At first glance, it seems that Slovaks are in the shadow of their more hyped neighbors with their Golden Prague, mysterious caves, famous brands and tons of souvenirs. But the problem of what to bring from Slovakia a priori does not exist, since there are not hundreds, but thousands of gift options.
Each guest, traveling through the cities and regions of this European country, will be able to choose a practical thing, a piece of furniture or a bright souvenir. There are options for gifts with a national character, art objects created by modern artisans based on ancient technologies, products.
What to bring delicious from Slovakia?
Many tourists really do not like to go to trade establishments in search of things, but they are ready to spend the whole day in some hypermarket or in the market of seasonal products. In this regard, Slovakia is ready to offer many tasty and healthy products, many of which are gastronomic business cards of the country. For lovers of sweets, local confectioners have prepared a choice of: painted gingerbread; cookies "Tatranka"; Figaro chocolate.
Gingerbread cookies are very popular, which resemble real works of art - very tasty, covered with glaze, decorated with fondant drawings. Moreover, at different times of the year you can buy sweets with themed pictures, especially a wide choice awaits tourists at Christmas or Easter. This category of goods is intended primarily for children, although adults do not refuse gingerbread.
In addition to sweets, pumpkin oil is brought from Slovakia, which surpasses the famous olive oil in terms of taste and the amount of vitamins. Sheep cheese is also popular with guests of the country, especially smoked cheese. Liptovskaya feta cheese is also good, which is tastier and more tender than its Bulgarian counterpart. The only problem is that many of the cheeses have a short shelf life, so if the journey home is long, you will have to look for other gastronomic gifts.
You can buy Slovak alcoholic drinks, there is a large selection in the country for both ladies and the strong half of humanity. Women will undoubtedly like the wines that are produced in the Zagorsk, Nitryansk and Tokay (!) Regions, so the famous "Tokay" can and should be brought from Slovakia. Another lady's gift with degrees is Hubert, this sparkling wine is on the list of world leaders in such products. The male half can be pleased with fruit vodkas, only experienced tourists warn that you need to buy alcohol over 40 degrees. The highest quality is demonstrated by plum brandy, pear and raspberry, having 52 degrees, from exotic vodkas - boletus infused with juniper.
Traditional gifts
The Slovak people are very talented, modern craftsmen prove this with their daily work and beautiful crafts, which foreign tourists also like to buy. There are many options for souvenirs with a national character, and the most famous of them are: dolls in traditional outfits; hat of Janosik, a national hero; Slovak ceramics; willow crafts and furniture; "Volashki".
Dolls in national dress can be bought in any region of the country, and, surprisingly, the costumes will differ from each other. Ceramics from Slovakia is an interior item, a utilitarian thing, and an artistic masterpiece. Vine furniture will become a real decoration of a house or summer cottage in ethnic style, instantly creates warmth, comfort and harmony. Local craftsmen offer not only wicker chairs, tables and sofas, you can complement the interior with wicker dishes and bowls for bread, it is convenient to use baskets for storing dirty linen. Homespun rugs - belong to the category of goods useful for the home, relatively cheap and taking up little space in a tourist's suitcase.
"Volashki" in Slovakia were called sticks made of wood, with which the local shepherds traveled. The staves could be used both as a tool of labor and as a means of protection from wild animals or enemies, since they had a long carved handle, and on top of it was a tip in the form of an ax. Today "Volashki" is one of the most interesting Slovak souvenirs, which will become a good addition to the interior and a memorable gift.
If you ask the Slovaks who is the most popular folklore character in the country, the answer is the shepherds Matko (thin) and Kubko (fat). This funny couple is one of the main brands in Slovakia today. Dolls in national clothes are well sold, as well as images of cheerful shepherds on T-shirts, cups, magnets and postcards. A good buy is a postcard with a view of Bratislava Castle, the most famous castle in Slovakia, or even better to buy a dozen or two of these postcards that will become cute and pleasant souvenirs for friends and acquaintances, and may be encouraged to travel to the beautiful Bratislava.
