Souvenirs in Europe

[mugtech]

Taking our first trip to Europe and the 12 day grand Med cruise on the Spirit, and we need some souvenir advice. We are also flying to Cyprus for a wedding after the cruise, so the suitcases gonna be pretty tight. I need suggestions on how to get souvenirs from the 10 cities we are going to see and not create a luggage overload. I was thinking maybe a charm collection, but I am hoping someone can come up with something better.

[Fishbait17]

I'm completely OVER having useless souvenirs, we had collected so many over 50 years and pretty much thrown most of them out. Now everything we get has to be used at home, not sit around collecting dust. Charms are a great idea - I still wear the charm bracelet of travel charms collected through my childhood (I was lucky to travel all over the world) and I did the same for my daughters. We also do small, unusual Christmas ornaments - not usually a "real" ornament, but something small and unique that we hang on our tree every year (I write the date on them in Sharpie once home). Sometimes we also collect bags in other countries - like canvas or supermarket bags with something different on them (French supermarket names, art prints from the Louvre, etc) - and use them for food shopping back home. Fun to look at, conversation starters, useful during the trip, and we use them every week once home!

 

Robin

Edited April 30, 2014 by Fishbait17

[orangegrove]

I totally agree with Fishbait17. Souvenirs are just dust collectors. As Fishbait17 stated we also collect Christmas ornaments from everywhere we go. I also date and write the name of the country/city at the bottom. I have a drawer in my house where I keep what we've purchased throughout the year and when Christmas time comes I pull the ornaments out and put them on the tree. We love looking at the ornaments and reliving the memories of our vacations.

 

Ornaments are small enough and I have some very unusual ones from all over the world.

Edited April 30, 2014 by orangegrove

[mugtech]

Thank you both, Christmas tree ornaments a nice touch. Obtainable in Turkey?

[orangegrove]

Thank you both, Christmas tree ornaments a nice touch. Obtainable in Turkey?

 

They have beautiful ones in the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul. You can google images of them.

[mugtech]

They have beautiful ones in the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul. You can google images of them.

 

Thanx, my course is set.

[1lovehols]

I normally get t-towels or dish cloths I think you call them in America for my parents.

 

We used to collect fridge magnets but our fridge is now built in so no way of attaching.

[mugtech]

I normally get t-towels or dish cloths I think you call them in America for my parents.

 

We used to collect fridge magnets but our fridge is now built in so no way of attaching.

 

Could work for the towels, would have to get a bigger fridge, not gonna do that, getting to the downsizing age.

[G.M.T.]

How about souvenir teaspoons from the cities / ports that you visit.

 

DW collects them and has the visit date engraved on them, when we get home. and uses them.

 

They don't take up much room and hardly weigh anything. and are easily found in souvenir shops.

 

Ron

PS. For one port we didn't get one :eek:, but DW finished her cruise on eBay ;)

[mcmomny]

I like to get a pair of ear rings from a local street vender or artist. Got some really neat ones in Barcelona.

 

I also get charms or even "fake" Pandora beads, got a cute Leaning Tower of Pisa which wasn't real Pandora but I don't care!

 

I always get postcards as none of my pictures can compare to a postcard picture :(

[welove2cruise*]

I agree with jewelry..also local art, scarfs, ceramics (I still adore my oil & vinegar set that I bought in France). I found "Tedora" beads in Capri that fit on my Pandora bracelets. They all represent the places we visited so I love them. In Venice they had nice watches that said Venice in the faces..and tons of "Murano" jewelry quite inexpensively. I am headed back this fall and plan to buy several more. In Barcelona at the Park Guell (sp)? there were street vendors selling Gaudi inspired jewelry sets. I could kick myself for not buying another set as I have had so many compliments on those pieces.

 

I bought a packable tote for this coming trip. We will be gone for 16 days visiting Amsterdam, Paris, Venice and then the cruise to the Greek Isles. If we need to we can check the carry on going home and I will carry on the tote with my "treasures". ;) One word of warning..if you are buying for gifts and really like what you find .. Get another for yourself. Otherwise they may not end up being gifts. ;)

 

 

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[Sauer-kraut]

In Valetta, if docking in Malta; they are known for their silver filigree work, I got my mom a neat brooch from there and I got a pair of earrings.

 

If going to Palma de Majorca, Majorica 'pearls' or lacework. Here you can get tea towels (which are sooo easy to pack and don't weigh anything).

 

I usually stay away from the tourist shops, and look for things I like and usually end up getting earrings for myself.

