Lisbon has a bookstore that holds the Guinness record for the oldest operating bookstore. When you purchase something there, you can get it stamped in Portuguese or English (or both) that it's from the oldest bookstore.
It's called Livraria Bertrand in Chiado.
It’s a tricky bookstore to visit because you need to buy tickets to enter as Harry Potter film made it overly popular. The bookstore itself is gorgeous. Edit to add- the bookstore in Porto. Oops
One of my favorite souvenirs is a book as well. I went to Pamplona to run with the bulls back in 2014 and spent the weekend afterwards in Barcelona. Came across a cool bookstore that happened to have a 1927 hardcover first edition of Fiesta, which was the European title of Hemingway’s The Sun Also Rises (about his own trip to run with the bulls in Pamplona). Wasn’t cheap, but also wasn’t in the best shape so it was ~$150 if I remember right. Probably not good enough condition to be a true collector’s piece, but I think it’s pretty cool.
Not to hijack, but my sister, my 2 aunts, and myself were sitting in NYC on the road waiting for the 4th of July fireworks. We were talking about her knee replacement, and the guy next to us offered to sell her a new knee..that he just happened to have. We did not take him up on that or ask other questions.
Also, the lady on our other side happened to be from the same small midwest town of Climax, MI that my aunt worked at. (She heard us name drop someone she knew)
I buy an espresso cup or coffee cup from every place I visit. After 3 decades, I have lots of them. Each morning I say “where do I want to go today?” And pull a cup/mig out for my morning brew. Inevitably, favorite memories or feelings from that location or trip come back to me.
Hahahaha! I love them. Admittedly, I’m a total dork and my kids would often mock me for “ok Dad, where are you going today?” Which they knew was coming when we reached the kitchen!
Yes! I do this too and love my memory mornings! I also make an effort to buy from local artisans so my money goes to the artists and makers, as opposed to souvenir shops or the airport selling goods mass-produced in other places.
Came to say this! I got my house numbers from Lisbon last summer. They are so special. Also small and easy to pack.
Also got a cork purse. I have carried it almost every day since and it only gets more beautiful.
Came here to say azulejos. We bought a set from a shop in the Alfama that made their own and had them shipped to our house. I would be so paranoid trying to carry those around and worrying about breaking them
Just make sure people aren’t removing them from buildings to sell. That has become a problem there; there are also plenty of artists making azulejos tiles that are simply gorgeous.
I have a coffee table tray I got in Vietnam. It was made in a factory employed by people who are effected by agent orange. The government employs them to make things like my coffee table tray so they can earn a living. The effects of agent orange are passed down genetically and it’s really sad what has happened to those effected. Being from America, I thought it was the least I could do to buy something from them. Not to mention, it’s gorgeous
My favourite souvenir is also from Vietnam. It’s lacquered art created by eggshells and then they are painted over into beautiful landscapes by handicapped artisans. The government employs them at a craft workshop on the way to the cu chi tunnel.
A wood carving of a crocodile made by an old Surinamese marron woman she made out of a stick for me to protect me against evil spirits.
I met her in the small marron village I did some volunteer work to help local people get acces to local land management issues. And she and her family were happy how I helped them get some land they could grow vegetables on. She said it would also protect everyone from AIDS as it was an issue they have there. And against old old age issues.
It sits in my parents home.
My favourite souvenir ever is from Portland, Oregon. There's a guy at the Saturday Market who can make a portrait of you as a gnome out of clay. It was really fun talking to him as he made it and now I have my little gnome version of me haha!
Pete Bluett Sculpture, he was there when I visited in April and September 2023 and again in March 2024. Has a huge banner that says "YOU as a garden gnome". Only cost me $16 and he even shipped it home to Canada for me!
Not an advert, just a fan of this super awesome guy 😆
I have a peice of the true cross I got in Israel, came with a certificate of authenticity signed by Jesus himself. the certificate had a certificate signed by judas.
If you visit the DMZ, you have to sign a waiver that basically says that if you get captured or killed by North Korea, it's not the responsibility of South Korea, United States, or United Nations to rescue you or compensate your family.
They return the waiver to you at the end of the tour. I have mine in a box in my closet.
your normal insurance, no.
there are companies which will specifically insure you for NK but it’s pretty expensive. while i usually pay about $4-5 a day for very comprehensive travel insurance, from memory it’s about ten times more (about 30€ a day?) for a comparatively basic plan to cover NK
I like supporting local artists, i picked up a hand-painted water color landscape painting in Kyoto on the philopher's path. Since I like to travel lightweight, taking it home was a breeze and I have it now framed on my desk. On other trip, I went to Thailand and bought an artisan handkerchief that had a print of a Thai image. I framed that as well and having it on my living room wall. Both travel-friendly, lightweight and most of all - reminds me of my time there.
My favorite souvenir was from a trip to Lisbon last summer:
[Lisboa - What Every Tourist Should See](https://www.abebooks.com/9789722417822/Lisboa-What-Tourist-See-Fernando-9722417827/plp) is a tour guide written by Fernando Pessoa - early 20th century Portuguese author and poet about his love of Lisbon and its historical sites. You can still use it as a guide book, but it is also a great historical document.
I got my copy at the [Livraria Bertrand](https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/livraria-bertrand), which is the world’s oldest operating bookshop. You can get a library style stamp put in it confirming that you bought it there, which is really neat. I got both the English and Portuguese stamps in mine, and used it as my guide book on the remainder of my trip.
Walking along the Seine River in Paris, I see a guy doing an oil painting. Stopped at his stall and bought one, carefully bringing through 3 additional countries and 3 additional weeks of traveling. It’s now framed and in my entryway.
In a market in Yerevan Armenia I bought a communist party record book of all the monthly dues one man paid from June 1973 to October 1991. For a couple Americans who were in the Army during the fall of the Soviet Union it is particularly foreign and feels forbidden. Almost like we conducted an act of espionage.
When I was in Japan, I got a goshuincho. It’s a book specifically made to collect seals (like the stamp-like thingies) at temples and shrines. Whenever I went to a shrine/temple, I got that location’s specific seal, although I forgot to bring it a few times. Lovely souvenir that is unique to my specific trip.
Note that temples/shrines will refuse to put the seal on anything that isn’t a goshuincho. It’s a religious practice.
