Ultimate Packing Guide for Your Most Comfortable European Summer Holiday Ever

The Comfort Edit | The Comfort Co team

A travel collab with the team at Ocean Road Swimwear, the Aussie chlorine-resistant and UPF 50+ swimwear label. Their swim pieces and our travel shoes are designed for the same kind of real-world days, so we packed the bag together.

You did it! The flights are booked, the itinerary is stacked and your bucket list is trembling in fear. Somewhere between the Amalfi Coast and the Eiffel Tower, you have promised yourself you will actually slow down and recharge your batteries. Then the question lands like a suitcase on your big toe: what do I pack so I can ENJOY the trip, not just survive it?

There's a reason Aussies flock to Europe for summer. It's gorgeous, vibrant and a whole lot of fun. But we're going to be honest, it can be a little demanding.

The sun is direct. The streets are stone. The lunches are long. There's a "must see" tourist destination around every corner.

After enough Aussie women have come home limping or sunburnt or fishing through their bags for an adapter that does not fit, we have learned what actually earns its place in the suitcase. Here is the list that has been pressure tested by real women on real holidays. Comfort first. Coverage where it counts. This list of small bits of kit could be the difference between a good trip and a great one.

1. Comfy shoes you can actually walk in

We'll start from the ground up. If there is one thing to get right, it is the shoes.

While holidays elicit thoughts of lounging poolside with a cocktail, the reality is often quite different. There is so much to see, and you're going to want to see it all. Often racking up an average of 15,000 to 20,000 steps¹ without even realising you've done it. But your feet will.

Add on the fact that many European cities are lined with charming (but painful in the wrong shoes) cobblestones, a bit of preparation and thought goes a long way. Because you definitely don't want to be lugging around your whole shoe cupboard either.

Packing light is always a plus, but you don't want to underpack either. In our experience the safe and not sorry sweet spot is three pairs. These are those pairs.

A walking sneaker for the marathon days

Some days will be busier than others. Depending on your travel style poolside cocktail days may well be a staple. But at some point or another, you're going to want to get.it.done.

Rome in July is not a stroll. It is a project. You need a proper cushioned sneaker (preferably with arch support) that is long broken in before it sees a Roman cobble. Our Vitasole walkers are a strong shout here. They are cushioned, they are breathable, they look smart enough to wear to dinner without anyone wincing, and the men's range covers your partner too. Wear them on the plane to save space (and for comfort).

A walking sandal that takes you from breakfast to dinner

This is the workhorse of the trip and the pair most people get wrong. You want a sandal with adjustable straps (your feet will swell in the heat, that is normal), a proper contoured footbed, and a back strap so you are not curling your toes to keep it on.

The Revere range was designed for exactly this brief, with leather uppers and removable footbeds (handy if you wear an orthotic) in classic shapes that look at home in a Mediterranean village. Styles like Geneva and Miami earn their place. If you have wide feet, look for the wide fit option rather than sizing up.

A dressier sandal for dinner without the agony

That gorgeous restaurant up the hill in Positano does not need a heel. It needs a flat or a low wedge that does not look like a hiking sandal. The Mia Vita sandal collection is built around exactly this idea. The comfort is hidden inside the shoe, the silhouette is elegant on top. The Ayla and Bettina styles travel particularly well because they fold flat and weigh almost nothing.

Three pairs covers you. Anything more and you'll wear the same two anyway and drag the extra kilo through eight airports.

2. Swimwear that swims, suns and travels with you

Here's the thing about European summer. You'll be in and out of the water more times than you can count. Hotel pool before breakfast. Beach club for lunch. River swim in the Dordogne. A second pool in the afternoon because the heat got the better of everyone. Your swimwear has to keep up, and it's worth giving it a proper think before you pack.

Two swimsuits is the minimum. Three is the sweet spot. Here's why, and how to choose each one.

One you can swim laps in

A supportive one piece or a chlorine resistant tankini earns its place because it can handle hotel chlorine without sagging by day four. Chlorine resistant fabric lasts up to ten times longer than standard swimwear², which really starts to matter when you're swimming most days.

