Level8 Luminous Review — The Best Carry-On for Portugal Travel

I have been living in Portugal for over 7 years now and I know one thing – it’s not your typical destination like Italy, Spain, or France. It is much more tricky to travel around here. There are cobblestones everywhere. Portuguese pavements consist of so called calçada portuguesa, which looks pretty, but can be a killer for your feet and your luggage. There are steep hills everywhere. Lisbon itself has around 7 or 8 of them! Hotels are small, have tiny lifts and let’s not forget that getting here often requires you to use one of the European budget airlines, which have their own rules when it comes to your suitcase. Most tourists when planning their holidays here, choose a simple carry-on thinking that it will suffice. After countless trips to Porto, Algarve and other destinations, here’s what I found to be the best carry-on for Portugal travel. 

When I started travelling, I packed in a 25 litre backpack for a 2-week holiday in Thailand. I used to pack a huge suitcase just to visit my sister in Porto. Slowly, with time, I started looking for better solutions. I found that I don’t want to pay for extra luggage and I don’t want to wait for my suitcase to arrive after I land. So, I started packing into carry-ons. Finding a small suitcase that would fit my needs wasn’t easy. I tried a lot of them and couldn’t really find something that I liked. It was either too small, or too bulky and once I started travelling around Portugal, I found that many suitcases simply broke on the streets here. 

My latest Samsonite suitcase broke twice and wasn’t usable anymore. I was on the lookout for something new when Level8 messaged me with an offer of testing their Luminous suitcase. After using a rather boring looking, business-like carry-on, I was thrilled to have something that looked chic, but effortless. I accepted the challenge and took it on a ‘spin’ around the streets of Alfama and then for a month stay in my home country – Poland. Here’s my honest review of the carry-on and why I would recommend it for Portugal travel. 

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Level 8 Luminous – First Impressions & Design

My Level8 Luminous arrived by a courier. Unfortunately, I always have problems with DHL in Portugal. They don’t ring my door and deliver everything to a shop in the town. I went to pick up the package and was really surprised by how small it was. “This will be too small for me” – was my first thought. I carried it home, which is around a 15 minute-walk and here was another surprise to me – the suitcase didn’t weigh much. It was around 2 kg (2.4kg, to be precise) and it was easy for me to take it home. 

Check here what to pack for a weekend in Lisbon.

After unpacking it, I carefully checked everything. The colour was lovely. I chose pink as it’s the colour of my blog and most of my gadgets are a lighter shade of it. Here, the pink wasn’t tacky or flashy. It was nice, subtle, feminine and classy – exactly what I had seen in the photos earlier. 

The lock was easy to open and close, but my favourite part was the wheels. They move so smoothly on the floor. You don’t even need to drag the suitcase but you can simply just roll it next to you – it’s really effortless and easy. The wheels spin 360 degrees and I played around with that feature in my apartment first. 

The suitcase inside seemed like it had enough space for me to fit most of my things. I normally roll my clothes and put them side by side and I was sure that I could fit more clothes in the Luminous than I had used to put in my previous luggage before. I especially liked the smaller compartments, which could be used for underwear, socks or cosmetics. 

Everything in the suitcase seemed very sturdy. The quality was amazing and I thought that for that price it was really worth buying it. The only thing that I had a slight problem with was the handle. It got stuck a couple of times, but after using it during my day trip in Lisbon, I could pull it out without major issues. 

Key Features — What Actually Matters in Portugal

Makrolon® polycarbonate shell

The Makrolon® polycarbonate shell is the same material used in industrial and aerospace applications – lightweight, impact-resistant, and built to handle rough handling without cracking or warping. It sounds technical until you actually pick the suitcase up –  it’s surprisingly light, genuinely tough, and doesn’t crack under pressure even in cold weather. That’s exactly what you want when you’re navigating airport baggage handling.

This is the best material if you’re looking for luggage for travelling in Portugal. It’s scratch resistant, so perfect when you walk on cobblestones and through narrow streets of Lisbon or Porto. It’s also great for the unpredictable rain. Yes, Portugal gets a lot of sun, but it is also rainy, especially during the winter and spring months. If you go to the North, you’ll experience bad weather, so it’s good to have your belongings secure and dry. 

360° anti-shock spinner wheels

My favourite feature of the suitcase – the spinner wheels really spin and it’s so smooth you can hardly hear them when you use them at home. I think it’s quite important. Portugal has a problem with Airbnbs. The locals here complain about tourists making noise in the mornings when moving in or out. So, it’s nice to have a suitcase that doesn’t make that much noise. It is still noisy on cobblestones though, but you can’t really skip that. Luckily, it’s quite light, so you can always carry it for a little bit if you leave your apartment at the crack of dawn. 

The suitcase can be easily rolled next to you thanks to those magic wheels. You will look very stylish at the airport with your Luminous next to you, effortlessly walking around. I think it’s much more comfortable and takes less space if you are queuing for boarding.  

3-step aluminium handle

I had a few problems with the handle at first, but now, when I think about it, maybe it was due to the fact that I didn’t know how to operate it? The handle has three levels – you can make it a bit shorter or use the full length of it. This gives you a bit more stability, which is necessary in Portugal as the pavements here are quite uneven, especially in the older parts of the cities. 

