Favorite Souvenir?

[flapbreaker]

Wish I could post this in a general Mediterranean forum but there isn't one. Anyway, I thought it would be fun to hear what some of your favorite purchases might have been while visiting the Mediterranean.

Edited May 31, 2015 by flapbreaker

[waterbug123]

Wish I could post this in a general Mediterranean forum but there isn't one. Anyway, I thought it would be fun to hear what some of your favorite purchases might have been while visiting the Mediterranean.

 

First actual Med cruise is this summer, but have visited Italy several times, bringing back wine, or ordering it and having it shipped. Also got some absolutely delicious truffled olive oil at one winery, a great leather bag in Florence, and a pair of custom sandals on Capri.

[celebrity]

Wish I could post this in a general Mediterranean forum but there isn't one. Anyway, I thought it would be fun to hear what some of your favorite purchases might have been while visiting the Mediterranean.

 

Fabulous handmade leather sandals in Athens, beautiful leather belts for my sons in Sorrento, a Sterling Silver Maltese cross in Malta and gorgeous shawls for my sisters in Turkey.

[flapbreaker]

Awesome. I don't go until next summer but it's never too early to plan. It's always fun picking up local items when on vacation. Sometimes it's just something small but unique to the area.

[slidergirl]

I'll pick up a scarf (or 4) and maybe some earrings that are unique. These souvenirs are lightweight and easy to put in my bag. I travel light, so I usually don't leave room for much. If I know I'm going to look for something specific on a trip (like a pair of boots in Italy), I will make sure I have room in my bag. I either carry on or take my just-over-the-legal-limit bag and check it. I still have to be able to handle it myself on trains!

[texancruzer]

Geez, I don't know where to start. I am a shopper and have done 5 Med cruises so what I didn't get on trip 1 or 2 I got on later trips. I am sure this will be a partial list but here goes:

Italy:

Rome - leather purses/wallets (funny but I don't shop that much here even though it is my favorite city)

Florence - gold jewelry (Ponte Vecchio) an oil painting I bought from an artist along the Arno river.

Venice - a handmade Venetian mask. Wanted a beautiful Murano glass piece but ay-yi-yi its expensive and cost a fortune to ship home.

Naples/Amalfi - ceramics (gorgeous) lemoncello, gorgeous white embroidered tops/skirts/dresses in Positano

Sicily - didn't buy a lot here……some great cannoli tho - took some back to the ship for a late night snack !

France:

Nice/Villefranche - watercolor prints, handpainted silk scarf (think Monet)

Toulon (Aix-en-Provence) French cookbook, lavender items, small enamel figurines that open

Spain:

Barcelona - small clear acrylic items with items etched in the middle (Sagadra Familia is ours)

Greece:

Santorini - gold coin pendant with Athena, neat artwork here too

Mykonos - great leather goods (sandals, belts etc) beautiful gold byzentine style jewelry (I got earrings with small emerald, sapphire and ruby stones)

Athens - black and white prints of the Acropolis in old times, again leather goods, and of course some evil eye items :D

Rhodes - blue and white shirts for dh, gold coin ring for dh (hmmm seems we shopped for him this port)

Crete - olive oil (we had a private tour of a factory) more shirts

Corfu - olive oil soaps, wooden items, gold jewelry

Malta:

Mdina - brass items, beautiful embroidered linens with the Maltese cross

Turkey:

Kusadasi/Ephesus/Sirince - LOL - Turkish rugs (have bought 4 so far) silver jewelry in Sirince (Demitrius of Ephesus - small store in Sirince) Crocheted items in Sirince by local women, wine from locals

Istanbul - pashminas, spices, kilim bags, earrings, tea set and apple tea, prints

Croatia:

Dubrovnik - oil painting from artist on street, embroidered items (again) and gorgeous filigree jewelry (not cheap)

 

I think that's it :confused:

[euro cruiser]

Wow, that's a impressive list!

 

Like Slidergirl I have a lot of scarves from various places.

 

I frequently purchase reusable shopping bags from grocery stores as, like scarves, they're functional on the trip, easy to pack, and useful at home. I've had lots of conversations while waiting on line in grocery stores because someone asked me where my bag was from.

