What to pack for Copenhagen in May

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

The layer you'll wear more than any other.

A UV index of 6.9 burns skin fast even on cool days.

Water reflects light off the coast and into your eyes.

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

Urban travel to an international city carries minor health risks.

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

Sixteen-hour days mean your phone dies before sunset.

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

City walking means you carry everything on your back all day.

Ten rain days means daily trips out without returning to base.

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.

Coastal wind cuts through a t-shirt fast.

Tap water is safe, so a bottle saves money and plastic.

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 airports and train stations attract bag thieves.

Packing cubes compress clothes and fit tighter in carry-ons.

Ten rain days mean wet laundry dries slowly in humidity.

Sun is up until 9:10pm. You'll want the mask.

City noise and early dawn light disrupt rest on short nights.

Sixteen hours of daylight means sixteen hours of sun exposure.

Crowded tourist areas mean more germs on shared surfaces.

Charging ports at the guesthouse are scarce and far apart.

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

Border crossings require documents within arm's reach at all times.

Luggage moves through international transit hubs unsupervised.

Seventy-three percent humidity makes toiletries sticky and mold-prone.

Sixteen-hour daylight keeps your brain alert when it should sleep.