The prettiest store front in Rome
When Sam and I were planning our trip to Europe last year, we decided to only bring carry on bags. Sam fit everything in a large backpack and I brought this rolling carry on, which Sam carried over cobble stone streets 90% of the time. If you plan to fly any budget airlines in Europe, you can only take a carry on bag, which is another reason why we did this. You should also make sure to check that your bag measurements work for the different European airlines. We were so glad that we chose to pack light. I’ve been asked a few times how we did it, so here is a packing list.
EUROPE PACKING LIST
2 jackets – one active/workout and one for sightseeing
1 pair of comfortable leggings (I wore these on all travel days- planes, trains & everything in between)
2 comfortable lightweight dresses (good for hot weather and can be packed very tightly)
1 pair of pants (I took these navy blue pixie pants from Old Navy because they are stretchy and not too hot)
1 embellished top (for when you want to class things up a bit)
1 cardigan sweater (lightweight)
1 short sleeve top
2 comfortable t-shirts
1 swimsuit (this is HARD for me as I love to have options, but seriously worth saving the room)
1 pair of athletic shoes
1 pair of walking shoes (I will swear by these Keds until the day I die because they were so comfortable!)
1 pair of flats
7 pairs of underwear (we bought laundry detergent and washed them halfway through our trip in our sink in our tiny room in Florence, Italy)
2 normal bras (cuz let’s be real, you’re gonna get sweaty)
1 sports bra
10 pairs of socks (I packed a lot of super thin ankle socks to wear with my walking shoes and was so glad I had them so my shoes didn’t smell and I didn’t get blisters)
1 money bag (this is a small pouch you wear around your neck and keep credit cards and cash in. After seeing a girl get her purse stolen in our first couple of days, we were so glad we used this)
1 small over the shoulder purse with some kind of locking clasp (I found my small bag (similar here) at Forever 21 and it was perfect. A great bag makes all the difference)
3 CARRY ON PACKING LAWS:
1. Pack in like colors. I picked cream, blue and gray as my main colors so that I could mix and match all of my pieces. This really helped and I would highly recommend doing it.
2. Don’t pack any jewelry. I had one pair of earrings in the entire time and I was so glad I didn’t bring my wedding ring or anything else that could have been misplaced.
3. Less is more. If you leave a little space in your bag, you can buy clothing on your trip, which is the best part!
If you can’t fit everything in your bag, just sneak the extras into your husband’s backpack and he won’t notice until you’re already in Europe!
Hope this helps if you’re planning a trip!
