Travel to Europe this summer
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Anonymous
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It’s been a while since I’ve traveled internationally, but our family is finally taking a trip to Europe this summer. We have nonstop flights on United there and back. We will be hitting two countries in 12 days. We will be taking a train between two cities in Italy at one point. I am struggling with determining what luggage we should be using. Friends have told us we should travel with just carryon luggage, but I just don’t see have that’s possible for 12 days, and it’s going to be hot as balls, so will be sweaty and gross. Our days will be busy, and I don’t necessarily want to depend on getting laundry done somewhere or washing things in the sink. We are staying in small hotels throughout the trip.
I have this Delsey carryon (https://us.delsey.com/products/07644-helium-aero-21-inch-carry-on-expandable-spinner) that I’ve traveled with domestically, but I think international carryon measurements are smaller. Does anyone know if that’s the case? For those who have traveled overseas recently, were you able to make it work with just a carryon on one other bag? Any other tips to share? |
Anonymous
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Discussed almost exact same question a few weeks ago.
https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/1203794.page |
Anonymous
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There’s a big difference between deciding to pack in something you can reasonably manage for train travel and deciding not to check a bag.
We frequently travel with carryon sized bags or slightly larger but check them anyway. |
Anonymous
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You do not want the largest bag - the medium bag and check it. It just have good wheels and roll in all directions.
I also used packing cubes by color - 1-2 days outfits in each cube per person, and then split each person’s cubes between the bags, so if one bag goes missing, everyone has at least some outfits. Backpack for a carryon with electronics, medicines and one extra shirt-socks-undies. |
Anonymous
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I am in Switzerland now. Before that I was in Italy for two weeks. Brought just an 21 inch carryon (which I checked) and a backpack.
You can wear shirts and simple cotton dresses more than once without washing. I washed socks and underwear in the sink. Just make sure you have a few days for them to dry. You can and should do it. I see people struggling with large, heavy suitcases. They look miserable (and ridiculous). |
Anonymous
| Pack as much as you can in a carry on size even if you want to check it. Roll your clothes, use packing cubes, bring detergent to hand wash if needed. You don’t want to be lugging around a big suitcase in Europe or have to carry it up flights of stairs or squeeze it into a tiny elevator or try to fit it into the trunk of a taxi. Stay at an Airbnb halfway through the trip to do laundry as a last resort. |
Anonymous
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I find the 21” int’l carryon compliant bags too small for a trip like that. Yes I could do it but it takes too much effort/compromises.
We have a few bags that range from 22” to 25” and all are easy to handle— can drag them on/off trains, and thru town from the train station. We use some combination of those depending on how much space we want and then check them for the flights. |
Anonymous
| Just take your checked bag. People make such a big deal out of this but I've always traveled EU with a big suitcase and it's never an issue -- as long as you're physically able to handle it. |
Anonymous
| 25" checked bag. Just the right size for 12 days of travel. |
Anonymous
| I think most people bring way too much stuff. The huge suitcases are ridiculous. Light cotton clothing in a packing cube takes up no space. |
Anonymous
| Italian trains have large luggage bins, so the size is not a problem. |
Anonymous
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You can def do carry on travel for 12 summer days! You're looking at being able to carry a total of 35L carryon + 20L pack + you can prob get a 30L tote. That's 85L worth of stuff!
I'm going to Asia for almost a month and can fit everything in that. You most def want to do a carry on when traveling it's just so much easier. Use cubes, find a carry on you can get the most on v most beautiful bag. You will have to check in your carry on for the flight but if you want 85L of space it's doable. Make sure everything has a luggage strap to put over carry on to roll. My kids did this and they were 10 and 12 in Rome taking trains - it's not a big deal at all. Whatever it takes to avoid a huge bag it's worth taking 3 smaller ones as you wear 1, roll 2. Easy. |
Anonymous
Are you my husband? This is us. |
Anonymous
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In Europe recently, I saw a family of 4 struggling with individual rolling carry-ons and backpacks, made even more complicated by their stroller and kid who was riding a suitcase. Don't be that family. Be the Family Suitcase family.
Everyone carries a backpack (small, school type backpacks--nothing larger than 35L and even that's pushing it). Plus one checked suitcase that has everyone's clothing. Do laundry every 3-4 days. Do not have individual rolling carry-ons unless every single person in the family can and will carry their own stuff. remember: One. Checked. Bag. That is the way to go! |
Anonymous
If you have a nonstop flight, checking luggage is fine. If you change plans, use carryons and personal items and, if you like to buy souvenirs or other things, bring a big, checkable, collapsible bag or plan to buy a big, cheap, checkable bag for your return trip. That way, if luggage gets lost, it will get lost when you’re home. Carryon travel life: - Wear the same black skirts and pants all the time. Ideally, one black skirt and one pair of black shorts or pants. - For tops, usually wear two or three short-sleeved shirts, long sleeved shirts or thin sweaters over thin black tshirts. So, most of the time all you’ll really need to wash is the tshirts, and packing a lot of those is easy. - You can always supplement with some tshirts, sundresses, etc. purchased at the destination. - Packing a lot of underwear is easy, but it’s also usually easy to buy more at the destination. If you’re willing to buy enough underpants and tshirts at the destination, maybe you can live without having to wash anything other than bras, even if you’re traveling for 10 days or more. - Bring a swimsuit and a coverup that can double as a nightgown. Or, sleep in shorts and a shirt that could be worn outside. - Avoid packing shoes. Try wearing simple black walking shoe loafers that can work in almost any situation. If you have to have sneakers, wear the bigger shoes on the plane and pack the smaller shoes. - Wear a rain coat with big zippered pockets. You could zip some overflow items into the pockets. - If you need to give gifts, go to PersonalizationMall.com or some site like that and get personalized socks, tshirts or towels made, so the gifts are easy to pack. Most of this stuff should all fit in the big pocket of a backpack. You can then use a messenger bag personal items for electronics, makeup, gifts, etc. When you go home, consider making space for souvenirs by discarding some of the clothes you brought from home. |