As we live in the UK, Europe is the cheapest and most accessible place to travel. A few weeks ago we went on a trip to Prague which was absolutely beautiful (see our blog post for more info – coming soon). But the items in this packing list is pretty much uniform with any other European city trip, if it’s going to be colder just wear more layers!
Obviously, the weather can change from dry and sunny to gloomy and wet in a matter of minutes, so it’s best to be prepared for all eventualities. Here’s what David and I packed (and actually used) on this trip.
- Important documents
This includes Boarding passes, passport, travel insurance, accommodation confirmation, transport maps. In the airport I kept these all in a cute little travel wallet, but when we were out exploring the city we put our passports and money in a security belt pouch – like many cities, Prague has a lot of pickpockets.
- Waterproof jacket
And not just a pakamac I mean one that’s actually going to keep you dry when it properly rains. I made this mistake and only bought an umbrella which a) was impractical for navigating the streets and b) offers you a lot less protection. It’s not a fashion show, I’d rather look a bit silly but be dry than look like a drowned rat because I didn’t think it would rain that much.
- Jacket
I bought a denim one, David bought a puffer – your choice but I would recommend it as an extra layer.
- Hoodie
As you may have noticed, European city breaks are all about layering up to keep up with the weather. A hoodie is a great thing to wear on the plane as they are super comfy and are equally as good to just tie round your waist or stuff in your bag for the cooler evenings.
- 3 tops (T-shirt, shirt etc.)
We kept it casual and bought 2 T-shirts each and one ‘fancier’ top. We weren’t going to be going anywhere posh so we just bought tops that could be folded up small and wouldn’t crease.
- Underwear
No, you don’t need 7 pairs of knickers for a three-day trip and no, you’re not going to wet yourself twice a day. Just bring the bare minimum and maybe a spare pair of socks and you’ll be all set.
- Trousers
We just bought a pair of jeans each that we could wear with whatever. However, if it is looking to be very wet when you’re out there I would recommend some quicker-drying trousers.
- Comfortable shoes
I can’t stress this enough, BRING PROPER WALKING SHOES. I know it sounds like overkill but believe me, you’re going to want all the support you can get when you’re walking on cobblestones all day. I wore Vans and by the end of the second day my feet were super sore. David wore much sturdier shoes and he said that even he was beginning to feel a little raw by the time we were on the bus to the airport.
- Shampoo and conditioner
As we only had carry-ons, we used the 100ml storage pots you can get for really cheap and had our own shampoo and conditioner. Honestly, it was a lot more than we needed and we could have shared, so bear this in mind.
- Toothpaste
We did share a 100ml toothpaste but we could have gotten away with a much smaller one.
- Toothbrush with cover
It is a good idea to invest in one of those toothbrush holders because it’s a lot more hygienic than leaving it either in your washbag or on the side of the basin uncovered.
- Deodorant
As an avid aerosol deodorant user but not wanting to spend stupid money on a tiny can that barely lasts one day, I opted for a roll-on version. This was under the 100ml and actually worked surprisingly well. Alternatively, you could just buy an aerosol when you’re out there.
- (Microfibre) towel
Something else I forgot… but fortunately David didn’t. Our Airbnb didn’t provide any towels so it was lucky we had one between us (although using half each was easier said than done). A microfibre towel is a great piece of kit to have – they’re cheap, pack up tiny and actually dry you!
- Hairbrush
Bring the smallest hairbrush you can get away with which, or even better bring a comb.
- Hair accessories
I use hairbands and grips to put my hair up (baby hair…), so I bought a spare band and a few spare grips.
- Medication
We had our own personal medication in our bags, as well as some painkillers and plasters – a very mini first-aid kit.
- Money
I would strongly recommend you getting some Cheque Crowns because, even though a lot of places do take Euros, it is a really bad exchange rate. It is a similar story with cards, our international travel card wouldn’t work for some reason and we just had a whole faff with them and found using physical money so much easier.
- Debit card
As with my last point, don’t rely solely on cards. Generally, cash machines work fine but the card readers in restaurants etc. wouldn’t work with them.
- Travel plug
David has an extension lead which was really helpful because you could power multiple things from one socket – especially as power outlets are sometimes in the most awkward of places. I definitely recommend getting one of these.
- Student ID
If you are a student at university (or have an old card like me), make sure you take it. So many places offer great discounts for students, so it’s always worth enquiring even if it isn’t advertised.
- Food clips
We didn’t actually bring these with us but we really wish we did. Being in an Airbnb meant we could cook our own meals and make packed lunches, so food clips would have been super useful for things like a big bag of crisps or a pack of biscuits. We will definitely remember to pack them next time!
- Earphones
- Phone
- Phone charger
- Driving licence
- EHIC
- Sunglasses
- Book – I guessed the rest of this was pretty self-explanatory.
So this is our packing list but I’d love to hear recommendations of what you would (or wouldn’t) pack!
Happy travelling!
Zoe and David x
Written by Zoe
Not-So-Trendy Travellers 