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8 Crafty Ways to Display Travel Keepsakes

Caroline Morse Teel

Caroline Morse Teel is the Managing Editor for SmarterTravel Media. Follow her on Instagram @TravelWithCaroline .

Caroline joined Boston-based SmarterTravel in 2011 after living in Ireland, London, and Manhattan. She's traveled to all seven continents, jumped out of planes, and bungeed off bridges in the pursuit of a good story. She loves exploring off-the-beaten path destinations, anything outdoorsy, and all things adventure.

Her stories have also appeared online at USA Today, Business Insider, Huffington Post, Yahoo, Boston.com, TripAdvisor, Buzzfeed, Jetsetter, Oyster, Airfarewatchdog, and others.

The Handy Item I Always Pack : "Earplugs. A good pair has saved my sleep and sanity many times!"

Ultimate Bucket List Experience : Hiking Mount Kilimanjaro.

Travel Motto : "Don't be boring."

Aisle, Window, or Middle Seat : "Aisle (when the first class private suite isn't available)."

E-mail her at [email protected] .

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We’ve all been there: After a trip, you find ticket stubs, room keys, and other souvenirs in your pockets and bags for weeks. It seems like a shame to toss all those memories away, but keeping them in a box just adds to the clutter. The enforced time at home during the COVID-19 pandemic is a good excuse to finally get all your travel mementos in order. Here are eight cool ways to display your travel keepsakes.

Three-Ring Binder

There are plenty of decorative binders out there that don’t look like you stole them from the office supply closet. Find one you love, or create a personalized cover for one using travel photos. Then, take all of your paper mementos—postcards, brochures, restaurant menus, etc.—and punch holes in them. Soon you’ll have a library full of binders from all your trips. Find instructions here .

Want to remember that beautiful white-sand or black-sand beach forever? Scoop up a little bit to take home with you (and maybe some shells, too) if that’s permitted at your beach. Use your souvenir sand to partially fill up a glass mason jar . Insert a photo in the jar and maybe some shells or other memorabilia. See how to do it (and how to protect the photo in the jar) here .

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Make a Ticket Collage

Put your tickets on display by making a collage. You can use ones from events, flights, and more. Best of all, it’s easy and cheap to do. All you need is a frame and a map. Use the map as a solid background, and then overlay your tickets on top. See some examples here .

Got bulkier objects that you want to show off, like coins or even an old passport? Get a shadow box , a type of frame that lets you fit way more than a photo inside. Find ideas and instructions here .

If you’d rather get crafty on your phone or computer, turn your travel snaps into a photo book from Shutterfly . You can customize photo sizes, layouts, captions, backgrounds, and more, and then add a memorabilia pocket to store boarding passes, tickets, or other mementos.

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Room-Key Magnets

If you ask nicely, most hotels will let you keep those cheap plastic room keys. Once you’ve stockpiled a few, all you need is some magnetic tape to turn your keys into refrigerator magnets. Now every time you look at your fridge, you’ll be reminded of all of the amazing places you’ve stayed. You can also create magnets out of other memorabilia, such as casino chips, as shown here .

Fillable Ornaments

Wound up with a handful of foreign currency that you can’t bear to throw away? Grab some of these fillable ornaments and add in your coins for a sentimental decoration.

Passport Art

This project requires some crafting skills, but the end result will be more than worth it. Basically, photocopy and enlarge your favorite stamps from your passport, and transfer them onto wooden panels . Here’s what it looks like when it’s all done (plus detailed instructions).

More from SmarterTravel:

• 7 Travel Decor Ideas to Make Your Home Feel Like Your Favorite Place
• 6 Cozy Ways to Feel Like You’re on Vacation at Home
• 5 Ways to Make Your Bedroom Feel Like a Hotel Room

Editor’s note: This story was originally published in 2015. It has been updated to reflect the most current information .

We hand-pick everything we recommend and select items through testing and reviews. Some products are sent to us free of charge with no incentive to offer a favorable review. We offer our unbiased opinions and do not accept compensation to review products. All items are in stock and prices are accurate at the time of publication. If you buy something through our links, we may earn a commission.

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August 9, 2022

4 Creative Things To Do With Your Travel Mementos

Traveling is awesome for many reasons. You get to explore new places, meet new people, and learn about different cultures. Then after all that, you get mementos you can bring home with you and keep forever.

And instead of letting your travel mementos sit in a dusty box, here are 4 tips on how to get creative and put them to good use.

Make a Photo Book

Pictures are a top travel memento, and a photo book is a great way to display them. With a photo book, you get to relive all the amazing moments from your trip not just by yourself but with your friends, family, colleagues- really anyone who visits.

Plus, photo books can be displayed stylishly in different ways. On your coffee table for instance. Or, if you’re really looking to get organized, as part of a home library where each book is themed by country, region or city.

To make a photo book, simply gather up all the photos you want to include, choose a quality printing service , and follow the instructions on their website.

Create a Travel Map

If you love maps, this is one of the best ways to show off all the places you’ve been. It’s also another great interior design decor piece. You can hang it on an accent wall for instance.

There are all sorts of ways to make a travel map, but one of the simplest is to get a world map poster and use stickers, pins or washi tape to mark all the places you’ve been.

If you want something a bit more sophisticated, you can try your hand at calligraphy and hand-letter each destination. Or, take things a step further and use 3D letters to create a raised effect.

Make a Food Scrapbook

Food is a big part of travel , so why not bring the flavors of your favorite destinations home with you? If your travels were more about experiencing different foods rather than different locations, this is a perfect way to show off your mementos.

Start by gathering up all the photos, recipes, ticket stubs, food wrappers, etc you collected on your trip. Then, create a simple layout in a word processing program or use a design template to make things easier. First, organize the recipes. Then, include the other mementos creatively in the rest of the book. For instance, you can include them in a zigzag shape throughout the food scrapbook.

Make Fridge Magnets

Fridge magnets have been used to display achievements, family photos, quirky art, etc for decades. Why not add your travel mementos to the mix?

You can make fridge magnets out of just about any of your mementos- from postcards and photos, to ticket stubs and maps. All you need is a strong adhesive and something to cut the shapes out with.

Your travel mementos should be treated like the valuables they are. There are all sorts of ways to display and store them, and it’s important to find a method that works for you. Experiment with these ideas until you find something you love.

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Creative Ways to Organize Your Travel Souvenirs and Mementos

Traveling is a wonderful experience that allows us to explore new cultures, discover breathtaking landscapes, and create lasting memories. And what better way to capture those memories than by collecting souvenirs from our journeys? From postcards and magnets to local crafts and trinkets, these mementos serve as tangible reminders of the places we have visited and the adventures we have had.

However, as our collection of travel souvenirs grows, it can become overwhelming to find a way to organize and display them . In this article, we will explore creative ways to organize your travel souvenirs, allowing you to showcase your cherished memories in a unique and personalized manner. Whether you’re a seasoned globetrotter or an occasional traveler, these ideas will inspire you to create a meaningful and visually appealing display that reflects your wanderlust and love for exploration.

Table of Contents

Key takeaways.

• Shadow Box Displays: Showcase souvenirs and create separate displays for different trips or themes.
• Memory Jars: Preserve souvenirs in personalized travel keepsake boxes.
• Scrapbook Pages: Create captivating scrapbook pages with a theme and include vintage postcards.
• Travel Map Wall Art: Use a large map to attach souvenirs to corresponding locations for a fun and unique display.

Shadow Box Displays

Shadowbox displays are a great way to showcase your travel souvenirs and mementos. These unique and creative souvenir storage solutions provide a beautiful way to preserve your precious memories from your adventures around the world.

Travel shadow boxes are essentially framed display case that allows you to arrange and exhibit your souvenirs in a visually appealing manner. Whether it’s seashells from a beach vacation or postcards from your favorite city, a shadow box allows you to create a personalized and meaningful display that tells the story of your travels.

The beauty of shadow box displays lies in their versatility. You can choose from a variety of sizes and shapes, allowing you to customize your display based on the number and size of your souvenirs. Some shadow boxes even come with multiple compartments, giving you the opportunity to create separate displays for different trips or themes.

To create a captivating shadow box, begin by selecting a theme or color scheme that resonates with the memories you wish to showcase. Then, arrange your souvenirs in a visually pleasing manner, using adhesive or small pins to secure them in place. Consider adding labels or captions to provide additional context and make your display even more informative.

By investing in travel shadow boxes, you not only create a stunning piece of home decor but also preserve and cherish your travel memories for years to come. These displays serve as a constant reminder of the incredible experiences and adventures that have shaped you as a person.

Memory Jars

Souvenir display ideas will inspire you to showcase your favorite travel keepsakes in unique and eye-catching ways. DIY memory jars will allow you to preserve your memories in a beautiful and personal manner. Whether you’re a seasoned traveler or just starting your collection, these ideas will help you cherish your travel memories for years to come.

Souvenir Display Ideas

One of the best ways to showcase your travel souvenirs is by creating a unique and personalized display . Not only does it allow you to cherish your memories, but it also adds a touch of personality to your home decor.

Stunning Souvenir Display Ideas:

• Souvenir Shadowboxes: Display your favorite souvenirs, such as seashells, postcards, or small trinkets, in a shadowbox. Arrange them creatively and add labels or captions to enhance the storytelling aspect.
• Travel Journal Organization: Use a beautiful journal or scrapbook to document your travel experiences. Add ticket stubs, maps, and photographs to create a visual representation of your adventures. You can also include handwritten notes and reflections to make it even more personal.
• Wall Collage: Create a collage on your wall using frames or pinboards. Arrange your souvenirs, such as photographs, postcards, or small objects, in an artistic manner. This will not only showcase your memories but also become a conversation starter for guests.
• Display Shelves: Install floating shelves on your wall and arrange your souvenirs on them. Mix and match different items, such as figurines, magnets, or mini sculptures, to create a visually appealing display. You can also add small plants or candles to add a touch of nature.

DIY Memory Jar

To create a sentimental keepsake, gather small trinkets from your travels and place them in a DIY memory jar. This simple and creative project allows you to preserve your cherished memories in a unique and visually appealing way. A DIY memory jar is a perfect travel keepsake box that can be personalized to reflect your own style and experiences.

Step-by-step guide to creating your own DIY memory jar:

• Find a clear glass jar with a lid. This will serve as the base for your memory jar.
• Decorate the jar with stickers, ribbons, or paint to give it a personalized touch.
• Collect small trinkets from your travels such as seashells, ticket stubs, postcards, or even sand from different beaches.
• Arrange the trinkets in the jar, creating layers and ensuring that each item is visible.
• Secure the lid tightly and display your DIY memory jar in a prominent place, such as a shelf or a mantelpiece.

This DIY memory jar will not only serve as a beautiful decoration but also as a tangible reminder of your wonderful travel experiences. So start collecting those trinkets and get creative with your own travel keepsake box!

Scrapbook Pages

There’s nothing quite like flipping through a scrapbook and reliving your travel memories. The colorful pages filled with photographs, tickets, and handwritten notes transport you back to those special moments. Creating scrapbook layouts is a creative and personalized way to organize your travel souvenirs and mementos.

Ways to create captivating scrapbook pages:

• Choose a theme: Decide on a theme for each page to create cohesion and tell a story. It could be based on a specific trip, a particular city, or even a memorable event.
• Include vintage postcards: Vintage postcards add a nostalgic touch to your scrapbook pages. Look for postcards featuring iconic landmarks or beautiful scenery from your travels.
• Experiment with different layouts: Don’t be afraid to get creative with your page layouts. Try using different shapes, sizes, and angles for your photos and mementos. Use colorful papers, washi tapes, and stickers to add visual interest.
• Tell the story: Write captions or journal entries to accompany your photos. Describe the sights, sounds, and emotions you experienced during your travels. This will help you and others remember the details and relive the moments.

Travel Map Wall Art

Creating a travel map wall art is a fun and unique way to showcase your wanderlust and the places you’ve been. This DIY memento craft combines your love for travel with your creative side, resulting in a beautiful and personalized piece of artwork that will surely be a conversation starter.

To start, you’ll need a large map of the world or a specific region that you want to highlight. You can find printable maps online or purchase them at a local store. Gather your travel souvenirs and mementos, such as postcards, photos, tickets, and small trinkets. These will be used to mark the places you’ve visited on the map.

Using adhesive or pins, attach your souvenirs to the corresponding locations on the map. Get creative with how you display them – you can use different colored pins or arrange them in a visually appealing way. Consider adding labels or captions to provide more information about each destination.

Once you’ve finished attaching your souvenirs, frame the map and hang it on your wall. This travel map artwork will serve as a constant reminder of your adventures and inspire you to continue exploring the world. It’s also a great way to share your travel stories with others who visit your home.

DIY Photo Albums

Get ready to preserve your cherished memories in a unique and personal way by making your own DIY photo albums. Creating travel photo albums is not only a great way to showcase your favorite moments from your adventures, but it also allows you to relive those special memories whenever you want.

Here are some tips to help you get started on your DIY travel keepsakes:

• Choose a theme: Decide on a theme for each album, whether it’s based on a specific trip, a particular country, or a collection of your favorite landscapes. This will help you organize your photos and create a cohesive aesthetic.
• Gather your materials: Invest in high-quality photo paper, adhesive, and album covers. You can also add decorative elements like stickers, washi tape, and captions to personalize your albums even more.
• Design your layouts: Arrange your photos in a way that tells a story. Mix and match different sizes and orientations to create visual interest. Don’t forget to leave space for captions or handwritten notes to accompany each image.
• Add extra touches: Enhance your albums with ticket stubs, postcards, and other souvenirs that you collected during your travels. These little mementos will bring your memories to life and make your albums truly unique.

