"What to bring home?" – this is the question that torments all vacationers in an unfamiliar place. Those who are guests in the city on the Volga are no exception. All souvenirs from Samara can be conditionally divided into two types: 'for the soul' and 'for the body.'
For sweet tooths and not only
Souvenirs 'for the body' undoubtedly include chocolate from the world-famous Samara factory 'Rossiya.' Such a gift easily pleases those with a sweet tooth, and choosing a fragrant set of candies or a bar of the freshest chocolate is not difficult – you can buy souvenirs in almost any grocery store in the city.
Men will surely appreciate the gift version of 'Rodnik' vodka, produced at the Samara distillery of the same name, or Zhigulevskoye beer. The real, unfiltered 'Zhiguli' is best bought at the beer bar 'Na Dne' in the city center. There, experts assure, the foamy drink is the freshest.
And an excellent addition to beer would be Volga fish, which can be found in abundance in Samara. Asp or bream, sterlet or crucian carp, dried or smoked, pinkish, white or golden... The largest selection is perhaps at the fish market in Perevoloki, on the M5 highway.
Those traveling in their own cars often bring home real Syzran tomatoes. It is unlikely that you will be able to try such delicious tomatoes, with thin skin and tender, velvety pulp, anywhere else. Do not be upset if the trip falls outside the vegetable ripening season. Salted, pickled, soaked, in the form of tomato juice, jam or tincture – such gifts will come in handy at any feast.
However, the disadvantage of such gifts is obvious: at best, only the packaging remains. But you can immortalize the eating of the brought souvenirs, and then bright photos will long preserve memories of both the trip and the warm welcome after returning.
Souvenirs for the soul
A large selection of souvenirs with Samara symbolism allows you to choose a gift without fuss and in exact accordance with the preferences of those for whom the present is intended. Some are attracted by ceramics from modern Samara craftsmen and leather goods from Tolyatti artisans, others by patterned caskets or paintings by local artists with unforgettable views of the Volga expanses.
A miniature guitar or a flash drive in the shape of a bayan will most likely be purchased by those who are fans of author's song. The Grushinsky Festival and the international meeting of all bayan fans 'Vivat, Bayan' gather numerous tourists from different parts of the country on Samara soil. And T-shirts with original inscriptions and event symbols sell like hotcakes.
For more solid gifts, you can go to Leningradskaya Street to the salon 'Engraving on Steel.' Exquisite dishes, brutal weapons, gift books, three-dimensional figurines made using the artistic casting technique – each item has a unique engraving. It is unlikely to find a more worthy option!
Of course, it does not matter which souvenir you decide to bring from Samara. The main thing is that your vacation in the hospitable city not only meets expectations but also exceeds them.
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