Hi Backpackers,
Figuring out what to bring backpacking can be quite the challenge while travelling to international destination especially for the first time! How do you decide exactly what are the backpacker essentials, and what to leave behind?
Here you will find a complete backpacking packing list of everything you will need for a trip abroad so you can purchase your gear before you set off adventuring around the world.
Don’t worry – We are here to show you exactly what to pack while backpacking by giving you our top-secret backpacking checklist.
Do have a look and ask us as many questions before the beginning of the trip till you are satisfied with your pre-arrival arrangments. We’ll be happy to help!
There is a huge difference in style and weather between the different regions, and nailing down what exactly to throw in your backpack may be daunting. Some of the best solutions are to keep it simple with clothes and come prepared for a variety of activities and social functions. Staple items in your wardrobe can be mixed and matched to create a variety of outfits.
WHAT TO EXPECT FROM EUROPE SUMMERS: Dressing well in the summertime isn’t rocket science. We both choose to go for timeless clothing items when travelling around Europe. We opt for an easy dress with a classic cut in neutral colours. Combine that with a small handbag, black flats, and a nice pair of sunglasses you’ve got the perfect summer outfit. Men have it easy as Cameron loves to wear either chinos or jeans with a classic white T-shirt with an accessory like a nice watch.
Women’s Outfit: Sunglasses | Handbag | Black flats | Dress
Men’s Outfit: Chinos | Watch | Sunglasses | Shirt
Live update of specific weather report can be viewed directly via World Wide Web
A comfortable pair of shoes for both men and women are essential when packing your bag. However, we wouldn’t recommend packing those terrible clunky hiking shoes many backpackers bring. Most of the cities in Italy are 100% walking cities, so prepare to work off that pasta!
CHOOSING LUGGAGE AND PACKING LIGHT: As it’s a backpacking trip and you are hoping to various countries within Europe, travelling in train & buses, staying in hostels, going out for walks etc. Travel backpacks are great because they allow for hands-free travel and it makes manoeuvring stairs and busy streets a breeze.
It’s good to stick with a backpack that’s carry-on size, but don’t go overboard if you choose a backpack over the carry-on limit. For reference, a carry-on size roughly translates to roughly 50-60 L (give or take).
DAYPACK: A small backpack you wear while exploring the city. It should be just big enough to carry a few things (journal, souvenirs, small umbrella/light rain jacket, camera, power banks etc. This is literally the most convenient thing to carry around the entire day.
PASSPORT HOLDER: To ensure you have a good quality passport cover. It protects your passport from humidity that can harm the pages. Passport covers prevent water damage so try and travel with a waterproof cover. Passport is your most important document.
SWISS-ARMY KNIFE/MULTITOOL: This always comes handy. So do carry it for “just in case” situations. Ensure you don’t carry it in the hand luggage, do put it in your check in baggage only. You may even carry safety pins. They are quite helpful at times.
PHOTOCOPIES OF IMPORTANT DOCUMENTS: Make a few copies of your passport & VISA. Ensure you have few copies of your passport photograph. Please ensure you click images of credit and debit cards. You should have its full details in case it get stolen or lost.
Also do ensure you have a copy of each page of your passport, not just the front and back. It’s very important to have copies of this in situation your passport is stolen. The government authorities are in a position to help you more in case you have all the pages. All mentioned above is contingency planning.
* Tripver will not be responsible for any loss of your personal item including passport. Kindly take care of your own belongings.
COLLAPSIBLE UMBRELLA: Searching for an umbrella in an unfamiliar city (especially while it’s raining) isn’t any fun. We suggest buying a travel umbrella before you leave. Its a good idea to carry rain poncho as they come in handy and are super easy to store.
SUN HATS: It gets sunny in Italy, and unless you’re walking around museums you will be outside most of the day. Make sure to protect your face with a nice sun hat. Boys – please don’t get caught in a baseball hat in Italy, you will 100% be pegged for as an American tourist – and not in a good way.
TOOTHBRUSH COVER: Sounds funny & unnecessary. But a major necessity when backpacking especially for hygiene reasons when travelling in a backpack.
ZIPLOC BAGS (VARIOUS SIZES): These are good for your dirty or wet socks/underwear. Put any liquids in Ziploc bags. In fact, double bag them. We have seen many backpackers open their bags to find that their shampoo bottle had spilled all over their clothes. Also, for extra protection, put your important travel documents/passport in a plastic bag. Ziploc also comes handy for storing your dirty shoes.
EAR PLUGS & EYE MASK: There is a chance that you’ll encounter multiple snorers and people who turn the lights on at 3 am. We recommend Hearos Ear Plugs (they’re cheap and effective), and there is a range of eye masks for sleeping.
QUICK-DRYING TRAVEL TOWEL: A quick-drying towel is one of the most important favorite travel accessories. To be honest, you may hate the feel of these towels, but they do an amazing job. They absorb a ton of liquid and they dry in a few hours. Normal towels take hours and hours to dry and they will really make your backpack stink. This is a must-buy. Some advice: These towels are much smaller than a normal towel. We suggest buying the large or XL size—especially if you have long hair. In case the respective hostel has a towel facility use the towel of the hostel so you don’t bother drying yours.
PACKING CUBES: Packing cubes are great for keeping all your clothes organized — which is important when you live out of a backpack. There are many companies that make packing cubes.
STUDENT CARD: In case you are a student, don’t forget to carry your student card. It comes handy to get discounted prices at various entries. But don’t try to forge just to save a few bucks. The regulations in Europe are very strict.
