This September, I was fortunate to spend 10 days in Portugal, with the first 5 days spent sightseeing in cities and the next 5 days hiking. I spent a lot of time googling what to pack for Madeira, a gorgeous island full of beautiful hiking opportunities, while balancing my packing list with Lisbon. You know I revised the packing list about 100 times before taking off. Here are my best travel hacks for doing a split-activities trip in a carry-on!
Fabric makes the packing list!
Throughout our trip, I truly appreciated how often I was reaching for the linen, raw silk, and 100% cotton I had packed. We started in Lisbon, which was warm and humid, and breathable fabrics made all the difference! I packed one polyester top, and it got the least wear.
Conversely, I packed two synthetic bottoms (these shorts, this skirt), and I ended up loving those because they were wrinkle-free. I felt both could go from a day of exploring to a nice dinner pretty easily!
Finally, I must shout out these sandals, which were a vacation miracle. Lisbon is extremely hilly, and I was the most comfortable the whole time! They have some tech in them to keep your feet from getting tired, and I can officially say I’m a believer.
Avoiding the travel uglies
A problem I commonly feel with packing in a carry-on only is that I end up just feeling frumpy. Ok, maybe that’s the constant diet of french fries and wine, or being away from my blow dryer for so long. But feeling ugly when traveling is no fun! And it can lead to impulse shopping.
This time, I tried to combat that feeling by packing small items that made me feel a bit better:
This better than average sweatshirt
Necklaces and earrings
I also got a lash lift before we left!
What to pack for Madeira: The best light hiking gear
After our time in Lisbon we flew to Madeira, which is known for its gorgeous hiking along a system of canals! We did 4 days of hiking, but I basically packed 2 complete outfits: one for warm weather hiking, one for rain and clouds. A few hero items that helped:
-These laundry sheets, which allowed us to wash hiking clothes frequently while packing flat and not counting as a liquid!
-This string backpack, which I folded up into my bag when not in use.
-This foldable water bottle.
Otherwise, I tried to make as many items pull double duty as possible. I wore sneakers on our Madeira hikes (there was a lot of debate about this online: I think you could totally wear sneakers with some traction unless you are doing the most hardcore hikes on the island). I packed a rain jacket I found cute enough to wear in the city, too!
The packing list
That’s my list! And somehow I made it all work in my trusty backpack (it opens flat, so it’s not as chaotic as a typical hiking backpack). Here’s what I packed:
That’s my advice about what to pack for Madeira, or any trip where you’ll do half-city sightseeing, half-hiking! Wishing you a pleasant day free of jet lag 🙂
This post contains affiliate links that may generate commission for the author.
You’re the best, thank you!!! I’d love to use this in the future as a guide for travelling. This is such a good beginner guide!
Thank you for reading!!!!