From Armenia with love: what gifts to bring from your trip

You go to Armenia, tell this good news to your family, friends and colleagues, and in response you hear: “Bring me a souvenir.” Of course, magnets are a salvation in any country; you will find them in the center of the capital and at the airport. But if you want to please those around you with a worthwhile gift and show attention, as well as buy yourself a memento, then this article is for you.

We will talk about hit products among tourists in Armenia, as well as atypical souvenirs from local brands. And most importantly - where to buy all this.

Contents

1. Popular Armenian souvenirs
2. Unusual gifts
3. Where to buy souvenirs in Armenia

Popular Armenian souvenirs

Armenian style

In order not to get confused by the abundance of products in Armenian souvenir shops and choose exactly local goods, we will set the direction of the search. National motives Floral patterns are considered. These can be flowers, vines, trees, and especially apricots and pomegranates - symbols of Armenia. For example, earrings and pendants are created in the shape of a pomegranate, including from real dried fruit; ashtrays, mugs, vases, etc. You will also come across unusual images of the sun, the sign of eternity and birds - even the Armenian alphabet is called bird alphabet because of its ornateness.

Most common

If you have few ideas, time to go shopping and a small amount for gifts, then let us remind you about the most common products that people still talk about: “It’s a small thing, but it’s nice”. These are magnets, decorative plates and figurines. Despite their prevalence, they are difficult to find in good quality. We advise you to give preference to ceramic products, for example, in Varem Marem in Gyumri, Move2Market and Dalan in Yerevan. There should be no chips, and the paint should not go beyond the boundaries of the drawings.

Another idea is high-quality postcards and stickers made of thick white paper with even images.

Drinks and food

What is hospitable, warm, sunny Armenia famous for? Of course, food and drinks.

Cognac - this is a solid gift, and the Armenian drink has such a rich taste that even those who are not fans of strong drinks will appreciate it. First of all, the famous "Ararat". By the way, the factory began producing cognac cocktails with coffee, apricot, honey and cherries. Pay attention to the uninferior taste "Noah". Many cognac lovers "Proshyan" – it’s cheaper than its competitors, but tourists come back for it many times.

Our article will help you choose cognac as a gift. "Top 10 Armenian cognacs".

This is not the first time that it has been held in Armenia. wine a festival where about 700 varieties of wine are presented. Every second excursion ends at a winery: among the popular large productions are Armenia Wine and "Areni". And the walk around the city ends at a wine bar In Vino. This means that this drink of the gods can be brought from Armenia. But don’t limit yourself to products made only from grapes – pay attention to pomegranate wine. How to choose one, read the article “The truth is in the wine – in pomegranate”. You can buy a horn to go with wine, for example, at the Yerevan flea market "Vernissage".

In addition to the wine festival, Yerevan hosts Beer houses days, which means we also put local intoxicating drinks on the list of gifts. Beer boasts a variety of flavors Dargett – producer of the first craft beer in Armenia.

Let Armenia not be included in the list of countries known vodka, but the country has its own production. If among your friends there are collectors of tastes from different countries, then they may be interested in mulberry, apricot and dogwood vodka.

You can buy alcohol in regular supermarkets – you don’t have to go to a boutique. But it is most profitable to shop in shops and restaurants near factories. At the same time, go on a tour of the production.

And yet the main Armenian drink is non-alcoholic. This coffee. Everyone drinks it, always, everywhere and in large quantities. Armenian coffee is prepared in cezve (turk) on sand and served with a glass water. You don’t have to bring sand, but cezve, coffee (for example, Hayk Coffee), take the most delicious and pure Armenian water (“Aparan”, “Buregh”, “Noy”, etc.) and arrange an Armenian evening for your friends.

While in Armenian restaurants, you will notice among the varied tea Armenian herbal. It has a pleasant aroma, bright, rich taste of mint, St. John's wort, and thyme. Beautiful gift sets are sold in Move2Market and "The Traveler's House".

For tea, take sweets, for example, Armenian baklava, halva. They are tender, with pleasant notes of spice. Gatu take it if you are sure that it will be eaten quickly. This product resembles a cookie or thin cake, usually with butter, sugar and nuts. And near Haghartsin Monastery : Dilijan craftsmen sell gata with blueberries. There you will also find local home honey. But in supermarkets you will probably look at Wild Hive due to its wild beehive-shaped packaging.

