Are you wondering what to buy in Germany? Looking for the perfect German gifts? Look no further than this guide outlining the very best souvenirs from Germany!
In recent years, whenever we’ve travelled to a new country or destination, we’ve decided to buy unique gifts and souvenirs to remember the trip by.
Having said that, I am not one for stock standard souvenirs and prefer to find pieces of interest that are special and unique in their own right.
Throughout our travels, we’ve collected souvenirs from Spain, Greece, Portugal, Italy, France, and many more. These keepsakes have always held a special place in my home and will always evoke truly memorable experiences of my travels to exciting new destinations.
More recently I had the chance to visit Berlin for the very first time and indulged in my penchant for souvenir hunting.
This has inspired me to come up with this list of the best German souvenirs that you can consider buying as gifts from Germany in collaboration with other travel blogs, sharing their top tips and insights into getting the perfect souvenirs from Germany on your next visit!
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12 Best German Gifts & Souvenirs!
Christmas Mug
By Stephanie from The Unknown Enthusiast
One fabulous activity to do in Germany is to visit a Christmas market. These markets happen in cities all over the country, starting at the end of November and ending around Christmas or the end of the year and Germany is known for being one of the best destinations for magical markets over the festive season!
When you visit a Christmas market, you can buy a hot drink to sip while you peruse the stalls and admire the decorations – popular options include gluhwein (hot wine), Heiss chocolate (hot chocolate), or Kinderspunch (non-alcoholic cider).
What makes this experience even more fun is that the drinks are served in ceramic mugs, and each city makes its own unique mug design! Of note is the Cologne Christmas market, which has seven different themed markets in the city, and each market has its own individual mug (e.g. the Angel market has a mug with angels on it, the market with woodland theming has mugs with gnomes on it, etc).
You pay a deposit for the mug (between 3-5 euros), which you get back when you return it after consuming the drink, or you can just keep the mug as a souvenir.
These mugs are breakable, but wrap them in some soft clothes and put them in a carry-on and you should be fine. It’s a perfect souvenir from Germany, as it is both practical and adorable, and will remind you of a very specific experience!
Beer Stein – Souvenirs of Germany
By Nicholas from The World Overload
When travelling through Germany and wanting to get a keepsake of your time in this fun and beautiful country, a beer stein is a top choice.
It’s no secret that beer is one of the most popular drinks in Germany. A traditional beer mug or stein may seem a simple souvenir but what makes it so special is how unique it can be for yourself, family, or friends.
Each stein design can have a different story depending on the German Region, its history, colours, animal wildlife, sports, or holidays. There are so many options it may be difficult to pick just one.
These are easy to buy as you can find them almost anywhere. Bars and restaurants in Germany may sell their own personal stein and you can find others in souvenir shops and speciality liquor marts
The beer stein is also very durable. Made of some strong material, as long as you are normally careful they are easy to transport.
So get out there and start your collection. Even if you aren’t a big beer drinker they are still nice to display. Prost!
Dirndl and Lederhosen
By Melissa from Parenthood and Passports
Perhaps one of the most recognizable country-specific outfits in the world, dirndls and lederhosen make for great souvenirs from Germany. The traditional Bavarian costumes are most widely associated with the Oktoberfest celebration in Munich, but it isn’t uncommon to see men and women in Bavaria sporting these unique outfits on weekends or at celebrations like weddings and parties.
The female costume, a dirndl, is a ruffled dress consisting of a blouse, bodice, and an apron skirt. The male costume, lederhosen, consists of knee-length leather shorts, often paired with suspenders, a white or plaid button-down shirt and wool socks. Although these traditional costumes date back to the 18th century, they are still widely popular in Munich and the surrounding region is known as Bavaria.
In fact, you can find lots of boutiques and even major clothing stores throughout the region selling this unique apparel as German souvenirs. Although authentic dirndls and lederhosen can be pricey, they are keepsakes you’ll always cherish, and possibly pass down for generations to come.
A Piece of the Berlin Wall
By Chris from Around The World With Me
One of the most unique souvenirs you can leave Germany with is a piece of the Berlin Wall. Ok, so maybe it’s not really a piece of the actual Berlin Wall, as that is actually illegal due to the wall’s historical value and significance. But you can tell your friends it is and they won’t think twice. They can’t prove that it’s not from the actual wall, can they?