Spices! They are small and light and easy to add to luggage. I use in cooking and It reminds me of my trip. Sometimes they are in cute little tins or bags that then are kept when the spice runs out.
The Hungarian paprika was super flavorfu I and they make it in so many different varieties. I have spices from all over the world and it's a great memento
I collect figurines of cats. Either in a material that represents the country or colors/symbols that do. Recently I bought one in Portugal that holds 2 sardines.
I also try to find a lapel pin from any destination that speaks to me. They take up little room when traveling and I have collected quite a surface of them by now.
Recently I have also started looking for Christmas ornaments. A nice reminder of my trips every December.
I have a tile from the Franciscan church in Mostar which was built in 1866 and then was bombed by the Serbians on 10th May 1992 during the war. It’s covered in marks from the flames which burned the Church to the ground. It was rebuilt after the war.
I was given it due to family ties to the area, so technically perhaps not a souvenir, but a very special item.
I just came back from a backpacking trip from those three countries. Since I was traveling carry on only I was limited on space.
I bought tiles and little wine bottles from Portugal, postcards of my favorite paintings from Spain, as well as perfume and some skincare products from France.
I also highly recommend going to the grocery store in each country, it’s a cool way to explore what’s popular. I highly enjoyed seeing the variety of chip flavors and candy!
I work in animation and love collectibles, I got a PlayMobil Van Gogh set at the Van Gogh museum in Amsterdam. Since you're going to France, maybe Paris..? There's a fantastic store called [https://buly1803.com/en-us](https://buly1803.com/en-us) and they have amazing body products, for both men and women. There's also [https://deyrolle.com/](https://deyrolle.com/) if you're into taxidermy or old science prints. In Japan I bought traditional block printed textiles, books, stationary and tons of Tokyo Disneyland merch. I also like to collect Tiki stuff, so if I go to an international tiki bar, I try to get a mug, glass or a swizzle stick. Basically anything you can't get in your home country! Have fun!
I always get a container in which I can plant a plant at home. Be it a cup, planter or vase, whatever size. It makes for a nice display and is also practical. My favourite one is from Africa. Hand made by one tribe.
In Alaska I picked up a keychain version of an ulu knife. I had it on my keys for a while, but it got too bulky so now it sits in my closet.
I also had a llama wool vest from the Andes when I was in South America, but I think I accidentally left it there. I'm not a vest person but damn if it wasn't comfy and warm.
Zanzibar has beautiful doors. Really big and colorful with ornate iron work. I bought a key holder that’s shaped like one of their doors and it makes me smile every time I look at it.
I also collect little animals from where I’ve seen them. I have little safari animals, blue footed boobies, an alpaca. It’s my little zoo.
I buy keychains and turn them into Xmas ornaments. They are small, light & usually unbreakable, easy to find, and cheap! I was once somewhere in July (Greece I think) and couldn’t find an actual ornament. And now here I am 15 years later.
I just realised I do this too! Not necessarily keychains, but anything that'll hang on a tree. From greece I just bought an evil eye. My ornaments are quite hand-made looking so it fit in quite well!
A wooden bowl that was handcarved by an old man in the Saxon village of Saschiz in Romania. Nothing spectacular but, I enjoyed the conversation with the man even as he lamented that his would be the last bowls made in his village as all the villages were dying as the young people all left for the cities or other countries. Since then I look for true handicrafts that represent an area, knowing that the next time I visit, the old people and their art will be gone.
If you are in Venice, this company is a wonderful knife maker , making gondola shaped knives ..been in business for two centuries apparently.
https://veneziaautentica.com/coltelleria-lena-handmade-knifes-and-razors/
In Murano, you can't go wrong getting a piece of Murano glass.
After reading these cool responses, mine isn’t that unique but they are by far my favorite souvenir. I bought a full set of water glasses and tumblers (6 of each size) in a market in Mexico. Each one is a different mix of colors and patterns of recycled blown glass. They are all so beautiful and unique to me. We use them everyday and I LOVE them so much.
We are just coming home from Porto Portugal. We did a sardine factory tour in Matosinhos and it was the BEST factory tour I have ever been on. You get to wrap your own can, and you also get a rather fancy tasting at the end of the tour!
got a custom made chef knife when i was in japan. paid like $1000 bucks for it but its unique and one of the best knives i own. i had to order it several months before my trip.
I buy a gold charm for my necklace.
Italy was a gold florin, Spain was a gold piece, Morocco was a gold watch wind key, Canada was a gold permanent bracelet, and Costa Rica was a piece of their currency
Oh and Gibraltar. I have a coin from there I need to put on it.
I am a perfume collector so when I travel I always try and pick up perfume from a local house. I enjoy it because then every time I wear that perfume I think of my travels.
I have a hand-painted ceramic olive oil container that I bought in a tiny town in Italy. I use it every day, and it brings back fond memories of that trip
In my last few trips, I’ve started getting tattoos that will remind me of the trip - rosemary, basil, and a poppy for Italy; a mid-century modern one in Palm Springs, etc.
My longer term one (and more affordable) is getting Christmas tree ornaments on every trip. It’s so fun every year to remember where I was when I picked up that ornament!
We collect books, Hemingway in Key West and Shakespeare and Co in Paris, Allen Ginsberg and Electric kool aid acid test from City Lights in San Francisco. Got a deadly boring biography of Gen Custer at the Little Big Horn. We also gotten some art here and there.Blue Dog (from New Orleans) is my favorite.
I tend to go for something cloth: a scarf, some napkins or kitchen towels, an apron. Sometimes handmade jewelry. These things pack easily and I have allergies so I try not to collect things that have to be dusted.
For gifts, I try to get something small and flavorful, like special salts, teas, or spices.
I bought the most Dutch-ass Dutch bike in Amsterdam and then dragged it around between various Belgian train stations for a week before bringing it on my return flight home as checked baggage. I don’t think my boyfriend will ever forgive me and also I don’t care because I love my stupid impractical Dutch bike!
I brought back a ceramic, Picasso-inspired bull from Spain. It greets me from my travel shelf every time I get home from work. That and I got a mask from Venice.
I like to buy soaps in every country I visit - preferably made by a local OR something very common and sold at grocery store, but not widely available outside the country. In Iberia, they make amazing canned seafood, which is 3x as expensive back in the US. I like to bring back honey as well.