TSA-approved lock

I really like the lock, too. The zipper has two long parts, which can be smoothly and easily put in the two lock holes. You can set up your own security code. It then opens with just one push of the button. The zipper and the lock are really nicely made and you have an impression that all your belongings will be secure during your travels in Portugal. 

Dual compartment fully lined interior

The inside of the suitcase has two compartments. To me it’s a game-changer. It seems that you can fit many more things there than in a single-compartment suitcase. The interior is lined with a durable material, which protects your clothes from being damaged. There are also smaller compartments with zippers. They can be used for underwear, socks, shoes or cosmetics. It helps a bit with organisation. I used to have a suitcase with just one compartment and I stuffed smaller things in there. They got all tangled up and during my trips I never knew where my socks were, or was looking for my bras. Here I can easily separate everything and it makes my travel life a bit easier. 

Real-Life Performance in Portugal

During writing this review I didn’t have any trips around Portugal planned, but I decided to imagine I was going to Porto. My sister lives there and I often go for a quick weekend to visit her. We like to go out for some wine and dinner, but also often go for long walks or treks in the nearby Douro Valley. 

The suitcase is ideal for this kind of trip. It fits t-shirts, additional trousers and even shoes in the compartments. Because Porto and the north of Portugal is very rainy, I put my rain jacket there and an umbrella. I added a warm jumper as the evenings there are very cold. I neatly rolled everything and put it side by side. It left me with plenty of space to use. My cosmetics were put in a small Bellroy cosmetic bag and I was ready to go. 

I also tested the Luminous on the streets of Alfama. The suitcase went through a lot of bumps and plenty of narrow pavements with cobblestones. I didn’t have any problems with scratches and the wheels still work after half a day walking around the area. I only don’t like the noise any suitcase makes on the cobblestones, so sometimes I ended up carrying it. The case was mostly empty, but very light and comfortable to carry that with me. 

Level8 vs Other Carry-Ons I’ve Used 

I have put together a comparison table for you with the most well-known suitcase brands. From these I have only used Samsonite, which was OK, but at the end of the day I wasn’t 100% happy with it due to its very limited space and it broke after 2 years of using. 

	Level8 Luminous	Rimowa Essential	Away The Carry-On	Samsonite Lite-Box
Shell material	Makrolon® polycarbonate	Polycarbonate	Polycarbonate	Curv® composite
Weight (20″)	~2.4 kg	~3.0 kg	~3.6 kg	~2.1 kg
Wheels	360° anti-shock	Multi-wheel	360° spinners	Double spinners
TSA lock	✅	✅	✅	✅
Warranty	Lifetime	Lifetime	Lifetime	2 years
Price range	€€	€€€€	€€€	€€
Free EU shipping	✅	❌	❌	Varies

Pros & Cons of Level8 Luminous suitcase

Pros	Cons
Wheels genuinely handle cobblestones	The handle was a bit tricky to use at first  There is a bit too much material inside and it might get in the way of packing
Lightweight for its size
Beautiful design, especially in pink
Dual compartment makes packing easy
Lifetime warranty + free EU shipping
Good value for money

Set vs. Single — Is It Worth Buying a Set?

Level8 has a lot of beautiful and stylish choices for your travels. Luminous can be bought as a single suitcase, but also as a part of a set. I honestly like them all and think I would like to have a bigger piece for any major, long-term travels or a workation. However, I think for Portugal travel and Lisbon specifically, a carry-on is almost always enough. You will pack everything you need in it and this will save you money (when booking your ticket) and time (because there won’t be any waiting at the luggage pick up point when you land). 

If you’re planning longer travels or need to check your luggage occasionally, a matching set saves money. Buying two pieces of luggage separately is usually more expensive. 

Find the Level8’s sets here or order them on Amazon – don’t forget your discount code: theblondtravels to get 15% off. 

FAQ 

Does the Level8 Luminous fit Ryanair cabin requirements? 

Yes, if you buy priority boarding. 

What size is Level8 Luminous carry-on? 

18″ Carry-On Overall: 13.7” L x 9.2” W x 20.2” H | 7.1 lbs | 39 L

20” Carry-On Overall: 14.5” L x 9.2” W x 21.5” H | 7.7 lbs | 40 L

How heavy is the Level8 Luminous when empty? 

It’s 2.4 kg. 

Is the Level8 TSA lock easy to use? 

It is super easy to use and to set up your personal security code. 

How does Level8 hold up on cobblestones? 

It’s sturdy, doesn’t wobble that much and the wheels make it all very easy to use. As the suitcase is not heavy when it’s empty, you can carry it from time to time, too. 

Final verdict

My final verdict on the Level8 Luminous is that it’s a great suitcase for any city break and it really works for Portugal travel. It’s stylish, beautifully designed, made with good materials, which makes it not only a great piece to use on the Portuguese streets, but also you will look good while travelling. It will be great for someone who likes minimalism, wants something that will last them a long time and is looking for a suitcase that won’t break on the first day in Porto or Lisbon. I personally love it and can’t wait to use it this year when I go to Thailand for the Phi Tha Khon Festival! 

Purchase your Level8 Luminous now with my discount code theblondtravels and save 15%. All suitcases are also available on Amazon.