Struggling to pack for your City break? Just follow these simple packing tips…
City breaks offer a great alternative to pool and beach holidays, providing you with the chance to dip your toe into another town or country’s culture. But, packing for a city holiday isn’t always easy — you’ll typically want to take smaller luggage, and will have to prepare for a lot of exploring. To help ensure you have all of the essentials for the best time, we’ve come up with five top packing tips that will help you with the packing process…
Check the weather before you go
When you book a summer holiday where sun is guaranteed, you can get away with packing little more than your swimming gear, some shorts, and a selection of T-shirts. But, when you’re preparing for a city break, the weather will typically be less predictable, which means you should avoid packing blind. Instead, check the weather in the lead-up to your trip so you can ensure you pack the most appropriate clothing. The Met Office weather app offers the most up-to-date and accurate global weather forecast information available for the next seven days. So, make sure you download it in the week before your trip to ensure you’re as prepared as possible.
However, it’s always wise to be slightly wary of weather forecasts. There’s no shame in packing both a pair of sunglasses and an umbrella — you just want to avoid packing nothing but shorts and T-shirts, only to find that jeans and a jacket would have been more appropriate.
Invest in a reliable holdall that will work for every trip
If you take trips on a regular basis, it’s a good idea to invest in a holdall that can become your reliable travelling companion. There are some things you need to consider when picking out a new bag for city breaks, though. For example, if you expect to take any trips that require a plane journey, you should choose a bag that’s going to work as hand luggage, otherwise you’ll risk having to pay extra to put your luggage in the hold.
You should also ensure that you purchase a high-quality bag to reduce the risk of you having any mishaps with snapped straps or broken zips. For this reason, it’s best to buy from a brand that’s known for its durable designs. If you’re not sure where to start looking, Pritchards offers a selection of bags and luggage from top brands including Belstaff, Hugo Boss, and Filson. They’re all incredibly well, which means you’ll be able to take them on city breaks for years to come.
Take a versatile piece of outerwear
While we’ve discussed how you should be sure to check the weather of your destination before you set off on your next city break, regardless of the results, it’s always best to take a versatile piece of outerwear with you. A trench coat or leather jacket will work well for both night and day or, if you’re planning to dress down the whole time you’re away, an oversized denim jacket — perhaps with a hoodie underneath if you expect it to be quite chilly — will work with most casual looks.
By opting for a versatile piece of outwear, you’ll ensure that you only need one jacket for your entire trip. You can then wear this while you’re travelling to and from your destination, so it won’t take up any valuable space in your luggage.
Don’t forget a comfortable pair of shoes you can rely on
Next for our top packing tips and to think of your shoes! More often than not, city breaks involve a lot of walking, so when it comes to packing tips, we recommend a pair of comfortable shoes will be essential. Be realistic about how many pairs of shoes you’ll need, too — typically, one pair of comfortable shoes and a fancier pair for night time will do. Any others that you pack are likely to remain unworn and will just take up unnecessary space in your bag. So, do yourself a favour and leave any ‘just in case’ shoes at home.
If you’re not sure you have any comfortable shoes that would work well for a city break, you’ll struggle to do better than a classic pair of Converse. They work with jeans and shorts, so you’ll be able to take them anywhere.
Leave some space for shopping
The cities you visit are likely to boast a great selection of museums, restaurants, and tourist attractions. But, they’ll also have their unique shopping areas and high streets where you can pick up bits and pieces you wouldn’t be able to buy at home. So, to prevent you from having to keep shopping to a minimum or having to leave some of your belongings behind to get your new purchases home, always leave a little bit of room in your bag on the way to your destination. You’ll always be glad you did!
To ensure you have the best time possible on your next city break, you need to ensure you pack the essentials, but without overloading your bag. Then, you’ll be prepared to make the most of your time away.
What do you think of these top packing tips? Let us know in the comment box below…
