What to Pack on a 2-Month Backpacking Trip Across Europe: A Complete Packing Guide
What to Pack on a 2-Month Backpacking Trip Across Europe: A Complete Packing List
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When I first started planning my backpacking trip across Europe, I had a basic idea of what I would pack, and other items that I didn’t think of at first that I am glad I brought with me. You might be in the same boat, and I hope you will find this resource useful in planning your trip. A lot of blogs will probably also tell you that you really don’t need to pack for 2 months. What I mean by that is, you can pack for about a week/ a week and a half and do a lot of laundry and replenish along the way. So, this guide should work for you whether you are planning a extensive trip or a shorter trip. You could probably get away with a lot less than the things on this list if it is less than a week and a half (or more, it really depends on what you personally need for your trip!). There were some things I ended up not finding necessary (which I will note below), and some things I got along the way. I went to really hot locations in Italy, and rainy places like London, and colder places like Iceland! There was a lot of diversity in the places I ended up going to, and I did not want to pack a lot. I knew I wanted a backpack (and not a huge one-since I didn’t want it to be super heavy or to stand out), and I knew I wanted to be able to have everything I needed for my trip in it. I also wanted to be able to take it on most flights as a carry-on. There were a lot of factors to consider—location, weather, essentials, non-essentials. Finding tips from various sources and individualizing it to fit my specific needs was helpful to me, and the list below is everything I ended up packing—from England to Italy to Iceland and more! I have included hyperlinks to some the products that I purchased (most of them I purchased from Amazon prior to the trip). I hope you can get some helpful tips out of this list for your own trip!
Backpack- Osprey Packs Fairview 40 Women’s Travel Backpack
You will need something to put all your items in, and you may already have a backpack that’s perfect for your trip. I wouldn’t go out and purchase something if you already have something that would work. Do you want a backpack? A suitcase? I chose a backpack because I wanted the literal “backpacking” experience (lol), not only that, but it was really easy and nice to have my hands free for my long treks. The backpack I chose after doing some research was the Osprey Packs Fairview 40 Women’s Travel Backpack. I liked that there was a lot of room, lightweight, the zippers had lockable sliders, and it was really comfortable for the days I was walking 12+ miles.
Day Bag- Travelon Anti-Theft Crossbody
A lot of vlogs recommended a cross-body strap bag to walk around with. A Day Bag is nice because you can leave your big backpack in a locker (if your accommodation provides this—you can double-check), and take your Day Bag with you as you explore the city—or wherever you are! I would not carry a lot of important items in this- like all of your cards, cash, IDs, etc. If you carry money in the Day Bag when you are shopping for food or train tickets or something, I would not have a whole lot of cash or money in there–just in case it is stolen or you lose it. Also, I would not keep all of your important items in one place. There are people who target tourists to steal from and pick-pocket, and even if you blend in well, you can still be targeted. The bag I chose had extra protection, and that’s the main reason I chose it, you can read more about it by clicking here.
Passport/Cash Holder
I’m really glad I brought this with me. I bought one from Walmart, which worked for my trip. I got one that had a strap, and I could wear it under my clothes cross-boy or around my neck, depending on what I was wearing. Then, I tucked it in near my hips. It’s good to not pull this out in front of anyone, especially when buying things. This is for your most important items, so if someone steals your Day Bag, you still have your passport and the rest of your money, if you keep it there too. It gave me an extra layer of comfort and protection knowing the most important items were close to me!
2. Essentials- Phone, passports, maps to accommodations, extra plane tickets
1 clear folder w/ important documents
Phone- I brought my iPhone and used it for pictures, off-line maps, off-line translators, and other apps. I chose to not get a SIM card and used my phone when connected to WiFi, unless I needed to use my data for information or to call someone. In that case, when I had no WiFi I activated Verizon’s Travel Plan (I only used this 3 times in the 2 months that I was traveling–I used mostly wifi instead). This is up to you, I would check with your phone plan and information regarding SIM cards if that is something you are interested in.
Don’t forget your passport! I would put it in the passport compartment as noted above. Keep your emergency contacts and important numbers at the places you visit handy (you may also want to jot down the number of the accommodations reception). Put them in your phone and write them down so you don’t lose it (if your phone dies, gets lost, if you lose your paper copy, etc.). Also, you may want to have a physical copy of reservations for your bookings, maps, transportation, directions, travel insurance (if you end up getting that), and any other important documents. Know how you are going to each location and leaving each location (and have copies of this somewhere). I would also keep in mind that it is possible that your things may get stolen, so keep that in mind when storing your items. Keep them locked in your bag, in a compartment secure under your clothes, etc. Please use your best judgment—this part is up to you. I had a clear folder with paper copies of important documents especially for the first portion of my trip and kept my passport in my Passport Holder (see above).
