12 People Tell Us The Craziest Stories Behind Their Fave Travel Souvenirs

When you travel, you want to remember every single moment. Get ready to make some lasting memories with CIBC's Aventura travel credit card.

1. If The Hat Fits

Courtesy of Kirk Damato

"I collect vintage hats, so when I visited London, I knew I had to stop at Portobello Road in search of a policeman's helmet. They can get expensive, so I promised myself I'd only buy one if it fit...and, lo and behold, I found one that fit perfectly! The owner was a history buff, and, since it also happened to be Trafalgar Day weekend, he was decked out in a naval uniform and serving grog (also known as rum) to customers. It was really interesting talking to him, and he warned me that it was against the law to wear my purchase in public. I still don't know if he was kidding."

—Kirk D.

2. Rain Wallet

iStock, Courtesy of Patrick Baker

"I was walking the path at Neist Point lighthouse on Scotland’s Isle of Skye, and we got caught in a massive storm. The traditional Scottish wind and rain was pelting us and my wallet got ratted and sea salted in my pocket. So in the town I bought this new wallet which I now use, and it reminds me of that special, rain-soaked trip."

—Patrick B.

3. There's a Snake in My Wine

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"When my sister and I visited Vietnam, we took a tour of the Mekong Delta and visited a small shop where they made their own snake wine. We dipped our cups into a giant jug full of fermenting snakes of all shapes and sizes (and one stray bird that had made it in there, which we pretended not to see). It tasted like moonshine and adventure, and we commemorated the moment by buying our own little snake wine souvenir. I also brought some back for my friends, who ended up getting pieces of snake in their mouth."

—Jo S.

4. I'm Sorry Your Baby Is Ugly

Courtesy of Emily Tulett

"My family and I were in Florence for vacation, where we visited the Uffizi Gallery. It is amazing, breathtakingly beautiful, but also...incredibly hilarious. I, an intellectual, just could not stop laughing at all the ugly baby paintings and sculptures liberally placed all over the museum. At the end of the day, my camera roll was 70% ugly cherubs, 20% disfigured paintings of animals, and 10% actual appreciation of the great art pieces."

—Emi T.

5. Peacocking in Portugal

Courtesy of Clark McCaskill

"In 2016, I took a trip with friends to Lisbon. One Sunday, we ventured to a flea market with a few people from our hostel. As I walked into the flea market, my eyes were instantly drawn to this loud, fabulous peacock jacket. I knew I had to have it. Turns out the jacket belonged to this guy’s ex-girlfriend and he wanted it gone and gave it to me for a single euro! I love it and all its tacky splendor, and every time I see it or wear it, it reminds me of that trip and makes me feel like a beautiful Portuguese peacock.

—Clark M.

6. Purse First

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"My favourite vacation souvenir is a knock-off purse I got in Pisa, Italy, on a school trip. It's my favourite because we bought them from street vendors and then literally got chased by the Italian police immediately after. My friend, my friend's mom, and I made a run for it toward the leaning tower of Pisa and hopped on a trolley. Ultimately I got to keep my beloved purse, but the story that goes with is the best."

—Nikki F.

7. The New Sheriff in Town

Courtesy of Alex Watt

The best souvenir I ever got on vacation was this tiny cowboy hat from a ranch in upstate New York. It’s too small for my adult-sized head now, but my dog still wears it.

—Alex W.

8. Thigh Fashion

Courtesy of Bree K.

"When I was in college, my dad went away on this trip to Byron Bay in Australia, and I asked him to bring me back some clothes as a 'souvenir' because it’s a beach town known for its cute local designers. He came back with these hideous, tight, and flared rainbow pants, and my roommates thought it was the funniest thing they had ever seen in their lives, especially since I think my dad genuinely thought I’d like them (and I had to pretend I did). My roommates and I actually grew to love these pants and what they represent, and today they’re my most treasured item of clothing."

—Bree K.

9. Blossoming in Tokyo

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"I was visiting Tokyo during cherry blossom season last year, which was just the most magical thing I’d ever seen. My office's Japanese branch was throwing a party to celebrate the arrival of spring, and one of the girls on the team spent days and days making hundreds of paper cherry blossoms by hand and strung them up all over the venue. So pretty! At the end of the night they were too beautiful to throw away, so I kept one as a memento of the trip and also to wear as a scarf."

—Ayla N.

10. Remembering the Day of the Dead for Life

Courtesy of Miguel Rayos

"Last year, two friends and I were in Mexico City for a vacation around the Day of the Dead celebration. It was a wonderful time because the whole city was decorated and people were dressed up in the street. We snagged a couple of pictures all around the city and actually saw a movie about the Day of the Dead, which made all of us weep. It was very emotional because I grew up making altars in school every year in Mexico and for years had totally forgotten about this tradition. While on the trip, I got a keychain and candles that now remind me of the tradition, this trip, and that one time me and a theatre full of adults bawled our eyes out to an animated film."

—Miguel R.

11. Something Fishy in Venice

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"When I was 18, my family and I went to Europe, where my mum fell absolutely in love with this Venetian glass fish at a factory on the outskirts of the city, but thought it was too expensive. The next day, my dad went back in secret while we were shopping and bought it for her, but kept it under wraps (literally). When we got home, my dad placed it on the mantle as a surprise, and to this day my mother still has it."

—Cassie S.

12. The Rare Italian Glass Fox

Courtesy of Izzy Distefano

"I'm honestly not a big souvenir person at all. I don't like the thought of buying stuff that's so often mass-produced and overpriced. But this baby caught my eye while in Venice with my mother. It was the only one in the store — handmade from Murano glass. I love foxes and knew that I needed to bring him home with me. Now I have a memento of a great vacation I was lucky enough to share with my mom with this tiny, beautiful piece of art in my bedroom."

—Izzy D.

There are millions of souvenirs out there just waiting to be claimed in the most interesting of ways. Be sure to get your wanderlust on with CIBC's Aventura Visa.