Souvenirs aren’t just trinkets — they’re tangible memories of your adventures. The right travel mementos can bring back the sights, scents, and emotions of a trip long after you return home. Whether it’s sipping espresso from a cup you bought in Italy or cooking with spices from Morocco, souvenirs can enrich your daily life in meaningful ways.

Here’s how to choose the best travel souvenirs and creatively use them in your home, wardrobe, and kitchen to relive your travels every day.

1. CHOOSE SOUVENIRS THAT ARE USEFUL AND BEAUTIFUL

When shopping for souvenirs, ask yourself:

Will I use this regularly?

Does it reflect the culture and craftsmanship of the place?

Will it remind me of my trip in a meaningful way?

The best souvenirs are both functional and decorative, adding character to your home and a spark to your daily routine.

2. DECORATE YOUR HOME WITH TRAVEL MEMORIES

Displaying Cultural Art & Handmade Goods

Textiles & Rugs – A handwoven Turkish or Moroccan rug can add warmth and history to your home. We purchased a giant rug in Morocco, and fortunately they were able to ship it home for us. It’s now in our bedroom!

Ceramics & Pottery – Display Portuguese azulejo tiles, Greek pottery, or Italian ceramics as art pieces.

Wood Carvings & Sculptures – African masks, Balinese wood carvings, or Native American totems add global charm. We found a carved painted mask in Cuba that made an incredible addition to our family room gallery wall!

Local Art – street vendors, flea markets, even Goodwill stores or a local equivalent can have amazing pieces at equally amazing prices. 

Books – Souvenir books from a special city or a particular event can make a stunning addition and topic of conversation to your coffee table or bookcase. We picked up a book on the architecture of the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, a limited-edition copy of Anne Frank’s Diary at the Anne Frank Haus in Amsterdam, a vintage book of Icelandic poetry at a used bookstore in Reykjavik, a beautifully illustrated children’s book in Lisbon. Every time we’re sitting in our family room, these memories are right there for us to take in, and we love them. Bonus: while they can be a bit heavy depending on what you choose, they do pack flat!

Create a Travel Gallery Wall

Frame maps, postcards, and local artwork from your trips.

Hang photographs from your travels alongside art from the destination.

Use shadow boxes to display small keepsakes like coins, tickets, and shells. We have a shadow box with a large slot on top that we use for printed boarding passes. They’ll soon be a thing of the past in this digital age so we’ve saving them all while we can!

Incorporate Local Scents

Buy candles, essential oils, or incense that remind you of your travels—think lavender from Provence, oud from Dubai, or eucalyptus from Australia. One of my favorite and most useful souvenirs ever was one of the cheapest – small sachets packed with French lavender from a tiny shop in Cannes that now reside in every drawer in our bedroom. They also made for very light, very packable souvenirs for others, and my suitcase smelled INCREDIBLE when I unpacked!

Bring home soaps and perfumes (e.g., French savon de Marseille or Japanese cherry blossom fragrances).

3. ENHANCE YOUR KITCHEN WITH CULINARY SOUVENIRS

Glassware & Drinkware from Around the World

Murano glass (Italy) – Elegant drinking glasses or vases.

Mexican hand-blown glassware – Perfect for margaritas and cocktails.

Turkish tea sets – Beautiful for serving chai or herbal infusions.

Japanese sake cups – A stylish way to enjoy sake at home.

Cookware & Serveware to Elevate Meals

Paella pan (Spain) – Cook authentic paella at home. This was the ONE souvenir I really wanted from Spain, and I’m proud to say Ken uses this at least once a month. His paella is incredible (and it also gives him a chance to use the smoked paprikas and saffron we also picked up that trip!)

Tagine (Morocco) – Make slow-cooked, fragrant dishes. Ours is mostly decorative as – in years of travel – the tagine I so desperately wanted to bring home from Africa was a little worse for the wear by the time our luggage arrived home. But it makes us laugh every time we look at it – we keep it on our kitchen counter.

Hand-painted plates (Portugal, Mexico, Italy) – Display or use them for special meals.

Chopsticks & ramen bowls (Japan) – Perfect for noodle nights.

