keep your makeup at a minimum. Summer sun is not always pleasant to the face covered with layers of makeup. It will be enough to pack a toned moisturizer (or a light foundation), waterproof mascara, eye shadow (in earthy tones) and a blush.
This is a fail-proof Europe packing list that will ensure that your European vacation goes without any unpleasant surprises.
Thanks a lot for reading, have a great time and enjoy the old beautiful continent!
Thank you so much, Peter, for this great article!
Kudos all around the globe from Europe to Australia!
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I’ve always loved Europe and the first time I got to visit there was in 2012. I think I did well packing for my trip. But I did had to check the weather online and how was it there. But this post makes it a lot easier for people who are considering on a trip to europe soon.
I hope to get to visit there again soon.
packing is always quite the nightmare for me! especially if the trip is long like going all the way to europe…i always read these kind of how to pack posts to get an idea what i need and don’t really need to bring along. thanks.
Essentials, and they look like a lot of things to bring, but hey, you’re the expert. So if I do find myself going to Europe, whatever you say is what I should be doing. Do I get free consults?
I’ve been dozens of times but I still found some good tips. So thank you for this today! It’s a pleasure to meet you and your blog.
Thanks a lot Carol , I am as pleased to meet you ! I love your blog ,I am glad we met in this huge blogosphere !
Thanks a lot , Erika. Yes of course,it always depends on what you are planning to do on holiday . Thanks for coming over 🙂
These are great tips, especially since I’ve never been to Europe and it’s completely different than the United States. Hopefully, one day I can apply your tips to my Europian Vacation!
Great tips for packing to go anywhere. I always forget something though, which is why I write a checklist
I am so lazy with packing stuff , and then carrying it all . Most of the stuff I take on vacation goes back home without been worn 🙁 So often you can find cheap nice holiday items once you get to your destination . I remember me taking a whole case full of shoes 🙂 but no toothbrush or really needed things LOL . Once I packed for me better half maybe 15 shirts ( for 1 week tho ! ) and not a single pair of trousers ! That’s me , I should have done a list !