Backpacking Tips     

What to Put in Your Backpack for Europe

Having decided to travel to Europe and backpack around all those countries you have been dying to see you must make sure that you have what you need when you first pack up your backpack but no more than that.

Start with your toiletries. Take only the bare minimums that you need. While the brands may not all be the same, many will be, and there is nothing that you cannot find in Europe. They sell soaps, sanitary products, shampoos, toothpastes etc. at a variety of stores. Putting your toiletries in a toiletries organizer will help to keep things neat, easily accessible and less likely to spill.

A towel is very necessary as hostels do not provide towels and without one you cannot get clean.  While you can take your favorite beach towel with you will find that getting it dry in time to repack can be a problem. Not so with the special micro fiber towels that are both lightweight and fast drying. They cost about thirty dollars and are an investment worth making.

Be sure to bring your camera and a few rolls of film. Film can be bought all over Europe so you need not bring too much with. Instead of carrying around the finished rolls mail them home. Then you can develop them when you return. This saves space and prevents the chance of losing any of your photos. If you bring a digital camera instead film will not be an issue but you may find that the memory cards do fill up. You may want to have an extra one or bring a very large one in your camera.

A first aid kit is essential. No one anticipates an injury and even if it's a small one you want to be able to clean and treat it.  If you use a medication that you require daily you should take with you as much as you will need for your entire trip as it is unlikely that a prescription from an American doctor will be honored at a European pharmacy.

Take with a paperback book that you do not mind returning without. You will meet many people who will do the same. Trading books allows many travelers to read a variety of things without having to carry more than one book.  This has become a recognized practice among backpackers.

When traveling in Europe you want to make sure you have the proper identification on you. You must have your passport for starters. It is always a good idea to make a copy of your passport and leave one at home with family members plus have one on you. This can be helpful if you lose your passport or it is stolen. There are many other things you need to take with you including a sleeping sheet or sleeping bag, a money belt, debit card, money, luggage locks for your backpack, guide books, a sink stopper, sunglasses and a travel alarm to name a few more essentials.