Display Shelves

Looking for stylish storage solutions that also double as decorative pieces? Display shelves are the perfect answer. Not only do they provide a practical way to keep your belongings organized, but they also offer the opportunity to showcase cherished memories and personalize your space.

With customizable display options, you can arrange your shelves to perfectly fit your needs and create a visually stunning display that reflects your unique style.

Stylish Storage Solutions

To keep your travel souvenirs organized in a stylish way, you can easily incorporate decorative baskets or bins into your home decor. Not only will these storage solutions help you stay organized, but they will also add a touch of charm and character to your space.

Travel-inspired decor ideas to consider:

• Woven baskets: Opt for baskets made from natural materials like seagrass or rattan. These give off a bohemian vibe and are perfect for storing smaller souvenirs like postcards or keychains.
• Vintage suitcases: Repurpose old suitcases as storage containers. Stack them up to create a unique and functional display. They can hold larger items such as maps, travel journals, or even clothing.
• Wooden crates: Find vintage crates or create your own using reclaimed wood. These rustic storage solutions are perfect for displaying larger souvenirs like globes or framed photographs.
• Travel-themed boxes: Look for decorative boxes with travel motifs or maps. These can be used to store smaller items like tickets, coins, or jewelry.

Showcase Cherished Memories

Now that you’ve found stylish storage solutions for your travel souvenirs, it’s time to showcase those cherished memories and sentimental keepsakes. Displaying your mementos not only adds a personal touch to your space but also allows you to relive those special moments whenever you glance at them.

To help you get started, here’s a table with three creative ways to showcase your travel souvenirs:

Customizable Display Options

You can personalize your display options to showcase your unique style and preferences. Whether you’re a minimalist, a maximalist, or somewhere in between, there are plenty of ways to arrange your travel souvenirs and mementos to create a visually appealing and meaningful display.

Here are four ideas to get you started:

• Customizable Shelves: Invest in shelves that can be adjusted and rearranged to accommodate your collection of travel treasures. This way, you can easily change the layout whenever you want to switch things up.
• Travel-Themed Photo Albums: Create a photo album dedicated to each destination you’ve visited. Fill them with your favorite pictures, ticket stubs, postcards, and other memorabilia. Display the albums on a coffee table or bookshelf, allowing guests to flip through and experience your adventures.
• Shadow Boxes: Showcase specific memories or themes by creating shadow boxes. Frame your favorite travel souvenirs, such as seashells, maps, coins, or even a small piece of fabric from a local market. Hang them on the wall or place them on a mantel for a unique and personal touch.
• Collage Wall: Create a collage wall using a mix of framed photos, postcards, and other travel-related items. Arrange them in a visually pleasing way, mixing sizes, shapes, and colors. This wall will serve as a daily reminder of your adventures and add a touch of wanderlust to your space.

Travel-themed Shadow Boxes

One popular option for displaying your travel souvenirs and mementos is to create travel-themed shadow boxes. These unique and customizable display cases allow you to showcase your cherished items in a creative and organized way. With travel-themed shadow boxes, you can create a miniaturized world that captures the essence of your adventures.

There are countless travel-themed shadow box ideas to choose from. You could arrange your souvenirs according to the countries or cities you’ve visited, or you could focus on specific themes like food, landmarks, or transportation. For example, you could use a vintage map as the background of your shadow box and arrange small replicas of famous landmarks or local delicacies. You could also add small trinkets like plane tickets, postcards, or shells to add an extra layer of nostalgia and authenticity.

The beauty of travel-themed shadow boxes is that they serve as a visual reminder of your adventures, allowing you to relive those special moments and share them with others. Plus, they make for stunning wall decorations that will impress your guests and spark interesting conversations.

Memory Boxes

Consider using a memory box to preserve and showcase your cherished keepsakes and treasured memories. A memory box is a great way to keep your travel mementos organized and protected.

Here are some tips to help you with memory box organization and preserving your travel memories:

• Choose the right box : Look for a sturdy and durable box that is large enough to hold all your travel souvenirs. You can find memory boxes in various sizes and designs, so pick one that reflects your personal style.
• Sort and categorize : Before placing your travel mementos in the memory box, take some time to sort and categorize them. Separate your items by destination, type, or theme. This will make it easier to find specific memories later on.
• Protect fragile items : If you have delicate items like fragile ornaments or fragile seashells, make sure to wrap them in tissue paper or bubble wrap before placing them in the memory box. This will prevent them from getting damaged.
• Label and document : To make your memory box even more meaningful, consider labeling each item and documenting the story behind it. This will help you remember the significance of each travel memento and share your memories with others.

Souvenir Collages

Are you looking for creative ways to showcase your travel memories? Look no further than memory-filled art displays, personalized travel scrapbooks, and DIY souvenir shadow boxes.

These unique and customizable options allow you to preserve your favorite moments in a visually stunning and meaningful way. Whether you prefer to hang a beautiful collage on your wall, flip through a scrapbook filled with cherished photos, or create a shadow box filled with trinkets and mementos, these options will bring your travel memories to life and make your home feel like a traveler’s paradise.

Memory-Filled Art Displays

If you want to showcase your travel souvenirs in a unique and artistic way, try creating memory-filled art displays. These displays allow you to transform your cherished items into beautiful pieces of art that tell the story of your adventures.

Here are some ideas to inspire you:

• Polaroid Photo Displays: Arrange your Polaroid photos from different trips in a creative pattern on a wall. You can use colorful tape or string to create a visually appealing display that captures the essence of each destination.
• Vintage Travel Posters: Find vintage travel posters from the places you’ve visited and frame them as a collection. Hang them on a gallery wall to create a captivating display that evokes a sense of nostalgia and wanderlust.
• Shadow Boxes: Use shadow boxes to create three-dimensional displays with your travel souvenirs. Arrange items like seashells, tickets, maps, and small trinkets in the boxes to create a mini travel museum on your wall.
• Memory Jars: Fill glass jars with sand, shells, small rocks, or other items collected during your travels. Label each jar with the destination and date. These memory jars not only showcase your souvenirs but also serve as beautiful decorative pieces.

With these memory-filled art displays, you can transform your travel souvenirs into captivating works of art that will bring back cherished memories and inspire you to embark on new adventures.

Personalized Travel Scrapbooks

To create a personalized travel scrapbook, gather all your favorite photos, ticket stubs, and postcards from your adventures and arrange them in a creative and unique way. DIY travel scrapbooks offer a wonderful way to preserve your cherished memories and display them in a beautiful and organized manner.

Start by selecting a sturdy and attractive album or notebook to serve as the foundation for your scrapbook. Then, get creative with your layout by using colorful papers, stickers, and embellishments to highlight each page. Consider adding captions or journal entries to provide context and capture the essence of each experience.

For even more creative souvenir storage ideas, include pockets or envelopes to hold small tokens such as pressed flowers, maps, or coins. The possibilities are endless when it comes to designing your own travel scrapbook, so let your imagination soar and create a one-of-a-kind keepsake that will bring joy for years to come.

DIY Souvenir Shadow Boxes

Now that you’ve learned about personalized travel scrapbooks, let’s explore another creative way to organize your travel souvenirs and mementos: DIY Souvenir Shadow Boxes.

These charming and unique crafts allow you to showcase your travel keepsakes while adding a touch of personal flair to your home decor. Some ideas to get you started are as follows:

• Create a beach-themed shadow box by filling it with sand, seashells, and a small vial of ocean water from your favorite beach destination.
• Make a city-inspired shadow box by including miniature landmarks, postcards, and tickets from your travels.
• Capture the beauty of nature with a nature-themed shadow box, featuring dried flowers, pressed leaves, and a small jar of soil from your favorite hiking spot.
• Build a foodie-themed shadow box by including recipe cards, spices, and small culinary trinkets from the places you’ve visited.

Get your creative juices flowing and start making these DIY souvenir crafts to preserve your travel memories in a unique and meaningful way.

Travel Journal Organization

One popular method for organizing your travel journal is by using color-coded tabs for different trips. This is a simple yet effective way to keep your travel memories organized and easily accessible. By assigning a different color to each trip, you can quickly flip to the desired section and relive your adventures.

To further enhance your travel journal, consider using travel journal prompts. These prompts are thought-provoking questions or prompts that help you reflect on your experiences and capture your thoughts and emotions in writing. They can range from prompts like ‘Describe a local cuisine you tried’ to ‘Write about a memorable encounter with a local resident.’ By incorporating these prompts into your journal, you’ll be able to create a more comprehensive and meaningful account of your travels.

In addition to written entries, organizing travel photos is another important aspect of keeping a travel journal. One way to do this is by creating separate sections or pages for each location or activity. You can use clear plastic sleeves to protect your photos and easily slide them into the appropriate section. This way, you can easily flip through your journal and revisit the places you’ve been.

Customized Display Cases

Personalized showcase options are the perfect solution for displaying your cherished mementos in a way that reflects your individual style and personality. From custom-made shadow boxes to handcrafted display shelves, there are endless possibilities to create a visually stunning showcase for your travel treasures. Not only will these personalized showcase options provide a beautiful backdrop for your mementos, but they also offer a practical storage solution, keeping your items organized and easily accessible.

Personalized Showcase Options

You can create a personalized showcase for your travel souvenirs and mementos using various creative options. Here are some ideas to help you enjoy organizing and displaying your cherished memories:

• Personalized Keepsake Boxes : Find unique and customizable boxes to store your souvenirs. These can be engraved with your name or a special travel quote, adding a personal touch to your collection.
• Travel-Themed Photo Albums : Create a dedicated photo album for each trip, complete with themed pages and captions. This way, you can relive your adventures and share them with friends and family.
• Shadow Boxes : Frame your favorite souvenirs along with photos and ticket stubs in a shadow box. This three-dimensional display adds depth and visual interest to your keepsakes.
• Map Displays : Use maps from your travels as a backdrop for your souvenirs. Pinpoint the locations you’ve visited with small flags or markers, creating a visual representation of your journeys.

Unique Memento Storage

There’s a variety of options available to store your cherished travel souvenirs and mementos in a unique and personalized way.

One creative option is to use Polaroid photo albums. These albums allow you to not only store your favorite travel photos but also add captions and notes to each picture, creating a personalized travel journal. The Polaroid format adds a retro touch, making it both trendy and nostalgic.

Another option is vintage suitcase storage. You can repurpose an old suitcase by adding shelves or compartments inside to store your souvenirs. This not only provides a unique storage solution but also adds a vintage charm to your space.

Whether you choose Polaroid photo albums or vintage suitcase storage, these options allow you to showcase your travel memories in a creative and meaningful way.

Creative Travel Memorabilia

If you want to add a personal touch to your travel memorabilia, consider incorporating unique and creative elements. Travel keepsake ideas and unique memento arrangements that will make your souvenirs even more special are discussed below:

• Shadowbox Display : Create a mini gallery of your travel memories by arranging your souvenirs, such as tickets, postcards, and small trinkets, in a shadowbox. Add some photos and labels to make it visually appealing and informative.
• Memory Jar : Collect small items like sand, seashells, or bottle caps from your travels and place them in a decorative jar. Label each jar with the destination and date, creating a beautiful collection of memories that you can display on a shelf or table.
• Map Collage : Use old maps or printouts of maps to create a collage of your travel destinations. Cut out the shapes of the countries or cities you have visited and arrange them in a frame to create a unique and visually striking piece of art.
• Travel Scrapbook : Gather all your travel photos, tickets, and other mementos and create a scrapbook. Add handwritten notes, captions, and decorative elements to capture the essence of each trip. It’s a fun and creative way to relive your adventures.

Polaroid Wall Gallery

One popular way to display your travel souvenirs is by creating a Polaroid wall gallery. This unique and creative approach allows you to showcase your favorite memories in a fun and visually appealing way. With just a few supplies and some creativity, you can transform a blank wall into a personalized gallery that tells the story of your travels.

To get started, gather your travel-themed photo albums and select your favorite Polaroid pictures. These instant photos have a nostalgic charm that adds a touch of whimsy to your wall art. Next, create a 3-column and 3-row table to organize your photos. This table will not only help you arrange your pictures in a neat and organized manner, but it will also grab the attention of anyone who sees your gallery.

Here is an example of how you can arrange your Polaroid photos using a table:

Once you have your photos arranged, you can start decorating your wall. Consider adding string lights or fairy lights around your gallery to create a cozy and inviting atmosphere. You can also use colorful washi tape or decorative frames to enhance the overall look of your Polaroid wall art.

Creating a Polaroid wall gallery is not only a great way to display your travel souvenirs, but it also serves as a constant reminder of the incredible experiences you’ve had. So gather your photos, get creative, and start building your own unique travel gallery today!

Travel-themed Mason Jar Displays

To create a travel-themed Mason jar display, gather some mementos from your trips and use them to decorate the jars. This DIY travel-inspired terrarium is a unique way to showcase your travel memories.

To create a stunning display consider these ideas:

• Choose your jars: Select a variety of Mason jars in different sizes and shapes to add visual interest to your display. You can find Mason jars at craft stores or repurpose old ones you have lying around.
• Collect your mementos: Gather small trinkets and souvenirs from your travels, such as seashells, postcards, ticket stubs, or miniatures. These items will serve as the focal point of your travel-themed display.
• Create layers: Start by adding a layer of sand or pebbles at the bottom of each jar to create a base. Then, arrange your mementos inside the jars, layering them to create depth and dimension.
• Personalize with labels: To add a personal touch, consider adding labels or tags to each jar with the name of the destination or a special memory associated with it.

