23 Memorable Berlin Souvenirs to Bring Home With You (+ ones to skip)

Are you looking for the perfect souvenirs from Berlin to remember your trip to this amazing city? I’ve put together a list of the best Berlin souvenirs so you don’t miss out on the perfect keepsake to bring home with you.

Some of the items on this list are typical touristy things, while others are more unique local souvenirs you might not know about. You’ll find some Berlin souvenirs that you can hang onto forever, but also food and drinks to consume when you’re home and wishing you were back in Berlin.

Here’s my recommendations for what to buy in Berlin as souvenirs to bring home from your trip.

Tips for bringing souvenirs home from Berlin

Some items on this list are food or alcohol. If this is the type of souvenir you end up buying, there are a few things to keep in mind when taking them home, such as customs fees and how to pack them.

US Customs

If you are traveling back to the US with alcoholic beverages, the duty free limit is pretty low, usually 1 liter. If you bring back more than that, you will be charged customs duties.

However, the charges are usually pretty low, a small amount per liter, so I wouldn’t let this stop you from bringing home a few bottles of something you really enjoy. Keep your receipts, and see here for info about US customs.

Also note that certain food items are restricted, such as meats, fruits, vegetables, and cannot be brought into the US.

If you’re from another country, you’ll need to check with your government’s rules.

Protecting your bottles

Unless you’re buying something that’s 100ml (3.4 ounces) or smaller, you’ll need to pack it in your checked luggage to get it home. You’ll need to pack it really well to be sure it doesn’t break in your bag.

Best souvenirs from Berlin

Often the best souvenirs are memories, but it doesn’t hurt to have a fun physical reminder of a wonderful trip. From traditional souvenirs to quirky and unique items, I’ve got a helpful list of Berlin souvenir ideas for you here.

Ampelmann souvenirs

East Berlin’s crosswalk signals are iconic, so it’s no surprise they make for popular souvenirs. The Ampelmann store is the place to go for Berlin souvenirs with the recognizable red and green men on them.

Here you can buy anything imaginable with an Ampelmann on it. From key chains and magnets to t-shirts and bags and everything in between, you’re sure to find something you like.

The Ampelmann store has several locations, all near important Berlin landmarks, so they’re easy to find. Their flagship store is at the intersection of Unter den Linden and Friedrichstr., where the first Ampelmann signal was installed.

Berlin fun fact: Many people will tell you to look at the crosswalk signals to determine if you’re standing in the former East or West because they claim these Ampelmännchen are only in the East.

This is not true! While you will see more traditional-looking crosswalk signals in the West, I have definitely seen the eastern types while firmly standing in western parts of the city.

Berlin Ubahn Tshirts

The Berlin transportation system has 9 Ubahn lines, and a t-shirt with your favorite Ubahn line is a great souvenir. You can buy these at souvenir shops or certain Sunday flea markets, like Mauerpark or Boxhagener Platz.

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Items with the Berlin skyline

While visiting Berlin, you probably saw lots of bucket list attractions such as the TV Tower, Brandenburg Gate, and the Berlin Cathedral. These and many other buildings make up the unique Berlin skyline.

Why not pick up a souvenir from Berlin with the city’s skyline? You can find t-shirts, canvas tote bags, and lots of other items depicting the Berlin skyline.

Spreewald pickles

The Spreewald is forest south of Berlin, and it’s a UNESCO protected biosphere. A day trip to the Spreewald is a popular thing to do if you have enough time in your Berlin itinerary.

One of the things this gorgeous forest is known for is its delicious pickles. If you make it down to the Spreewald, be sure to try some.

But even if you don’t get a chance to visit, you’ll still find these pickles in Berlin. They’re a great Berlin souvenir that represents the local region.

Berliner Luft liquor

If liquor is your thing, you should really try Berliner Luft while you’re here. This is a local peppermint flavored schnapps you’ll find in pretty much any grocery store or convenience store.

There are a few other flavors, but the peppermint is the classic one.

Berliner Luft comes in full sized bottles and small bottles, and you’ll also find some bottles in the shape of Berlin landmarks like Brandenburger Tor or the Berlin TV Tower. I think they’re great souvenirs from Berlin.

>>Read: 101 Fun and Essential Things to do in Berlin

Spree Gin

For all you gin lovers, Spree Gin is one to try. It’s another locally made liquor that uses cucumbers from the Spreewald.

It’s also organic. This high quality regional specialty item is the perfect Berlin souvenir for gin drinkers, or bring some home as a gift.

Other locally made liquor

Aside from the two liquors mentioned above, there are lots of other locally made liquors in Berlin that you can take home as souvenirs. You can find various types of gin, vodka, rum, and schnapps at local shops, KaDeWe, markets, and more.

O’Donnell Moonshine is one to look for. They have a shop on Niederbarnimstr., not far from Boxhagener Platz. Not far from there, on Boxhagenerstr., is Cadenheads Whisky Shop, which sells much more than just whisky.

