What you can bring from Croatia as a gifts and souvenirs

Croatia is a country with picturesque nature, unique flavor and a large number of architectural and cultural values. Of course, in memory of the rest I would like to bring a souvenir that conveys the traditions and characteristics of the Balkan country. Judging by the reviews, most often tourists choose gifts of a gastronomic nature, however, you can pick up souvenirs that will remind you of a trip for a long time. Our article will help you figure out what to bring from Croatia, we tried to pick up gifts for every taste and for people with different hobbies and preferences.

Probably the best gift from Croatia will be a sun tan, interesting photos and a great mood. But I want to surprise and please my relatives and friends. What to look for so as not to waste time and money.

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Page cheese

Hard Page cheese

Cheese is prepared using a unique technology from sheep’s milk with the addition of olive oil and is recognized as a national product of Croatia. The minimum ripening period is two months, but the longer the cheese is aged, the finer and more refined its taste becomes.

Interesting fact! The surface of the finished product is not covered with wax or paraffin, as it ripens, it becomes covered with a crust. For the production of one head of cheese, 30 liters of milk will be required.

Sheep grazing

A feature of the recipe is the lack of synthetic additives and preservatives. Many tourists note the unique taste of the product, but its secret remains a mystery. Perhaps the matter is in the leaven or in the herbs that the sheep eat during grazing. The main diet consists of sage and rosemary, they give the milk a special aroma and taste.

Useful! You can buy cheese in a supermarket or in the market, the average cost is about 200 kuna per 1 kg.

Olive oil

Olive groves

Olive groves are growing everywhere in the country, so if you do not know what to bring as a gift from Croatia, feel free to choose olive oil. Few people know that the Croatian olive product is not inferior in quality to Greek and Spanish. Most likely, this is due to the fact that local manufacturers cannot compete with well-known world brands.

Interesting fact! The share of Croatian producers in the world olive oil market is only 0.2%.

Olive oil

It is best to bring a product of the first extraction as a gift – it is it that is the most delicious and healthy. Healing herbs and garlic are added to it. The secret of taste in the manual collection of raw materials and cold pressed technology.

Useful! In the northern part of Croatia, on the Istrian peninsula, olive trees grow older than 17 centuries. It is best to buy oil at farmers’ markets, it is advisable to try it first.

The cost of olive oil in Croatia is from 65 kunas. If you find yourself on the Istrian Peninsula, be sure to purchase truffle mushrooms, they are sold in grocery stores and in supermarkets.

Honey

Lavender honey

The location features of Croatia make it possible to produce delicious honey. At the same time, Croatian beekeepers experiment and offer unusual tastes and combinations of components. The best honey is presented in the mountains, during an excursion to the Plitvice Lakes you can buy a jar of aromatic treats. A popular honey that is produced on the lakes is pine. Another interesting variety is lavender honey. Some buyers note a pronounced perfume smell, but the taste of honey is very pleasant.

On a note! If you want to bring a truly unusual souvenir, choose green honey from acacia. Extract of mint, nettle, young woman and broccoli is added to it. This is a product of local doctors.

Deli meats

In Croatia, each region boasts unusual cape delicacies. Most often, tourists buy a Dalmatian chocolate, pastes, cuts.

Prshut - dried pork ham
Prshut

Prshut – pork ham cooked on coals and sun-dried under the sun. You can choose it at any supermarket or market. If you want to bring prshut as a gift, choose a treat in a gift box. They eat meat delicacy with cheese, onions and olives. Especially delicious prosciutto is sold in butchers, you can buy it at a price of 100 kuna per 1 kg.

Good to know! The assortment contains a product of two types – dried (lighter, there is an aroma of spices) and smoked (darker, there is a characteristic aroma for smoking).

If you do not know what to buy in Croatia for a real gourmet, choose the famous sausages. The most popular are the Slavonic kulen, Zagorsk sausages.

Wine

Croatian wines

This is a wonderful souvenir that everyone will like, regardless of taste preferences. Blackberry wine is most in demand; it is sold in gift bottles. Croatian wine is usually classified by production region – Dalmatia, Istria, Slavonia, Danube, Kvarner. Some statistics:

  • 64 grape varieties are grown in Croatia;
  • 800 wineries officially registered;
  • about 20 thousand private winemakers;
  • 70% are white wines and only 30% are red and pink.

You can bring such exclusive wines from Croatia:

Wine Vina Belje Grasevina
Vina belje grasevina
  • Grashevina;
  • Malvasia
  • Debit;
  • Stud;
  • Bogdanush;
  • Babich;
  • Swimmer Mali;
  • Dingach.

You can buy wine at a price of 70 to 743 kunas. Of course, in supermarkets the cost of a bottle is much lower – for 35 HRK you can buy a decent decent wine.