The majority of the Berlin Wall was torn down in 1991. Since then souvenir stores in Berlin have been selling little chunks of concrete covered in graffiti and encased in glass, claiming they are pieces of the wall. They are almost certainly not, but it’s a cool little uniquely German gift to bring home anyways.
You can get one at pretty much any standard souvenir store on the East Side. The chunk of concrete is small, weighing only about one pound, so it’s easy to toss in your suitcase on the way home. Just make sure to stop at the remaining portions of the actual wall before you leave Berlin!
Cologne – Gifts from Germany
By Kenny from Knycx Journeying
Cologne is a major historic and cultural hub in Germany. Located along the Rhine River, it is a popular destination with an abundance of heritage sites, German landmarks, and museums and shares the passion for food with an exciting selection of dining places. In fact, it has the highest number of pubs per head in the city.
Among the Romanesque churches, modern architecture, and attractions in Cologne, the city has a heritage product that connects deeply with everybody’s everyday life – the Eau de Cologne!
The perfume originated in Cologne in 1709 and the formula became so popular that perfume itself becomes a generic term for many kinds of perfume and fragrance: a concentration of 2 to 5 percent of essential oils mixed with extracts, alcohol, and water.
Cologne 4711 is a traditional brand that was founded in the 18th century and they have been using the same formula for over 200 years. The 4711 stores can be found in many shopping districts in Cologne and the original 4711 store at Glockengasse 4 is a tourist attraction that visitors visit to buy from.
They offer a wide range of choices these days but it was the “4711 Original” selection that is the most beloved among customers, they come with a tiny bottle set that is perfect for giving out as a souvenir to your friends and family back home.
Prune Men “Zwetschgenmännle”
By Laura from Travelers Universe
Zwetschgenmännle are little prune men and women sold at many German and even European Christmas markets. They are originally from Nuremberg and are a cute little souvenir from Germany that won’t take up much space in your luggage.
There are hundreds of such adorable figures, from the classic chimney sweeps to couples kissing, guitar players, travellers, cooks, waiters, and many other professions, so you can really take your pick.
The good thing is that these little figures can last for many years and they are said to bring good luck. If they turn a little grey, that’s only sugar, not mould, and it can be easily removed with a bit of alcohol.
The prune men and women date back to the 18th century, when a father wanted to gift his kids something nice for Christmas, yet all he had was some wire and dry prunes. The result was a heartwarming gift.
Halloren Chocolate
By Annemarie from Germany on the Brain
Especially if you’re a foodie, you cannot not try chocolates in Germany. There are so many different brands and traditional chocolates to choose from. One of the most famous is from the oldest chocolate factory in Germany: Halloren.
They are a kind of round pralines. While the outside is a crispy chocolate coat, the inside comes in two creamy fillings (never liquid). There are various flavours with different combinations and they do limited editions as well, such as liquor fillings, banana split, or chocolate mousse. So far there have been at least 20 flavours.
I highly recommend going for at least the classic one (cream cocoa/”Sahne-Cacao”) as that cannot fail. You can get them in the Kaufland supermarket, for instance.
Or you can visit the actual chocolate factory in the city of Halle. (It has an airport too.) Here’s a fun fact: They produce about 600,000 pralines daily and export to over 50 countries.
If you come to visit Germany for Christmas you can look out for a winter edition and then check out the nearby Halle, and/or Leipzig Christmas market. Definitely worth a visit!
It is a great German souvenir because you can easily share it, i.e. if your giftee opens it while you’re there, they might offer you one of the twelve pralines inside. Plus, they don’t melt easily and come in a pretty sturdy carton box packaging that also looks nice.
Cuckoo Clocks
By Soujanya from The Spicy Journey
The Cuckoo clock – a clock with a pendulum that has a bird making a cuckoo sound on the hour originated in the Black Forest of Germany. In fact, the world’s largest cuckoo clock can be found in a small town called Triberg in Germany‘s black forest. All over Germany, and in the Black Forest, in particular, one can buy these cuckoo clocks as the perfect souvenir from Germany!
The clocks come in a wide price range, starting from €40 and going up to as much as thousands of euros.
