1. Travel plugs / adapters
It may seem like one of the most obvious items on any travel check list, but you'd be surprised how many times it's the one thing which gets forgotten. For most European countries, your standard European adapter will suffice. I like to buy in multipacks like these. It's often cheaper and you can be sure you have enough plugs for all of your electronic devices! The only country you need to be wary of is Switzerland. They have slightly different sockets (just to make it super convenient!) so you'll need a different adapter. If you're going to be heading through Switzerland, I'd recommend one of these multi-adapters. I find them a little difficult to use, but if you have limited space, they can be a good catch all solution.
2. Currency
Again, another seemingly obvious item but my top tip here is to always try and take cash with you. Most countries will accept card payments, but there are still a few exceptions. In Germany for example, the preference is still very much for 'Bar' (the German for cash). Shop around for the best exchange rates, there are lots of comparison sites out there - Money Supermarket is a good one, and don't rule out retail outlets such as Tesco or Debenhams as they often have travel bureaus in store which are super convenient and offer very competitive rates.
3. EHIC card
Very important - all UK citizens are entitled to state healthcare cover when travelling abroad. This means that if you get injured or need medical attention when in a country like Germany where there isn't free healthcare like we have in the UK (Happy 70th birthday NHS!) then you're entitled to receive basic emergency care and the UK government will cover the cost. You can apply for a card here, it's totally free and could end up saving you quite a bit!
4. A decent rucksack
This will be your best friend. My go-to brand here is Berghaus, they're waterproof, lightweight and have bags of storage space for all your travelling essentials. And they last for ever! 20 or 30 Litres will give you plenty of space for a couple of weeks roaming, whilst being small enough to take on a day trip too.
5. Food and drink on the go
Top tip for saving money is to take food and water with you as often as you can. Tap water is free and safe to drink in most European countries (double check before you travel if you're not sure). I love the Thermos water bottle because it has a handy meter so you can keep track of how many you've had throughout the day. For the hot drinks, you can take tea, coffee and milk sachets with you all throughout Europe. Then don't forget your handy Tupperware! It will come in handy, trust me!
6. Camera
With all the wonderful places you're going to see, you will definitely want to be capturing those moments. Sony are my preference for cameras - I've had two which have seen me through all of my travels. The first was a smaller standard digital camera, but it was super handy as it fitted in my handbag and was super easy to pop in and out at all of the sight seeing locations. As a step up from this, I wanted to move to a bridge camera to start to get a feel for a more powerful camera. This one is much bigger and needs to be carried around in its own bag, but it takes amazing pictures and you can do a lot more with it so you have more flexibility. The choice is entirely up to you,
7. Scrapbook for all the memories
Now that you've taken all those pictures, you're going to want somewhere to keep them (definitely print them out - don't let them get lost in the digital abyss!). I kept all sorts from my travels: tickets, receipts, postcards, wristbands, coasters, napkins - everything! There are millions of different scrapbooks out there, but Paperchase is by far my favourite. Sometimes you can't beat the basics, and the Kraft square scrapbook is my favourite as it's literally a blank canvas for you to decorate as you please. For supplies to finish the job, head to Hobbycraft - but be warned, you'll be there for hours!
8. Travel purse
Putting my practical hat on, I always take a different purse on holiday to my normal every day purse. My travel purse is a Kipling as it zips and buttons down really securely. I streamline my cards and only take what I need for the trip, leaving the rest at home, transfer the money over to the new currency and pop £20 of sterling in there for emergency money. This way if anything did happen, whilst your still in a tricky situation, you're not losing absolutely everything!
9. Wrapping up warm when you need to
Germany, the Nordics and most northern European countries get super cold in the winter - well below zero without the wind chill, and the wind is bitterly cold! Hat, scarf, gloves and thermal layers are a must. As is a decent coat - preferably fleece lined and waterproof. I stuck to thermal lined items of all of the above and it saved my skin more than once!
10. Preparing for the sun!
Just as it gets cold, it also gets really warm - even in the northern countries. Germany in the summer is up to 35 degrees in the summer which was not what I was expecting! Sun hat, cream and proper walking sandals were summer staples when trekking through European cityscapes.