Liquor Maraschino

Liquor Maraschino
Licor maraschino

To come to Croatia and not try the famous Maraschino liquor would be an unforgivable mistake. The original recipe for the drink is kept in the strictest confidence; the original technology was recorded in the 16th century by Dominican monks. For the preparation of the drink using the fruits of ripe cherries of a certain variety “marasca”, which is collected in Zadar. In addition to fruits, twigs and leaves of a cherry tree are added to the drink. Ready-made liquor is transparent, strength – 32%, a three-year-old drink goes on sale. The cost of a bottle of 0.7 liters is an average of 160 kunas.

Interesting to know! There is a belief that liquor is a symbol of love for the earth and hard work. Napoleon, Queen Victoria, Casanova and Hitchcock drank it, and Honore de Balzac mentioned Maraschino in his work “First Steps in Life”. Guests of the Titanic were served the famous Croatian liquor.

Lavender

Lavender Souvenirs

Croatia is rightfully considered the world capital of a fragrant plant; a huge amount of souvenir products are produced from lavender here. It is believed that the highest quality lavender is grown on the island of Hvar. This is the sunniest region of Croatia, so fragrant lavender grows here the longest. Tourists come to admire the endless lavender fields from June and throughout the summer. You can buy lavender in the most diverse form – dried flowers, bags of flowers, cosmetics, oil, pillows, candles, herbal tea.

Lavender is a universal and practical gift that will be appropriate at home, in the office, in the car, will help to cope with headaches, stress and strengthen immunity.

Tie

In the tie shop

This part of the men’s wardrobe first appeared in Croatia, it is believed that the most fashionable models of ties are presented here. If you want to bring a stylish souvenir for a young person or a man who follows fashion, be sure to purchase an accessory in one of the stores.

The tie is an integral part of the national costume in Croatia, then it was used by soldiers of the Croatian army who fought in Europe, thanks to which the accessory quickly appeared in other countries. At first, the tie became part of the equipment of the French army – the soldiers of the royal cavalry regiment tied red ribbons around their necks. Today, a tie has become the most important attribute of a masculine image and a stylish souvenir from Croatia. You will have to spend from 50 to 100 kunas for the purchase.

Good to know! It is believed that the word “kravata” is derived from the name of the country – Kroate.

Page lace

Page lace

Residents of Pag call lace “white gold.” This is a beautiful handmade souvenir created with a needle and thread, thanks to this the lace is thin and delicate. In summer, local needlewomen work right at the entrance to their homes, so choosing and buying a gift is not difficult. You can buy lace at a price of 700 kuna per product.

Vucedolskaya dove
Vucedolskaya dove

For several centuries, Croatian pottery masters have created a bird-shaped vessel, the dove. For residents of Croatia, this is a cult thing, part of the Vucedol culture. The first such vessel was found by archaeologists in 1938 and dates back to 3000 BC. Found a piece of art in Vucedola and today it is the most famous archaeological site in Croatia. The Vucedol pigeon has become a symbol of the city of Vukovar, and for all Croats it symbolizes peace and the struggle for freedom. The minimum cost of a gift is 45 kunas.

It is important! The souvenir is very fragile, so you need to transport it carefully.

Products made of white (Brack) stone
Products made of white (Brack) stone

Brac stone is a white-colored limestone that is mined on the island of Brac. He is known for the fact that they built the White House in Washington from it. Despite the fact that the extraction of material is carried out on the island of Brac, souvenirs made of stone can be bought in any city in Croatia. It makes dishes, dolls, watches, figurines and much more. Wonderful souvenirs from Croatia made of Bach stone cost from 4 euros.

Morcic

The souvenir will become not only an original gift, but also a talisman. For many centuries, Croatian sailors and fishermen have used jewelry as protection against evil forces.

Jewelry "Morcic"

With the advent of the amulet in Croatia, one legend is associated. The local feudal lord Zrinsky waged a war with the Turkish troops, during which a resident of Rijeka prayed for heaven to stone his enemies with stones. Her prayer was answered and the Turks were defeated.

The amulet is an African head in a white turban, decorated with rings and brooches. Most often, a figurine is used to create jewelry – earrings, pendants, rings, brooches. More expensive items are decorated with rubies, corals and pearls. The minimum cost of a souvenir is 8 euros.

Fountain pens
Nalivpero brand pen
Nalivpero

Croatia is the birthplace of fountain pens, one of the most famous brands is Nalivpero. Writing instruments have been produced since the beginning of the 20th century; their creator is engineer Slavolyub Penkala. An elegant fountain pen is a great gift for a business person. The cost of pens starts from 40 euros.

When choosing what to bring from Croatia, be guided by the reviews of tourists and, of course, the preferences of the person to whom the souvenir is intended. In the city of Sibenik you can buy various products from coral. Residents of Rovin are famous for their ability to make colorful, curly candles. A tourist orders a form, color and after a while takes a ready gift. Shellfish, sea salt, fish and seafood are abundant in all coastal cities of Croatia. And, of course, a picture with local natural beauties will be a special gift from the Balkan country. Now you know what to bring from Croatia in order to surprise and please loved ones.



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