Everything you’ll need for one month backpacking across Europe.

Packing for this backpacking trip was an entire project in and of itself, but it was worth every second. Having a well-packed backpack with everything I needed kept me sane, safe, and content on my whirlwind trip around Europe. I’ve written a thorough breakdown of every single thing I brought, and whether it was worth it! Some items on this list are specifically applicable to my shoulder season trip, but I think you’ll find that most items on this list could be useful on any backpacking trip – regardless of destination, duration or season!

Bags

During this trip, I only spent 3 days at the very most in any single location so it was essential that I pack light, and I decided to backpack instead of packing in traditional suitcases. Backpacking gave me so much flexibility and allowed me to see things that otherwise wouldn’t have been possible. For example, one day I was planning to take a train from Salzburg, Austria to Zurich, Switzerland. As I was looking at the route the night before, I realized that if I was quick, I could stop in Munich, Germany for about three hours and still be able to catch the last train to Zurich. Such a quick stop would have been terribly overwhelming to me with several suitcases but only having a single backpack and a purse made it a breeze. It’s not an exaggeration to say that the decision to backpack allowed me to spend time in an entirely extra country spontaneously!

Backpacking also proved to be the best option for me because many of the places I stayed were not luggage-friendly. For example, my Airbnb in Rome was on the sixth floor of a 15th century building with a steep spiral staircase that was less than 4 feet wide most of the way up. For someone with debilitating claustrophobia like myself, it was already something of an ordeal every time I came or went. Adding a suitcase to the experience would simply not have worked out for me. Another one of my Airbnbs was in the stunning Italian village of Corniglia, Italy. To get to the town from the train station, you either had to wait for an extremely jam-packed and sweaty bus with limited hours of operation and a total of 12 seats or you could climb 382 stairs. The stairs were actually lovely, dotted with flowering gardens and lookouts to the Ligurian sea, but they would easily have become a nightmare to navigate with suitcases. And none of this is to mention cobblestones! I observed my fair share of fellow tourists wrestling with their roller luggage on cobblestones and it looked unbearable.

Backpacking is the way to go for a fast-paced trip like this, but you MUST have a backpack specifically designed with extended backpacking in mind. I thought I packed pretty light for a month’s journey, but even with light packing and the special design of my backpack, that thing took a toll on my body. I can’t stress these two things enough; PACK LIGHT (Seriously, pack light, weigh your bag, and then cut the weight in your bag by half. You’ll be grateful) and invest in a GOOD pack. I tested several out and decided on the Osprey Fairview Trek 50. I loved the weight distribution, the fact that it is cut/tear resistant, and that it is specifically designed for women. I underestimated how much that would matter until I tried on my husband’s backpack (the Osprey Kestrel, which he absolutely loved) and even at the same weight, my bag felt SO much better on my body because it was designed for women and distributed the weight better for me. Make sure to get your measurements right and get the correct bag for you.

My purse is another one of the best purchases I made for this trip. I chose an all black, anti-theft crossbody purse. I’ll be honest, it’s not the cutest bag on the market, but the peace of mind, organization and storage it offered made it totally worth it! Even though it’s not specifically cute, it’s certainly not ugly! It was just the right size for everything I could possibly need for a day out. Every opening has a zipper with a clip that makes it really hard for pickpockets to ruin your day. (Or your trip if they nab your passport!) That being said, the clips are designed to be easy for the user to maneuver so everything I needed was easily accessible, and the structure of the bag and pockets made it extremely easy for me to stay organized. 

Clothing and Accessories

Let’s talk practicality first. I traveled from April to May, starting in the chill of the spring Alps, and ending on a summer Mediterranean beach, so there was a significant shift in the climate and weather throughout my trip. As you might guess, the key to packing for variable climates is layers! Every single day of my trip I had a tank top or short sleeved shirt as my base layer, and depending on how cold the day was, I would add a sweater, jacket, rain coat, or combination of the three. I had two pairs of pants. The pair I wore the most were a black, wide-legged casual slack. (Here’s a cute pair similar to what I wore!)I LOVED having these pants because they were thick enough to be warm on cool days but because they were wide-legged, they didn’t feel excessively hot on the warmest days. They helped me look put together without sacrificing comfort. I had jeans that I wore on the coldest days. (This pair looks almost exactly like the ones I packed and were super versatile.) I packed a pair of shorts but only wore them once the entire trip and that was on a boat tour of the island of Capri. (Love this option). Almost every single item of clothing I packed was black, white, or gray so that I could switch up my outfits without having to pack a lot of options. I added the most color and pattern to my base layer tank top or blouse because everything else was neutral. If you travel during a shoulder season like I did, don’t let the unpredictability of the weather stop you, just coordinate your layers so that you can mix and match almost everything you brought! (Here’s one of my favorite colorful tanks that I took with me).

