This article is part of CNN Underscored’s Summer Travel Week, a week-long look at how to travel smarter and save money during one of the busiest travel seasons of the year.
Whether you’re going to France, Lisbon, Sicily, Spain, or anywhere else, packing for your trip needs to be done carefully and thoughtfully. Because you’ll be traveling long distances, not only will you want comfort for the journey itself, but you’ll also need to pack some travel accessories that are specifically designed for European travel.
For example, your packing list for a trip to Europe should include an international plug adapter so you can charge your devices and a travel wallet to safely store your cash and documents as you traverse popular tourist destinations.
Additionally, bring comfortable clothes that can withstand Europe’s notorious lack of air conditioning and high summer temperatures — think sweat-absorbing shirts and underwear.
To help you pack for your international trip, we’ve compiled a list of essentials for trips to Budapest, London, Rome and other parts of Europe.
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Wall outlets in Europe are different than those you have at home in the US. So if you want to charge your phone, laptop, power bank, or other devices, you’ll need to bring an international travel adapter with you on your trip. This power adapter from Foval is small and perfect for storing in your carry-on bag. With three AC outlets, four USB-A ports, and one USB-C port, you can charge all your devices.
If you’ve got your Apple AirTags and want to stay organized, don’t just throw them randomly in your bag. Instead, you can use an AirTag accessory to keep your tracking device securely in place. With this AirStrip accessory, you can store your AirTags on the luggage itself, or around any oddly shaped items you’re packing for travel. Not only are they resizable, they’re also reusable, so you can use them again and again on your future vacations.
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This universal phone mount is a must-have for long-haul flights, especially across oceans. It allows you to insert your phone and seamlessly mount the device to the back of the plane seat in front of you. In our experience, we used it to hook our phone to a tray table while flying, but you can also clip it to an armrest or any other secure item nearby.
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Twelve South Airfly Duo
Those transatlantic flights are long, but they fly by with this device. Twelve South AirFly Duo makes it easy to wirelessly transmit audio from your in-flight entertainment system to your favorite Bluetooth headphones. It has a 20+ hour battery life and is easy to charge with the included USB-C cable.
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If you want to hit the ground running and visit as many places as possible each day on your European trip, you’ll need a way to charge your devices on the go. This slim power bank from Iniu is a great choice because it’s small enough to fit on a travel belt or small bag, yet powerful enough to charge multiple devices.
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Whether you’re planning on snorkeling off the shores of Croatia or the Greek Islands, or your European trip includes hiking the Swiss Alps or the Italian Dolomites, you’ll want to bring along your GoPro Hero 12 Black to record every moment. This action camera shoots in high-resolution 5.3K, has built-in image stabilization, and comes with a number of mounts for hands-free footage. Even better, it can double as a webcam when you’re not traveling.
This shirt from Mountain Khakis may look like any other checked button-up, but it’s not: It’s made from the brand’s signature heat-regulating, quick-drying “brrr°” fabric, perfect for long walks in the heat of a European summer.
Packing men’s formal clothes can be a hassle as they can get wrinkled during storage and transport. But in our experience, the Gramercy blazer won’t wrinkle even without a garment bag. This travel blazer is moisture-wicking and has 10 pockets to keep your cash, passport, keys, and more safe. It’s also machine washable, so you can wear it in the heat of a European summer and wash it right away to wear again and again.
When you’re planning a long trip, comfort is key, especially if you’ll be sightseeing during the hot summer months. These men’s boxer briefs are perfect for the hot European summer with moisture-wicking, cooling properties and an all-over lack of pressure. Built-in CloudSoft technology keeps you cool and fresh all day and night, wherever your travels take you. UnderGents are available in six sizes and 12 colors and designs.
A sweat-wicking t-shirt is essential for staying comfortable on summer trips, and this merino wool shirt from Allbirds is great for breathability, with a classic crewneck fit that pairs well with shorts, jeans, leggings, or any outfit. Also available in men’s sizes.
Spandex slip shorts are a must-have for summer travel when you want to wear skirts and dresses. Not only will they prevent chafing as you take those many steps each day, but they also keep your thighs sweat-free and help prevent panty lines. Pack a few pairs of slip shorts in your luggage this summer and you’ll wonder how you ever lived without them.
