What to pack for your Europe trip from India (Summer Travel)
- Henna Shah
- 5 days ago
- 5 min read
What to pack for your Europe trip from India this summer? Here is an ultimate travel essentials list of things to carry and clothes to wear while travelling to Europe during the summer months. While this travel packing list applies to all, I have taken into account the special needs of Indian travellers, vegetarians and women who like to travel comfortably within a reasonable luggage limit without the need to backpack.
Kindly note, this list takes into account 2 weeks in Europe, you may want to tweak the quantity of things to carry while travelling, depending on your own duration of travel. Additionally, this list is also useful to summer travel in North America and all-year-round travel in Australia and New Zealand.
Recommendation: All you need to know about a Europe trip cost from India and how to plan a Europe trip from India
Table of contents
i. Accessories
Checked in luggage
While the basic packing items for travel are applicable to all, this packing list is designed with couple travelers in mind. We typically travel with one check-in bag each, keeping our luggage under 20 kg per bag even if our airline allows more since many internal or budget flights often have stricter weight limits. Keeping luggage light and minimal also makes train travel in Europe far more convenient.
Pro tip: We split our belongings evenly between both bags. That way, if one gets lost or delayed, we each still have access to half our essentials.
Clothes to wear in Europe
✔️ 5 neutral t-shirts to wear under the jackets or overcoats
✔️ 3 light jackets or overcoats
✔️ 3 thick t-shirts or tops
✔️ 3 dressy tops
✔️ 2 black pants
✔️ 2 blue jeans
✔️ 2 Evening Dresses
✔️ 4 Night Dresses
✔️ 1 athleisure wear for hikes/ workout
✔️ 1 lounge wear for the flights
✔️ If you have any beach destination then carry an additional pair of sleeveless tops and shorts (like the Mediterranean)
Undergarments
✔️ Carry as many inner wears as the number of nights you are in a hotel + 4 extras
✔️ You can carry disposable innerwear for the nights
✔️ Carry 2 sets of upper and lower thermals
✔️ Carry as many pairs of socks as the number of nights you are in a hotel + 2 extras
✔️ 1 pair of cycling shorts
✔️ A swim-suit/ full body swimsuit and quick dry towels
Footwear
✔️ Comfortable closed shoes suitable for walking
✔️ Neutral colored sandals
✔️ Slippers for the room/ within the hotel
✔️ Beach slippers/ water friendly footwear
Skincare travel essentials
✔️ Coconut Oil (Can be used as a pre-bath moisturiser or as an oil based makeup remover)
✔️ Aloe Vera gel
✔️ Body Lotion (you can skip if you are okay with what the hotel provides)
✔️ Moisturising body wash (you can skip if you are okay with what the hotel provides)
✔️ Face cleanser/ Cleansing Oil
✔️ Face cream
✔️ A topical steroid cream for allergic flare-ups for those with dermatitis, eczema or psoriasis
Makeup travel essentials
✔️ 2 lipsticks (can be one lighter and one darker shade or one satin finish)
✔️ 2 lip glosses
✔️ 1 blush
✔️ 2 liners (one can be a classic black and the other could be coloured)
✔️ Compact + Brush
✔️ Concealer (if you use one)
Haircare travel essentials
✔️ Almond oil (Can be used as a preconditioner for your hair before washing them)
✔️ Shampoo (Can skip if you are okay with what the hotel provides)
✔️ Conditioner (Can skip if you are okay with what the hotel provides)
✔️ Hair serum (To beat the humidity if it gets hot)
✔️ Hair styling tools (avoid carrying a hair dryer, as most hotels or AirBnBs will have one)
✔️ Heat protectant spray (if you will style your hair)
Sunscreen and sun protection kit for Indian skin
