The Ultimate Packing List for Europe: Summer Edition (+ What to Wear!)

Beautiful beaches, fashionable cities, epic national parks, blooming flowers: there’s a lot to love about summer in Europe, but when it comes to planning a packing list for Europe, summer weather can make things a little difficult!

The good news? No bulky coats required.

The bad news? Scorching weather, multiple countries with different standards of dress, and an itinerary that likely combines outdoor highlights (beaches, boat rides, chasing waterfalls) with city lights (cooling off in museums, eating gelato on the streets every afternoon) can mean that a summer packing list for Europe can be a bit tricky to put together.

After years spent traveling through Europe in all seasons, including over a year spent living in Lisbon, we’ve become quite accustomed to navigating Europe’s changing seasons (and packing up our belongings over and over again).

This Europe packing list has been designed for traveling to Europe in June, July, and August, though depending on where you are visiting, you could count the last half of May or the first half of September in here too!

We’ve pulled together years’ worth of travel knowledge to create this packing list for Europe: summer travel is bound to be even more relaxing with these tips!

The Absolute Essentials for Visiting Europe in Summer

Passport — If you’re traveling internationally, your passport is an absolute must: there’s no point in packing for Europe in summer without it!

Visa (If Needed) — Though 26 countries in Europe are part of the Schengen Zone that allows many nationalities (including US citizens, Canadians, and Australians) to enter and travel freely between their countries for 90 days for tourism, that still leaves around half of Europe’s countries that are not part of this agreement.

Regardless of where you are from, always double-check entrance requirements before showing up at the airport to fly to any European country (or any country at all that isn’t your own, for that matter).

Travel Insurance — No one likes to think about the possibility of canceled or interrupted trips, let alone accidents on the road.

Anything can happen while traveling, though–and that’s where travel insurance can help.

Check travel insurance policy inclusions and prices for your trip here.

SOON: ETIAS Waiver — While a traditional visa is not necessary, the EU is in the process of rolling out the ETIAS waiver system that will apply to most visa-exempt travelers from outside the EU.

While not active for the summer of 2025, it is slated to begin in 2026.

When up and running, this will essentially be a brief form that will need to be filled out, paired with a small fee (7 Euro) that will need to be paid before entering any of 30 European countries.

It sounds more complex than it is, but for now, we recommend checking this site for any updates before your trip to Europe (as of March 2025 when I am updating this blog post, we are at least a year out from ETIAS coming into effect, but given how much it has been in the news, we want to include the details here).

Money — We recommend bringing two credit cards (one to use, and one to keep as a backup), and two debit cards. Ideally, bring cards with no foreign transaction fees.

We’ve never felt it necessary to obtain currency before arriving (we just withdraw from an ATM when we get there), but you can purchase most currencies in your home country if it makes you feel more comfortable.

Keep in mind that not all countries in Europe are on the Euro, so be sure to double-check what currency you’ll need based on your itinerary!

International Driving Permit — If you are visiting Europe from outside the EU and plan to rent a car, you may need an International Driving Permit to do so!

Italy is particularly well-known for enforcing this requirement.

Be sure to check the rental requirements in any country that you plan to drive in before you arrive!

Travel Gear You Should Definitely Pack for Summer in Europe

Camera — We use a Sony a7R III and absolutely adore it, but whatever camera you’re comfortable with works (and your phone may be plenty).

Just make sure you have something with you to preserve your memories!

Travel Adapters for Europe — If you’re coming from outside of Europe, you’ll definitely need adapters for your electronics.

Be sure to check the requirements for any particular countries you visit! The United Kingdom, for example, is well-known for using different plugs than most of the continent.

If you’re visiting the UK, Ireland, or Malta as part of your trip, we recommend also adding these adapters to your summer packing list.

(Here’s our full Ireland packing list, which is fairly workable for all the British Isles).

Portable USB Charger — Don’t stress about your phone dying while you’re sightseeing: add a portable charger to your packing list for Europe this summer.

Apple Air Tags — Air Tags are a relatively new addition to our Europe packing list, but we’ve absolutely loved having the extra security when checking out luggage!

When our luggage was lost in transit from Rome last year, having the Air Tags to track where our bags were provided a lot of peace of mind.

Pacsafe — We can’t recommend our Pacsafe enough!

This travel safe is affordable, sturdy, easy to pack, and will help keep your valuables safe in your hotel room (not that you should need to worry much about theft from your hotel room during your trip to Europe, but it’s better to be safe than sorry!).

Reusable Water Bottle — Save both money and plastic during your summer trip to Europe and add a reusable water bottle to your packing list! I love this metal one.

Tote Bag — Incredibly light and easy to pack, a tote bag can serve as a grocery bag, beach bag, laundry bag, or just about anything else.