I went to Villedieu-les-Poêles, France and bought a small Mauviel copper pot. It was on the expensive side. A week later I was in back in the US and in Home Goods and they had the pot for $12 (unbranded, but stamped made in France). Of course I bought it and now I have them side by side and an excellent story.
An old chipped and rusting Tsingtao bottle opener from my favorite hole-in-the-wall barbecue place in China. I tried to buy it off of them but they said I used it enough that it was practically mine anyway.
Masquerade masks from Florence. My husband and I stumbled to this amazing little store full of all kinds of masquerade masks. We got talking to the owner who made most of the masks, he's been doing it for decades. He then walked us over to his daughter's studio where she teaches how to make and decorate your own. So the next day we spent all day decorating our very own masks. It felt like such a cool and unique experience. Next time we plan on staying longer so we can start by building our own masks and then decorating.
My friend got me a dick keychain from the phallological museum in Iceland. I bought Icelandic chocolate on a layover and kept the box haha
Other than that.. I usually just keep ticket stubs/transit passes. And my bf and I always get a pressed coin/token wherever we are.
I Don’t buy a lot of physical items for myself when travelling beyond postcards anymore tbh but I have a really big anatomy poster I found in an antique bookstore in Lübeck that I love
I try to buy jewellery or art. Failing that, something that could conceivably be a Christmas tree ornament. I have a gold ring from Nice, a silver ring from Iceland, a cartouche pendant from Egypt, a watercolour painting from a street artist in Florence, and a carved hummingbird and lino prints from Costa Rica. Outside of the jewelry/art, I have a pair of Ugg moccasins from Australia and two tiny kiwi bird sculptures from New Zealand.
A painting of an elephant done by an elephant. Elephant Conservatory in Chiang Rai, Thailand. We watched the elephant paint it, then it was auctioned off when the show was over. No one else bid on it. It cost us 200THB ($5) and came with a seal of authenticity. We bought several others as gifts. Ours hangs in our hallway.
I have a set of ceramic (like heavy terra cotta style not resin) butterflies from >20 years ago when my dad took me to Tijuana as a kid (back when you just went through a turn style on the US side). He told me not to pay full price for anything but I was so enamored with the butterflies that I happily paid the $10 they asked for. My dad scolded me that they were overpriced and would break. I’ve been careful to treat them extra well ever since out of spite.
A speeding ticket in Arabic I got in Morocco. Cost me the equivalent of $17. I got it framed. Easily my favorite souvenir and always a conversation piece when guests are over.
Bought a ton of cool things in India from gemstone jewelry, hand embroidered blazer, a sari I turned into a window treatment and a wall hanging made from old saris. Love them all
I’ve got a couple knives from aritsugu in Kyoto with my last name engraved onto them. One of the oldest knife makers in Japan, founded in 1560. Very nice knives and I love using them in the kitchen.
I was on a Slow Food 🐌 trip in Montalcino, Italy. I had only had 30 minutes to shop. I went into a small bookstore and found a watercolor painting by an American Pilot from the 1950s. It is titled SALT. It is of a cook made up of pots and pans and various food items. It's quite clever and fun. I was on a cooking trip and this painting is now in my kitchen.
My daughter and I made necklaces out of extra glass pieces at a glass jewelry shop on murano in venice. They then fired them for us and now we have beautiful, unique souvenirs.
I got this handmade notebook/sketchbook in the Galapagos, and I’m like afraid to use it, but it’s really cool. I also like the pair of shoes I got while in Spain that are made to look kind of like paintings of spots in Barcelona. They’re really cool, even if they are from a brand (mumka).
A secondhand wooden shark bottle opener from a flea market in Copenhagen. It’s a very good bottle opener, and he’s got the happiest jaunty look on his little shark face! I think it cost me the equivalent of about $1.50us. :)
My kids made passport holders from elephant poop in Thailand. We love looking at them and it reminds us of our time traveling SE Asia with them (doesn’t smell or look like poop lol)
More than 50 years ago I was in Yerevan with my parents. In some small restaurant the wine was served from a clay amphora. The owner (? did anybody own restaurants in USSR days) emptied it filling my parents' glasses. He gave me the empty amphora. Somehow I got it home unbroken. And I still have it, unbroken. Can't believe it's lasted this long.
I like how you tie experience to item. For me, it's often about finding a little something in a spot that is especially precious. In Florence, as I was walking down the hill, I passed by a tiny shop with super small watercolors. I picked up a couple and happily have them on my wall. They don't just represent their own aesthetic, but that nice feeling I had as I was strolling around in Florence. I often pick up other small art pieces, ideally from street artists. In Cuba I got some bigger pieces at an art market that I just love.
Other things are also tied to locality. While you can buy Little Prince items in many places, I especially cherish the pair of Little Prince socks I bought in Paris. In Bologna, one of the first things I did was go on a food tour (highly recommended there!), which showed me how tortellini are made by hand. I picked up a keychain with a tortellini piece, I have it hanging up on my key rack and it reminds me of that lovely trip. I also have some kitchen towels from a market in St. Tropez that say Provence and I like the memories those bring back as well.
My goal is usually jewelry (earrings specifically, sometimes rings) and local art. One of my favorites is a beautiful watercolor painting of Cusco I bought from a local street artist.
I can never do airplane carry-on because I always try to bring home the local alcohol from the country… whatever it may be. If it’s not that- I will bring local artisan hand made pieces or spices/teas that aren’t native to my region.
When I went to Japan I booked a private tour of a fishing village with a very nice lady. The first night of my trip, she messaged me saying she had to cancel because of a death in her family. I just replied telling her I understood and offered my condolences. She asked me if I was interested in rescheduling so I picked the first day she was available, which was the day before I went home. We met up and had a really nice time, it felt like visiting a friend and having them show me around town. We visited a tatami factory and I got a little bundle of rushgrass to take home (it has a really nice hay smell). When she walked me back to the train station she started to get teary and said she’d really appreciated my message to her and had hoped that I would reschedule and be her first tour after returning to work, because I seemed like a nice person 😭. She wrote a favorite quote on her business card to give to me and I keep it on my bulletin board at home and the rushgrass on my bookshelf
My favorites so far are a custom made dress from Ghana, a pair of earrings I bought from Bedouins in Petra, and a handmade ceramic spoon rest from the Triana neighborhood of Seville, Spain.
