How to travel light: the practical guide to essential packing

Learning **how to travel light with a single bag** isn't a matter of going without, but of method: the fewer things you carry, the less time you lose at check-in, in overhead bins and waiting at baggage reclaim, and the freer you are to move on foot or switch trains at the last minute. For those who choose slow, car-free itineraries, an essential bag really makes the difference. Here's a concrete guide, with the real rules updated to 2026 and a method that works.

The golden rule: a single, well-chosen bag

The first step is to decide to set off with a single piece of hand luggage, whether a roomy backpack or a cabin trolley. Everything else follows: if the space is fixed, you'll choose better. The most useful practical rule is that of versatile items: go for coordinated colours (blue, grey, black, beige) so every piece matches the others, and think in "layers" rather than "heavy clothes". Three T-shirts, two pairs of trousers, a fleece or jumper, a light rainproof jacket and underwear for four days cover almost any European trip: you wash it in the sink and it dries overnight.

Real hand-luggage dimensions (2026)

Sizes vary from airline to airline, and this is where you pay the penalties. Always measure your bag including wheels, handles and outer pockets, leaving a couple of centimetres of margin.

• **Ryanair:** the small under-seat bag is included in all fares (about 40x20x25 cm, being adjusted to the new European standard of 40x30x20). The overhead trolley (55x40x20 cm, up to 10 kg) is only carried with the Priority option.
• **easyJet:** small under-seat bag 45x36x20 cm free; the large trolley (56x45x25 cm) is chargeable.
• **ITA Airways:** a personal item 40x30x15 cm plus a cabin trolley 55x40x23 cm up to 8 kg, both included in the standard fare.

There's no official weight for the Ryanair small bag, but if you can't lift it into the overhead bin with one hand, it's too heavy.

Liquids and power banks: the mistakes that get your stuff binned

At security the **100 ml** rule still applies: each container at most 100 ml, all inside a single transparent one-litre bag. The 2-litre exemption announced for new-generation scanners has been suspended, so don't take it for granted: only some airports (like Fiumicino, but not for flights to the USA and Israel) apply different rules. When in doubt, travel with small refillable bottles and solid shampoo, which doesn't count as a liquid.

**Power banks** must always go in the cabin, never in the hold: up to 100 Wh (about 27,000 mAh) they're allowed without authorisation, but many budget airlines set a lower ceiling around 20,000 mAh. Keep them in your hand luggage even if they force you to check the trolley at the gate.

Light on the train and on foot

Essential packing is at its best when the journey is by rail: on Trenitalia and Italo there's no weight limit to pay for, but a manageable backpack or trolley lets you get on and off without blocking the aisle. It's the ideal approach for a trip like Emilia-Romagna by train along the Via Emilia or for the Langhe and the Monferrato by train between Alba and Barolo, where you switch trains often and walk between the station and the town centre.

The same goes for the South: for eastern Sicily between Catania, Syracuse and the Val di Noto or for Basilicata without a car in three days, a light bag means not depending on car boots and taxis. And if you want to push beyond the border, Europe's night trains reward those who travel compact, because there's little space in a sleeper berth.

Even the slowest itineraries on foot call for lightening up: a slow weekend in Friuli between Cividale and Palmanova, three unhurried days across the villages of the Gran Sasso in Abruzzo or four days in the Sardinian Barbagia are far better enjoyed with a backpack on your shoulders. And when the destination can only be reached on foot — like Borgo Marinari and the Pallonetto in Naples, Tyrol Castle above Merano, the abbey of San Pietro al Monte or the sanctuary on Monte Figogna — every gram less is a real gain.

The method that fits it all in

Roll your clothes instead of folding them: they take up less space and crease less. Use two or three packing cubes to separate clean, dirty and electronics, and tuck socks and underwear inside your shoes. Wear the bulkiest items while travelling (walking boots, jacket, jumper). Keep documents, charger and a spare T-shirt in an accessible pocket. Pack your bag, then take out a quarter of the things: you almost certainly won't need them. For a weekend of ideas to apply the method to, take a look at where to go at Easter without the crowds.