They’re incredibly handy and we recommend adding one to your packing list for Europe this summer.

We’ve been carrying ours for years and it never stops coming in handy!

Swiss Army Knife — Want to open wine bottles in your hotel room, slice cheese from the market, or cut up that baguette from the bakery?

If so, you’ll be so glad you brought along a Swiss Army Knife!

While you need to make sure this goes into your checked luggage when transiting through airports, we can’t count the number of times we’ve been thrilled to have it with us when traveling Europe!

Comfortable Day Bag — We currently use Pacsafe’s sleek anti-theft backpack and love it, but if you don’t want to shell out the cash for this trip, that’s totally understandable.

Just aim for something comfortable to wear, not flashy, and medium-sized–we used a Northface Jester backpack leftover from my college days for years and loved it as well.

Umbrella — Option A: Plan on buying an umbrella when it starts pouring down rain. Option B: Plan ahead and buy a (probably much sturdier) umbrella before leaving.

Option C: Hope you get lucky with the weather (but fair warning, we’ve never been to Europe, even in the summer, and avoided rain entirely!).

Our travel umbrella has been with us for years and is much higher quality than the nearly disposable ones that you can buy on the street.

Sunglasses — Sunglasses are essential for traveling in Europe during the summer!

You can either purchase them ahead of time or plan on picking them up as souvenirs.

Cheap sunglasses are sold on just about every corner in Europe, and designer sunglasses from European brands are generally far cheaper within the EU (I once paid under 200 Euro in Siena for a pair of Valentino glasses that were listed on Saks’ website for $400).

Student ID — If you’re a student, you’ll be entitled to lots of discounts on museums and attractions throughout Europe.

Be sure to add it to your summer packing list for Europe (but do keep in mind that some student discounts are only available to travelers studying in the EU–double-check before counting on the discounts!).

Sunscreen — Because sunburns are never a good look in vacation photos.

Purell Hand Sanitizer — We carry this everywhere, and have never been sorry to have it floating around in our day bag.

Cell Phone — Cell Phone — Back in our backpacking days, we spent more than a year traveling without working cell phones, just relying on wifi… and while that’s completely fine, we would never go back.

Consider buying an eSIM, purchasing an international plan for your cell phone (most carriers offer them), or, if you have an unlocked phone, you can just buy a local SIM card once you land in Europe.

You can also buy EU SIM cards online before you go, though it’s not strictly necessary!

Packing List for Europe: Summer Wardrobe for Women

While you’ll likely want to structure your wardrobe for your packing list for Europe in summer slightly differently based on where exactly you’re going, if you’re looking for an all-purpose summer wardrobe that will sustain you through multiple European destinations, these suggestions are for you!

A glamorous trip to Rome calls for a different wardrobe than hiking in Iceland or island-hopping in Greece–but with a little planning, you can even fit all of those trips into one bag (if you must)

After spending 4 years as full-time travelers, we are extremely well accustomed to living out of a backpack as we traipse around Europe, and these suggestions reflect my personal favorite things to wear in Europe during the summer.

Dresses

I love wearing dresses in Europe in the summer! They’re easy to pack, easy to wear, look great just about anywhere you go, and manage to look pulled together and like an intentional travel outfit while only requiring one piece of clothing.

Dresses like this and this are generally what you’ll find me in when traveling through Europe in the summer.

Be sure to bring at least one or two maxi dresses (I love this one, for example), which fulfill the double purpose of being extremely photogenic and also allow you to visit religious sites like churches and mosques without issue.

Two-piece outfits with a crop top + long skirt are also a reliable favorite (I personally love the lemon pattern on this one, it makes me think of the Amalfi Coast).

Tops

Bright, colorful tops are perfect for beach destinations in Europe!

I love choices like this and this, and if crop tops are your style, options like this are a popular choice around the beach.

Bottoms

Ever heard that Europeans don’t wear shorts? In Milan or Paris, fair enough, especially when talking about casual jean cut-offs. But in Dubrovnik or Santorini? Go for it, and enjoy your casual travel outfits!

Beach destinations are the perfect place to break out classic jean shorts like these.

In the city, skirts like this are a great idea, and light midi skirts also look beautiful. 

Bathing Suits

Depending on how many beach destinations you’re planning to visit, I’d pack 2-3 bathing suits for visiting Europe in the summer.

I love choices like this, with plenty of mix-and-match options.

If you’re planning on trying out any active water activities like snorkeling or scuba diving, consider packing at least one one-piece suit, too.

Shoes

The absolute most important rule when determining what shoes to put on your packing list for Europe this summer is making sure that they’re comfortable to walk in!

I’ve been wearing these white sneakers in Europe lately and love them, and this pair is another longtime favorite of mine.