These performance-fit hiking socks are perfect for a variety of activities during your trip to Europe, whether that’s hiking in the Alps, climbing Norway’s Sherpa Steps or taking a scenic stroll through the forests of Germany. Made from merino wool and spandex, these socks will keep you naturally cool and dry while remaining lightweight and breathable all day long. Also available in men’s sizes.
Luggage, bags and backpacks for your next trip to Europe
This affordable travel backpack has been a favorite of the CNN Underscored team for a while now. It can serve as a carry-on replacement for short trips thanks to a large interior compartment that can easily fit a few days’ worth of clothes, and it also has a laptop compartment and organizational pockets to organize your chargers and other travel essentials.
You need a sturdy bag to carry all your belongings when you catch a train or a taxi. If you’re looking for a duffel bag, this 60-liter option from Yeti is a great choice. It has structured walls that make it less likely to collapse, and it has hidden interior pockets and divider panels to keep your clothes and other items organized. As a duffel bag, it saves you the trouble of rolling a wheeled suitcase down Europe’s famous cobblestone streets.
Molly Flores/CNN Underscored
If you want to bring a traditional carry-on bag for your trip to Europe, the Samsonite Freeform Spinner is a great choice. This bag has a sleek design, smooth-rolling wheels, and is reasonably priced. Plus, it’s backed by Samsonite’s 10-year global warranty in the unlikely event that a defect is found.
Toiletry bags help you keep your soap, shampoo, cosmetics and other personal care items neatly organized and safely together in your bag. This hanging toiletry bag makes keeping your belongings together even easier by opening the front zipper and hanging it in your hotel or vacation rental bathroom for easy access.
A travel wallet makes navigating airports and train stations a breeze, especially if you’re bringing a few people along on your international trip. This travel organizer from Heouvo features RFID-blocking technology to keep your personal information safe, and it’s roomy enough to hold five or six passports, vaccination cards, cash, credit cards, boarding passes, and more.
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All AmazonBasics packing cubes come with handles
Packing cubes help keep your bag organized and wrinkle-free. This set from Amazon Basics is inexpensive and very functional, with mesh top panels that make it easy to see what’s inside each cube. With a 4.7-star rating and over 39,000 reviews on Amazon, it’s a surefire hit.
The weather is unpredictable, which is why you should always have a small, portable travel umbrella with you. This compact travel umbrella from Gorilla Grip is lightweight, folds down to 11.5 inches, and fits easily into a travel backpack, making it perfect for international travel. This travel umbrella is built to withstand wind gusts of up to 23 mph and provides up to UPF 20 protection from harmful UV rays on sunny European days.
You’ll be lucky if your European vacation rental has a washing machine, but it’s unlikely you’ll find one with a dryer. Either way, bringing a portable clothesline can help keep your clothes clean and reduce your overall load. This way, you’ll always have space to dry your shirts, pants, and underwear, whether you wash them in the washing machine or by hand in the sink.
When you’re traveling with your wheeled luggage, backpack or tote, you want to keep your bag safe and theft-proof at the same time. This travel belt from Cincha allows you to securely attach your tote or backpack to the top of your wheeled luggage so your luggage won’t fall off or get stolen as you move through airports, town centres and train stations. Not only is the travel belt adjustable, it also fits super snugly and has a quick release buckle that makes it easy to remove when needed.
Some European hotspots are also hot spots for pickpockets and other thefts, so you’ll need a plan to keep your cash and documents safe and out of sight. A money belt does just that by providing a space to conveniently store your cash, hotel room keys, and passport around your waist. This money belt from Lanney also comes equipped with RFID blocking technology to prevent thieves from stealing your credit card numbers and other sensitive information.
If you’re worried about all the surfaces you touch on planes, trains, buses, and other forms of transportation, bringing hand sanitizer with you can give you peace of mind. This moisturizing hand sanitizer from Touchland comes in a convenient travel size, packs 500 sprays per bottle, and comes in 13 fresh scents. The formula used in this sanitizer makes it smooth and non-greasy, and the ethyl alcohol kills 99.99% of the most common germs.
If you’re traveling internationally and planning on checking luggage, you’ll want to keep your liquid cosmetics safe and separate from your clothes and other belongings. This bottle cover does just that, creating a snug, waterproof barrier around your hair and skin care products, sunscreen bottles, and more.
Looking for a travel credit card? Check out what CNN Underscored Money picked as the best travel credit cards available right now.
