We’ve challenged ourselves to make sure that all of our picks on this year’s YOLO gift guide really have a sense of place—whether that means scents inspired by faraway lands, comforting objets for when you’re on the road and missing home, or distractions to get everyone get off their screens, to be more present with each other and in the moment. Of course, we’re including our classic travel essentials as well, from the best plane clothes to our favorite bags. And if you need any more ideas beyond the list below, take a look at last year’s, which takes a completely different approach! —Yolanda
Analog memory keeping
Cameras
A Fuji Instax Mini Polaroid for the immediate gratification, and a nice souvenir to give whoever you’re with.
Ricoh GR111 is a super compact option, with really pro quality.
The Leica Q2 camera makes digital feel like film!
Watercolors
A watercolor travel set from Sennelier, the steeped-in-history Parisian art store
This handmade watercolor set from San Francisco’s Case for Making is on the splurge side, but in a very special palette.
A Japanese brush-pen set is a neater way of carrying your colors.
This Japanese watercolor set has a lovely palette and a nice price.
A rectangular travel watercolor journal like this one or this one easily slips into a bag.
Mail your memories with this watercolor postcard pad.
Journaling
A timelessly elegant-meets-bohemian Florentine notebook is always a good idea.
This perfect horizontal sketchbook closes with a black ribbon—I gift them in threes for a year of travel journaling, and they are only $6!
A leather-bound pocket sketchbook looks ready to fill with your Grand Tour notes.
These photo corners make a sweet gift in a blue Smythson box for under $20!
A leather pen & pencil case is an upgrade from loose pens banging around your bag.
The Traveler’s Factory is a trove of stationery, tape, customizable journal inserts and vintage travel ephemera. Their Tokyo store in Marunouchi is a must visit, too.
Postcard in a bottle
Incense Kyoto by Comme des Garcons
Marfa by Memo Paris (rabbit-hole alert–they have so many scents with location names!)
Fumerie Turque by Serge Lutens
Timbuktu by L’Artisan Parfumeur
Un Jardin sur le Nil by Hermes
Incense Ouazararte by Comme des Garcons
Acqua di Sicilia by Santa Maria Novella
Calgon, take me very, very far away!
Turn your tub into an onsen with a handmade Hinoki bath bucket and bath stool.
You’ll want these cypress-scented Japanese hinoki bath salts, too—or at least these reusable hinoki bath flakes, which you hang to dry.
Or try these traditional Turkish hammam kese (exfoliating mitts) with a jar of organic black soap.
This Morihata Binchotan charcoal body scrub towel actually detoxifies, or try this Korean bathhouse exfoliating towel for the full-body polish.
This milky hot spring mineral mix comes straight from the Japanese Alps.
Iris Hantverk makes these Swedish body brushes that are perfect for travel.
A cheerful soap on a rope that brings good luck—or this fancy, tomato-scented one from Loewe
These culty therapeutic bath oils were created in 1931 by a German couple inspired by Baden-Baden.
What does your friend with the hard-core sauna habit need? A felted hat.
Presents to help everyone be more present
We love this lightweight and très chic travel backgammon set from L’Uniform.
A retro edition of Uno sends us back to slumber party days.
Skip the small talk with the We’re Not Really Strangers card game.
A stylish set of dominoes in a leather case from Ettinger
Eames Playing Cards are fun to look at, whether you hold them or fold them.
Issimo x Modiano playing cards by a classic Neapolitan maker
One of the better travel chess sets we’ve seen—in wood, not plastic!
Mahj to Go—a lightweight mahjong set fits into its own cute canvas tote
These hand-cut wooden Stave puzzles are perfect for a weekend house or vacation rental (or gift a subscription to their puzzle rental program).
A few great things in travel size
This face and body travel essentials kit from Francesco Costa has everything you need.
We’ve been fans of this Austrian cream since forever.
To-go versions of those bath oils our friends obsess over
Our favorite Augustinus Bader minis for dry/airplane skin
Pack these single-use bath soaks from Japan’s Mount Nyuto onsen
The chicest bathroom kit with skincare, shampoo, and a monogrammed toothbrush
A unisex roll-on perfume we just discovered and love
Jet lag who? Look fresh with these depuffing undereye masks
These Skinsheet Cleansing Coins are magic—just add water and the 1″ coin expands to a biodegradable 10×10” face cloth.
Our clean beauty expert Larissa Thomson always carries Monastery’s Universal Balm.
Channeling that far-away feeling at home
This Pellicano ashtray/catch-all is a very chic transporter.
This Japanese Serizawa calendar and this Italian one sync you with your favorite places.