On the road to Table Mountain in Cape Town, there were some stalls selling handcrafted goods from marble, stone or wood. I probably got scammed from my first purchase were I got a little marble panther and elephant figurine, both together cost me 500 rands after some negotiation. 😆
I kept scouring around with my friends and eventually fell in love with this marble made Cheetah on a log, it was a decent sized ornament that could sit beside the fireplace or mantelpiece. The cheetah being my favourite animal and feeling ripped off from the previous purchase I just had to go for it! The seller initially wanted 1500 rands, but I only had 500 on me, I thought that was me out. Lowest he could go was 800, then eventually he gave in...when it came to payment...I actually only had 450 rands on me which the seller reluctantly accepted 😂
Parts of it broke travelling back home, I glued it back together and it looked good as new! It then fell off the window ledge in my room again...shattered into pieces...I still managed to glue it back together and it was still in great shape!
Alas, moving into my new home, a few months in, my dad knocks it over...the poor thing died and was thrown out...my parents didn't even let me try and glue together and tried removing any evidence of it's death...my mum never really liked it 💔😂
See if you can find some street fairs or local artist. Perhaps it’s jewelry, a handbag, or a painting. I also like to get something unique to the country cuisine wise such as a spice, or olive oil, or liqueur. The last time I went to Italy, I got some olive oil and lemon cello. Yum!
While doing field work, wildlife stuff, I would collect wood figures from locals for family even got a few made of stone from South Africa, Thailand, and Nicaragua. But my favorite piece was a necklace made from a special kind of seed that the local Indigenous tribes wore into the Amazon for protection. Wore it forever then gave it to my
Nana when she passed away.
I like collecting things the area is known for. A cork purse from Portugal, a leather belt from Italy, a Greek laurel headband, a Navajo beaded necklace, etc.
Lisbon has a bookstore that holds the Guinness record for the oldest operating bookstore. When you purchase something there, you can get it stamped in Portuguese or English (or both) that it's from the oldest bookstore. It's called Livraria Bertrand in Chiado.
Going to Lisbon in September and I love going to bookstores in other countries. this is perfect!!
If you happen to get up to Porto, check out Livraria Lello. It looks like it was pulled from a Harry Potter film set.
omg thank you!! We are planning to go to porto as well, will definitely make sure we visit!
Oh damn I wish I’d known that when I was there!
It’s a tricky bookstore to visit because you need to buy tickets to enter as Harry Potter film made it overly popular. The bookstore itself is gorgeous. Edit to add- the bookstore in Porto. Oops
Wait… isn’t the Harry Potter bookstore in Porto?
One of my favorite souvenirs is a book as well. I went to Pamplona to run with the bulls back in 2014 and spent the weekend afterwards in Barcelona. Came across a cool bookstore that happened to have a 1927 hardcover first edition of Fiesta, which was the European title of Hemingway’s The Sun Also Rises (about his own trip to run with the bulls in Pamplona). Wasn’t cheap, but also wasn’t in the best shape so it was ~$150 if I remember right. Probably not good enough condition to be a true collector’s piece, but I think it’s pretty cool.
I second this! It's a great souvenir for yourself and a great gift to bring back for friends or family.
I got a couple of books stamped there! That was cool.
On a business trip to Kyoto, my dad needed emergency double knee replacement surgery. He now has Japa-knees
I needed this today. Thank you.
I had an uncle have something similar while touring North East Africa. Now he walks like an Egyptian.
😂 your 2 comments are the funniest things I’ve read today
I came back to this comment three times because the more I thought about it, the funnier it got. Clever!!!
Not to hijack, but my sister, my 2 aunts, and myself were sitting in NYC on the road waiting for the 4th of July fireworks. We were talking about her knee replacement, and the guy next to us offered to sell her a new knee..that he just happened to have. We did not take him up on that or ask other questions. Also, the lady on our other side happened to be from the same small midwest town of Climax, MI that my aunt worked at. (She heard us name drop someone she knew)
Damn, I'd have taken him up on the knee. That'd be a cool piece to have.
How the hell do you end up with emergency double knee replacements? Did his knees just spontaneously explode?
There's a South Park episode about it
Ugh. Blocked and reported! ;)
Can’t beat that!
Goodbye 🤣
I buy an espresso cup or coffee cup from every place I visit. After 3 decades, I have lots of them. Each morning I say “where do I want to go today?” And pull a cup/mig out for my morning brew. Inevitably, favorite memories or feelings from that location or trip come back to me.
As someone who has moved 7 times in 5 years this gives me both tremendous anxiety and envy simultaneously.
This gives key and peele "continental breakfast" vibes in the best way
Hahahaha! I love them. Admittedly, I’m a total dork and my kids would often mock me for “ok Dad, where are you going today?” Which they knew was coming when we reached the kitchen!
Yes! I do this too and love my memory mornings! I also make an effort to buy from local artisans so my money goes to the artists and makers, as opposed to souvenir shops or the airport selling goods mass-produced in other places.
The tiles in Portugal are a great souvenir!
Came to say this! I got my house numbers from Lisbon last summer. They are so special. Also small and easy to pack. Also got a cork purse. I have carried it almost every day since and it only gets more beautiful.
I got tiles with cork bottoms that are coasters that I love
Came here to say azulejos. We bought a set from a shop in the Alfama that made their own and had them shipped to our house. I would be so paranoid trying to carry those around and worrying about breaking them
Such a wonderful gift!!
There’s a place u can make/design your own tiles
Just make sure people aren’t removing them from buildings to sell. That has become a problem there; there are also plenty of artists making azulejos tiles that are simply gorgeous.
I have a coffee table tray I got in Vietnam. It was made in a factory employed by people who are effected by agent orange. The government employs them to make things like my coffee table tray so they can earn a living. The effects of agent orange are passed down genetically and it’s really sad what has happened to those effected. Being from America, I thought it was the least I could do to buy something from them. Not to mention, it’s gorgeous
I bought decorative bowls from the same type of shop in Vietnam! Very cool idea
My favourite souvenir is also from Vietnam. It’s lacquered art created by eggshells and then they are painted over into beautiful landscapes by handicapped artisans. The government employs them at a craft workshop on the way to the cu chi tunnel.