3. Clothes: Pick items that are easy, have multiple uses, light, and LAYER!
Bring clothes that have multiple uses, that you can layer, and wear in different occasions and weathers. I chose simple colors for the most part, for ease of wearing them in multiple ways, and also to not stand out. For example, I brought simple plain shirts in monochromatic colors that I could dress down or up, that was comfortable to walk around in, and also worked to keep me warm if I needed to use it as an undershirt for my sweatshirts. I also brought one dressy long-sleeve blouse because I love it and wanted to have memories in them. You might also want to keep in mind how you can mix and match your clothes for pictures—if that is something you want from your trip! Mix and match with your pants, shirts, so you don’t need to bring any more than the basics too. Pick clothes that you are comfortable in- you never know if you’ll get lost and need to walk more miles than bargained for, or if it will start raining out of nowhere. Also, like many blogs will also mention, you really don’t need to bring a whole lot. Just enough for maybe a week to a week and a half worth of clothing. You will end up doing lots of laundry, which is great since you’ll have clean clothes and you’ll have less weight on you!
Packing Cubes– these help to keep your clothes nice and organized. I only brought 2-3 of them and that was all I needed.
Socks- I took about 6 pairs, you could probably get away with less. Just do lots of laundry!
Undergarments- For Women- I took 1 sports bra, 1 regular bra. Several undies. Etc!
Swimsuit- 1 Swimsuit.
Tops- 1 black T-shirt, 1 white T-shirt, 1 long sleeve under armor top, 1 long sleeve fleece black turtle neck, 1 blouse (I took a pumpkin-colored one), 1 lightweight sweatshirt for sleeping/when I got cold
Jacket- 1 lightweight waterproof jacket
Bottoms- 1 pair of shorts, 1 pair of sweatpants, 1 pair of jeans, 1 black legging pants, 1 loose flowy pants (great for hot days)
Top & Bottom- one jumpsuit- made it easy to have an extra outfit
Shoes- 1 strappy comfy sandals that I could walk for miles in, 1 comfy ultra-lightweight slippers for showers (this was a must for me! public showers can harvest a lot of nasty things especially on the floor), 1 comfy pair of walking shoes (I would take a pair that you’re used to walking in & are broken in). I took the adidas R2 shoes and I loved them, especially on sunny days! One thing I would add that I did not bring is waterproof shoes (or walking shoes that are waterproof for the expected/unexpected rain).
4. Accessories
I brought no jewelry because I didn’t want to lose anything and I thought I’d be okay without it. (This is something I did get as souvenirs which you will see below, during my trip). Hair ties, bobby pins, and headbands brought my life a little easier, especially on the walking days!
Hair Ties- about 5
Bobby Pins- about 10 / a little more
Headbands- 2 (I ended up wearing these a lot—it was an easy way to keep my hair out of my face and dress things up a little)
5. Electronics: Adaptors, Chargers, backup-charger, USB cord, a backup for your backup, portable charger, laptop
A backup for your backup, for your backup. Especially towards the beginning of my trip, I ran my phone battery down a lot using offline-maps, researching, and taking lots of pictures. You will probably want to bring a portable phone charger as a backup (fully-charged, and bring a USB cable to charge this & your phone just in case you run out of battery or get low on your portable charger too—this happened to me a few times). I also used my laptop to charge my phone and backup charger when it all got low—you’d be surprised how easily these things can drain when you are not used to it! Basically, always be charging whenever you can, and plan your routes so you never run out of battery. You never know if you’ll get lost, need to call someone, etc.
Earplugs- about 4- helpful for hostels and accommodations 🙂
Universal Adaptor- Needed! Check to make sure the one you have/get covers the countries you’re going to.
USB Portable Battery Charger- used this a whole lot!
Laptop Charger- If you are bringing a laptop.
Earphones- I brought the one that plugged into the newer iPhone—the lightening type. (I recommend bringing the kind w/ normal headphone jack, or at least a Lightning to 3.5mm Headphone Jack Adaptor if you don’t bring a traditional earphone- for flights, trains, etc!)
Phone Charger- (w/ adapter end)
USB cord- I only brought one, and it was crapping out on me by the end of my trip. It probably would be easy to buy a new one (depending on where you are, but I didn’t want to buy another one towards the end of my trip. So, you may want to bring two—just in case it bogs down, or you lose one and can’t buy one anywhere close for a time. It’s up to you :).