[AF-1]

mugtech, here is my advice. If you see something you like and you know you may never return to that country or city; then buy it. My wife and I have done two Med cruises and we have bought a few items. We bought a beautiful Murano Vase from Murano Italy. We use it to put flowers in at home and people complement us on the beauty of it all the time. So that's my advice and I'm sticking with it.

[welove2cruise*]

mugtech, here is my advice. If you see something you like and you know you may never return to that country or city; then buy it. My wife and I have done two Med cruises and we have bought a few items. We bought a beautiful Murano Vase from Murano Italy. We use it to put flowers in at home and people complement us on the beauty of it all the time. So that's my advice and I'm sticking with it.

 

 

I agree. Better to have the item rather than the regret. ;)

 

 

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[NEW 2 CRUISIN]

Don't forget to explore the possiblilty of shipping your packages home from the store you are shopping in!

We have purchased items and shipped them home to avoid having to carry them from city to city.

 

I agree with everyone else -- souvenirs must be "usable" and not dust collectors!

 

ENJOY YOUR CRUISE!!!

Edited May 1, 2014 by NEW 2 CRUISIN

[Lucinarei]

We used to collect fridge magnets but our fridge is now built in so no way of attaching.

 

This is what I do! Small, easily packable, and I can remember the trips each time I go to the fridge. :)

 

I'm doing the Grand Med cruise on the Spirit next summer and I can't wait! :D Enjoy your cruise!

[peg013]

I agree with everyone else -- souvenirs must be "usable" and not dust collectors!

 

ENJOY YOUR CRUISE!!!

 

That's why we collect shot glasses from each place we visit! Very usable. :D

[stagetek23]

We too purchase ornaments I try to find them from local artists. Very easy to pack. Also I collect key chains and I try to find unique ones that are not just the cheap clear plastic ones. Post cards I use in my scrapbooks along with free local maps that I indicate where we traveled. I like the earring idea. Might have to try that next :)

 

 

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[NMLady]

We play a lot of cards so we purchase playing cards as souvenirs. They have photos on them and are small so don't take up much room. We also buy postcards for a "been there" collection.

[milolii]

Another vote for magnets. I collect them everywhere I visit. Sometimes people bring me magnets from their travels. I put them on a magnetic board in my home office. Easier to clean. While on our Mediterranean cruise last summer, I put them up on the bar area in the cabin. The room steward and butler brought others by to see the collection.

 

 

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[geminierin]

I collect mugs! A little heavier (and more fragile) but every morning, as I'm sipping coffee from my Rome or Paris mug, I'm reminded of my travels! Heavenly!:)

 

 

 

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[Cruisin'cockney]

I collect mugs! A little heavier (and more fragile) but every morning, as I'm sipping coffee from my Rome or Paris mug, I'm reminded of my travels! Heavenly!:)

 

 

 

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I recommend London mugs, also. Particularly good for sipping tea!

[mugtech]

A lot of good ideas here, I shy away from the earrings myself, hardly ever wear them. I will look into shipping items home. I sip my coffee from Hawaii mugs, cannot imagine that there is someplace else I rather be.

[Elkpad]

Taking our first trip to Europe and the 12 day grand Med cruise on the Spirit, and we need some souvenir advice. We are also flying to Cyprus for a wedding after the cruise, so the suitcases gonna be pretty tight. I need suggestions on how to get souvenirs from the 10 cities we are going to see and not create a luggage overload. I was thinking maybe a charm collection, but I am hoping someone can come up with something better.

 

I typically try to find a small 8x10 or less hand drawn view of the city we are visiting from street artists. We are now traveling with just one carry on suitcase each and no checked bags, so we need things that are light and don't take up space. These work perfect, lay flat in the carry ons and don't add more than an ounce of weight. We then bring them home, throw them in frames and can enjoy remembering our trips and having some pretty art. Most of the ones we have picked up are less than $10 too, so very affordable.

 

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[F19810]

Are you going to Rome and the Vatican? On my first trip to Rome, a friend asked me to pick up some rosary beads. Being jewish, I didn't know much about them or where to find them. On my tour, they talked about how they were originally made of roses (makes sense!) and they are sold in and around the Vatican made of roses. I picked one up and kept it in my carryon which smelled of roses for the rest of the trip! The next trip to Rome, I had an order for 6 or 7 more rosary beads. The next trip, I had another order. My mother even got some for my coworkers! They are easy to carry but the do smell like roses so you have to carry them in an outside pocket or in the carry on so that all of your clothes don't smell like roses.

Judy