What to bring from Belarus – profitable purchases and beautiful gifts

Everyone who has a chance to visit the country of bison, storks and BELAZ thinks about what can be brought home for family and friends, as well as for themselves. The first thing that comes to mind when the word “Belarus” is, of course, potatoes, amazing nature and no less delicious Zubrovka. But you can’t bring potatoes to your friends, and you can’t give photographs to your relatives.

What is Belarus famous for, what is worth buying there, and what to remember about customs?

The content of the article:

Where is the best place to shop in Belarus?

For shopping fans, Belarus is a true treasure. Here you can profitably buy shoes and clothes, electronics, dishes, food, etc.

The main thing is to know where.

• Elem stores: cashmere coats, mink coats.
• In large shopping centers – clothes of world brands.
• In shops and markets (Zhdanovichi, Komarovka – in Minsk, Old Town – in Brest, Polotsk market – Vitebsk) – knitwear and linen products.
• In Marko, Colosseum and Coquette, Basta is fashionable footwear.

• Alesya, Belvest, Svitanok and Kupalinka: from underwear and pajamas to souvenirs.
• Supermarkets Belarus, hypermarkets Maximus and Hippo, Secret and Gallery (Gomel), Globo and Korona (Brest), Prostor, Evikom (Vitebsk): from food and clothing to household appliances, pleasant trifles and furniture.
• Avenue Heels are elite fashionable clothing.
• Gal’s and Canali are men’s assortment.
• TC Parking and Expobel, Silhouette, Europe (Vitebsk), Capital (Minsk): from children’s clothes and shoes to perfumes and accessories.
• Orchestra, Orange camel and Bayushka: the best Minsk shops for shoes and clothes, children’s goods.
• Belita, Viteks: cosmetics.

15 types of goods that are most often bought in Belarus

It is simply impossible to list all the goods that tourists are in a hurry to take away from Belarus. So let’s focus on the most popular ones.

• Potato. Well, how not to mention it. Moreover, she is simply wonderful here. Many Russians take a sack or two with them on their way home, if possible. Price in Russian rubles – 8-15 rubles.
• Jerseyas well as from Estonia… The most popular are the products of the Brest hosiery factory. However, all Belarusian knitwear is famous for its high quality. Price in Russian rubles: T-shirts – from 170 rubles, underwear – from 160 rubles, tights – from 35 rubles, dresses – from 530 rubles.
• Linen products. The pride of the country and the most wonderful fabric in the world is natural, cooling in heat, warming in winter, absorbing. Here you will be offered a wide variety of linen products – from blouses to towels. Prices in Russian rubles: linen bed linen – from 1050 to 3600 rubles, a blanket filled with linen – 500 rubles, a shirt, a blouse – 1700-2000 rubles, a tablecloth – 500-1000 rubles.
• Yellow straw souvenirs. Baskets and figurines, figurines and toys, hats, panels and dolls, and other gizmos for the interior are made from this material in Belarus. The average cost of such a gift in Russian rubles will be 200-1000 rubles.

• Wood products. There is something to be impressed with – furniture, toys and figurines, dishes and boxes, and much more. Price in Russian rubles: from 100 to 5000 rubles. Caskets – 170-1000 rubles, dishes – 500-1000 rubles, toys – 50-700 rubles.
• Ceramics. The country’s masters do not reveal to anyone the secrets of their work with this material. And residents know that dishes in pots are always tastier, ceramic toys are safer, instruments are more melodic, fridge magnets are prettier, etc. Ceramics remains the highest quality and most popular material at all times. Prices in Russian rubles: figurines – 500-1000 r, sets of dishes – 800-2400 r, pans – 1700-2000 r, volumetric large plate magnets (souvenir) – 200-500 r, candlesticks – 140-1000 r, pots for baking – from 100 r.
• Boots and hats. Not only Russia is famous for them – the town of Dribin (approx. – almost included in UNESCO) has long been known for its felt boots, which save from any, even the most severe frosts. Prices in Russian rubles: felt boots – 700-1500 rubles, children’s hats – 100-300 rubles.
• Vine products. From it they create not only little things for the house (pots, baskets, bread bins, but also bast shoes, baby cradles and unique furniture. Thanks to the properties of the vine, the products are original, environmentally friendly and beautiful. Prices in Russian rubles: baskets – 400-1500 rubles).
• Sweets. Sweet souvenirs from Belarus are invariably in demand among tourists due to the very strict standards in the manufacture of sweets. The most famous factories are Krasny Pishchevik (products based on fruits and berries), Spartak, Slodych, Kommunarka and others. Taste of childhood! Prices in Russian rubles: Slodych: cookies, waffles – 10-15 rubles, Red food worker: sea stones – 17 rubles, Kommunarka: Alenka chocolate – 40 rubles, the famous marshmallow – from 250 rubles.
• Alcoholic drinks. These souvenirs are for a strong half of humanity (and not only). The most popular are balms, various herbal / berry tinctures and fruit and berry wines. The prices are more than affordable. Usually, Minsk Kryshtal Lux is brought to Russia (about 150 rubles), balsams with prunes – Charodey and Belorussky (we are looking for alcoholic souvenirs in Kryshtal brand stores, for example, in the Stolitsa shopping center), Black Knight, balms with wormwood – Staroslaviansky or Krichevsky. And also Krambambula and Zubrovka. It is better to look for the famous Lida beer (and kvass) in the city of Lida.

