What to pack, city by city
Real weather by month, what people actually wear, plugs and power, and the few things worth bringing — for each city we have a guide for.
Argentina
Buenos AiresMost people pack for Buenos Aires like it's a tropical city. It isn't. Summer hits 29°C, but June and July nigEl CalafatePeople pack for El Calafate by the thermometer and get caught by the wind. Even in January, the warmest month,UshuaiaUshuaia in summer is still cold. January tops out at 14°C, it rains on 22 days that month, and the wind off th
Aruba
Australia
CairnsCairns is a reef and rainforest base, so most of what you pack is for the water. From roughly November to May MelbourneMelbourne's morning forecast isn't the weather you'll have by the afternoon. Locals call it four seasons in onSydneyPeople picture Sydney as beach weather all year and pack only summer clothes. Winter nights drop to 8°C, and s
Austria
Bahamas
Barbados
Belgium
Bermuda
Brazil
Cambodia
Canada
BanffPeople pack for a Banff summer like it's summer anywhere else. July averages 23°C in the afternoon but only 8°MontrealMontreal winters get the attention, and they deserve it, with January highs of minus 5°C and lows of minus 12°Quebec CityOld Quebec is built on a cliff, with steep streets and stairways between Upper and Lower Town. In winter thoseTorontoToronto's packing problem is winter. January averages a 0°C high and a -5°C low, with wind off Lake Ontario onVancouverMost people pack a heavy coat for Vancouver and get caught by the rain instead. Winters are mild, with highs oVictoriaVictoria sells itself as Canada's mild city, and it is, but most visitors miss how wet the off-season gets. DeWhistlerWhistler's winter is wet, not just cold. The village hovers around freezing, so you get heavy coastal snow and
Chile
China
BeijingBeijing swings hard. January lows hit -6°C with a dry, cutting wind, and June highs reach 34°C. The bigger surHong KongHong Kong's heat is only half the problem. From May to October you'll walk out of humid 27°C to 30°C streets iShanghaiPeople pack for Shanghai like it's one climate. It's two. Summers hit 34°C with heavy rain, and winter lows drXi'anMost people plan Xi'an around the Terracotta Warriors and forget how far the weather swings. Winter lows drop
Colombia
Costa Rica
Croatia
Czech Republic
Denmark
Dominican Republic
Ecuador
Egypt
Estonia
Fiji
Finland
France
Aix-en-ProvencePeople pack for Provence as if it's always summer. Aix gets real winters, with lows of 2–3°C from December to AvignonProvence sounds warm, so people pack for sun. In Avignon the thing that catches you out is the mistral, a coldBayeuxMost people come to Bayeux for the Tapestry and the D-Day beaches, and pack for a quiet French town. The town'BordeauxPeople picture Bordeaux as sunny wine country and leave the rain jacket at home. It rains on 10 or more days iCannesPeople pack for Cannes as if every day is the film festival. Most of the year it's a relaxed beach town, and tDordogneThe Dordogne isn't a city, it's a region of river valleys, castles and stone villages, and you'll see it from GivernyMost people treat Giverny as an easy day out from Paris and dress for a city. It's a village and a garden, witHonfleurMost people pack for Honfleur's summer and forget it sits on the Normandy coast. July is actually its wettest Loire ValleyPeople pack for the Loire Valley like it's the south of France. It isn't. Even in May there are 14 rain days, LyonLyon looks flat on the map. It isn't. Fourvière and Croix-Rousse are steep hills full of staircases, and VieuxMarseillePeople pack for Marseille like it's always summer. It's dry, with no month over 9 rain days, but the mistral wMont-Saint-MichelPeople treat Mont-Saint-Michel as a quick photo stop. It's usually a long day outdoors on an exposed tidal bayNiceMost people pack flip-flops for Nice and then limp across the beach. It's pebbles, not sand, and the big roundParisPlenty of people pack an umbrella for Paris and then fight it on narrow sidewalks all week. Rain shows up everRouenRouen catches people out with rain, not cold. Every month has 8 to 16 rain days, and the old town is cobbles,
French Polynesia
Germany
