Germany Packing List: Two Weeks in a Carry On
If you’ve been reading the blog lately or following along on Instagram, you know that last month, I visited Germany and Austria with my family (and some friends) to celebrate my dad’s birthday! It was my first time visiting Germany and second time visiting Austria, and it was my first time visiting Europe in the late summer/early fall. Our trip started in mid-September and ended in early October after visiting Frankfurt, Berlin, Füssen, Munich, and Salzburg. The main purpose of the trip was to experience Oktoberfest in Munich! I shared our full Germany and Austria itinerary by train if you’re interested in those details.
I knew packing for this trip was going to be a challenge as I wanted to pack everything in a carry on suitcase (plus a personal item), and I wasn’t sure what to expect with the weather. Late September can go either way—either hot and summer-like or cool and rainy—and it’s important to pack right so you can enjoy your trip and not worry about buying things (though, Germany has lots of stores in case of emergencies).
If you’re also planning a trip to Germany in the fall, below I shared fall weather to expect, my full packing list for two weeks in a carry on bag, links to shop what I packed, the outfits I wore, what to wear in Germany, and how to pack for two weeks in carry on! I also mentioned a few recommendations and the modifications I’d make if I were to do it over again. Let’s dive in!
Germany Packing List
Everything I packed for our two-week trip to Germany (and Austria) fit into two carry-on bags, and in a shocking turn of events, my bags were not as stuffed as they had been when I packed for our Royal Caribbean cruise earlier this year! I was so surprised ha. Korri and I both had a carry-on roller bag (he has a hardshell suitcase from TravelPro and I used my hardshell suitcase from Quince). His personal item was a giant Cotopaxi backpack that weighed just as much as his roller bag. I used my Dagne Dover large Landon carryall as my personal item. I would have preferred a backpack, but my Dagne Dover large Indi backpack doesn’t fit my laptop with its case, so I used the Landon instead.
Fall Weather in Germany
We got super lucky with the weather during our trip to Germany and Austria! I watched the weather via the German Weather Service (use Chrome to translate the page) leading up to our trip and it was so nice the week before our trip that I was sure we were going to have crap weather and rain every day (at the time, there were hurricanes in the western Atlantic that were being pulled by the jet stream towards Europe, so I was worried it’d rain a lot because of them). Weather forecasts are not super reliable past about five days (my partner and I are meteorologists and can vouch for this), but I still like to look ahead of time so I can get an idea of what might happen.
Fall weather in Germany can be hit or miss, much like fall weather in other parts of the world. High temperatures can range between about 50°F and 85°F. It’s very hard to pack for wildly different temperatures like that! Because we weren’t sure what the weather was going to do for the second week of our trip, we had to hope we packed well. I recommend lots of layers! I packed a few tank tops that could easily be worn under long-sleeved tops and sweaters as well as on their own in case it’s warm enough. Luckily, we had beautiful weather with only a couple of days of rain (including one rainy/cloudy day in Berlin, which is typical in the fall) and I packed pretty well considering!
Lower left photo in collage above by Hey Bella Photo
What to Pack for Germany in September
The 20 items I packed for Germany in my carry on suitcase are above! Here’s what I recommend you pack for a 2-week trip to Germany (and Austria) in late September. I recommend packing enough for one week and then doing laundry halfway through your trip! I promise that you’ll need fewer items that you think you will.
A variety of tank tops and tees
I packed 3 tank tops (heather grey, charcoal grey, and ivory with built-in bra), 1 short-sleeve tee (white), and 2 long-sleeve tees (ivory and black). In hindsight, I did not need all 3 tank tops; I only wore the charcoal grey tank one time because there was a small stain on it. I saw the stain when I packed it and I should not have even packed it, lol. I also probably didn’t need the tee; I wore it on its own one time in Berlin. It was super wrinkled so I didn’t reach for it except to wear under my sweatshirt on one other day. I highly recommend packing tops that resist or hide wrinkles!
One dressier blouse
Would you believe me if I said I almost didn’t pack a dressier blouse?! I was really glad I threw it in my bag at the last second. Europe as a whole dresses more formal than Americans, so I recommend bringing at least one “nicer” top that you can wear to dress up your jeans. I ended up wearing mine for the day we toured the castles in Füssen and then again for a photoshoot I had in Munich. Otherwise, it was too warm! Bringing a nice long-sleeved blouse and a nice short-sleeved or sleeveless blouse is a good idea so you have options depending on the weather. You could also bring a lightweight sweater. I really thought I’d end up packing a flannel shirt and a sweater, but I pulled both out and didn’t end up wishing I had brought either because it was so warm!