Spices & Ingredients for Global Cooking

Saffron (Spain, Iran) – Ideal for paella, risotto, and stews.

Ras el hanout (Morocco) – A flavorful blend for tagines and meats.

Vanilla beans (Madagascar, Tahiti, Mexico) – Elevate your baking.

Herbes de Provence (France) – Great for roasted meats and vegetables.

Coffee & Tea (Ethiopia, Colombia, Japan, China, India) – A daily reminder of your travels.

Alcohol (Everywhere!) – If you partake, many regions have special spirits they’re known for. We’ve built up quite the international home bar this way – legit Cuban white and dark rums from Havana, a perfectly smoky mezcal from Mexico, a sharp ouzo from Greece, rich port from Portugal, a fun King Cake-flavored cream bourbon from New Orleans, a powerful Brennevin from Iceland that locals call “the black death.” We also keep an old wooden muddler right there on there on the bar with our other cocktail tools, saved from mojito making in a Cuban cooking class in Vedado that was so good we took the same one again on our second trip!

4. INCORPORATE SOUVENIRS INTO YOUR WARDROBE AND ACCESSORIES

Wearable Souvenirs with a Story

Silk scarves (France, Italy, Thailand) – Elegant and timeless.

Wool sweaters or other winter gear (Ireland, Scotland, Peru, Iceland) – Cozy Aran or alpaca wool knits, or Icelandic local-made sweaters that (while on the pricy side) will literally last forever. We also picked up some very warm hats and scarves in Iceland, which we use every winter when the Chicago temps drop.

Handmade jewelry (Greece, Mexico, India, Turkey) – Meaningful pieces with cultural significance.

Leather goods (Italy, Argentina, Morocco) – Bags, belts, and gloves that last a lifetime.

Stylish Accessories from Around the Globe

A Panama hat (Ecuador) – Classic and practical. 

Espadrilles (Spain, France) – Chic and comfortable summer footwear.

Beaded bags (Guatemala, Bali, Africa) – Unique and eye-catching.

Kimono or Yukata (Japan) – Wear at home or as a fashion statement.

Pro Tip: If you buy traditional clothing, think about how you can style it for everyday wear, like pairing an embroidered tunic with jeans or layering a kimono over a dress.

5. BRINGING THE WORLD BACK INTO YOUR DAILY RITUALS

Journals & Stationery

Use handmade paper journals from places like Nepal, Japan or Italy for journaling or sketching.

Buy calligraphy pens or brushes from Japan or China to practice lettering.

 Music & Instruments

Collect vinyl records or CDs featuring local artists.

Learn to play a small traditional instrument like a kalimba (Africa), ukulele (Hawaii), or ocarina (South America).

 Make a Morning Ritual with Global Influences

Start your day with matcha from Japan, mate from Argentina, or Turkish coffee in an ornate cezve.

Drink tea from a Moroccan mint tea glass, a Chinese Yixing clay pot, or a British teacup.

6. COLLECT SMALL, MEANINGFUL MOMENTOS

If you prefer minimal souvenirs, focus on small, lightweight items that still hold sentimental value:

Coins & Banknotes – Frame them or keep them in a jar. Or – our favorite tip – save your coins and turn them into magnets with a pack of mighty magnets and a little super glue!

Pressed Leaves & Flowers – From parks, gardens, or forests you’ve visited.

Wine Corks – Write the date and destination on them, or just toss them all together. We keep ours in a glass champagne bucket from our wedding!

Hotel Keycards & Train Tickets – Keep them in a glass jar, shadow box with a top slot, or even a scrapbook.

Pro Tip: Instead of buying mass-produced souvenirs, look for handmade, artisanal, or locally sourced items that tell a story. (The one exception here is a magnet – we keep a giant whiteboard in our kitchen covered in magnets from our travels; in fact, we’ve collected so many at this point they’ve overflowed and also grace the metal door that goes out to our garage!

FINAL THOUGHTS: SURROUND YOURSELF WITH ITEMS THAT TELL A STORY.

Travel souvenirs don’t have to sit on a shelf collecting dust. With the right choices, you can integrate them into your daily life, making every morning coffee, home-cooked meal, or cozy night in a reminder of your adventures.