How to manage your period while backpacking Europe

The European Menstrual Landscape: What to Expect

Before you step foot on European soil, let’s talk about the elephant in the room: period products in Europe are different. Really different. Walking into a German DM drugstore expecting to find your favorite American tampons is like searching for ranch dressing in Italy—technically possible, but you’ll be disappointed.

Applicator vs. Digital Tampons: The Great European Divide

Here’s the truth that catches most American travelers off guard: Europe loves digital tampons. These are tampons without applicators that you insert with your finger. Before you panic, understand that this is the norm across Germany, Scandinavia, the Netherlands, and much of Eastern Europe. They’re more eco-friendly, take up less space in your backpack, and locals have been using them forever.

If you absolutely need applicator tampons, don’t worry—they exist. Tampax is your go-to brand, available in larger stores like Boots in the UK, bigger DM locations in Germany, or Carrefour supermarkets in France. But they’ll be pricier and less abundant than their digital counterparts.

The Pharmacy vs. The Supermarket: Where to Buy What

Understanding where Europeans buy period products will save you time and embarrassment. In Germany and Austria, head straight to drugstores like DM or Rossmann—these aren’t pharmacies, they’re more like CVS or Walgreens. You’ll find tampons, pads, menstrual cups, and pain medication without needing to speak to a pharmacist.

In Southern Europe, things work differently. Italian, Spanish, and Greek “Farmacias” (pharmacies) are where you’ll find the best selection of menstrual products. They’re marked with a green cross and staffed by actual pharmacists who can help you find what you need, even with limited language skills.

Supermarkets like Lidl, Aldi, and Tesco carry basic pads and tampons at budget prices—perfect when you’re trying to stretch those euros. The selection will be smaller, but the prices can’t be beat.

Essential Packing List: The Backpacker’s “Period Kit”

Smart packing separates seasoned travelers from stressed-out ones. Your period kit should live in your daypack, not buried at the bottom of your 60-liter backpack. Trust me on this—nothing kills your confidence faster than frantically digging through dirty laundry on a crowded train looking for a tampon.

The “Go-Bag” Strategy: Your Emergency Arsenal

Invest in a small waterproof pouch—those clear TSA-approved toiletry bags work perfectly. Inside, pack enough supplies for one full day of heavy flow: 4-5 tampons or pads, a menstrual cup or disc, panty liners, pain medication, wet wipes, hand sanitizer, and one spare pair of black underwear. Dark colors are your friend when accidents happen.

Product Showdown: Menstrual Cups vs. Discs vs. Period Underwear for Long-Term Travel

Let’s talk about reusable options because throwing away tampon after tampon gets expensive and environmentally questionable when you’re traveling for months. Here’s what actually works on the road.

Menstrual Cups (like DivaCup or Lunette) are backpacker favorites for good reason. One cup lasts for years, holds more than super tampons, and you only need to empty it twice daily. The learning curve exists, but mastering it before traveling is worth it. Reviews on Booking.com hostel forums consistently mention cups as game-changers for long-term travelers.

Menstrual Discs deserve more attention. Unlike cups that sit lower in the vaginal canal, discs tuck behind your pubic bone. The revolutionary feature? They auto-dump when you use the bathroom—no removal necessary. For 12-hour bus rides where the toilet is a nightmare, discs are superior. Brands like Flex or Softdisc work beautifully for period backpacking Europe adventures.

Period Underwear (Thinx, Modibodi) functions best as backup protection rather than sole protection during travel. They’re fantastic for light days, overnight protection in hostels, or as security under a cup or tampon during long transit. The downside? Washing and drying them in hostel sinks takes planning.

Hostel Life: Navigating Shared Bathrooms

Ah, hostel bathrooms—where privacy goes to die and shower shoes are mandatory. Managing your period in these communal spaces requires strategy, not shame. Remember, literally half the people staying in hostels menstruate. You’re not the first, and everyone else is too worried about their own situation to judge yours.

The Shower Strategy: Managing a Cup or Disc in Communal Showers

Here’s the method that works: Empty your menstrual cup in the toilet first. Then grab a small water bottle (those 500ml ones from any European supermarket) and take it into the shower. Rinse your cup thoroughly in the shower where you have privacy and running water. The bottle is your backup rinse option if you need extra cleaning power.

