Traveler Editors Share Their Favorite Souvenirs

The editors of Conde Nast Traveler on their favorite keepsakes—and the tales behind them.
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    From a Brazilian headpiece to a Pope-ener (yes, this is exactly what is sounds like) procured in Rome, these are the items our discerning Traveler editors picked up along the way.

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    Lauren DeCarlo, Articles Editor

    "The Breton shirt is by Orcival, but I found it in a little boutique in Paris' 5th arrondissement, somewhere between the Pantheon and the Jardin du Luxembourg. Orcival makes these really sturdy, heavy cotton shirts that tend to keep their shape. So I knew I’d have it forever. I wear it most summer nights. I bought the cavaquinho (the small guitar) at a music shop in Rio for my husband who has, and plays, a couple of instruments. I figured this would make a nice addition to his collection. It’s since become my four-year-old niece’s instrument of choice when she comes over to jam with her uncle.

    I love that both these souvenirs are unique—in their own way. Sure, lots of people have striped Breton shirts. But not many people found theirs tucked away in a little shop on a side street in Paris. Every time I pull it over my head, I think of the old man who sold it to me, who told me that he, too, wears the same shirt. How cool is that?"

  • Rebecca Misner, Features Editor

    "I bought these at the slipper souk in Marrakech's medina. I was drawn to the super bright, saturated colors. They're very elegant in their simplicity, and despite being inexpensive (about $8/pair), they're very well made and the leather is really soft. I also love that they packed flat and didn't take up any space in my suitcase! There are rows and rows of slipper stalls filled with every shade of leather imaginable in the market place. Like all good souvenirs, when I see these jewel-toned slippers at home, I'm immediately reminded of my time in Marrakech."

  • Valeria Suanavas, Associate Photo Editor

    "I bought these llamas in Quito, Ecuador. A few days prior, I had been to the Teleferico and seen a couple of llamas in the beautiful scenery. It was such a lovely image that I didn’t want to forget. When I saw the little llamas it brought me back to that time. Memories are so fleeting; it’s lovely to have a tangible object like a souvenir that brings you back to a happy time."

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  • Priscilla Eakeley, Deputy Copy Editor

    "I bought these Arabica beans on New Year's Day from a plantation in the heart of Colombia's coffee region. The coffee region's beans are touted to be among the best in the world because of the area's rich volcanic soil, high altitude along the middle spur of the Andes (nearly 5,000 feet above sea level), and rugged terrain—a spectacular swath of emerald-green fields so steep that the beans must be picked by hand. The visit was arranged by Bambusa, a gem of a small hacienda hotel in Quindio, set amid towering bamboo guide forests, plantain, and pineapple trees, and a profusion of exotic plants and birdlife.

    For me, souvenirs are a way of bringing my son and daughter along for the ride, and what better way to give them a taste of Colombia than to literally do so. How good is the coffee? I wouldn't know, as I can't go near caffeine. But my kids, who have kept their local baristas in Louboutins for years, swear that Don Milton's brew is right up there with the very best. So good, in fact, that they're gunning for their own plane tickets as souvenirs the next time I go."

  • Alexandra Bousquet-Chavanne, Editorial Assistant

    "I bought these books from a vintage poster and book market on the Plaza de Armas in Old Havana. Each morning before the sun rises, the booksellers set up their stands around the plaza—the oldest in Havana—and wait for tourists to walk by. Most books are tailored to visitors, with Che or Castro on the cover, but if you spend some time digging under the countless versions of The Old Man and the Sea you’ll find some great second-hand novels by Cuban authors who are not well known off the island. I bought the cigars and cigarillos at the cigar shop of the Hotel Nacional de Cuba, definitely the most reminiscent establishment of the American presence and glamour of the 1940s and '50s.

    I love that souvenirs capture something about a place that speaks to me personally, that reflects my experience and perspective of the place, because everyone remembers it differently."

