Travel Essentials for Europe
Planning a trip to Europe? These are the travel essentials for Europe you can’t forget!
I’ve spent months at a time traveling in Europe throughout all seasons, and I even lived in Paris for a while, so I have a lot of experience when it comes to packing for Europe and what to bring.
If you’re traveling from the US and it’s your first time in Europe or you just haven’t traveled to Europe in a while, this list will be very helpful for you. Forgetting any of these important items could result in a major inconvenience to your trip. So be sure to remember these essentials and travel prepared!
Below are some of the top Europe travel essentials you should bring on every trip.
1. Passport & Visa
It might seem silly, but I wanted to include it anyway just in case! Obviously, you’ll need a valid passport to travel to Europe. However, many people don’t realize that you also need to make sure your passport has at least six months of validity beyond the dates of your trip to travel to most European countries.
This means that if you’re traveling to Italy for a week in June, but your passport is set to expire in August, you could actually be turned away and required to return to the US. If your passport is expiring within the next year, I recommend that you go ahead and renew it to avoid any potential travel issues.
When it comes to visas, American travelers can enter almost every country in Europe without a visa, but beginning some time in 2026, travelers will be required to complete an ETIAS (travel authorization form.)
2. Outlet Adaptor
There are several different electrical socket types used in Europe, and none of them will work with your American plugs. That’s why packing an outlet adaptor (or several) for Europe is so important.
This is the exact universal outlet adaptor I have and I like it because it fits multiple different types of electrical sockets, including all of the ones you’ll find in Europe. I personally travel with two of these just to make sure I can have multiple things plugged in at once, as well as to have a backup.
3. Portable Charger
Another thing you’ll want to bring to Europe is a portable cellphone charger. Between using Google Maps to navigate around and taking hundreds of photos of all the amazing sights you’re seeing, your phone’s battery life can dwindle quickly. And the last thing you want to be stuck with is a dead battery!
These can fully charge your phone’s battery at least two times over, making them ideal to have when you’re out and about and won’t necessarily have access to an outlet to charge your phone all day.
4. Airalo eSIM
Speaking of using Google Maps to navigate while traveling, you’ll need cellular data on your phone to do that. You’ll also need cellular data if you want to access the Internet from your phone at any time.
Some American phone plans offer free cellular data abroad (like my plan with T-Mobile) but that data is very slow. Other phone plans charge an exorbitant amount of money to use data outside the US. And while you can try to rely on free WiFi while traveling, it’s not always readily available when you need it.
That’s why I highly recommend getting an eSIM from Airalo. This app lets you buy local eSIMS wherever you travel so you can access high-speed data on your phone for super cheap prices, without changing anything with your current phone plan. It’s super easy to use and has been a game-changer for me.
I really like Airalo because you buy as much data as you want (anywhere from 1 GB to 10 GB or more) and top it up as often as you need to. It’s really good to have if you want to stay connected abroad.
5. Credit Cards & Debit Cards with No Foreign Transaction Fees
Let’s talk money in Europe. The official currency in twenty European countries is the Euro, while countries like the UK, Switzerland, Norway, and most Eastern European countries use their own currencies.
In many situations, you can pay with credit card in Europe. In fact, some places are card-only. I highly recommend getting a credit card with no foreign transaction fees for your travels. Also, it’s best to have a Visa or MasterCard, because American Express is not widely accepted in most parts of Europe.
When it comes to debit cards, I also recommend a card with no foreign transaction fees and no ATM fees. This way, you can withdraw local currency from any ATM worldwide. I highly recommend the Charles Schwab Investor Checking debit card for this. They automatically refund all ATM fees for you.
Also, here’s a tip for paying with card or withdrawing money from ATMs: The machine will often ask if you want to pay in the local currency, or accept the bank’s conversion rate. Always choose the option to pay in the local currency to save money because the conversion rate contains a high mark-up.
6. Durable Luggage
One thing you’ll want when traveling to Europe is durable luggage. If you’re gong on a shorter trip, I would also really recommend packing a carry-on suitcase if you can. I’ve traveled with a carry-on suitcase only for trips up to three months long, so it’s certainly possible, and makes your life a lot easier.
This is especially helpful if you’re traveling to several destinations within Europe rather than staying in just one place. You’ll want a small, durable suitcase that can withstand being loaded into overhead bins on airplanes, stacked on luggage racks on trains, and dragged over cobblestone streets in European cities.
A hard-side rolling carry-on suitcase like this is perfect for travel to Europe for one or two weeks. Carry-on suitcases are so much more manageable than large luggage when traveling in Europe.
7. Packing Cubes
If you’re worried about how to make everything fit, that’s where packing cubes come into play. These nifty little cubes have been another game-changer for me when it comes to traveling.
You can fit so much more into a small suitcase with packing cubes, and it helps you keep everything organized if you want to separate cubes for tops, bottoms, dresses, underwear, socks, pajamas, and so on.
8. Travel-Sized Toiletries
Another important thing to remember to pack for travel in Europe is travel-sized toiletries. Anything liquid, aerosol, cream, or gel in your carry-on luggage must be in a container smaller than 100 mL (3.38 fl. oz.) in order to fly with it in the EU. It’s also supposed to be put into a clear 1 L plastic bag. I’ve noticed that this is more strictly enforced at some European airports than in US airports.
So when it comes to shampoo, conditioner, body wash, toothpaste, hair gel, hand cream, perfume, and any other toiletries, be sure they’re in containers smaller than 100 mL and fit in a 1 L plastic bag.
9. Scarf or Shawl
One thing I always recommend bringing to Europe, even in the summer, is a scarf or shawl you can use as a wrap. Obviously, if you’re traveling when it’s cold, you’ll want to pack a warm winter scarf.
But even for the summer, a lightweight scarf or shawl like this is a good idea. From visiting historic churches and cathedrals, which require that you dress modestly and cover your shoulders, to warming up on a freezing-cold airplane or train, to throwing on for an evening al fresco dinner, it’s super practical.
10. Comfortable Walking Shoes
One thing to know about traveling to Europe is that you’ll likely do a lot more walking than you tend to do at home. And the last thing you want to deal with is blisters or pain from impractical footwear.
Although you should definitely pack some cute, nicer shoes for dinners out or activities that don’t require much walking, I highly recommend bringing a pair of comfortable walking shoes too. Even if it’s a pair of sneakers that don’t scream high fashion, your feet will thank you and you’ll be a lot more comfortable.
11. Reusable Water Bottle
You can drink the tap water almost everywhere in Europe, so it’s a smart idea to pack a reusable water bottle you can refill whenever you want. I’ve even filled up my water bottle from ancient public water spouts in Italy — if the drinking water was good enough for the ancient Romans, it’s good enough for me!
While I usually recommend a filtering water bottle if you’re traveling to parts of the world that don’t have drinkable tap water, a regular refillable water bottle like this will suffice in Europe.
Travel Essentials for Europe
This guide showed you the travel essentials for Europe you need to have.
If it’s your first time traveling to Europe (or your first time visiting Europe in a while), you will definitely want to remember all these items to help ensure you have a smooth and enjoyable trip.
Enjoy your trip to Europe!
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