What to Pack for Europe in Winter
We’ve spent a lot of winters in Europe, and our packing has changed more than our itineraries. The biggest lesson is that there is no single Europe winter packing list. A week in Rome in January and a week in northern Finland in January need almost nothing in common.
For most of the places people mean when they say “Europe,” winter is milder than they expect: cold, often wet, rarely brutal. What makes the difference isn’t a heavier coat. It’s layers, good footwear and warm socks, and the three small things that take up no room at all: a hat, a scarf and gloves.
So start with where you’re going, then pack the core list below, and add the jacket that matches.
Start with your destination
| Where you’re going | Jacket | On your feet | Don’t forget |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cities (Paris, Rome, Vienna, Prague) | Wool coat, trench, or leather jacket over a sweater | Leather lace-up boots | A scarf you’ll actually want to wear |
| Rainy cities (Edinburgh, Amsterdam, Dublin) | Trench or a coat with a hood, or a smart rain shell | Waterproofed leather boots | Umbrella; wool socks that stay warm wet |
| Alpine villages, non-ski days | Down jacket | Waterproof boots with grip | Hat and proper gloves |
| The Nordics and the Arctic | Long down jacket | Insulated snow boots | Merino head to toe; swimsuit for the sauna |
| Christmas markets | Whatever fits the city, plus extra layers | Warm boots and thick socks | You’ll be standing still outside at night |
The core list
These come on every winter trip, wherever we’re headed.
Merino base layers
A merino top and leggings under your clothes do more for warmth than a thicker coat, and you can wear them several days running without them smelling. We use Smartwool and Icebreaker. Pack one lightweight set for cities and a heavier one if you’re heading north.
A fleece mid layer
On colder days or outdoor days, a fleece goes between your base layer and jacket. It’s light, it dries fast, and it’s the layer we take off first. Patagonia makes some of the best fleeces on the market, and we own several, from cozy ones for lounging to casual jackets and technical layers for the mountains. Pick the weight that matches your trip.
A good wool sweater
If we could recommend only one piece of clothing for a winter trip, it would be a good sweater. It’s warm under a coat, and it looks nice enough for a restaurant or a café. Wool is the best choice.
You can still find good local knitwear in places famous for their sheep, like Scotland, Ireland or Iceland, but the real thing is harder to find than it used to be, so pack one from home rather than counting on buying one there.
Leather lace-up boots
This is the one shoe we’d bring if we could only bring one. A good pair of leather lace-up boots handles cobblestones, slush, train stations and a nice restaurant in the same day. Treat them with a waterproofing wax before you go.
Choose a boot that doesn’t look built for a trail. Synthetic hiking boots like the Merrell Moab are good shoes, but in a European city they look over-prepared. Save them for real winter walks around Alpine villages, which most trips don’t include.
If you’re heading to the Arctic or deep snow, add insulated snow boots. Everywhere else, leather boots with a decent grip are enough.
Merino socks
Warm feet change your whole day. Bring three or four pairs of merino socks rather than a pair for every day; in cold weather you sweat less and they last several wears between washes.
Hat, scarf and gloves
These take up no space and make the biggest difference of anything on this list. Scarves in particular are part of how people dress across Europe, not just a way to stay warm, and a nice one dresses up a plain coat.
Buy good gloves once. Cheap gloves stop being warm the first time they get wet, and you end up replacing them every winter. Ours have been from Hestra for years, on city trips and on the snowboard, and they last.
City clothes
One pair of dark jeans or warm trousers, a couple of shirts that layer under a sweater, and one outfit for a nicer dinner. For women, a dress worn with thick tights and boots works for most winter evenings out.
Your jacket: match it to the trip
This is where most people over-pack. Bring one jacket and choose it by destination.
- Cities and southern Europe. Skip the puffy jacket. A wool pea coat, a trench, or a leather jacket over a good sweater is warm enough for Rome, Barcelona or Paris in winter, and it’s what people there actually wear.
- Rainy northern cities. A trench or a coat with a hood. Rain is more of a problem than cold in Edinburgh or Amsterdam.
- Mountains and rural areas. A down jacket. See below for how to choose one.
- The Nordics and the Arctic. A long down jacket that covers your hips. In northern Finland or Norway this isn’t optional. You’ll want a heavy parka!
Wear your jacket on the plane. Even a city coat takes up a big share of a suitcase.
Is a real down jacket worth it?
If you like the outdoors or spend time anywhere properly cold, yes. A good down jacket is warm for its weight, packs small and lasts for years. Our favorites are from Feathered Friends, and we also own the Arc’teryx Cerium, the Cotopaxi Fuego and a Patagonia down jacket.
Match the jacket to how you’ll use it. The Cerium’s trim, technical fit suits active days in the mountains. The Fuego’s boxier cut looks more at home in a city. For the far north, go longer and warmer than either.
Small extras
- Lip balm, lotion and conditioner. Winter air and hotel heating dry everything out, and many hotels in Europe don’t supply lotion or conditioner.
- A swimsuit. Saunas in the Nordics, thermal baths in Budapest and spa hotels in the Alps all need one.
- Your ski gear, if you’re skiing. That’s its own list: see our ski and snowboard packing list.
Tips from many winters in Europe
- Dress for hot interiors. Trains, museums, shops and restaurants are often heated far more than you’d expect. Layers you can take off matter more than one very warm layer.
- Pack for the city and the mountains separately. If your trip has both, you need two different jackets or a very good layering system, not one compromise.
- Don’t over-pack for the cold. Outside the far north and the mountains, most of Europe’s winter sits a little above freezing. A sweater, a decent coat and dry feet cover most days.
What luggage to bring
For most people, a hard-shell suitcase is the right answer. It protects bulky winter clothes and boots, and it’s easiest if you’re traveling by car or staying in one or two places.
If you’ll be moving around a lot on foot, over cobblestones and through old town streets, look at a rolling bag with large wheels or a duffel instead. Small suitcase wheels and wet cobblestones don’t mix.
