6 Luxury Travel Essentials I Can’t Go Without

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July 20, 2023

I am so excited to share some essential travel items specifically curated for women exploring the beauty of Europe. But don’t worry, none of these travel essentials for women have to be luxury. You can totally get each and every one on a budget. I personally justify splurging on the luxury version because of how often I travel and how much I value my comfort. Plus, if we’re talking travel essentials for Europe, then a long flight is a given. Being comfortable on those long-haul flights can make your first couple days a breeze instead of a jetlag induced haze. So let’s dive in and discover these must-have travel essentials women shouldn’t leave home without!

1. A Stylish Carry-on/Personal Item

This bag is the perfect personal item since it fits under the seat. With three different sections plus pockets, it’s one of my favorite travel essentials for women. I put my laptop in one of the zipped compartments and then my beauty products & toiletries in the other zipper. That leaves the middle section open for snacks, outlet converters, a change of clothes, my personal items like wallet and passport, a water bottle, and anything else you might need for a long travel day. It can also be used as a bag while you’re out and about shopping. My little hack is to leave it almost empty on the way so I have extra space for my inevitable purchases on the way back!

2. Packing Cubes

Next up is a game-changer for multi-destination trips: packing cubes! These little wonders are ideal if you’re going to more than one place in Europe. I separate my outfits by location using packing cubes and it’s so great to just unpack the items I’ll be wearing at the first stop while leaving the rest in my suitcase. For example, on my Europe trip in a couple months, I’ll be spending 5 days in Italy, then going on another Virgin Voyages cruise for a week to Greece, Croatia, and Montenegro. Then I’ll be spending 10 days island hopping in Greece. So I’ll be separating my Italy outfits from my cruise outfits and then will likely just wash and rewear for the last leg of the trip.

3. Noise-canceling Headphones (+Airfly)

The noise-canceling headphones are obvious. That loud engine noise is horrible in general, but when you’re trying to listen to music or watch a movie, it can be really distracting. A pair of good noise-canceling headphones make the journey so much better, but nowadays, all headphones are bluetooth, so how can you connect to the screen? Enter Airfly. I am so incredibly glad I came across this handy device recently. All you do is plug it in to your screen’s headphones jack and connect it via bluetooth to your headphones. Voila! You can now use your bluetooth noise-canceling headphones for your in-flight entertainment! Heavenly!

4. A light jacket

No matter the season, it is essential to always always bring a jacket! Whether it’s the freezing cold plane or a breezy European summer night, it’s never a mistake to bring a light jacket. I love this linen option from Quince. It folds up very small, but gets the job done. Plus it goes with everything!

Another one of my favorites when it comes to jackets is a white leather blazer. Its white color makes it season-less, but since it’s leather, it is very warm, which is perfect for someone like me who is always cold. My ideal temp is 85 degrees, not even joking. So this white blazer comes with me on most of my trips for chilly nights (anything below 70, lol!).

5. Compression socks

I have to admit, I haven’t always used compression socks. I always knew I should, but I just never got around to it. So I finally changed that with this last trip to Ireland and I honestly feel so much better. I’ve heard horror stories of blood clots while flying and now that I’m getting older, I know I need to be more proactive with health concerns. I ordered two pairs both for Ryan and myself (one for the way there and one for the way back) so we are double prepared!

6. Slip on Shoes

We all know that going through security often times requires removing your shoes, and when you’re on a long international flight with a layover, you might be doing that multiple times. That fact alone is reason enough for me to always wear slip ons (with socks!!) when traveling. But then when you also think about either laying down in first class or desperately trying to get comfortable in economy, the last thing you want is some big bulky shoes on. Not to mention you never want to be that person that’s too lazy to put their shoes back on before trekking to the bathroom (cringe!!!). Slip-on shoes solve all these problems. I like to go with a stylish pair just to feel somewhat put together, plus if it’s a pair you’ll where in your destination, that’s one less pair you need to pack. Win-win!