Some hostels have private shower stalls with their own toilets—these are gold. If you’re booking through Hostelworld, read reviews mentioning “private bathrooms” or “ensuite showers.” It’s worth paying an extra 2-3 euros per night when you’re on your period.

For tampons or pads, keep a small toiletry bag with you in the shower. Nobody questions someone carrying their shower stuff. Wrap used products in toilet paper and put them in the provided bins. If there’s no bin in the stall, discreetly carry it back to the main bathroom area where disposal bins are always located.

Laundry Hacks: Washing Period Underwear Discreetly

Washing period underwear or stained regular underwear in hostel sinks is an art form. First rule: do it late at night or early morning when bathrooms are empty. Use cold water always—hot water sets blood stains permanently. The soap dispensers in European hostel bathrooms work fine, or bring a small travel-size detergent stick.

Wring items thoroughly in a dark-colored towel to remove excess water. Never hang period underwear in the main dorm room unless you’re okay with questions. Instead, attach them to the outside of your backpack when you leave the hostel—they’ll air-dry while you sightsee. Or, use the bathroom radiators if available, hiding them behind your towel.

Surviving Long-Haul Transit: FlixBus & Interrail Adventures

Nothing tests your period management skills quite like an 8-hour FlixBus journey from Berlin to Prague or a packed Interrail train through the Alps. European budget transit is cheap for a reason—comfort and cleanliness are not priorities.

The “Last Clean Toilet” Rule: Timing Is Everything

Before boarding any bus or train, use the station bathroom. Pay the 50 cents or 1 euro—it’s worth it. German train stations often have Sanifair toilets that are actually clean and give you a voucher for station shops. Use this opportunity to change your menstrual product even if you don’t desperately need to.

On the vehicle, if the bathroom works (big if), use it during the first hour before it becomes disgusting. For overnight buses, change products right before boarding and again immediately upon arrival. The goal is minimizing interaction with questionable facilities.

This is precisely why menstrual discs shine—12-hour wear time means you can board a bus in Amsterdam and not worry until you reach Prague. One cup or disc change before departure, and you’re set for the entire journey.

Dealing with Paid Toilets: The European Reality

European public toilets cost money. Keep a designated coin purse with 50-cent and 1-euro coins for emergencies. Train station bathrooms, highway rest stops, and many city center public toilets charge between 0.50€ and 1.50€. Some places only accept coins, not cards.

Download the Flush Toilet Finder app for offline maps showing free public toilets in major European cities. London, Paris, Barcelona, and Amsterdam all have free options if you know where to look. Libraries, large museums, and department stores like Galeries Lafayette offer free, relatively clean facilities.

Country-Specific Brand Guide: What to Buy Where

European period products have different names, different packaging, and different quality levels. This guide helps you navigate drugstore aisles from Dublin to Athens without relying on Google Translate.

UK & Ireland: Boots, Superdrug, and Period Poverty Initiatives

Boots is your one-stop shop in the UK. Their own-brand tampons and pads work perfectly and cost half the price of name brands. Superdrug offers similar quality at competitive prices. Both chains frequently run “buy one get one free” promotions—stock up if you see these deals.

Scotland provides free period products in public buildings thanks to the Period Products Act—check universities, libraries, and community centers. England’s period poverty initiatives mean many public toilets now stock free tampons and pads.

Germany, Austria, & Central Europe: Budget-Friendly Excellence

This region offers the best value for period products in all of Europe. DM drugstores are everywhere—Germany, Austria, Czech Republic, Croatia. Their house brand Jessa makes excellent digital tampons for around 2€ per box. Rossmann’s Facelle brand is equally good and sometimes cheaper.

German products lean heavily toward eco-friendly options. You’ll find organic cotton tampons, biodegradable pads, and every menstrual cup imaginable. The selection surpasses what most travelers find at home. Reviews on Google Reviews consistently rate DM stores highly for helpful staff and comprehensive menstrual product ranges.

Southern Europe: The Farmacia Is Your Friend

Italy, Spain, Portugal, and Greece handle period products differently. Supermarkets carry basics, but Farmacias (marked with green crosses) offer the best selection and expert advice. Don’t feel embarrassed—pharmacists are medical professionals who deal with menstruation questions daily.

In Spain, PromoFarma online pharmacy offers delivery to your hostel—useful in smaller towns. Italian parafarmacia (para-pharmacies) stock everything drugstores have without needing a pharmacist present, making shopping more casual.