Laptop- You may not find this necessary, but I used it to research for my trip during my trip, watched a movie or two, worked on my blog, etc. It does add some weight, so it is up to you. Looking back though, it is nice that I had this as a backup to my phone as well.
6. Toiletries: Travel Containers, Shampoo, Towels, Makeup, etc.
This section really depends on what you already use in your day-to-day life. What can you go without? What would you be more comfortable having with you? For me, I wanted to bring things to make me feel clean (of course lol), a few makeup items, and things that were familiar to me—which was nice, especially traveling around to have a little piece of “home” or at least something that reminds you of home with you. And, this is also another section you can easily stock up on (unless you are somewhere not close to stores, which did happen to me a few times, but you just need to stock up before that portion of your trip :)). So, don’t worry about bringing everything. On another note, having some nice travel compartments for your items might make things easier for you. I really enjoyed the organizers I got for my trip, and have used them for other trips since then!
Hanging travel makeup bag- 1. This made it easy to store my toiletries. Sometimes I would put the clear bag in the larger compartment, then makeup, makeup brushes, etc. in another. It was nice and portable, especially when bathrooms were farther away in some of the accommodations.
Clear Travel Bag For Toiletries- 1. The one I bought worked great-it came with the packing cubes I got which was a plus. There was only one airport I needed to pull the items out and put it in a literal ziplock bag and threw out a couple of things, but other than that, it was leakproof and all good to go.
Silicon Travel Tubes- 4 tubes for shampoo, conditioner, body soap, face wash. I loved these little tubes. I loved their colors, and they did what they were meant to do. Towards the end of my trip, I got full-sized items when I knew I wouldn’t have a flight for a few days to save on money (since some travel-sized items were almost as much as the full-sized ones).
Small Quick Dry Towel- 1. Quick-dry towels are great for these types of trips. They are generally very light, compact, and dry super fast so you can head out the door the next morning, without having to wait for your towel or letting it get your other clothes wet. I ended up using the small one on pillowcases at my accommodations (40×20 in link). It made me feel better lol.
Large Quick Dry Towel- 1. I ended up getting a different one in York since the one I had got ruined from a bird while hanging outside. (The one I had initially was a cute peach color and worked great until then though! For the large size, I initially got the XL 78×35-same link as small towel above). I got a good deal on my replacement towel at a sports store, and found a nice quick-dry towel pretty easily—worked great as well. Now, I use this towel when I go for swims, adventures, travel, etc.
Hanging Loofa- 1.
Laundry Mesh Bag for fragile items- 1. I just brought a little one from home, so my bras wouldn’t get ruined in other laundry machines.
First Aid Kit- w/ alcohol and bandaids, medications (if you are on them). Another thing to consider is there might not be medicines you are used to in the places you are visiting or stores to get them depending on where you are going.
Toothbrush/ mini toothpaste- 1. Restock toothpaste as you go.
Q-tips- about a handful or two.
Deodorant- 1.
Tissues- 2 little packs. I ended up using these towards the beginning of my trip and didn’t really need them the second half.
Hand Sanitizer- 1 little one. I didn’t really end up needing this either. I used soap & water instead.
Hair/Makeup:
Large Makeup Brush- 1.
Small Makeup Brush for eyes- 1.
Heatless Hair Curler- I brought this with me but got rid of it pretty fast, since I don’t think I used it right the first time, and I just ended up putting my hair in a bun, braiding it or letting it air dry to style it. I don’t think this was necessary.
Hair Brush- 1. Yes. Especially having longer hair, and sometimes not having conditioner. I used the Wet Brush.
Makeup Remover- 1 pack.
Nail Polish- 1. I brought 1 pastel pink shade. I actually ended up using it a few times.
Compact Face Powder- 1.
Liquid Foundation- 1. I ended up throwing this out a few weeks into my trip at the airport. I just used concealer for days I wanted more coverage. But a lot of times, especially while trekking, no makeup feels the best anyway.
Eyeshadow Palette ACE Beauty- 1. This was great for the days I wanted to wear makeup. It was super versatile and I used it as blush, bronzer, highlight, and eyeshadow. So I didn’t pack all the extras! If you like wearing makeup and want to bring some, I would bring a lightweight palette that you can use for a lot of looks and functions if you have one (ex. like for blush, eyeshadow, etc.). I would work with what you have!
Concealer- 1. This was pretty useful when I wanted to wear makeup.
Eyebrow pencil w/ brush end- 1. No need to bring another makeup brush or two.
Mascara- 1.
