Standard vacation practice means buying some souvenirs of the trip: a few postcards, a poster, a shirt, and once upon a time, oils, wines, cheese, spices and other food (and liquid! Before the regulations about what you could carry on got to be so strict). Nowadays, we are travelling (and moving,) much more than before, hence a tattoo can be an ideal reminder of our travels: they don’t weigh anything, you can’t break in the suitcase or a move and you can always get on the plane with one.

In Berlin, you will find a variety of artists who are true tattoo masters that can provide you with a phenomenal memory of a trip you’ll never lose. Some tips on tattoo tourism:

1. Please contact the artist via myspace or email to set an appointment and talk about what you would like to tattoo, the price and how many sessions it takes to complete the tattoo, before planning any trip.

2. Tattoo tourism and beach vacations are not a good mix, avoid the sun and the beach until the tattoo is completely healed.

3. It is always a good idea to rest and eat well before and after getting a tattoo, and follow the tattooer´s instructions to take care of your tattoo.

Berlin has some incredible choices for tattoos. Perhaps the most famous is the Mistress of realism Miss Nico, owner of All-Style tattoo. If her waiting list (1 or 2 years) is too long for you, consider getting work done with the Tattoo Obscur team. They are known for their unique designs and super-modern style. Berit has Uhlhorn, Zoe Thorne, Sara Rosenbaum and Julie Toebel are capable of realizing a wide variety of styles, especially the tattoos inspired by screen printing and realism. Another good bet for a variety of styles is Berlinink

If you like the old Japanese school or contact Lu’s Lips. He doesn’t do conventions, so if you want a tattoo by him, you have to go to Berlin. Rent apartments in Berlin and get ready to show off an incredible piece of art when you come back.