BerlinBerlin doesn't have a dry season to plan around. Rain is spread through the year, and temperatures swing from DresdenDresden's old town is compact, so people pack light city clothes and stop there. Then they discover Saxon SwitHamburgPeople pack for Hamburg's temperatures and get caught by the rain. July, the month you'd expect to be dry, is MunichPeople think of Munich as a summer beer garden city and pack for sunshine. The numbers say otherwise. July is
Greece
AthensMost people pack for Athens like it's a beach holiday. It's a city of hills and polished marble, and the pathsCreteCrete is a beach island that also wants hiking boots. The Samaria Gorge and the mountain villages call for reaMykonosMykonos's packing problem is the wind. The meltemi blows hard in July and August, so hats fly, sand stings andSantoriniSantorini's problem is stairs, not weather. Fira and Oia are built down the caldera cliff, so a lot of hotels
Hungary
Iceland
India
AgraMost people plan Agra around the Taj Mahal and pack for the heat. That's only half right. From December to FebDelhiPeople pack for Delhi's heat and forget the rest. The city swings from 39°C in May to monsoon downpours in JulJaipurMost people pack for Jaipur as if it's hot all year. In January nights drop to 8°C, so a sunrise trip up to AmMumbaiMumbai is hot all year, and from June to September the monsoon dumps rain almost daily. You pack for heat and
Indonesia
Ireland
Israel
Italy
Amalfi CoastThe Amalfi Coast punishes heavy luggage. Positano, Ravello and Amalfi are built into cliffs, so your hotel is CapriMost people visit Capri on a day trip from Naples or Sorrento and pack like they're going to a beach. The islaCinque TerrePeople pack for Cinque Terre like it's a beach holiday. It's really a week of stairs. The five villages are liFlorenceFlorence is small enough to walk end to end, so people pack for sightseeing and forget about the stone. The stGenoaGenoa is a vertical city, and most visitors find that out on day one. The old town is a maze of steep, narrow Lake ComoLake Como is a ferry-and-stairs trip. You'll hop boats between towns and climb steep stepped lanes in Varenna MilanPeople pack for Milan like it's fashion week and forget it's a wet city. May averages 20 rain days, the most oNaplesNaples looks sunny on paper, so people pack light and get soaked. March and May each average 15 rain days and PisaMost people treat Pisa as a quick stop for a tower photo and pack for sunny Italy. Pisa gets rain on 12 to 15 RomeMost people pack for Rome's heat and forget about the ground. You'll walk far more than you plan to, mostly onSorrentoSorrento is a base, not a beach town. Most days you're on a ferry to Capri, a bus along the Amalfi Coast road VenicePeople pack for Venice like any city break, with a big suitcase on wheels. That's the mistake. There are no ca
Jamaica
Japan
HiroshimaHiroshima's summers are hot and sticky, with the tsuyu rainy season in June and July. You will also take your KyotoPeople pack for Kyoto's temples and forget the two things that actually shape the trip: summer humidity and taOsakaPeople pack for Osaka's heat and forget the rain. From June to September the city hits 27°C to 34°C with 13 toTokyoIt's easy to pack Tokyo for the temperature and forget the humidity, which is what makes August, with its 34°C
Jordan
AmmanPeople pack for Amman like it's the Gulf, then get caught cold. It's a high, hilly city where winter lows sit PetraMost people treat Petra as a quick look at the Treasury. It's a full day of walking on sand, loose gravel and Wadi RumPeople pack for desert heat and get caught out by the desert cold. In Wadi Rum the days can be warm while the
Kenya
Latvia
Luxembourg
Malaysia
Maldives
Malta
Mexico