These travel-themed Mason jar crafts are not only a beautiful way to display your travel souvenirs, but they also serve as a reminder of the adventures you’ve had.

DIY Memory Boards

Imagine having a beautiful corkboard hanging on your wall, filled with colorful postcards from all the places you’ve visited. It’s not only a practical way to organize your souvenirs, but it also adds a touch of charm to your space.

To create your painted corkboard, start by selecting a corkboard of your desired size and shape. Then, choose a color that complements your room’s decor and paint the corkboard using acrylic paint. You can opt for a solid color or get creative with patterns and designs.

Once your corkboard is dry, it’s time to add the vintage postcards. These postcards can be collected from your travels or purchased from antique stores. Arrange them on the corkboard in a visually pleasing way, creating a collage of memories. You can use colorful push pins or decorative washi tape to secure the postcards in place.

Not only will your painted corkboard and vintage postcard display keep your travel mementos organized, but it will also serve as a visual reminder of the incredible adventures you’ve had. It’s a simple yet impactful way to bring your travel memories to life and share them with others.

A variety of creative ways to organize your travel souvenirs and mementos have been discussed. From shadow box displays to travel-themed Mason jar displays, there is a solution for everyone’s taste and style.

These ideas not only keep your memories organized and visible, but they also add a unique touch to your home decor. So go ahead and start preserving those precious moments from your adventures in a way that reflects your personality and creativity.

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6 Ways Your Travel Mementos Can Be Everyday Decor

By Miranda Silva

When Sibella Court travels, she always returns with a heavier suitcase . The renowned interior designer, stylist, and historian treats every vacation as a chance to seek out treasures for her Sydney home and shop, the Society Inc . “I think the word souvenir gets a bad rap,” says Court. “I want to conjure up all the romance of travel; the idea of coming into the port of a place that was so foreign and the desire to take something back that was too strong to deny.” We asked Court for her advice on how to find pieces on your trip that truly capture the spirit of a place—and how to decorate with those objects when you get back.

Stock up on fabrics

“You can never come home with enough textiles—it’s like bringing back a little part of the country with you,” says Court. “And the best part is, they pack flat in your suitcase!” She looks for textiles that are indigenous to the country she’s visiting—indigo pieces of boro from Japan, vibrant ikats from Uzbekistan, Belgian linens—and uses them to change up the look of a bedroom or living room.

Pick up unexpected pieces

“Many people would not take a second look at vintage hardware, but I always have an eye out for a lovely hand-tinkered piece whilst traveling,” says Court, who is particularly drawn to items created by blacksmiths and tinsmiths in India. She displays her extensive collection on the walls of the Society Inc., but at home, she suggests replacing existing hardware. “It is nice to bring back a hand-forged memento,” she says. “Even if you don’t want to completely renovate, the humblest and simplest of things can transform a space.”

Shop with a stylist’s eye

“Look for curiosities that can then be arranged on a mantel or on unused wall space as a 3-D reflection of the trip,” says Court. Feathers she found while traveling in Transylvania, for example, became an evocative display.

Hit the bookstores

“Yes, they are heavy, but I find that there’s something much nicer about unpacking books yourself when you get home after a trip rather than buying them online,” says Court. She often inscribes volumes with notes about where and when she bought them.

By Jessica Ritz

By Katherine McLaughlin

“My family has a joke about my suitcase being full of rocks when I come back from overseas, and they are actually right!” says Court. “There’s something nice about a smooth, gray, egg-shaped pebble, touched by the environment where it came from.” She creatively displays pebbles in places like the bottom of a sink or along the stairs as a reminder of holidays and waterside endeavors.

Build a collection

Court often looks for the same thing in each country she visits to create a single collection that reflects all of her travels. She keeps an eye out for Panama hats, for example, which are displayed here in a casual stack ready to be picked up on the way out the door.

By Chelsea Hodson

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How to Style Your Travel Mementos According to Miranda Cullen of Inside Stories

Interior designer Miranda Cullen of Inside Stories reveals how to style your home with travel mementos.

While traditionalists archive travel memories in photo albums, a modern wave of jet-setting wanderers is choosing a more dynamic approach for reminiscing about past travels—fashioning their homes with carefully curated curiosities collected during far-flung adventures. With considered choices and strategic placement, a walk down the hall becomes a stroll down memory lane.

Miranda Cullen, owner and principal of design firm Inside Stories , has a knack for personalizing projects with clients’ travel accessories. “Artifacts, and all kinds of objets d’art, are some of my favorite relics to display,” she says. “I absolutely love putting these personal touches into all of my projects because it makes a space feel more specific, distinctive, and homey.”

Trends Come and Go but Memories Last a Lifetime

Displaying heirloom-quality pieces obtained during your travels transforms homes into high-end galleries, elevating the display of meaningful artifacts beyond cluttered shelves. This could be a hand-painted nutcracker you fell in love with at Nuremberg Christkindlesmarkt in Germany, an artisan-woven throw you haggled for at Les Nomades de Marrakech, or a vintage treasure you unearthed at Paris’ Les Puces market—any striking object that catches your eye and reminds you of your exotic escapes. For displaying smaller items, Cullen says a collection can sit nicely on a bookshelf, credenza, dresser, nightstand, or really anything with a flat surface. During your treasure hunts, keep an eye out for stunning frames that you can use to showcase photographs from your trip, too. If you are drawn to kitschy trinkets, Cullen suggests considering ways to repurpose them. A coffee mug, she says, could make a stylish pen holder on the desk in your home office.

Decorating with travel mementos isn’t just about aesthetics; it’s about encapsulating personal adventures and creating unique narratives within the home. These souvenirs form a cherished collections, becoming evocative vignettes that remind you of your journeys. The look you’re going for is cohesive, not cluttered, so opt for pieces with similar characteristics or color schemes to bring home.

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What’s your favorite element in your space, and why? Howard Lorton Furniture & Design loves the idea of a “tete-a-tete” settee in the entertainment room. The tete-a-tete can be used to casually divide the space into a sitting area for watching TV and conversing, as well as a spot for playing games.

Is there a signature element you always use in your designs, and what is it in your space? Using a neutral palette allowed them to layer in texture for dimension and comfort. They used texture on the pillow fabrics, a beautiful 100% Mohair fabric on the settee, and a decorative, textured wall treatment behind the sectional. These elements add depth and draw you into the space.

What can a homeowner incorporate to make their laundry room have the look and feel your space has? A small and highly functional space, like a laundry room, should be fun! Go bold with your paint color and usage. Small spaces can handle the saturation well. Add wallpaper to create energy where you can. This paper is both playful and soothing, like a field of wildflowers. A big design takeaway from a space like this is to make it functional first. The built-ins are simple but functional, making the chore of laundry more pleasant. Open storage is a good way to keep the space tidier and make you less likely to stash the ironing pile away for perpetuity. Simple hanging bars on the wall mean you can handle laundry as you go.

What did you include in your space to make it not only look great, but function well? The ceiling-hung drying rack was found a while back and is simply a fabulous concept. A well-designed space takes every surface and space available into account. Wall-mounted drying racks, or worse, free-standing racks, take up a substantial amount of room.

What did you include in your space to make it not only look great, but function well? Something Atelier Interior Design likes to do in dining rooms is to do a mix of dining chairs with a bench for more comfortable and informal seating. This allows for squeezing extra people in and creating a more casual atmosphere.

How did you incorporate the builder’s Mediterranean Modern style into your space? They were inspired by the wallpaper to create a Mediterranean Modern space. The color palette of the wallpaper brings a warm-vibrancy to the space, while the pattern is a traditionally Spanish style that brings that Mediterranean flare. To finish off the space they brought in warm woods and natural textures with the furnishings and fabrics.

What’s your favorite element in your space, and why? Collective Design’s favorite element in their space would be the sofas. They have clean, refined lines and exude comfort with the single cushion seat and softly curved fronts. They ground the space and provide maximum functionality.

Is there a signature element you always use in your designs, and what is it in your space? For a pop of color and organic flair, Collective Design always like to include a small agate accent table. The natural tones and freeform design of the agate bring a comfortable warmth and subtle nod to the mountains to the space, speaking back to their Summit County roots.

Is there a signature element you always use in your designs, and what is it in your space? Even a gym can feel warm, inviting, and sophisticated! Julia Wilkins Interiors accomplishes this feeling in all of their designs by layering color tones, textures, and patterns. The star of the show in this luxe home gym is the paint color, Redend Point SW 9081by Sherwin Williams. This color can be used in many different applications to add a layer of “warm earthiness”.

What did you include in your space to make it not only look great, but function well? Lighting is always a key element in a home and Julia Wilkins Interiors likes to begin the planning from the beginning. Layering lighting allows the flexibility for the space to be bright and energetic, as well as tranquil and softly lit. It allows the space to function both as a workout space, and a yoga or mediation room.

What’s your favorite element in the space and why? Kayti Fan Design’s favorite element in the space is the Miro bed by Design Within Reach. They love the simplicity of the design, as well as the soft leather headboard and slightly oversized bed base that doubles as a platform for seating. So functional and pleasant to look at.

What can a homeowner incorporate to make their bedroom have a look and feel your space has? They love how wallpaper can not only add color, but texture and visual interest. Too often, people consider the guest bedroom as an afterthought and so it regularly becomes a place where people put all of their cast-off pieces that don’t work anywhere else. But they think it’s important to incorporate thoughtful design in the guest room just as you would any other room. Wallpaper, even if just on an accent wall, can be a simple way to add interest to a guest bedroom. It has a high impact but doesn’t have to break the bank.

How did you incorporate the builder’s Mediterranean Modern style in to your space? To create a Mediterranean style, MD Design played with organic textures and a subdued natural color palette that spoke to the Mediterranean coastline. They pulled variations of cream in paint and tile to soften the space. They chose aged brass for our metal finishes throughout the spaces we designed. When paired with white oak and shades of cream, the brass accents really shine. The main focal point in the kitchen is the arched custom range hood that they paired with a bold black marble backsplash. This design is a nod to the Mediterranean style one might find in Santa Barbara.

Is there a signature element you always use in your designs, and what is it in your space? MD Design loves to play with mixing wood and painted cabinetry in most of its projects. They wanted to keep everything pretty neutral for the showhouse, so they opted for a white oak finish and off-white cabinetry in the kitchen, butler’s pantry, and mudroom. They added some custom details on the island to create another level of interest and texture. They found that bringing natural wood tones to the space helps achieve a relaxed style that MD Design is known for. Adding another layer of color helps anchor the space.

What’s your favorite element in your space, and why? Christy Sport’s favorite element is the bistro set. It reminded them of something that you might happen upon in a French garden or tucked away in an olive grove. Simple yet sculpted, it evokes that Mediterranean lifestyle of uncomplicated and sophisticated.

What did you include in your space to make it not only look great, but function well? The multi-colored trio of pedestal tables at the center of this design are not only beautiful pieces, but function for all different occasions. They are sculpted and interesting, making it feel as if you have unique piece to ground the seating area. Bringing together three tables of different sizes and heights gives it more interest. Then, when you are having a party or small gathering, you can move them for what is needed and best for the flow of the space at the time.

How did you incorporate the builder’s Mediterranean Modern style in to your space? Beautiful Habitat started with a traditional Mediterranean material in terracotta tiles, but reimagined them in a modern way with a large-scale herringbone pattern. Next, they took inspiration from the arched doorways that are so prevalent in Mediterranean architecture. They also reimagined that shape in a modern way by repeating the element literally in wall art and figuratively in the wallpaper.

What can a homeowner incorporate to make their (kitchen, living room, foyer, mudroom, powder bath, etc) have the look and feel your space has? Add a WOW element to make people curious and draw them into a side room. Here they do that with wallpaper, which peeks through from the back wall when the door is open. It sparks curiosity and invites people to come in for a closer look.

What is your favorite element in your space, and why? Studio Shelter’s favorite element in the primary bath is the ombre shower tile from Bedrosians. It’s nestled behind the vanity walls, so it is like a piece of art framed by the arched shower entrance. It’s sort of like a little surprise that works with the softness and warmth of the space without overpowering it.

How did you incorporate the builder’s Mediterranean Modern Style into your space? They incorporated the Mediterranean Modern style by allowing themes of softness, warmth, and organic shapes drive their design. A mix of soft earth tones are grounded with neutrals. Soft material elements of rattan, linen, alabaster, and woven rope underscore the Mediterranean theme and add textural interest. Additionally, repeated organic shapes and rounded edges were used to make the spaces feel welcoming and cohesive. Semi-circles are prominent on the sideboard as well as in the wall mural that play into the arch shapes seen throughout the home.

What’s your favorite element and why? TruDesign’s favorite element is the wallpaper ceiling. The ceiling is often left untouched rather than exploring the creative possibilities that a large, clear surface has. Just like any wall, it’s another blank slate that has the potential to bring some serious design, style, and impact to a space. A much richer visual experience is created by adding wallpaper that resembles Spanish tiles to the ceiling.

How did you incorporate the builder’s Mediterranean Modern style into your space? Mediterranean Modern style is characterized by layers of texture – the wallpaper ceiling, rich wall color, and luxurious drapes all tie together to create a color palette that embodies the warm spirit of the Mediterranean. To balance this out with a modern flare, modern lines were brought in from the desk and accent chair, which added architectural interest with the storage cabinet, and wrapped it up with a touch of whimsy that can be found in the desk chair and artwork. TruDesign is truly inspired by the level of bold design that this style allows.

