What to take to Europe for Men
Hey there, fellow travelers! Today, we’re talking about what I pack for a trip to Europe in the summer. There are lots of blogs out there with fashion tips for traveling women, but what about the guys? Many of our readers have asked us what to pack for a trip. Whether I’m traveling for two weeks or seven weeks, my vacation packing list pretty much stays the same.
Before you start packing for your Europe trip, there are 3 “W’s” to consider:
- Weather (check the 10-day forecast right before you leave!)
- When Are You Traveling? Shoulder season may require more layers to pack.
- Where Are You Traveling? Ireland requires different clothes than Greece!
The Rule of Five
No matter how long your trip is, you pretty much only need five of everything. Five tops, bottoms, underwear, and socks. That’s also about how much will fit in a carry-on suitcase. And we always try to travel carry-on only, as it really simplifies your travel. This doesn’t include what you wear on the plane, which gives you another outfit to recycle throughout your trip.
Watch: How to Do Laundry While Traveling
Bottoms
Even if I’m traveling in May, when I’ll need long pants and shorts, I still stick to the rule of five. If you purchase specific travel clothing for men, pants are usually lightweight, easy to pack and not too heavy for hot weather.
- 2 pairs of shorts
- 2 pairs of pants
- 1 pair of jeans, worn on the flight
Pajamas
It’s always good to have a dedicated outfit to sleep in, or to lounge around the hotel room. Depending on the weather, I’ll either bring shorts and a t-shirt or flannel pajama bottoms.
Swimwear
I almost always have a pair of swim trunks in my suitcase. Whether I’m going to the beach or just planning to use the hot tub and pool at the hotel, it’s always good to have swimwear on a trip.
Tops
Again sticking to the rule of five, I bring five options for what to wear on top. (That might also include an undershirt that isn’t counted in the five.) I usually bring 3-4 t-shirts and two collared shirts. The t-shirts are sometimes used as undershirts under the collared shirt. I typically wear a half-zip shirt on the plane, which layers well when it’s cooler outside.
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Socks & Underwear
If you need to be more lenient on the “rule of five” this is the place to pack more. I usually pack five pairs of socks and then wear compression socks on the plane. I highly recommend compression socks for long flights. Socks and underwear don’t take up that much room, so if you want to bring more, go for it!
Toiletries
I keep all of my toiletries, like shampoo and shaving kit, in a separate bag that can easily be pulled out at security. If you wear glasses or contacts, it’s always a good idea to have a backup pair in case you lose or break them.
Extra Bags
I usually throw a couple of extra bags in my bag. You can never have enough Zip-Loc bags on a trip. They are great for separating dirty laundry, keeping your liquids from leaking into your suitcase, and even using it as a waterproof bag for electronics on a rainy day. I also like to have a compact drawstring bag for laundry. These are great for hauling your clothes to the laundromat.
Rain Coat
Even if you don’t think it will rain, always have a raincoat. Something thin that will pack easily, and even if it doesn’t rain, you might get a windy day and be grateful you have it.
Five Things to Never Put in Your Checked Luggage
Personal Items
Everything listed above goes in my carry-on suitcase and gets stored in the overhead bin when I’m flying. For my “personal item” I carry an Osprey backpack filled with travel essentials. This holds everything I need during the flight, and valuable items I don’t want to have out of reach. My backpack holds:
- A folder for travel documents
- Eyeglasses (in a hard case for protection)
- Tripod and camera
- Batteries, chargers, power bank, and memory cards
- Headphones
- Passport
- USB Drive
- Flashlight
- Nail clippers
- Luggage locks (I recommend combination locks so you don’t have to keep track of a key!)
- Computer or tablet
- Prescriptions or medicine
- Pens and paper
- Guidebooks (yes, we still buy guidebooks sometimes!)
- Deck of Cards
- Bottle Opener (very important in Europe!)
- Power adapters
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If you see me anywhere in the world, I’ll be carrying these items! If you use a packing checklist like this and continue to refine it after every trip, you’ll have packing down to a science in no time. And it doesn’t matter if you’re traveling for two weeks or two months, you don’t need to pack any more things!