Let check some colorful souvenirs from Ukraine – buy traditional Ukrainian gifts in this post and go for a unique virtual shopping tour in Kiev / Kyiv. Ukraine – an ex-Soviet country which is known for many missiles, nuclear accident and many political movements, also has a wonderful folk art and Ukrainian traditional cultural handicrafts. You can also see Ukrainian culture in the lifestyle of Ukraine and some of their prominent cultural traditional skills which are passed from many generations till today. Ukraine boasts to present its intricate and colorful handicrafts, Ukrainian cultural handicrafts consisting of many bright colors, floral patterns, geometric designs which can be visible on Embroidery, Weaving, Ceramics, Pottery, Woodwork, Pysanka, and decorative painting. The geographical location plays an important in this country to produce many intricate crafts and therefore it is great to possess some gifts when you visit Ukraine. I have compiled a list of worth buying souvenirs from Ukraine – Kiev Souvenirs.
Best Places To Buy Souvenirs From Ukraine – Buy Traditional Ukrainian Gifts in Kiev / Kyiv
- Andriyivski Uzviz, a street in the center of Kyiv, is a popular tourist destination. It is known at Kyiv’s Montemarte. Here famous crafts are sold by numerous artisans, craftsmen, and creative sellers.
- Pirogovo Open-Air Museum
- Khyrschatk streek in Kyiv for modern and branded shopping.
List Of Must-Buy Souvenirs From Ukraine – Buy Traditional Ukrainian Gifts
UKRAINIAN MATRYOSHKA / BABUSHKA
Ukrainian Matryoshka is a famous and unique souvenir rather than a toy. These are handcrafted nesting dolls, depicting Ukrainian folk dress, and are designed for decoration, and not for play. Some Matryoshka dolls are known as Babushka (granny) dolls. They come in a nested set form which represents a set of wooden dolls of decreasing size, each placed inside the other. There are five or more in each set of figurines. Their shape is cylindrical, rounded at the top (head) and tapered towards the bottom, and without any hands. Sometimes hands are shown by painting. The painting on wooden figurines is very intricate and elaborate and they all follow a certain theme. Mostly they depict the common peasant girl theme, but some of them also depict fairy tale characters to the former Soviet leaders.
Price Range – Prices usually depend on the number and size of dolls in a set and the complexity of the pattern. The approximate price of one set starts from $5.
How to Carry – Easy to carry if bought small sized ones. But for big ones you need space. It should be packed with wraps and can be kept in check-in luggage. Unbreakable as it is wooden.
Best Place to Buy – Mostly many shops sell this as this is the most famous souvenir from Ukraine.
UKRAINE BEAUTIFUL PLACES VIDEO
MOTANKY (RAG DOLLS)
Motanky is derived from the Ukrainian word – “motaty”. Motanky is usually made out of available scraps or left out fabric cutouts, threads, and wool or herbs as stuffing. Motanky is not only ornamental or decorative dolls but they are used to keep positive energy inside the home. These dolls symbolize the presence of the living forces in the form of the fertility of the soil, well being of home cattle and the continuation of a family. These traditional dolls initially were traditional made up of natural materials, and stitching was done without any knots and no cutting was done by scissors as they believe tying knots or cutting by scissors will bring ill fate. The stuffing in the doll usually used to be grass or herbs, like wild rosemary (a symbol of prosperity and good health). Motanky is one of the Ukrainian national culture symbols which represent a great countryside or folk culture. Modern dolls which look similar, you will not find this same herbal stuffing and also they are made by scissors.
Price Range – Prices usually depend on the size. The approximate price of one set starts from $15 for very small-sized stuff.
How to Carry – Easy to carry and very light in weight. Unbreakable as it is made from Fabric.
Best Place to Buy – Mostly many handicraft shops/galleries sell this as this is an iconic symbol of rural Ukraine. The best you can buy from Andriyivski Uzviz.
LVIV CHOCOLATES
Since medieval times, Lviv is famous for its art of making lovely confectionary. During the 19th century, Europe used to export handmade specialized chocolates, truffles, and sweets from Lviv. Until the present date, they are creating magical recipes by using those traditional methods in chocolate making. You can get Lviv chocolates here in Kiev/Kyiv too. Or if you are visiting Lviv then get it from there.
