Colorful Fayoum bowls are filled with rice and tomato soup alongside an alabaster dish filled with stuffed vine leaves. Alabaster and Fayoum pottery are some of the best souvenirs from Egypt.

10 Best Souvenirs From Egypt (You Won’t Regret Buying)

Shopping for souvenirs in Egypt can get overwhelming.

Tour guide often take you to whatever tourist trap gives them the best commission. And the souqs all start to look the same after a few days of busy sightseeing.

And I don’t know who buys polyester belly dancing dresses and fez hats. Though that’s what many online travel guides recommend.

But Egypt has a lot more to offer. You just have to know where to find those perfect handmade treasures.

Dee near Moez Street walking and smiling toward the camera with an arched doorway in the background.

I’m a travel planner living for over a decade in Cairo. And I’ve done my fair share of shopping across Egypt.

And this is my ultimate list of the best souvenirs from Egypt that you won’t regret buying.

These are my favorite items that I’ve actually used and enjoyed over the years.

Use this guide to find items you really love – and avoid the touristy kitsch.

Here are my favorite Egyptian souvenirs:

1. Marmar vases

A marmar vase that's white with beige veins stands on a desk holding some sprigs of greenery. Behind is a potted plant and a vase of terra cotta.

Egypt has beautiful marmar stone with natural veins and patterns.

Found abundantly in Luxor and Aswan, this stone (a kind of soft alabaster) makes unique pieces that you’ll love to have on your table.

Use your marmar vases for dried flowers, pens and general knick knack storage (marmar is porous and doesn’t hold water).

I love my marmar vase and it gives me something beautiful to look at on my desk when I’m working. The natural veins add some rustic nature to my home office.

Where to find it:

A marmar vase with some greenery stands on a desk next to a basket and a potted plant. The vase is white with thin beige veins running through it.

Marmar is sold at shops inside Khan el Khalili. There are a few good ones around Hussein Mosque and throughout the souq (just be patient or ask around).

The local retailer Fair Trade Egypt also carries a great selection of marmar vases and candle holders that cast a beautiful light (they have a location in Zamalek).

Luxor has the best alabaster shops where workmen carve away (right in front of you) at anything from simple vases to replicas of Ancient Egyptian reliefs. These alabaster shops are popular with tour groups and they have huge selections.

Dee walks in the courtyard of Al Azhar Mosque in Cairo wearing a scarf, sweater and skirt. The courtyard has white marble floors and white columns.

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2. Enamel tea kettles

A blue enamel tea kettle stands on a shelf next to a vase and a watercolor painting.

Enamel tea kettles aren’t your typical souvenir from Egypt, but they’re a unique Egyptian item that locals use in everyday life.

You’ll find enamel tea kettles at street cafes across Egypt. And they’re commonly used to serve tea with mint to generations of friends and families.

They make a great keepsake – and they’re very practical and durable. I’ve had mine for years and I use it to water my small house plants.

Where to find them:

A blue enamel tea kettle sits in a plant pot surrounded by greenery.

Buy enamel tea kettles (in either dark blue or white splashed with green) at household shops around Khan el Khalili that cater more to locals.

I got mine from a little shop at the end of the Tentmakers’ Market (Khayamiya) on Moez Street in Islamic Cairo. The shop is on the left hand side at the end of the row of tent makers.

You’ll also find them at a few shops around Al Ghuri Mosque on Moez. They’re sold in homeware shops across Egypt.

3. Fayoum pottery

A beige Fayoum bowl decorated with blue and red leaves stands on a desk full of guava. There is a potted plant and a print of Luxor in the background.

Fayoum pottery is bold, colorful and very underrated.

This uniquely Egyptian style of pottery is known for bold motifs that feature palm trees, Egyptian birds, swirling leaves and calligraphy. And it makes a great souvenir from Egypt that you’ll actually use.

The best place to shop for Fayoum pottery is (you guessed it) the Fayoum Oasis just outside Cairo. The oasis is an incredible day trip from Cairo if you’re looking for eco lodges, sand boarding and natural swimming.

Fayoum pottery is distinctly Egyptian and it adds a splash of personality to your table. It’s definitely worth the bubble tape and packing.

I have a small collection of coasters, bowls and plates. And I love knowing which pottery artist they came from and what workshop created the design.

