Last Updated: November 19, 2021
Best Souvenirs From Spain (Ham Anyone?)
Spain is a stunning European country with many fascinating sights, and it’s no surprise that you’d want to bring a piece of it back home with you. That’s why this guide to the best Spain souvenirs is exactly the one you need to read if you’re not sure what the best way to commemorate your trip is!
From the best wines of Galicia to the many olive oils of Andalusia – I’ve included all the staple Spanish souvenirs that will make the perfect gits. And, remind you of the fascinating country, but which you can also enjoy and use when you get back home. So, read on to see the top souvenirs from Spain, and start making space for them in your luggage!
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Jamón ibérico (Iberian Ham)
If you can only bring one Spanish souvenir home, it better be Iberian ham. It’s a sort of cured pork leg meat, and it tastes absolutely delicious. The best thing about this cured ham is that it’s usually sold in vacuum-sealed packaging, so it can’t go bad in your suitcase.
Jamón ibérico can be bought in various cities throughout Spain, but it’s most common in the southwestern provinces. It’s also possible to purchase it online and have it shipped to your home, but it’s not going to taste quite as delicious as the one you bring back home as a Spanish souvenir from your trip to Spain.
And worst case, you can always just grab some from a Spanish supermarket or at the airport on your way home from a memorable Spanish holiday!
Wine
Spain is one of the largest wine producers in the world and a bottle of their finest red (or white) makes a perfect Spanish souvenir to take back home. Of course, you can only bring it home as a souvenir in your checked baggage, and that’s if your home country doesn’t have any restrictions about bringing alcohol into the country.
It can be tricky to pick out the perfect bottle of Spanish wine, especially if you’re not very knowledgeable about it. Wine is categorized by region instead of by grape, so it can be tricky to figure out the difference. Look for Rioja and Ribera del Duero if you enjoy a premium red wine, but pick up a nice white from Galicia, since the region’s maritime climate allows the albariño grape to thrive.
Custom FC Barcelona/Real Madrid Jersey
A custom jersey is the best Spanish souvenir for any football fan, and in Spain, you can get authentic jerseys from two of the most popular football clubs in the world. Visit Santiago Bernabeu or Camp Nou – depending on which team you support – and head to the stadium shop to find yourself the perfect jersey to take home as a souvenir.
You don’t even have to visit the stadiums, since you can find several official shops throughout both Barcelona and Madrid, but it’s the perfect excuse to tour the home stadium of your favorite Spanish football club.
Olive Oil
Spain is the largest producer of olive oil in the world – about half of all olive oil that’s produced on the planet comes from Spain. It should come as no surprise, considering that there are more than 350 million olives growing throughout Spain.
Before you pick up just any bottle of liquid gold that is olive oil, you should do a little bit of research first. Olive oil tourism is particularly popular in Andalusia, the Spanish region with the most olive orchards in the country. Go on an olive oil tasting tour to figure out which kind of olive oil you like the most, and then pick up a Spanish souvenir bottle to bring home.
Cava
Cava is a type of sparkling wine that is unique to Spain. It can be white or rose wine, and it is most commonly made from Xarel·lo, Parellada, and Macabeo grapes. To be labeled as a cava wine, it must be produced with the traditional method, otherwise, it’s just going to get labeled as a classic sparkling wine.
The vast majority of Spain’s Cava (about 95%) is produced in the Penedès region of Catalonia. Although you can usually find it in a Spanish supermarket or Spanish souvenir shops.
In fact, the production of Cava is so region-specific that for a while it was marketed as the Spanish equivalent of “champagne”. It’s still called that colloquially, but for legal reasons, it can no longer be officially marketed like that. Regardless of that, be sure to try some Cava while you’re traveling around Spain, and pack a bottle in your checked bag if you decide you like it.
Another fun Spanish souvenir is Blue wine! Yes, you read that right. Blue wine comes from and is simply a mix of both red and white grapes. Quite an unusual combination you won’t find in the wine shops at home
Pottery/Ceramics
Spain is quite famous for its handmade Spanish ceramics and pottery, which are usually characterized by bright colors and fun patterns. If you want a Spanish souvenir that will immediately evoke memories of your trip to Spain, get yourself some authentic Spanish pottery.
You can find these in shops all over Spain, but in Barcelona, you can get your hands on some truly special Spanish ceramics. There are lots of shops that sell Gaudi-inspired ceramics, and you can get a miniature version of the colorful salamander from Park Güell in Barcelona.
It’s even possible to purchase miniature ceramic replicas of famous Gaudi buildings like Casa Batllo and La Sagrada Familia, which are the most iconic Spanish souvenirs that you could take home. Don’t get me wrong – they’re completely useless, but they would look stunning on a bookcase and they’d remind you of Spain every time you glanced at them.
Caganer
Image courtesy of Athena Lao
Caganer figurines are the perfect souvenir to bring back home if you’ve got a great sense of humor. The name “El Caganer” literally translates to the pooper, and all the figurines depict a person in a defecating position. They’re hilarious and make great presents, but there’s also a deeper meaning to each of the figurines.
It’s supposed to signify that all human beings have the same basic needs, and no matter how famous or influential someone is, they still need to poop every day.
You can buy these figurines in various shops throughout the country, but they’re most popular in Catalonia. The figurines actually appear in Catalonia’s nativity scenes and it is believed that this tradition originated in the 17th or 18th century.