Price Range – Prices usually depend on the size of the box. The approximate price of one box starts from $20
How to Carry – Easy to carry and can be carried in hand luggage too.
Best Place to Buy – Lviv chocolate factory outlet at the end of Andriyivski Uzviz street or can be purchased from the original factory in Lviv.
UKRAINIAN CERAMICS / POTTERY WORK
Ceramics and Pottery works of Ukraine are well-known and not from today but fourth to fifth BC. Local souvenir street markets and even the handicraft galleries offer a wide choice of ceramics from various regions of Ukraine. Each region of Ukraine has a particular or distinct style of work with different colorful patterns. Like ceramics from the Kosiv district in Western Ukraine are known for their greenish and reddish-brown colors on a white background which involves the intricate images of birds, animals, and people. Ceramics from the village of Opishne are renowned for use of natural colors and intricate patterns on vases and plates, and generally featuring images of farm animals like sheep, bears, goats and, horses.
Price Range – Prices usually depend on the size. The approximate price of one set starts from $50
How to Carry – Difficult to carry and can be broken if not carried properly. So ask for proper packing if you buy them.
Best Place to Buy – Mostly many handicraft shops/galleries sell these works and the best you can buy from Andriyivski Uzviz.
PAINTED WOODEN BOXES
Uniquely hand-painted floral patterns on Ukrainian lacquered wood boxes which are made of birch wood is typical cultural handicrafts of Western Ukraine. Right from the cutting of birch wood leftover logs and then sculpting them into a box and then painting is done and that too all hands by professional artists. The colors used are oil colors. You can see brightly colored floral patterns or life scenes very intricately on wooden boxes of different sizes. They are a suitable gift for family and friends and also would serve as a good trinket box or jewelry box.
Price Range – Prices are not very high which starts from $5, depending on the size and complexity.
How to Carry – Easy to carry if small sized ones. Unbreakable as it is made up of wood.
Best Place to Buy – Mostly many handicraft shops/galleries sell these works and the best you can buy from Andriyivski Uzviz.
UKRAINIAN FOLK BLOUSES (VYSHYVANKA)
Embroidery plays a very important role in Ukrainian handicrafts and especially the embroidered blouses which depict the region of Ukraine as per the craftsmanship. These white or off-white blouses with colorful embroideries have both artistic and historic significance. Each region of the country has its own distinctive design which is reflected by geometric patterns, floral patterns, images of people, birds or animals. The most often color combinations are black and red, orange and brown, yellow and green, blue and white. Initially, the threads of embroidered were naturally dyed by barks of trees, flowers, and berries and many more things. The most unique embroidered stuff you can find is Reshetylivka’s work which is white on white. It looks very elegant and intricate. These embroidered works can now be seen in exclusive fashion shows or Parisian outlets.
Price Range – Prices start from $30, depending on the size and fabric of the blouse.
How to Carry – Easy to carry and can be worn too. It can be carried in hand luggage too.
Best Place to Buy – Mostly many handicraft shops/galleries sell these works and the best you can buy from Andriyivski Uzviz or at the official folk museum shop at Pirogovo Open Air Museum. It is also available at most clothing shops too.
PETRIKIVKA PAINTING (PETRIKOV PAINTING)
This is a decorative colorful painting and is prominently seen in the daily living of Ukrainian people and so it is considered as the most cultural painting. Petrikov painting – decorative or ornamental painting, founded in Dnipropetrovsk got the name from the village Petrikovka where it was founded. The artisans who are experts in Petrikov have very well-coordinated eye and hand movements and masters this art by painting without making drafts and also without using any measuring instrument. This intricately detailed work is made by using a thin brush and also with the flower stalk, wood chips, berries, and even actual flowers. When visiting Ukraine or Kiev / Kyiv, you can buy plates, spoons, mugs, caskets or other decor items adorned with Petrikivka Painting
Price Range – Prices usually depend on the size and complexity of the pattern. The approximate price of one set starts from $5 for very small-sized stuff.
How to Carry – Easy to carry if bought small sized ones. But for big ones you need space. It should be packed with wraps and can be kept in check-in luggage. Unbreakable if it is wooden.
