Packing one bag for a city weekend

Two or three nights in a city is the trip where carry-on only works best. You will walk a lot, sleep somewhere with a shower and probably pass a pharmacy every few streets. The aim is a bag you can carry up a hotel staircase and onto a tram without thinking about it.

Pick the bag first

A cabin-size suitcase or a 30 to 40 litre travel backpack is enough for a weekend. Check your airline's cabin size and weight limits before you pack, because they differ between carriers and fare types. If you go by train or car, the limit is what you are happy to carry over cobbles.

Add a small day bag that closes properly. It goes out with you each morning, so it should hold a water bottle, a layer and a phone charger without sagging open.

Count clothes by day

Plan one top per day, one pair of trousers or a skirt for every two days, and one thing a little smarter for an evening out. Pick colours that all go together so any top works with any bottom. Wear the bulkiest shoes and jacket on the journey.

• Walking shoes you have already worn for a full day
• Two or three tops
• One pair of trousers, plus the pair you travel in
• One smarter outfit or a shirt that dresses up
• Underwear and socks for each day
• A light jacket or a layer that packs small
• Something to sleep in

Small things that are easy to forget

Keep these in one pouch so they move from bag to bag with you.

• Phone charger, power bank and one cable
• Plug adapter if you cross into a country with different sockets
• Any medication you take, in its original packaging
• Earplugs for a street-facing room
• Payment card plus a second card kept separately
• Toiletries in travel sizes, in a clear bag if you fly

What to leave out

A hairdryer, a full-size towel and a third pair of shoes. Most hotels and many rentals provide the first two, and the third rarely gets worn. If you are unsure, read the listing before you leave instead of packing for every case.

Leave room to bring something back

A city weekend often ends with a book, a bottle or something from a market. Fold a tote bag into the bottom of the suitcase. It weighs almost nothing and saves you buying a bag on the last afternoon. If you fly home with liquids you bought, check the cabin rules for them before you reach security.

Where to go next

If you go by rail, our note on packing for a train trip covers the seat bag and the luggage rack. PackPoint can suggest a list from the city, your dates and its forecast, which you can then trim to fit the bag you picked.