Cabo San LucasCabo is desert, not jungle. The packing problem is dry heat and the sea: many Pacific beaches have dangerous sCancunMost people pack for Cancun like it's the dry Caribbean of the brochures. From June to October it rains on 20 CozumelCozumel is a dive and snorkel island, so the packing problem is the water, not the weather. You need sun proteGuanajuatoMost people pack for Guanajuato like it's a beach town in Mexico. It isn't. It sits high in the mountains, theMéridaPeople expect Mérida's heat to peak in summer. It peaks in May, at an average high of 38°C, before the rains aMexico CityMexico City isn't beach Mexico. It sits at about 2,240 meters, so the midday sun is strong but winter nights dOaxacaOaxaca sits at about 1,550 m, so the sun is strong and the nights are cool. A single day can swing from a 10°CPlaya del CarmenPlaya del Carmen mixes beach days with cenotes and ruins, so the packing problem is range. You need sun gear fPuerto VallartaPuerto Vallarta has two very different seasons. Winter is dry and pleasant, and summer brings heavy afternoon San Miguel de AllendePeople picture central Mexico as hot all year. San Miguel de Allende sits high, and from December to February TulumTulum is hot and humid, and you will be in the water a lot. The packing problem is the cenotes: many require yValladolidMost people pack for Valladolid like it's Cancún. It isn't a beach town. You'll spend your days in cenotes, at
Montenegro
Morocco
Nepal
Netherlands
New Zealand
Norway
Oman
Peru
Philippines
Poland
Portugal
AlgarveThe Algarve's sun is stronger than the sea is warm. Summers hit 30°C, but the Atlantic stays cold-ish, and theLisbonLisbon's weather is easy. The ground is the problem. The city is built on steep hills paved with polished limeMadeiraMadeira's weather changes with altitude. The coast is mild year-round, but the levada trails and peaks can be PortoPorto is all hills, and the stone gets slick. The walk from the Ribeira up to the Clérigos Tower, or across th
Puerto Rico
Qatar
Romania
Saint Lucia
Singapore
South Africa
South Korea
Spain
BarcelonaThe classic Barcelona mistake is packing beach clothes for the city. Highs go from 15°C in January to 30°C in CórdobaPeople pack for Córdoba like it's any other Spanish city. It isn't. In July and August the average high is 38°GranadaMost people pack for Granada like it's the Costa del Sol. It isn't. The city sits high up at the foot of the SMadridMost people pack for Spain and get Madrid wrong. The city sits high on a dry plateau, far from any beach, so JMálagaMálaga gives you two trips in one bag. Costa del Sol beaches need sun gear for 33°C summers, and the Caminito PalmaPalma in July and August is hotter than people expect, with 32°C highs and 23°C nights, and the old town's stoSevilleMost people pack for Seville like it's a beach town. It isn't. It's an inland city that hits 38°C in August, wTenerifeTenerife packs two climates into one trip. The south coast is sunny and almost rainless, but the summit of MouValenciaValencia is flat, sunny and built for bikes. The packing problem is August heat at 32°C and the noise and crow
Sri Lanka
Sweden
Switzerland
InterlakenPeople check the Interlaken forecast and forget they're going up. The town sits in a valley, but the trips eveLucernePeople pack for Lucerne's temperatures and forget the rain. Even summer is wet here, with July logging 20 rainZermattZermatt sits at about 1,600 m, but most of what you come for is higher. The village can be mild while the MattZurichPeople expect Zurich to be cold. The real problem is how often it rains, with 18 rain days in both May and Jul
Taiwan
Tanzania
Thailand
BangkokBangkok is hot every single month, with highs of 31°C or more, and the temples still want your shoulders and kChiang MaiMost people pack for Chiang Mai like it's a Thai beach town. It isn't. The cool season mornings get down to 16Koh SamuiKoh Samui's rainy season runs on a different clock from most of Thailand. The Gulf side is wettest from OctobeKrabiKrabi is hot all year, and the real packing question is the monsoon. On the Andaman coast, the wet season runsPhuketMost people pack for Phuket like the brochure says: sunny, dry, beach. The weather data says otherwise. Even t
Turkey
Turks and Caicos Islands
U.S. Virgin Islands
United Arab Emirates
United Kingdom
EdinburghMost people pack for Edinburgh like it's freezing. It rarely is. Summer highs sit around 18–19°C and winter loGlasgowGlasgow's packing problem is rain. It rains on at least 10 days in every month of the year, often in quick shoLondonLondon isn't cold so much as wet and changeable. Highs stay between 8–23°C all year and most months see 10 to
United States
