A slightly festive packing list for a winter getaway to Central Europe
“Wait… 8 kilograms? How much is that in pounds?”
I had just finished booking flights to Prague and Vienna and was reviewing the carry-on baggage requirements for Lufthansa and SWISS when I noticed the weight limits.
“They limit the weight for a carry-on?” Michael asked as I quickly punched the numbers into a converter.
17.637 pounds.
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The way we looked at each other, you’d have thought we’d just received terrible news. Ten days’ worth of clothes, shoes, and accessories—all crammed into a carry-on that already accounted for seven of those pounds?
Not ones to let a little thing like luggage get in the way of a good trip, we both vowed to view it as an opportunity to flex our packing muscles and challenge ourselves. When the time came to pack, I’d already mentally whittled down my travel wardrobe to a comfortable level. Not to the absolute bare minimum, but enough.
Looking for more packing list inspiration? Discover what's in my suitcase each season: Spring | Summer | Fall | Winter
To stay well under the 8-kilo threshold, I grabbed my lightest suitcase and a set of compression packing cubes, sorting my clothing by category for easy access on the other side of the Atlantic. Then, counterintuitively, I stuffed my heaviest items into a slim backpack, rolled my partly empty suitcase behind me, and off we went.
As I always do after a trip, today I’m unpacking both my suitcase and my thoughts. If you’ve ever been intimidated by the idea of packing for more than a week in just a carry-on, take my hand—I’ll show you how it’s done.
EUROPEAN CHRISTMAS MARKETS PACKING LIST
WHY I PACKED THESE ITEMS
Sweaters
With temperatures this cold, I eagerly reached into my sweater bins for some of my coziest knitwear. But while sweaters are warm, they’re also bulky. For ten days, four felt like the right number—enough variety to keep things interesting, but not so few that I’d be left out in the cold if one got damaged or stained.
As I sorted through my collection, I narrowed my choices by fabric (cashmere and yak, please!), fit (slimmer, denser knits block wind and pack down smaller), and finally, color. A white sweater felt like tempting fate, so I stuck to a darker palette: black, burgundy, and light grey.
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Bottoms
At a minimum, I always pack a pair of blue jeans and a pair of black jeans for Europe. This time, I went with two pairs of the same stretchy, straight-leg style. Why not wide-leg jeans, which are so on-trend right now? Simple: all that extra fabric adds up, and I’d rather save precious weight in my suitcase for something else.
While black denim can pass for slightly dressier occasions, I didn’t want to miss the chance to dress up when I felt like it. So, I tossed in a wool mini-skort (yes, it has built-in shorts!). And since I’m past the age of sleeping in jeans, I wore my comfy wool culottes on each of our travel days.
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Innerwear
Wool, wool, and more wool, baby. This fiber is a miracle for travelers—it regulates temperature, dries quickly, and doesn’t hold odor easily. Over the years, I’ve collected a few lightweight wool tops and leggings to wear as base layers, from brands like COS, & Other Stories, Quince, and my favorite, wool&. They all came along for this trip, and honestly? I don’t know where I’d be without them.
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Hosiery
In addition to two pairs of tights, I packed a range of socks—thin wool socks for sneakers, dense wool hiking socks for boots, and one critically important pair of compression socks for the airplane. While your feet, legs, and ankles may not swell as aggressively as mine do, I highly recommend picking up a pair for long flights to improve circulation.
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Pajamas
While I’d never dream of wearing the same pajamas four or five nights in a row at home, I was willing to do whatever it took to save space in my suitcase. That meant reaching for my thinnest, lightest sleepwear: two silk tanks, a pair of silk pants, and a pair of soft lounge shorts. Since I shower at night, I never felt too icky—and I slept soundly knowing that if the fire alarm went off in the middle of the night (which has happened way too many times over the years), I’d be adequately dressed to hustle out the door.
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Outerwear
Going into this trip, I knew that just about every photo I took would include my coat, so it had to be one I loved—like my camel coat. But with the cold and potentially damp weather, a puffer or parka was the more practical choice. The problem? A puffer coat isn’t really my style, and I didn’t want to wear it every single day. So… two coats? How could I justify packing both in a carry-on?
