Georgian souvenirs
What to bring from Georgia?
When you want some emotional warmth and happy flashbacks in a weary state of mind on a grey autumn evening, entrust yourself to Georgian wine and warm memories.
And authentic souvenirs from Georgia will overwhelm you with joy and personal involvement into the great Georgian culture.
So, what are the best gifts from Georgia you can bring for your friends and self from the trip across Georgia?
And authentic souvenirs from Georgia will overwhelm you with joy and personal involvement into the great Georgian culture.
So, what are the best gifts from Georgia you can bring for your friends and self from the trip across Georgia?
It is important to note that authentic minankari craftwork can not cost less than 35 lari in brass and less than 120 lari in silver.
Minankari is the art of cloisonné enamel that came to Georgia from the neighbouring Byzantium, and for more than 12 centuries has kept its exclusively hand crafted method of manufacturing.
It is impossible to mechanize the minankari manufacturing process, and that is why every item keeps the energy and warmth of the hands that created them, be it a piece of jewelry, a home item or an icon fragment.
Exclusive items can be found in designer boutiques, at shops located at the Erekle II street, and at the Meidan underground shopping center (under the Gorgasali square near the Metekhi bridge at the Old city side). Less expensive items can be found at the Gold exchange in the railway station lower floor and at the bazaar located in the Children's world store. And don't forget to bargain!
It is impossible to mechanize the minankari manufacturing process, and that is why every item keeps the energy and warmth of the hands that created them, be it a piece of jewelry, a home item or an icon fragment.
Exclusive items can be found in designer boutiques, at shops located at the Erekle II street, and at the Meidan underground shopping center (under the Gorgasali square near the Metekhi bridge at the Old city side). Less expensive items can be found at the Gold exchange in the railway station lower floor and at the bazaar located in the Children's world store. And don't forget to bargain!
Big and small items of different ages is a pop-up kind of trading, often there are displayed on cars or directly on the ground.
Antiques.
There is a hotspot, a true Mecca, for the antiques lovers in Tbilisi – the Dry Bridge. The flea market located just a few steps away from the Rustaveli avenue is never closed. But most sellers and buyers come at weekends.
And please be sure, experts and lovers of old items lose track of time in this lavishness of the tenderly selected odds and ends finding their jewels – silverware, candlesticks, coins, porcelain, kindjals, books, phonographs and lots of other stuff.
Prices for truly rare things are not really affordable. But you get a really gripping story behind it as gift!
There is a hotspot, a true Mecca, for the antiques lovers in Tbilisi – the Dry Bridge. The flea market located just a few steps away from the Rustaveli avenue is never closed. But most sellers and buyers come at weekends.
And please be sure, experts and lovers of old items lose track of time in this lavishness of the tenderly selected odds and ends finding their jewels – silverware, candlesticks, coins, porcelain, kindjals, books, phonographs and lots of other stuff.
Prices for truly rare things are not really affordable. But you get a really gripping story behind it as gift!
Ceramics
Georgian ceramics is an art that is centuries-old but is still living among people.
That is why you can buy different fancy products – plates, vases, jars – at souvenir shops both in Tbilisi and in other cities. Also, almost in every corner of Georgia you will see shops with kitchenware made from red clay. Pots, frying pans, bowls, mugs and jars will be displayed outside, for example along the road leading from Tbilisi to the seaside. They are extremely perfect in their simple beauty and very suitable for enjoying simple but filling traditional Georgian food.
Ketsi – a clay pan for ovens or hearths – can become a great gift.
Georgian ceramics is an art that is centuries-old but is still living among people.
That is why you can buy different fancy products – plates, vases, jars – at souvenir shops both in Tbilisi and in other cities. Also, almost in every corner of Georgia you will see shops with kitchenware made from red clay. Pots, frying pans, bowls, mugs and jars will be displayed outside, for example along the road leading from Tbilisi to the seaside. They are extremely perfect in their simple beauty and very suitable for enjoying simple but filling traditional Georgian food.
Ketsi – a clay pan for ovens or hearths – can become a great gift.
The souvenir market at the Dry bridge offers a great choice of paintings, copies, replicas and posters.
Paintings. Georgian art of painting is not similar to any other, that's for sure. Looks like Georgian painters have their own view of the world, as if through the magic glasses. Their pictures are realistic and magic at the same time! Have a walk down the Shardeni street and look into the small homelike picture galleries. You can even meet those who are portrayed in the pictures there!
Tbilisi is not less popular as the picture subject. Colourful, noisy and always full of life… The pictures are fascinating, you just can't take your eyes off them!
Tbilisi is not less popular as the picture subject. Colourful, noisy and always full of life… The pictures are fascinating, you just can't take your eyes off them!
Hanjali. One of the most popular souvenirs for a man, being at the same time a fine compliment to his bravery. But you have to keep in mind that at the border even a souvenir kindjal may raise doubts, and to avoid being suspected in cold arms trafficking, you'd better buy it at specialized shops and keep all the certifying documents until you have left Georgia and entered your country.
Drinking horn. A racy gift that can be used as an interior decoration or as intended – to drink wine. A drinking horn – "khantsi" or "jikhvi" brought from Georgia has several sacred meanings. It is a symbol of well-being and wealth, and the ability to drink it off demonstrates the courage, maturity and resilience of a man. Do not try to save money when buying a horn, or you will get a plastic souvenir. A genuine horn will be made of horn of a bull or a wild ox. The technology of its making and decoration is quite complicated, and silver or melchior engraving, carving or semi-precious stones add unique Caucasian charm to each handcrafted horn.
Clothes from Georgian fashion designers. The Georgians have always had a dress sense and could dress prettily and with style even in the USSR times. And now the Georgian designers have become just as well-known national brand as the Georgian wine. Invitation of David Koma and Demna Gvasalia to become the creative directors of Thierry Mugler and Balenciaga accordingly is a clear case in point. Russian fashionistas have also appraised the style and creativity of Georgian designers. In Georgia you can see fashion designers boutiques in every big city.
— Dina Kvariani, www.kvariani.com 64 Paliashvili st., Tbilisi.
— Aka Nanitashvili, www.akananita.com 43 Paliashvili st., Tbilisi; 43 Memed Abashidze st., Batumi.
— Goga Nikabadze, www.goganikabadze.com F Labour shop, 27/29 Paliashvili st., Tbilisi; Silhouette shop, 23 Baratashvili st., F Labour shop, 21 Abashidze st., Batumi.
— Anouki Areshidze, www.anouki.com 6 Memed Abashidze st., Batumi.
— Lalo and Nino Dolidze, www.lalocardigans.com
— Samoseli Pirveli, 21-34, Irakli Abashidze st., Tbilisi.
— Dina Kvariani, www.kvariani.com 64 Paliashvili st., Tbilisi.
— Aka Nanitashvili, www.akananita.com 43 Paliashvili st., Tbilisi; 43 Memed Abashidze st., Batumi.
— Goga Nikabadze, www.goganikabadze.com F Labour shop, 27/29 Paliashvili st., Tbilisi; Silhouette shop, 23 Baratashvili st., F Labour shop, 21 Abashidze st., Batumi.
— Anouki Areshidze, www.anouki.com 6 Memed Abashidze st., Batumi.
— Lalo and Nino Dolidze, www.lalocardigans.com
— Samoseli Pirveli, 21-34, Irakli Abashidze st., Tbilisi.