AnchorageAnchorage summers are cool and often damp, and most visitors are headed somewhere colder and wetter. Pack layeAspenAspen's problem is altitude. The town sits at about 2,400 m, so the sun is strong, the air is dry and nights gAustinAustin heat isn't a summer-only thing. Highs hit 30°C in May, stay there or above through October and peak at BostonBoston catches people out because it swings so hard. February lows hit -5°C, July highs reach 29°C, and the wiCharlestonCharleston's summer heat gets the attention, but the humidity and afternoon storms are what wreck plans. July ChicagoPeople check Chicago's temperature and miss the lake. Wind off Lake Michigan cuts through the Loop and along tDenverDenver sits at 1,609 m, and the altitude is the packing problem. The sun is strong, the air is dry and dehydraFlagstaffPeople see Arizona and pack for desert heat. Flagstaff sits at about 2,100 m in the pines, so lows drop to freHonoluluHonolulu is warm and mostly dry, with highs of 27–32°C all year. The packing problem is the reef: Hawaii bans HoustonEveryone warns you about Houston's heat. Nobody warns you about the air conditioning. You'll spend a lot of yoKauaiKauai is green because it rains, and how much depends on where you stay. The south shore around Poipu is drierKey WestPeople pack for Key West like it's a beach resort. It's mostly a small, walkable town, and the real problems aLas VegasMost people pack for Las Vegas like it's hot everywhere. It's 42°C on the Strip in July, but casinos and show Los AngelesEveryone packs for LA like it's always beach weather. It isn't. Winter highs are 18°C with 7°C nights, the coaMauiMaui's beaches are warm, but its summit is not. The packing problem is altitude: Haleakalā is near freezing atMiamiMost people pack for Miami's heat and get caught by the rain. From June to October you'll see 19 to 26 rain daNashvilleEveryone packs cowboy boots for Nashville. Fine, but most people get the weather wrong. May and July each brinNew OrleansPeople pack for the New Orleans heat and forget the rain. Summer highs hit 32°C to 34°C, and May to July bringNew YorkMost people pack outfits for New York and the wrong shoes. You'll walk miles of pavement and climb subway staiNewportNewport looks like a summer postcard, so people pack for a heatwave. The warmest month tops out at 25°C, and tOrlandoPeople pack for Orlando by the forecast high. The real problem is the miles. A theme park day means hours on yPhiladelphiaPeople think of Philadelphia as a mild East Coast city. It swings hard. July hits 32°C with 14 rain days, and PortlandThis is Portland, Maine, and the mistake is packing for the summer postcard. Even in July, evenings out on theSan AntonioPeople think San Antonio is just hot. The bigger surprise is spring. May is the wettest month with 14 rain daySan DiegoPeople pack shorts and nothing else for San Diego. Then the sun goes down. Highs only move between 17°C and 25San FranciscoMost people pack shorts for a California summer and freeze in San Francisco. July highs here are just 19°C, foSavannahEveryone warns you about Savannah's heat. The bigger problem is the bugs. Summer brings 17 to 22 rain days a mSeattleSeattle's rain is rarely heavy. It's frequent, with 19 rain days in December and grey drizzle most of the wintSedonaIt's easy to pack Sedona for desert heat and get caught out by the cold. It sits at 4,270 feet (1,300 meters),Big IslandThe Big Island packs several climates into one trip. Kona on the west side is warm and dry, Hilo on the east sGrand CanyonThe Grand Canyon has two climates stacked on top of each other. The South Rim sits at about 2,100 m and freezeWashington DCWashington looks compact on the map. Then you walk the National Mall, where the Lincoln Memorial to the CapitoYellowstoneYellowstone sits high, around 2,000 m and above, so a hot summer afternoon can follow a frosty morning, and snZionZion's big packing problem is water, in both directions. Summer highs top 37°C on the canyon floor, and the pa
Vietnam
Da NangMost people book Da Nang as a beach trip and pack like it's dry all year. It isn't. October gets 29 rain days,HanoiIt's easy to assume Hanoi is hot all year and pack only T-shirts. December to February brings highs of 22–23°CHo Chi Minh CityPeople pack for Ho Chi Minh City's heat and forget the rain. From May to October it rains on 26 to 30 days a mHoi AnPeople think Hoi An is a dry tropical town with a rainy month or two. It's wetter than that. September to Dece