The Philosophy of Light Travel
A checked bag is a tax on time. Every minute spent at baggage reclaim is a minute not spent in the city outside the airport. Every kilogram beyond what you need is a cost paid in cobblestones, train carriages, and stairs — and European cities have all three in abundance. The goal is not to pack light as a constraint. It is to pack light as a form of freedom.
The One-Bag Rule
A 40-litre carry-on holds everything you need for two weeks in Europe, provided you are willing to do a small laundry every three or four days. Merino wool is your ally: it resists odour, dries overnight, compresses efficiently, and looks presentable in a restaurant. Two shirts, one trousers, one dress or smart alternative, one mid-layer, one waterproof shell. Wear the heaviest items on travel days.
Shoes: The Critical Decision
Pack two pairs of shoes, maximum. One must be genuinely comfortable for walking on uneven stone — not trainers, but something with good sole support that can handle eight to twelve kilometres per day. The second is for evenings: a leather shoe or smart flat that can take you from a museum to a dinner table. Everything else can be solved with socks.
What to Leave at Home
A hairdryer (hotels and apartments always have one). Full-size toiletries (decant into 50ml bottles or buy locally — Italian pharmacies are a pleasure). More than two books (buy and trade as you go). The "just in case" items that never leave their compartment. A good rule: if you have not unpacked it in three days, post it home.
On Buying Along the Way
One of the quiet pleasures of light travel is the permission it grants to acquire things. A ceramic bowl from a Sicilian market, a bottle of local olive oil, a linen shirt from a shop in Porto — these things become the luggage that actually matters. Pack light going out. Arrive home weighted with things worth keeping.