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  • Maura Walters, Digital Executive Editor

    "I got my Day of the Dead wall hanging at a tiny shop in Tulum. I had always known that the holiday itself was a big deal in Mexico, but I never grasped how much the culture reveres the dead until visiting the city. Day of the Dead is a particularly joyous—and elaborate—weeklong celebration of life. When I spotted this fixture in the boutique, I thought the dichotomy of the bright colors and macabre skulls perfectly captured both the bitter and the sweet. I don’t even know if it was for sale, but the owner clearly knew how much I wanted it. He took it off the wall and wrapped it up for me without a word!

    I love that souvenirs transport you back to a trip every time you look at them, which is why it’s so important to seek out something that really represents a place versus picking up a trinket at an airport. My husband and I always invest in one special piece when we travel, and we look hard to find it.”

  • Yolanda Edwards, Creative Director

    "I got this in a little antique store in Bordeaux, France. I love anything with a champagne reference! I am a huge souvenir hoarder, collecting everything from vintage flags to shells, mostly because I love the way they look and how they represent place and time."

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  • Caleb Bennett, Design Director

    "I picked up this calavera in the Mercado de Artesanias in Mexico City. Many things are quite colorful and vibrant in Mexico, which I love, but I was also drawn to this skull for the exact opposite reason. I enjoy the simplicity and presence of the pure black and the level of detail was much better than most others I came across.

    I’m typically hesitant to buy a traditional or mass-produced souvenir over something more practical and unique that I can actually find use in. This one had a particular charm, for me, that wasn’t so expected."

  • Laura Dannen Redman, Digital Deputy Editor

    "My approach to souvenirs is pretty minimalist: I usually only bring home food or wine (more specifically: red wine, cheese, chocolate, and exotic booze), or one evocative article of clothing, like the Florentine leather jacket that I will wear for a lifetime, remembering my honeymoon each time I do.

    The one other item I’m a glutton for? Costume jewelry. My family knows it well, so whenever they travel, they come home with a little trinket for me, be it a malachite necklace that looks chiseled from the Malachite Room of the Winter Palace in St. Petersburg, Russia, a silver anklet like some women wear in Rajasthan, India, or simple copper and leather bracelets from Cape Town, South Africa. Each is a tiny reminder of a place and a culture, a little bit of history wrapped up in a velvet bag."

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  • Linda Denehan, Photo Editor

    "I got this figurine in the Dominican Republic. I collect elephants, and try to find one whenever I travel. I just love shopping for souvenirs when I’m on a trip!"

  • Candice Rainey, Deputy Editor

    "My husband bought both of these souvenirs at the Solitude ski resort in Utah. It was the day after Christmas, and we were at the bar drinking beers after another bluebird day, talking about how we really have to start curbing our spending habits. Then 15 minutes later he walked out of the souvenir shop with a bag full of stuff.

    I grew up skiing this mountain and my parents and brother still live about 20 minutes away, so I have a lot of Utah pride. The sticker is such a throwback to all of the great state and national parks signs that were designed in the '50s. The mug is so from my hemp-necklace-wearing youth. It makes me want to throw on an oversize alpaca sweater and listen to Natalie Merchant while I sip some Celestial Seasonings Sleepytime tea from it."

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  • Erin Florio, Senior Associate Editor

    "I bought this at Galerie Tindouf in Tangiers, which is like an Ali Baba's cave of Moroccan arts and antiques. It is outside of the Medina but definitely worth checking out for quality souvenirs or even just to browse. There are so many interesting items inside, from centuries-old chairs to jewels. This hand-painted pot caught my eye and I loved the colors.

    I like having interesting, unique items that remind me of a destination in my home! Sure beats Ikea."