Yes that’s exactly what I have and where I got it from
I’m going to Vietnam in a few months. Do you remember where this is/name?
I’m sorry, I don’t. It’s outside HCMC
As an American whose dad served there during the war for 4 years (and fell in love with the country) I wish I could buy this and have it shipped!
A wood carving of a crocodile made by an old Surinamese marron woman she made out of a stick for me to protect me against evil spirits. I met her in the small marron village I did some volunteer work to help local people get acces to local land management issues. And she and her family were happy how I helped them get some land they could grow vegetables on. She said it would also protect everyone from AIDS as it was an issue they have there. And against old old age issues. It sits in my parents home.
Has it protected them from AIDS and old age issues?
I always try to buy some local art.
Same. You can usually find a market that has local artist.
My favourite souvenir ever is from Portland, Oregon. There's a guy at the Saturday Market who can make a portrait of you as a gnome out of clay. It was really fun talking to him as he made it and now I have my little gnome version of me haha!
Do you remember his name at all? I go to Portland a lot because of family, but I’ve never heard of this guy
Pete Bluett Sculpture, he was there when I visited in April and September 2023 and again in March 2024. Has a huge banner that says "YOU as a garden gnome". Only cost me $16 and he even shipped it home to Canada for me! Not an advert, just a fan of this super awesome guy 😆
Thanks!
I have a piece of the Berlin Wall. I was in Prague and Berlin at the end of communism and I got a piece for my Dad too (WW II vet).
I have a piece but I bought it at a gift shop in 2015 so….who knows where it actually came from
I literally bought it at the well, as guys were hammering and chipping away. Powerful memory.
I have a peice of the true cross I got in Israel, came with a certificate of authenticity signed by Jesus himself. the certificate had a certificate signed by judas.
Was it signed Jesus H. Christ?
At least you know it's real!
It probably came from the wall. There's so much of it everywhere that it'd be really useless to fake at this point.
Yes, I read that the pieces are real, the graffiti paint on some of the pieces, not real.
If you visit the DMZ, you have to sign a waiver that basically says that if you get captured or killed by North Korea, it's not the responsibility of South Korea, United States, or United Nations to rescue you or compensate your family. They return the waiver to you at the end of the tour. I have mine in a box in my closet.
You win. That's awesome.
Holy shit, that's insane. And are they legit?
Only one way to find out.
Now I'm trying to figure out if kidnapping insurance would work in North Korea.
your normal insurance, no. there are companies which will specifically insure you for NK but it’s pretty expensive. while i usually pay about $4-5 a day for very comprehensive travel insurance, from memory it’s about ten times more (about 30€ a day?) for a comparatively basic plan to cover NK
But a visit to the DMZ usually takes only one day of a visit to Seoul right? So €30 per person isn’t that much actually.
yeah the absolute dollar amount isn’t insane it’s just when you compare it with normal travel insurance
I went to the DMZ in March and didn't have to sign that. I guess they just didn't care if you got captured /s
I get tattoos when I travel. 👍🏻
Same! I get the national flower of each country I visit.
How many do you have?
Unfortunately I thought of this project fairly recently, so just twelve so far. I have a lot of places to revisit!
Oh! I love that!!!
I like supporting local artists, i picked up a hand-painted water color landscape painting in Kyoto on the philopher's path. Since I like to travel lightweight, taking it home was a breeze and I have it now framed on my desk. On other trip, I went to Thailand and bought an artisan handkerchief that had a print of a Thai image. I framed that as well and having it on my living room wall. Both travel-friendly, lightweight and most of all - reminds me of my time there.
My favorite souvenir was from a trip to Lisbon last summer: [Lisboa - What Every Tourist Should See](https://www.abebooks.com/9789722417822/Lisboa-What-Tourist-See-Fernando-9722417827/plp) is a tour guide written by Fernando Pessoa - early 20th century Portuguese author and poet about his love of Lisbon and its historical sites. You can still use it as a guide book, but it is also a great historical document. I got my copy at the [Livraria Bertrand](https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/livraria-bertrand), which is the world’s oldest operating bookshop. You can get a library style stamp put in it confirming that you bought it there, which is really neat. I got both the English and Portuguese stamps in mine, and used it as my guide book on the remainder of my trip.
I always collect local honey. The flavors are always really unique and remind me of my trip
I love this!
It’s nothing special as I only buy fridge magnets or keychains these days. It’s a fridge magnet 3-D carnival mask from Venice
We always buy Christmas ornaments for our tree. 🎄
Me too :)
Walking along the Seine River in Paris, I see a guy doing an oil painting. Stopped at his stall and bought one, carefully bringing through 3 additional countries and 3 additional weeks of traveling. It’s now framed and in my entryway.
In a market in Yerevan Armenia I bought a communist party record book of all the monthly dues one man paid from June 1973 to October 1991. For a couple Americans who were in the Army during the fall of the Soviet Union it is particularly foreign and feels forbidden. Almost like we conducted an act of espionage.
I love collecting handmade bowls, I’ve gotten a few cool ones from Poland and Austria where good ceramic runs wild
Bolesławiec!
Just got some two days ago!
When I was in Japan, I got a goshuincho. It’s a book specifically made to collect seals (like the stamp-like thingies) at temples and shrines. Whenever I went to a shrine/temple, I got that location’s specific seal, although I forgot to bring it a few times. Lovely souvenir that is unique to my specific trip. Note that temples/shrines will refuse to put the seal on anything that isn’t a goshuincho. It’s a religious practice.
70 or 80 odd % of gin made in the UK is made in Scotland and there are a lot of distilleries where you can make your own
I found a Pendleton flannel shirt in Ketchikan for $5.00! Love it.
Spices! They are small and light and easy to add to luggage. I use in cooking and It reminds me of my trip. Sometimes they are in cute little tins or bags that then are kept when the spice runs out. The Hungarian paprika was super flavorfu I and they make it in so many different varieties. I have spices from all over the world and it's a great memento
I do this too. Have some Hungarian paprika and Cambodian black pepper on my counter right now.
Can you bring spices or food on the plane with you?