French Monoprix supermarkets have surprisingly good period product sections. Their house brands work well and don’t break backpacker budgets. Paris pharmacies stock high-end organic options if you prefer premium products.

Managing Pain & Bloating on the Road

Traveling with period cramps hits differently when you’re walking 15 kilometers daily exploring cities or hauling a heavy backpack between hostels. European pain management solutions deserve attention because some options aren’t available back home.

European Painkillers: Meet Your New Best Friend, Buscopan

Buscopan is the European secret weapon against menstrual cramps. This antispasmodic medication specifically targets uterine contractions—the actual cause of period pain. Unlike ibuprofen which just masks pain, Buscopan prevents the cramping mechanism itself. Available over-the-counter in every European pharmacy, it costs around 5-8 euros for 20 tablets.

Standard options work too: Ibuprofen (called Nurofen in the UK, Brufen in some countries) reduces inflammation and pain. Paracetamol (acetaminophen/Tylenol equivalent) helps mild cramping. Both are sold without prescriptions in drugstores and some supermarkets.

In France, ask for “Spasfon” for cramps. Spain’s “Buscapina” is the same as Buscopan. Italian pharmacies recommend “Buscofen” which combines ibuprofen with Buscopan’s active ingredient—powerful stuff.

Diet & Hydration: Navigating the Carb-Heavy European Diet

Let’s be honest—the European backpacker diet consists mainly of bread, cheese, pasta, and more bread. Budget travelers survive on croissants for breakfast and cheap pizza for dinner. This carb-heavy, salt-heavy eating worsens period bloating significantly.

Combat bloating by prioritizing water. European tap water is safe to drink almost everywhere (except some Greek islands and parts of Eastern Europe). Carry a reusable water bottle and refill constantly. Dehydration makes cramps worse and increases bloating.

Seek out fresh produce at local markets—grapes, oranges, bananas, and apples travel well and provide fiber. Many hostels have communal kitchens; cook simple vegetable-based meals on heavy flow days. Lidl and Aldi sell pre-cut vegetables and salad bags cheaply.

Reduce alcohol and caffeine during your period, even though European drinking culture makes this challenging. That 3€ wine in Barcelona or endless coffee in Vienna will dehydrate you and intensify cramps. Save the indulgence for when your period ends.

Sustainability & Ethics While Traveling

Period backpacking Europe means generating waste in historic cities with ancient plumbing systems. Being environmentally conscious requires extra effort but shows respect for the places you visit.

Reducing Waste in Historic Cities: The Ancient Plumbing Challenge

Many European buildings, especially in old city centers, have plumbing from the 1800s or earlier. Flushing tampons or pads causes serious blockages. Always dispose of menstrual products in the bin provided, never in the toilet.

This is where reusable products shine. One menstrual cup or disc for your entire trip eliminates pounds of disposable waste. If you use tampons or pads, choose brands with minimal packaging. German and Scandinavian brands typically use less plastic than American equivalents.

Some hostels participate in recycling programs. Separate your waste properly—most European countries take recycling seriously, with fines for improper disposal in some places like Germany and Switzerland.

Final Thoughts: Embracing the Journey

Managing your period while backpacking Europe requires preparation, flexibility, and the understanding that imperfect moments happen. You’ll probably face at least one less-than-ideal bathroom situation, one moment of panic searching for a drugstore, or one night of unexpected cramps in a hostel dorm.

But here’s what experienced travelers know: these challenges become funny stories. That time you taught your Korean roommate about menstrual cups in a Prague hostel bathroom. When the Spanish pharmacist helped you find Buscopan despite zero shared language. The German traveler who offered you her spare tampon on a midnight train through Switzerland.

Your period is just one aspect of travel, not a barrier to incredible experiences. With the right preparation—your emergency kit, knowledge of European brands, and strategies for transit and hostels—you’ll handle menstruation abroad with confidence. Thousands of women backpack Europe while menstruating every single day. You’re joining a community of adventurous travelers who refuse to let biology dictate their journey.

Europe awaits with its stunning architecture, diverse cultures, and life-changing experiences. Your period might come along for the ride, but it won’t slow you down. For more solo female travel insights and tips on navigating Europe independently, check out guides on unconventional travel jobs that could extend your European adventure.