Riga is a beautiful city, which annually receives a huge number of tourists. Visiting Riga, many are wondering what to buy as a souvenir for their near and dear ones. After all, I want the gift to be really colorful and useful. Today we will find out what to bring from Riga to convey the mood of this city and to please a loved one.
In short, any product made in Latvia is suitable as a souvenir. The fact is that local manufacturers, regardless of the scale of their production, are very scrupulous about the quality and uniqueness of their products. Therefore, the answer to the question of what can be brought from Riga is not complicated. It remains only to figure out what to choose from a huge variety of goods on offer. And in order to deal with this it was easier, consider the most common souvenir products of Riga.
Amber
Amber in Riga and other Latvian cities is especially popular among both locals and tourists. In jewelry stores and street stalls you can find a huge assortment of amber products: rings, earrings, necklaces, paintings, brooches, magnets, beads and much more. You should not rush into a choice, especially if you want to buy something unusual. The fact is that the lion's share of products is “stamped” under one design. Therefore, a product that is unique at first glance, most likely, can be found on almost all trays. Amber products of unusual colors and shades are considered truly original: red, green and, if you're lucky, black. Such decorations are more expensive.
Silver
Silver products in Riga are also represented in large numbers. Local jewelers willingly create jewelry from this metal. Most often they are performed in a national style. The “Names” ring is very popular, which, according to the legend, brings happiness.
Linen
Flax fishing is one of the oldest in Latvia. Therefore, the work of local weavers has always been famous for its perfect quality. And they also invented their own way of weaving linen. The range of linen products is very wide: any clothes, bedding, napkins, towels, etc. Local linen tablecloths and bedspreads are considered a real work of art.
Leather
Another material from which local craftsmen skillfully create real masterpieces. Many useful things are made of leather here, from bookmarks to cases. In recent years, local designers began to combine leather with silver and amber. You definitely won’t buy such products anywhere else.
Ceramics
Few people know, but pottery in Latvia appeared in the X century. Until now, traditional pottery technologies are cherished and honored here. The selection of ceramics in Riga is very extensive. Many craftsmen still do not create their products in factories, but in their own workshops, burning them in small furnaces. Regardless of whether the product is glazed or not, it can be safely used for its intended purpose, and not just as a souvenir.
Tree
Speaking of what can be brought from Riga as a gift, one cannot but mention wooden products. Wood processing here also applies to folk crafts. Such a souvenir will not gather dust on a shelf, because reliable quality allows you to safely use it in everyday life. Particular attention is paid to the manufacture of children's wooden toys. They are made exclusively from local wood, as a rule, it is oak, maple or ash. All parts of children's toys are environmentally friendly and painted only in harmless colors. In Riga you can buy toys for children of different ages, from the smallest to teenagers. So, if you think that you should bring a child from Riga as a gift, we recommend that you go to the wooden products store.
Knitwear
Latvian knitwear has always been considered beautiful and high quality. Many representatives of the older generation will recall how knitwear acquired in the Baltic states was famous for during their youth. Time passed, fashion changed, but the status of Latvian masters remained unchanged. If in thinking about what to bring from Riga, you opted for knitwear, we recommend that you pay special attention to such brands: Vaide, Ogres Trikotaza and Magnolica.
Coins
At the beginning of 2014 in Latvia, the place of lats and centimes came in euros and eurocents. The national currency has been in circulation since 1993 and left behind quite a lot of commemorative and commemorative coins, the price of which is growing every year. Among them, it is worth highlighting: silver armor with the image of salmon, coins dedicated to the Hanseatic cities, square coins, “Stone lat”, in which metal was combined with granite, and “Amber coin” - an armor with a piece of amber.
Cosmetics
There are several companies in Latvia that produce natural cosmetics of excellent quality. The most famous of them is Dzintars. The company has existed since the end of the 19th century. Its products are presented everywhere in Riga, but the largest selection is waiting for you at specialized retail outlets. Among the assortment of the company you can find perfumes with aromas known for several centuries. Among them, it is worth highlighting the following: “The Secret of the Riga Woman”, “Maybe”, “Mrs. Valevska”, “Jurmala” and “Compliment”. If you don’t like retro fragrances, you can choose something from a large assortment of the latest compositions. In addition to perfume, the company offers many high-quality skin and hair care products, as well as bio-cosmetics and decorative cosmetics.