Converse are popular with backpackers and travelers along the tourist trail, as are classic Birkenstocks (I love this pair–just make sure to break them in well before your trip).

Jacket

Summer in Europe can be scorching–but the air conditioning blasting inside museums, hotels, trains, and buses, will make you quickly forget it!

I recommend putting one light jacket on your summer packing list for Europe for those moments.

I normally pack something like this and am very comfortable.

Accessories

Sunglasses and a sunhat are musts for traveling in Europe during the summer!

You can either purchase ahead of time or plan on picking them up as souvenirs. Both are sold on just about every corner in Europe during the summer travel season, though with wildly varying quality.

Packing List for Europe: Summer Wardrobe for Men

Tops

T-shirts are a staple of the men’s traveling wardrobe in Europe, but opt for brightly colored new ones if you can!

Shirts like this that have a bit more detail work as well.

If they’re your style, light, casual button-up shirts are also an option.

Bottoms

During the scorching summer, you’ll find men wearing shorts similar to these just about everywhere in Europe–especially the tourists.

Forgo them in favor of chinos when visiting religious sites that have a strict dress code and in more formal cities like Paris if you can stand it, but on the coast, your shorts certainly won’t stand out.

Shoes

Jeremy tends to opt for light, casual shoes like these during summer in Europe, and you’ll see plenty of Birkenstocks around as well.

Whichever shoes you decide to pack, just make sure that they’re well broken in and easy to walk in for hours before adding them to your summer packing list for Europe!

Bathing Suit

If you’re planning on hitting the beach in Europe this summer, make sure to bring one or two bathing suits along with you.

Suits like this work perfectly.

Jacket

Summer in Europe can be scorching–but the air conditioning blasting inside museums, hotels, trains, and buses, will make you quickly forget it!

I recommend putting one light jacket on your summer packing list for those moments.

Jeremy tends to pack this jacket for Europe in the summer (and most other seasons as well) and loves it.

Accessories

Sunglasses and a hat are musts for traveling in Europe during the summer!

You can either purchase ahead of time or plan on picking them up as souvenirs–both are sold on just about every corner in Europe during the summer travel season, though with wildly varying quality.

Other Travel Gear for Your Packing List for Europe in Summer

Dry Bag — Any summer trip to Europe that includes time on the water (so, most of them), whether that’s hitting the beaches in Sicily, road-tripping the French Riviera, or sailing the Greek Isles, can benefit from a dry bag to keep your camera and cell phone safe (without leaving them behind). 

Swim Goggles — If you’re hitting the beach, definitely add swim goggles to your packing list for Europe in summer–they’re cheap, small, easy to pack, and make swimming so much more fun!

Sea Bands and Non-Drowsy Dramamine — If you’re prone to motion sickness like me, I strongly recommend adding Sea Bands to your summer packing list for Europe.

I use them on all boats and the occasional bus, and if things get really bad, take some Non-Drowsy Dramamine as well.

Trust me–you don’t want to miss out on the joys of boating around the Mediterranean due to seasickness!

Tripod — If you’re traveling with a group and want to ensure that you get pictures of everyone together, a tripod will allow you to snap non-selfie photos easily.

True, it’s a bit of a pain to carry and not advised in busy areas, but the memories are priceless and the photos you end up with are generally so much better than the ones you get by asking a stranger to snap a photo for you.

Not traveling with a camera? This inexpensive phone tripod gets packed on our trips and does a great job.

Travel Journal — If you want to keep a travel journal during your summer in Europe but can’t commit to a huge amount of writing each night, I can’t recommend the One Line a Day Journal enough.

I’ve been using it for more 7 years now (I’m well into my second volume), and only regret that I didn’t start keeping it sooner!

Money Belt — This is up to you: we no longer use one, but if you’re more comfortable having your passports on your person while exploring Europe this summer, you can consider bringing one.

We used to use this one and had no complaints. These days, we prefer just to leave valuables in our Pacsafe during the day.

Basic Medication — Some people prefer to buy medication for basic headaches, fevers, and stomach aches as needed, but who wants to deal with language barriers when they’re sick?

We’ve never regretted packing our own basic meds.

Keep Planning Your Summer Trip to Europe

If you found this guide to packing for Europe in June, July, and August helpful, we’d love to continue to be part of your travel research here on Our Escape Clause!

You can browse all of our general Europe blog posts here, find articles about specific places through our destinations page, or check out these detailed guides:

• How to Actually Enjoy Summer in Venice (13 Important Tips!)
• 21 Epic Hidden Gems in Europe: Secret Spots + Offbeat Highlights
• Greece or Croatia: Which Coastal Getaway is Right for You?
• 17 Spectacular Places to Visit in Switzerland (+ Map!)
• The Perfect 10 Days in Portugal Itinerary (+ Travel Tips!)