What’s your favorite element in your space, and why? Studio LW’s favorite element in the space is the wallpaper. The contrast of the black and white pattern draws your eye to the designed wall, and pops against the room’s subtle colors. It brings a fresh and youthful element to the room.

What can a homeowner incorporate to make their (kitchen, living room, foyer, mudroom, powder bath, etc) have the look and feel your space has? It is important to install “fixed” items such as wallcoverings and window treatments to achieve a higher level of creativity and visual appeal. These items make a permanent statement to the design of the home. The furniture can be swapped out for different pieces, but the fixed design features are what will define the style of the room.

What can a homeowner incorporate to make their (kitchen, living room, foyer, mudroom, powder bath, etc.) have the look and feel your space has? To incorporate the feel into your space, look and see what natural elements are in the surrounding environment. For example, Colorado has many beautiful trees and mountains, so although there is a Mediterranean scheme to the home’s architecture, they wanted to pay homage to the actual area by including the mountains in the headboard with warm tones known to Mediterranean décor.

How did you incorporate the builder’s Mediterranean Modern style into your space? Is there a signature element you always use in your designs, and what is it in your space? A signature element for sTABle is to layer in lots of textures, patterns, and to have fun with color. With that being said, it’s important to make sure that design decisions are made for and with the client, as the space is always ultimately created for their specific desires and functionality requirements.

5 Ways to Collect and Display Travel Mementos

That being the case, let’s look at some fun ways you can collect and display the mementos of your travel.

• Buy a map and collect pins

One of the nicest ways to collect and display travel mementos is to simply buy a large map poster and hang it on your wall. Then, whenever you travel to a new location, collect a pin and place it in the map at the location you have visited.

As the years go by, you will end up collecting lots and lots of colored pins that will make you map into a stunning piece of artwork that will show everyone where you have been, What could be nicer than that? 

• Curate your exhibition

Buy a wall storage unit, like the ones at https://tylko.com/furniture-c/wallstorage/ , and wherever you go pick up a small trinket like a miniature Eiffel tower or a pebble from the beach in Brazil, and curate your very own, gallery-like wall display by placing each object in a separate box or cubby hole. Display them as artfully as you can and include written descriptions and photos of your vacations, to make it feel like an exhibition.

• Turn your luggage tags into a mosaic

Everywhere you travel, if you are going by plane at least, you will end up with a luggage tag or two that tells the story of the trips you have taken. Most of us simply throw these wavy once we are done flying, but if you keep them, you can turn them into a mosaic of the places you have been, frame it, and hang it on the wall for posterity, it will look great and make a unique talking point when you have guests over.

• Take a selfie

Obviously, when you are on vacation, you are going to be taking a bunch of selfies, but if you aim to take one really good selfie, perhaps doing the same pose each time, at the most famous landmark in each location you visit, then you can print those selfies out and create a unique gallery wall that illustrates perfectly your travels and the amazing things you have seen.

• Create a rock garden from around the world

Wherever you go, pick up a rock or pebble from the beach or street, being mindful of any cultural sensitivities or environmental issues, and bring them home with you. Turn them into a unique rock garden that you can enjoy in your backyard to remind you of your travels whenever you look at it.

Now, whether you travel to Texas or Tibet, you can pick up memorable souvenirs and display them in a way that looks great and helps you to remember the good times even when you are at home!

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How to display travel souvenirs – 50+ creative ways

Yes, it’s true guys, there might be affiliate links in this awesome, free post. This means that if you decide to buy something that you find here, and you use one of my links to do so, I will earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. I plan to use this money on ice cream, chocolate, and to travel more so I can write these useful guides for you. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Traveling is one of the most exciting and enriching experiences we can have. Exploring new places, meeting new people, and trying new foods are just some of the things that make traveling so special. And of course, bringing back souvenirs is a great way to remember those experiences and keep them close to our hearts.

But what do you do with all those souvenirs once you’re back home? It’s easy to let them collect dust on a shelf or get lost in a drawer, but there are so many creative ways to display them and keep those memories alive. From classic options like framing postcards and photos to more unconventional ideas like turning travel maps into wallpaper, there are endless possibilities for showcasing your souvenirs in a way that reflects your personality and style.

In this article, we’ve compiled more than 50 of the most creative ways to display travel souvenirs. Whether you’re a minimalist or a maximalist, a DIY enthusiast, or a fan of store-bought solutions, there’s something here for everyone. So, dust off those souvenirs and get ready to turn them into meaningful works of art that will inspire you every day.

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Shelf displays for travel souvenirs.

Shelves are a great way to display your travel souvenirs, and there are many creative ways to do so. When arranging your souvenirs on shelves, keep in mind the overall aesthetic of the room. Choose a color scheme and style that complements the way you decorate your space with travel souvenirs. Don’t overcrowd the shelves – leave some space to allow the items to breathe. And don’t be afraid to switch things up from time to time to keep your display fresh and interesting. Here are a few tips to make your souvenir display look amazing:

• Use floating shelves to create a minimalist display. Arrange your souvenirs in a way that creates balance and visual interest. Don’t be afraid to experiment with various sizes until you feel the balance looks just how you like.
• Group items by color or theme. For example, if you have a collection of pottery from different countries, group them on a shelf.
• Use a mix of items, such as small figurines, postcards, and photographs, to create a layered display. Vary the heights of the items to add depth.
• Display your souvenirs in shadow boxes or on small easels. This will give them a more formal, museum-like feel.
• If you have a large collection of travel mementos to display, consider creating a gallery wall. Use a mix of shelves, frames, and other display items to create a visually stunning display. Who knows, maybe you’ll open up your house for visitors at one point.
• Hang items from a kitchen utensil holder or a hanging jewelry display, if you need. You have plenty of options online to make them look great and match your desired aesthetic, so check out these options as well.

And here are a few ideas on how and what types of souvenirs you can combine on various shelves. Feel free to mix and match by using shelves, tables, or small parts of your room.

• Make up a corner with your related items per country (an Indian corner, a Chinese corner, a French corner, etc.). Combine things like books, tea sets, and various other items to give the full feeling of the destination.
• Display all of your travel guides (from Lonely Planet or independent travelers, like mine ) on a bookshelf. Who doesn’t want to see a wall full of books, am I right?
• Make decorative arrangements with sand and shells in IKEA glass containers (or their Amazon version ). The same can be done for other types of souvenirs like sand from the desert, rock collections, or other natural items you are allowed to take. That last part is not negotiable: you shouldn’t take anything from the environment if the rules forbid you to.
• Create handpainted Christmas tree decorations with each destination. If you’re more artistic, you can paint each destination on a simple Christmas tree globe, or you can buy some already-made ones from Etsy . In the end, most souvenirs are not sourced locally anyway, so you can choose to be creative with this.
• Create personalized decoration items like pillowcases, embroidered pillows, or throw blankets. These will make your house look warm and cozy and will make you dream of traveling every time you see them. Don’t overdo it though because it stops being funny and starts being in-your-face instead. Check out this example from Etsy.
• Get a travel keepsake box for each destination and add all of your related items to it. Then, display them in a corner of your living room or bedroom after labeling (or use some personalized boxes if you can), so you create a nice overview of your accomplishments. You get bonus points if this memory box is in the shape of a suitcase , and it’s even better if you can find sets of them in assorted colors. This is also a great gift for a traveling couple , for example.
• Create a shadowbox for each destination, including maps, ticket stubs, postcards, etc., or even 3D items like shells, rocks, or small figurines. Arrange them in a grid for a modern and minimalist display, or just put them randomly throughout the house for a more relaxed feeling.
• Make a collage of your boarding passes, luggage tags, entry tickets, public transportation tickets, etc. from a destination and display them on a shelf. You can also hang these on a wall and make a huge piece of wall art with it. It’s a nice way to reuse these items that will otherwise be thrown away.
• Make resin or epoxy art to remember your trips like these amazing rings on Etsy . You can either make nice standing pieces of art to display, or you can even make rings and pendants to wear all the time. I’ve even seen epoxy decorations made out of coins from various countries, so the sky is the limit when it comes to resin art.
• Display all airplane models you have flown on a shelf. This is more for aviation passionate people, but there are more like us than you think. You can either buy the models straight from the airlines so they have the correct logos as well, or you can buy generic ones from Amazon. If you want to be even fancier, you can make 3D puzzles with them and you get to double your fun.
• Make coasters with photocopied versions of your passport stamps. You can either use them as day-to-day coasters, or you can add them as a collection to each destination’s shelf or corner. They’re a conversation starter for sure as any guest will see them for sure.

• Make an embroidery of your travel itinerary , especially for road trips. You can use a map to do so, and old maps look particularly great for this. Then, use embroidery floss and needles to stitch the route you have used, and you can even choose the colors in a way that matches the map’s colors. You can then display these on a special shelf.
• Create a travel binder . You can use a journal bought from each destination to hold the items, making the binder part of the fun, and you can add all sorts of items to it. Include printed photos, postcards, maps, notes from your journaling throughout the trip, entry tickets, transportation tickets, stamps, and everything else you can think of.
• Make origami-specific items and display them on a string, as a mobile for babies, or together on a shelf. You can do virtually anything with origami items, as you can make them of any size and color, and it’s a great way to spend your time as well.
• Have small 3d puzzles with the places you have been to and display them on a shelf. There are great small ones with most of the important buildings in the world, and some can be bought from museum souvenir shops as well. This will recreate a mini-version of the world over time, and it’s cool to see them all.
• Make a tabletop with resin with your coins or keep them in a nice jar. If you’re not the type to collect currency for the sake of it, but always have random coins left over after every trip, this idea is for you. Gather all of them in a huge jar and either use it as a centerpiece or make a tabletop containing all of these coins nicely displayed next to each other. The color palette is nice and warm and the finished item will be unique.
• Add sewing pins to a globe with places you have been to. This is the easiest option you can do if you have very limited space, but still want to show off where you have been. You can buy a big or small globe, depending on your available space, and add pins to it to show the places you have already visited. You can even use tiny flags for this, matching every country, and at one point it will look really cool and colorful like this.

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Wall displays you can create with your souvenirs.

One of the most popular ways to display travel souvenirs is on the wall. There are endless possibilities when it comes to wall displays for travel souvenirs. The key is to choose items that have meaning to you and arrange them in a way that tells a story about your adventures. Here are a few creative ideas to get you started:

• Create a gallery wall with framed photos, postcards, and other mementos from your travels. Mix and match frames for a fun and eclectic look. This option is really nice as you can always add to it, so it will always be growing and changing, keeping your home looking fresh.
• Hang a world map and use push pins or string to mark the places you’ve visited. You can also add photos or small souvenirs from each location, and you can use a painted wall map instead. Maps are great centerpieces anyway and adding your souvenirs will make them personal as well.
• Hang a large tapestry or rug from your travels as a statement piece. You can also use smaller textiles as wall hangings. Especially if you travel often to oriental destinations, you can find amazing pieces of tapestries that you can make some wall displays with.
• Frame free city maps and make a wall art arrangement from them. This way they don’t go to waste and you get a nice piece of wall art. These maps can be used for other ideas as well, so read the whole post before deciding what to do with them.
• Make a piece of wall art with your coins and bills from each country. You can either make a collage with all of them or create separate areas for each destination and keep them more organized.
• Make wall art with your postcards . Better yet, send them to yourself so you also have a stamp and postal stamp on each of them to make them even more special.
• Get these very small frames and put the pages with the stamps from your old passports in them. They look great on long walls like on hallways or staircases or can be combined with different-sized frames for a more vivid look.
• Make an embroidery with flag patches and display it on a wall, or sew all of them on your backpack and see how fast it gets covered. The downside to the last option is that once you change your backpack, it’ll all be out as well, so keep this in mind when deciding.
• Print out your bucket list and check the ones you did already done. You can frame it by continent or area and add pictures to the ones that you already covered. Even better, make the bucket list a central piece on your wall and connect framed pictures with a string from all the places you have been to. It’ll make a nice star-shaped wall art that will evolve over time.
• Add your souvenirs on a corkboard . This way, you can even change them often, once you get bored, or you can use them as well to plan and dream about your next trip.

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Travel collections you can display.

Most souvenirs are already collections in themselves, but I would like to focus more on people that make it a purpose to collect various things from every place they have been to. So, no matter if you collect cups, currency, or teaspoons, here’s your time to shine.

• Organize your wine bottle collection on a display shelf. If you want to drink the wine (which you should, this is what it’s made for), you should keep only the bottles or fill them up with something else. There are special shelves you can use for this or you can just display them on a classic shelf on a wall.
• Organize your spices in spice racks . If you’re a passionate cook, spices are probably the best thing for you to collect. Spice racks are perfect for this purpose, and you can even keep a tiny bit of each condiment in each container and use the rest for your meals.
• Have multiple tea boxes . Collecting tea from all parts of the world can be an amazing way to display your souvenirs. Collect them in specific (or labeled) tea boxes and display the boxes even after the tea in them is long gone, or use the boxes to refill your stash over time.
• Have a shelf for all your mugs . I have recently seen a nice story about a woman that remarried, and the first thing her new husband did was to build her a shelf for her mug collection. I don’t know about you, but this sounds like the perfect love story for me.
• Make a collage with napkins from different airlines/restaurants. This is an interesting collection to have, but also a cheap one. Collect napkins from all the restaurants and airlines you use and make a nice collage out of them. It’s a nice reminder of the places you have been to.
• Have a dedicated shelf with cooking books like this one from around the world . If you’re a passionate cook, or just collect the books in the hope of ever getting to use them, display these cooking books somewhere in your living room or kitchen area, if there’s room. I usually try to get a stamp from the library where I bought it from as well, as a means of authenticity for where the book is coming from.

