| This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. |
Curious about traveling light as you journey from city to city across Europe?
Believe it or not, when we travel to Europe, we each travel with only one carry-on suitcase and one backpack. That’s it!
It makes no difference how long the trip is. Our longest trip so far was 16 days, and we still avoided additional luggage.
Why should I leave the big suitcase at home?
Almost every time we travel to Europe, we try to visit multiple cities, and sometimes multiple countries. We don’t plan the types of trips where we stay in one hotel for two weeks and really settle in.
These mobile trips are so much easier when each person can easily carry their own belongings. I can remember many times when we were running to catch the next train, or squeezing into a metro already full of people – with large suitcases, it would have been impossible.
Declining to check luggage also significantly speeds up the customs process. When you are reentering the USA, if you check a bag, you have to wait for it, grab it, go through customs, and re-check it (if you have a connecting flight). Traveling with a carry-on prevents that time waste. Sometimes it can mean the difference between making your connecting flight or not!
Which backpack is best?
There are so many different styles, but what I think is most important is that it is sturdy. I’ve had two different trips where a backpack strap ripped off in the middle of the trip. It’s not always easy to quickly find a new backpack in a foreign city.
My son and I each have an Adidas backpack. I like it because it has many different pockets, compartments, and small zippered areas to stash items. The straps are also reinforced, which means I won’t have to deal with a broken strap in the middle of a trip again! (The striped backpack in the picture above was one of those mid-trip breakers!)
My daughter chose this travel backpack and it has SO many different compartments. She’s taken it on two trips so far and it has been very convenient and sturdy.
What goes in the backpack?
Most flights to Europe from the USA are overnight. Unless you’re splurging on lie-flat business class, this means sleeping sitting up in a chair. There are SO many ways to make this more comfortable. Here are some things that I pack.
1. Travel Pillow
The possibilities in travel pillows are practically endless. There are so many varieties. The one thing you know is you don’t want to take an overnight flight without one. The tiny pillows the airlines provide are not very helpful.
My son loves the J-pillow. It provides a lot of support when you’re leaning to one side.
I initially bought the J-pillow for myself, but didn’t love it, which is how my son ended up with it.
It’s very comfortable when you are leaning to the side, but sometimes I like to put my travel pillow under my chin and lean forward. It just depends how you sleep and what you’re looking for!
Because of this, I like to go with the classic U-shaped pillow. I recommend finding a pillow filled with memory foam for good support (the one linked is memory foam). I’ve used the type filled with beads before and they just don’t work for me.
2. Sleep mask
You never know if your seat neighbor on the plane will be watching flashy action movies all night while you’re trying to sleep. Packing a sleep mask ensures darkness. I like this one because it has a soft memory foam filling that is comfortable on your eyes. It also leaves space so you can blink easily. Combine it with your travel pillow and earbuds and you have a recipe for a few hours of sleep!
3. Earbuds
I typically bring two sets of earbuds. I travel with my wireless earbuds to use with my phone and I bring some of the old school type with a cord to use with the plane’s entertainment system. Most trans-Atlantic flights have seat-back entertainment available. The majority of the time, the flight attendants will give you a pair of earbuds to use, but sometimes there’s a fee or it takes a while for the flight attendants to pass them out. I prefer to bring my own just to make sure I have them.
4. Portable Battery Pack/Power Bank
There is nothing worse than a dead battery on your phone while traveling! Whether you’re using it for maps or Google Translate or just to text your friends, having a dead battery is so frustrating. We solved that problem a few years ago by always carrying a back up power bank. It gives me peace of mind to know that I won’t be frantically scavenging for a place to charge my phone.
5. Carbon monoxide detector
Not all apartments and hotels in Europe provide carbon monoxide detectors. Although it’s rare, people have died from carbon monoxide poisoning on vacation. I had a situation in Toulouse, France where the water heater in our apartment kept shutting down and it turned out it was a carbon monoxide issue. Ever since then, I’ve been sure to travel with a portable detector for my peace of mind. This can go in your backpack or suitcase, but I keep it in my gadgets pocket in my backpack.
6. Travel Plug Adapter
If you haven’t been to Europe yet, when you get there, you’ll notice that the outlets look a little different. Anything that you plug in in the USA will need an adapter to work in Europe. The first couple of times we traveled with our family, we only brought a couple of adapters and they were always in high demand (even led to a few conflicts!) Then I found these adapters and they are amazing. They have multiple plugs and room for USB cords. They made life much easier for us. I keep them in my backpack when traveling in case we need them during a layover in Europe.
Just a note – these work in most of Europe, but not in the UK and Ireland. Check these out if you’re traveling there.
7. Satellite HotSpot
International data plans can get expensive. To solve this problem, we travel with a GlocalMe satellite hotspot. Our entire family can connect to the same device. The GlocalMe app makes it easy to add more data when it’s needed.
Although most hotels and vacation apartments in Europe have WiFi, it can be unreliable or spotty. On our recent trip to Croatia, the first two apartments we stayed in had almost no WiFi signal. Our GlocalMe hotspot really saved the day for us.