 

The other souvenir I like is jigsaw puzzles. It's fun to remember a visit to a place while working on the puzzle, particularly during a cold winter night. These aren't as easy to pack but this is also where one of the grocery bags can come in handy, as a carry on.

Edited June 1, 2015 by euro cruiser

[CathyCruises]

Wow, that's a impressive list!

 

Like Slidergirl I have a lot of scarves from various places.

 

I frequently purchase reusable shopping bags from grocery stores as, like scarves, they're functional on the trip, easy to pack, and useful at home. I've had lots of conversations while waiting on line in grocery stores because someone asked me where my bag was from.

 

The other souvenir I like is jigsaw puzzles. It's fun to remember a visit to a place while working on the puzzle, particularly during a cold winter night. These aren't as easy to pack but this is also where one of the grocery bags can come in handy, as a carry on.

This is funny. We just spent a month in Europe and all I came back with was two scarves and a grocery bag from Intermarche, where we shopped in France!!

[breeze123]

Olive oil soaps from Greece have been my favorite. Although my mom has been traveling that region recently and that's the one item I ask for from almost all the countries she goes to. :) Makes your skin feel amazing!

 

I've also purchased a Murano glass ornament for our Christmas tree. Much easier to bring home.

 

First time in Florence I got a silver baby rattle for my daughter as I was pregnant with her at the time.

 

Wine. :)

[texancruzer]

First time in Florence I got a silver baby rattle for my daughter as I was pregnant with her at the time.

 

OH that makes it very special !!!!!

[1island2go]

Is it hard to find Christmas ornaments in summer time? I always like to pick one up in the country's we visit. Love this post keep the ideas coming I leave soon!

[waterbug123]

Is it hard to find Christmas ornaments in summer time? I always like to pick one up in the country's we visit. Love this post keep the ideas coming I leave soon!

 

EVERY touristy area I have ever visited anywhere has souvenir Christmas ornaments available year-round. Same with Murano glass ornaments (even though they don't say "Christmas" on them, lol) in Venice.

[ptrpanpens]

I always buy something original, artwork, litho, watercolor or small sculpture, jewelry, etc. Over the 40+ years I have been going to Europe some of these purchases have really increased in value, like one original lithograph I purchased in Paris the first time I went in the 60s. I remember there was an outdoor art show there with some up and coming artists showing their original work. One in particular caught my eye and I bought it for a couple hundred dollars. I was updating my insurance coverage recently and decided to google his name. To my amazement my litho was valued at a couple thousand dollars.:D

 

But irregardless of price I only buy originals and only what I like. I have hundreds of "momentos" that remind me of all the places I have been over the years. But no typical "souvenirs".

 

I also frequently purchase antiques at local flea markets (especially in Paris) as long as I know what I am looking at and the price is right. I also have three Turkish rugs I bought back in the 80s for very low prices, about a tenth of what they cost today. And use them everyday with pleasure!

Edited June 3, 2015 by ptrpanpens

[Keith1010]

We have gotten something made of wood in some of the Italian Ports such as a cutting board.

 

Keith

[lovemylab]

We generally avoid knick-knack type souvenirs. Instead, we tend to buy thinks that can be consumed or worn.

 

Some of my favorites:

 

Venice - glass jewelry. DH also bought a drinking glass here.

Tuscany - leather gloves, pasta, spices, sundried tomatos and olive oil

Dubrovnik - scarf

Amalfi Coast - ceramic spoons and ceramic jar for keeping olive oil in

 

My favorite souvenirs are the photos I take. When I get home I put them into a photobook.

[brunello22]

duplicate post

Edited June 4, 2015 by brunello22

[brunello22]

Is it hard to find Christmas ornaments in summer time? I always like to pick one up in the country's we visit. Love this post keep the ideas coming I leave soon!

 

I bought handmade Christmas ornaments in Capri during the month of September.

Edited June 4, 2015 by brunello22

[brunello22]

Not the tchotchke touristy stuff: local spices, tea, coffee, postcards, wine, liqueurs, local artwork, hand-crafted jewelry, ceramics (from Vietri sul Mare on the Amalfi Coast), scarves.

[1island2go]

Totally looking for the nicer ornaments hand painted, etc. Also not interested in cheesy stuff. Will be looking for leather, maybe carvings, or small painting something easy to carry on the plane.. Thanks for the ideas. Keep them coming.