One that gives you sun protection

Let's be honest, the Mediterranean sun is no joke. A long sleeve UPF 50+ rashie over a swimsuit is probably the single most useful piece of swimwear in a European summer bag. UPF 50+ blocks at least 98% of UV radiation³, which is the kind of cover you want when the sun is bouncing off the Aegean. Throw it over the top before you walk to the beach and you've saved your shoulders, your decolletage and the most expensive sunscreen money can buy. Pair it with swim leggings if you're planning a long snorkel or an aqua aerobics class at the resort, and you'll come home with zero burn lines.

One that's your "off duty" suit

This is the one for the beach club photo. A flattering one piece or a higher coverage full coverage swim set means you're not constantly adjusting straps while you're trying to enjoy a spritz.

The supporting cast

A few small extras here that punch way above their weight.

A light resort cover up doubles as a coffee run outfit and a sundress in a pinch. A waterproof swim bag is honestly one of the most underrated bits of kit you'll ever pack. Wet swimsuit in, dry clothes out, hotel floor stays dry. Worth its weight ten times over.

One more thing worth mentioning. Mediterranean and Greek beaches are often pebbly, not sandy. A pair of water shoes takes up almost no room and saves you doing the painful pebble shuffle into the water. You'll thank yourself in Nice.

3. Chargers, adapters and the bits that keep everything alive

Nothing flattens a holiday faster than a flat phone in a foreign city. So let's pack tech like you actually plan to use it.

A good universal adapter, not the cheap kind

Here's the deal. Europe uses two prong round pins (Type C and Type F), but the UK uses three flat pins (Type G). If your trip touches both, you need an adapter that does both. Get one with built in USB-A and USB-C ports so you can charge a phone, a watch and a power bank from a single wall socket. One per couple is usually plenty.

A 10,000 mAh power bank

Big enough for two full phone charges, small enough to live in your day bag. Charge it overnight, drop it in your bag in the morning, and you'll never panic about your phone dying outside the Colosseum.

A short charging cable that matches every device

Long cables tangle. Short cables behave. One USB-C, one Lightning (if anyone in the family is still on an iPhone before the USB-C switch), one micro-USB if you have an older Kindle. Bundle them with a hair tie. Done.

Noise cancelling headphones

The flight is long. The Italian train at 6am is loud. Worth every gram in your bag.

One more for the road

Download offline maps and a podcast or two before you go. Saves your data, saves your sanity in dead zones, and saves an argument when nobody can agree which way the Pantheon is.

4. How many outfits do you actually need?

This is the question that breaks most suitcases. Most of us pack like every day is a different photoshoot, then end up wearing the same three things on rotation.

Here's the maths that actually works.

Up to a week. Pack for the days you're away plus one spare. So a seven night trip means eight outfits, with sleepwear and one "in case of spill" backup. Easy. No laundry required.

One to two weeks. Pack for eight to ten days and plan one mid-trip wash. You'll re-wear half of it anyway, and a wash on day eight resets the whole bag.

Two weeks plus. Same approach as ten days. The trick isn't packing more, it's washing more often. Two washes across three weeks and you're set.

The laundry shortcut nobody tells you about

Europe is brilliant for laundry. If you're heading anywhere on this list, lean harder on washing and pack lighter.

• Italy. Lavanderie (self-service laundromats) are everywhere in cities and tourist towns. Wash and dry usually under 15 euros.
• France. Laveries on most city blocks. Quick, cheap, easy.
• Spain and Portugal. Coin laundries in tourist hubs, plus loads of Airbnbs come with a washing machine.
• Greece and Croatia. Drop-off laundry by the kilo is the way. Hand it in, collect it the next day, folded.
• UK. Launderettes in nearly every neighbourhood. Higher price than the continent, still cheaper than packing more.

If your accommodation has a washing machine (Airbnb, villa, longer stay hotel), that solves it entirely. Pack a small bottle of travel detergent or a few laundry sheets and you're sorted.

The "bliss when you land" trick

One last laundry hack, and this one is pure gold. If you're in a place like Greece or Croatia with services to do your laundry for you, do a load the day before you fly home. Trust us. When you walk through your front door at the other end (jet lagged, exhausted, possibly still smelling faintly of espresso) you simply unpack clean clothes straight into the drawer. No "first day home" load of washing. No pile of holiday laundry mocking you from the laundry basket for the next four days. Just bliss.