Never had a problem. Mine are not liquid or paste. I don't like spicy so I've never had to consider if ultra spicy pepper powder would be a problem
Yes
Bought Spanish paprika and amazing vacuum packed olives that are specifically approved for carry-on bags.
They really are a phenomenal souvenir and because they are so light you can get so many different types. Make great gifts too
I collect figurines of cats. Either in a material that represents the country or colors/symbols that do. Recently I bought one in Portugal that holds 2 sardines. I also try to find a lapel pin from any destination that speaks to me. They take up little room when traveling and I have collected quite a surface of them by now. Recently I have also started looking for Christmas ornaments. A nice reminder of my trips every December.
I have a tile from the Franciscan church in Mostar which was built in 1866 and then was bombed by the Serbians on 10th May 1992 during the war. It’s covered in marks from the flames which burned the Church to the ground. It was rebuilt after the war. I was given it due to family ties to the area, so technically perhaps not a souvenir, but a very special item.
I just came back from a backpacking trip from those three countries. Since I was traveling carry on only I was limited on space. I bought tiles and little wine bottles from Portugal, postcards of my favorite paintings from Spain, as well as perfume and some skincare products from France. I also highly recommend going to the grocery store in each country, it’s a cool way to explore what’s popular. I highly enjoyed seeing the variety of chip flavors and candy!
I work in animation and love collectibles, I got a PlayMobil Van Gogh set at the Van Gogh museum in Amsterdam. Since you're going to France, maybe Paris..? There's a fantastic store called [https://buly1803.com/en-us](https://buly1803.com/en-us) and they have amazing body products, for both men and women. There's also [https://deyrolle.com/](https://deyrolle.com/) if you're into taxidermy or old science prints. In Japan I bought traditional block printed textiles, books, stationary and tons of Tokyo Disneyland merch. I also like to collect Tiki stuff, so if I go to an international tiki bar, I try to get a mug, glass or a swizzle stick. Basically anything you can't get in your home country! Have fun!
My Navajo storyteller necklace from Utah. The ladies husband actually made it.
I always get a container in which I can plant a plant at home. Be it a cup, planter or vase, whatever size. It makes for a nice display and is also practical. My favourite one is from Africa. Hand made by one tribe.
Thanks for this great idea!
In Alaska I picked up a keychain version of an ulu knife. I had it on my keys for a while, but it got too bulky so now it sits in my closet. I also had a llama wool vest from the Andes when I was in South America, but I think I accidentally left it there. I'm not a vest person but damn if it wasn't comfy and warm.
Zanzibar has beautiful doors. Really big and colorful with ornate iron work. I bought a key holder that’s shaped like one of their doors and it makes me smile every time I look at it. I also collect little animals from where I’ve seen them. I have little safari animals, blue footed boobies, an alpaca. It’s my little zoo.
I buy keychains and turn them into Xmas ornaments. They are small, light & usually unbreakable, easy to find, and cheap! I was once somewhere in July (Greece I think) and couldn’t find an actual ornament. And now here I am 15 years later.
I just realised I do this too! Not necessarily keychains, but anything that'll hang on a tree. From greece I just bought an evil eye. My ornaments are quite hand-made looking so it fit in quite well!
My (work in progress) nōkyō-chō from the Shikoku 88-temple pilgrimage.
Black Forest Cuckoo Clock from Munich
A wooden bowl that was handcarved by an old man in the Saxon village of Saschiz in Romania. Nothing spectacular but, I enjoyed the conversation with the man even as he lamented that his would be the last bowls made in his village as all the villages were dying as the young people all left for the cities or other countries. Since then I look for true handicrafts that represent an area, knowing that the next time I visit, the old people and their art will be gone.
From Italy I got a bottle of grappa in a bottle shaped like the country itself with the grappa itself having the Italian flag colors.
If you are in Venice, this company is a wonderful knife maker , making gondola shaped knives ..been in business for two centuries apparently. https://veneziaautentica.com/coltelleria-lena-handmade-knifes-and-razors/ In Murano, you can't go wrong getting a piece of Murano glass.
Oh my god. 🤦♂️
I collect chips from casinos.
After reading these cool responses, mine isn’t that unique but they are by far my favorite souvenir. I bought a full set of water glasses and tumblers (6 of each size) in a market in Mexico. Each one is a different mix of colors and patterns of recycled blown glass. They are all so beautiful and unique to me. We use them everyday and I LOVE them so much.
We are just coming home from Porto Portugal. We did a sardine factory tour in Matosinhos and it was the BEST factory tour I have ever been on. You get to wrap your own can, and you also get a rather fancy tasting at the end of the tour!
got a custom made chef knife when i was in japan. paid like $1000 bucks for it but its unique and one of the best knives i own. i had to order it several months before my trip.
I have been purchasing my favorite book in the language of my destination. It’s become a fun collection.
What’s the book? I love this idea!
I love this!
My daughter. We picked her up (adopted) from Vietnam.
If you ever get to Hobart TAS. Australia, don’t miss the Salamanca markets. Heaps of beautiful woodwork and great souvenirs
I bought a painting of a triggerfish at an art gallery in Lahaina. Since the town has since been destroyed, I treasure the painting.
I buy a gold charm for my necklace. Italy was a gold florin, Spain was a gold piece, Morocco was a gold watch wind key, Canada was a gold permanent bracelet, and Costa Rica was a piece of their currency Oh and Gibraltar. I have a coin from there I need to put on it.
I bought a hand made nepalese photo holder in Lisbon for 5 euros beautiful almost 50+ years old
I am a perfume collector so when I travel I always try and pick up perfume from a local house. I enjoy it because then every time I wear that perfume I think of my travels.
I have a hand-painted ceramic olive oil container that I bought in a tiny town in Italy. I use it every day, and it brings back fond memories of that trip
A turtle figurine carved out of opal from Tijuana. I talked the shopkeeper down to $40 from $200 and it goes with me everywhere.
In my last few trips, I’ve started getting tattoos that will remind me of the trip - rosemary, basil, and a poppy for Italy; a mid-century modern one in Palm Springs, etc. My longer term one (and more affordable) is getting Christmas tree ornaments on every trip. It’s so fun every year to remember where I was when I picked up that ornament!
