The 7 Best Travel Dresses for Europe

Caroline Morse Teel is the Managing Editor for SmarterTravel Media. Follow her adventures around the world on Instagram @TravelWithCaroline.

See recent posts by Caroline Morse Teel

There’s something about Europe that makes you want to step up your travel wardrobe game. A dress is the easiest way to do so—a good one can instantly create a one-piece outfit, it doesn’t take up much space in your suitcase, and it’s easy to transition from day to night.

Since no one wants to spend their European vacation stuck in their room steaming clothing, look for fabrics that resist wrinkles (and odors, so that you can get multiple wears out of one dress).

These are the best travel-friendly dresses to pack for Europe.

Carve Designs Lexi Dress

Female modeling red and pink stripped dress — Carve Designs

A mid-weight dress with long sleeves, like the Lexi Dress by Carve Designs, is perfect for sun protection or cooler nights. Made from 100 percent organic cotton, the Lexi Dress is breathable and comfortable no matter if you’re walking all day or sitting on a plane.

Details like a slight boat neck and small side slits add extra style to the dress, and the style comes in a variety of eye-catching colors that help set this dress apart.

Toad & Co Cue Wrap Short Sleeve Dress

Female modeling black dress front and back — Toad & Co

Wrap dresses are fashionable but a terrible idea on a windy day. Get all the style of a wrap dress (with the comfort of a low-maintenance t-shirt dress) with Toad & Co’s Cue Wrap Dress.

The dress features a faux wrap design and a self-tie belt that gives you the option for a custom fit. Made from an organic cotton and Tencel Lyocell blend fabric, the Cue dress offers the perfect amount of stretch and structure.

Coolibar Tierra Tank Dress

Female modeling blue and white floral patterned dress front and back — Amazon

Summers in Europe can be extremely hot, so if you’re spending the day outside, make sure you’re protecting yourself from the sun. There’s no more stylish way to get your UPF protection than with Coolibar’s Tierra Tank Dress.

Made from a special soft and stretchy knit fabric, this dress blocks up to 98 percent of UVA/UVB rays.

Columbia Plus Size Freezer III Dress

Female modeling black dress from the front angled and from the back. — Zappos

Air conditioning may be hard to find in Europe, but you can still stay cool in Columbia’s Freezer III Dress. The dress utilizes Columbia’s trademarked Omni-Freeze technology, which helps lower skin surface temperature when it gets wet, keeping you from overheating when you start sweating.

It’s available in a wide range of sizes, including plus sizes up to 3X, so all travelers can wear this dress.

Carve Designs Lyla Dress

Female modeling a multi colored floral dress front and back — Carve Designs

Pack a versatile dress that will work on the beach or a bike ride, like Carve Design’s Lyla Dress. Made from recycled plastic bottles, this dress is quick-drying and resists wrinkles. A built-in shelf bra means there’s one less thing for you to have to pack.

The lightweight material is super stretchy and quick-drying, so this dress will still look good even after a day of exploration.

Toad & Co Sunkissed Maxi Dress

Female modeling black maxi dress front and back — Toad & Co

Toad & Co’s Eco Kohilo fabric is simply magical. Made from mostly recycled polyester, it’s easy on the environment—and easy to pack since it folds down small and is wrinkle-proof (no matter how tightly you rolled it up). Find it in the Sunkissed Maxi Dress, which is ultra-lightweight, yet offers plenty of coverage (plus UPF 40 sun protection).

Two on-seam hand pockets make this dress perfect for travel, giving you a discreet place to stash things like your phone or keys.

Zella Departure Travel Dress

Female modeling blue dress with cream bag across her chest and the blue dress not being worn — Nordstrom

Keep things simple with a classic little black dress that will look at home wherever you go. Zella’s version, the Departure Travel Dress, is designed for travel thanks to a fabric that resists wrinkles and keeps you looking polished.

This dress can be paired with sneakers during the day for a more casual look or with sandals for a fancy night out.

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