Chocolate

Germany is a wonderful place for chocolate, and local chocolate can be a tasty souvenir from Berlin. Luckily there’s a lot to choose from.

Belyzium is a local company making artisanal chocolate in small batches with a tree to bean to bar approach. The beans are organically grown in Belize, and there’s a strong emphasis on quality.

Another great option is Rausch Schokoladenhaus located near Gendarmenmarkt. They sell high quality delicious chocolates in a huge store with everything imaginable, including giant chocolate replicas of famous places in Berlin, like Brandenburg Gate and the Reichstag Building.

Rausch also has a cafe on the upper level where you can stop for a break from seeing Berlin’s top attractions and enjoy some delicious treats. Afterwards, pick up a bunch of chocolate from the shop to bring home as a souvenir from Berlin.

Ritter Sport is a well known German chocolate brand that you’ll find in any grocery store. They also have a shop not far from Gendarmenmarkt where you can learn about the chocolate making process, and they have a make-your-own chocolate bar option.

Aside from these German brands, even buying Milka or the generic grocery store brand of chocolate will taste better than a Hershey’s bar. I seriously can’t even eat Hershey’s anymore, and I happily enjoy Milka and store brand chocolate regularly.

Records

It might not be Berlin-specific, but there are lots of flea market stalls and vintage record shops in Berlin. If you’re a fan of playing music on records, or even just collecting records, Berlin is a great place to find them.

And even if it doesn’t have the word Berlin splashed across it, you’ll always know you bought that record while visiting this wonderful city.

Buddy bears

The symbol of Berlin is a bear, and you’ll see Buddy Bears in various places around the city. Buddy Bears started about 20 years ago as an artistic initiative that symbolize peace, tolerance, and international understanding.

Now you’ll find around 140 of them representing countries from around the world displayed at Tierpark, the zoo in the east. There are also lots of others spread around the city (and actually in other parts of the world too) and you’re likely to see a few on your trip to Berlin.

Many souvenir shops carry smaller versions of these bears that you can buy as souvenirs from Berlin. They come in several different sizes, plus they have mugs, bags, stationery, and more.

Items from boutique stores

Berlin has a lot more boutique stores than you might be used to back home, and you can find some really interesting items in these shops. Venture just a little ways from the big tourist sights, and you’re sure to find some cute stores.

The Hackescher Markt area has some interesting shopping areas, though there are some chain stores there too. There are quite a few good shops near Boxhagener Platz in Friedrichshain and near Schönhauser Allee in Prenzlauer Berg.

You might not find too many items that say Berlin on them, but you’ll go home with a souvenir from Berlin that reminds you of your trip and has a little more meaning for you.

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Join the Facebook group here to chat with Ali (she runs this site) and other people who have been to Berlin for tips.

Local honey

Honey from local producers is another great souvenir to buy in Berlin. You can find some really high quality honey at grocery stores, fresh markets, and even stores like KaDeWe.

I personally like buying from local fresh markets because then you can talk to the seller about the different types they have. They’ll help you pick out a variety you’ll enjoy.

Local food products

A store called Eat Berlin sells local food products that can be purchased as fun Berlin souvenirs. They have interesting hot sauces, curry sauce, liquor, spice blends, coffee, and much more.

One location is at Hackesche Höfe, Hof 4, Rosenthaler Str. 40 in Mitte, and the other is in the East Side Mall near the Warschauer Str S&U station, not far from the East Side Gallery.

Berlin craft beer

Berlin has lots of excellent craft beer, and I hope you get have time to explore a few of the different craft beer bars in Berlin. Many of these bars and breweries can sell you bottles of their beer to take home with you.

Just make sure you pack carefully so the glass doesn’t break.

High quality Berlin souvenirs made in Germany

For more Berlin souvenirs that are actually made in Germany, check out the store Promobo. They have lots of Berlin themed items, such as bags, mugs, key holders, and more.

Many of the items are created using unusual materials such as recycled tires, artificial turf, wood, or cork. They’re made in local workshops by individual crafts people around the country.

Promobo has several stores in Berlin, including one at the Berlin airport.

Handicraft items and art from local markets

Local markets are great places to buy souvenirs from Berlin, and they might mean more to you than a generic key chain. The options are endless, and you never know what you might find.

Flea markets are a good option on Sundays, but often at fresh markets, you’ll find stalls selling non-food items. Handcrafted soaps, handmade bags, artwork from local artists, and so many other great things are just waiting to be found.

Mauerpark hosts the most well known flea market in Berlin on Sundays, but be sure to wander away from the sections selling traditional mass produced souvenirs.

Other great options are the markets at Boxhagener Platz (Saturday for the fresh market, Sunday for the flea market), Winterfeldplatz on Saturdays, and the Berlin Art Market between the German History Museum and Museum Island on weekends.

