The Best 11 Historical Shops from All Over the World

Every year, around Christmas, there are always those ubiquitous “gift guides” you find online. You know the ones that recommend endless beard oils for dads and candles and robes for moms. But my favourite gifts are little treasures I find on my travels or have been brought back for me by others. Unique items that tell a story. I love passing my shelves and stopping for a moment to smile at a memory they trigger. Either from my own travels or from friends and family who saw these little trinkets and thought of me.

My favourite places to shop when travelling are stores that have a history. A rich tapestry of time that makes everything they sell so important! Most of these businesses have been open for multiple generations and represent the best of that country. Things which people have come to love for years and years, so you know it’s the good stuff! It is like taking a piece of history home with you! So come with us now to discover my favourite Historic Shops and the souvenirs to buy which are so much more interesting for your friends and family than any beard oil or robe will ever be! Many of these shops have online stores so even if you’re not travelling there directly, you can still buy something really special for Christmas.

Santa Maria Novella Pharmacy | Florence, Italy

Stepping into the Santa Maria Novella Pharmacy is about as close to going back in time as you’ll get. The old shop in Florence prides itself on being the world’s oldest pharmacy, which opened in 1221! Back then, there was a small Dominican Order who lived in the connecting Church of Santa Maria Novella. Like many orders of monks, they had their own herb gardens where they grew a variety of medicinal plants. Using these plans, the monks created herbal concoctions and started selling them to the public. Their treatments actually worked for minor, everyday nuisances like stomach pains and headaches. Even today, many people still use herbal treatments to help with their body ailments. But also created from these herbs and fresh flowers were sensational (literally) perfumes.

The Perfumerie

In 1612 an official retail operation was opened where they began selling items aside from medicine. Everything from perfume to potpourri and other toiletries could be created from their ancient garden. Today, you can still purchase the very same perfumes as medieval Florentines wore back in 1621! The Acqua della Regina scent uses the same recipe the Dominican monks made in 1533 for Caterina de Medici. Caterina de Medici commissioned the perfume when she married Enrico di Valois and moved to France. The fresh citrus bouquet helped remind her of home when she was far away. And as we all know, smell is perhaps the best wall to recall a memory.

Angeli di Firenze is a more recent fragrance inspired by the Florentine people. The “Angels of Florence” were a group of young people who came to the aid of the entire city after a devastating flood in 1966. The banks of the Arno river broke, flooding the city. But the flooding was not just water, but thick destructive mud. Some areas were entrenched up to 22 feet deep. Museums, churches and other historic sites were on the brink of losing precious relics, but these young people worked 24 hours a day to ensure they saved all that needed to be rescued. The fragrance was created on the 40th anniversary of the flood and contains a bouquet of sweet, fruity notes. A polar opposite to those muddy smells the workers must have experienced. I wear this perfume anytime I want to feel like a hero!

Livraria Bertrand | Lisbon, Portugal

Inside the blue Azulejo tiled building in the centre of Lisbon, hides the oldest bookstore in the world! Opened in 1732, in the shopping district of Chiado, Livraria Bertrand welcomed people into their store to browse their incredible selection of books. Sadly, their original store was destroyed in 1755 during a devastating earthquake. They had to move out temporarily but were able to move back into their original location in 1773. It only took them 20 years to restore the store back to its former glory!

For over a hundred years, this place has been a favourite hangout of Portuguese writers. Walking inside, you feel like you’re entering an ancient cave. Look up to admire the ancient brick vaults and arched ceilings. Although most of the books they carry here are in Portuguese, they also have a small English section with popular titles. If you buy a book at the store, they will give you a sticker to place inside the book to show that you purchased it at the oldest bookstore in the world.

Even if you don’t want to buy a book, there is a cute little cafe at the back of the shop where you can sit inside and enjoy looking at all the pretty titles stacked on tall wooden shelves. Bookstores and libraries are some of the most peaceful places in the world and are the best place to come for a bit of downtime amid busy travel days.

Pfunds Molkerei | Dresden, Germany

I’ve been singing the praises of Dresden ever since my first visit! It was such a surprising town and the discovery of this place was just one of the many joyful stops we made along the way. Pfunds Molkieri, covered floor to ceiling in the most incredible tiles and Meissen porcelain, is the oldest dairy shop in East Germany. It was built back in 1879 and was the first place where Germans could buy high-quality, concentrated milk. Although the dairy was mostly destroyed in WWII, the family made sure to rebuild in the exact same fashion as the original. Now, visitors can come to see and taste the extraordinary delicacies inside Pfunds Molkieri. 

Guests can try different kinds of milk and cheeses from farms across Germany. Bringing home cheese as a gift for a loved one might prove pretty difficult. Not only does it requires refrigeration but most international countries will not allow you to bring in dairy products through customs. Luckily, Pfunds Molkieri also carries a wonderful selection of milk soaps made from that same famous herd of German cows. Milk soaps are gentle on the skin, a natural exfoliant, help prevent acne and are rich in nutrients! A wonderful stocking stuffer for your Christmas morning.

Maiasmokk | Tallinn, Estonia

Located in the historic quarter of Tallinn, Maiasmokk (which means ‘Sweet tooth‘) is the oldest café in Estonia. The regal cafe has been in operation since 1864. Inside, the interior feels so sumptuous. Like having a coffee in Versaille! The intricate ornate mirrored ceiling reflects the gorgeous old tiled floors, and rich wooden furnishings. The cafe is a true slice of history as it has remained unchanged for almost a century.