• Get a specialized album for your coin or currency collection. This goes without saying, but currency should usually be kept in special albums for collectors, as it keeps them safe and nice looking over time. Also, a pro tip: keep two pieces of each item next to each other, to be able to see both sides at the same time. You can leave this as an inheritance to your offspring, as it will be more and more valuable over time.
• Have a special souvenir spoon holder . For those of you collecting teaspoons, there are special holders you can use to display your collection nicely. I had no idea people collected tea spoons as travel souvenirs until I met my mother-in-law, so I’m very happy to be able to share this idea with you as well. I recommend one with a glass door so you don’t have to do the dusting too often.
• Show your toiletries collection . You know the toiletries you get in complimentary baskets at the hotels or the small, special ones you buy in handmade souvenir shops while away? A nice way to display them is by labeling them and putting them in a nice basket in your guest bathroom. It makes the place look cozy and can be used by guests as well.
• Organize your scarves from around the world . If you collect scarves from around the world, try to find a scarf organizer and see if you can display them nicely. I also like to order personalized scarves that are hand-painted like these ones from Etsy ; they look nice and make me feel really good about wearing something unique.
• Show off your rock collection . If geology is your passion, there’s nothing like a shelf full of rocks, geodes, or gems from all around the world. You can even buy a special case to show off your collection and I wouldn’t blame you if you choose one.
• Display rubber ducks from each destination around your bathtub. I know, I know, who collects rubber ducks? Well, some people with children might, and I know a few without children that are doing this. It’s a cool way to display your souvenirs and it’s not so obvious since they’re not taking over the living room, so why not?

Ideas to share your travel knowledge

While most people buy some sort of physical items as souvenirs, some of us decide to go for something less tangible. I’m better with words than I am with anything else (hence you’re reading this post), and some people are better with video, music, or other forms of art. These too can be seen as souvenirs from around the world, so let’s see some ideas on how to display them properly.

• Make a blog and display your stories . This is probably obvious, as this is the path I have chosen. My blog started as a place for me to tell my stories and has evolved into the animal you can see now. You can do the same, it’s easier than it sounds, and it can be a nice hobby if you like writing.
• Create a YouTube video with helpful information . More and more people do this, it seems like everyone with a GoPro has a Youtube channel nowadays. It’s a nice way to share your knowledge and show the good, the bad, and the ugly of traveling, so feel free to do this if you are so inclined.
• Create collections of maps on Google MyMaps . I truly like this as I get to share them after I return. I have done this for so long and shared them with so many people, I started to offer them as products as I see people love them so much! It’s a nice way to feel useful and share information, so check it out if you rely on GoogleMaps. And check out my favorite free travel apps , you’d be surprised how much you can do for free these days!

• Save a playlist with music from each destination (or about each destination). This idea came to mind when, right before taking off to Japan, one of our friends was singing “Big in Japan” to us, on repeat. If I were more musical, I’d totally save a playlist for each destination, containing music from or about the destination where I’m headed, just to get me in the mood. Then, I’d listen to it when back so I can keep on dreaming.
• Learn the language of each destination you have been to. Now, this is for the people inclined to learn languages, I’ve heard there are some in this world. You can use a tool like Babbel for this and learn at least a few phrases in each language you have been exposed to. It’s an awesome way to be reminded of your trips!
• Publish a book with your stories and pictures . I know, I know, who reads books these days? I can assure you that some people still do, including myself. Even people that don’t buy physical books but only read eBooks still can get to read about your trips and adventures. You can write stories, describe your heritage journey with the help of MyHeritage , make a photo album, or write a children’s book. Let your imagination float and see what comes of it!
• Make a book with international food recipes you have collected. This is similar to the idea above, but hear me out. If you collect recipes and cooking classes from all over the world, you can do so much with them. You can create cooking books, you can create subscription boxes where each week you receive a recipe and the ingredients to cook it, or you can create a travel&cooking blog or YouTube channel. Find a way to share this information and you’ll learn so much in the process.

Creative ways to display your travel photos

I know, I know, who prints photos these days anyway? Well, I think pictures make for fabulous souvenirs, and these creative ways to display them have multiple advantages. Using pictures as souvenirs is cost-effective, highly personal, and can look really nice in your home, if displayed properly. Check out some of the options below!

• Make a photo album . There are multiple ways to do this, from buying a cheap photo album from a store or even a few sets from Amazon , and you can have an album for each trip. If you feel fancy, you can even label them accordingly or combine this with some other ideas as well, like including tickets and other keepsakes.
• Make a coffee table book . If you’re more artistic kind, you can print a nice coffee table book with your pictures. If you’re also a bit business-inclined, you can even sell them to your friends or on marketplaces like Etsy. People pay a lot of money for these things and if you love doing them, why not?
• Make a personalized collage of your photos . There are plenty of frames that can keep up to 8-10 pictures, and you can make a nice collage out of your photos like this. You can even buy just a few and change the pictures from time to time, just to make your house look different with very little effort.
• Have a map on the wall and add your pictures there . I have seen this once in a friend’s house and LOVED the idea. You can stick a huge map on your wall like this one , and add pictures of you at the places where you have been. It looks great and makes for a nice road on Memory Avenue.
• Make a giant accent wall with all your photos . This option doesn’t work for everyone but hear me out. By using your personal photos, you can create a one-of-a-kind piece of artwork that showcases your adventures and memories. Not only does it serve as a conversation starter for guests, but it also allows you to relive your favorite travel moments every time you walk by it.
• Make an accent canvas print for your home . Especially if your travel photos are more artistic, you can use them to print a nice canvas print. You need very high-quality pictures though, but if you have them, you can use the horizontal ones for the wall above your bed in your bedroom, for example.
• Use some Christmas lights . Another idea I saw in a friend’s house and I loved it! Get a string of Christmas lights and some rope, spread them alongside a long wall, and use clothespins to display your instant photos. It’s a cool way to decorate an otherwise useless wall like in the hallway or up the stairs, and it doesn’t require too much DIY talent to implement.
• Use your pictures to create everyday use objects . Nowadays, with the solutions you can find online or at every printing shop around, you can make mugs, keychains, T-shirts, Christmas tree decorations, and mouse pads with your pictures, and God knows what else. I’m not saying you should do ALL of them, as that might be a bit overkill, but sprinkling some of these in your daily life might be a nice, creative way to display travel souvenirs
• Make magnets with your travel photos . I know I know, this is a bit tacky, but you can keep them on a board or on the fridge, so it doesn’t have to be so in-your-face. What’s the difference between a $3 magnet made in China and one made by you with pictures you have taken?
• Get an electronic photo frame . These are nice to keep on your desk, either at home or at work, as you can change the pictures often so they’re not boring, and you can add things like calendars and to-do lists to the display rotation as well. There’s nothing like being bored in a meeting that could have been an email and looking at pictures with some palm trees from The Maldives, believe me.
• Make yourself a personalized wall or desk calendar . Especially if you have pictures from all seasons, you can pair them with the corresponding months, and make it look really professional even. Hell, you can even gift them or sell some around, especially at the beginning of the year when everyone can use a calendar.

FAQ – creative ways to display travel souvenirs

How do you organize travel keepsakes.

There are many ways to display your travel keepsakes, but the easiest ones would be to: 1. Use a shadow box to keep them organized by destination 2. Use a box in the shape of a suitcase 3. Get a memory box for your souvenirs 4. Make a DIY album with your keepsakes 5. Build a piece of wall art.

How do you display art from travels?

Collecting pieces of art from your trips is a great souvenir, and you can display them like this: 1. Organize a “destination corner” in your house 2. Build a dedicated shelf for your pieces of art 3. Publish a photo book with your pictures.

How can you organize travel souvenirs?

Keeping your souvenirs in order is a great idea, and you can keep them organized like this: 1. Get an album for your coin or currency collections 2. Have a dedicated box for your rock collections 3. Keep all the related ones in a shadowbox

How can you pack souvenirs?

One way to safely pack souvenirs to be sure they make it home is to wrap them in bubble wrap and pack them between your clothes or in your shoes. Another good way is to wrap them in a piece of clothing and put them in your shoes, so they’ll be safe while flying.

Creative ways to display travel souvenirs – the takeaway

In conclusion, displaying your travel souvenirs in creative ways is a fun and exciting way to add a personal touch to your home decor. From creating a gallery wall with your favorite photos to using unique items as decorative accents, there are endless possibilities for showcasing your adventures.

Not only does this type of decor allow you to relive your favorite travel moments, but it also serves as a reminder of the incredible experiences you’ve had. So, whether you’re a seasoned traveler or just starting out, don’t be afraid to get creative with your souvenirs and turn them into beautiful decor pieces that you can enjoy for years to come. Happy decorating!

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12 Creative Ideas To Make Your Travel Memories Last Forever

Let’s face it: photo albums are boring and no one cares about generic travel souvenirs anymore. Want to do something different with all your travel paraphernalia but have no inspiration? Here’s some inspiration.

Check out these quirky travel memories ideas to get your creative juices flowing!

So you just came from a trip with hundreds of photos and videos on your phone. Some of them you’ve even uploaded in Facebook and Instagram.  Others will end up in a boring photo album you’ll hardly see again.

Let’s be real – you’ll never have the time or patience to go through all of them again.

Don’t even get me started on the items and souvenirs that will suffer a long and slow death in a cabinet in your living room.

What to do then? Here are some of the best crafty ideas to make your travel memories more vivid and enduring!

1 Start a Scrapbook

Trust me. Even the most mundane things you might collect during your trip – train tickets, receipts, bank notes – will become utterly fascinating a few months afterward.

After a few months, you’ll probably won’t forget the name of the amazing dish you had or the whereabouts of that cool bar. This is why a good ol’ scrapbook is always a good idea!

I started travel scrapbooking recently. I dedicate each page on this journal to a different destination and fill it with mementos I kept of the place. Just selecting, arranging and gluing these around feels like a school art project.

If I’m feeling ambitious, I write small notes or doodles next to each piece to make sure it tickles more than just my only visual memory.

2 Build a Memory List

This is one of my favorites. It’s cute but super simple at the time. Create a shopping list of the things you think are more memorable on your trip. Keep it on your phone or in a notebook.

You could be adding anything from the view of the top of the Eiffel Tower to the cat with a black spot on the right eye that lived on your hostel in Bangkok. When you read them again after your trip, it’s a rollercoaster of emotions. Try not to tear up.

If you’re traveling with someone else this is even more fun: you can take turns adding items to the list!

3 Get These Minimal Travel Posters

You may not have the creative skills to craft something wall-hanging-worthy on your own. And that’s fine. There are people who can fill your home with memories in a neat, clean and minimal way.

One of my favorites are these minimal travel posters from cities around the world . If you’re a fan of minimal art and home design like me, this would fit right in!

Buy them here.

4 Create a Video

Even if you aren’t the type who takes regular photos of everyday moments with your phone, you’ll probably will when you’re abroad. Everything is new.

In this digital era, it’s easy to get overwhelmed with the huge stash of photos and videos we take home after a trip.

A great workaround is to condense your travel media files into a single video. With only a couple of minutes long, it’s effective and much more dynamic!

Before you say you don’t have the skills to do a video, there are many tools that you can use without you necessarily be an editing wizard. Heck, Google Photos even does them automagically .

5 Destination Boxes

One of the simplest but more interesting ideas I’ve come across: making a travel memory box for each destination you visit.

Just fill small boxes – if possible wooden ones for a better end-effect – with anything interesting you could bring from each destination. tickets, receipts, souvenirs, postcards, and other detritus . Write the name of the destination on the outside. And voilà , you made yourself a travel time capsule!

Not only these are pretty, but they will keep all your travel mementos organized. And it will look great in your living room!

6 Get Your Favourite Travel Moment Painted

There are many options to frame your photos and hang them on the wall – I particularly like CanvasPop .

A more interesting and unique approach is to have your favorite travel moment painted ! Do like Missy who documented years of travel painting on her Moleskine . An amazing set of visual memories!

7 Bring Your Social Media Photos to Life

If you’re a social media junkie like me, chances are you’ll probably have TONS of photos uploaded in social media, especially on Instagram. So why not put it to more creative use?

Using your Instagram photos, Social Print Studio creates a variety of physical frames, photo strips, and posters, including these adorable tiny books . FoxPrint allows you to create magnets as well.

Personally, I use a Polaroid Zip to print out my photos instantly. They come out in small mini-squares that I then use to ornament my fridge or add to my scrapbook.

8 Send Postcards To Yourself

Postcards never get out of style, it’s one of the most powerful and meaningful travel objects. Sending out them to family and friends is cute , but they probably mean more to you anyway who was actually there.

So try sending postcards to your home address instead!

Avoid the generic touristy ones and go for others able to evoke what you felt about a particular place or painting in the museum. When you get back home, you’ll have the mailbox full of your favorite travel memories!

9 Collect Something

If you take one particular object from each place you visit, you’ll soon end up with an enviable collection from all around the world.

I collect magnets and postcards. Boring I know. I have a friend who collects shot glasses and other race medals (she runs 10K). But the best part is that you can collect virtually anything . Here are some suggestions:

• Rocks/Pebbles
• Food – chocolates, salt, spices, etc
• … and so much more!

10 Put Your Wanderlust On The Wall

This is as simple as choosing a wall back home and turn it into your personal wanderlust worship place.

Go big and dramatic with a collage of travel photographs, snapshots, and other mementos and create a memorable wanderlust gallery!

