- What to bring authentic from Minsk?
- Delicious Minsk hotels
- Practical gifts
Belarus is still far from its closest neighbors in terms of organizing tourism, but the capital and other cities are striking in their cleanliness, respect for the monuments of history and culture, surprisingly warm attitude towards each foreign guest. That is why it is so difficult to leave the country without having seen all the architectural sights and beautiful corners of nature, without having eaten to a dump of fried potato pancakes, pancakes, and machanka with pancakes, without purchasing several dozen stylized images of bison and other business cards of the country. This material is a dedication to Belarusian shopping, a story of what to bring from Minsk, what gifts will delight mothers and grandmothers, what the male half of the family will appreciate, and what colleagues will delight in.
What to bring authentic from Minsk?
Today in the capital of Belarus there are several wonderful shops where they sell goods in ethnic style. There is a return to our roots, making souvenirs using old technologies, of course, before such items were used by people in everyday life, today they become a wonderful reminder of the country. Handicrafts made from the following materials are considered the most popular among foreign guests: straws; clay; wood; metal; flax.
In the skillful hands of Belarusian craftsmen, ordinary straw that remains after harvesting grain turns into wonderful household items - boxes, figurines in the form of dolls in national costumes, beautiful headwear (caps for men and wreaths for the fair half of humanity). The most valuable thing that is made of this natural material is the so-called "Royal Gates" for one of the cathedrals; today they are kept in the museum as a real work of art. And the most favorite among foreign guests are "spiders" made of straw, acting as amulets at home, a very simple design, but according to Belarusian beliefs it does a great job.
Clay products are no less popular in Belarus; it is a fairly widespread material here that has long been used in the household. Mugs and plates, figurines of a bison and other famous Belarusian animals, birds, single dolls and whole scenes from folk life - all this is also included in the circle of interests of guests from abroad. Pottery rivals are household items made of wood and metal.
Women cannot pass by Belarusian flax, the plant is highly valued in the country, its delicate flowers even adorn the state emblem of Belarus. Many residents and guests are happy to buy linen tablecloths, napkins, bed linen, the stores offer a fairly wide range of clothing, both male and female, the outfits are distinguished by original cut, bright colors, beautiful embroidery or decorative stitching. Small linen amulet dolls are a good souvenir for family and colleagues.
In winter, knitted things are good for tourists, Belarus occupies territory in the middle lane, so winters are snowy and cold here. Firstly, woolen sweaters, mittens and hats are of good quality, and secondly, an interesting design (if you buy not in a department store, but from private manufacturers). And Belarusian felt boots, in general, are real works of art, there are no gray, dull colors, bright, rich colors, original decor. There are more such purchases after visiting the town of Dribin, which was at one time the center of felting craft in the Belarusian lands.
Delicious Minsk hotels
With food it is a little more complicated, in stores there are a large number of delicious meat, dairy products, sweets. But far from all of them will be able to survive the move to the homeland of a tourist. And guests often regret it, since Belarusian gastronomy is characterized by the use of natural products and high taste. Since ingredients with the well-known letter "E" are almost never used, the shelf life is extremely short.
And yet the guests manage to find goods that are ready to accompany the new owner even to the end of the world: dry-cured sausages (pork and chicken); condensed milk from the glorious city of Rogachev; chocolate and biscuits from the Spartak and Kommunarka confectionery factories. To please your family with native Belarusian delicacies, you need to buy sweets "Belovezhskie Zubry", "Stolichny" (with cognac). For lovers of alcoholic beverages, the choice is also small. The original drink is moonshine, but only a few enterprises were able to obtain a production license, therefore you will not find it in stores, you can take part in the tasting during a tour of the Dudutki museum complex, where you can also buy a bottle of natural bread moonshine, however, it costs at the level of good French cognac or Scotch whiskey.
Practical gifts
Many tourists from abroad are indifferent to souvenirs and crafts made from natural materials. For such practical-minded people Minsk has also prepared a lot of good goods, first of all, from clothes and shoes. Of the shoe factories, the most famous and high-quality products are produced by Marko (a joint venture that brings stylish, fashionable and high-quality models to the market). Shopping is best done in branded stores, which often have discounts, promotions and sales.
Knitwear is also good in Minsk, there are several large enterprises whose products can be found in all department stores of the Belarusian capital and branded outlets. Some guests buy T-shirts, shorts, caps with national symbols, others prefer to buy beautiful designer things. Not a bad choice in the city and underwear, the most famous companies are Milavitsa and Serge, they delight in quality, design and cost.
An analysis of Belarusian goods and souvenirs sold in shops in Minsk shows that a tourist has ample opportunities for shopping, useful, tasty and interesting.
