16 unusual passport stamps of the world

Some unusual passport stamps to collect on your travels, from microstates and unofficial republics to geographical landmarks and inaccessible lands

It may be unfashionable but I’m a bit of a box-ticker when it comes to travel. I’m working my way through the seven summits, the highest mountain on every continent (four down, three to go); I have a list of the countries I’ve visited (94 and counting!); and I keep track of memorable places such as the highest, lowest and driest spots I’ve visited.

I’m also rather proud of my passports (past and present) that have filled up with the various stamps I’ve collected. The standard entry and exit stamps from most countries are fairly mundane.

Unusual passport stamps

However, beyond the typical destinations are some unusual (and brag-worthy) passport stamps to collect on your travels including microstates, geographical landmarks, inaccessible lands and a range of historical sights. As such, we’ve put together a list of unusual passport stamps for you to collect on your travels.

 1. Checkpoint Charlie, Berlin, Germany

Symbolic of the Cold War and a divided Europe, Checkpoint Charlie in Berlin was the best-known border crossing between East and West Berlin throughout its 28-year active life.

The checkpoint has not been in use since the official reunification of Germany in October 1990. Tourists today can visit the Haus am Checkpoint Charlie museum and have a range of unofficial passport stamps to choose from at a cost between €1 and €3.

2. El Fin del Mundo, Ushuaia, Argentina

It’s not called the end of the world for nothing. We have visited the southernmost part of Argentina twice now. Ushuaia is not quite the southernmost population on the continent (that would be Puerto Williams on the Chilean side of Tierra del Fuego) but it is the most dramatic.

The windswept town has a picturesque setting between the Martial Mountains and the choppy seas of the Beagle Channel. Visit the tourist information centre on the waterfront to choose between several passport stamps.

3. Republic of San Marino

We visited San Marino last year during an extended European rail trip and couldn’t resist grabbing a passport stamp. Apart from the Vatican (where you can’t get your passport stamped), San Marino is Europe’s smallest state and the fifth smallest in the world. The Republic of San Marino is an enclaved microstate just over 60km² in size.