Deck your halls with these paper marigold garlands from India.
We love Yolo contributor Tess Ramirez’ illustrations on hotel stationery (she takes commissions, too!).
A Japanese at-home matcha tea ceremony set for someone’s daily moment of zen
Your favorite mezcal will taste better sipped from a Oaxacan clay set, infused with sap and leaves.
For chilly nights, this colorful hot water bottle & cozy from Hampshire gives British cottage vibes. Or see this ridiculous but amazing one from Johnstons of Elgin.
This Tibetan blessing fire set includes neck and wrist warmers, a butter lamp and your own mantra.
Here’s a nostalgic selection of vintage travel posters, from SoCal to Ceylon
Travel-themed washi tape! Use it everywhere.
…And making far away feel more like home
If you can’t live without your French press, a friend swears by this travel version.
A little palo santo smudges the weird juju out of a hotel room.
This natural clay and wood diffuser with a Japanese essential oil blend will ground you on arrival.
No flames allowed in your room? This Japanese cypress 2 oz room spray or California-ish Sun Moon Floral mist (our stylist-friend Kim Ficaro swears by it) will brighten things up.
You didn’t buy that giant ceramic plate and now you can’t stop thinking about it…
Our favorite Schostal pajamas from Rome—always.
We dreamed of dragging home these ceramic pineapples from Michoacán, by Arte Ananas—DM them for info!
These Lrnce framed textiles and ceramics from Marrakech with the sunniest palette
Vintage Navajo saddle blanket from Shiprock in Santa Fe would look great over the back of a couch.
Linen placemats from Chiarastella Cattana in Venice to pretty up your table
These Murano drinking glasses from master blower Giberto conjure summer days in Italia.
A Oaxacan clay vase by Rufina would look cool with or without flowers.
Sturdy Portuguese pottery from the Algarve coast—perfect for storing kitchen utensils
This incredible basket from Ghana commands a room.
Blessings beads from southern Mexico would look great on any coffee table…as would this chain paper weight, handmade in Austria.
Hand blown glass carafes all the way from Afghanistan
These hand-thrown mini vases by potter Yuta Segawa are so sweet.
A set of cheerful cotton cushion covers made by an asylum-seeker from Gambia now based in Milan.
This striking Bulgarian mandala plate, made by fourth-generation artisans, is almost too pretty to use.
Yolanda wrote about her Fede Sarda ring from Sardinia here.
Consider this Cali-cool Erin Irber driftwood brush handmade in Mendocino
We went down a candle rabbit hole!
A twisted beeswax candle from central Italy
Oaxacan floral candles by Doña Viviana – also these super colorful versions
Fjørn Iron berries candle holder and Swedish natural oil, no-drip candles for a hygge effect
Tiny colorful rice wax candles from Japan
Indian clay oil lamps and wicks from Rajasthan
The OG Trudon, made in Normandy
The best Japanese candles made with sumac wax, washi paper, silk fiber, and “salt from a spring tide during the daytime under a full moon.”
Also, these insanely beautiful Takazawa candles
Palo Santo candle from Ortigia
The Of Gardens candle, in a reusable stoneware vessel fired in an English kiln, was inspired by Francis Bacon’s essays on flowers.
Sending treats from faraway lands
The oh-so-elegant Sacher Torte from Vienna
These dark chocolate-covered candied clementines from Romanengo, the oldest candy shop in Italy, are incredible—don’t balk at the shipping costs, order in bulk!
Amatriciana Pellicano-style comes with one of their IYKYK totes.
Realmuto Panettone – Yes, it’s made in NYC’s West Village, but by a maestro pasticcere named Giuseppe Zito, so you know it’s the real deal!
Moroccan preserved lemons make everything from couscous to cocktails a bit more special.
Sardines, mackerel and mussels from Galicia—and the packaging is so pretty.
Portugal in a box!
A whole serrano ham for when you’ve got a house full of guests for the weekend
Sicilian cream of pistachio – aka “green gold” is our constant craving.
Japanese snacks and sweets or ”otsumami” — foods that pair with alcohol
Gifts that keep on giving
Cúrate Spanish Wine Club ships small-production wines that you otherwise wouldn’t easily find at your local bottle shop.
Noma’s Taste Buds program sends test-kitchen products, and invites you to members-only events. Use the code yologift for a free Mushroom Garum and Corn Yuzu Hot Sauce welcome gift when you buy a 2025 membership.
Erda Tea, handcrafted in the Napa Valley, sends herbal tea to your door monthly.
Murray’s cheese of the month, with wheels from Burgundy to Vermont
For our European readers, this Surprise Box of niche Portuguese products would be great to look forward to each month.
