Greek Souvenirs - What to Buy in Greece - A Hedgehog in the Kitchen

Planning a trip to Greece? If you are anything like us, you will want to bring home some special Greek souvenirs to remember your trip. It is so much fun to use spices from your trip when you’re cooking back home, decorate with your precious finds and share the treasures you find during your trips with friends and family.

Whether you are wondering what to buy for yourself or others, you will want to save this list of Greek souvenirs for your trip!

Table of Contents

9 Greek Souvenirs You Need to Bring Home From Your Trip

Oregano

As you enjoy the food in Greece, you will come to realize that oregano is used in almost everything delicious that you will try during your trip!

Bring a pack of it home with you, and you will be able to enjoy traditional Greek oregano in your own home cooking. We love using it when we make Greek salad, on scrambled eggs, in sandwiches and sprinkled over fish and meat.

Olive oil

Not surprisingly, you will taste amazing olive oil in Greece! It is only logical then that you will want to bring some home with you. There are many different types of olive oil and the lovely Greek shop owners will be happy to let you taste a variety of olive oils before you decide which bottle to buy.

You can find a selection of olive oils to purchase to bring home at the Athens Central Market.

A large glass bottle of olive oil, the perfect souvenir from Greece!

Related : Greek Appetizers (8+ amazing Greek appetizers you can make at home!)

Olives

There are many different kinds of olives you will need to try during your trip to Greece. We got to try Greek olives during our Athens food tour. Whether your favorite kinds of olives are Kalamata olives, Atlas olives or Amfissis olives or Koroneiki olives, you will want to bring some home with you!

Related : How to Say I’m Hungry (learn to say “I’m hungry!” in 21+ different languages, including Greek)

Mountain Tea

A Greek friend recommended we try Mountain Tea (tsai tou vounou) during our trip to Greece. Greek Mountain Tea is also known as Sideritis, ironwort or shepherd’s tea.

The tea is made with handpicked leaves, stems and dried flowers. This tea is naturally caffeine-free and has an earthy, sweet and floral flavor. In Greece, they recommend drinking a cup a day, particularly during the Winter months. If you’re not traveling to Greece any time soon, order some organic Greek Mountain Tea on Amazon. We love it hot and cold!

A woman holding a tray topped with iced tea - Greek Mountain Tea is the perfect Greek souvenir to bring home!

A mati talisman for the evil eye

A mati, or an evil eye, was referenced in Ancient Greece, dating all the way back to the 6th century BC. The belief states that an evil eye curse is caused by any negative emotion such as jealousy or anger. In order to keep an evil eye curse from being placed on you, you can wear a mati talisman as protection.

Anything made from olive wood

Olive wood is a hard and rich colored wood that is perfect to keep long term.

There are so many beautiful treasures created from olive wood in Greece. Some favorites to bring home are salad servers, salad bowls and other serving dishes, cutting boards and spoons.

Our 5 year wedding anniversary is coming up and we brought home a heart shaped olive wood bowl as a special souvenir to mark the occasion, as the traditional wedding gift for the 5th anniversary is wood!

Ouzo

What is ouzo you ask? A dry aperitif made from grapes after they have been used to make wine. It is strong and anise flavored. It’s flavour is similar to French pastis or Italian sambuca.

Ouzo may be an acquired taste. We asked our Instagram audience if they had tried ouzo and if they had enjoyed it. About 70% of people who had tried the traditional Greek liquor had not enjoyed it but 30% loved it. Hugo and I were torn during our time in Greece. I do not like ouzo because I can’t stand liquorice but Hugo enjoyed drinking it.

Worry beads (or Kompoloi)

Worry beads are used in the Greek culture to calm anxiety, pass the time, for enjoyment and for good luck. They are a string of 16 to 20 beads and come in a variety of sizes and colors.

They make an original present or souvenir from Greece.

Greek wine

The Greek wine culture is up and coming as Greek wines are just breaking into the international wine scene. Now is the time to become familiar with different Greek wines and to bring some home to enjoy yourself or to give as a gift.

We went for a wine tasting in Athens and it was so much fun. We learned a ton about the current Greek wine culture and had a great time trying the difference wines. If you are looking for a unique Greek experience in Athens, sign up for a wine tasting experience.

Related : Wine Tasting in Athens Greece