• Excellent quality underwear from the Milavitsa factory. These gifts for girls can be found in the special / departments of Minsk shopping centers. Average cost of a set in Russian rubles: 400-2000 rubles.
• Food. The most popular, of course, are dairy. Especially, cottage cheese and cheeses (for example, Berestye – it is in all supermarkets in the country). And also condensed milk (Rogachevsky production – about 50 rubles), marshmallow from the factory Krasny Pishchevik (it is better to take it in branded Minsk stores), sausage from / to or from / to the Borisov meat-packing plant (in Smak stores in Minsk), etc.
• Crystal. Glassware from the Neman factory (very nice and inexpensive) can be found, for example, in the city of Lida. Crystal – from the Borisov plant. What to buy? Figurines made of glass (various souvenirs of birds and animals), stained glass windows, wine glasses and glasses. Price in Russian rubles: wine glasses – from 250 rubles, figurines – from 300-500 rubles.
• Bielita cosmetics. As a rule, girls buy cosmetics in Belarus very thoroughly – for themselves, mothers, girlfriends and in reserve. Because it is of high quality and inexpensive. Belarusian cosmetics are considered one of the most environmentally friendly, safe and cheap. Even Europeans come to the country of bison for her. Well, where else can you find an elite cream for the price of 2 loaves? For 1000-1200 rubles, you can buy cosmetics for a year in advance. Prices in Russian rubles – from 70 rubles.
• Souvenirs from Belovezhskaya Pushcha. From here they bring, of course, figurines of bison. Price in Russian rubles – from 180 rubles.

They also bring birch bark souvenirs from Belarus (from 100 rubles) – magnets and plaques, linen dolls from Molodechno, straw gifts from Khoiniki, caskets from Zhlobin, as well as delicious Narochansky bread, tied with twine and stamped with a wax seal, kilogram chocolate bars from Spartak, and dr.

How to shop in Belarus and bring to Russia

Today, the national / currency of Belarus is, as you know, the Belarusian ruble (bills – 10,000-200,000 rubles). All goods and services are paid for in local currency, although Russian rubles, dollars, and euros are used throughout the country (they can be used to pay at travel agencies or at auto / gas stations). MasterCard, Visa, Electron and EuroCard cards are accepted everywhere.

On a note: It is advisable to keep currency exchange receipts before leaving Belarus.

The exchange rate of the Russian ruble to the Belarusian ruble as of mid-April 2015 (according to the Central Bank of the Russian Federation):

1 ruble RUB = 281 rubles BYR.

What can be taken out?

• Money (import and export) – no restrictions, but if there is an amount over $ 3,000 (in cash), you will have to issue a declaration. No declaration is required for the funds deposited on the card.
• Up to 10 liters of fuel in a can, if you are driving across the border in your car.
• Dredges / metals and dredges / stones for personal use up to $ 25,000.
• Cigarettes – up to 2 packs.
• Rennet cheeses, sugar with flour, poultry / pork – up to 2 kg.
• Canned food – up to 5 cans.
• Oil – up to 1 kg.

What is prohibited for export?

• Fish and seafood over 5 kg.
• Sturgeon caviar – over 250 g.
• Cultural values ​​of the country (for this you need permission from the Ministry of Culture of the country).
• Valuable botanical collections as well as parts of these collections (permission required).
• Zoological collections and parts thereof (permission required).
• Paleontological collections and parts of them (permission required).
• Rare animals and plants (note – from the Red Book of Belarus), as well as their parts, derivatives (permission is required).
• Scrap / waste of precious and non-ferrous, as well as ferrous metals (in particular blanks).
• Wild-growing medicinal and mineral raw materials.
• Explosives and pathogens.
• Information carriers with information capable of harming the country, its security, health or morality of citizens.
• Local refrigerators, gas / stoves Brestgazoapparat.