✔️ Body sunscreen (SPF 50++ and also look for water-resistant variants if you sweat a lot)
✔️ Lip balm with sun protection
✔️ Tinted sunscreen
✔️ A dermatologist prescribed an antioxidant which acts as an oral sunscreen (for people with sensitive skin)
Other travel essentials (toiletries & miscellaneous)
✔️ Sanitary pads/ tampons/ menstrual cup
✔️ A travel perfume
✔️ Tooth brush and paste + Tongue Cleaner (Most hotels provide dental kits so you can choose to skip it, but like me if you use an electric toothbrush, then feel free to carry your own)
✔️ Medicine kit
✔️ Carry an expandable duffle bag in case you need it, bring everything back (recommended for shopaholics)
✔️ Portable jet spray (You can skip if you are comfortable with toilet rolls)
✔️ Women’s razor
✔️ A nail paint
Accessories
✔️ 1 hairband
✔️ 2 hair clips
✔️ 2 hair ties
✔️ 2 silk scrunchies (for bedtime)
✔️ 1 comb with wide and thin toothed sides
✔️ 1 combing Brush
✔️ 2 Bracelets
✔️ 1 watch
✔️ 2 Rings
✔️ 1 pair of long earrings
✔️ 1 pair of stud earrings
✔️ 1 extra pair of sunglasses
✔️ 1 hat
✔️ 1 cap
✔️ 1 beanie
✔️ 4 scarves of different prints
✔️ 1 pair of woollen gloves
✔️ Poncho (for rainy weather)
✔️ Silicone shoe covers (if you are going to encounter any snow)
Carry-on luggage
While most airlines allow 5–7 kg for cabin baggage, a smart option is to carry a lightweight, foldable duffle bag. If you're not taking any internal flights, you can pack it inside your check-in bag and use it only when needed, especially helpful for train travel in Europe, where managing fewer bags makes the journey much smoother. It's also wise to pack a small essentials kit in your cabin bag when taking connecting flights. Include at least two sets of clothes, a nightdress, undergarments, a stole or scarf, a light jacket, and a pair of socks. This way, you'll have everything you need in case your checked luggage is delayed.
Sling bag
✔️ Passport
✔️ Hand cream
✔️ Anti-perspirant wipes (for the face)
✔️ Wallet
✔️ Tissue
✔️ Top up sunscreen (opt for something easy to carry and apply while you’re on the go, like a roll-on sunscreen or a spray sunscreen)
✔️ Sanitizer
✔️ Lip balm
✔️ 1 pair of sunglasses
✔️ Cotton (to stuff into your ears if it gets windy)
Haversack: In-flight essentials
✔️ Eye Drops (to help moisturise your eyes that tend to get dry while travelling)
✔️ Phone Charger
✔️ Earphones
✔️ Magazine/ Book/ Kindle
✔️ Pen
✔️ Notebook
✔️ Umbrella
✔️ Waterproof foldable bag
✔️ Universal Converter
Long lasting food for travelling to Europe (for Indians)
✔️ Cloves (to pop into your cheek pocket and nap, if feeling under the weather)
✔️ Mint
✔️ Mukhwas (a simple fennel seed and misri mix is your natural antacid while travelling)
✔️ Ready to make tea (Try the Girnar ones, my favourite is the Cardamom flavour)
✔️ Nitrogen-packed theplas (not vacuum-packed)
✔️ Mobile packets of Indian dry snacks (Khakhras, Bhujia, Peanut bhajia, kachoris)
✔️ Carry Ayurvedic laxatives if you struggle with constipation, but do not use everyday and in the first few days of travel
✔️ Carry extra zip-lock bags to store opened food items Recommendation: Read Ayurvedic Doctor Nidhi Pandya’s advice on how to manage your gut health while travelling)
Last word: Packing for a European summer (for Indians)
While summer temperatures across most of Europe are generally warm, the weather can be quite unpredictable. Sudden showers, cool evenings, or windy days are common, especially in temperate regions. For Indian travelers, even 20°C can feel chilly when the wind picks up. It’s a good idea to pack a pair of light thermals and some warm layers to stay comfortable in changing conditions.
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