We travel a lot and have a lot of practice packing for all kinds of adventures from a summer long trip through Europe with only a backpack to a full-on safari.
Here are some of our recommendations:
Convertible pants
Being able to switch from pants to capris/shorts when the day warms up suddenly makes this space saver invaluable. We like something that’s also a light weight nylon blend so we can wash it out in the hotel sink if need be. (There are also women’s cuts of these available at REI and LL Bean which we have used before)
Hiking Sandals
Shoes are tricky for travelers: you need arch support during long walks and endless hours on your feet and you also don’t want to be too hot. We almost exclusively wear these.
Now while we love these, it’s worth noting that the residents of most countries we visit in Europe tend to be a lot more chic than Americans. If you’re going out somewhere nice (say for dinner or the opera) be sure to have a dress shirt or polo (and hope they over look your zip off pants 😉 )
The Basic Black Dress
For women we suggest a dark colored cotton dress, it will hold up well, can be washed in a sink, be comfortable and still be effortlessly chic.
Your Home Team Baseball cap (or other favorite hat)
It gets hot and sunny on the road and TSA makes bringing sunscreen a pain, so be sure to bring a light weight hat.
Money Belt
If you plan to bring cash the money belt is a really good investment to ensure the safety of your valuables and passport against purse snatchers or light fingered hotel staff. Wear this under your shirt and pants especially when riding public transport or walking around crowded city locations.
