Is your European backpacking trip coming up? How exciting! But what are you going to pack? I’ve put together a guide of all the essentials that will make your trip SO much smoother, and enhance your experience overall.
First off, let’s start out with your backpack. You have many options here, so of course you’ll want to chose the one that is best for you!
If you are a light packer, I would highly recommend this backpack here. It is amazing because it fits as a carry-on on all of the budget airlines, which you may be taking to get from country to country; this bag will save you SO much in airline fees, as they charge over €60 for checked baggage. If you are planning on taking more than would fit in a carry-on, you could opt for this backpacker backpack. It fits tons of stuff and you can also still easily carry it on your back.
Portable chargers are literal life savers! I recommend this one, because it is solar powered so you can charge it during the day without any electricity at all. It also has 20000Mah (and for reference the average phone takes 3000Mah to charge) so you should get 4-5 full charges from it! I don’t know about you, but I need my phone to navigate and take pictures so for me having it charged is a must!
A microfiber towel is also a must! If you’re staying at hotels you will likely use theirs when at the hotel, but they are still a must if you plan on going swimming at lakes/oceans. I love them because they fold up and barely take any space (they can fit in your pocket) and they dry extremely quickly. This one here is super affordable and even has its own bag to fold up into.
The wall sockets are also different in Europe than in other continents, so you’ll also want a travel adapter. I would recommend this one because it is a universal travel adapter, so no matter where in the world you go you can be sure you have the correct adapter.
Another useful thing is this cord; I love it because it is essentially 4 chargers in one, so you can charge you phone, portable charger, and. any other electronics with it. This is super helpful because it saves space and helps you not forget any cords as they are all in one.
If you are staying in hostels, you’ll want to make sure you have a lock. The lockers in most hostels lock with your room key, but you’ll definitely want to have a lock on you just in case it is a bring your own lock situation. Trust me, it is really hard to find locks in foreign countries and you definitely don’t want to leave your stuff unlocked or carry it around all day. This is a great lock as it is super simple to use.
If you want to have pictures of yourself/ whoever you are with and don’t want to ask people too take photos, then you need a tripod! literally can’t imagine travelling without mine. I would recommend this one because it packs up really efficiently and you can set it up in seconds and easily carry it around with you all day; it is also very lightweight.
A passport cover is also a must, incase you spill anything it will protect your passport from getting wet (and if it is wet it is invalid). I like this one because it has a strap on it, so you can secure it even more and prevent it from falling out of your bag or getting stolen.
You’ll also probably want a water bottle to have on your train rides, flights, and just when out exploring. I love this one because it keeps drinks hot or cold the entire day! It also has a handle that you can carry easily or clip on to your bags.
Talking about clipping things to bags, you’ll also probably want to have some carabiners. These are amazing because they let you clip things to your bag and anything else. They are especially helpful if your bag is full and you need to attach things to the outside.
While on your journeys, it is also of course nice to be able to listen to music or watch shows… this pair of wireless earbuds lets you do just that. they’re also nice to have if you’re solo travelling while walking during the day.
Flip flops are also a must! If you’re staying in hostels you’ll for sure want to ahem them for the showers. And if you’re planning on going to the beach they’re also perfect! Here is a pair you can get right now.
Talking about the beach, you’ll want to make sure you have sunscreen! This one here is great because it is travel sized and has a high spf.
Along with the sun protection, I would highly recommend you get a pair of sunglasses. I love these ones because they go with every outfit and are very affordable.
If you like this post, please leave a comment and let me know what other list you’d like to see!
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