Clear the mantelpiece! The ‘ultimate’ souvenirs to buy in 12 capital cities revealed, from a Christmas ornament in Washington DC and a Hamleys bear in London
- In Dublin, researchers say the best souvenir is soap from Sweny’s Pharmacy
- When in Budapest, tourists should pick up a bottle of Hungarian lavender oil
- The ultimate souvenir in Berlin is a Buddy Bear figurine, say researchers
The ‘ultimate’ souvenirs to buy in capital cities across the world have been revealed.
And they include a miniature house in Amsterdam, a Hamleys teddy bear in London and a White House-endorsed Christmas ornament in Washington DC.
Researchers, commissioned by loveholidays, asked tourist authorities in 50 capitals around the globe what holidaymakers should buy as a memento of visiting their city.
Suggestions also included lemon-scented soap in Dublin and lavender oil in Budapest.
Plus peeing statues in Brussels.
Scroll down to see the buys in 12 of the most popular capitals on the list that no self-respecting mantelpiece should be without…
According to research, tourists in Copenhagen should buy one of these figures by Danish design firm Hoptimist. They were first created in the 1960s as part of a ‘happiness movement’
In Brussels tourists should pick up a miniature figure of the city’s famous Manneken Pis statue. The statue, of a little boy peeing into a fountain, is one of the most popular attractions in the Belgian capital
In London, researchers say that the best souvenir is a teddy bear, left, from the famous toy shop Hamleys. The store has been located on London’s Regent Street since 1881. When visiting Amsterdam, researchers found that the top souvenir is a mini grachtenpand (canal house), pictured right. These historic houses line the city’s canals and have become a symbol of the Netherlands
Worry beads with evil eye pendants have been recommended as the best souvenir in the Greek capital. The beads are said to ward off negative energy and can be bought at flea markets
The Eiffel Tower is the most instantly recognisable sight in Paris and researchers found the best souvenir to pick up in the French capital is a small model of it, left, from the Les Parisettes store. Buddy Bear statues first started appearing across Berlin in 2001 as symbols of friendliness and optimism. Researchers found that miniature figurines of the bears, with a Brandenburg Gate design, pictured right, are the best souvenirs to purchase in the German capital
According to the study, the best souvenir to pick up in Dublin is a bar of lemon-scented soap from Sweny’s Pharmacy. The pharmacy, which is now a second-hand bookshop, features in the James Joyce novel, Ulysses
The El Oso y el Madroño statue (Statue of the Bear and the Strawberry Tree) is one of the most popular sights in Madrid. A miniature version of the statue, left, is the best souvenir to purchase in the Spanish capital, according to the research. Pictured right is lavender oil, which is the best souvenir to buy in Budapest. Hungary has many lavender fields
The best souvenir from Washington D.C. is the Christmas ornament commissioned each year by the White House Historical Association, according to the research. They can be purchased at the White House Visitor Center or in any of the city’s gift shops. Pictured is the 2019 version of the ornament
While in Helsinki, tourists should buy a Finnish-made mug as a souvenir, researchers found. The mugs are long-lasting and traditionally passed down through families. This mug is decorated with the mischievous Moomin character Stinky