SOUVENIR HUNTERS
12.04.2008. // 12:53
Wherever you visit a foreign destination, especially for the first time, a memento of your visit in the form of a souvenir is a must. Dubrovnik has no end of souvenir shops offering a wide array of articles from authentic souvenirs to somewhat tacky run-of-the-mill goods. A quick walk down the Stradun will reveal a plethora of choices, but what is a must buy and what is not. Dubrovnik and Croatia have many traditional souvenirs that are of a high quality and indigenous to the area.
LAVENDER
The Queen of fragrances, Lavender, has a long tradition in Croatia. Its pastel purple blossom is a part of the Dalmatian landscape. Today dried lavender in small canvas bags is sold as an authentic souvenir. It is a relatively inexpensive gift for friends and family and can also be bought in an oil form.
PAINTED EGGS
Easter eggs are specially decorated eggs given out to celebrate the Easter holiday or springtime. The oldest tradition is to use dyed and painted chicken eggs. The finest eggs today are intricately decorated by hand with miniature paintings and symbols. The oval shape of the egg brings the paintings to life with a view of dimensionality.
EMBROIDERY FROM KONAVLE
The embroidery from Konavle, so - called “Poprsnica”, is a basic decorative textile element of female national costume. It is made in technique of the counting of the threads of the basic fabric tissue. A strictly symmetric ornament contains the numberless decorative motives. It is originally embroidered with home - made silk thread. The silk is dyed by natural colors with emphasized red, black or dark green ornaments separated with white passages and decorated with golden - yellow tassels.
OLIVE OIL
Olive oil is the most used fruit juice drained from a plant. The Mediterranean people have considered olive oil as sacred for thousands years. The best kind of olive oil is virgin olive oil (extra virgin), and there are still many subclasses depending on taste and need. Some souvenir shops will sell home made olive oil from the villages around Dubrovnik and this although normally darker in color has a stronger and clearer taste.
TRADITIONAL FRUIT AND
HERBAL LIQUORS
Plums are especially popular. A famous plum brandy is made in continental Croatia; cherries are used for making cherry brandy, known in the Zadar area as maraschino. Aromatic herbs are often added to grape brandy and marc to produce herb–flavored brandy. Dried fruits, such as dried figs and apricots, are also popular and are often sold in decorative baskets.
BRAČ STONE
Brač is one of the largest Adriatic islands. The stone from the island is famous the world over and the white marble was even used to help construct the White House. Stone one of the greatest natural resources of Croatia and the marble of Brač is the most converted.
FINE WINES
Croatian wines certainly belong to some of the best wines in the world. Croatia boasts more than 300 geographically-defined wine regions which produce 67 percent white, 32 percent red and the remaining 1 percent rose wines.
Source: Dubrovnik Times
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