Please listen to everyone about packing light, even backpacking if possible. Travel Fashion Girl has an extensive blog with packing lists for many European cities in different seasons.

Don’t bring much! Hotels don’t always have elevators, car trunks are small, and you hotel rooms can be too. You will be happier schlepping less.

I packed things I could wear multiple times and wore the same pair of shoes and the same jacket the entire time. I was able to fit everything I needed in a carry on. For souvenirs, take a lightweight backpack that folds up into one of its small pockets. If you buy a lot, you can have it shipped.

Lots of lightweight, warm layers. Merino and cashmere sweaters, not chunky cotton. Button-downs you can wear alone, under a sweater, or with sleeves rolled up for the 15 minutes when it’s warm and sunny. Leggings you can wear under pants or a skirt for extra warmth. Bring a light jacket, warm hat, scarf, and umbrella.

We always pack in backpacks for Europe- especially if we're moving around. 4-5 outfits, 2 bathing suits, 2 pjs. We stay in airbnbs with laundry and do it every 1-2 days. I find it's so much less stressful to have less with us and the only problem is that our outfits repeat in pictures

This is very dependent on what you plan to do on your trip and how comfortable you are in certain situations.

I don't mind visiting laundromat, for instance and I tend to try to avoid large suitcases, but a lot of that is just personal preference. If I'm traveling for work, however, a garment bag is pretty unavoidable.

In general layering is always a good idea.

We went during early winter season. We had one large luggage plus 4 carry on and 4 backpack. In large luggage we had clothes hangers, clean trash bags ( for dirty clothes), zip bags, some bars, personal hygiene items, compact hand sanitizer, baby wipes, reusable folding shopping bags, disposable towers, polysporin, nail clippers, lense solutions, plastic bottle nasal spray, yeast infection treatment ( just in case), and hothands etc. In carry on we had undies, socks, thermal style layer, compact waterpik, some medicines like Tylenol, anti diarrheal tablets, over counter cold medicine, bandage and slippers ( to use at hotel). Then we had asthma inhalers, contact lenses and travel size solutions, power bank, Tylenol, reusable water bottles, rubbing alcohols wipe, hothands, gloves and beanies, travel size hand lotion, and some snacks also compact toys/books for kids. We all wore north face water proof insulated hooded jackets and waterproof sneakers.

I would wear one outfit with pants, a short sleeve, long sleeve shirt, wool sweater, and jacket. I would bring one additional pair of pants, two additional shirts, and two additional sweaters. Then I would do laundry every night in the hotel. That way I could travel light.

Look on reddit.

Don’t pack for two weeks: pack for four days or a week and plan to do some laundry, either at a laundromat or by sink washing and spot cleaning. You won’t die from rewearing your clothes. Hiking clothes are great because they dry quickly.

(I always bring more sweaters than any internet list allows.)

Three bottoms, whether that’s pants, jeans or skirts.

Four tops—tshirts or shirts with buttons — especially merino wool

Two undershirts that I can wash in a sink and that dry overnight, like the ones made by 32 degrees

Three sweaters

Two pair of shoes

Two bras, five undies, five pairs socks

Pjs—sometimes consisting of a pair of long John bottoms and one of the undershirts listed above

A few scarves

One waterproof jacket

Remember that some of all these items I’ll wear in the plane; they don’t all have to fit in the carryon.

Good luck and have fun.

Go for carryons only on the way over. Someone in your group — I’m assuming you’re all family — puts an inexpensive, lightweight duffel bag in their carryon, and you use that on the way home for all the dirty clothes, leaving space in your individual bags for purchased treasures.

Anonymous wrote:What to pack for transitional months like April or November? If you are going to do multiple cities in these 2 weeks and plan on taking the train, is it better to do 4 carryons for 4 people or 2 larger suitcases?

Share your packing list and what was not necessary and what worked well for you.

And how do you bring back souvenirs if you pack light and backpack for your trip

Are you the Italy person?

A lot of the cars there don't hold a lot of luggage. I would stick to smaller suitcases if you can. You can pack a foldable carryon bag and slip it in a suitcase and use it on the way home if needed.

For souvenirs, get small ones that fit in your suitcase or ship them home.

For transient weather, definitely layer up.

Packing list should include:
Sneakers and comfortable walking shoes
Maybe a slightly dressier pair of shoes
Several pairs of pants that you can wear over and easily washed
Some tee shirts
Underwear
some laundry detergent to wash items in the hotel sink if needed and dry them
Some sweaters or warm layers
A medium weight jacket with a hood - I find something like a North Face machine washable jacket works well
Warm socks
A couple nicer outfits for going out

What to pack for transitional months like April or November? If you are going to do multiple cities in these 2 weeks and plan on taking the train, is it better to do 4 carryons for 4 people or 2 larger suitcases?

Share your packing list and what was not necessary and what worked well for you.

And how do you bring back souvenirs if you pack light and backpack for your trip