What to pack: Europe


If you follow me on Instagram, you may know that this past fall I embarked on a kick-ass journey through Europe—Spain, France, and Italy, to be specific. Originally, the reason for this trip was to hike a part of the Spanish pilgrimage, El Camino de Santiago. This is a hike my parents have been talking about doing for many years now and we finally decided as a family that we should grab the bull by the horns and make the trek.

Ryan and I decided to tack on some extra days to explore Paris and parts of Italy. This meant that in addition to packing for a backpacking and camping trip, we also needed to pack for some of Europe’s most fashionable cities. A welcome challenge if you ask me.

Our trip started in September and ended in October. We had a pretty intense range of weather, from temperatures that rivaled those of Hawaii in Rome to one particularly frigid and blustery Parisian day. The key to packing for fall in Europe is layers, layers, layers.

Here’s what I packed:

  • A secure, easy to carry purse or backpack. I brought a small black Longchamp backpack.
  • A transitional jacket. I brought a faux leather jacket that was big enough that I could fit a thick sweater underneath on cold days.
  • Two pairs of jeans. I brought a straight-legged dark pair and a pair of loose-fitting boyfriend jeans.
  • One other pair of pants. I brought a black and white striped pair.
  • A few blouses.
  • A plain white tee and a couple of spaghetti strap tops to layer over.
  • A black turtleneck.
  • One warm sweater.
  • Two or three dresses in a variety of prints and lengths.
  • PJs.
  • Bras, undies, and socks.
  • Comfortable booties that pair well with jeans and dresses alike.
  • Flats.
  • Sneakers.
  • Accessories galore. Accessories are key when traveling because they can make an ensemble look totally different from one day to the next. I brought two bandanas, a straw hat, earrings, three necklaces, a couple of bracelets, and a watch.
  • A phrasebook, iPad, book to read on the plane, camera, headphones, chargers, airplane snacks, etc.

To anyone heading to Europe anytime soon, I am eternally envious and I hope you have a brilliant time. And hopefully my little list will be of some help to you!

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