Packing for a Winter Mediterranean Trip: What’s in Our Bags?

Packing light has been an interesting adventure, but one we are determined to make work for us. That goes for packing for a Winter Mediterranean Trip. In this article, we share what we packed for a two-week trip to Barcelona, including a seven-night Med cruise in February. Our last attempt at packing for winter resulted in us having to go up a bag size. Check out this blog for our European winter packing list and the lessons we learned from our trip. Join us here to see what’s in our bags for this trip.

Rules to help us keep the load lighter

Layering is your best friend

Limit the amount of single-use items you pack

Pack clothes that you can mix and match

Limit the amount of new clothes (you may like them, as you wear them often)

Have items that will dry quickly, even when hand-washing.

What did our bags weigh

Handbag- 1.87 kgs

Personal items – 6.76 kgs

Kerryn’s Away – 12.64 kgs

Phil’s away 11.27 kgs

 

Below is our packing list, which includes the extras we took to help us cruise smoothly and a few other checklists to help you plan your next trip. In the companion video, I not only packed my bag for the journey but also conducted a little experiment, packing twice: once with compression cubes and then with most clothes loose. For this trip, we are each taking a large Away carry-on. Phil has my Wndrd Backpack, and I have a clamshell-style personal item bag.

Download the Printable Packing List.

Want a printable version of this packing list to take on your trip? We’ve created a His & Hers Winter Packing List PDF with everything we packed for our February cruise, including clothing, travel essentials, and cruise-specific items. Click here to download the PDF

Our Packing List

Kerryn

4 long-sleeved shirts

2 t-shirts

1 jeans

1 cargo pants

2 jumpers

1 rain jacket

pantsuit (for gala night)

dress shirt

pj’s

7 undies and two bras

7 socks

2 scarves

2 shoes (walking shoes and a pair of ballet flats)

Phil

4 waffle shirts

2 T-shirt

2 Bamboo shirts (one long, one short-sleeved)

white shirt

2 cargo pants

pj’s

Swimmers

7 undies

7 socks

2 hat

1 jumper

I jacket

4 hankies

2 shoes (Boots and casual shoes)

✨ Travel Gear That Made Our Winter Cruise Easier

Here are a few items we used daily during our Mediterranean cruise — small things that made a big difference:

Compression packing cubes – These helped us fit bulky winter clothes without overstuffing our suitcases. View on Amazon

Hanging Toiletries Bag – Keep everything within easy reach. View on Amazon

Travel jewellery organiser – Kept small items safe and tangle-free in a compact case. View on Amazon

Compression socks (3-pack) – A must for long flights and walking-heavy port days. View on Amazon

Universal travel adapter with USB & USB-C – No dramas charging anything. View on Amazon

These are all items we use and recommend. Some of the links above are affiliate links — we may earn a small commission if you make a purchase, at no extra cost to you. Thanks for your support!

Electronics

Phone/camera

AirPods/Headphones

Laptop

Travel bag

Computer and phone chargers

Toiletries

Toothbrush and toothpaste

Shampoo and conditioner

Deodorant

Sunscreen

Makeup

Razor

Ear plugs

Eye mask

Hand sanitiser

Small makeup kit

Jewellery

hair accessories

Cruise Extras

Magnet hooks

Magnet paperclip

Cruise bag tag holders

Lanyards

Small phone-sized bag for walking around the ship

Things to Consider

What are you doing about keeping in touch? Consider an eSim, we use Airalo

Get a VPN, we use Surfshark VPN

Inform the bank and credit card companies of your travel

Travel Insurance

Consider registering with your country’s travel advisory board

Helpful printouts

Although many of these can be stored digitally, I like having paper copies just in case. I also leave copies of our passports, itinerary, and travel insurance at home.

Emergency contacts

travel insurance

Boarding pass

Hotel reservations

Maps & directions

Bank & credit card info

Copies of passport & ID

I have been excited to perfect our version of packing light. Phil always says how liberating it is when we have less to carry. On every trip, we learn lessons and adjust what we need to pack. We never feel as though we miss out. The biggest lesson I have learned is that layers are always king. I’m curious to see how we fare when we pack for warmer weather one day. This trip will also come with challenges as we cruise and explore; seeing if I feel I have missed out will be interesting.

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