Oh yeah, for a lot of people, they think they’re got Rome all figured out. Like, there’s a lot of affordable, but luxurious options there, plenty of things to do, so many things to taste, and yeah, it’s just a place everyone should have the opportunity to go to at least. A lot of people really like to be fully prepared before heading to Rome, like booking the Colosseum tour in advance, a hotel with a great view, and enough space in the suitcase for Chianti. But is that enough?
Well, one little souvenir isn’t enough, and most tourists seem to forget that. Actually, it’s always the little things that slip through the cracks, and those are usually the ones you miss the most once you’re home.
You tell yourself you don’t need another keychain or rosary, right? Nope, that’s wrong. The small stuff is what ends up carrying the most meaning later. Yeah, it sounds surprising, but that’s usually how it is. That hand-painted magnet or leather coin purse doesn’t feel like much at the time, but months later, when you see it on your fridge or grab it from your bag, it brings you right back.
That’s the whole point of souvenirs, they’re supposed to bring you back. Sure, it’s nice when they’re useful too. Like, even something as small and as simple as a rosary from a Vatican gift shop can turn into your favorite keepsake. But really, you don’t need to spend a fortune on souvenirs. Sure, the more expensive ones can be fun, like a piece of art from a local artist, but wouldn’t it be better to get something that can be used pretty often?
Just like any major city, yeah, you can count on tourist stalls being basically everywhere, and sure, they’ll do in a pinch, but if you want souvenirs that feel like Rome instead of a factory in another country, you’ve got to wander a little. While locals technically aren’t buying souvenirs, they’re still buying and supporting local businesses.
So you’ll need to go in a little deeper into the city, ideally a bit further away from the main attractions. Like, even a grocery store can give you some pretty nice local food-related souvenirs (well, artisanal grocery stores at least). But this is just an example, of course.
Here’s the nightmare: you fall in love with a giant ceramic plate, buy it without thinking, and then spend the rest of your trip wondering how you’re going to get it past airline baggage restrictions. It’s awful, and yeah, that happens on trips.
If something is one of a kind, well, it’s one of a kind, right? So it’s best to just try and avoid buying anything big, and instead just look for dried pasta, sauces, spreads, spices, scarves, postcards, just some tiny things like that (that are still meaningful)..
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