In Provence we bought some laminated placemats with different scenes on each side -- lavender fields, poppies, other Provencal views, etc. They were about 5 euro each.
In England maybe something in wool or cashmere? Tea towels - which can be found with pictures or calenders imprinted on them (lighter than regular calendars which can be heavy!). How about a set of beer mats(coasters)?
These are all good ideas. I'm making a list in my permanent travel file. And I'm scrolling over my "Birth of Venus" mouse pad from the Uffizi right now, drying dishes with towels from Rome and Hawaii. I like to look for fine-quality linens or hand-screened--not so much the souvenir-y type, tho I have bought one or two of those, I must admit.
Coasters are a great idea--pretty but practical. The paper calendars, especially botanicals, are nice for framing and have been a hit as gifts. Any other thoughts would be most welcome.
Posts: 569 | Location: Boston MA | Registered: 19 December 2006
We buy art for friends. You can get really pretty cheap stuff at least in Rome. For cheapo souvenirs T Shirts, magnets, baseball caps, sachets (Santa Maria Novella) bumper stickers (the one from Pompeii was a huge hit!!) All of these pack flat and are light weight. Whoops, just re-read your post - guess I'm stuck in Italy mindset. In any case all of them do translate to England. Oh, I did think of something English. TEA, not the twinings but uniquely English tea.
I can remember when the issue was size. Now I have all the room in the world and still can't bring anything home because of weight.
I did mean this as a general question, not limited to England. Tho country-specific suggestions are a great idea too.
Sometimes little oddities present themselves. I had some delicious clams in Rome, not far from San Giovanni in Laterano. I took the shells back to the hotel, wrapped in tissues, washed them and brought them home. They are on the shelf of a bookcase in my office now, always reminding me of that memorable church, exquisite cloister and the lunch that followed.
Posts: 569 | Location: Boston MA | Registered: 19 December 2006
-embroidered hankies -pareo -tea (not flat, but lightweight) -shopping bags sold both in supermarkets, or at the outdoor markets (the lightweight kind, reusable and sometimes collapseable - not a real "basket") -in Provence buy a bouquet of fresh lavender at the market, let it dry during your stay, then either strip it from the stems or cut the stems short to take home for smaller dried bouquets -garden seeds of local vegetables (those coeur de boeuf tomatos, or the simiane onions are very different)or flowers
I love this thread!
Posts: 915 | Location: Edmonds, WA | Registered: 01 April 2006
Years ago we used to buy the green, oilcloth Harrods bags as souveniers, and now of course everyone wants reusable bags, so something like that is a good idea.
We've bought postcard-size and larger scenes of London, Rome and Florence that look like watercolors. They're really cheap and can be framed once you're back in the states. My daughter still has the prints we bought in London when she was in high school. We usually found the prints in the outdoor markets.
The garden seed idea is against the customs rules - though I have to admit to having done it myself. I have tomatoes growing in my garden now that are from Italian seeds.
Posts: 287 | Location: Cool, CA | Registered: 17 February 2003
Does it matter to anyone that a souvenir bought in Venice, say, is made in some other country? I am not a shopper but when I really want a souvenir, I want it to be locally made - Murano glass for example.
Posts: 832 | Location: San Francisco | Registered: 22 April 2005
Yes, I want it to be locally made as well. I fell in love with Bottaro (sp?) linens in Rome, for instance. I could not find them here in the US when I got home so I put them on my list for the next trip to Italy, which was Florence.
Posts: 569 | Location: Boston MA | Registered: 19 December 2006
It absolutely matters to me that something is made in the country where I am buying it as a souvenir. It seems to me that there is a factory someplace in China that could be called "Trashy Tourist souvenirs, Inc". I see the same embroidered tablecloths in Mexico as Rome, the same cheap t shirts with different pictures, Paper umbrellas, bubble guns etc. This stuff is usually sold by street vendors.
If they got a hint and started doing unique things they would do much better.
I like to take home small bars of soap that is specifically made in the country I visit. In France the soap is exquisite. Just returned from Greece on Wednesday and brought back a dozen bars of Greek soap made with olive oil. The orange scent in the nicest! Sandy
Just returned from Greece on Wednesday and brought back a dozen bars of Greek soap made with olive oil. The orange scent in the nicest!
Good - we will look for those when we're there.
We always bring back art - well wrapped between two pieces of sturdy cardboard - we frame it at home.
We'll often bring back local magazines - many of them have the funkiest pics.
Clothing.
We never worry about the weight restrictions - we always bring a spare bag to fill while on vacation. I also refuse to book on an airline that charges for each bag - they went to far with that in my opinion so I protest with my non-business. If we're still going to be over we learned a wonderful secret from Palma - mail the dirty clothing home to yourself and fill the suitcase with more treasures. It works quite well.
Jerry
The traveler sees what he sees. The tourist sees what he has come to see. ~G.K. Chesterton
Jerry, there are lots of lovely linens in Greece too. I wish I had bought the tablecloths I looked at in Rhodes last year. Everyone else:how about music from whatever country you are visiting? That really brings back memories of your trip when you hear it, and CD's are easy to pack. I was playing my Greek music in the car the other day.
We are just back from about 11 weeks in Europe, with very little room for purchases. Here are a couple of things we'd recommend, especially from England:
- Art prints (frame them back at home) - Small books/booklets on places you've visited - Notecards from places you've visited (local sketches or photographs) - Jewelry - Scarves - Napkin rings - As Barb says, the collapsible oilcloth shopping bags from Harrods (can buy at the airport). But these seem to be much more expensive than they used to be! - Small items from antique shops - Calendars - Small food items (best for England are jam, tea or candy)
One year I brought home a set of English placemats... not fabric, the hard kind made (my husband says) of masonite. These are definitely flat though not particularly light.
I love to shop at the museum stores or the National Trust shops. Kitchen shops are good places to find small things, different from home, that you can use in your every-day life. And you can find some interesting things at the grocery store too.
I've taken to buying postcards - preferably unusual places or 'arty' photos. I attach them to coloured card to make unique birthday, thank you, Christmas cards. Each is personalised & I love revisiting each place as I select 'just the right' one for special friends!
Enjoy!
Posts: 561 | Location: Adelaide, South Australia | Registered: 08 May 2005
I had bought the tablecloths I looked at in Rhodes last year.
