If you plan to spend your vacation in the very heart of Siberia - Irkutsk, then, for sure, you are already thinking about what to bring from Irkutsk as a gift to your family and friends. Perhaps, on the contrary, you live in this city and are going on a trip to another region or even go abroad. How to choose the most suitable among a huge number of souvenirs? What to bring from Irkutsk as a souvenir? You can get answers to these questions from the material below.
Irkutsk city
Irkutsk is an old Siberian city. The oldest buildings built in a unique style, Irkutsk or Siberian Baroque, date back to the XVIII century. In Irkutsk, preserved monuments of wooden architecture and urban stone buildings. 66 kilometers from the city is the world famous Lake Baikal.
Today, Irkutsk is one of the seven cities with a unique cultural and historical heritage. In addition, the Irkutsk region is one of the largest in Russia.
What can I bring from Irkutsk as a souvenir
Almost all souvenir products offered in the region are somehow connected with Lake Baikal. A wide assortment of various products from birch bark and cedar. In almost every shop selling souvenirs, you can find a seal figure delicately carved from different materials. The Baikal seal is the hallmark of the region. Romantics acquire souvenirs associated with the shamans of Olkhon Island. Gourmets do not have the question of what to bring from Irkutsk as a gift, they acquire salted or smoked omul.
In specialized stores and in the markets of Irkutsk you can buy souvenirs of Siberian and Baikal themes. As a rule, they are made by Siberian craftsmen. It can be made of cedar and birch bark:
- mirrors;
- key holders;
- hair clips;
- caskets;
- tableware;
- decorations.
According to merchants of souvenir products, dishes made from these materials are not only beautiful and durable, they manage to keep the products fresh much longer.
King fish
Everyone who has ever tried the Baikal omul already knows what to bring from Irkutsk. The fish has excellent taste characteristics. The technology of its preparation is as follows: omul is salted in large vats, adding salt and ice. After that, the fish is packed in handmade cedar barrels. All barrels are pre-lined with plastic bags - this is a requirement of GOST. Then a 10% salt solution is added to omul, closed with a lid and sealed with sealing wax. In this packaging, fish is stored for up to three months. We assure you that to bring omul as a gift from Irkutsk is a great idea. It is not only incredibly tasty, but also originally packaged.
Another gift idea can be a dried omul, which is packaged in a kind of tueski, wrapped first in parchment paper. An unusually tasty omul of cold smoked can also be presented as a gift . By the way, its shelf life does not exceed 7 days. Please note: fish of this species, prepared by hot smoking, is stored for no more than a day, so it is better to eat it right away. Note that in addition to a gift from omul, some tourists buy the following alcoholic beverage - branded Baikal vodka, the main feature of which is the poured form of a lake on a bottle.
Gift for the sweet tooth
What can I bring from Irkutsk as a gift? Of course, candies made from pine nuts! Such confectionery will satisfy the sweet tooth. Sweets are produced at the Angara candy factory, which is located in Irkutsk. The range of products is quite extensive. Particularly popular are products such as roasted Baikal pine nuts, pine nuts sprinkled with cocoa powder. In addition, candy sets are released here:
- "Baikal cedar";
- "Angara";
- Irkutsk
- The Baikal Tale;
- "Sobolek";
- "Baikal".
All boxes of sweets are decorated with Baikal landscapes. You can purchase the products of this factory in Irkutsk in shopping centers, factory stores, and in city markets.
Ethnic souvenirs and Baikal seal
Ethnic souvenirs are very popular among tourists: khomus, tambourines, amulets, ongons, figures of shamans, various figurines with the image of a seal. Tourists love various magnets with views of Lake Baikal and Irkutsk. Every second tourist believes that a soft toy in the form of a seal of snow-white color should be brought from Irkutsk as a gift (we have the photo here).
By the way, very popular soft toys in Irkutsk will cost less than on the coast of Lake Baikal. Many tourists choose figurines of the seal and its cubs made of semiprecious stones. Products made from local gems are also popular: carnelian, jade, agate, sapphirin. Note that such souvenirs can cost several thousand rubles, this will depend on the size and quality of the work of the master. If it is not possible to spend a large sum of money on such a souvenir, you can buy a seal figure made of glass or wood, which will cost 100-500 rubles.
Gems
What souvenirs to bring from Irkutsk, which is better to choose? We advise you to pay attention to the Baikal gems: jade, opal, amethyst, charoite, rhodonite. Note that this is not the whole list of Irkutsk gems. All these stones have pristine beauty. Jewelers of Irkutsk make real works of art from gems. Such a souvenir will appeal to a lady of any age. It will be useful to purchase gems for your own collection. They sell gem products in the jewelry stores of the city.
Jewelry made of stones
If you want to buy something more valuable as a gift, we advise you to take a closer look at products made from local stones. Several deposits have been discovered here, where malachite, lapis lazuli, turquoise, and others are mined. Irkutsk craftsmen make real masterpieces from them. If you liked this idea, go to a local fair and start choosing earrings, pendants, bracelets to take a small piece of Siberia with you forever. To store jewelry here you can buy a box made of natural stone. In addition, crafts from various natural materials of the area are sold everywhere, for example, from cones and birch bark.
Charoite Jewelry
Decorations made from this semi-precious stone have a soft lilac or bright purple hue and immediately attract attention. This stone was first discovered in 1948. Its only deposit is the junction of the Irkutsk region and the Republic of Sakha. Every year, prices for products from this material are growing, this is due to the fact that its production is stopped, and jewelers use old stocks when working. Caskets, bracelets, beads and rings made of charoite are especially popular. In the event that you want to purchase these products, you must ask the merchant for a quality certificate. Otherwise, you can buy a fake.
Gifts of the forest
How can you surprise the inhabitants of the capital and what to bring from Irkutsk to Moscow? Forests of the Irkutsk region are rich in vegetation. One of the most delicious and healthy gifts will be forest gifts. In these wonderful places you can buy berries: sea buckthorn, lingonberries, blueberries, cranberries. In addition, a delicious and very useful fern, which is included in the following dishes: soups, sauces, and also used as a filling for pies and in the preparation of salads.
"Lace" windows
All guests of the city immediately note the unique architecture of Irkutsk. Most of all tourists are surprised by the Irkutsk windows. And this is understandable, because each of them is unique, here you will not see a single repeating pattern. Local craftsmen decided to embody these amazing lace on souvenirs. We advise you to bring these painted windows from Irkutsk as a gift. So their owners will be able to touch the amazing architecture of the ancient city. Another designer's notion is photo frames made in the same style. The photo in it will be very interesting to look in the frame of fancy shutters.
Pine nuts
Cedar grows in almost all Siberian forests, so you will not surprise anyone with forest nuts in this area. But it is quite possible to take such a present to friends, especially if they live where the cedar does not grow. This product contains a large amount of nutrients.
Herbal teas and drug fees
Healing herbs, medicinal roots, an abundance of berries - all that the Irkutsk land is rich in, is an excellent component for healthy and tasty teas. It is known that herbal teas increase the tone of the body, improve digestion, fight colds and viruses, and stimulate the brain. Fees with healing raw materials can be purchased at pharmacies, health shops, grocery and souvenir shops.
Baikal sulfur
Speaking about what to bring from Irkutsk, one cannot but mention the new product that replaces chewing gum - Baikal sulfur.
This natural product strengthens gums, teeth, improves digestion, in addition, it is considered a natural antiseptic. It is made from resin of Siberian larch. You can buy it at any grocery store or pharmacy.