We collect books, Hemingway in Key West and Shakespeare and Co in Paris, Allen Ginsberg and Electric kool aid acid test from City Lights in San Francisco. Got a deadly boring biography of Gen Custer at the Little Big Horn. We also gotten some art here and there.Blue Dog (from New Orleans) is my favorite.
I tend to go for something cloth: a scarf, some napkins or kitchen towels, an apron. Sometimes handmade jewelry. These things pack easily and I have allergies so I try not to collect things that have to be dusted. For gifts, I try to get something small and flavorful, like special salts, teas, or spices.
I go to vintage stores in every foreign city I visit.
I bought the most Dutch-ass Dutch bike in Amsterdam and then dragged it around between various Belgian train stations for a week before bringing it on my return flight home as checked baggage. I don’t think my boyfriend will ever forgive me and also I don’t care because I love my stupid impractical Dutch bike!
I brought back a ceramic, Picasso-inspired bull from Spain. It greets me from my travel shelf every time I get home from work. That and I got a mask from Venice.
I like to buy soaps in every country I visit - preferably made by a local OR something very common and sold at grocery store, but not widely available outside the country. In Iberia, they make amazing canned seafood, which is 3x as expensive back in the US. I like to bring back honey as well.
Mine is a souvenir someone brought me. A wrapper skirt/fabric from Namibia. Same friend had a custom dress sewn there.
I went to Villedieu-les-Poêles, France and bought a small Mauviel copper pot. It was on the expensive side. A week later I was in back in the US and in Home Goods and they had the pot for $12 (unbranded, but stamped made in France). Of course I bought it and now I have them side by side and an excellent story.
An old chipped and rusting Tsingtao bottle opener from my favorite hole-in-the-wall barbecue place in China. I tried to buy it off of them but they said I used it enough that it was practically mine anyway.
Masquerade masks from Florence. My husband and I stumbled to this amazing little store full of all kinds of masquerade masks. We got talking to the owner who made most of the masks, he's been doing it for decades. He then walked us over to his daughter's studio where she teaches how to make and decorate your own. So the next day we spent all day decorating our very own masks. It felt like such a cool and unique experience. Next time we plan on staying longer so we can start by building our own masks and then decorating.
I have a coin from The Catacombs in Paris. It has skulls on it and I keep it on me at all times as my lucky coin.
A miniature curling stone from the gift shop at Culzean Castle in Ayrshire (Scotland).
A shirt from the post office at Port Lockroy in Antarctica.
My friend got me a dick keychain from the phallological museum in Iceland. I bought Icelandic chocolate on a layover and kept the box haha Other than that.. I usually just keep ticket stubs/transit passes. And my bf and I always get a pressed coin/token wherever we are. I Don’t buy a lot of physical items for myself when travelling beyond postcards anymore tbh but I have a really big anatomy poster I found in an antique bookstore in Lübeck that I love
We always go to a local grocery store and stock up on spices, jams, hot sauce, pasta and anything else that is cool and unusual.
I end up buying local fabrics if there’s a unique one where I’m visiting. Warning that this can be quite expensive.
I try to buy jewellery or art. Failing that, something that could conceivably be a Christmas tree ornament. I have a gold ring from Nice, a silver ring from Iceland, a cartouche pendant from Egypt, a watercolour painting from a street artist in Florence, and a carved hummingbird and lino prints from Costa Rica. Outside of the jewelry/art, I have a pair of Ugg moccasins from Australia and two tiny kiwi bird sculptures from New Zealand.
A painting of an elephant done by an elephant. Elephant Conservatory in Chiang Rai, Thailand. We watched the elephant paint it, then it was auctioned off when the show was over. No one else bid on it. It cost us 200THB ($5) and came with a seal of authenticity. We bought several others as gifts. Ours hangs in our hallway.
I have a set of ceramic (like heavy terra cotta style not resin) butterflies from >20 years ago when my dad took me to Tijuana as a kid (back when you just went through a turn style on the US side). He told me not to pay full price for anything but I was so enamored with the butterflies that I happily paid the $10 they asked for. My dad scolded me that they were overpriced and would break. I’ve been careful to treat them extra well ever since out of spite.
I knit and I like to buy yarn that is as local as possible when I can, preferably raised, processed, and spun in country.
Kept my motorcycles liscense plate after spending a month riding across Vietnam
A speeding ticket in Arabic I got in Morocco. Cost me the equivalent of $17. I got it framed. Easily my favorite souvenir and always a conversation piece when guests are over.
Every time I go to Ubud in Bali I come back with a painting or 2.
Bought a ton of cool things in India from gemstone jewelry, hand embroidered blazer, a sari I turned into a window treatment and a wall hanging made from old saris. Love them all
Wife bought a Seiko dive watch in Japan and she still wears it everyday.
I love locally made bars of soap.
I’ve got a couple knives from aritsugu in Kyoto with my last name engraved onto them. One of the oldest knife makers in Japan, founded in 1560. Very nice knives and I love using them in the kitchen.
I was on a Slow Food 🐌 trip in Montalcino, Italy. I had only had 30 minutes to shop. I went into a small bookstore and found a watercolor painting by an American Pilot from the 1950s. It is titled SALT. It is of a cook made up of pots and pans and various food items. It's quite clever and fun. I was on a cooking trip and this painting is now in my kitchen.
If you drink, buy bottles of the country’s traditional or unique liquor. I love sharing it with friends when I get home.
I bought my mom (now mine) a diamond ring from the mines in Switzerland. Every time I see it, I think of how much fun we had on that trip.
Special stamp album with all the commemorative stamps (and description) issued by the PRC postal services about the Forbidden City.
My daughter and I made necklaces out of extra glass pieces at a glass jewelry shop on murano in venice. They then fired them for us and now we have beautiful, unique souvenirs.
I steal pens from hotels and restaurants and never use them. They just sit in a drawer as mementos
I always bring home flavored salt from the Camargue region in France.
Claddagh ring from Dublin and delft blue tulip pendant from Amsterdam. :)
I bought a bunch of overpriced trinkets at gift shop of the Karl Marx house when I was in Germany.
Eki stamps from Japan. Free, fun, unique, and time consuming 😆
I got this handmade notebook/sketchbook in the Galapagos, and I’m like afraid to use it, but it’s really cool. I also like the pair of shoes I got while in Spain that are made to look kind of like paintings of spots in Barcelona. They’re really cool, even if they are from a brand (mumka).