Travelers with boxes no longer surprise anyone at Armenian airports fruit: apricots, pomegranates, peaches, figs, and walnuts nuts. They are so delicious here that it is impossible to take less. Local residents say that the cheapest products can be found at the market "Malatia", where Yerevan traders even buy fruits and vegetables in bulk.

If fruits in their pure form are not suitable for you - you are afraid not to deliver them, then pay attention to dried fruits. They are sold in beautiful wooden boxes, arranged in the shape of flowers.

It could even be a gift jam, especially when it is made from walnuts or figs, mulberry sauce/syrup doshab (suitable for desserts, salads, meat), compotes from dogwood, quince.

Sweets are also made from fruits. This is a thin sheet paste, and stuffed peaches – Alani, and churchkhela's brother Sharots or sweet sujukh - it is softer than its relative and is mainly made from walnuts and grapes.

Sweet delicacies in beautiful packaging can be found in supermarkets and shops Nrneni and Move2Market.

Pay attention to variety spices and seasonings. It's cheaper to buy them by weight markets and in grocery stores. Interestingly, there is even a saffron farm in Armenia Sari Safran. Sales locations are marked on its website.

At the Armenian feast you will find basturma – dried peppered meat, as well as local cheeses: salty and even spicy “Lori”, tender, usually in the shape of a braid “Chechil”, rich, tart “Chanakh”. The shelves in grocery stores display items that are unusual for a foreigner. pickles, for example, okra, which looks like pepper, but tastes more like zucchini, and buten - its sweet and sour stems are used for food. You should also try baked zucchini with tomatoes, peppers and herbs - imam-bayalds.

Might be interesting: “Features of the national cuisine of Armenia”

Ceramics

How should all these delicacies be served if not in Armenian ceramic dishes? A painted vase or incense stand or candlestick will also look good on the table. They can have obvious cultural references like pomegranates, mountains, landmarks, or they can also have subtle details that bring back fond memories of the trip. These are the inscriptions in Armenian, as in the collection Brutents ceramics, and a pattern of Artsakh star stones, like Sonmade.

Cigarettes and tobacco

Recently, we have heard more and more often that tourists are asked to bring cigarettes and tobacco from Armenia. This is not surprising, because tobacco factories operate here, and fields of plants can be seen when traveling by car through the Ararat Valley. Local connoisseurs recommend Ararat, Noah (soft) and white Cigaronne cigarettes. To them you can add an original ashtray from “Vernisage” or from a souvenir Dalan.

Chess and backgammon (nardi)

Armenians love backgammon and chess. The latter are even included in the school curriculum. Perhaps in any courtyard there is a table where men gather and have a good time playing. Local craftsmen from Vernissage and the market "Petak" they make boards, figures, bones of such beauty that foreigners can come to a particular master and buy gifts for business partners or other important people.

Carpets and scarves

A real work of art – Armenian carpet, in which traditional patterns are skillfully intertwined. These include geometric patterns, vegetation, as well as animals and even dragons. Each carpet has a story behind it, the images are symbolic and differ from region to region. A carpet is an expensive gift, but very beautiful. Behind it we direct you to the already familiar “Vernissage”, and across the street from the flea market there is a production facility Tufenkian Carpets, combining tradition with modern design. To compare products and choose the perfect one, take a look at the factory Megerian Carpet, which provides free excursions. They also create colorful ones there. scarves – a practical gift that can be styled in different ways. You will find more designer scarves in Move2Market and Ket market.

Cloth

The Armenian national dress is called taraz. It is impressive with embroidery, patterns, colors and decorations. This is far from a practical gift unless you collect clothes from different countries. Full-fledged, historically accurate costumes are sewn by craftsmen Teryan cultural center. They also make clothes and accessories with folk elements.

The shops MADE, 5concept, Move2Market supports local brands, many of which reference Armenian culture. Such things are much more valuable and will be organically woven into everyday looks, unlike the typical souvenir T-shirts and caps that are sold in every country.

Jewelry

You can also bring jewelry from Armenia, because jewelry is very popular here. There are several gold markets in Yerevan – "World of Gold" and "Malatia". In the mall Dalma Garden Mall there is a whole gallery of jewelry, Dalma Gold Gallery, where both foreign and Armenian brands are exhibited.

