Between the FIFA World Cup, music festivals, fashion capitals and easier-than-ever rail travel, Europe is shaping up to be one of this summer’s hottest destinations. Whether you’re spending a long weekend in Lisbon before heading to Paris or squeezing Amsterdam, London and Milan into one itinerary, packing smart becomes just as important as booking the flights.
The goal isn’t just packing light. It’s making sure you’re not dragging a 50-pound suitcase up five flights of stairs in a Paris walk-up. Amazon Prime has everything you need.
European Outlet Adapter
If you take nothing else from this list, you MUST have an outlet adapter to plug anything in. While it may feel self-explanatory, you will be out of luck and paying a premium if you don’t bring a converter with you. If you plan to go to both the United Kingdom and a country within the EU, make sure you have an adapter that will work for both as the plugs are different.
Vacuum Seal Packing Bags
It may sound impossible, but the easiest way to shave your trip budget down is to get rid of the need to check a bag. By choosing clothes that can be interchanged to make multiple outfits and using vacuum seal bags, you can fit all of your things in one carry-on bag. A pro tip: European airlines have stricter carry-on size guidelines, so check your airline’s and bag before heading out. Make sure the vacuum makes it in the bag (but if you don’t, Amazon can get a new one to you internationally as well)!
Price: $41
$33
Liter (Quart) Sized Plastic Bags
If you’re planning to travel to the EU with liquids in your carry-on, there is an additional requirement outside of keeping them below the 3oz limit. All liquids that you carry on a flight have to fit within ONE singular liter-sized clear bag. This includes everything from soap to lotion to makeup; anything that’s even spreadable will need to fit in the bag, so ensure that you’re cutting any nonessentials to hit the limit.
Wrinkle Release Spray & Tide Pen
This combo will be the key to holding your fits together. After those clothes come out of the vacuum seal bags, hit them with a couple sprays of the wrinkle release spray before the steamer and you’ll be back to as fly as the outfit was in your head when you planned to pack it. If you’re planning not to check a bag, the Tide pen will be a God-send. You won’t be able to throw your clothes in the laundry at every city if you don’t book a place with an in-unit washer (dryers are even harder to come by), so getting a small stain out of a top you only wore to dinner may be the determining factor in whether or not you get an additional wear out of it.
Travel Steamer
Traveling with your clothes in vacuum-sealed bags will leave you dealing with a plethora of wrinkles when you pull them out to get dressed. This travel steamer (paired with the wrinkle release spray) solves that problem so quickly that you don’t even realize they were wrinkled in the first place.
Portable Charger
You’ll be out all day, trying to pull up the best route via public transport on Apple Maps, going through battery life like it’s nobody’s business. Whether it’s your phone, your travel partner’s phone, or the portable fan you bring, you’re 100% going to need to recharge throughout the day.
Immune Support Throat Spray
Country hopping can get exhausting if you’re trying to get the most out of every stop, and we all know that lack of proper rest can leave you susceptible to illness. A little immune support can not only start you on the right foot, but also make sure you make it all the way through.
Blister Bandages
Getting all of the sightseeing that your heart desires will have your step count well over 10,000 every day. No matter how comfortable your shoes are, they may not protect you from blisters. To make sure that you can keep moving, make sure that you’re equipped with some blister bandages.
Fentanyl Test Strips
Not going to add much commentary here, but just sliding these in here for anyone planning to visit somewhere like Amsterdam.
Anti-Theft Zipper Clips
The pickpocketing epidemic is alive and real, especially in tourist hotspots. For peace of mind while on your walking tour or on the packed trains, grab some zipper clips so that no one can reach their hand into your purse.
Electrolyte Powder
With the unprecedented heat waves across Europe this summer, you absolutely need to make sure that you’re replenishing all of the hydration you will inevitably sweat out. Slide a couple of packets of electrolyte powder in your fanny pack to sprinkle in your water bottles throughout the day, and you’ll be good to make it from taking pictures at the tourist attractions to sweating in the pubs.
Handheld Electric Fan
When they said that Europeans do not have air conditioning everywhere, they meant it. Standing on a packed metro train, you will need to bring your own ventilation—because a lot of the trains don’t have any. Many Americans may have some kind of handheld fan already, but this Amazon recommendation has the perfect amount of power (a lot) to keep the sweat off of your forehead.
Compression Socks
The flight from anywhere in the States to Europe is long, which makes your prep for the trip even more important. Having on a pair of compression socks while flying will aid your body’s efforts to keep the blood from pooling in your feet while sitting for extended periods of time.
Motion Sickness Medicine
Aside from the long flight to get there, country hopping will have you on the move more often than on any other kind of vacation. From trains from London to Paris to the bumps in the road when traveling by bus, a motion sickness aid like Dramamine will be a lifesaver. It is worth noting that original Dramamine can cause drowsiness, so taking it before bed or on long journeys would be your best move.
Hand Sanitizer
You don’t realize how many things you touch in a day until you’re on a train with no seats and you have to hold onto the railing. In addition to that, many public places like restaurants may charge to use the restroom, so having a hand sanitizer with you at all times is essential to keep the germs to a minimum.
