With Christmas around the corner, students are busying shopping for gifts from Saint Petersburg. But no matter what time of year you’re here, you’ll probably want to take a few things home with you for yourself or your friends and family. We asked some former and current students what advice they had for buying souvenirs and gifts in Russia.
With Christmas around the corner, students are busying shopping for gifts from Saint Petersburg. But no matter what time of year you’re here, you’ll probably want to take a few things home with you for yourself or your friends and family. We asked some former and current students what advice they had for buying souvenirs and gifts in Russia.
“Most of the book stores offer really nice souvenirs, especially Dom Knigi on Nevsky. I wish I had bought the Putin matryoshka, but it was largely overpriced.” -Weronika (Poland)
“I found good prices in a shop down the street from the institute [on Lermontovsky Prospekt]. A good selection of matryoskas and stuff like that. They even had the Putin one! I wanted to buy it as well. The same ones I bought there for less than 10 euros were 40 euros in the airport!” -Giulia (Italy)
“Of course, there are the classic souvenirs like matryoshkas, vodka, mini Faberge eggs, fur hats, etc. Russian chocolate is good small gift, either from the supermarket or from souvenir shops or bookshops – you can find some pretty ones with images of Saint Petersburg on the chocolate and a magnet of the same image inside. Cheburashka toys are a cute unique gift for children (or adults too), and bookstores sell many great puzzles of the city or of famous buildings here. I found some nice calendars in museum giftshops and I bought a winter hat of Saint Petersburg’s hockey team. You can also find some pretty shalls for women.” -Megan (USA)
“I found some nice gifts for my friends and family at Galeria.” Adelaide (Italy)
“I was spoiled for choice in St Petersburg! Every museum has a lovely gift shop with items unique to its collection. I especially loved the prints of famous art work at The Hermitage! And there were souvenir shops with loads of choices from DIY matryoshka dolls to beautiful Faberge jewelry, something for everyone!” -Elene (South Africa)
“Russian designers are never a miss. In Fontanka 20, Милая Белка, Спутник или Гутка, Voyage Voyage, etc. are all lovely shops with Russian designers for men and women who like something different in their fashion.” -Emily (Canada/UK)
“Vodka was appreciated very much! Also the Putin stuff and you can find little cute stuff like jewelry in Этажи and other hipster places. But there is also a lot of rubbish at Этажи!” -Eva (Germany)
“Basically all Putin related stuff: calendars, magnets, postcards, mugs… Vodka and chocolate of course, tea also. Dom Knigi for some books about Saint Petersburg and Russian history. Beauty products from Natura Siberia.” -Gregoire (France)
“I bought little matryoshkas and magnets of Saint Petersburg for friends and family from a souvenir shop near the Truda Palac, in the subway underneath Truda ploshad. I would also recommend buying souvenirs from museum shops as they seem to have better prices than kiosks in the city centre. Derzhavin Institute sells beautiful hand-painted souvenirs at a fair price. I did some comparisons with some shops and the airport (super expensive!) and it was worth buying from Derzhavin. My family loved them. I also bough souvenirs when I visited other cities. I would have loved to buy caviar and vodka but I didn’t have space in my suitcase. I also recommend a honey shop near Sennaya Ploshad where they also sell natural products and woodcraft.” Melania (Italy)