11 Unlock The Power of Senses

How many times have a specific song remembered you of a destination? Or a scent? Sounds and scents have the power to unlock profound memories of the past.

One of the simplest things you can do is keep a playlist of each of your trips. Use Shazam to easily identify the artist and name of the song, whether it’s playing during your tuk-tuk ride in India or in the largest club in Las Vegas .

12 Blog it!

I had to squeeze this one in! Blogging is a great way to not only preserve travel memories but also share them.

In my case, I feel it also helps to organize my thoughts and moments and truly remember my travels. In a way, it’s like I’m traveling again.

There are some cons to this – there is a lot of work involved in blogging if you want to take it seriously – but definitely worth a try!

How about you? Which items do you usually keep from your trips? What to do you with them to make your travel memories last longer? Leave your comments below, can’t wait to get to know your ideas!

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8 Ways To Organise Your Travel Souvenirs & Mementos

Atiqah Mokhtar  •  Apr 02, 2020

Do you miss travelling? We sure do! While staying home and holding off on travel for now is necessary as we go through this pandemic, that doesn't mean we're not dreaming about our future adventures .

Credit: Giphy

But if anything, the current time we have at home is actually the perfect opportunity to look back on our past travel memories, be it through photos, souvenirs and mementos. What better time to undertake a project that will not only help us sort through our travel knick-knacks but also help us re-live some of our best travel memories? So if you're looking for a fun and creative way to dive into your travel memory lane, check out these suggestions!

1. Sort and organize your digital photos and videos

This is probably an obvious place to start - with cameras and our phones at our fingertips, travellers nowadays usually have an abundance of digital pictures and videos from their trips, which often requires some sort of sorting and organisation system! While technology has helped make it easier nowadays (for example, geotags on your photos makes it easy for apps like Google Photos to collate and group your photos according to a trip or destination), it's usually still helpful to make sure you have everything organised and stored in a way you're familiar with so it's easy to look up and you don't lose these precious photo records!

Backup everything

The basics of organising travel photos usually start with making sure your photos are backed up so you don't lose them. For those who take a lot of photos, it's often recommended to make sure your photos are saved to a Cloud service (like Dropbox or Google Drive). If you haven't yet, take the time to back-up your photos and videos from all your services (be it your phone, camera, GoPro, drone, etc.). To note, you can also configure your phone settings such that the photos on your phone are backed up automatically.

If you have a lot of photos and videos, you may need to purchase more storage space on your Cloud of choice. For those who love taking photos (even if it's just on your phone!), we highly recommend this as it's a great investment that will prevent you from having to worry about losing your photos, even if you change or lose your phone.

Have your photos sorted and filed in a way that's easy and accessible

Once everything is backed up, it's time to refine your filing system! This can range from something basic and simple like storing photos in folders according to the destination to something more detailed (such as having sub-categories according to the city, attraction or place where the picture was taken). This really depends on personal preference and how often you'd likely want to look-up a particular photo.

This is also a good time to sort through and delete photos that don't quite make the cut. If you have blurry photos or too many shots of a particular place, deleting the less than perfect ones can free up space for more photos and videos in the future!

Identify your favourite photos

This is often the best part about going through your travel photos - you get to identify your favourite ones! It makes sense to duplicate the ones you like the most into a separate folder so it's easy to find if you're planning to print them out, edit them further, or access the highlights of your trip more easily.

2. Make a scrapbook

Have a lot of pictures, ticket stubs, postcards and other paper collectables from your trip? Sounds like the perfect excuse for some scrapbooking! Let your creative juices flow as you piece together all your travel mementoes into an album and add your own flourishes. There's no right or wrong to scrapbooking, but there's plenty of online resources to help you get started on your journey. You can also easily find scrapbooking materials (such as albums, decorative stickers and tapes and other tools) online through places like Lazada and Shopee. Whether you choose to devote a scrapbook to one particular trip or to a whole year's worth of travel, you'll feel super accomplished once you're finished!

#HHWT Tip: Did you know you can purchase Instax printers that can print pictures directly from your phone? It's a really handy option as you can choose the best photos that you want to be printed out when you're back home (so you avoid wasting film) and you won't have to pack an Instax camera during your trip!

3. Create a display corner for your travel photos or souvenirs

They say your living space is a representation of who you are, and what better way to embody that than by having your house decorated with items from your travels? Not only do you get to display your souvenirs rather than having them just sitting in a dusty box somewhere, but it can also be a fun DIY project at home! Carve out an area where you can display your travel mementoes - it can be something as simple as a dedicated shelf on your bookcase, or wall space to hang your favourite photos. You can also invest a display cabinet, or alternatively fix some open shelves on a wall where you can put your items too. They make for a great focal point and conversation-starter when you have guests over in the future?

A great way to get some inspiration is to browse through Pinterest or on home furniture and design Instagram accounts (like Ikea's !) to get ideas for what you can do.

4. Write about your travels

Never had to the time to journal while you were travelling? That doesn't mean you still can't do it! Travel journalling is an excellent way to reflect on the trips you have taken. Not only does it let you think about the places you have visited, but it offers an opportunity for introspection and gratitude too.

Travel journalling is like any form of journalling - it can get as artistic or as minimalist as you want. And while travel journalling is often described as being in a written form, digital platforms work too! Nowadays there are dedicated digital travel journal platforms like Travel Diaries that make it super fun and easy to write about your trip. But whether you document your trip through a blog post, use a Google Doc to store your thoughts and photos, or simply post a throwback photo on your Instagram with a short caption, it's all good. So set aside some time with some coffee or tea, a cosy spot on your couch and your phone to scroll through your photos, and take a walk down memory lane.

5. Make a travel slideshow or video

Want to share your travel photos and videos with friends and family? Cue a travel slideshow! Now before you roll your eyes, we don't mean you have to resort to a Powerpoint presentation. There are now a lot of apps easily accessible right from your phone that you can use to piece together a short and sweet slideshow or video of your travel highlights. Some popular ones include PicPlayPost , MoShow and Scoompa, but you'll find plenty more apps when browsing your app store. These apps are designed to make it easy for you to share on your social media platforms, so it'll easy to take your friends and family through the best moments of your trip! It's great if you went on a group trip with your friends too, tag the people you travelled with and start reminiscing on the awesome time you had.

6. Make a travel memory box

If you have a lot of travel mementoes but don't feel like making a scrapbook or fashioning it into some sort of display, why not consider making a travel memory box or destination box? This simply means putting all your travel knick-knacks into a pretty keepsake box that you can store on your shelf without it being an eyesore. It elevates it from being stored in a nondescript storage container to something a little more special ?You can have one big box to store all your travel mementoes, or you can also sort by destination and have different boxes for different places. If you label your boxes with the names of the different cities or countries they represent, the boxes become a cool reminder of all the places you've visited too!

7. Make a photobook

Have your travel photos become your very own pictorial spread immortalised in a book you can flip through whenever you want! There are many photobook service providers that you can order from online (such as Photobook that's available in both Malaysia and Singapore , as well as Pixajoy ) and they'll send the finished product straight to your doorstep. They make for awesome coffee table books to keep in your living room too.

#HHWT Tip: These printing services usually offer many products, including printing photos for home decoration, making personalised items like calendars or mugs, or gifts for loved ones!

8. Organise your fridge magnets

This may sound a bit silly, but don't knock it until you try it! Many of us collect magnets when we visit places around the world, come home, plonk them on our fridge and forget about them. Well, now's the time to take a look at them and re-arrange them according to your liking (if you wanted to go the extra mile, you could even take all the magnets off, wipe down your fridge, then put your magnets back on one-by-one). You'll be surprised at the memories that can come back to you as you look at your magnets from around the world.

And there you have it! 8 ways to organise and honour your travel mementos that will help you re-live some of your best travel memories. Travelling might not be on the cards right now, but looking through your past travels will not only help fill that travel void but also help keep your wanderlust alive and kicking until your next trip in the future ❤️

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20+ Ideas For Travel Memory Books and Journals

Here’s a list of travel memory books and journals to document your vacation in fun and creative ways!

Travel journals and keepsakes are wonderful ways to document your vacations so those memories stay with you after you’ve returned home.

One of the biggest mistakes travelers make is assuming you won’t forget the experiences or emotions of the places you visit.

To help keep those memories fresh, create a travel memory book, scrapbook or other keepsake idea to share your story and photos with family and friends.

This site contains affiliate links which means WE may receive commissions for purchases made through these links. We only provide links to products we actually use and/or wholeheartedly recommend! As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Read the full Disclosure Policy.

Travel journal ideas for adults and kids.

• Road Trip Journals
• National Park Journals

Travel Journals

• Travel Journals for Kids

20 Travel Memory Books and Journals

Travel scrapbooks.

Here's a list of 10 Travel Memory Books and Scrapbooks that provide a fun and creative way to document your vacations!

Our Adventure Book Scrapbook

• Photo Book Scrapbook
• Individual postcards
• Self-adhesive photo corners
• Self-adhesive circular stickers
• Decorative paper
• Decorative tapes

Leather Vintage "World Map" Memory Book

Handmade Scrapbook Photo Album:

• Scrapbook size: 8.58" L *6.89" W (22x17.5cm)
• Refill pages size: 8.27" L *5.9" W (21x15cm)
• PU leather cover, waterproof and durable
• Embossed design, not just printed
• Blank thick carboard Kraft pages, non-fading.

Our Adventure Book Wooden Scrapbook Photo Album

40 thick sheets–80 pages and can hold and present more than 160 photos of 4 x 6 inches.

The included multicolored, self-adhesive 612pcs corner stickers make pasting your photos easy by eliminating the need to use glue; and allow you to easily switch out your photos without damage.

Wooden Scrapbook Photo Album, World Map Travel Book

• 3 PVC hollow doodle handbook templates
• 8 *126 self-adhesive photo corner stickers
• 1 pencil holder with 8 colorful refills
• 6 sheets transparent album stickers
• 20 small size photo decorative border stickers

Our Travels Scrapbook Album

• Cover measures 13.5x12.5 Inches with a 4x6 Inch photo opening
• Includes ten 12x12 Inch top loading vinyl page protectors with 10 heavy white paper inserts
• Archival quality, acid-free pages with a 3 post bound construction for easy expansion
• Expandable with MCS Extra Page Sheets #899676
• Clear dust jacket

Life is an Adventure, Be an Explorer Photo Album

• Size: length 8. 5 x width 8.7 x thick 1.5 (inches)
• 40 sheets/160 pages of photo page
• Each page holds two photos of 4x6 inch
• Memo writing area next to each pocket
• Total holds 160 photos

Our Adventure Book Photo Book

• Adventure book length 9.8 x width 7.8 x height 0.9 inches
• 90 sheets/180 pages
• Several sheets of stickers

Faux Suede Travel Scrapbook

• Feature a faux suede cover with printed words and phrases from a variety of themes, an expandable screw post spine, ten 12 by 12in top-loading page protectors with white cardstock inserts
• Acid, lignin and PVC free
• Actual album measures 13 by 12-1/2 by 1-inch and comes with a protective plastic cover
• Inserts easily slide out while protectors remain in place
• Archival, photo safe: acid, lignin and PVC free

Memories of Time Leather Scrapbook Album

• 8.5x11 inch album
• Total 40 Sheets Paper/ 80 Pages
• 8 DIY Drawing Templates
• 12 x Metallic Marker
• 6 x DIY Cartoon Stickers
• 3 x Lovely Stickers
• 3 x Photo Corner Stickers
• 2 x Lace Tapes

Memories Photo Album

• Size: length 8. 5 x width 8.65 x thick 1.5 (inches)
• Each page holds two photos

Here's a list of 10 Travel Journals to record your thoughts and organize your trip!

Page-A-Day Artisan Travel Journal

• Measures 5'' wide x 7'' high.
• Compact size fits easily into most bags and backpacks.
• 176 writing pages.

Hardcover Travel Journal

Measures 7.75 x 9.25 inches with 100 pages. Traveling Scrapbook with Prompts - Fill out basic details, favorite memories, & photos from each trip to remember the specifics that made the trip unforgettable

Compact Travel Journal, Notebook, Diary

• 144 lightly lined opaque pages
• Smooth-finish acid-free archival-quality ivory paper takes pen and pencil beautifully
• Compact size: 5'' x 7''
• Hardcover journal lies flat for ease of use.
• Convenient inside back cover pocket holds notes, favorite photos, cards, receipts, and other flat items.

Softcover Travel Journal

• :6" x 9"
• 150 Lined Pages

Everywhere You Go: A Guided Travel Journal with Prompts

 It includes breakout spreads with uplifting quotes to help frame your thoughts and experiences, along with space for packing lists, notes, addresses, and things you want to remember.

• 5.75″W x 8.5″H, 112 pages

The Ultimate Travel Journal

120 pages; 6x9 size

• Weekly Travel quotes
• Weekly Departure Day Info
• Packing List ideas and your own packing list page
• 9 Super fun and easy Daily Prompts to reflect on your adventures.
• Daily pages for your own personal notes or sketches.
• Weekly reflection prompts you never thought to ask yourself after your travels.⠀

Travel Life Journal, Diary, Notebook

• 160 lightly-lined writing pages
• Inside back cover pocket holds notes, reminders, business cards, etc.
• 6 inches wide by 8 inches high.
• Black elastic band attached to back cover keeps your place or keeps journal closed.

Travel Journal (Hardcover)

160 blank, lined pages ready for you to jot down your travel inspiration, trip memories, or everyday aspirations, thoughts, and reflections. Measuring at 6” x 0.4” x 8”, this travel journal is the perfect size to carry with you no matter where life takes you.