While Maiasmokk serves all the coffees and teas you’d expect, its most popular item is marzipan. The cafe even features a museum dedicated to the history of marzipan. In the 19th century, this was where the Russian Imperial family came to get their marzipan. The almond-based sugary treat lasts forever, making it a great gift to bring home!

Tsuen Tea | Uji, Japan

When you think of Japan, one of the first things that you might think of is a cup of green tea. And in Uji, Japan (just outside Kyoto), you can visit the world’s oldest tea shop, Tsuen Tea. Tsuen Tea opened here in 1160, although the building which you can visit today is a later construction from 1672.

The Tsuen family were descendants of a great samurai who was the guardian of the ancient Uji Bridge. The family lived adjacent to the bridge and opened a small tea shop next door where they would greet travellers. And serve them tea. Inside the Edo period shop, you can still see ceramic tea jars that are several hundred years old sitting along the shelves. Be sure to pay your respects to the old Tsuen samurai, whose wooden statues still stands proudly inside on display.

Legatoria Piazzesi | Venice, Italy

Tucked away in on the Campiello Feltrina San Marco is Venice‘s oldest paper shop; Legatoria Piazzesi. This old stationary shop has been making paper-based wonders since 1851. It is still in operation today and offers onsite book-binding services as well as hand-printed sheets of ornamented paper. The ornate handmade papers are so beautiful they could simply be placed in a frame as they look like a work of art. But even better, they can be used by intrepid journalists and scrapbookers.

The owners are pretty strict, and this is a place where you should only enter if you intend to buy something. For those who just prefer to browse, stick to peeking in the windows. They always have lovely displays of their bookbinding, and you can usually poke your head inside the door to at least check out the stock of papers overflowing from all the shelves. This isn’t done out of malice. Handmade paper is super delicate, and now that the shop is somewhat of a tourist destination, they don’t want any overcrowding. The store is tiny and their products can easily be damaged.

Il Marmoraro | Rome, Italy

All along Via Margutta you might spot unique stone signs to mark the various restaurants and shops along the street. These are all created inside Il Marmoraro. The owners have been here making custom-made signs for over 60 years! But the tradition of these stone signs dates back hundreds of years. In ancient Rome, legislative acts were written on bronze tablets and then displayed on Capitol Hill. These old tablets had a very distinct ancient roman style script. This became the defacto “font” used in Rome. It went to be inscribed on stone columns, gravestones and even street sights. And today, Il Marmoraro keeps up the tradition, still making signs using that ancient hand-carved typography.

The owner doesn’t speak much English but happily greets everyone who comes into the shop with a smile. For only €15, he will make you a custom sign in the same style as the ancient ones. You can have pretty much anything written upon as long as it’s not too many characters. If you arrive early, your personalized stone tablet will be ready for you before the end of day!

Caza das Vellas Loreto | Lisbon, Portugal

Happening upon the Caza das Vellas Loreto while in Lisbon was one of the highlights of my trip. My eyes were drawn to the curiously shaped vibrant candles in the window and I poked my head inside. The tiny shop feels like stepping into an old wardrobe. The entire place is only three meters wide! But stuffed within the glass cabinets lining the walls are colourful stacks of wax candles. Above the cashier at the back of the shop is a large golden set of numbers with the date 1789 written upon it. That is the date when the shop first opened. And they’ve been doing things almost the very same way ever since.

In addition to the multitude of tapered candles, they also have seasonal designs to delight their customers. Their Christmas collection is a personal favourite and a wonderful way to add some unique flair to your dining table. And since the candles only cost a few euros, apiece it’s a great gift to buy for your friends and family.

À la Mère de Famille | Paris, France

The world’s oldest chocolate shop stands on the cusp of the famous Montmartre neighbourhood in Paris. A la Mère de Famille opened in 1761 by Pierre-Jean Bernard. The gold lettering outside the shop shines in the sunlight and beckons visitors from down the road. The stunning typography, against that beautiful bright green paint, has stood the test of time and still looks like a gem in the centre of the neighbourhood.

Today there are 12 other branches of the chocolate store across the city, but this is the only one you should seek! It is by far the most beautiful, with its antique shelves still stacked with vintage jars and lovely old brass fittings that have barely changed in 260 years. One of the best times to visit the shop is during the holidays when the chocolatiers develop unique sweet creations to delight and devour.

The Oldest Sweet Shop | Pateley Bridge, England

There are some places whose name says it all, and the Original Old Sweet Shop in Pateley Bridge, England, is one of those places. They are the official World Guinness record holder for the oldest continuously trading sweet shop, opened in 1827. Glass jars line the shelves, containing brightly coloured sweets with antique labels.

In addition to holding this record, they lean into the concept of selling retro sweets that bring a wave of nostalgia for many older visitors or for the younger generations are a chance to sample a piece of history. Many of these sweets use the original recipes and are even created using old copper pans.

Dulceria de Celaya | Mexico City, Mexico

Dulcería de Celaya is a tiny, old shop selling traditional Mexican candies and sweets. It opened in Mexico City in 1874. Walking into the shop, nothing has changed in over 100 years. When the family-run shop opened, the candy was made in a small, improvised factory using wooden shovels, copper saucepans and a minature oven. They could only produce so much daily, often only one candy tray. But the sweets were so popular that they would sell out daily. As the demand rose, they expanded their production to meet the city’s needs.

Even today, they produce candy in the same way it was made in the beginning, out of that tiny kitchen. The smell of fresh pineapples, strawberries, guavas, and coconut fills the air when you walk in the doors. It’s intoxicating. The candy is very well-priced, so even if you don’t recognize anything, just let the smells guide you and try whatever your eye is drawn to.