The Best Lightweight Backpacking Europe Packing List

Choosing a Pack

If you’re still shopping for a backpack to take around Europe for more than a month, I’d recommend purchasing a 45L (45 Liter) bag or larger. I wanted to carry a few non-essentials with me, so I opted to use my 65L pack. It’s designed for backpacking, as in hiking/camping for multiple nights, but it works just fine for a trip to Europe as well.

If I were you, I would not buy a camping bag if your only goal is to travel with it, because camping bags have a ton of pockets (which you won’t need to use while backpacking). I left most of my exterior pockets empty to lessen the risk of pickpockets stealing things (literally) off my back. Everything went into the main compartment of the bag, and that was kind of inconvenient. I had to unpack and repack the entire bag every time I needed something that was lying at the bottom.

Go ahead and shop around for a nomad’s pack – one with a solid single zipper (that you can lock) and many compartments inside that allow for easy organization and access to all of your items. (I might buy one in the future, but I’m to focused on saving up for my next adventure.) The only thing that I LOVED about my bag was the hip belt. My pack weighed about 30 pounds (kg) when fully packed for this trip. While that’s not too bad, it can get old fast. The hip belt is amazing because they take most of the weight off of my shoulders and put it onto my hips, which are much stronger. I had little to no neck and shoulder pain despite carrying that bag daily.

Clothing

Here’s where I’ll admit that I am heavily influenced my minimalist ideals. I spent years minimizing and daydreaming of the day when I lived with nothing but the clothes on my back (to be dramatic). Although I’m not completely bought in to that mindset anymore, I did go very, very light with the clothing for this trip. Basically, I brought what fit in my bag after everything else was packed. First, I’ll describe what clothing I packed, and then I’ll explain how you can deal with laundry anywhere in the world.

Tops (5)

• workout crop top (2)
• tank top
• viscose tee
• long-sleeve top

Bottoms (5)

• workout shorts (2)
• joggers
• jeans
• knee-length skirt

Dresses (1)

• basic LBD (little black dress)

Base Layer Items (10)

• sports bras (3)
• underwear (4)
• socks (3)

Accessories (8)

• belt
• baseball cap
• beanie
• neck gaiters (2)
• base layer gloves
• swimsuit
• sunglasses

All of this clothing fits into just one large packing cube (minus the outfit you’d be wearing at the time).

Shoes (3)

• hiking boots
• sandals
• shower shoes

Laundry

While I could put in the extra effort and money into booking places that had a washer or dryer (or spending my time and money on using a laundromat), I decided that I was going to bring my clothes washing system with me. While backpacking in the mountains, I wanted to be able to clean a few things as well. Here’s what I packed to do my laundry whenever and wherever I want:

• Scrubba wash bag
• pocket laundry wash (0.5 ounces, 50 uses)
• clothesline

All you need to do is put some water in the bag, add my dirty clothes, put in a leaf of soap, and scrub! Then you can just rinse out the clothes and hang them up to dry. It takes a while to air dry indoors, but it’s definitely more convenient than going out to pay for your laundry to be done.

Toiletries

Most of the items packed are travel-sized. The shampoo and conditioner bars, for example, are not bottles but soap bars. They weigh less and last just as long as regular hair products. The hair brush is a mini detangling brush, and the toothbrush and deodorant are travel-sized.

Hair

• Shampoo bar
• conditioner bar
• hairbrush
• scrunchies/hair bands
• claw clip

Mouth

• toothbrush
• toothpaste
• floss
• mouthguard

Face

• facial cleanser
• washcloth
• facial moisturizer
• face serum sunscreen
• lip balm
• glasses
• contact lenses/case
• contact solution

Body

• razor
• body wash
• deodorant
• sunscreen

Optional Gear

• feminine/period products
• cotton buds
• hand sanitizer
• climber’s hand wax

Tech

Depending on the kind of trip you’re going on, you may only need your phone and the corresponding accessories. I wanted to keep blogging and filming content for my social media, so I brought a few additional things that definitely take up space and add a lot of extra weight to my pack. If you can leave it at home, I’d recommend doing so.

No matter what, you should bring a portable power bank with you at all times. You do NOT want your phone to die while adventuring in a foreign environment. Trust me, it’s worth the investment.

Basics

• phone
• location-based plug adapter
• portable power bank
• earbuds
• charging cables

Additional/Optional Tech

• smart watch
• laptop
• GoPro and all accessories
• charging cables

Miscellaneous Items

A lot of the extra things I packed are specific to my trip activities or medical needs. It’s up to you to determine what you need to pack to stay healthy and be well prepared for your trip.

Climbing/Via Ferrata Gear

• harness
• via ferrata set
• carabiner
• crag gloves
• helmet
• climbing shoes

Medicine/First Aid

• ibuprofen
• allergy medication
• decongestants
• antacids
• personal medication
• first-aid kit (band-aids, antibiotic ointment, elastic bandage, etc.)

Backpacking Europe has been turned into a thing of fantasy and wonderment over the years, and truly, it can be magical. It is a way to explore a part of the world you would have never known otherwise. You make an exchange: comfort and solitude for authentic interactions and a cheaper price tag. Backpacking Europe might not be for everyone, but it really is an amazing experience. I hope this packing list helps you make the most out of your trip!

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