Continuing the conversation about what to bring from Riga, gastronomic souvenirs cannot be ignored. Consider the most common of them.
Chocolate
One of the visiting cards of Latvia is considered chocolate products of the Laima confectionery factory. Some foodies believe that Latvian chocolate tastes like Belgian chocolate. In Riga, you can buy many varieties of sweets and chocolates, as well as other exclusive sweets. Firstly, these are sweets with black Riga balsam. Secondly, marshmallows in chocolate, which are still made from natural apple puree. And thirdly, the “Cow” sweets of their milk toffee. Raisins, poppy seeds, cranberries, cinnamon and much more are used as the filling for these sweets.
Sprats
Many, thinking about what to bring from Riga, immediately recall sprats. These small golden fish with the aroma of haze have long earned the status of the national brand of Latvia. Real Latvian sprats are made by smoking in alder smoke. They are not saturated with so-called liquid smoke, so they have a unique taste. The best in the market of sprats is the company Brivais Vilnis.
Cheese
What to bring from Riga to a real gourmet? Of course, cheese! A huge amount of cheese is produced in Latvia. If you come to Riga during the Cheese Day festival or the Ligo festival, you can get acquainted with the whole variety of Latvian cheeses. In addition to the usual varieties such as "Dutch", semi-soft, soft and curd cheeses are produced here. On the Ligo holiday, the Yanu cheese, to which caraway seeds are added, is a must-have. It is also recommended to try the Vitolberg variety, which appeared relatively recently and has not yet managed to conquer our market. Latvia also produces goat cheeses, which in quality are not inferior to European varieties known all over the world. Those traveling to Riga are also advised to try the “snow balls” - an unusual Latvian product from cheese and spices.
Beer
Latvia has its own brewing traditions that have survived to this day. Everyone who tasted the Latvian beer, notes its high quality and rich taste. Beer is produced literally everywhere in Latvia. There are many small and large breweries. Which beer to choose is everyone's business. Those who adhere to beer classics are recommended beer, in the name of which is the prefix Senču. In literal translation, it sounds like "ancestral beer." Light beer should have the word Gaišais in its name, and dark beer - Tumšais. There are quite a few varieties of Latvian beer. The most impressive is live beer brewed in small breweries.
Smoked meats
We again return to the question: “What to bring from Riga from products?”. Smoked meats in Latvia are so popular that they have been awarded the status of a national product. Most often they are represented by pork and chicken. However, having come to the central market, you can see much more types of smoked products. Homemade sausage, in which there is nothing but real meat, lard and spices, will be an excellent gift as a keepsake of hospitable Riga. The same thing can be said about pork breasts, carbonades, pork ears, shanks and other dishes.
A separate place in the butchers reserved for chickens. Smoked chickens, wings and ham are stacked in large pyramids. Hot and cold smoked chicken rolls are also popular. Each farm pickles and smokes meat in its own way, so the range is very wide. If you want to buy smoked meats as a gift, then it is better to choose from those that are prepared by cold smoking. Such meat is better stored and carries the road.
Balm
Still not decided what to bring from Riga? Reviews show that the famous balm is a universal and very useful souvenir. Riga balm first made itself known in 1752, when a local resident, pharmacist Abram Kunze, came up with a miraculous prescription and made a balm for it. This drink has a brownish-black color and has a bitter taste, in which various herbs can be traced. This recipe is kept secret, it is only known that it consists of 24 ingredients. Among them there are definitely birch buds, linden flowers, ginger, raspberries and valerian root. The drink is required to undergo a long exposure in oak barrels. The whole world knows about the healing properties of Riga Balsam. At one time, he was praised by Catherine II, Charles de Gaulle, Elizabeth II and many representatives of the Kremlin elite. You can buy Riga balm in any supermarket in Riga, but it is better to go after it to a specialized store.
Conclusion
Today we examined the most interesting and colorful souvenirs from Riga. What to bring to your loved ones is up to you. Riga is a very interesting, original and developed city, so the memory of it should be stored in something more than a commonplace fridge magnet. In Riga, as in other Latvian cities, goods are sold from all over the country. Therefore, the above souvenirs are suitable for those who are concerned, for example, with the question: “What should I bring from Riga and Jurmala?”