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City Break Packing List: What to Bring on Your Next Trip
It's the night before your city trip — you're standing in front of an empty suitcase, and you haven't a clue about what to put in it. How often have we gone on vacation and then noticed that we’ve forgotten something important? Or come back from vacation and then realize that we packed 20 pounds of stuff we didn’t need? To make sure that this doesn’t happen on your next weekend escape, we've put together the ultimate city trip packing list for your next getaway.
If a city break packing list isn’t what you’re looking for, you can check out our other guides for packing. For instance, our packing list for a summer vacation, packing list for a beach vacation, and packing list for a camping vacation might interest you! Or head to our vacations packages page to plan a completely different type of vacation.
The ultimate city break checklist
1. Tickets, money, and documents (and, of course, more documents)
The important stuff. You can’t board a plane without your passport, and you can’t buy a coffee in any city without a bit of money. Here’s a tip for city trips: always bring your IDs and documents with you. If you don’t feel comfortable bringing the originals with you, take a photo of them or have a PDF scan on your phone. Just make sure a stranger isn't able to unlock your phone.
Credit card/debit card
Cash (foreign and domestic)
Phone number of your bank if you need to lock (or unlock) your card
Consider bringing a fanny pack to keep all your things in (all the hipsters are doing it)
ID card and/or passport
Driver's license (if you have one)
Student card (if you have one)
Health insurance card and, if necessary, proof of health insurance abroad
Any medical prescriptions (in case you need them)
Train ticket or plane ticket
Hotel confirmation (with the address on it)
Visa (if required)
Maps if you need one — we recommend downloading an offline map of wherever you’re visiting
2. Toiletries
For toiletries, of course, it's all about what you need and what you use — everyone has their own routine. We've listed a few basic things that most of you will want to carry in your luggage for city trips. But no matter what you bring with you, please remember that in your carry-on bag, you can only carry bottles with a capacity of 100 ml, and you must put them in a transparent bag with a zipper. Don’t be that person in the security line.
A zippered toiletry bag
Shower (shampoo, conditioner, shower gel)
Razor (the disposable ones usually make it through security, but double-check with your airline to make sure)
Deodorant
Toothbrush and paste
Moisturizer (hand, face, body)
Sun protection (We pirates are against skin cancer.)
Lip balm
Cotton swabs
Brush/comb
Hand sanitizer
A towel (the best ones are microfiber towels - they dry quickly)
3. Clothes
Most of us often take too much in our bags. Pack only the bare essentials and spare yourself the unnecessary weight. Most city breaks are for a weekend or a little more, but even if you are traveling for more than a week, you often do not need more than a few days worth of clothes. No matter where you are in the world, you'll almost always have the opportunity to wash - even if it's only in a hotel sink. Your wardrobe may vary depending on the season, but make sure you always wear comfortable, broken-in shoes!
Pants, shorts/skirt (or a kilt if you’ve joined the tartan army)
Belt (if required)
2x T-shirts and long sleeve tops
Hooded sweatshirt (worth having for a cold flight)
Rain jacket
Underwear
Socks
Pajamas
Sunglasses
Hat (For warmth in winter or to shade the sun in summer)
2 pairs of comfortable (!) shoes
Flip-flops (for the shower or the beach)
4. Cosmetics & utensils
A hair scrunchy
Make-up and make-up remover
Feminine hygiene products
Contact lenses + accessories
5. Travel items
Sleep mask
Water bottle you can refill
Combination lock for your luggage (especially important if you are staying in hostels)
Book or magazine (or download some e-books)
Glasses (if you need them to read your new book)
6. Technology & accessories
Technology may seem like a luxury, but having Google Maps on hand is an essential part of city breaks and should be on any city tripper's itinerary for weekend breaks. Avid amateur photographers will also want a camera on hand. Charging these devices is also, of course, necessary, so make sure to bring an adaptor if it's needed.
Mobile phone + charger
Power bank + charging cable (definitely recommended for longer trips)
Headphones
Adapter for the socket
Camera + battery, charging cable and SD card
Possibly laptop or tablet + charging cable
7. A travel first-aid kit
There's nothing worse than being sick while traveling, so pack a few medical essentials for your trip. What you need depends, of course, on your destination and the season (for example, if you need mosquito spray). But first, think about your individual medications, especially those you need to take regularly. Here’s our day trip packing list for first-aid essentials:
Personal medication
Wound and blister band-aids
Pain and fever remedies
Something to calm an upset tummy
Allergy pills (possibly nasal spray and eye drops)
Ointments
Mosquito repellent
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