More and more local young craftsmen are appearing, creating unusual, fashionable jewelry and jewelry that you want to look at and learn about their history. It is especially valuable when designers draw inspiration from the culture of their people.

A huge selection of products from local brands in Move2Market and Ket market. And we will separately mention Dilijan Local History Museum and Art Gallery, which display copies of ancient jewelry from the kingdom of Urartu. It’s amazing how they still complement modern outfits.

Unusual gifts

In this part, we’ll talk about products that tourists won’t think about first or won’t notice, but they are no less worthwhile and very original. 

Books and paintings

As the saying goes, book - best gift. You can look into book Shop and take a publication with views of Yerevan, go to the Tumanyan Museum and buy his fairy tales, and in the National Gallery or Saryan Museum choose an album that will even fit into the interior, and guests will leaf through it. You might like second-hand books with book collapse or “Vernissage” - there is a lot of Soviet Armenian literature in Russian.

It seems natural that such a beautiful, bright, sunny country is the birthplace of many famous artists. So, we mentioned the great Martiros Saryan, and now we refer you to his monument, near which they have been selling for decades paintings. The center of attraction and literally the home for young artists has become Art Quarter, where exhibitions are held in a former wine cellar, and there is a store on the surface, which, by the way, sells not only paintings.

Embroidery

We mentioned embroidery on the Armenian national costume, but you will also find a variety of patterns and flowers on napkins and tablecloths, pillows, needle cases, bags and even pendants with earrings. Armenian craftsmen and craftswomen are known for their fine work and attention to detail.

Leather products

Leather goods are becoming increasingly popular gifts from Armenia. The most common are belts, bags, purses; you can also find passport covers and wallets. But the most interesting thing is the bracelets, earrings and rings that are also combined with stones.

Stone products

By the way, about stones. The purest is mined in Armenia obsidian. It has long been revered and is said to protect against evil forces and bad energy. But you don’t have to believe in the magical properties of the stone to buy a product made from it: obsidian is very beautiful, deep black, smooth. Jewelry and also knives are made from it, as the stone is very sharp. And uncut obsidian is brought from trips; it can be found right in the capital near the Hrazdan Gorge or on the road to Garni.

The most Armenian stone - tuff. Houses are built from it, because tuff retains heat in winter and does not overheat in summer. In addition to buildings, khachkars are made from tuff - cross-stones, which you will find near churches and burial places. You can stand near them for a long time and look at the floral designs. Each khachkar is unique, not a single pattern is repeated. Armenian craftsmen also make small khachkars that can be placed on a bedside table or desk at home.

Daggers

Armenians are people of hot blood and honor. They know how to make the perfect dagger and how to decorate it so that it inspires admiration. This is an unusual gift, not suitable for everyone, but very valuable. It has every chance of becoming a family heirloom, passed down from generation to generation. But keep in mind that the dagger must be declared at customs and carried only in luggage.

Wood products

From the story about chess and backgammon, you already understood that there are woodworking masters in Armenia. But don’t think that they only know how to make boards. Pay attention to variety combs, mirrors, boxes and even jewelry made of wood. They look aesthetically pleasing and expensive. And they also create national ones from wood. musical instruments, among them are the wind instruments zurna, duduk, sring and percussion dhol. This is an unusual gift that children especially like, but adults are also not averse to learning a new skill.

Cosmetics, perfumes and oils

In Armenia, with its rich nature, there cannot but be natural cosmetics and care products. Thus, hair and body products from [lav], which you can find in Move2Market, have the pleasant smells of local fruits and nuts. But the main thing is their high quality.

Our memories are often associated with familiar smells. And they will help to remember about Armenia perfume with the aroma of local grapes and even sweet gata, as well as natural oils - soothing, pleasant and suitable for meditation.

Here we will also talk about the unusual "Royal" elixir, the medieval recipe of which was restored in Yerevan Institute of Ancient Manuscripts Matenadaran. Previously, it was made specifically for royalty to improve health and prolong youth. Now every traveler can become a noble.