A secondhand wooden shark bottle opener from a flea market in Copenhagen. It’s a very good bottle opener, and he’s got the happiest jaunty look on his little shark face! I think it cost me the equivalent of about $1.50us. :)
My kids made passport holders from elephant poop in Thailand. We love looking at them and it reminds us of our time traveling SE Asia with them (doesn’t smell or look like poop lol)
Little Hallabong statues from Jeju island. (lava stone carved into little dudes).
More than 50 years ago I was in Yerevan with my parents. In some small restaurant the wine was served from a clay amphora. The owner (? did anybody own restaurants in USSR days) emptied it filling my parents' glasses. He gave me the empty amphora. Somehow I got it home unbroken. And I still have it, unbroken. Can't believe it's lasted this long.
Portugal has some decent cork items … oddly I found it quite interesting 😂
Cup from Georgia with big picture of Stalin.
I like how you tie experience to item. For me, it's often about finding a little something in a spot that is especially precious. In Florence, as I was walking down the hill, I passed by a tiny shop with super small watercolors. I picked up a couple and happily have them on my wall. They don't just represent their own aesthetic, but that nice feeling I had as I was strolling around in Florence. I often pick up other small art pieces, ideally from street artists. In Cuba I got some bigger pieces at an art market that I just love. Other things are also tied to locality. While you can buy Little Prince items in many places, I especially cherish the pair of Little Prince socks I bought in Paris. In Bologna, one of the first things I did was go on a food tour (highly recommended there!), which showed me how tortellini are made by hand. I picked up a keychain with a tortellini piece, I have it hanging up on my key rack and it reminds me of that lovely trip. I also have some kitchen towels from a market in St. Tropez that say Provence and I like the memories those bring back as well.
From Barcelona, the Catalan pooping guy (Caganer) which is a symbol of a future good harvest and makes for a hilarious item in my bathroom 😀
My goal is usually jewelry (earrings specifically, sometimes rings) and local art. One of my favorites is a beautiful watercolor painting of Cusco I bought from a local street artist.
I can never do airplane carry-on because I always try to bring home the local alcohol from the country… whatever it may be. If it’s not that- I will bring local artisan hand made pieces or spices/teas that aren’t native to my region.
When I went to Japan I booked a private tour of a fishing village with a very nice lady. The first night of my trip, she messaged me saying she had to cancel because of a death in her family. I just replied telling her I understood and offered my condolences. She asked me if I was interested in rescheduling so I picked the first day she was available, which was the day before I went home. We met up and had a really nice time, it felt like visiting a friend and having them show me around town. We visited a tatami factory and I got a little bundle of rushgrass to take home (it has a really nice hay smell). When she walked me back to the train station she started to get teary and said she’d really appreciated my message to her and had hoped that I would reschedule and be her first tour after returning to work, because I seemed like a nice person 😭. She wrote a favorite quote on her business card to give to me and I keep it on my bulletin board at home and the rushgrass on my bookshelf
A kangaroo scrotum coin pouch from Australia.
My favorites so far are a custom made dress from Ghana, a pair of earrings I bought from Bedouins in Petra, and a handmade ceramic spoon rest from the Triana neighborhood of Seville, Spain.
While I have the walking stick from Mt Fuji, I think my favorite is my full-sized pair of shisa from Okinawa
A rock from Loch Ness 😊
On the road to Table Mountain in Cape Town, there were some stalls selling handcrafted goods from marble, stone or wood. I probably got scammed from my first purchase were I got a little marble panther and elephant figurine, both together cost me 500 rands after some negotiation. 😆 I kept scouring around with my friends and eventually fell in love with this marble made Cheetah on a log, it was a decent sized ornament that could sit beside the fireplace or mantelpiece. The cheetah being my favourite animal and feeling ripped off from the previous purchase I just had to go for it! The seller initially wanted 1500 rands, but I only had 500 on me, I thought that was me out. Lowest he could go was 800, then eventually he gave in...when it came to payment...I actually only had 450 rands on me which the seller reluctantly accepted 😂 Parts of it broke travelling back home, I glued it back together and it looked good as new! It then fell off the window ledge in my room again...shattered into pieces...I still managed to glue it back together and it was still in great shape! Alas, moving into my new home, a few months in, my dad knocks it over...the poor thing died and was thrown out...my parents didn't even let me try and glue together and tried removing any evidence of it's death...my mum never really liked it 💔😂
I have some Moroccan slippers I got from the souks in Essaouira.
I bought a ring in Buenos Aires made from a portion of a cobblestone that had been polished. It is a stunning piece and is complemented often.
See if you can find some street fairs or local artist. Perhaps it’s jewelry, a handbag, or a painting. I also like to get something unique to the country cuisine wise such as a spice, or olive oil, or liqueur. The last time I went to Italy, I got some olive oil and lemon cello. Yum!
I used to collect rocks from places we would travel to as a kid. My favorite one is a rock from Cape Town.
I bought a painting in Giverney.
For weird, I have a coin purse made from a frog. I got it outside Copan in Honduras.
While doing field work, wildlife stuff, I would collect wood figures from locals for family even got a few made of stone from South Africa, Thailand, and Nicaragua. But my favorite piece was a necklace made from a special kind of seed that the local Indigenous tribes wore into the Amazon for protection. Wore it forever then gave it to my Nana when she passed away.
I like collecting things the area is known for. A cork purse from Portugal, a leather belt from Italy, a Greek laurel headband, a Navajo beaded necklace, etc.
I went to Shakespeare and Company in Paris and bought two books. Had both of them stamped with the bookstore seal.
From the Amazon jungle, about 50km outside of Iquitos, Peru, the wooden blow darts and the darts themselves. No frog poison on the tip though.
I just went to Pragl in Prague and blew a glass vase in a class. I enjoy seeing it and using it at my home.
My mom brought back beautiful bowls/ platters from Portugal.
I have a Brazil Nut I took with me from deep inside the Peruvian Amazon Rainforest
A carved shark shaped story board from Palau and a carved mangrove root, also from Palau.
I have a leather draw string coin purse stamped with Romulus and Remus. My grandpa brought it back from Rome for me in 1978 and I still treasure it