5. Packing cubes and the system that makes them work

Packing cubes are not magic on their own. They're magic when you use them with a system. Here is the one that works.

One cube per category, not per outfit

Tops in one. Bottoms in one. Underwear and socks in one. Swimwear on its own (so a damp tankini doesn't turn your linen pants into a science experiment).

Compression cubes for bulky items

If you're travelling in shoulder seasons or carrying a light jumper for cool evenings, a compression cube halves the space. They're worth the small upgrade.

Roll, don't fold

Linen and cotton come out less creased when rolled. Jeans and pants are the same. Plus the rolling technique saves space.

A separate small bag for laundry

A drawstring bag or even a pillowcase. Worn clothes go in, clean clothes stay clean, and you don't have to do the backpacker "sniff test" on day 11.

Pack a half empty bag

You will buy things. Olive oil. A scarf. A ceramic bowl from a market in Provence. Leave room or you'll be paying for an extra checked bag on the way home. We've all done it. Don't.

6. The small extras that change the trip

These are the ones the seasoned travellers always pack and the first time travellers always wish they had. None of them are big, all of them are worth the room.

• A refillable water bottle. Europe has drinking fountains everywhere. Italy especially. Refill, don't buy.
• Laundry sheets. Lighter than detergent, easier than soap pods. Three or four sheets is enough for a sink wash mid trip.
• A flat foldable tote. Becomes your beach bag, market bag and "we bought too much wine" bag.
• Compression socks for the flight. Especially long haul. Your ankles will thank you when you stand up at Heathrow.
• A scarf or sarong. Modesty cover for churches, picnic blanket, beach wrap, plane blanket. The most versatile thing in your bag.
• Reef safe sunscreen. Many Mediterranean swim spots ask for it now. Easier to pack from home than to find at a Greek pharmacy. Australia also subsidises its sunscreen, so it's much cheaper on this end.
• A small first aid pouch. Blister plasters, paracetamol, antihistamines, hydration sachets, a bit of antiseptic cream. You'll use at least three of these.
• A cross body bag with a zip. Better than a backpack in pickpocket prone cities. Keep everything in front of you.
• Photocopies and digital copies of your passport. Stored in your email and your partner's. Do this once, never worry again.

7. The flight itself, and what to wear on it

The flight outfit matters more than people think. You're sitting in a chair for fourteen plus hours, walking through three airports, and your feet will swell whether you like it or not.

So wear your bulkiest shoes and your warmest layer. That sneaker we mentioned earlier? Wear it. The light jumper that takes up half a packing cube? Wear it tied around the waist, or carry it onto the plane. You save real space and your future self thanks you.

A loose linen shirt or a soft knit dress beats jeans every time. Layers, not statement pieces. Slip-on sneakers if you're flying through an airport that still asks you to remove your shoes.

In your carry on: a refillable water bottle (empty through security, fill on the other side), a phone charger, the power bank, noise cancelling headphones, a clean t-shirt and underwear (just in case your bag is delayed), all your medication, and your swimwear. Yes, your swimwear. If your hotel pool is open when you land and your bag is not, you'll love yourself for it.

8. The two week rule

This is the single tip that saves more holidays than any other, so we've saved it for last.

Two weeks before you fly, wear everything you intend to pack. Every shoe. Every swimsuit. Every outfit. Walk in them, sweat in them, swim in them, sit in them for three hours.

If a sandal rubs after thirty minutes at home, it'll ruin you in Lisbon. Better to find out in your kitchen than on the cobbles. New shoes, especially, need to be broken in by your own feet before they meet European stone. Our shoes are designed to be wearable out of the box, but two weeks of test runs around the neighbourhood will make any pair better.

Same goes for swimwear. Wash it once at home. Wear it in a pool. Make sure the straps sit where you want them to sit. The last thing you want is to discover a rashie riding up the first time you wear it three thousand kilometres from your bedroom drawer.

A final word

European summer is one of the great pleasures of being alive. You don't want to spend it limping, sunburnt, or hunting for a power adapter at 9pm in Florence. Pack with intention, test it before you go, and leave just enough room for the ceramic bowl you absolutely should not buy and absolutely will.

Buon viaggio. Bon voyage. Or in plain Aussie, happy travels.