Greece is one of those destinations where souvenir shopping becomes part of the travel experience itself. From tiny whitewashed boutiques tucked into island alleyways to bustling markets in Athens, it is almost impossible not to come home with a suitcase that is a little fuller than when you arrived.
When I traveled to Greece with our boys on a summer trip, I quickly realized that the best souvenirs were not necessarily the expensive or flashy ones. Some of my favorite purchases were simple things that still remind us of the trip years later: the smell of olive oil soap, jewelry inspired by Greek mythology, and small keepsakes picked up while wandering through shops in Santorini and Athens.
If you are wondering what to buy in Greece, these are some of the souvenirs that stood out to us the most. Some are practical, some are edible, and some are simply beautiful reminders of time spent wandering the Greek islands.
Top Greek Souvenirs to Keep your Eye out for!
Olive Oil
One of the things I noticed almost immediately in Greece was how central olive oil is to everyday life. Tiny bottles, beautifully packaged tins, infused oils, and handmade olive oil soaps seemed to appear in nearly every small shop we wandered into.
Greek olive oil makes an especially good souvenir because it is something you will actually use once you get home, instead of letting it collect dust on a shelf. We ended up bringing home olive oil soap as gifts because it packed easily and felt much more authentic than the typical tourist souvenirs.
Evil Eye Pendant
The blue evil eye, known in Greece as the “mati,” is everywhere once you start looking for it. You will spot it hanging in homes, painted onto walls, attached to jewelry, and displayed in shop windows all over the country.
If you are looking for a small and meaningful Greek souvenir, this is one of the easiest things to bring home. I especially liked that it felt connected to Greek culture rather than just being another generic tourist item.
Worry Beads
Almost every Greek man seemed to have worry beads in his hand or tucked into a pocket while we were traveling through Greece. Known as komboloi, they are traditionally used as a calming habit or pastime rather than for religious purposes.
Even if you never actually use them, they make a surprisingly beautiful and uniquely Greek keepsake. My boys were fascinated by them and immediately compared them to modern fidget toys.
Ouzo
Alcohol in Greece is incredibly affordable compared to North America, and it quickly became obvious how much food and drink are woven into everyday social life. We were offered wine during hotel check-ins and constantly saw locals gathering for long meals with drinks late into the evening.
Ouzo is one of the most recognizable Greek spirits and makes a fun souvenir for anyone who enjoys trying local drinks while traveling. Even grocery shopping in Greece was memorable because the wine aisles were filled with inexpensive local bottles that felt impossible not to try.
Halva and Greek Sweets
One of my favorite things about Greece was how impossible it was to walk past a bakery without stopping. The smell of pastries drifting out onto the streets in the evenings felt like part of the atmosphere of the trip itself.
Halva ended up being one of the easiest edible souvenirs to bring home because it travels much better than delicate pastries like baklava. That said, baklava is still something you absolutely need to try while you are in Greece.
Greek Bouzouki
If you are looking for a truly unique Greek souvenir, keep an eye out for Bouzoukis, the traditional stringed instrument closely associated with Greek music.
The full-sized instruments are difficult to travel with, but many shops sell miniature versions that make fun decorative souvenirs. Even if you do not buy one, wandering past music shops and hearing traditional Greek music spilling out into the street is part of the experience.
Backgammon
Backgammon boards were one of the souvenirs that surprised me most in Greece. They were everywhere, from tourist shops to cafés where locals sat playing for hours.
A beautiful backgammon set makes a surprisingly good souvenir because it is both decorative and practical. It is one of those items that still sits on our coffee table at home and brings back fond memories of our time in Greece.
Greek Coffee
If you are a coffee lover, trying traditional Greek coffee is part of the experience of visiting Greece. It is strong, rich, and served in small cups with sediment settled at the bottom.
One thing we quickly learned: do not call it Turkish coffee while in Greece. Bringing home Greek coffee or tea makes an easy and affordable souvenir because it packs well and allows you to recreate a small part of the trip once you are home again.
Jewelry
Some of my favorite shopping moments in Greece were simply wandering through small independent jewelry shops tucked into side streets. Many of the pieces were inspired by Greek mythology, ancient symbols, or the colors of the islands themselves.
I still remember exactly where I bought certain pieces, which is usually the sign of a meaningful souvenir. Those kinds of purchases always end up feeling more special than something grabbed quickly from an airport shop.
Wind Mill
By the end of our time in Santorini, I think my boys could spot a windmill souvenir shop before I even noticed it. Tiny blue-and-white windmills are absolutely everywhere on the island and have become one of the classic Santorini souvenirs.
They may be touristy, but they are also one of those instantly recognizable reminders of the island.
Greek God Statues
The Greek god statues were easily one of the souvenirs my boys were most excited about. We spent far too long debating which statue to bring home while wandering through the Plaka neighborhood in Athens.
Some of the larger statues can feel bulky and mass-produced, but smaller mythology-inspired pieces can make fun keepsakes, especially for kids interested in ancient Greece.
Leather Sandals
I expected handmade leather sandals in Greece to be expensive tourist purchases, but many of them were surprisingly affordable and genuinely wearable.
They are one of the few souvenirs that become part of your daily life after the trip rather than sitting untouched on a shelf. If possible, look beyond the busiest tourist streets for shops selling handmade pairs.
Feta Cheese
Even if you do not bring feta home, you will almost certainly end up eating it constantly while traveling through Greece. We quickly learned that feta often appeared at nearly every meal, whether ordered intentionally or not.
If you plan to bring food products home, always check your country’s customs regulations first, as fresh cheeses are restricted in many places.
Greek Honey
Greek honey ended up being one of the most practical edible souvenirs because it travels well, lasts forever, and actually gets used once you are home again.
Just make sure you pack it carefully in checked luggage unless you enjoy explaining sticky suitcase disasters at the airport.
Santorini Donkey
If you visit Santorini, you will quickly notice that donkeys are part of the island’s visual identity. They appear on everything from t-shirts and ornaments to wine bottles and stuffed animals for kids.
While some of the donkey souvenirs can feel a little touristy, they are also one of the souvenirs children tend to notice and remember most.
Greek Souvenirs I’d Skip Next Time
Not every souvenir in Greece is worth using up precious suitcase space for. While Greece has plenty of beautiful, locally made products, many mass-produced tourist items can be found in nearly every souvenir shop across Europe.
Personally, I would skip the oversized statues and bulky replica ruins unless you truly collect them. They may look fun in the moment, but they are difficult to pack and often end up sitting in storage once you get home.
I’d also avoid the fragile cheap ceramics sold in many tourist-heavy areas. While there are some beautiful handmade pottery shops in Greece, many of the inexpensive pieces are mass-produced and don’t travel particularly well. After carrying them around islands and airports, the stress often isn’t worth it.
The same goes for airport souvenir shops. If possible, do your shopping earlier in your trip instead of waiting until departure day. We found the airport shops to be significantly more expensive and filled mostly with generic tourist products rather than locally crafted items.
And while magnets can be a fun inexpensive keepsake, many of the ones sold in tourist areas feel nearly identical from shop to shop. I’d personally rather spend a little more on something handmade or edible that actually reminds me of the trip itself.
Lindsay Nieminen hails from Vancouver, Canada and shares her love of travel on this website. She is passionate about showing others that they should not put off traveling the world just because they have children or are single parents. She aims to encourage them to seek out adventure, whether it is at home or abroad by providing information on how just about everywhere can be a destination to explore as a family.