Travel :: Packing for Europe

We're already halfway to the weekend y'all! Don't you love short weeks?! Since we're packing up for a little road trip to the Sunshine State this weekend, I've been frantically trying to cross some things off my trusty to-do list.

One thing I've been working on is a photo album of our Europe trip, which is taking me longer than I expected because A) I'm a perfectionist and B) I keep finding myself scrolling through pictures, drooling over the food we ate and wishing I had two weeks off of work again.

I remembered how hard it was for me to pack for unpredictable Spring weather, without completely over-packing and lugging massive suitcases around Italy. I usually lean more toward comfort for trips like this, I certainly wasn't the most fashionable in Paris, but I don't think I looked like a tourist which was a good thing.

Spring Essentials for Europe

Jackets/Blazers: I packed my favorite trench coat and although it was a little thin for the colder days we had in Paris, it was perfect for the majority of the trip! We were so lucky to only have 2 days with a little rain but it came in handy at night when it was a little cooler, even in Italy. If I wasn't wearing my trench, I had a navy blue 3/4 sleeve blazer that was easy to throw on if I was chilly.

Dresses: I love wearing dresses in general so I brought one along for the warmer days. Make sure it covers your shoulders, or bring a scarf to cover them, when you're heading to tour churches.

Pants: I packed two pairs of jeans and two pairs of leggings and it worked great with the Spring weather. I never had to wash my jeans and my leggings were easy to wash and hang to dry.

Tops: I brought two short-sleeve tees, two thin button downs, and two or three shirts with 3/4 sleeves. The longer sleeve shirts were my go-to on most days while we were in Italy so I didn't have to bring a jacket. I also wore a thin sweater around Siena and it was perfect in the morning.

Crossbody Bag: This was the number one thing all of my blog friends recommended and they were so right! I brought one big enough for my DSLR and another smaller one for the evenings when I didn't feel like bringing my camera.

Shoes: I debated taking my boots but was glad that I did because I needed them in Venice and Paris. I saved space in my luggage by wearing them on travel days. Pack a comfy pair of flats and some boat shoes or something similar for a more casual tourist day.

Jewelry: I didn't go too crazy on the jewelry while we were in Europe. I don't like bulky statement necklaces while I'm walking around all day but if you're into that, pack one that matches most of your outfits.

Scarves: These were probably the best accessory I packed! I had 3 scarves that I could mix and match with all of my outfits and with the cooler breeze in the Spring, I found myself wearing one almost every day.

We really got lucky with our weather and didn't need any warm clothes in Florence. Even Rome and Siena were in the low-70s and sunny on some days, so I found myself removing my scarf or blazer after a couple hours.

Camera Equipment: For my DSLR, I just packed my stock lens and the charger. It worked great for me since I'm a beginner and I feel like I captured a lot of great photos with it! I brought three memory cards and switched them out every couple of days. We used our phone cameras for any pictures we asked someone to take for us and my hubby got some amazing panoramic shots with his iPhone!

Don't forget an adapter! We brought two (found here and here) and they worked great in both Italy and Paris. You can use the two-prong adapters even if the wall socket fits a three-prong. Just don't force it and pull something straight out of Just Married.

If you're looking for help on packing your carry-on, make sure to check out my guest post over at Newlyweds:North!

Anyone have anything else to add?! I know some of you are planning trips to Europe this summer, so hopefully this will help a little even though you'll be dealing with much warmer weather than we did!