These clocks make the perfect souvenir and a great gift to bring back home from Germany. In fact, if bought from a legitimate seller, they even come with a warranty for 1-3 years.
One needs to take great care while carrying these clocks. They usually come packed in a cardboard box without any cushioning. And so some extra work needs to be put in to pack it tightly and securely.
Ampelmann – Souvenirs From Germany
By Ali from Berlin Travel Tips
If your trip to Germany brings you to Berlin, you’ll find lots of great options for souvenirs. One of the more interesting souvenirs from Berlin is anything with the Ampelmann on it, which you can find at the Ampelmann stores.
The Ampelmann is the famous East Berlin crosswalk signal, and it has become a fun symbol of the city. When the city was divided into East and West, each side ended up with different red and green men on the crosswalk signals.
When the Wall came down, they were almost phased out, until a designer fell in love with them. He met with the original inventor of these traffic signals, and the two cooperated to keep them alive. Eventually, the designer opened the first Ampelmann store and began selling items with these iconic crosswalk men on them.
Today there are several of their stores in the city. You can buy all manner of things with the Ampelmann on them. There are typical souvenirs like t-shirts, magnets, mugs, and bags, but also other things like beach chairs, bath towels, stationery, lamps, and Ampelmann-shaped candies or pasta. You can even find some items with the Ampelfrau, a female version.
Many of the items you can buy are small and easy to pack and take home with you. If you buy something breakable, wrap it well so it doesn’t break, and if possible, transport it in your carry on bag.
Lebkuchen
By Shireen from The Happy Days Travels
If you’re visiting Germany and aren’t sure of the culinary options for souvenirs, Lebkuchen will solve this issue.
Lebkuchen is a sweet, gingerbread-like cookie, often in a love heart shape, and largely associated with Germany and Christmas but you can find it at markets all year, especially in places like Nuremberg where they pride themselves on having among the best in the country.
In Nuremberg, the treats are known as ‘Elisenlebkuchen’ as it contains no less than 25% nuts (with some places even boasting 40% nuts).
This can be found everywhere in different shapes with elaborate designs and decorations. In some places, you can ask for a design such as your name to be put on the cookie as a perfect souvenir from Germany. That is if you can resist not eating it before you make it home. And although it is not a keepsake, it will remain a keepsake in your memory and tastebuds!
Meissen China
By Carole from Travels with Carole
Called “white gold,” German porcelain makes a wonderful, though pricey, souvenir from Germany. My preference is a hand-painted cup and saucer to savour my tea each morning, however a bountiful selection of other items are available–think sugar bowls, serving plates, and figurines.
When visiting Dresden or Leipzig, an excursion to select your own souvenir in the romantic little town of Meissen is a must. Europe’s first hard porcelain was discovered there in 1708, and the Meissen State Porcelain Manufactory is the first and oldest in Europe.
The berg is just 16 miles from Dresden, about a half-hour down the River Elbe. A guided tour is available that features viewing demonstrations and museum exhibits, and a cafe serves snacks on Meissen porcelain.
But perhaps best of all is an outlet store, though even at discount it bears sky-high prices. The shop will pack your selection securely, or ship it home for you.
Haribo Candies – Tasty Things To Buy From Germany
By Erie from Everywhere Ontario
HARIBO gummy bears might just be the tastiest souvenir you can bring back from Germany. Originating from a small family kitchen in Bonn, Germany, HARIBO has been making some of the world’s favourite candies since 1920. Its most famous contribution to the world of confectioneries is the classic gummy bear, invented exactly 100 years ago!
You might be wondering why you would want to bring back HARIBO from Germany when you could technically find these sweets in other countries and claim them as a gift from Canada, the United States, or other parts of Europe.
While you can often find some varieties in other countries, there’s something especially unique about bringing back the HARIBO from its very birthplace. With unique varieties like “Salz Brezeln” (salty pretzel flavoured gummies) to “Frohe Weihnachten” Christmas gummies, to the most famous Goldbears, HARIBO is a crowd-pleasing gift for friends and family back home, easy to find at the supermarket, and lightweight for packing in your luggage.
HARIBO is also an affordable souvenir that’s perfect for anyone and everyone on your gift list…or just to keep for yourself! After all, their slogan says it best: “Kids and grown-ups love it so…the happy world of Haribo!”