HANGING TOILETRY BAG: A toiletry bag is essential for keeping all your toiletries contained. Buy a toiletry bag that can be hung up because you won’t always have a lot of sink space in these tiny European bathrooms. There are a bunch of different bags available on Amazon. Else if you already have a small pouch you think can come handy then go for it.
WATER BOTTLES: Buying water in Europe means cost addition to your trip. So ensure you carry a water bottle all the time. Fill it up before you start your day. A litre of bottled water would cost 5 euros, and nearly 10 euros when served in restaurants, that is nearly 40 times what you spend back home. We recommend flexible water bottles are lightweight and hardly take up any room in your pack.
HAND SANITIZER: It’s good to have one on your day pack.
FOOT CREAM: Take care of your feet because you’ll be walking a lot & it comes handy.
FIRST AID PACKING LIST: Medicines are costly if bought in Europe be it even a band-aid. In case you have some specific doctor prescribed medicines do carry them alone. Do carry a small personal medkit of yours with basic aid in case of emergency. Else you always have your travel insurance. Do not forget to take a soft and hard copy of that.
LOCKS: You might need to lock up your bag in a hostel when you’re on the road. You don’t need a big, heavy padlock to do it. Good quality approved locks are smaller and lighter but just as effective. Ensure locks are small enough to use on your bag’s zippers to keep your stuff safe even if it’s not in a locker. Choose a cable lock (for flexibility) that uses a combination, not a key that could get misplaced.
KEYCHAIN FLASHLIGHT: A keychain flashlight is perfect for those nights when you return to your hostel dorm room late—don’t piss off your roommates by turning on the lights at 3am. The Nano Light Miniature Keychain LED Flashlight is an amazing little flashlight that is super bright and tiny. Else you may use your mobile phone’s flashlight.
SIM CARD/ CALLING: In case you have to call a local number in Europe only then the local sim comes most handy. Else you may call your respective mobile operators and recharge a pack for incoming free international calls and free internet. So in case you have to make a callback home/tripver team/co-travelers, you can use WhatsApp or messenger & your incoming from India is of free of charge.
LUGGAGE POLICY FOR INTERCITY/COUNTRY TRANSPORT: For your bus and train tickets pre-reserved while in Europe, generally, your ticket includes the free transportation of 02 bags as mentioned below:
1. One item of Hand baggage (max. 42 x 30 x 18 cm) & (max. 7kg)
2. One Travel baggage (max. 80 x 50 x 30 cm) & (max 20kg).
Please ensure that all of your baggage is labelled with your name and address to avoid any confusion.
Additional Baggage: It is not to exceed the dimensions of the travel baggage and may not weigh more than 20 kg (33.1 lbs). This additional baggage item costs €2 . The bus or train services cannot guarantee the ability to transport more than one travel baggage item in the luggage compartment of the bus. Therefore do carry your luggage accordingly.
LUGGAGE POLICY AIRLINES: Guys you are traveling internationally and on your own so may we kindly request you to go through the luggage policy of your respective individual airline on receiving the airline ticket to avoid inconvenience at the last minute.
CURRENCY AND CARD:
How much cash to carry & why use Forex Card?
We recommend you to carry approx 200 Euro in cash from India for basic minimal use. You may withdraw liquid cash once you are in Europe via ATM as the exchange rate would benefit you more. We recommend you not to use debit or credit card and use forex card instead. Forex card is travel cards which can be uploaded with Euro’s and you can be used to withdraw cash from ATM supporting master or visa cards. The advantage of using Forex card is that it is controlled via an app from where you can change the pin or even block the card in case lost instantly. Secondly, the taxes incurred by the banks are much lesser for a foreign swipe or a cash withdrawal as compared to Indian Credit or Debit cards. Thirdly, you don’t have worry about carrying cash most of the places would accept the card, euro being a first world nation.
It’s recommended taking a travel card form the bank where your bank account is and attach the card for easy transfer of money. Get in touch with your bank for details.
It’s advisable not to carry to much cash on the go as it becomes difficult to manage & in case you loose it, it may turn out to be a heavy financial loss which cannot be traced.
Euro is the most prominent currency in Europe, however every country has its own currency. Irrespective of the currency loaded on the card, the cash will be dispensed based on the currencies supported at the ATMs. Please ensure that you have full information on the terms of use of currency as per the state of law in the respective country that you are travelling.
BE AWARE & CAUTIOUS: You are a tourist in an international destination, therefore we would recommend you to try & avoid walking around in dark and empty places while traveling. We would also recommend you to wear your bag in front of my body in crowded places just to be sure. Tripver will not be in a position to assist you in any way for any loss of items/ cash/ police reporting etc. Stay out of trouble & be responsible.
LOST/STOLEN PASSPORT QUERIES: Remember that your passport is the most critical document when traveling abroad. The passport should always be with you when you are traveling. However, in case you lose it for any reason, do not panic & please do follow the LIST OF INSTRUCTIONS and do keep them handy.
CITY TAXES AND EXTRA LUGGAGE FEE: Hostels, Museums may charge you city tax amounting upto 3-4 Euro as per the destination. Always keep some cash handy. Hostel even charge fee in case you store luggage for a longer duration of time post check-in.
We hope this information helps. In case you have any further question we are available on our toll free number 24 x 7 . Feel free to buzz us & ask many times you like for any further details till you are absolutely satisfied with your pre arrival planning. We’ll be very happy to help !
Happy Tripping !
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