This might not seem like a lot of clothing for an entire month of travel, and it really isn’t! When planning my trip, I made sure that every 2-3 accommodations had a washer so that I could wash my clothes. It was always a bonus if they also had a dryer, but there were plenty of times that I hang-dried my clothes.

Now for shoes. CHOOSE. WISELY. I have high maintenance ankles and lower back issues so I went with the Chuck Taylor All Star Move Platform sneaker. These newer, platform sneaks have cloud-like cushion, and the high top lace provided the little bit of ankle support I knew I’d need. I chose all-white sneakers because they were the most versatile with my outfits. I had a small amount of apprehension about the color not holding up, but I was pleasantly surprised by how easy they were to wash on the go. I wandered dusty streets in Bavaria, explored red clay roads in Tuscany and hiked the spring Alps in those shoes and between my Tide pen and a few good rinses, I kept them looking pretty good the whole trip. Even months later, I still get asked if my shoes are new!

I also brought some lightweight black Nike running shoes but ended up sending them home because I did so much better in my platform Converse. I also had a pair of nude slides that I only wore for short amounts of time like walking to a dinner reservation near our airbnb in Rome, or enjoying the beach in France. 

One rule I always follow is to never leave home without a bikini! You never know when you might have an opportunity to take a dip. My opportunity arose on the isle of Capri in Italy where I was surrounded by the most stunning turquoise water I’ve ever laid eyes on. It would be impossible not to jump in, regardless of the freezing cold water of the Tyrrhenian Sea.

The absolute most important clothing item I took on my backpacking trip to Europe was my rain jacket. The one I took is a few years old from North Face that they don’t make anymore, but here is a similar style. (I really appreciate the cinch waist which helps the jacket look flattering and chic.) I was lucky enough to only experience a few rainy days throughout my 28 day trip, but I used this jacket almost every day for the first two weeks, and several more times throughout the rest of my trip. When I did experience rain, I was grateful for the hood and waterproof material of my jacket. An umbrella was impractical for my situation and I was grateful to not be dealing with one as I navigated public transportation, and hiked, and encountered various other contexts that would have been difficult to maneuver with a wet umbrella. This jacket also served as a windbreaker and could fit several layers underneath when I was cold. It was versatile, fashionable, and easy to roll up and fit in my purse when I didn’t have my whole pack with me. Second only to comfortable shoes, investing in a high quality rain jacket should be the highest priority to invest in for your backpacking wardrobe.

Accessories

Because of the nature of this trip, I didn’t pack or wear anything particularly fancy. Most of the time, going on a gritty hike to see a specific site or literally running to catch a train to squeeze in an extra city won out over getting the Instagram perfect moments, and my wardrobe reflected that priority. (Not going to lie though, I still ended up with some really fun photos!) And even though the practicality of my outfits was my number one priority, I was not willing to completely sacrifice fashion! I wanted a whirlwind, gypsy-style trip, without looking as vagabond as I felt. To pull this off, I did three things every single day; 1. I did my hair (not always fancy, sometimes it was just a simple bun, but it was always done!) 2. I wore lipstick. 3. I wore jewelry. I brought two cheap but nice looking gold colored necklaces that were fashionable but wouldn’t devastate me if they were lost or stolen. (Here are a few cute, inexpensive options that can be layered to resemble what I wore.) The entire trip I wore small gold hoops that clasped within themselves so that they wouldn’t poke or bother me and gold butterflies in my second piercing with flat backs for the same reason. I never had to take them out or worry about them but I also always had an accessory on. I kept a dark tortoise patterned band on my Apple watch. These small touches helped tie my whole look together and gave any outfit I chose a sense of intention.