At least one third piece (cardigan, blazer, shirt jacket, etc.)
Depending on how many tanks and tees you bring, I recommend packing at least one third piece. Like I said above, the weather can vary wildly, and you’ll be glad you have an extra layer for chilly days as well as in the evenings after the sun sets. I packed a cardigan, which I know is not really in style anymore but I still wear mine regularly so. 🤷🏼♀️ If cardigans aren’t your style, other great third piece options include blazers and shirt jackets. I thought about bringing a shirt jacket but I didn’t have the space, and it would have been too warm to wear it most days.
Two pairs of jeans and/or pants
I’m normally not a fan of packing hard pants if I can help it, but I did end up bringing two pairs of jeans with me. And in a shocking turn of events, I did not bring a pair of skinny jeans! I brought two of my comfiest pairs of jeans, perfect vintage wide leg jeans from Madewell and curve love straight leg jeans from Abercrombie. Make sure you bring jeans or pants that are comfy to sit and walk around in. Trousers are a great travel pant option—they have a looser fit and they’re trending right now! I did not pack shorts BUT if I had, I probably would have worn them twice: once in Berlin and once in Salzburg. We had two very warm days!
One pair of joggers
I can’t travel and not bring a pair of joggers with me. I like having them for travel days and to change into when I get back to the hotel but before I go to bed. I brought Zella joggers with me because this pair fit my color scheme but Vuori joggers are a popular option.
One pair of leggings
I also like bringing a pair of leggings when I travel. They’re a good throw-on-and-go pant that is more streamlined than joggers, and I’d recommend them if you have any outdoor activities planned, like hikes or bike tours. Also, bringing leggings meant that I didn’t think I also needed a pair of skinny jeans. I brought my Lululemon Aligns and they were perfect! I also wore my leggings on the long-haul flights and rolled my compression socks over the top.
Three pairs of shoes (loafers, sneakers, ankle boots)
Since carry on suitcases have limited space, that meant I couldn’t go crazy with shoes. I picked a pair of loafers (I’ve had my black loafers for years and they traveled with me to Vienna in 2016), a pair of Blondo waterproof ankle boots (to wear for Oktoberfest and to double as rain boots if it rained), and I wore my pair of Allbirds sneakers on the plane. I would have liked to bring my Allbirds sneakers AND my white sneakers, but I couldn’t fit a second pair in my bag. I only ended up wearing my ankle boots one day (Oktoberfest) because I was sick in the hotel during the one rainy day in Berlin. I considered wearing my white sneakers to Oktoberfest because so many others wear white sneakers, but I was worried they’d get beer spilled on them! I definitely wore my sneakers the most by far.
Two bags (one fanny pack, one crossbody)
I purchased my crossbody bag from Madewell a year ago with plans to bring it to Germany, and it ended up being the bag I wore the most. (I packed it in my large Landon carryall from Dagne Dover.) I also had my Ace fanny pack from Dagne Dover, and I love that bag but I needed more space most days. I wore it one to sightsee and a couple of other times when I didn’t need to bring anything, but otherwise I had my crossbody bag. It was roomy enough to fit my wallet, phone, small camera, and even sometimes a water bottle. I definitely recommend bringing a small bag that zips closed and that you can hold to the side or in front of you.
One lightweight rain jacket or trench coat
I definitely recommend a lightweight jacket that you can wear in case of inclement weather. Lots of Germans wear trench coats, so that’s an excellent option. I packed my lightweight rain jacket from One/Third. I like it because it has a hood and doesn’t look like a rain jacket, so I could wear it on chilly days without looking weird. I wore or carried it on the flights to Germany and was able to stuff it in my bag for the flights home.
One hat
I remember years ago when I was packing to study abroad in Italy that you should absolutely under no circumstances wear hats, and baseball cap specifically, in Europe because it immediately signaled that you were an American tourist. (It was also recommended to avoid denim shorts, sneakers, and fanny packs.) Well, thankfully, times have changed, and more and more Europeans have embraced baseball caps. They’ve also embraced sneakers and fanny packs. I brought one hat with me and wore it constantly and never felt out of place. (It helped that the young men in my group also wore hats.) I’m sure they figured out I was an American in other ways. 😉
Jewelry and other accessories
I didn’t bring any jewelry or other accessories, and that was completely on accident! I meant to bring at least one pair of earrings, but I totally forgot in my rush to pack. Jewelry is a fun souvenir to grab if you also forget to pack it. I would have brought a pair of simple everyday earrings. That said, I really have not been wearing any jewelry at home as of late. I also packed a clear fanny pack because we stayed a night in New York at the end of our trip and went to an NFL game.