Passion Traveler's Journal

• 5x8.25 inches

Travel Diary: A Guided Journal

Helpful prompts will inspire your thoughts as you document your experiences for up to 10 trips. The journal also includes blank dotted pages for each trip, allowing you to express yourself or include photos and mementos. Make it your own!

This travel journal is the perfect size (7 x 10") to drop in your bag or backpack, yet gives you ample space to write and record your memories.

More Travel Memory Book, Journal and Keepsake Ideas

We asked seasoned travelers how they preserve important details, memories and experiences of their vacations.

Hopefully these ideas will spark your desire to create a travel memory book in photographic or written form, or both!

Photo Books

Carly “Wayward” Heyward,  Flight of the Educator  says: I’m honestly so addicted to making my Shutterfly photobooks, that I’m not sure if I love traveling and then I make a book that shows it… or I love making books, so I have to travel to make them! Either way, I have 16 books documenting most of my travels to 51 countries on 6 continents.

What I like most about them is that if they are ever damaged, I could just order a new one. I can also share a digital copy for my friends and family that are unable to see the physical one. And they make great conversation starters (especially for friends thinking of going to those places).

I enjoy crafting each page and making them all look nice and unique.  It’s also a wonderful way to reminiscence after a trip while cultivating the perfect pictures for the pages. Travel brings me joy planning the trip, during the trip, while making the book, and anytime I look at it for years to come.

To get the best possible deal (because they can get expensive very fast!), I go ahead and make my book. Then, when there’s a 40 or 50% off sale, I’m ready to go!

Travel Diary

Lauren Cocking,  Northern Lauren  says: I always document my (long-term) travels in a travel diary, but because I’m notoriously terrible at keeping up with writing entries, I ‘force’ myself to write just one page a day about what I did.

In fact, this page-a-day technique worked really well when I did my year abroad in Guadalajara, Mexico and I ended up with three mini travel diaries full of my experiences that I can look back on forever.

HOWEVER, I really outdid myself when I got back to the UK and decided to turn these journals into three MASSIVE  scrapbooks of photos, receipts, tickets, wristbands and memories .

It took me as long to put them together as it did to write the journals and I don’t think I’d do it again (it took an age) but I’m really glad I went the extra mile for my year abroad travels.

→ Check out these cool travel diary ideas at AMAZON and ETSY

Vintage Posters

Pete Brahan,  Just Go Travel Studios  says: I’ve always admired vintage National Park art. Last fall, I decided to try my hand at creating a similar style poster as a Christmas gift for my wife Amy to commemorate our love for National Parks.

A photo from a memorable family hike on the Bumpass Hell Trail at Lassen Volcanic National Park was chosen. I invested hours into locating a good font and experimenting to get the style and layout just right.  My sister was enlisted for artistic feedback along the way.

When she saw what I was creating, she immediately requested I create a poster using a photo from her recent trip to the Grand Canyon. After testing the idea with a few other family, friends and National Park enthusiasts, I knew I had something special and showed Amy immediately (yes, before Christmas!).

We agreed to start a small business to share our passion for National Parks and allow others to have a unique way to document their travels. Just Go Travel Studios was born. Our mission is to help people plan, experience, and remember great vacations.

We believe that vacations are meant to be enjoyed before, during and after the trip, and we try to help in every area. We have also always given 10% of all profits to the National Park Foundation, as we feel it’s our way of giving back to the Parks that have given us so much.

For remembering great vacations, our most popular products are our custom, vintage-style travel posters and postcards created using photos from our customers. We work closely with our customers to add in personalized wording based on their trip experiences and accommodate their requests. We are dedicated to providing exceptional customer service from the moment the order is placed until the package arrives at their door.

The result is a memory that enables them to enjoy their trip forever.

→ Check out the awesome CUSTOM POSTERS using YOUR photos! – Use Coupon Code: PHOTOJEEPERS10 to get 10% off your order!

Travel Scrapbook

Georgina Goodman,  Georgina Does  says: My boyfriend always asks me what I want for Christmas so I usually know what I am going to get. Last year he bought me a surprise gift and it was such a brilliant one!

Since January of this year, I have been filling it with photos, notes, receipts, even chocolate wrappers from weird stuff that you can’t get back at home. I love it and already it is such a nice memory of what I’ve done this year. I’m looking forward to when it’s completely full – hopefully I’ll still be able to close it!

→ Check out these fun travel scrapbooks at AMAZON and ETSY

Travel Postcards

Hannah Lukaszewicz,  Getting Stamped  says: My husband and I have been traveling for 4.5 years non-stop sharing everything along the way on our blog. Besides the blog, we also send ourselves a postcard from every country we go to.

We write a few notes about the country, our thoughts, and random things that are going on. It’s always an adventure to find stamps and a post office.

Our favorite postcard is from the Maldives, we were staying at a popular  Maldives honeymoon  spot and they turned this photo into a postcard for us. It’s fun to come home and find mail we sent to ourselves from the road.

→ Make custom postcards of your travels!

Travel Shadow Box

Megan Johnson from  Red Around the World  shares: Every time I go on a trip, big or small, I always come home with a million little tickets, business cards, and maps.  I never knew what to do with them until one day I was perusing good old Pinterest and saw  DIY shadow boxes .

I thought, “this is perfect!”  So off I went to Jo Ann Fabric to find myself a shadow box, or four. I think DIY shadow boxes are a fun way to show off all the little stuff that you’re not quite sure what to do with.

→ Check out these DIY shadow boxes at AMAZON and ETSY

Memorabilia Scrapbook

Justine Cross,  Wanderer of the World  says: When coming home from travelling, there are a few things I get excited about: showing reams of photos to my family, recounting my tales on my blog and creating scrapbook pages of mementos from my trip.

My scrapbook is rammed full of trip tickets, airplane tickets, luggage tags, even small pieces of foreign currency! I find this to be a great way of keeping all the little mementos gathered from a trip in one place.

I try to (artfully) arrange them in my travel journal so that I can always look back on exactly what we got up to during each trip – the more colour, the better!

With so many travels happening all the time, I can sometimes forget the smaller things about a trip. But my memorabilia scrapbook is an excellent way of jolting my memory! Plus, it’s also fun to create the pages!

→ Check out these fun travel memorabilia displays at AMAZON

Vacation Planners

Bernadette Jackson,  A Packed Life  says: It’s not surprising that someone like me with a passion for planners is also an avid travel journal keeper. It began when I started to forget details of the magnificent places we’d visited (ah Australia, how I wish I’d journaled you!), and has become part of my traveling ritual.

In fact, my travel journal is there on my list of essentials alongside passport and tickets. Over the years, my collection of travel journals has expanded to embrace all manner of journeys.

There are the journals of Big Trips, starting from the moment we hatched an idea and began to plan an itinerary. Then there’s my little book of weekenders: easy to pick up and throw in a bag at the last minute.

In these journals I can connect again with all kinds of memories; meeting a full time RVing couple at the march of the Peabody Ducks in Memphis, delicate scrolled wrapping tissue from a pharmacy in Cagliari, a gift of ice cold red pears roadside at the Col de Tende, and the changing cityscape of one of our favourite places, Ghent. When I’m not on the road, I can escape happily into those pages.

→ Check out these travel planning journals at AMAZON and ETSY

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15 comments.

These are some great travel journals. I have never used one, but really want to now

Great suggestions. It’s hard to pick one!

Thanks for this! It’s inspiration to start the travel scrapbooks and compile years of iPhone photos in Shutterfly photobooks for my kiddos.

Shutterfly and Chatbooks really make it easy to compile phone photos into books. Enjoy the fun!

Useful article! I was just thinking about how to organize my photos. So many photos just got lost in my phone among all the screenshots and random things people send it chats. Would definitely like to keep a journal of sorts!

Good luck finding the organization method that will work for you!

Such unique and great ideas!

I used to have a travel scrapbook when I was younger but nowadays, it’s not practical anymore because I live in AirBnB’s and carry around all my belongings in my backpack. However, I use my instagram account to document my travels. Started only recently which is a pity. And my daughter gets a postcard from almost every place a visit (sometimes, I can’t find postcards) and I know that she keeps and collects them.

You should try sending your own photos as postcards if you can – I bet your daughter would love that!

Jamie-such a thorough and interesting post! Nice work!

Thank you for contributing! Your posters are such a unique way to document your travels!

Some of these look really fun! I dunno if I have the handwriting for some of them!

The important thing is getting the memories documented – and try not to worry about your handwriting! 🙂

What fun ways to document travels!

Thanks for contributing Hannah! I love the postcard idea 🙂

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Opinion: the paradox of travel mementos in a digital world

May 6, 2015 • 3 min read

Anyone scanning my bookshelves to get a sense of my taste and personality will inevitably come across a few long out-of-date guidebooks.

If a curious browser picked up my battered 1997 copy of Lonely Planet’s Tahiti & French Polynesia guidebook, they might note a faint sweet smell of ylang ylang blossom still present over a decade after I pressed some flowers between the pages, or the mark on the back cover from an ex-cockroach that tried to share a tiny bathroom with me, or the corners stained and curled from rain, sweat and sea water.

I don’t keep the book for the travel tips; I keep it because every page is steeped in memories. They might also notice that the guidebooks stop showing up on my shelf after about 2010, as I shifted more and more to digital formats invisible to the casual onlooker. It looks like there’s a gap in my life.

As media shifts from tangible to intangible formats – a process often termed ‘dematerialisation’ – it throws up a few questions about identity. In the absence of music collections, books and albums of photos on display, how do we express who we are in our own homes? What are our conversation starters? And how can you assess someone’s character without asking them to hand over their devices?

Identity is only part of the issue, and a relatively superficial part at that. Objects we collect are a form of memory storage, a three-dimensional map of people, places, and emotions from different points in our lives. Computers use backup; we use mementos. The word ‘memento’ comes from the imperative form of the Latin meminisse , to remember. A memento demands that you actively remember. I thought the carved mango wood bowl I bought in Chiang Mai was beautiful when I bought it. Now I disagree with my former self, but I keep it because it transports me straight to that moment, wandering the night market with friends, smoking a cigarette as if I actually liked it, convinced my pocket was about to get picked – but, for once, not really caring if it did. That is a powerful ugly bowl.

For computers, memory is shifting from boxes on our desks to the cloud – yes, even the memory of computers appears to be dematerialising now. Can human memory make a parallel transition to a world of purely digital mementos? Or are we hardwired to relate to hard copies, to objects we can see, to things we can reach out and touch?

Research on this question is still quite new, but it does seem that people can place great emotional value in digital media, particularly photos, videos and important pieces of correspondence. But there is a paradox at work here: a memento needs to be encountered commonly, or at least spontaneously, for it to be an effective memory-jogging tool. For digital mementos, this means – curiously – that we need to 'rematerialise' them, a process underlined by the popularity of devices such as digital picture frames.

I take solace from the fact that mementos will always require some sort of physical presence; our walls will not be bare, and I will always have a place for my ugly mango wood bowl.

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Travel Itinerary For One Week in Moscow: The Best of Moscow!

I just got back from one week in Moscow. And, as you might have already guessed, it was a mind-boggling experience. It was not my first trip to the Russian capital. But I hardly ever got enough time to explore this sprawling city. Visiting places for business rarely leaves enough time for sightseeing. I think that if you’ve got one week in Russia, you can also consider splitting your time between its largest cities (i.e. Saint Petersburg ) to get the most out of your trip. Seven days will let you see the majority of the main sights and go beyond just scratching the surface. In this post, I’m going to share with you my idea of the perfect travel itinerary for one week in Moscow.

Moscow is perhaps both the business and cultural hub of Russia. There is a lot more to see here than just the Kremlin and Saint Basil’s Cathedral. Centuries-old churches with onion-shaped domes dotted around the city are in stark contrast with newly completed impressive skyscrapers of Moscow City dominating the skyline. I spent a lot of time thinking about my Moscow itinerary before I left. And this city lived up to all of my expectations.

Travel Itinerary For One Week in Moscow

Day 1 – red square and the kremlin.

Metro Station: Okhotny Ryad on Red Line.

No trip to Moscow would be complete without seeing its main attraction. The Red Square is just a stone’s throw away from several metro stations. It is home to some of the most impressive architectural masterpieces in the city. The first thing you’ll probably notice after entering it and passing vendors selling weird fur hats is the fairytale-like looking Saint Basil’s Cathedral. It was built to commemorate one of the major victories of Ivan the Terrible. I once spent 20 minutes gazing at it, trying to find the perfect angle to snap it. It was easier said than done because of the hordes of locals and tourists.

As you continue strolling around Red Square, there’s no way you can miss Gum. It was widely known as the main department store during the Soviet Era. Now this large (yet historic) shopping mall is filled with expensive boutiques, pricey eateries, etc. During my trip to Moscow, I was on a tight budget. So I only took a retro-style stroll in Gum to get a rare glimpse of a place where Soviet leaders used to grocery shop and buy their stuff. In case you want some modern shopping experience, head to the Okhotny Ryad Shopping Center with stores like New Yorker, Zara, and Adidas.

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To continue this Moscow itinerary, next you may want to go inside the Kremlin walls. This is the center of Russian political power and the president’s official residence. If you’re planning to pay Kremlin a visit do your best to visit Ivan the Great Bell Tower as well. Go there as early as possible to avoid crowds and get an incredible bird’s-eye view. There are a couple of museums that are available during designated visiting hours. Make sure to book your ticket online and avoid lines.

