How I travel to Europe for three weeks with just carry-on
It is possible to holiday overseas in multiple climates with only an 8kg carry-on suitcase. Here is your step-by-step guide on how to do it.
Like most young people, I made many mistakes the first time I travelled to Europe. Some of these were in the nightclubs of the Greek party island of Mykonos but mercifully it was the 1990s and no documentary evidence of this exists today.
Those embarrassing memories may have softened but an error that was to have a more profound effect on the rest of my travelling life was the way I packed for that trip.
As was the trend in those days, I went with a backpack – and not just the sort of backpack that fits in a few items for a weekend away. I bought a 50-litre backpack, which I figured would store everything I needed for two months in Europe.
Into this I put shoes of all varieties, from stilettos to sneakers, dozens of skirts, shorts and pants, tops, dresses, swimwear, underwear, jumpers, jackets, belts, hats, cameras, a cabinet load of toiletries, a sleeping bag (just in case, not sure of what), water bottles, makeup, combs, brushes and, from memory, a hairdryer. When I left the country the backpack was stuffed so full I could barely close it which should have set off alarm bells.
About five days in, as we schlepped down the cobblestone streets of Rome to our hotel, I realised not only had I ridiculously overpacked but that the pressure point of the whole trip would be none of the things that had worried me before I left – dodgy hotels, unsafe food, lack of funds, inability to speak a language other than English – rather, it would be my backpack.
I simply couldn’t stand it and there was nothing I could do about it other than throw out some of my possessions along the way. The worst moment of the trip came when I actually fell backwards like a turtle with my backpack strapped across my shoulders while traversing the hills of Lisbon.
I am the fool of this story but I did learn my lesson. When I travelled to Europe for three weeks in July, I took nothing but carry-on luggage, packed neatly into one small, 8kg capacity suitcase, plus a crossbody handbag and small shoulder bag for a book and toothpaste. That’s it: 10kg at most.
Since that fateful trip back in the 90s, I have not travelled with anything other than carry-on luggage. This makes travelling simple, effortless and quick. The bonus is no lost baggage and no waiting at airport carousels. This is how I do it:
Shoes
Most of the bulk when packing a suitcase is due to shoes. When I pack my bag, I put in my favourite pairs and then take them all out again and leave them behind. The only thing that is essential is one pair of good, clean, fashionable walking shoes that can double as going-out sneakers.
I use Converse Low Tops in a neutral colour, which I also wear on the plane. Into the bag goes a dressier pair of flats; this time I took a pair of silver sandals that did the trick.
I confess to also buying a pair of espadrilles in Mallorca, because they are the best shoes for muggy Mediterranean days at the beach. They were an indulgence and I regretted them when I left the Med for colder climates.
Clothes
Here’s the biggest revelation I had with packing clothes for a holiday in Europe: nobody knows you so you do not need to look different every day. You move from country to country and nobody cares what you look like, or if you wear the same things over and over again. The secret to packing well is to select three or four “bottoms” – skirts, pants, shorts, jeans, whatever your poison – and mix and match it with a range of black tops and shirts that can be worn on repeat.
This year I packed one pair of shorts, one pair of linen pants, two skirts, three cotton voile dresses, a silk dress, a cardigan, underwear, swimwear and six or seven dark tops and shirts to fit various occasions and weather. I could have gotten away with leaving the silk dress and the long pants at home. Before departing, I make a point of buying dresses that are great for travelling: ones that fold neatly, require no ironing, are cool in the heat, look stylish and can be handwashed.
Black tops work best because they hide stains and spills. I often find a laundry while on the road to wash the essentials. But if I can’t find one, I just do the washing in the hotel sink, leaving the clothes to dry on the window sill. And when you run out of clean underwear and your tops are getting grubby, it is a pleasure to go and buy something new. Clothes bought overseas are my favourite souvenirs.
Toiletries
Taking only carry-on luggage teaches you to be incredibly efficient when packing toiletries, as you can’t get through security anywhere in the world with a bottle of anything over 100ml. This includes shampoo, conditioner, moisturiser, deodorant and perfume. I rely on good hotels to have great hair products and take only small tubes of moisturiser and toothpaste, minimal makeup and a brush. Again, nobody knows you, so who cares if your makeup isn’t perfect?
Equipment
Equipment has become tricky for me because in the past few years I have travelled with either an iPad or laptop plus a professional camera. Combined, these items take up about 3kg-4kg of my carry-on weight, either in the shoulder bag or the suitcase, which is not ideal. I had to make a hard choice this year between the iPad and the laptop (I took the laptop). The good thing is it feels much safer having these valuables in overhead bins, rather than in the cargo hold; you know for sure you will see them at the end of the flight. So my advice is choose wisely and minimise your equipment.
Exercise gear
Remove from bag. Will not be used.
Extras
Into the shoulder bag go books and food, things that can be jettisoned if you are flying around in Europe on Ryanair and encounter a pernickety official who tries to fine you for having 1kg more than your bag allowance. It’s only stuff, after all.
For me the joy of travel is not in the gear, the clothes or having perfect hair. It is about enjoying every minute and that includes not dragging around heavy suitcases from home.
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