Pajamas, undergarments, tights
In addition to everything above, I also packed two long sleep shirts, an extra bra, a whole bunch of undies (I didn’t count, but I think I had over 10 pairs plus a couple of period undies just in case), and a bunch of pairs of socks (Smartwool no-show socks and Bombas socks). I definitely packed too many undies. This trip was the first time I wore my Bombas socks, and I fell in love! They were so comfy and I was sad when they were dirty, haha. I didn’t wear them when we did the castle tours and I wish I would have for the hike between the castles.
Shop my Germany Packing List
What to Wear in Germany
Like the other European countries, Germany is full of fashionable people. In general, Europeans dress up more than Americans, even for everyday errands like going to the grocery store. I figured I’d look like an American no matter what I wore (especially because my closet is not European-level formal), so I tried not to worry about “blending in” that much. (I was also traveling with a pack of 10 other Americans, and we were not quiet, lol.)
I tried to pay attention to what the Germans were wearing, and there were a few common themes:
Long trench coats and wool coats
Tailored plaid or houndstooth blazers (paired with skinny jeans and tall boots)
Striped tees
Cropped, fitted tops with bare midriffs
Straight leg jeans
Baggy and wide leg jeans
Trousers
White sneakers (specifically Veja sneakers)
Sneakers in general
Claw clips
I don’t know about you, but you can find a lot of the same garments and trends trending right here in the U.S., too. I think social media has made it so that trends are more connected across the globe. Trends may be slower to catch on in the smaller cities and towns around the world (including Boise), but as a whole what you’d find on the racks here is what you’d find on the racks in Europe. I don’t think it’s worth stressing over dressing to fit in because chances are, your outfits aren’t too different from theirs, and they’ll be able to tell you’re American in other ways (like by your mannerisms, or when you open your mouth to speak, ha).
As with any trip, I recommend wearing what makes YOU feel confident and what you feel most comfortable wearing for the activities you have planned. Honestly, other people don’t care that much about what you’re wearing, and it’s very unlikely anyone will be rude to you about your outfits!
How to Pack a Carry On for 2 Weeks
I had no problems packing everything I wore in my carry on roller suitcase (of course, not counting the clothes I wore to travel). I personally use the roll method and do not use packing cubes. I know people love them but I look at them and all that extra fabric and am convinced I can fit more without having them, ha. I wore my sneakers and put my ankle boots and loafers in plastic bags. I even had enough space to stuff the things I bought in my roller bag as well (dirndl, sweatshirt).
I briefly mentioned this earlier, but the trick to packing a carry on for two weeks is to only pack enough clothes for one week and do laundry halfway through your trip. If you are staying in a larger city in Germany, odds are you can find a laundromat (waschsalon) nearby, or your hotel may have laundry services available. Korri and I found a laundromat in Füssen where we washed clothes, and we also did one more load at the hotel in Frankfurt so we had some clean things for New York.
Other tips to streamline your packing include picking a small color palette (one or two base colors and two to three accent colors) and packing only items that fit that color palette so you can mix and match easily. I also love the 5-4-3-2-1 packing method (5 tops, 4 bottoms, 3 shoes, 2 jackets, 1 dress—switch up which number corresponds to which type of item based on your needs) and the 50/30/20 method (50% tops, 30% bottoms, 20% shoes). Putting together a style sudoku capsule wardrobe is also a great travel packing method! (You can use the Weekly Outfit Diary to help you plan your packing list and outfits.)
You will be so glad you packed in a carry on! Trust me, while it’s fun to have tons of outfit options, it gets old having to haul roller bags over cobblestone streets and up and down trains and stairs, haha. I took a checked bag when I studied abroad in Italy and told myself I’d never do that again…and I haven’t! It’s a fun challenge to pack in a carry on, and so far I’ve never wished I had MORE things. Well, sometimes I dream of someone else hauling bags around for me so that I have endless outfit options, but for now… carry on only it is! 😆