Day 2 – Cathedral of Christ the Saviour, the Tretyakov Gallery, and the Arbat Street

Metro Station: Kropotkinskaya on Red Line

As soon as you start creating a Moscow itinerary for your second day, you’ll discover that there are plenty of metro stations that are much closer to certain sites. Depending on your route, take a closer look at the metro map to pick the closest.

The white marble walls of Christ the Saviour Cathedral are awe-inspiring. As you approach this tallest Orthodox Christian church, you may notice the bronze sculptures, magnificent arches, and cupolas that were created to commemorate Russia’s victory against Napoleon.

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Unfortunately, the current Cathedral is a replica, since original was blown to bits in 1931 by the Soviet government. The new cathedral basically follows the original design, but they have added some new elements such as marble high reliefs.

Home to some precious collection of artworks, in Tretyakov Gallery you can find more than 150,000 of works spanning centuries of artistic endeavor. Originally a privately owned gallery, it now has become one of the largest museums in Russia. The Gallery is often considered essential to visit. But I have encountered a lot of locals who have never been there.

Famous for its souvenirs, musicians, and theaters, Arbat street is among the few in Moscow that were turned into pedestrian zones. Arbat street is usually very busy with tourists and locals alike. My local friend once called it the oldest street in Moscow dating back to 1493. It is a kilometer long walking street filled with fancy gift shops, small cozy restaurants, lots of cute cafes, and street artists. It is closed to any vehicular traffic, so you can easily stroll it with kids.

Day 3 – Moscow River Boat Ride, Poklonnaya Hill Victory Park, the Moscow City

Metro Station: Kievskaya and Park Pobedy on Dark Blue Line / Vystavochnaya on Light Blue Line

Voyaging along the Moscow River is definitely one of the best ways to catch a glimpse of the city and see the attractions from a bit different perspective. Depending on your Moscow itinerary, travel budget and the time of the year, there are various types of boats available. In the summer there is no shortage of boats, and you’ll be spoiled for choice.

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If you find yourself in Moscow during the winter months, I’d recommend going with Radisson boat cruise. These are often more expensive (yet comfy). They offer refreshments like tea, coffee, hot chocolate, and, of course, alcoholic drinks. Prices may vary but mostly depend on your food and drink selection. Find their main pier near the opulent Ukraine hotel . The hotel is one of the “Seven Sisters”, so if you’re into the charm of Stalinist architecture don’t miss a chance to stay there.

The area near Poklonnaya Hill has the closest relation to the country’s recent past. The memorial complex was completed in the mid-1990s to commemorate the Victory and WW2 casualties. Also known as the Great Patriotic War Museum, activities here include indoor attractions while the grounds around host an open-air museum with old tanks and other vehicles used on the battlefield.

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The hallmark of the memorial complex and the first thing you see as you exit metro is the statue of Nike mounted to its column. This is a very impressive Obelisk with a statue of Saint George slaying the dragon at its base.

Maybe not as impressive as Shanghai’s Oriental Pearl Tower , the skyscrapers of the Moscow City (otherwise known as Moscow International Business Center) are so drastically different from dull Soviet architecture. With 239 meters and 60 floors, the Empire Tower is the seventh highest building in the business district.

The observation deck occupies 56 floor from where you have some panoramic views of the city. I loved the view in the direction of Moscow State University and Luzhniki stadium as well to the other side with residential quarters. The entrance fee is pricey, but if you’re want to get a bird’s eye view, the skyscraper is one of the best places for doing just that.

Day 4 – VDNKh, Worker and Collective Farm Woman Monument, The Ostankino TV Tower

Metro Station: VDNKh on Orange Line

VDNKh is one of my favorite attractions in Moscow. The weird abbreviation actually stands for Russian vystavka dostizheniy narodnogo khozyaystva (Exhibition of Achievements of the National Economy). With more than 200 buildings and 30 pavilions on the grounds, VDNKh serves as an open-air museum. You can easily spend a full day here since the park occupies a very large area.

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First, there are pavilions that used to showcase different cultures the USSR was made of. Additionally, there is a number of shopping pavilions, as well as Moskvarium (an Oceanarium) that features a variety of marine species. VDNKh is a popular venue for events and fairs. There is always something going on, so I’d recommend checking their website if you want to see some particular exhibition.

A stone’s throw away from VDNKh there is a very distinctive 25-meters high monument. Originally built in 1937 for the world fair in Paris, the hulking figures of men and women holding a hammer and a sickle represent the Soviet idea of united workers and farmers. It doesn’t take much time to see the monument, but visiting it gives some idea of the Soviet Union’s grandiose aspirations.

I have a thing for tall buildings. So to continue my travel itinerary for one week in Moscow I decided to climb the fourth highest TV tower in the world. This iconic 540m tower is a fixture of the skyline. You can see it virtually from everywhere in Moscow, and this is where you can get the best panoramic views (yep, even better than Empire skyscraper).

Parts of the floor are made of tempered glass, so it can be quite scary to exit the elevator. But trust me, as you start observing buildings and cars below, you won’t want to leave. There is only a limited number of tickets per day, so you may want to book online. Insider tip: the first tour is cheaper, you can save up to $10 if go there early.

Day 5 – A Tour To Moscow Manor Houses

Metro Station: Kolomenskoye, Tsaritsyno on Dark Green Line / Kuskovo on Purple Line

I love visiting the manor houses and palaces in Moscow. These opulent buildings were generally built to house Russian aristocratic families and monarchs. Houses tend to be rather grand affairs with impressive architecture. And, depending on the whims of the owners, some form of a landscaped garden.

During the early part of the 20th century though, many of Russia’s aristocratic families (including the family of the last emperor) ended up being killed or moving abroad . Their manor houses were nationalized. Some time later (after the fall of the USSR) these were open to the public. It means that today a great many of Moscow’s finest manor houses and palaces are open for touring.

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There are 20 manor houses scattered throughout the city and more than 25 in the area around. But not all of them easily accessible and exploring them often takes a lot of time. I’d recommend focusing on three most popular estates in Moscow that are some 30-minute metro ride away from Kremlin.

Sandwiched between the Moscow River and the Andropov Avenue, Kolomenskoye is a UNESCO site that became a public park in the 1920’s. Once a former royal estate, now it is one of the most tranquil parks in the city with gorgeous views. The Ascension Church, The White Column, and the grounds are a truly grand place to visit.

You could easily spend a full day here, exploring a traditional Russian village (that is, in fact, a market), picnicking by the river, enjoying the Eastern Orthodox church architecture, hiking the grounds as well as and wandering the park and gardens with wildflower meadows, apple orchards, and birch and maple groves. The estate museum showcases Russian nature at its finest year-round.

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If my travel itinerary for one week in Moscow was a family tree, Tsaritsyno Park would probably be the crazy uncle that no-one talks about. It’s a large park in the south of the city of mind-boggling proportions, unbelievable in so many ways, and yet most travelers have never heard of it.

The palace was supposed to be a summer home for Empress Catherine the Great. But since the construction didn’t meet with her approval the palace was abandoned. Since the early 1990’s the palace, the pond, and the grounds have been undergoing renovations. The entire complex is now looking brighter and more elaborately decorated than at possibly any other time during its history. Like most parks in Moscow, you can visit Tsaritsyno free of charge, but there is a small fee if you want to visit the palace.

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Last, but by no means least on my Moscow itinerary is Kuskovo Park . This is definitely an off-the-beaten-path place. While it is not easily accessible, you will be rewarded with a lack of crowds. This 18th-century summer country house of the Sheremetev family was one of the first summer country estates of the Russian nobility. And when you visit you’ll quickly realize why locals love this park.

Like many other estates, Kuskovo has just been renovated. So there are lovely French formal garden, a grotto, and the Dutch house to explore. Make sure to plan your itinerary well because the estate is some way from a metro station.

Day 6 – Explore the Golden Ring

Creating the Moscow itinerary may keep you busy for days with the seemingly endless amount of things to do. Visiting the so-called Golden Ring is like stepping back in time. Golden Ring is a “theme route” devised by promotion-minded journalist and writer Yuri Bychkov.

Having started in Moscow the route will take you through a number of historical cities. It now includes Suzdal, Vladimir, Kostroma, Yaroslavl and Sergiev Posad. All these awe-inspiring towns have their own smaller kremlins and feature dramatic churches with onion-shaped domes, tranquil residential areas, and other architectural landmarks.

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I only visited two out of eight cities included on the route. It is a no-brainer that Sergiev Posad is the nearest and the easiest city to see on a day trip from Moscow. That being said, you can explore its main attractions in just one day. Located some 70 km north-east of the Russian capital, this tiny and overlooked town is home to Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius, UNESCO Site.

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Sergiev Posad is often described as being at the heart of Russian spiritual life. So it is uncommon to see the crowds of Russian pilgrims showing a deep reverence for their religion. If you’re traveling independently and using public transport, you can reach Sergiev Posad by bus (departs from VDNKh) or by suburban commuter train from Yaroslavskaya Railway Station (Bahnhof). It takes about one and a half hours to reach the town.

Trinity Lavra of St. Sergius is a great place to get a glimpse of filling and warming Russian lunch, specifically at the “ Gostevaya Izba ” restaurant. Try the duck breast, hearty potato and vegetables, and the awesome Napoleon cake.

Day 7 – Gorky Park, Izmailovo Kremlin, Patriarch’s Ponds

Metro Station: Park Kultury or Oktyabrskaya on Circle Line / Partizanskaya on Dark Blue Line / Pushkinskaya on Dark Green Line

Gorky Park is in the heart of Moscow. It offers many different types of outdoor activities, such as dancing, cycling, skateboarding, walking, jogging, and anything else you can do in a park. Named after Maxim Gorky, this sprawling and lovely park is where locals go on a picnic, relax and enjoy free yoga classes. It’s a popular place to bike around, and there is a Muzeon Art Park not far from here. A dynamic location with a younger vibe. There is also a pier, so you can take a cruise along the river too.

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The Kremlin in Izmailovo is by no means like the one you can find near the Red Square. Originally built for decorative purposes, it now features the Vernissage flea market and a number of frequent fairs, exhibitions, and conferences. Every weekend, there’s a giant flea market in Izmailovo, where dozens of stalls sell Soviet propaganda crap, Russian nesting dolls, vinyl records, jewelry and just about any object you can imagine. Go early in the morning if you want to beat the crowds.

All the Bulgakov’s fans should pay a visit to Patriarch’s Ponds (yup, that is plural). With a lovely small city park and the only one (!) pond in the middle, the location is where the opening scene of Bulgakov’s novel Master and Margarita was set. The novel is centered around a visit by Devil to the atheistic Soviet Union is considered by many critics to be one of the best novels of the 20th century. I spent great two hours strolling the nearby streets and having lunch in the hipster cafe.

Conclusion and Recommendations

To conclude, Moscow is a safe city to visit. I have never had a problem with getting around and most locals are really friendly once they know you’re a foreigner. Moscow has undergone some serious reconstruction over the last few years. So you can expect some places to be completely different. I hope my one week Moscow itinerary was helpful! If you have less time, say 4 days or 5 days, I would cut out day 6 and day 7. You could save the Golden Ring for a separate trip entirely as there’s lots to see!

What are your thoughts on this one week Moscow itinerary? Are you excited about your first time in the city? Let me know in the comments below!

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24 comments.

Ann Snook-Moreau

Moscow looks so beautiful and historic! Thanks for including public transit information for those of us who don’t like to rent cars.

MindTheTravel

Yup, that is me 🙂 Rarely rent + stick to the metro = Full wallet!

Mariella Blago

Looks like you had loads of fun! Well done. Also great value post for travel lovers.

Thanks, Mariella!

I have always wanted to go to Russia, especially Moscow. These sights look absolutely beautiful to see and there is so much history there!

Agree! Moscow is a thousand-year-old city and there is definitely something for everyone.

Tara Pittman

Those are amazing buildings. Looks like a place that would be amazing to visit.

Adriana Lopez

Never been to Moscow or Russia but my family has. Many great spots and a lot of culture. Your itinerary sounds fantastic and covers a lot despite it is only a short period of time.

What was their favourite thing about Russia?

Gladys Parker

I know very little about Moscow or Russia for the\at matter. I do know I would have to see the Red Square and all of its exquisite architectural masterpieces. Also the CATHEDRAL OF CHRIST THE SAVIOUR. Thanks for shedding some light on visiting Moscow.

Thanks for swinging by! The Red Square is a great starting point, but there way too many places and things to discover aside from it!

Ruthy @ Percolate Kitchen

You are making me so jealous!! I’ve always wanted to see Russia.

Moscow is in my bucket list, I don’t know when I can visit there, your post is really useful. As a culture rich place we need to spend at least week.

DANA GUTKOWSKI

Looks like you had a great trip! Thanks for all the great info! I’ve never been in to Russia, but this post makes me wanna go now!

Wow this is amazing! Moscow is on my bucket list – such an amazing place to visit I can imagine! I can’t wait to go there one day!

The building on the second picture looks familiar. I keep seeing that on TV.

Reesa Lewandowski

What beautiful moments! I always wish I had the personality to travel more like this!

Perfect itinerary for spending a week in Moscow! So many places to visit and it looks like you had a wonderful time. I would love to climb that tower. The views I am sure must have been amazing!

I was lucky enough to see the skyline of Moscow from this TV Tower and it is definitely mind-blowing.

Chelsea Pearl

Moscow is definitely up there on my travel bucket list. So much history and iconic architecture!

Thumbs up! 🙂

Blair Villanueva

OMG I dream to visit Moscow someday! Hope the visa processing would be okay (and become more affordable) so I could pursue my dream trip!

Yup, visa processing is the major downside! Agree! Time and the money consuming process…

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