wantgelato

Greetings, Folks
I am preparing for a 15 day trip to alpine countries in Europe (Germany, Switzerland, Austria, and Italy). The problem is that I have never been on a trip of this length before and I'm not sure how/what to pack. I have a month to decide what to throw in the duffle bag. Surely, I don't need 15 different outfits, but how many pairs of pants and blouses should I take? How many dresses/skirts? I will be attending a concert in Vienna so I know I have to take at least one nice outfit.

I'm ashamed to ask these questions but I am not a seasoned traveler, and fear I will over stuff my bag. Any other advice on packing would be more than appreciated.
Thank you and cheers!
Katrina

sparkchaser

Easy answer: two days before you leave check the ten day weather forecasts and dress for that weather. If you plan on doing laundry, take 4-6 days worth of clothes and if you aren't planning on doing laundry, take enough clothes to last you 16 days.

wantgelato

Thanks, Sparkchaser. I never thought about doing laundry and that is a good idea. The longest I've ever been on a trip was 14 days and that was 10 years ago. My luggage was so heavy I could barely manage it. I'm trying real hard to avoid that this time around.
Cheers...

thursdaysd

Definitely plan to do laundry. I do it in the bathroom sink. If you have no experience with packing light you might find my packing list helpful: http://mytimetotravel.wordpress.com/...take-part-one/ or try Rick Steves' packing advice in "Europe through the Back Door" or http://www.ricksteves.com/plan/tips/pack-light.htm

wantgelato

thursdaysd that is a great backing list! My problem is that I have always been a "just in case" packer, meaning I will back something just in case I need it. It's good to have a packing list like yours as a guide.

Cheers...
ps I enjoyed your pics of Vienna.

suze

Don't think of it as "outfits for 15 days," think of individual pieces that will work well and are versatile. You only need 1 dress-up outfit, for example, just wear it multiple times. And outer layers don't need washed in only two weeks or wear. You only need 1 sweater (for example) not 5 in different colors. Think function.

My other best packing tip is in the planning. Start laying out everything you are considering in a separate place so you can really think through which are important. I'd aim for something like 3 pair of pants, and 6 tops, 1 each of outer layers.

Most important thing to me always is shoes/boots, really make sure those are comfortable and will work for you.

Improviser

Well I can't advise on what to pack from the information you have provided wantgelato. Unlike others who appear to have a crystal ball as to what you will need, I would need to know what you plan to do.

Since it is 'alpine countries' the first thing that comes to my mind is are you planning to do any/some/a lot of hiking, for example. That will obviously have an impact on what you pack.

suze

Doesn't matter what you plan to do you still need a shirt, pants, shoes, jacket. Sure if hiking or doing specialty activity, then added consideration for that.

ShelliDawn

My advice for packing no matter destination, activity, time of year is to think layers. I always bring a shell jacket with me that is both wind and waterproof. Light and medium tops can be layered underneath as needed for the temperature.

A good pair of walking shoes is also a must. These don't have to be running shoes but can be if you prefer. I have a pair of Keen Mary Jane style shoes that are really comfortable that I can wear all day long walking and not hurt my feet.

Depending on the weather, I prefer to wear jeans, but also pack lighter pair of pants/shorts for hotter days.

I don't like doing laundry while I'm vacationing, so always bring enough socks/underwear to last me. I don't find it adds too much to my case to worry about.

thursdaysd

Taking enough socks and underwear to avoid laundry only works on short trips.

sparkchaser

<i>Taking enough socks and underwear to avoid laundry only works on short trips.</i>

True dat.

I take along old socks and old underwear and just retire them over the course of the trip.

wantgelato

Greetings, Folk
Thanks so much for your help and suggestions. Love them.
I'm sorry I wasn’t more specific about my trip in my initial post. Indeed, that makes a difference. Basically, my trip will be that of purely sightseeing and admiration of the little picturesque towns and villages. No hiking, but walking, boat rides, and train travel. In a nutshell it will go something like this:
5 days in GERMANY: Romantic Road drive to Rothenburg, explore castles in Munich, beer sampling (e.g. Hafbrauhaus), Black Forest, Rhine Falls, Rhine river cruise, Heidelberg).
4 days in AUSTRIA: Tour Salzburg (Mirabell Gardens, churchyards, Danube River), Vienna (city tour, Jewish quarters, Hofburg Palace, horse and carriage ride through countryside, costumed orchestra performance at concert hall), Innsbruck (Dolomites, the Austrian Tyrol, medieval city tour, Golden roof)
6 days in SWITZERLAND: St. Moritz (take pictures of lakes, forest, mountain peaks, explore quaint villages), Lugano (explore town, dinner boat cruise, relax), boat to Isola Bella then later board train to Zermatt (ride to Matterhorn), Bern (explore town, scenic walks and picturing taking).
I have clothes all over the bed now trying to see what goes with what. I’m tempted to take a pair of jeans, but need to be sure I give them enough time to dry after I wash them…don’t want to end up with soggy clothes in my duffle bag. 
Cheers…

thursdaysd

Have you laid that out on a day-to-day basis, allowing for travel time? It looks very rushed to me. Is that actually a tour? Also, the Dolomites are in Italy, in Innsbruck you'll be seeing the Alps, unless you take a train into Italy. (The only Isola Bella I know about is in Italy too, but maybe you're taking a boat trip from Lugano?)