Even though I love a good skincare routine, I ditched as much as I could when it came to toiletries and tried to keep things really simple. I knew the liquids would drastically increase the weight of my bag so I kept those as simple as I could. My liquids included travel sized conditioner, toothpaste, contact solution and heat protectant. I ran out of all of these things and had to buy more in Europe, but they were easy to find and weren’t overly expensive. All of the Airbnb’s and hotelsI stayed at provided shampoo and body wash. I brought extra pairs of contact lenses, a pack of makeup wipes, a travel sized deodorant, concealer, bronzer, mascara and eyeliner, a hair brush, hair elastics and a hair straightener.

Electronics

Bringing a portable phone charger was a no-brainer, but I was really glad I chose this cordless option. It made charging my phone on the go way less of a hassle, and it was easy to still hold and use my phone while it was charging. Speaking of charging, this outlet converter is non-negotiable. Power outlets vary between countries and this one has all of the major plug adaptors! I used the same plug type throughout my entire trip up until one of my flights home got canceled. In the ensuing chaos, I ended up having to unexpectedly fly to London and spend the night. And to my surprise, the power outlets in England were different from the rest of the countries I visited! I was so grateful that I had my converter with all of its options and that I had what I needed on hand. Even though it took up more space in my bag than a smaller converter, I loved the number of outlets on this one and that I was able to charge my phone, watch, and portable charger, while also using my hair straightener! I also appreciated the long extension of the cord on several occasions.

Miscellaneous

Clothing made up the bulk of my packing list, but there were a few other random essentials that were worth their weight in the pack. (Which is saying a lot because carrying all of your belongings in one backpack for a month adds up quickly and gets HEAVY.) I was extremely grateful to have packed a lot of granola bars. There were a few times (especially at the beginning of the trip) where I was absolutely overwhelmed and the thought of finding food in that moment was daunting. Being able to snack on a protein rich granola bar to tide me over was extremely helpful. I was also glad that I had a few Liquid IV packets on me because I found myself dehydrated a few times towards the beginning of my trip – mostly because I was wanting ice in my water and couldn’t find any. (It’s uncommon to drink beverages with ice in most countries in Europe!) Drinking a tepid Liquid IV isn’t the greatest thing ever, but it beats the hell out of the effects of dehydration and proved to be a wonderful quick fix for me on a few occasions throughout the trip. I went through a lot of Tylenol (including Tylenol PM) to deal with jetlag, a lot of Ibuprofen (because MAN that much walking did a number on my knees), and a lot of GasX because anxiety (duh) and also a larger change in my daily diet than I was anticipating. It might seem TMI but I just wouldn’t feel good about giving you this list without the good ol GasX!

Packing and repacking

Like I mentioned before, my itinerary was a whirlwind, with all of my stops being short and full to the brim with activities, adventures, and breath-taking sites. Because I was on the go constantly, I found it imperative to keep my pack tidy, organized and clean. This meant frequently repacking my backpack. I kept items that I didn’t expect to use in the near future at the bottom of my pack, and placed items I might need throughout the day at the top. As tired as I always was at the end of the day, it quickly became a routine to straighten up my bag before going to sleep which made a tremendous difference in my stress level the following day. I also ended up having a designated spot or pocket for each thing in my purse. This kept my bag uncluttered, and made it easy to grab things that I needed on the go. Whether it was grabbing my phone for a quick picture, or my passport for border crossings, or my wallet for purchases, I always knew exactly where each item would be which saved me a lot of time. It also saved me a lot of frustration! As incredible as international travel is, it comes with its share of stressors, hiccups and aggravations. Anything you can do to reduce those things with your packing will go a long way, even if it’s just always keeping your wallet in the same pocket of your purse!

After planning, preparing and saving up for your backpacking trip, the biggest favor you can do for yourself is packing well and packing light. Try packing your bag a week before leaving on your trip to make sure you’ve got everything you need, and so that you can take it for a test run around your neighborhood or around your house. Afterall, don’t want to let your packing or your bags stop you from experiencing a single moment of your incredible trip! Is there anything you packed on your backpacking trip that I didn’t include in my list? Comment below with your must-haves for backpacking Europe! Have questions? Send me an email at kaylaroams@gmail.com. I’d love to chat! Best of luck in your packing!

XOXO,

Kayla

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