Where to find them:

A colorful Fayoum bowl with painted blue stripes is filled with tomato soup.

A colorful Fayoum bowl with painted blue and green stripes holds some beans and rests on top of a yellow Fayoum plate.

If you can’t get to Fayoum, then finding Fayoum pottery can be tricky. It’s not widely sold at tourist souqs or Khan el Khalili.

For the best selection (outside of Fayoum itself) head to Fair Trade Egypt. They have pottery sourced straight from Fayoum in several different styles from an array of artisans.

4. Khayamiya cushions

Two khayameya cushions lay on a wooden chair surrounded by plants.

Handmade khayamiya cushions are some of the most vibrant Egyptian souvenirs with a long history.

They feature nature motifs like colorful birds and papyrus, geometric patterns, Ancient Egyptian themes and Egyptian folk art like dancing dervishes and Arabic calligraphy.

Khayamiya cushions add lots of color and personality to a room. And they pack really well: they’re light and don’t take up much space in your suitcase.

Khayamiya range from square cushion covers to enormous and elaborate wall hangings.

I have a few khayamiya cushions in geometric patters of green, neutrals and brown to match my earthy decor. They’re durable and comfortable too. Though they need to be hand washed in lukewarm water because some of the colors can bleed!

Where to find them:

A closeup of a khayamiya cushion made in Egypt showing geometric floral designs in ochre yellow, beige and black.

Head to the Tentmakers Market on Moez Street in Cairo for the biggest selection. This market has an entire row of different workshops where local artisans stitch their pieces.

You’ll also find select pieces of Khayamiya scattered around different shops in Khan el Khalili.

There are also cheap dupes of khayamiya that are factory-printed patterns on textile. You can spot these easily because they don’t have the visible hand stitching.

5. Alabaster plates

A light oblong natural alabaster bowl holds a few bunches of garlic and rests on top of a kitchen towel with a red stripe.

You’ll find lots of alabaster products like plates and bowls at souqs across Egypt.

Craftsmen create an array of items from the natural stone ranging from simple bowls carved by machine to elaborate vases.

I love the look of natural alabaster and how each piece is unique. Natural alabaster has beautiful lines and textures that range in color from white to the deepest amber.

I love alabaster plates for limes or garlic in my kitchen and alabaster bowls for knick knacks.

But note that alabaster is NOT food safe, despite what some salesmen say. So don’t use it for liquids or cooked foods.

Where to find it:

An alabaster bowl rests on a white kitchen towel and holds several bright green limes.

Alabaster is abundant in Luxor and Aswan where it’s queried then taken to workshops and shaped into bowls, lanterns and more.

You’ll also find dyed alabaster at many tourist souqs especially in Aswan. Dyed alabaster comes in blue or maroon/pink. Since it’s dyed by hand, no two pieces are exactly alike.

There’s lots of nice alabaster in Khan el Khalili.

6. Painted wooden bowls

A wooden bowl from Aswan stands on a shelf next to a vase and an orange watercolor sketch.

The markets of Aswan offer beautiful Nubian-style masks, bowls and figurines made of dark wood with painted details.

You’ll find lots of items like long wooden tribal masks and giraffe figurines that are traditionally associated with African-style crafts.

And Aswan’s markets have a vibe all their own. The city is on the UNESCO list for its long tradition of handicrafts and you’ll find souvenirs in Aswan that you won’t get anywhere else in Egypt.

Where to find them:

A wooden bowl from Aswan lays on a table next to an art coffee table book.

I love the sellers on the boat dock before the Philae Temple in Aswan. They’re right by the water with blankets spread out full of beautiful hand carved wood, colored alabaster and beaded jewelry.

I always pick something up when I’m there. My favorites are the wooden bowls with giraffes bent over to drink.

Aswan has the best selection of Nubian and African-style woodwork. But you’ll also find some items at souqs in Luxor and scattered inside the shops of Khan el Khalili.

7. Ancient Egyptian bowls

An ankh and fish-shaped alabaster bowls lay on a blue green cloth filled with pistachio nuts.

Scarabs, Ancient Egyptian figurines and anks are some of the most well-known souvenirs from Egypt.

And there’s a huge variety of alabaster, stone and wood carvings of Ancient Egyptian pharaohs and deities ranging from Bastet to King Tut to Horus.

