5 Types of Souvenirs to Buy on Your Travels

Photo by Meruyert Gonullu on Pexels.com

Who doesn’t like buying souvenirs? They serve as tangible reminders of your adventures and can bring back cherished memories of your travels.

If you are wondering what souvenirs to buy on your next trip, here are five types of souvenirs worth considering:

  1. Fridge magnets

Fridge magnets are great souvenirs because they are cheap, small and light so they don’t take up much space in your luggage. Not only are fridge magnets a great way to decorate your refrigerator, but they also serve as a reminder of the places you’ve been. They make excellent collectibles too. The first fridge magnet I have ever bought was a magnet from Meteora, Greece (try to find it in the photo below). So, next time you’re looking for a cheap, light, and fun souvenir, consider picking up a few fridge magnets.

just a part of my fridge magnets collection

2. Edible souvenirs

Food is an essential part of any culture, so why not bring a taste of your travel destination back home? Look for locally produced delights like spices, teas, chocolates, or wines. I have often bought tea in London. We brought back port wine from our Portuguese honeymoon. Of course, when I visited Belgium, I got some Belgian handmade pralines in Bruges. Always check your airline luggage allowance and your local customs regulations considering food.

3. Wearable souvenirs

some of my T-shirts from my travels, Rome, Scotland, Monaco, Cambridge

If you can afford it, buy traditional clothes and accessories made by local craftsmen, such as kimono in Japan or a kilt from Scotland. If you can’t do that, you can always bring back a fun, souvenir T-shirt like I did when I was younger. I think I bought the first souvenir T-shirt in a Benetton store in Rome. It was a light blue T-shirt with United Colours of Benetton sign and under it written Rome. I got that kind of T-shirt later in Madrid, London, Paris and Prague. But I have bought other types of souvenir T-shirts at other destinations as well as bags, scarves and hats.

4. Christmas ornaments

My Christmas Tree Travel Ornaments: Düsseldorf
White Christmas bauble from Düsseldorf, Germany and Christmas ornaments from London

I love Christmas and travelling so buying Christmas ornaments is a great way to mix my two passions. When I look at my Christmas tree, I am instantly reminded of my wonderful past trips. I got beautiful Christmas ornaments at Christmas markets in Vienna and Villach, Austria. But I got all the rest of my Christmas ornaments from souvenir shops. And no, it wasn’t winter when I got them. Nowadays, most souvenir shops have some Christmas ornaments on display all year long.

5. Souvenirs with a Story

Sometimes the best souvenirs are the ones that carry a story or that remind you of a particular event from your travels. Whether it’s a seashell collected from a pristine beach, a vintage postcard from a flea market, or a unique trinket found in a hidden shop, these items hold sentimental value and remind you of the adventures and experiences you had while traveling.

Other types of souvenirs worth considering

I love postcards. I used to send them too, but now I just buy them wherever I go and keep them in a box. I also like buying Christmas market mugs which I later use to drink tea or hot chocolate during winter. I also have some shot glasses, tea towels, decorative plates, figurines and artwork from my travels.

Remember, the most meaningful souvenirs are the ones that evoke fond memories and connect you to the places you have visited. So, the next time you go on a trip, keep these five types of souvenirs in mind as you shop for treasures to bring back home.

17 thoughts on “5 Types of Souvenirs to Buy on Your Travels”

  6. This is a great list of souvenirs to buy on travels. Our family hasn’t quite decided on one so we have a few- magnets, coasters, spoons, and always food. But we started our own Christmas market mug collection this year too. I’ll send you a picture of the mugs we got on our trip 🙂

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  7. I’ve never really been a “souvenir” person, and I avoid buying something just to have something. So, instead of buying something I am not crazy about, I seek out things I already love and find something to add to my collection. For me, it’s books and art. Whenever someone asks me what to bring back from a trip, I always recommend getting something from a little market stall rather than a big, touristy souvenir shop. It’s way more fun, the experience itself is a lot more vibrant, and the whole thing is just more… well, more memorable. And your travel souvenir doesn’t have to say LONDON in big block letters for you to remember it came from there.

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  8. I love this post Tanja! I collect those magnets too. My friend made a nicely designed magnetic strip on her study room and put all these magnets there. Really clever. Mine are still in those Ikea magnetic boards but I find them too heavy to permanently hang on the wall. And yes I love bringing home those Christmas ornaments too. And you know what, when we went to Salzburg one Christmas time, I bought several of those ‘houses’ to put in my snowy Christmas village, that I had to buy one large luggage just for them hahah. 🙂 I love buying books too for souvenir. 🙂

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