Travel this summer has changed for many as COVID has spread across the globe. Less flights, less hotels, less meals out and many people are choosing to stay closer to home and explore the serenity and even isolation of camping.

Even before this year, camping has been very popular among Europeans. You won’t find a shortage of where and how to camp in Europe! Beautiful deserts, beach or lake fronts, mountains and forests. With a varied landscape that includes everything from glorious coastlines to towering mountains, this easily accessible continent is also one of the most impressive for an unbelievable campaign experience!

Camping in Europe is a wonderful way to explore the many countries of this continent, and whether you travel by car, RV or by rail, the main attractions are easy to get to. What you will need is a plan of where to go, and also a collection of camping essentials for your backpack!

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Here’s some camping locations in Europe to help inspire you, but then you’ve got to think about what are the essentials you need to pack for your European camping trip? We’ve put together a list for you, so get these items together and you’re ready to go!

The Essential Camping Packing List

The following are items we consider absolutely essential for your camping trip. You will, of course, have sourced the tent and a suitable backpack so we will not dwell on those:

Mobile Phone and Power Pack

You need your mobile phone with you at all times. You may be getting away from it all, but there can be emergency situations in which a phone will be vital.

You or one of your party may have a fall, for example, and need medical help, and a phone can get you seen to and found quickly when you are in a remote area. Also, we recommend you take a power pack – or more than one – that is kept fully charged, as you may be in locations where you have no access to mains electricity. If you want to splurge, you can also buy a solar charger or solar power pack to charge your phone.

Torch or Flashlight

Make sure you have a portable light source as you may be staying in places where it gets very dark at night. It’s not just to see with but also to be seen, so ensure you have one that is suitably powerful for the purpose. Also, ensure you have spare batteries if it is battery powered, as you never know when you may need them.

Cooking Appliances

You may eat out at some stages during your journey, but there is nothing like cooking for yourself in the great wide open, especially when you’re in a beautiful location.

The modern portable stove is a long way removed from those you may remember and can be very compact and light when not in use, but also very capable and easy to use when operational. Look also for knives and forks, disposable plates and even camping tables that are surprisingly small and useful.

Change of Clothes

You may be going to Spain or Portugal, or perhaps the countries in central Europe like Italy that can get very hot. That doesn’t mean you’ll be blessed with great weather, so take waterproofs with you whatever the forecast. There’s always a chance of storms across Europe and they can be very severe.

Sleeping Bags

We recommend you spend a sensible amount on a quality sleeping bag, as cheap examples are uncomfortable and don’t always provide enough insulation for cooler evenings, especially when campaign in the mountains.

There are some very good and well-known brands to choose from so it is certainly worth checking online reviews for sleeping bags and choosing one that suits your budget.

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Camera

While your phone will have a camera, it’s worth investing in one that is dedicated to the job, as there will be photo occasions that really deserve a decent picture. This may not seem like an essential, but you will miss it if you don’t tale one! Like when joining one of our food tours, you want to hold on to these memories forever!

That’s a few essentials for your camping trip to start with, all you need to do now is check out the places you can visit and start arranging your trip to or within Europe!

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