- What to bring from the capital of Estonia
- The most popular products with an Estonian character
- Other Estonian gifts
A trip to the north of the Baltic States will definitely bring a lot of pleasant discoveries to a foreign traveler. And the question will not stand squarely on what to bring from Estonia, since this country, unlike its other "brothers" in the European Union, has managed to protect itself from Chinese consumer goods and offers guests primordially Estonian souvenirs, gifts with a national character.
Of course, in terms of shopping, it is too early to compare Estonia with Italy, Spain and France, on the other hand, there are shopping establishments for all tastes (centers and boutiques, hypermarkets, antique and souvenir shops). And twice a year the country is covered with a wave of sales, many tourists come here for shopping.
What to bring from the capital of Estonia
The best shopping, of course, is in big cities, the leaders are Tallinn, Tartu and Narva. Shopping in the capital can be done in different places, the most popular points for tourists:
- Viru street, the main tourist Mecca;
- shops located in the port area selling imported goods;
- Nu nordik, a shop of hand-made design items;
- the magic shop of Krambuda, which allows you to buy interesting souvenirs in the spirit of medieval Estonian artisans;
- Saaremaa Sepad, a store of stunning beauty forged interior items;
- Krunnipea Butiik, which sells textiles with traditional Estonian patterns.
As you can see, the Estonian capital is a paradise for a shopaholic, and for those who want to buy branded items from European designers, and for those who dream of preserving a piece of ancient Estonia after parting with it. For the first category of buyers there is a way to save money - an excursion during the discount season, in winter (at Christmas), in summer (during June-July).
The most popular products with an Estonian character
There are many Estonian products on the market, but not all of them are of interest to tourists. The most beloved by foreign travelers can be roughly divided into several groups: hand-made clothes; national souvenirs; products traditionally associated with Estonia.
The first group includes knitted products, since Estonia is the northernmost of the Baltic countries, characterized by a relatively cold climate and constant winds, thick sweaters, coats, hats and mittens with beautiful ethnic patterns are not only bought by guests for gifts, but are worn with pleasure while traveling around country.
Among the souvenirs popular with the guests, the first to be noted are handicrafts made from juniper. Its wood has an interesting sweetish aroma, so juniper coasters for hot dishes that react to high temperatures are the most bought goods (well, the symbolic price for them plays a role).
Delicious gifts from Estonia are traditional sweets and alcohol, the former include marzipans, Kalev chocolate, dairy products, mainly cheeses made in home-made cheese dairies according to old traditions. Piparkooka pepper biscuits have a peculiar taste, which are also an authentic Estonian gift. Well, the most popular strong alcoholic drink is Vana Tallin, a liqueur known since the times of the Soviet Union. Slightly less popular, but equally delicious Pirita liqueur, which contains extracts from 40 herbs.
Other Estonian gifts
The most famous stone used by local jewelers is amber. Of course, Estonia is not as famous in this respect as its southern neighbor Latvia, but in this country you can also buy amber jewelry, and in a variety of sizes, shades and models. You can buy stones and ready-made jewelry, with precious metals or high-quality, beautiful jewelry.
Another long-standing craft retains its traditions - this is ceramics, the Atla manor, located 50 kilometers from the capital, is the main supplier of hand-made ceramic products. You can buy it directly at the manor or in the capital, the choice is quite large - beer mugs, pots and pots, plates, tea sets, figurines and funny figurines.
And in another sense, Estonia attracts a foreign traveler, the country is called a paradise for antiques dealers, on the one hand, they have a rather negative attitude towards the recent Soviet past, on the other hand, on the antique market you can buy any artifacts associated with the Soviet Union, even those that can no longer be found in other countries.
Little Estonia is not hiding in the shadow of its more famous tourist neighbors on the map. On the contrary, it opens its doors wide for every guest, shows its most beautiful places, interesting monuments and souvenirs with a national character. Therefore, not a single traveler leaves the country disappointed.