DDR nostalgia items

DDR stands for Deutsches Demokratische Republik, or East Germany. And since East Germany is still clear in the memories of many people, there is a bit of nostalgia (or Ostalgia…Ost means East in German…cheesy, I know) around items from the Cold War.

Flea markets and antique stores will sometimes still have vintage items from the time before the Wall fell. Or you can seek out photography from that era.

At some popular tourist spots, you’re likely to see guys with a bunch of Soviet items like hats, gas masks, helmets. Maybe there were real ones for sale shortly after the Wall fell, but these are clearly fakes.

Keep hunting for more authentic items if this interests you. The Antikmarkt flea market at Ostbahnhof on Sundays is a good place to start your search.

>>Check out our list of the best World War II and Cold War sites in Berlin.

Bier steins

Bavaria is much more famous for bier steins, so if you’re planning a trip to Berlin and Munich or another part of Bavaria, it’s probably better to buy a stein there instead of in Berlin.

But if you’re only visiting Berlin, you might want to pick up a traditional bier stein. Your options include buying one from a souvenir shop, which probably isn’t so authentic and might even be made somewhere other than Germany.

Another option is to try your luck at flea markets, antique markets, and other places that sell second hand items. It means you might not find what you’re looking for, but if you do find something, it’s likely to be quite interesting.

German wine

Germany’s most famous wine is Riesling, which comes from the western part of the country, although there are many other types produced in Germany. Even if you aren’t visiting the wine region on your trip to Germany, wine could still be a great souvenir for wine lovers.

You’ll find lots of small specialty wine shops in Berlin, but you can also buy some interesting and inexpensive German wine in grocery stores. Some stores even have organic varieties (look for the word Bio when you want organic in Germany), and they always list the country of origin.

Want something not as famous as Riesling?

Look for wine from the Franconian region of Bavaria, which comes in a different shaped bottle than most other wines. The bottle is somewhat flat and spherical with a short neck, the shape is protected under European law.

Coffee

Berlin loves coffee, and there are some great local coffee roasters where you can buy beans to take home with you. The Barn, Five Elephant, Vote Coffee, and Coffee Circle are just a few popular choices, but there are plenty of others to choose from around Berlin.

Piece of the Berlin Wall

I’m a bit of a skeptic when it comes to the authenticity of pieces of the Berlin Wall being sold as souvenirs. I tend to assume they’re all fakes.

But as I did some research about this, it turns out some of them might actually be real. This article talks about a man who bought up a bunch of slabs of the Wall in the early days after it fell, and he’s been selling them in tiny pieces as Berlin souvenirs ever since.

>>Check out this list of places where you can see the Berlin Wall.

So if this is of interest to you, and you don’t mind never really knowing how authentic your chunk of concrete is, a piece of the Berlin Wall could be a fun souvenir to bring home from Berlin. Look for them at souvenir shops.

Another option is if you book a room and stay at the Westin Grand Hotel Berlin here, they actually have a section of the Wall that you can chip away at to get a piece to bring home with you. Just make sure to contact the hotel ahead of your stay to book your Berlin Wall chipping experience.

An unusual find from a flea market

I know I’ve mentioned flea markets several times already, but there are just so many great things you can buy there. And while some are more obvious items to buy as souvenirs, many are not.

Often the best souvenirs you can buy from a trip are items that you find valuable or useful. Something quirky or interesting that you pick up at a flea market will feel more special to you as a reminder of Berlin because they aren’t mass produced souvenirs.

Take a leisurely stroll through one of the many flea markets and Berlin, and see if something catches your eye.

Christmas ornaments or decorations

Christmastime in Germany is very festive, and if you’re visiting during that time, don’t miss the Berlin Christmas markets. Not only are they so much fun, but they’re a great place to buy souvenirs from Berlin.

You can find Christmas ornaments or other Christmas decorations at any Christmas market. They also sell other things that could be nice souvenirs, like winter hats, wooden toys, or chocolates.

>>Check out our packing list for winter in Berlin and guide to what to wear in Berlin in winter and our guide for things to do in winter in Berlin.

Souvenirs NOT to bring home from Berlin

Aside from those fake Soviet items I mentioned above, another thing you should avoid bringing home from Berlin to the US is Kinder Eggs. These are chocolate eggs with tiny toys inside of them.

The US has decided these tiny toys are choking hazards, and and as a result, you are not allowed to bring Kinder Eggs into the US. They will be confiscated, and in theory, you could get in trouble.

And one more word about pieces of the Berlin Wall: Do not try to chisel off a piece to keep. Any remaining sections of the Wall are now protected monuments, and carving out a chunk could get you fined or even land you in jail. Don’t do it.

There are plenty of other things to buy in Berlin that will be memorable and won’t get you in trouble.

Berlin Travel Resources

I want you to have the best trip to Berlin, and hopefully this guide to the best Berlin souvenirs is helpful. But there are lots more tips on the site!