A year of Bellocq teas–the prettiest packaging!
The essential travel uniform—women
These Dosa silk pants work for the plane, a party, or even as pajamas
The Lara pant from Ann Mashburn gives High Sport serious competition. We also love their Faye pant!
Love a vest on a plane—this one from Margaret Howell has a great neckline and color.
Bergfabel from Sud-Tyrol makes chic but forgiving shirting.
The Uniqlo cashmere turtleneck in navy, or actually in any color, is never not in my bag.
Neck scarves, wool kerchiefs… whatever you call them, we love them for the plane. There’s this one in cashmere from Issimo, these from Margaret Howell in great colors, this wool bandana from Scottish brand Kestin, and this thick neck warmer–Tibetan made from yak wool by Norlha.
This knitted hood for winter or for your friends who are chronically cold on planes.
A good bandana can be an impromptu headscarf, knotted at the neck, or tucked into your bag. Ozma’s 1930s bandanas come in a rich, earthy palette.
A cape is great for the plane and will make any outfit somewhat presentable. This one from Norlha is so chic.
A cashmere shawl woven in Kashmir from the changra goat is as light as cream but warm as anything.
The perfect water sandals for vacation that are actually cute, from Landline General Store.
These espadrilles from Flabelus pack well in a suitcase, plus they work in just about every setting/climate (except rain!).
Sanders Chelsea boots are great for a country walk, but can also be polished up and worn with a suit, or tights and a skirt.
These Aimee Leon Dore travel slippers come in the perfect travel case and work just as well in the window seat as they do walking around town.
A compression sock that doesn’t look like a compression sock, from Bombas
A Colhays cardigan is the most versatile piece to keep you warm when you travel.
Our friend, swimsuit designer Malia Mills, says this hat from Kin the Label is her current fave for travel. Designer Nikki Kule swears by one from Mature Ha, made by a Japanese husband/wife team. Pia Baroncini loves her Teagen bucket hat from Janessa Leone, while we’re partial to this roll-up Borsalino hat that slips into a purse, with a very cool band!
The essential travel uniform—men
Velvet slippers that pack well and work for breakfast at the hotel, or out to cocktails.
Matt swears by this sweater, which he wears on the plane and throughout every trip, no matter the season.
The Sunspel cashmere lounge pant for the plane does not read sweatpant.
This navy polka-dot neck scarf is great for the plane and wears well throughout any trip.
Compression socks really work, and these from Falke are pretty good looking!
With its many pockets, this safari jacket is perfect for travel, and dresses up or down.
A double-breasted navy blazer from Giuliva Heritage is so versatile.
The things we carry
This Rue de Verneuil flannel bag is my new favorite for travel—it fits on a trolley and expands/contracts with snaps. It’s a handbag or a carryall, depending on your needs.
The only bag I don’t travel without—the Métier crossbody. It’s lightweight and carries just enough—remove the strap for a very chic clutch. Love it in this glossy red.
Also in red, this lightweight Rimowa cabin carry-on means you’ll always spot it first!
This striped collapsible bag by Il Bisonte is an elevated solution to the emergency back-up bag.
How about these brightly colored wallets that anybody would want to have—and are just $70?!
The Kilometre Undercover basket bags, designed by explorer Alexandra Senes and handcrafted by artisans in Morocco, have travel in their DNA long before they reach you.
This Passalacqua bag has all the pockets (plus a key ring!) and holds a ton if you need to max out your personal item.
Marlien Rentmeester likes this Rothy’s weekender because it’s soft and malleable with plenty of side compartments.
Ofc the LL Bean zip-top Boat & Tote—get your monogram orders in before Dec 3, or NYC residents can hit up Abbode in Nolita for embroidery.
This glasses case with neck strap from Il Bisonte is perfect for readers and is affordable!
A chic fanny pack alternative for those who are allergic, from Mansur Gavriel.
If you can’t swing a cabin bag this year, a Rimowa phone case is the next best thing.
And a few stocking stuffers
An Austrian Christmas ornament that becomes a moth repeller afterwards
These Japanese nail clippers in black are the most elegant pair we’ve ever seen.
On that note, these Hermès nail files are most definitely the least expensive and most unexpected things on their site.
This pill box is actually chic!
Delicate paper incense leaves that are way too pretty to actually burn
Lavender lip balm from Los Poblanos in New Mexico
Hojicha tea for a transporting afternoon pick-me-up
These handmade Tampico desk brushes are beautiful, practical, and made from fibers harvested from agave plants.
The coolest sticky notes we’ve ever seen
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