Some of the figurines are so realistic that they make airport security nervous. They could really be mistaken for the real thing if they didn’t have the artist’s seal!

My favorite alabaster pieces are from Fair Trade Egypt. They’re in the shape of an ankh and a fish. And they’re replicas of real cosmetic spoons used in Ancient Egypt.

Where to find it:

A fish shaped alabaster bowl is filled with green olives and lays atop a blue green cloth. There are some pistachios in bowls in the background.

Shop at the souqs in Luxor and Aswan for great variety, and find lots of Ancient Egyptian statues and scarabs at Khan el Khalili.

Luxor has the best selection of alabaster related to Ancient Egypt. And it’s no wonder – that’s where you’ll find the most important temples.

8. Akhmim sheets

An orange bedspread from Akhmim lays on a bed along with a gazelle cushion and a notebook.

Akhmim cotton sheets are very underrated when it comes to souvenirs from Egypt.

They’re uniquely Egyptian, very durable and come in an array or colors and patterns. And they’re all handwoven in Akhmim, a small city in Upper Egypt that’s known for textiles.

I have an Akhmim sheet that I bought more than a decade ago and it still looks brand new.

It’s breathable yet thick so it’s perfect for spring and autumn. And I’ve known tourists who’ve bought Akhmim sheets by the bulk.

Where to find it:

An orange Akhmim bed spread lays with a coffee cup and notebook resting on the top.

Akhmim sheets aren’t hugely popular at the tourist souqs so they’re not always easy to find.

Head to Fair Trade Egypt for a good selection of Akhmim sheets – or to Akhmim itself if you’re in the area and want an adventure off the beaten path.

9. Tote bags

A woman carries a white tote bag with "cairo prints" written on it in blue and surrounded by blue details.

Cairopolitan

Tote bags with Ancient Egyptian designs are a great souvenir that’s very wearable too.

You’ll find lots of tote bags around Khan el Khalili in an array of designs from King Tut’s gold mask to the Eye of Horus. Some of them are a bit kitsch so you have to do some browsing.

Where to find it:

A white tote with blue designs of anks and other ancient Egyptian symbols.

Find nice tote bags in Khan el Khalili and tourist shops in Luxor and Aswan.

I love the tote bags from local retailers Cairopolitan for funky and modern designs. Their totes feature maps of Cairo, common Egyptian street foods and bold designs.

Fair Trade Egypt also has some great tote bags with Ancient Egyptian themes, including a blue grid design with symbols from the Old through the New Kingdom.

10. Incense burners

A series of incense burners made of colorful alabaster line a shelf in Khan el Khalili, Cairo.

Incense and oud burners are some of my favorite souvenirs from Egypt – they really pack an intense, gorgeous scent.

The region has a tradition of frankincense. And burning oud is a weekly routine for many Egyptians (especially on Fridays).

It’s a completely different process from your standard stick incense.

Burning oud fills up your entire home with a rich, woody fragrance that also permeates your clothes and lasts for days.

I love my oud burner. I learned how to use it from YouTube and I really wish I’d known about it sooner.

Where to find it:

There are many burners to chose from across Egypt’s souqs. They range from basic lantern-shaped burners to colorful alabaster burners with ornate metal lids.

You’ll need a 1) burner, 2) some charcoal and then 3) frankincense, oud or oud chips to get going.

There are lots of burners, oud and charcoal in Khan el Khalili and along Moez Street.

Amazing souvenirs to buy in Egypt

Dee walks down a street in Khan el Khalili in Cairo filled with vendors selling colorful lanterns.

Looking for a comprehensive list of what to buy in Egypt?

Here’s my no-nonsense guide to the most incredible Egypt souvenirs – from handmade glass to graphic laptop cases: 29 Amazing Souvenirs To Buy In Egypt (A Local’s Guide!)

Best things to buy in Aswan

what to buy in aswan

Aswan is famous for its colorful handicrafts and items you won’t find anywhere else in Egypt.

From blue alabaster bowls and beaded jewelry to wooden dolls, Aswan has some of the most creative artisans in the country.

Read 11 Best Things To Buy In Aswan (A Local’s Guide) for my ultimate guide to the best things to buy in Aswan.

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