The Do’s and Don’ts of a Packing for a European Winter Getaway

- OCT 26, 2018 FRIDAY

The end of the year is undoubtedly the most exciting time of the year. Christmas, New Year’s, ice cream all day every day – the summer holidays in Australia are like no other! But while we’re living it up in front of our air cons, we can’t forget about European winter. We love our boiling hot summer Christmas here, but can you really beat a white Christmas?

Here are some packing tips to help you prepare for the ultimate Winter holiday:

Disclaimer: Outfit repeating is okay! Nobody actually cares how many times you wear the same jumper, so long as you don’t smell funky!

Here’s what you’ll definitely need:

- Jeans – splurge for some good quality jeans, you’re going to be wearing them all day every day. Go ahead and bring two pairs – you may not get time to do washing until halfway through the trip.
- Comfy boots – you’re going to be walking heaps and in subzero temps, make sure you’re comfy and that they’re warm.
- Thick socks – none of those skinny little anklet socks you wear with your Converses. Your feet are the first
- Gloves – don’t think you’ll use them? Trust me, you will. Especially if you go somewhere with snow, like Mount Pilatus in Switzerland. Save your fingers some stress and get some good, thick gloves.
- Thermals – if you can’t find any good thermals or aren’t willing to splurge, pack plenty of long-sleeved shirts and singlets so you can pop them under your jumpers
- One coat – one will be enough! It doesn’t matter if you end up wearing the same jacket every day. Coats take up so much room in your luggage but are an absolute staple. Pack one that zips up and preferably one that has a hood. I can almost 100% guarantee you will be rained on at least once – it’s Europe after all!
- Jumpers – Pack one jumper for every two to four days you’re away. Like we said, outfit repeating is a-okay. Save plenty of room in your luggage for souvenirs and gifts for the fam at home.
- Headband – Beanies aren’t for everyone, but headbands are cute all the time! You can wear them with your hair up or down, they keep your ears warm – they’re the staple that everyone forgets! Check out some cute ones here.
- Small crossbody bag – believe it or not, pickpocketing in Europe is actually a thing! Bring a small crossbody bag with a zipper, and wear it underneath your jacket so it’s harder for people to get to, and so you can keep an eye on it.
- Spare change – hear me out! Europe’s achilles heel is that the public toilets aren’t free to use. Depending where you are in the world, you could be spending as much as 2 euros to use the toilet. Always keep some spare change with you because you never know when or where nature is going to call.
- Lip balm – I’m going to give it to you straight – your lips will get dry and may even crack. You’re going from boiling hot weather in Aus to freezing cold in Europe. Your skin is not a fan of those big changes, so definitely keep a lip balm with you and save yourself some stress.

A European winter holiday is one of the best things you will ever do! Between the snow, the Christmas decorations, and all the adventures you have planned, it is sure to be the trip of a lifetime.

And remember, it is never to cold for gelato!