Long weekend in Spain - what to take?

[Rebecca75]

I’m off to Spain to stay with a girlfriend from Friday to Monday. It’s going to be mid 30s, plenty of beach time plus cycling, bars, meals out etc.

What in earth do I take? I haven’t been away since before covid and have forgotten how to pack AND I have gained a generous stone in weight so none of my clothes fit and I feel horrid in a bikini. I need to do a quick online shop so possibly Next? What would you take? I’m 5’ 10 and a size 10/12. And of course I’m flying Ryan air so hand luggage only

I take mainly dresses as you can dress up or down
Pair of sandals, trainers or converse

Posted too soon....
Travel in cropped leggings, t shirt with vest too under so suitable for cycling , large scarf that can double as sarong. Buy travel pots/tubes to decant toiletries or ask from samples at beauty counters. Buy suncream at airport or when you get there.

I'd travel in a comfy midi dress and take something like:

Swimsuit
Beach cover-up/kaftan-type thing
Midi skirt
1 x camisole top
1 x t-shirt
Light jacket/kimono-type cardigan/denim shirt
1 x pair plain linen shorts
Birkenstocks or similar
Flip flops
Cross-body bag for evening
Smaller rucksack for daytime or maybe beachbag?

Swimsuit you can wear with shorts and linen shirt, couple of dresses, sandals, another top for the shorts. Make sure the bra goes with all dress necklines so you only need one bra!

Great ideas, thank you.

a dress with cropped leggings and trainers would be ideal for travelling, or I do have cropped wide legged cotton ‘jeans’ so that
might work.??

i think I need to buy a new dress and a new bikini, hope that will see me through

Monsoon has a good selection of dresses/tunics/wide trousers in cotton and cool fabrics. www.monsoon.co.uk/womens/womens-clothing/swimwear-beachwear/ Tesco also has some decent cotton dresses at the moment.

I’ve just been away on a light packing trip to the sun and my top tips are:

1. sleeveless short dresses are much cooler than midi ones with sleeves (even linen…i took 2 and only wore one once)

2. denim shorts are great for daytime & go with everything. I lived in mine with vest tops

3. gold sandals are great for nighttime and go with everything

4. try to make sure each top and bottom you take goes with more than 1 thing

5. take a a fold up shopping bag as a beach bag

6. try to pick a base colour to keep things coordinated

7. travel in your heaviest stuff eg cropped trousers, lightweight hoodie & trainers (if you need them for cycling)

Thanks mrssmiling- I 😍 the monsoon link!!

Cool floaty dresses that roll up small. A bikini flip flops sandals sunglasses I pair of shorts and some t shirts