Well… I got creative. I realized I could remove the insert from my travel neck pillow (which I was already bringing) and swap in my puffer instead. Genius, right? Honestly, I’m still kind of proud of myself.
Shoes
I know, I know—you could never travel with only two pairs of shoes, right? But I promise, you can, as long as you have a well-curated shoe wardrobe at home. For winter, my go-to combo is a pair of comfortable sneakers and a pair of boots that can easily be dressed up or down. Since I’d be dealing with winter grime, I went with all-black, but at another time of year, I probably would have opted for a white sneaker instead.
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Accessories
Rather than stuffing my suitcase with another sweater that would spend most of its time buried under my coat, I used that space for winter accessories that could easily switch up my look. I landed on two hats—one was a classic cable-knit beanie I finished knitting just days before our trip (you can find a similar one here, or a pattern here if you want to make your own)—and a more modern ribbed beanie. I also packed two scarves and a pair of simple leather tech gloves.
A belt can easily pull an outfit together, so that was a no-brainer. To add a little variety, I brought a small selection of gold jewelry, neatly tucked into this perfectly sized case, along with a pair of lightweight sunglasses (not pictured).
But my favorite accessory of the trip? This crossbody bag. With a flap and zip closure, plus multiple interior and exterior pockets, my belongings always felt secure by my side. It’s the perfect size for my wallet, phone, and camera—without feeling oversized. Truly, a traveler’s dream purse.
WINTER OUTFITS FOR PRAGUE AND VIENNA
*this item is no longer available and a similar product is linked
ZIPPING IT UP: MY FINAL THOUGHTS ON PACKING FOR 10 DAYS IN A CARRY-ON
If memory serves me correctly, the only outfit I repeated on this trip was my travel-day uniform—my bulkiest sweater, my softest pants, and my heaviest boots. It just makes sense to wear the biggest items in transit when luggage space and weight are limited. Not that I would’ve minded repeating an outfit—it’s not like I saw the same people every day (well, except for Michael, of course!).
Still, at its core, this packing list included just four tops, four bottoms, and two pairs of shoes. And yet, it carried me through miles of walking, an overnight flight, countless meals in cozy pubs and elegant restaurants, and even an evening at the opera.
So, what made this packing strategy work? A few key things:
- Keeping it simple. A streamlined color palette meant nearly everything mixed and matched seamlessly. The only combination I avoided? My red scarf with my green beanie—that would have been a little too festive, even at Christmastime.
- Comfortable footwear. Sure, my feet were tired at the end of long walking days, but they weren’t blistered or bruised. Supportive sneakers and boots with a roomy toe box kept me comfortable the entire trip.
- A coat I love. In nearly every photo, I’m wearing my wool coat (or at least, that’s the one you see—I sometimes layered my down coat underneath for extra warmth). Had I packed a sportier parka instead, I might not have enjoyed taking photos as much because it just isn’t my style.
- The right fabrics. Prioritizing quality fibers—like wool and cashmere—meant I stayed warm without bulk and didn’t need to worry about my clothes looking rumpled or worn out too quickly. Acrylic and cotton could never.
- Statement accessories. Instead of overpacking sweaters, I let my hats, scarves, and jewelry do the heavy lifting, adding variety to my outfits without taking up too much space.
- A flexible laundry plan. I packed just enough base layers and underwear to avoid mid-trip laundry, but I also knew where to find a laundromat if needed.
- Being open to checking a bag on the way home. Yes, you read that right—the carry-on-only girlie just said that. While I had extra room for souvenirs, I gave myself permission to check a bag if I found something I simply couldn’t live without in a local shop. In the end, I didn’t need to, but knowing I could was a kindness to myself.
And perhaps the biggest sign of a successful pack? After returning home, I kept instinctively reaching for these same pieces over and over again. If I had to do it all over again, I wouldn’t change a thing. Now, all I need is another set of plane tickets…
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Questions for you
Have you ever had your carry-on suitcase weighed?
Do you have a favorite winter coat for traveling? Tell me about it!
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