8. Stainless Steel Water Bottle
If you carry an empty stainless steel water bottle in the side pocket of your backpack, you can fill it up at a water fountain in the airport after passing through security. It will also be convenient to have with you throughout your entire trip. This particular size works well since it’s not bulky and fits easily in the side pocket. The insulation in this bottle also ensures that you’re drinking cold water at any point in the day!
9. Toiletries and Cosmetics
When traveling by plane, I carry a toiletry bag similar to this one, filled with all non-liquid items like deodorant, eye shadow, make-up remover wipes, and my toothbrush.
Not all airports continue to require a separate liquids bag, but I prefer to pack my travel-sized liquids (contact solution, shampoo, conditioner, lotion) separately in the quart-sized Ziploc bag recommended by TSA.
Remember that anything you forget can easily be purchased at your destination!
10. Sunblock and gum
Europe is great at so many things, but I don’t love their sunblock (too greasy) or their gum (loses flavor)! I try to pack more than enough of both when I travel.
My favorite sunblock is Neutrogena Ultra-Sheer Dry Touch. It’s not greasy at all and works great! My skin burns so easily and this works for me.
11. Additional Items
The backpack is getting pretty full at this point, but there’s still room for a book or Kindle, your passport(!), some granola bars or other snacks, all cords and chargers, and your purse, if you carry one. Remember, if you carry a purse, you must be able to fit the purse inside of your backpack to board the plane with your backpack and carry-on suitcase.
You’re allowed one carry-on suitcase and one personal item (backpack). If needed, you can always attach your travel pillow to a strap on the outside of your backpack. Almost all travel pillows come with a snapping attachment.
Which suitcase is best?
There are so many that will work, but it’s important to make sure the dimensions are approved by most airlines. For a while, I had a carry-on that was an inch too big to fit into the airline’s box and it caused me anxiety every time! I’ve noticed that in Europe, many airlines are much stricter about measuring carry-on luggage, so make sure yours is compatible!
Here’s the suitcase I currently carry. I’ve taken it on multiple multi-country trips and it’s still going strong. I like that the color is a little different from the norm, so it’s always easy to find it in the overhead container or luggage storage on a train.
I recommend not buying a black suitcase. Find a color you like and go with it! It will make it so much easier to pick your suitcase out of a line up when needed!
What goes in the suitcase?
We almost always travel to Europe in the summer. It took me a while to find my ideal European “uniform”. I like to wear a lightweight skirt with biker shorts under it, a short-sleeved shirt, and comfortable walking sandals.
The biker shorts are essential to this ensemble. They make the entire outfit SO much more comfortable. It feels like I’m wearing shorts and a t-shirt, but I fit in a little better and look a little dressier since I’m wearing a skirt.
These biker shorts are my absolute favorite! They don’t ride up, they’re so soft, and they even have pockets! Wearing them under a skirt keeps your legs comfortable and dry. I highly recommend them to my friends!
If you don’t wear skirts, linen or khaki pants are a great choice. A button down shirt with a collar or a blouse makes it a little dressier, but still comfortable.
Consider your travel season and location
If you are traveling in winter, be sure to pack warm clothing, especially sweaters and long pants you can wear multiple times.
Check the typical weather at your destination. Packing for Finland in July will be very different from packing for Spain!
Laundry is the key!
Don’t be afraid to do in laundry in Europe – it’s so easy! If you rent a vacation apartment with a washer midway through your trip, you can easily do a few loads of laundry in the evenings and air dry them throughout the night and the next day. It’s unusual to find a dryer in an apartment in Europe, but many of them have washers.
If you stay in only hotels, you can often find a laundromat on a free afternoon. Many hotels offer laundry services, but they can get expensive.
Suitcase packing list (warm weather):
- 5 pairs of underwear
- 5 pairs of socks
- 5 bras
- 5 daytime shirts
- 3-4 skirts
- 3 pairs of comfortable biker shorts
- swimsuit
- pajamas
- 2 pairs of shorts
- one pair of long pants (pack more if you don’t wear skirts/dresses)
- laundry bag
- flip flops
- sandals
- tennis shoes
- travel umbrella
What I don’t pack:
- towels – even for the beach – they take up too much room and you can purchase them in Europe (some apartments also supply them for you).
- laundry detergent – most holiday apartments provide it and if not, you can easily buy it.
- a different outfit for every day of the trip – laundry is the key!
Final thoughts
We’ve taken multi-week trips many times with only a backpack and carry-on. I love traveling this way and recommend it to everyone. We avoid lost bags, we avoid waiting for our checked luggage after a flight, we avoid customs delays, and it keeps us light and nimble on public transportation.
Give it a try and let me know what you think!
I love your ideas. My question is how do you buy souvenirs? Where do you pack them?
Thanks.
Thank you! Great question. I typically buy smaller souvenirs like earrings or an ornament for our Christmas tree. If you like to buy larger items, you could bring along a foldable bag, use that as your carry-on on the way home and check the suitcase for the way back.