What to pack for Berlin in February

Lows around 32°F. Goes under the shell when the wind picks up.

Wear one, dry one. Cotton stays wet all week here.

The layer you'll wear more than any other.

Lows at 32°F and wind at 21 km/h strip heat from your head fast.

Bare fingers go numb in freezing wind within minutes.

Snow and ice coat Berlin streets in February.

Glare bounces off snow and ice into your eyes.

Check ankles and, if there's a dog, paws and ears every night.

Slips on ice send people to urgent care.

This country runs on Type C or F. Get one with USB-C so you're not fighting over the single outlet.

Nine hours of light means you'll photograph all day.

Set it up before you land. Signal drops for long stretches outside cities.

Dark by 6:15pm. Every campsite chore after that is a two-hands job.

Overhead bins fill fast on busy European routes.

Museums and markets pull you away from your hotel.

Fits the overhead on every airline that matters. Skip the checked-bag line entirely.

For the passport, the chargers, and the one dry pair of socks.

Wet snow soaks through regular gloves in minutes.

For the mornings and the nights.

Wind cuts across exposed skin on your neck and face.

Wet feet in 32°F temperatures cause rapid heat loss.

Tap water is safe, so carry a bottle and refill.

One brick charges the laptop, phone, and camera.

Hotel and cafe wifi is shared with everyone else in the building. A VPN keeps your banking and email to yourself.

International travel requires documents kept secure.

Airport crowds and train stations make bags easy targets.

Two weeks in one city means you can check a bag.

Wet clothes need sorting from dry gear daily.

February travel to Berlin calls for checked luggage.

Humidity at 80 percent breeds mold in damp fabric.

Lows around 32°F. One blanket that packs small covers the car, the campsite and the beach at sunset.

Constant city noise follows you from dawn to dusk.

Melted snow seeps into boots at the ankle.

Nine hours of daylight means crowded transit and shared surfaces.

Short winter days drain phone batteries by afternoon.

A few phrases go a long way. Ten minutes a day before you leave is plenty.

Border control needs your passport in one place.

Checked luggage passes through multiple hands.

Winter coats take up half your pack space.

Toiletries freeze in unheated guesthouses.

Train seats don't recline and hotel pillows feel wrong.

Pockets warm your hands when gloves slip off.