Bota
Bota bags make great souvenirs, especially if you enjoy drinking wine. A bota bag is a kind of leather canteen, usually used to carry wine but you can use it for any liquid you want. They’re often lined with plastic inside, and feature a nozzle for easy drinking.
What’s cool about bota bags is that not only do you have a cool Spanish souvenir, but you also got an inconspicuous container for wine, so you can drink it whenever and wherever you want. Also, they’re quite small and won’t take up a lot of space in your luggage, so you can bring this souvenir back home even if you just have a carry-on.
Jerez Sherry
Spanish sherry is a type of fortified wine made from grapes that grow near Jerez de la Frontera in Andalusia. A variety of sherry wines can be produced, and they range from wines that are very light in flavor, to much darker and heavier variants. It takes some getting used to the flavor and it’s more of an acquired taste, but it’s such an important part of Spanish culture and tradition that it’s definitely worth giving it a shot.
The Spanish are so specific about their wine regions that it’s actually declared under Spanish law that all wines labeled as sherry must originate from the Sherry triangle – an area between Jerez de la Frontera, Sanlucar de Barrameda, and El Puerto de Santa María. So, definitely a Spanish souvenir you only want to buy in Spain!
Spanish Saffron
Saffron is traditionally known as azafrin in Spain, and it’s one of the most produced spices in the country. Most Spanish dishes are made with at least a tiny pinch of saffron, so if you find that you enjoy the food you try in the country, you should definitely buy some Spanish saffron to take back home.
It’s usually sold at spice markets, and this is where you’ll find the freshest and most flavorful sorts of saffron, but you can also find it in various supermarkets and grocery stores throughout the country.
Spanish Fan (Abanico)
Walk down the street of any town in Spain on a hot summer’s day and you’ll notice that a lot of Spanish ladies are waving their colorful fans to cool themselves a bit. This handmade Spanish fan is commonly known as Abanico, and they’re not just great souvenirs, but also a necessity in the Spanish heat.
You’ll find the best selection of Spanish fans in Valencia since it is the center of abanico production. Also, the fans are made in a wide variety of colorful patterns and traditional designs, so selecting just one to take home might not be such an easy task.
Spanish Shawl
Spanish shawls or flamenco shawls are traditional accessories for flamenco dresses. They’re essential components of the work of art that is flamenco, which is why an authentic flamenco shawl is one of the top souvenirs from Spain you can buy.
Also, shawls will always be popular accessories regardless of the season and fashion trends, so this is a souvenir you’ll be able to use for years and years to come. On top of all that, the shawls are very thin and lightweight, so they’ll barely take up any space in your luggage!
Flamenco Dress
The world of flamenco dancers and flamenco culture is indistinguishable from Spanish culture, and an authentic flamenco dress is one of the most fun Spanish souvenirs you can take home. It’s also one of the priciest souvenirs you can buy since the truly authentic dresses cost north of 400 Euros.
They’re characterized by ruffles at the sleeves and the hem, while the rest of the dress follows the natural contours of the body. Keep in mind that the dress can take up a lot of space in your luggage, so consider getting it a souvenir only if it will fit in your suitcase!
Alternatively, you can find flamenco dresses in various online shops, even on sites like Amazon. If you can’t buy one while you’re in Spain, you could always have one shipped to your home address instead.
Spanish Turron
Spanish Turron is a type of confection popular in Spain. It’s usually made from egg whites, sugar, and honey, with toasted and chopped-up nuts. There are two main kinds of turron – soft and hard. Soft turron is easier on your teeth, while the harder variant has a lot more nuts in it.
Also, there are varieties of both kinds, depending on the type of nuts in the confection. The good news is that most shops sell a mix of both hard and soft turron, so you can easily try all the different variations of the iconic Spanish delicacy.
Paella Pan
Paella is the national dish of Spain, and a classic dish to see on any Spanish restaurant menu! so what could be a better souvenir than an original Spanish paella pan?
If you enjoy the dish, you can have loads of fun preparing it at home in an authentic pan, plus there’s the shock factor of pulling out a pan from your suitcase when you get home.
It’s one of the bulkier souvenirs you can buy in Spain, but it’s also something you can use for a lot for years to come, and a great gift for someone who enjoys cooking (paellas).
Toledo Sword
A Toledo sword is one of the bulkiest, priciest, and coolest souvenirs you can buy in Spain. The hilltop city has been famous for its steel manufacturing plants, which produced shields and swords for European cavalry until firearms pretty much rendered them useless.
You can only bring it home in checked luggage – it won’t actually fit in your carry-on, and even if it did, airport security wouldn’t let you through with a sword in your bag. If an actual Toledo sword is a bit much for you, you can always just get the next best thing which is a Toledo letter opener.
It’s a much smaller version of the sword featuring the same iconic design, and it will likely be easier to explain to customs officials.
Bullfighting Souvenirs
What’s a list of a country’s best souvenirs without at least one tacky and over-the-top touristy item that’s going to make everyone roll their eyes at you? Bullfighting is so iconically Spanish that a simple pin badge with a bull is enough to remind you of your travels through Spain.
Also, there are so many bull-themed souvenirs in Spain that it’s almost impossible not to purchase at least one. Posters, miniature bulls, and bullfighting flags are all among our top picks – posters and flags are particularly convenient since they’re easy to take back home even if you have nothing more than a backpack on your shoulders.
About the Author Anna Timbrook
Anna is the co-owner of expert world travel and can't wait to share her travel experience with the world. With over 54 countries under her belt she has a lot to write about! Including those insane encounters with black bears in Canada.