wantgelato

Greetings, thursdaysd
This is just an overzelous rough draft of things I'd like to see while I"m in the alpine region. When I did several months research on these countries, I discovered that the places I mentioned all have the spectacular scenery I am craving (lakes, quaint villages, alps, farms, forest,castles, ect..)I may not get to all of them, but this way, I at least have lots of options. Yes, my goal is to take the train to Italy as well as a boat trip from Lugano to Isola Bell. I just want to see and do as much as possible in those 15 days because I don't know when I"ll be have this opportunity again.
Cheers...

suze

<but need to be sure I give them enough time to dry after I wash them…don’t want to end up with soggy clothes in my duffle bag>

You don't need to wash jeans on a 2 week trip. Just keep on wearing them (lol).

Plus I would never wash jeans in the sink. If you need to wash clothes just find the laundry service or laundry mat in a town. Sink washing only works for single lightweight items.

Improviser

"I just want to see and do as much as possible in those 15 days"

I suggest you think about what that actually means wantgelato. The word 'much' is not synonymous with the word 'many'. The way to see as 'much as possible is to spend time IN places, not in BETWEEN places.

For example, take your '6 days' IN Switzerland. Assuming you travel to St. Moritz within the 4 days you are allowing for Austria, then day 1 (of 6) is IN St. Moritz. Day 2 is a day trip(?) around the area to see 'quaint villages' (read up on trompe l'oeil in the area. Here is a trip report someone did on TWO WEEKS in the Engadine area. http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...rip-report.cfm
The writer appears to have liked Sils Maria as a base as I would also suggest over St. Moritz itself actually.
So on to day 3 when you move to Lugano, oops most of that day lost to moving. Day 4 IN Lugano, but wait, no, on boat to Isolo or no, spend the day on the train to Italy and back instead. Day 5, have to rush on to Zermatt, arrive in time to see the Matterhorn before dinner and bed. Day 6, rush on to Bern. Quick run around the arcades with luck.
Leaving from/to where the next day?

So just how much time will actually be spent IN places vs. moving wantgelato? Way to much moving in my opinion. I would never try to cover St. Moritz and Zermatt in one trip to Switzerland unless I had a week for each area. To add in Lugano is madness.

In travel, less is always more. Move less, see/do more. So you need to decide just what you mean by 'as much as possible' wantgelato. Does much mean tick of the names on a list or does it mean get as much quality experience as possible in the time available? They are totally opposite goals. What someone saw and did in 2 weeks (link above) in one area (the Engadine) and what you will see/do in 1 day are worlds apart.

As for jeans, leave them at home or do not plan to wash them.

Improviser

I'm going to guess you have decided to buy a rail pass of some kind. I'm further going to guess that having done so you 'want to get your money's worth' which goes along with 'to see as much as possible'.

The thing with rail passes is that they have a tendency to make people move more often in order to 'get their money's worth'. That's a bad thing.

Moving only a few times, point to point tickets can often be as cheap as a pass. If a pass does make economic sense then a pass that offers for example 5 days in a 30 days period vs. a full 30 day unlimited pass often makes more sense. Less pressure to move. But even then, someone who initially planned 4 moving days is likely to to say, 'hmm, I've paid for 5 days, I should use that 5th day' and then add another move, further reducing their time IN places by a day.

Improviser

I do not see an arrival and departure day in your plan. So I presume there is actually 17 days including those.

Using the Rule of 3s which says, never spend less than 3 full days/4 nights in a place unless it is just an overnight stop between A and B, that would suggest that you plan on no more than 3 places plus 3 day trips from 1 or more of those 3 bases. Compare that to how many different places you plan to actually sleep in. Compare the difference in moving days.

suze

This person asked for help with their packing.

wantgelato

Greetings,

I have decided to leave the jeans at home and instead go for light pants/crops. I'll share my packing list with you once I've narrowed it down. This way, you can let me know if it's enough/too much. Again, great tips folks—much appreciated.

Improviser: What you wrote makes a lot of sense. I'm sure I'll get a reality check after I get to Munich on how much I can really see/do in those measly 15 days. Yes, my goal was to purchase a rail pass (boy, you seasoned travelers are good), but being that I am so flexible (it's easy because I'm doing this by myself), I won't be disappointed if I don't get the chance to see everything I thought I'd be able to see in that length of time. In other words, The Dolomites, Lugano, Isola Bella, ect...may have to wait 'till the next trip.