Crimea and Russian South souvenirs & insider tips

Souvenirs

Crimean handmade souvenirs

The most popular materials used by local craftsmen are wood (juniper, beech, ash-tree, pine, plum-tree), stones and seashells. At local souvenir shops and markers you can find various handmade or manufactured articles: combs, beads, bracelets, rings, dishes, stands for pans and teapots. But beware of imitations! It would be quite pity to bring from Crimea something “made in China”. Our guides will recommend you places where you can purchase original and authentic local souvenirs.

Crimean medicinal plants

The flourishing Crimean Peninsula is a place rich in many medicinal herbs and plants: coltsfoot, rose petals, mint, schisandra chinensis (five-flavor berry), sage, lavender. This herbs are good for making tisane (herbal tea), for adding into the bath and making of scented pillow for your wardrobe. Essential oils made of local herbs are recommended for inhalations, aromatherapy and bathing. Curative balms infused of medicinal plants of the Crimea are also very good souvenir. We recommend you to purchase such herbal teas, essential oils and balms at the proprietary stores of cosmetics and spirits and at the chemist’s shops.

Crimean wines

Wine-making was founded in the Crimea in period of antic Greek poleis. The period of the Ottoman Empire protectorate was not favorable for wine-making because of religious prohibitions but grape still was cultivated as delicious berry. The period of the Russian Empire and the USSR came true flowering of the industry and the emergence of the science of wine production. All popular brands of the Crimean wine were established by Prince Leo Golitsyn who held the position of Chief Wine-maker of the Russian Empire in 1890s. In the early 1890s he the first in Russia arranged industrial production of high-quality Champagne, sparkling and other wines at his winery built at Novy Svet (New World) settlement not far from Sudak town in 1878. In 1890s the oldest in the Crimea wine cellars were built in Massandra for processing of seasoned wines. In Soviet period the Plant of Vintage Wines and Cognacs in Koktebel (1958) and the Inkerman Factory of Vintage Wines in Sevastopol (1961) whose production in 2009 was presented at the Palace of Westminster were established. As the result of the Gorbachev’s anti-alcohol campaign (1985-1990) and especially of the disintegration of the USSR (1990s) a lot of vine-yards were cut down and now wine-making in the Crimea goes through not the best  times but wine of famous Crimean brands are still very good souvenir. Of course, the best of all is to buy wine in retail stores and in the winery cellars.

Rostov-on-Don souvenirs

There are plenty of souvenir shops in the city; the choice of souvenirs is very good. We recommend to taste the well-known Don crayfish and smoked fish. It is possible to pack hermetically such «souvenirs» in big supermarkets. In Rostov-on-Don, it is possible to find jewelry and clothes in the Cossack style. The most popular gift, which can be bought, is the Cossack lash. The ceramic from Semikarakorsk and Belaya Kalitva is considered one of the finest creations of the Rostov artisans. The goods are mostly handmade; they require ingenuity and the creation.

Kabardino-Balkarian souvenirs

On the glades of Azau and Cheget there are markets where one can buy local products and souvenirs: wool products, homemade jam, sheep fells, papakhas (Caucasian fur hats), handicrafts, honey, sweet-stuff, and other souvenirs. There is a gift shop in Terskol.

Insider tips

Visiting of churches, functioning monasteries of the Russian Orthodox Church and mosques

We kindly pay your attention that a lot of architectural monuments in Crimea and in the North Caucasus are functioning churches of the Russian Orthodox Church or other Christian confessions and Muslim mosques. That’s why we kindly ask you to observe all regulations and traditions visiting such objects. Visiting of churches, functioning monasteries and mosques in shorts and t-shirts is not permitted. Ladies should have skirts below the knee and head scarfs. Usually you can hire all these garments on spot free of charge.

Crimean cuisine

Throughout its long history the Crimea was the place of residence of many peoples and ethnic groups. The peninsula was visited by the Scythians, Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, Goths, Slavs, Genoese, Mongols, Tatars. Each of these peoples took part in the formation of the modern image of the peninsula, its unique atmosphere. Visiting the Crimea you will enjoy the palette of flavors and aromas. Local cuisine actively uses fish, vegetables and fruits typical for the Mediterranean cuisine and meat and diary products popular for Turk nomadic peoples. Here you can opportunity to taste traditional dishes of numerous peoples populating the Crimea now: borscht (sour soup very popular in Russia and Ukraine), cabbage rolls with meat filling traditional for Slavic, Caucasian and Asian cuisine, numerous variations of Moussaka (eggplants baked with cheese and minced meat) good known at all counties of the former Ottoman Empire, Greek salad popular not only in Greece and Cyprus but also in Turkey, Bulgaria and other Balcan countries, Chiburekki (a deep-fried turnover with a filling of minced meat and onions) traditional for Mongol and Turk nomads and its Crimean Tatar variation yantyk cooked on a dry pan without any fat.

The North Caucasian cuisine

The aboriginal peoples of the Elbrus and the Caucasian Mineral Waters areas (Karachays, Balkars) are descendants of Turks who led a nomad’s life at the vast territories of the Great Steppe since the Migration Period of the Early Middle Ages. That’s why traditional cuisine of these peoples are based on the dairy and meat products. Drink made of the boiled milk kaymak and the ayran which is also used as a dressing are very popular here. Actual proud of the North Caucasian cuisine is cheeses. The most famous of local cheeses is byshlac that is stored for a long time in barrels with brine. Meat is usually served fried or boiled. Lack of vitamin plants is compensated by using of fresh wild plants: sorrel, burdock root, various edible herbs, wild fruits. We recommend you to taste local variety of chorba – soup very popular at the Orient and at the Balkans, khychin — fried tortillas with filling of potato and cheese or meat with greens, sokhta — sausage of sheep’s liver. And of course you will have a chance to taste shashlik — a dish of skewered and grilled cubes of meat.

Mineral Waters

Mineral waters are the main natural resources of the Caucasian Mineral Waters area. Variety, amount and value of local mineral waters has not the analogues in Eurasia. You will have a chance to taste mineral waters at the special Galleries in Kislovodsk, Pyatigorsk, Zheleznovodsk and in the North part of the Elbrus area. The water offered is clean and special cleaning before use is not required.

Features of the highlands

Not everybody feels good in the mountains. At mountains the air is more rarefied and has less oxygen. Some tourists have symptoms of the altitude sickness: weakness, lethargy, palpitations, slight dizziness, insomnia, loss of appetite, shortness of breath, nausea, vomiting, etc. The altitude sickness is especially dangerous for children, pregnant women, elderly persons and persons suffering from certain diseases. We recommend you to discuss your participation in tour to the mountain regions with your doctor.

Communication and rules of conduct in the North Caucasus

The local population in the North Caucasus usually speaks Russian but in the mountain valleys you can hear Kabardian, Karachay-Balkar and other languages of aboriginal peoples (as well as Crimean-Tatar language in the Crimea). Please be ready that this might be quite difficult to find English-speaking person at villages and even cities of the Crimea and the North Caucasus. That’s why we recommend you guided tours. We kindly remind you that worldwide the highlanders have a special sense of honor and dignity. The tourists must respect the cultural and historical values, traditions and customs of indigenous and local people of the region. This is general rule but in the North Caucasus you have always to remember about it. Local people are sincerely pleased to meet guests incoming to their land. Hospitality is also an ancient custom of the highlanders. Besides many locals work in the tourism industry. So the main thing for you is just to respect local customs and laws, to behave decently and kindly.