One of the biggest dilemmas I faced before going to Spain was what to pack! Being told, “Don’t bring a huge suitcase, pack for about one week, bring a rain jacket…” and seemingly hundreds of other pieces of advice left my head spinning. I checked the weather what seemed like 100 times, but, does 60 degrees feel the same in Spain as it does in Montrose, Georgia?? I was so nervous about packing the right clothes. What was the correct balance between casual and nice? Dresses? Rompers? T-shirts? I didn’t know much, but I knew I did NOT want to look like the cliche American tourist. So, I packed an assortment of clothes I thought would suffice and told myself I would make do.
And, I did just that! I packed two t-shirts, three rompers, a couple dresses, two pairs of jeans, two long skirts, several cute tops and a few pairs of shorts. Ultimately, I ended up packing 4 pairs of shoes (Birkenstocks, wedges, Reebok sneakers, and flat sandals). Now, I’ll tell you, I wore one pair the entire time- the Reebok sneakers. The biggest recommendation I have is to find some COMFORTABLE, versatile sneakers like this! Most of us had a pair or two of little white sneakers that we wore 24/7. My assortment of clothing was good, but I wish I had brought some white jeans (very popular amongst our group) and a few other nicer tops. I found that in Spain, athleisure is not very popular, and there also is not a ton of bright clothing! There is a lot of street wear and neutral colors during the day, with a bit more variation into the night. Finally, I really wish I had packed fewer tanktops/shorts, and had clothes that were a bit warmer!
All in all, I would say packing essentials are as follows:
- Lots of tops
- A few pairs of pants/shorts/skirts (check the weather and be realistic!!)
- Comfortable shoes
- Steamer & tide stick!
- Basic/staple clothing items you can re-wear (nobody will notice or care, especially if you have a place to to laundry)
- An umbrella!
- Sunglasses
Ultimately, wear what you are comfortable in, and don’t fear too much about “looking like a tourist.” You’re going to give away that fact regardless 😉
Pictures below are some group photos that show a wide variety of our outfits!