  • Marita Begley, Senior Copy Editor

    "I bought this in St. Peter’s Square, Rome. I was specifically seeking a Pope-ener. Many years (and a couple of popes) ago, my girlfriend’s best friend visited Rome and brought her back a bottle opener with a photo of Pope John Paul II on it. They had whimsically dubbed this odd souvenir 'The Pope-ener,' and it was always a huge hit at parties. Until I somehow lost it. I don’t know how or when, but since it went missing on my watch it was up to me to replace it. So when I traveled to Rome last year, my first stop was the Vatican, where I was determined to find another Pope-ener. In fact, I bought 10 different Pope-eners, so I could offer her a selection as part of my penance, and give one to the friend who started the whole Pope-ener trend, and of course keep one for myself!

    The stories souvenirs give rise to, even if you aren’t the person who purchased and carted the thing home—as in the case of the Pope-ener—and the potent memories they can evoke of long-ago adventures are the best things about them."

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  • Mara Balagtas, Assistant Fashion Editor

    "I got this feathered headpiece when I was in Trancoso, Brazil, a small village in Bahia. Each of the headpieces they sell in the Quadrado (the main square in the center of town) are handmade, so all of them are different. A little boy who was there selling them with his mother showed me the piece. I loved the coloration and pattern of it, so I went with that one. We exchanged a hug after he put it on my head.

    Souvenirs are great because they always bring back a special memory about a place I’ve been. Whether the memory or story behind the souvenir is big or small, it’s always nice to think back to the people and places I’ve seen when I purchased the piece."

  • Katherine LaGrave, Associate Digital Editor

    "I got this mug in Mainz, Germany, at their Weihnachtsmarkt. I usually go to Germany for Christmas each year to visit my parents, and at Christmas markets, always drink Glühwein, a hot mulled wine with spices. The cups it's served in vary by market, and most cups will have the name of the market and the year on them. I've taken to collecting the cups at various markets each year, and normally would have skipped this one since it doesn't have a year on it. I really liked the cup, though—the simplicity of it caught my eye, as did the incorporation of Mainz buildings into the design. I keep it at my desk now for tea and coffee, and it reminds me of my trip last month. Useful and nostalgic—isn't that the mark of a good souvenir?"

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  • Lilit Marcus, Contributing Digital Editor

    "I got these date crystals at the Shields Date Farm in Indio, California. While visiting Palm Springs, I got hooked on date milkshakes, the local specialty. A friend told me that if I wanted to try and make date shakes myself back at home, the best way was to begin with date crystals, which are one of the marquee products at Shields. So I stopped by, took a tour, ate banana-date pancakes, and stocked up on the crystals. Now, there’s just one problem: I don’t own a blender.

    Anybody can buy a T-shirt where they live, but the idea of bringing back the essence of a place—especially in small, portable, easy to pack form—helps the romantic spirit of travel to endure back at home."

  • Paulie Dibner, Managing Editor

    "I bought my blanket in Iceland, at a shop in Reykjavik called Geysir. I couldn’t help but pick it up— it’s so soft and warm—and I thought it’d be a perfect way to remember my trip without being trapped into buying a sweater I would never wear again!"

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  • David Jefferys, Deputy Editor, Service and Surveys

    "I bought this top-shelf, highly potent soju at the extravagantly stocked SSG Food Market in Seoul’s upscale Gangnam neighborhood. First distilled during the Silla dynasty (668–935 A.D.), it is still made using crushed, dried, fermented wheat and boiled rice. The bottle is in the shape of a Hahoetal mask, one of 11 used in traditional satirical dramas performed in the same region. Most soju consumed in Korea is diluted with water. This is not, with an alcohol content of 45 percent, and a deep, smooth flavor.

    Souvenirs are always the first thing I unpack when I get home. Clothes can sit in the suitcase for weeks but souvenirs come first and all get laid out on the table. I’m trying to hold on to the experience."

  • Jennifer Miller, Photo Director

    "I bought this in a giant stationery store in Munich. I used to go to Germany when I was little and the stationery stores are amazing. Every time I go, I get a different pen. I like practical souvenirs so every time you use them, you think of the place and the trip."