Lip Gloss- 1. I brought my favorite Universal Gloss Bomb from Fenty Beauty. It helped keep my lips moisturized throughout the trip, so it didn’t crack from any dry places I went.
I wouldn’t bring anything too out of your usual routine since it’s nice to have the things that you are used to around you. At the same time, you’ll find that you can live without many of these items :).
7. Other: Filtered Water Bottle, Locks
Filtered Water Bottle- 1. I ended up getting rid of this a few weeks into my trip, and just reused a water bottle when I would get clean water. Having clean water with you is important, so I’d bring a water bottle that you already have and refill it with clean water whenever you get a chance.
Locks– 2. I chose these locks because they had a bendable wire that was thin since I wasn’t sure what the lockers at different hostels would look like. I wanted to get locks that would work for many types of lockers and locker sizes. It also needed to fit through my backpack zipper lockable sliders—and it did! I used one lock for my bag, and the other for the locker.
8. JOURNAL
This is not essential for everyone, but for me, I wanted to have a journal of my experience from this trip of a lifetime. And I am so glad I did this for myself. I can reflect on it, see how much I grew from the start of my trip, and all the experiences along the way. It is a special thing you can do for yourself :). I am happy with the one I chose, which I will link here. I loved the leather look and the vintage textured paper inside. It feels timeless!
9. Make your packing list fit you
You might find that some of your packing list items overlaps with mine, and you might add or take away some things. You know where you are going, and what kind of experience you want to have. For example, if you are a professional photographer or if you want to bring a camera—you totally should! I used my iPhone and it worked great for me :). Remember, anything extra you bring is extra weight. And, you also want to have some room just in case you come across anything you want to bring back with you! If you are packing light, you will learn to “window shop,” and think about what you want to bring with you over the course of your trip, if anything at all. Don’t feel like you need to buy a lot. You will have the memories :). I didn’t really purchase anything to take back until towards the end of my trip. I knew I didn’t want the extra weight, and I didn’t feel like I needed something from every single place. If something brought me joy, I purchased it, and same with gifts. They were lightweight, except for the sweatshirt I bought on the second to last day of my trip in Iceland. A quick guide below to things I got rid of, purchased, things I didn’t end up needing that I brought, and things that would have been nice:
Things I got rid of/ could’ve lived without:
- heatless hair curler
- tissues/hand-sanitizer—I used the soap
- I threw away my water bottle since I dropped the cap on the street and it touched a lot of surfaces (I ended up just reusing bottles with clean water).
- Laptop- a lot of weight, although it was nice doing research.
Things that would’ve been nice:
- Extra USB cord- mine starting giving out towards the end, but depending on where you go there may be lots available for purchase.
- Something warmer towards the beginning of my trip- some hostels were cold (but, this would have been more weight! I ended up layering most of my clothes when I was cold, and it also made my backpack lighter anyway :)).
- Waterproof shoes for the rain- my shoes were perfect for walking miles and miles since they were light-weight and breathable. But, in the rain, they were soaked!
- Food- I started having a couple of snacks with me on hand everywhere I went a few weeks in, but this would be a good thing to start out with. You never know how much you will end up walking, and when you will get super hungry with no food around. (And also, always have water with you).
Things I purchased on trip:
- Umbrella- This was a good call, even with the little weight. I used it again a few times in England, Barcelona, Iceland, and more.
- Souvenirs for myself- Sweatshirt at the end of my trip in Iceland (less weight). Jewelry from Venice. Postcards.
- Presents for people in my life- for my pup, jewelry for people in my life from Dublin, Venice, and Barcelona.
- Refills/Life things- refilling my shampoo/conditioner (ended up doing a shampoo & conditioner 2-in-1 towards the end for less weight), body soap, etc. little snacks to always have on hand for those just in case situations, food, train tickets, accommodation, bus tickets along the way.
Things I am really happy that I brought:
- Compact passport holder
- Backpack- it was perfect for my needs and very comfortable
- Journal- for memories and reflection (see above)
- Phone- communication, maps, lots of offline maps and offline translators, offline train apps, and camera on phone for pictures!
- The clothes I brought- I was pretty happy with my choice of clothes
10. Final Thoughts
All in all, I am really happy with my packing list and wouldn’t change much, if at all. It all gave me my own experience for my trip, and I learned what worked and what I needed to incorporate throughout my travels. I met a lot of travelers and did a couple of homestays along the way, and people were really surprised and how small my backpack was for 2 months of traveling. It was great having a backpack that was comfortable and not too heavy. I hope that this list helps you plan out what to pack for your trip! Happy traveling!
Live wonder freely,
Megan
