The Ultimate European Christmas Market Packing List
What to expect: Cold weather, possible rain or snow. Lots of walking (outdoor markets & museums) train rides, saunas, thermal baths, possible bike ride, maybe a nice dinner or two.
What to keep handy on the plane (besides your passport and wallet!) :
-Tylenol PM, Melatonin or something to help you sleep. As soon as you get on the plane you will want to begin to set your internal clock to our destination so be sure to eat and sleep as if you are already there. And drink a lot of water! I also swear by THESE Jet Lag supplements
- If you are prone to swelling on long flights bring some compression socks like THESE
- Portable charger / battery bank. I love THIS one & THIS one
- Neck pillow (THIS one & THIS one are my favorites!), lip balm, noise-canceling earphones, any necessary medications (don’t check these!), a book to read or listen to. (Whatever you need to be comfortable)
- A bag that you can bring empty but fill up w/ your purchases & slides on top of your carry-on luggage.
- Warm winter coat. Wear onboard, it can be stuffed in the overhead, used as a blanket or balled up and used as a pillow even! Here’s a link directly to Lands End if you prefer!
-Wear comfortable, waterproof, warm walking boots on the plane to avoid the bulk in your luggage!
-Europe is pretty safe but still wiser to use some kind of cross-body bag over the regular one-shoulder purse for shopping. This one is cute too!
Basic Packing List:
- Pack one ‘nice restaurant outfit’ & a skirt if you plan on attending church.
- 3-4 pants or fleece-lined leggings. Tights/thermals under jeans will help keep you warm.
- 2-3 warm sweaters (I have a cashmere one from Quince that I love!)
- 5-7 shirts (I have several of THESE & I love them- they are double layered, smoothing & warm)
- Cozy PJ’s (I love THESE bc they are so soft & compact)
- Swimsuit & Flip Flops for the saunas & thermal baths
- Underwear x 7-9
- 7-9 pairs pairs of warm socks (THESE are great)
- Warm non-slip gloves with touchscreen & hand warmers
- Hats, scarves & earmuffs
- Makeup, toiletries, hair stuff, toothbrush, washcloth, etc (Blow dryers are provided in all hotels)
- Depending on the forecast a compact umbrella (can be purchased there if needed too)
- A few of your favorite protein bars or snacks for snacking on in between meals or on the go
- Travel adapter/converter type ‘C’ & ‘F’ will work for all the countries we are visiting.
- Airtag for in your luggage or purse
Pro packing tip: Place bulky items like sweaters in a 2-gallon zip lock bag and squeeze the air out before packing. Use compression packing cubes that zip down tight after being filled. Or buy some travel vacuum storage bags with a handheld pump!