Toys

The youngest gift lovers, of course, want toys. The Dalan souvenir shop sells soft dolls in folk images, and toy stores sell “Armenian Barbie" Sirusho, in Move2Market - knitted sheep, one might say, symbols of Armenia, and coloring pages with cities.

Where to buy souvenirs in Armenia

You already have some idea of what and where to buy. Now we’ll tell you in more detail about interesting souvenir shops, shops, workshops and markets in three major cities.

Yerevan

Flea market "Vernisage" – the first place where all tourists go to buy souvenirs. There are rows of second-hand books, jewelry, accessories, wood products, a whole row of carpets and a lot of trinkets.

If you want to buy local fruits, vegetables and delicacies, visit the markets "Petak", "Mergelyanovsky" or "Malatia". Market GUM It is more aimed at tourists, so prices there are higher than in other places. Near the stadium "Razdan" there is a real treasury of rarities or, in other words, vintage.

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We talked in detail about the main markets of Yerevan in a separate article. link.

Nrneni House famous for its sweets and dried fruits. But besides this, you will find wine, coffee, tea, and ceramics there. At Nrneni they will help you put together a complete gift in original packaging.

Move2Market – these are three floors of gifts and souvenirs from more than 200 Armenian brands. Main categories: jewelry, cosmetics, ceramics, accessories, home decor, toys, art, food and stationery. All products are made by hand and in small quantities. The Market has both more familiar souvenirs, such as magnets and figurines, and unusual products with an Armenian spirit. But the main thing is that there are things for every taste and age.

Ket market  also supports local brands of various types and sells only unique products - you cannot find them in other stores. Buyers especially praise clothes and accessories. Ket encourages creators to collaborate, creates a creative atmosphere and shows how to combine products from local brands. Every month Ket organizes markets for several days with a huge number of participants. Perhaps on your visit to Yerevan you will catch this event.

Dalan is an unusual souvenir shop located in the arch of the house. Walk right through it and you will find yourself in the courtyard of a colorful Armenian restaurant. Dalan focuses specifically on souvenir products, but they are of high quality, varied, in large quantities and from different materials. Every product is dotted with folk references.

Art Quarter – a cultural space where history and culture meet modernity. Here you can buy works of art by local artists, hand-made goods, clothes from Armenian designers, and look into second-hand and vintage stores.

Gyumri

Perhaps the main souvenir shop in the second largest city of Armenia is Avetisyan's Luxury Goods. As the name suggests, this is where the best products really go. Even the tourist T-shirts and magnets are original. The store has dishes, jewelry, hats and bags, but the main thing that tourists come here for is the local treasure - a klklan jug or mushurba. And it is unusual because the water in it remains cool even in the heat, and when drinking, you can hear the singing of the water.

The place, which has already become a landmark of Gyumri, is a workshop and a souvenir shop Varem Marem. It sells goods from local craftsmen, such as toys and postcards, as well as ceramics created right in this workshop. And the cool thing is handmade magnets in the shape of doors. Why them? Because in Gyumri there are ancient carved wooden doors that you can’t pass by without taking a photo. By the way, you can make the door yourself here.

Dilijan

Ancient crafts are being revived in Dilijan, and an entire street is dedicated to them - Sharambeyan. In local workshops you can make jewelry or make a jug, or you can immediately head to one of the souvenir shops. There is no doubt that your eyes will run wide, and you will decide for a long time whether to take a soft bedside angel or a coffee pair, or maybe all at once.

You can choose a real estate agent from the Tourist information center you can get free souvenirs - a map of Dilijan, brochures and guidebooks - this is also a memory. But there are also the usual souvenirs: colorful stickers, postcards with the nature of Dilijan, mugs, sweatshirts, shopping bags with cute drawings.

Where else can a tourist go in a new city if not to a cafe and leisure center? "The Traveler's House"? There you can try herbal tea, which employees collect from local forests and dry. If you like it, tea is sold here. The House also has decorations, accessories and toys - everything is made by the hands of local craftsmen.

Probably every museum has a souvenir shop, but in Dilijan Local Lore Museum and Gallery she is special. The director of the museum creates complete copies of ancient Armenian and even Urartian jewelry and toys. This is a real touch of culture.

It is impossible to leave Armenia empty-handed. We hope we have proven and shown this to you. Now the main thing is that everything fits in the suitcase.