How to Manage Luggage for a Holiday Market Trip Through Europe

A December trip to Munich or Vienna has a way of rearranging your suitcase. You'll leave with sweaters and boots, then fly home with hand-painted ornaments and a souvenir mug you couldn't bear to leave behind. The smartest packing decision happens before you leave: fill your large checked luggage only halfway, and let the markets take care of the rest.

Pack for the Trip Home Before You Leave

Market shopping adds up fast. A few gingerbread tins and a box of ornaments take up more room than they seem to at the stall, so start with a checked bag that's about half full. Squeeze your sweaters into compression packing cubes on the way out, and you'll have space available when packing for the return flight.

Many Munich stalls charge a deposit of a few euros on each mug of Glühwein. Keep one as a souvenir, and you've got one more thing to make room for in your checked bag. Wrap it in clothes to help keep it safe.

Dress for Long Evenings Outside

Markets from Munich to Vienna come alive after dark, and the sun sets before 4:30 p.m. in December. That leaves hours of browsing in the cold, so warm layers matter more than the most stylish outfits. Pack a thermal base layer to wear under your sweater and boots comfortable enough to stand in until closing.

A travel duffel bag with a shoe compartment gives those boots their own space. The pair that spent the evening on a damp market square stays apart from the clean clothes you'll wear to dinner the next night.

Carry a Day Bag You Can Shop From

Munich's Marienplatz market alone has over 130 decorated stalls, and you'll want both hands free for a hot drink and a bratwurst. A carry on size travel backpack keeps your gloves and the day's purchases close, with no tote falling off your shoulder.

On the flight home, your backpack can ride in the cabin, keeping the glass ornaments you picked out safe for the trip home.

About Eagle Creek

For more than 50 years, Eagle Creek has made travel gear for people who would rather spend their next adventure actually exploring than searching through their bag. Their lineup includes carry-on backpacks, duffels, wheeled luggage, and the original Pack-It® packing cubes, all designed to work together as one organized system. Every piece is backed by their No Matter What® Warranty, which covers defects for the useful life of the bag. That way, your gear can take you everywhere you want to go.

Make room for every market find with travel gear from https://eaglecreek.com/

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