What We Brought: Winter in Europe 2015

When my husband and I visited Italy and France last January-February 2015 for 2 weeks, the temperature ranged from 16C to -3C. So, we made sure that we have enough clothes that would keep us warm but would still be light to carry. Enough for us meant having the least number of outerwear (clothes that don’t need much washing) and inside wear that we get to change daily.

We were usually dressed in this manner: Coat/Jacket + Sweater + Thermal Wear/Vest + Shirt; Thermal Pants + Jeans; Bonnet + Scarf+ Gloves

Below are the items we brought with us to survive the winter season in Europe:

His

_ Jeans x 2

_ Thermal Pants x 2

_ Thermal Sweaters x 2

_ Down Jackets x 2 (We purchased Uniqlo’s Down Jackets because they were light and warm. One of them can even be rolled up and fit in a small pouch)

_ Scarves x 2

_ Gloves x 2 (We brought leather glove, which were warmer for the hands, and touch screen gloves, which were practical for us because we used our phones most of the time for navigation and taking photos)

_ Bonnets x 1 (to keep our head and ears warm)

_ Sweaters/Vests x 7

_ Shirts x 14 (Thick ones for extra warmth)

_ Sleepwear x 7

_ Underwear

_ Leg-high Socks (for extra warmth)

_Shoes (Ankle-high for extra warmth) 

Hers

_ Jeans x 2

_ Thermal Leggings x 2 (Leggings that cover until the ankle or toes give extra coverage and warmth)

_ Thermal Sweaters x 2

_ Down Coat x 2 (Uniqlo’s Down Coats were light and warm. One of them can even be rolled up and fit in a small pouch) 

_ Infinity Scarves x 2 (These are extremely helpful because you can coil or tie it around your neck, even cover your face, when the wind blows very strong or hang in around your neck if you step into warm establishments)

_ Gloves x 2

_ Bonnets x 1

_ Sweaters x 7

_ Shirts x 14 (Thick ones for extra warmth)

_ Sleepwear x 7

_ Underwear

_ Socks

_ Boots (The ones with wool/cotton inside helped my feet keep warm)

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 This list may look a lot, but all of these actually fit in two medium-sized luggage and one carry-on gym bag if packed well. This article was helpful for us during packing. 

Tips:

~We hand-washed our small dirty-wears in the bathroom and hanged them near the heater or on the towel rack to dry.

~We do not sweat much during winter, so it was practical for us to re-wear our sweaters the next day.

~Comfortable boots/shoes are a must, especially for walkable cities like France and Italy. I personally prefer footwear with flexible rubber soles because steps go along with the terrain.

~Filipinos are known for taking a bath daily. Since it was too cold for me when I got out from our hotel after I shower in the morning (my wet hair would nearly freeze!), we just took our showers at night before we go to bed.