- What "Karelian" to bring from Karelia?
- Crafts and household items made of natural material
- Tasty Karelia
- Magic gifts
The Karelian Territory in the eyes of Russian and foreign tourists has an extraordinary attractiveness. Restrained northern beauty, preserved monuments of wooden architecture, the famous Kizhi and sports entertainment - the guest finds time for everything. And also - exciting shopping, and no Chinese handicrafts made of cheap plastic, only its own natural materials, old technologies and modern craftsmen. Let's try to figure out what to bring from Karelia for friends and family.
What "Karelian" to bring from Karelia?
The answer lies on the surface, or rather, it grows on the territory of the region and is well known beyond its borders - Karelian birch. Of course, the wood itself is hardly interesting to take home, but products made from it will be a wonderful gift for any household or friend.
Souvenir shops are ready to offer the following assortment of products from Karelian birch: tableware; decorations; boxes; figurines, interior items; furniture. The material is quite expensive, so a tourist needs to get ready to shell out a tidy sum even for a small souvenir. A tip from seasoned travelers is to look for stores that sell such products and are located a little further from the city center or places with history.
Crafts and household items made of natural material
In addition to Karelian birch, other gifts of nature are actively used in this region, preserving the traditions of artisans of the past. On sale you can find things made of birch bark, stone, bone. Birch bark tuesques, baskets, plates and boxes are, one might say, souvenirs with a Russian soul. Stone figurines, images of animals and people made by carvers from Karelia amaze with their beauty and accuracy.
These souvenirs are also adjoined by amulet dolls, which have long been made by local housewives. Such magical dolls were created for various reasons; today they are kept in the homes of many residents. Figures of people dressed in national costumes and dolls that call prosperity into a home or love enjoy the well-deserved attention of guests. The cost of such products varies greatly, it depends on the size of the doll, the complexity of the process, and the use of valuable materials.
Tasty Karelia
Edible gifts are also on the list of what can and should be brought from the Karelian region. Again, all products are locally produced, respecting historical traditions. Most often, guests buy: Karelian balm; herbal tinctures; cloudberry jam; medicinal herbs.
The Karelian region is considered environmentally friendly, forest products are respected by foreign guests. The main forest gift - cloudberry is used to make preserves, jams, and also in the production of tinctures. Raspberries, lingonberries, and cranberries compete with it. And the famous balm is infused with different herbs. In large hypermarkets, buying alcohol will cost significantly less, but if you need a colleague or friend as a gift, then it is better to buy a beautifully decorated souvenir bottle.
From other edible products, households will undoubtedly be delighted with a jar of trout caviar, salted or smoked fish. It is better to buy such products directly from farms, for example, in the area of the city of Kondopoga, where the most delicious and fresh products will be offered. The same can be said about Karelian honey, an environmentally friendly product, where fireweed honey has the most useful properties.
Magic gifts
The main reserves of rock with an interesting name - shungite - are located in Karelia. In folk medicine, this mineral is credited with almost magical properties, and even though science is silent for now, souvenir shops make good money on this. Here they sell the stones themselves, which have a beautiful rich black color, and handicrafts made from them, including figurines and interior items, ornaments. There are whole series of shungite-based cosmetics - shampoos and balms, creams and masks.
No less interesting gift was prepared by local needle and thread craftsmen, offering products decorated with the so-called Zaonezhskaya embroidery. The main enterprise is located in a town with the symbolic name Medvezhyegorsk. It is here that they prepare magical souvenirs that can be used in everyday life - bags, tablecloths and napkins, potholders, aprons and other things.
Ceramic products from Karelia are also presented on the local market, they will make an excellent company for Zaonezh embroidery, one can only imagine how beautiful clay plates and cups will look on linen tablecloths.
The Karelian Territory is the dream of many tourists traveling for impressions and interesting gifts. Interestingly, each of the travelers finds their own reasons for joy, beautiful and tasty souvenirs for their loved ones and friends.
