Tin
Well-known
May I suggest pairing the XA with an Olympus 35RC. The latter has both Auto and Manual exposure controls, small but very sturdy body, good lens and low price (it should have a price comparable to the XA). While I would not disagree with the Bessa R recommendation, this pair would probably be the cheapest (and certainly the smallest) combination among those that have been suggested by yourself and othrs. It is therefore very suited to a backpack European trip. With its 42mm/f2.8 lens, it gives you a slightly different coverage as the XA, yet can still be used interchangeably.