1. A Stylish Carry-on/Personal Item

This bag is the perfect personal item since it fits under the seat. With three different sections plus pockets, it’s one of my favorite travel essentials for women. I put my laptop in one of the zipped compartments and then my beauty products & toiletries in the other zipper. That leaves the middle section open for snacks, outlet converters, a change of clothes, my personal items like wallet and passport, a water bottle, and anything else you might need for a long travel day. It can also be used as a bag while you’re out and about shopping. My little hack is to leave it almost empty on the way so I have extra space for my inevitable purchases on the way back!

2. Packing Cubes

Next up is a game-changer for multi-destination trips: packing cubes! These little wonders are ideal if you’re going to more than one place in Europe. I separate my outfits by location using packing cubes and it’s so great to just unpack the items I’ll be wearing at the first stop while leaving the rest in my suitcase. For example, on my Europe trip in a couple months, I’ll be spending 5 days in Italy, then going on another Virgin Voyages cruise for a week to Greece, Croatia, and Montenegro. Then I’ll be spending 10 days island hopping in Greece. So I’ll be separating my Italy outfits from my cruise outfits and then will likely just wash and rewear for the last leg of the trip.

3. Noise-canceling Headphones (+Airfly)

The noise-canceling headphones are obvious. That loud engine noise is horrible in general, but when you’re trying to listen to music or watch a movie, it can be really distracting. A pair of good noise-canceling headphones make the journey so much better, but nowadays, all headphones are bluetooth, so how can you connect to the screen? Enter Airfly. I am so incredibly glad I came across this handy device recently. All you do is plug it in to your screen’s headphones jack and connect it via bluetooth to your headphones. Voila! You can now use your bluetooth noise-canceling headphones for your in-flight entertainment! Heavenly!

4. A light jacket

No matter the season, it is essential to always always bring a jacket! Whether it’s the freezing cold plane or a breezy European summer night, it’s never a mistake to bring a light jacket. I love this linen option from Quince. It folds up very small, but gets the job done. Plus it goes with everything!

Another one of my favorites when it comes to jackets is a white leather blazer. Its white color makes it season-less, but since it’s leather, it is very warm, which is perfect for someone like me who is always cold. My ideal temp is 85 degrees, not even joking. So this white blazer comes with me on most of my trips for chilly nights (anything below 70, lol!).

5. Compression socks

I have to admit, I haven’t always used compression socks. I always knew I should, but I just never got around to it. So I finally changed that with this last trip to Ireland and I honestly feel so much better. I’ve heard horror stories of blood clots while flying and now that I’m getting older, I know I need to be more proactive with health concerns. I ordered two pairs both for Ryan and myself (one for the way there and one for the way back) so we are double prepared!

6. Slip on Shoes

We all know that going through security often times requires removing your shoes, and when you’re on a long international flight with a layover, you might be doing that multiple times. That fact alone is reason enough for me to always wear slip ons (with socks!!) when traveling. But then when you also think about either laying down in first class or desperately trying to get comfortable in economy, the last thing you want is some big bulky shoes on. Not to mention you never want to be that person that’s too lazy to put their shoes back on before trekking to the bathroom (cringe!!!). Slip-on shoes solve all these problems. I like to go with a stylish pair just to feel somewhat put together, plus if it’s a pair you’ll where in your destination, that’s one less pair you need to pack. Win-win!

Aside from these travel essentials for women, I will say that my top biggest tip is to not skip your night skincare routine just because you’re on a plane. So a bonus travel essential would be the travel-size versions of your skincare routine, both night and day. I use these cute little leakproof, magnetic, capsules and I love them. They’re even custom labeled!

Flying can be really dehydrating, so drinking plenty of water and using hydrating and moisturizing beauty products can be a lifesaver. I also get a kick out of doing face masks on flights. The looks I get are hilarious!

So there you have it, ladies! With these travel essentials in your bag, you’re all set for an unforgettable European adventure. Safe travels, and don’t forget to have a blast exploring the wonders of Europe!

What are your travel essentials?