DO NOT Make These Europe Packing Mistakes | What Not To Pack & Tips

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I highly recommend taking a photo of your important documents and emailing them to yourself. I’m not a fan of having physical photos of them around that can be easily stolen but having them accessible via email from any electronic device with internet connection is very handy. If your phone is lost or stolen, you can log onto another device and pull the image up.

As a European, I recommend bringing a thin windbreaker jacket which can be packed and taken anywhere. (Ah and on public transport and in busy places always have your bag near your chest with one arm on it.) It's a great video.

To each their own but I personally don’t get the obsession with avoiding check in baggage at all costs. I routinely take a 85l capacity, densely packed, suitcase with me for a 10 day trip from the UK to mainland Europe (yes including multi-centre trips with train and bus transfers) and have zero regrets. I love clothes and part of the fun of holidays for me is putting together lots of different location specific outfits and dressing up for dinner every night like I’m in an Agatha Christie novel 🍸🤣

I give you a free travel hack that should be #1 on every airline traveler's list - BRING A COAT OR A JAC KET WITH MANY BIG POCKETS. This is equivalent to another carry-on that you don't need to check in! If you carry-on is overweight, then you may put heavy items in your coat pockets. You may hang your jacket on a carry-on handle. I always travel with my multi-pocket jacket regardless of any season.

Pro tip from the theater world, where it's not always possible to launder costumes that get worn onstage daily: Get a little spray bottle with a cap and fill it with cheap vodka. Spritz that on any items after wearing to kill bacteria. The mild smell evaporates quickly, better than using rubbing alcohol.

I have to confess I don't really understand the preoccupation with not looking like a tourist. You are a tourist, so what's wrong with looking like one? (Most of Europe is hardly so unsafe that being identified as a tourist would get you into trouble. And it's not as if your speaking a foreign language and taking pictures of landmarks won't give you away instantly...) You don't have to sacrifice comfort for being stylish just because you're going to Paris or Rome. Of course the locals going about their normal business will look different than someone dressed for long days of sightseeing.

Packing cubes are a lifesaver. Really helps with organizing and space saving. Also rolling T shirts and underwear "Army style"

If you use a wheeled suitcase during your travel (due to age, length of stay, etc) I recommend a suitcase with large wheels. The roads are not very smooth in many places, mainly in the old parts of the towns, and the bigger the wheel, the easier it is to pull. Those silly little castor wheels which turn every way except the direction you are going are only good on perfectly smooth surfaces, like within the airport.

Clothing: pack tops in black, white, pink & navy. Bottoms in tan and black. It all looks great together. A colored scarf will add some interest and will to cover shoulders in church sites or as the evening cools. Pack a small cross body purse for use as you travel around in the city, but TAKE a backpack on the plane. It will serve you well on that 8-10 hr flight. We've visited in summer, fall and winter. By far our fall visits have been the easiest...fewer tourists and still warm: no coats, boots or gloves to pack. London: the Tube will get you everywhere...its amazing. Eat dinner in pubs: the food in upscale pubs is wonderful. Eat breakfast/ lunch at Pret a Manger. Its fast food but has wonderful coffees, pastries, soups, salads, sandwiches for so little. They are everywhere. Paris: avoid the Eiffel Tower Friday or Saturday: you'll never make it to the top...too crowded. Venice: not sure why but we never once paid for a water taxi...! For 3 full days we traveled all over for free. Rome: what can I say? The most amazing city in the world...other than London!

Having travelled extensively throughout Europe and the Middle East at various life stages, I think describing a lot of these as "mistakes" is really just not understanding the needs of other people in their packing decisions. Having kids has dramatically changed my packing, and I have long gotten over the pain of paying to check my bags.

Socks are very useful for all kinds of emergency situations ; as bandgage, as a pillow, even as a glove, and to stuff afew packing items in such as jewellry. And of course, happy feet ! . 🧡🌱

My #1 tip is to plan to do laundry while there. Every European city has a laundromat or a wash/dry/fold place. It will cost you almost nothing, you can carry half as much, and you get to do a uniquely local experience.

In Paris, be prepared to carry your luggage up flights of stairs in the Metro. Even if there is an escalator, it might not be operational. Ask me how I know!

I think you should add "daily medications to last your entire trip" to that "essentials" section. And, it's important that you check to make sure you have those items (passport and medications, honestly, adapter you can probably get pretty easily) every time you travel between destinations. My mother accidentally left her medications in her Philippines hotel room, and only realized it when she was already in Japan. She was lucky she had an emergency stash in her purse to cover her for a couple days that she could stretch, but trying to get to medications while overseas was a stressful coordinated endeavor for everyone involved. It was a scary few days, to say the least.

Outstanding job. I’m sending this video to a friend who’s traveling to Greece and Italy in October. We discovered some of your best advice when we traveled to Germany and then to Ireland. We’re not novices, but a lot of your advice is spot on. You made all the mistakes for us. Thanks. Great job.

Excellent recommendations. After many occasions having to haul and lift heavy suitcases on public transport, pairing down is essential (unless you are traveling on a cruise or fully inclusive tour) I also include a light and packable windbreaker or rain jacket and a day purse. Pairing down to one pair of shoes is challenging but will try that with my new pair of Inkkas sneakers - cute and comfortable!

As a chronic overpacker who's preparing for our first 2 week trip to Italy next May, this video was SO. HELPFUL.

During summer, two pairs of closed toed walking shoes are a must. Let one air out while you wear the other pair.

Super-helpful channel! Thanks for the work you put into it and for the non-sponsored videos. Sponsor bias is a real problem and I appreciate that you do honest reviews.