10 affordable souvenirs from across Europe
While we’re firm believers in the idea that travel is about the experience and not the “stuff” (or budget, obviously), it’s sometimes nice to bring something back with you.
Whether you’re picking up souvenirs for friends, family members or me, myself and I, we’ve gathered our best tips on what to buy, where to buy it, and how to save on souvenirs.
Read on for 10 of our favorite cheap souvenirs from around Europe from 2€ and up.
More tips for saving in Europe:
• 50 things to do in Europe for under €5
• 12 tips for traveling solo in Europe
• Buying a SIM Card in Europe: The cheapest way to use your smartphone
10 European souvenirs to pick up on your trip
Cava – Barcelona, Spain
Unlike in Paris, where champagne is every bit as expensive as it is in the states, in Barcelona, the local sparkling wine known as cava can sell for half as much as it does at home. Bottles start around €2 in supermarkets, but we recommend you splurge and spend at least €8 for a bottle that would sell for closer to $20 at home.
Or better yet, spend the day in Sant Sadurní d’Anoia touring bodegas like Recaredo and Gramona to buy a vintage you’d be hard-pressed to find even in American specialty wine shops.
Canned fish – Lisbon, Portugal
Sardines, tuna, anchovies — even eel and octopus! — come in brightly colored tins in Lisbon. They make a perfectly portable (and inexpensive) souvenir and have been a part of the city’s food culture since the canning industry was born in 1853.
While it’s such a popular souvenir that you can buy beautiful tins of sea creatures in the Lisbon airport, we recommend Conserveira de Lisboa (Rua dos Bacalhoeiros 34) in the Baixa neighborhood for a traditional experience (they’ve been open since 1930) or Loja das Conservas (Rua do Arsenal 130). Keep an eye out for local brands like La Tricana and La Gondola and expect to pay €2 and up for each can.
Chocolate – Florence, Italy
Italian chocolate is excellent but not as widely exported as Swiss or Belgian varieties. Nice bars made by Italian chocolate brand Novi, start at less than €2 in grocery stores in Florence and other cities.
For more elaborate confections in elegant packaging, Head to Venchi at the Santa Maria Novena Station. But be ready to pay more. Tinned gift sets of sweets start at €12.
Related: Affordable souvenirs in Florence for everyone on your list
Bulbs and seeds – Amsterdam, Holland
If you want to grow tulips like the Dutch, Amsterdam’s floating flower market is the place to buy them. Just make sure they’re marked for export with a label that says “Cleared for US Customs,” or you might get them confiscated. They’ll cost slightly more (a few euros per bulb depending on the variety) than the exact same thing without the label, but it beats losing your investment.
Another good place to buy bulbs and seed for import into the US is Schipol airport. If you’d rather not risk it, grab a decorative tin of stroopwafel (thin wafer-like waffles stuck together with creamy caramel) at a local supermarket — a small container shouldn’t run more than €5.
Yum! Pick up a bag of the original Irish crisps. Photo: Lou
Tayto Potato Crisps – Dublin, Ireland
Typically Irish, and consistently delish, these potato chips or “crisps” are a favorite with locals. The most popular flavor is cheese and onion, but if you’re not into it, there’s also salt and vinegar, smoky bacon, and prawn cocktail to choose from, all ringing it at around 1€ for smaller packages.
Serious Mr. Tayto fans can head to Tayto Park, where they can meet Mr. Tayto himself, and ride the rides at Ireland’s only theme park.
Vintage clothes – Berlin, Germany
When it comes to vintage finds, Berlin’s got some of the best deals in Europe. This writer once bought a vintage 1980s Hermès scarf for less than €2 in a shop there. Some of the best deals involve rummaging through bins and buying finds by weight. It’s important to note that heavier items like jeans can get expensive using this system.
Related: Pick up authentic GDR souvenirs at Ostpaket
Another great tactic is hitting off-season sale racks which can start as low as €3 per piece. Try Garage (2 Ahornstrasse) or Pick’n’Weight (Alte Schonhauser Str. 30).
So many olives, so little time when you visit Greece. Photo: Marco
Olives – Athens, Greece
Even if you’re not a fan of Greece’s most famous exported olives, kalamatas, there are plenty of other options for you. Head to the open market on Athinas Street for all sorts of olives (and olive oils) at a fraction of the price you’ll pay stateside, plus, they come vacuum-packed and jarred for safe transport.
And if you’re not a fan of edible olive by-products, check out spoons and cutting boards made from olive wood. They’re gorgeous and cheaper in Greece than in the States, Spain or Italy.
Slices of Turrón in a Spanish shop. Photo: Nacho
Turrón – Madrid, Spain
Part of a traditional Spanish Christmas, turrón is a sugary treat usually served in slivers at holiday meals. But fortunately for Cheapos who aren’t in Madrid for Navidades, it’s now available in specialty shops like Casa Mira (c/Sant Jeronimo, 30) and Turrones Vicens (c/Mayor, 41) year-round.
Be sure to sample turrón de jijona, an almond-paste and honey confection roughly the consistency of fudge, one of the oldest varieties. If you’re in town between November and January, head to large supermarket chains like Día and Mercadona for the lowest prices (starting from €3).
Dried vegetables – Rome, Italy
It may sound a little strange, but dried vegetables make excellent souvenirs from Rome and beside their very reasonable price, offer a second advantage — they weigh nearly nothing. Our picks are dried mushrooms (porcini are excellent for pasta) and sun-dried tomatoes (good in everything). Both can be bought in small packages at supermarkets for a few euros. Or if you don’t want to fuss with reconstituting dried vegetables, you could also spring for a fancy vegetable-flavored dry pasta.
Ceramics – Krakow, Poland
Poland is famous for its blue-and-white traditional Boleslawiec pottery, and it’s sold at most of the souvenir shops around Krakow. But for the best prices and variety, Cheapos should make their way to Asortyment Shop (ul. Bozego Ciala 22). Spoon rests and smaller pieces start at around€5.
More souvenir tips
If you’re headed to the City of Light, we enjoy shopping for these 5 souvenirs under €5 in Paris. You can also read out souvenir favorites in Copenhagen, Venice, Budapest, Brussels, and Prague.
And how about you? Tell us your favorite souvenir in the comments below.
About the author
Pingback: Amsterdam Layover – pigsnblankets.com
Good souvenirs to pick up while traveling. Thank you.