Best Place to Buy – Mostly many shops sell this as this is the most colorful art pattern of Ukraine. The best you can buy from Andriyivski Uzviz street.
UKRAINIAN JEWELRY – BEADED, CARPATHIAN WOODEN BRACELETS & ENAMELED WORK
The Carpathian wooden bracelets or other jewelry are made by the artisans in the Carpathian mountain region near Lviv in western Ukraine.
Another famous and authentic thing to bring from Ukraine is a lightweight and multi-colored beaded necklace. This intricate, hand-made beaded jewelry which is made up of many small-sized beads into many strings sewn together has become very popular nowadays.
Price Range – Prices start from $10 for wooden ones and $15 for a beaded necklace.
How to Carry – Very easy to carry and can be worn too. It can be carried in hand luggage too.
Best Place to Buy – Mostly many handicraft shops/galleries sell these works and the best you can buy from Andriyivski Uzviz or at the official folk museum shop at Pirogovo Open Air Museum.
MODERN STYLE OF EMBROIDERY OR RIBBON WORK EMBROIDERED STUFF
Exclusive pieces of cloth adorned with hand-made embroidery, hem-stitching, ribbon embroidery, knitting, and cut-work. The standard collection includes tablecloths of different sizes, towels, tracks, chemises, blouses, shawls and scarves, postcards with embroidery, embroidered pictures, knitted tablecloths, napkins and collars. Each embroidery piece is unique and demonstrates the Ukrainian style of colorful and charming floral patterns or folk life.
Price Range – Prices start from $20 but depends on the type of article and complexity of work.
How to Carry – Very easy to carry and can be worn too. It can be carried in hand luggage too.
Best Place to Buy – Mostly many handicraft shops/galleries sell these works and the best you can buy from Andriyivski Uzviz or at the official folk museum shop at Pirogovo Open Air Museum.
“VINOK” – FLORAL WREATH
Ukraine is blessed with an enchanting floral landscape and so flowers play an important role in its handicrafts too. You must have seen floral patterns everywhere in embroidery, paintings, ceramics and wooden work too. Now go for a Vinok which is floral wreath. This is an integral part of the Ukranian national costume They are made up of colorful flowers with ribbons that form a stunning floral crown. Authentically the original Ukrainian wreath is made of 12 flowers: milfoil, cornflower, chamomile, cherry blossom, peony, chrysanthemums and others. But you can see many versions are now available with some modern twist and fusion with patterns. You can see many Ukrainian ladies wearing it too.
Price Range – Prices start from $5.
How to Carry – Very easy to carry and can be worn too. It can be carried in hand luggage too.
Best Place to Buy – Mostly many handicraft shops/galleries sell these works and the best you can buy from Andriyivski Uzviz or at the official folk museum shop at Pirogovo Open Air Museum.
RUSHNIK
A colorful ritual cloth embroidered by hand with symbols and cryptograms traditionally used in sacred rituals, religious services and ceremonial events. You can see table cloths or towels available with this work.
Price Range – Prices start from $25.
How to Carry – Very easy to carry. It can be carried in hand luggage too.
Best Place to Buy – Mostly many handicraft shops/galleries sell these works and the best you can buy from Andriyivski Uzviz.
COLORFUL UKRAINIAN PATTERNED SHAWLS/CAPES – PRINTED AND EMBROIDERED
You can purchase hand embroidered or printed capes or shawls with all colorful patterns inspired by folk art or ancient floral patterns.
Price Range – Prices start from $15.
How to Carry – Very easy to carry. It can be worn or carried in hand luggage too.
Best Place to Buy – Mostly many handicraft shops/galleries sell these works and the best you can buy from Andriyivski Uzviz.
HAND-KNITTED WOOLEN SOCKS – Ukraine Souvenirs
Ukrainian patterns are hand knitted with colorful wool and are transformed into woolen socks. Perfect for gifting to adults or children. These woolen socks are beautiful and also represent the folk patterns of Ukraine.
Price Range – Prices start from $8.
How to Carry – Very easy to carry. It can be worn or carried in hand luggage too.
Best Place to Buy – Mostly many handicraft shops sell these works and the best you can buy from Andriyivski Uzviz.
Not only these items, but there are many colorful stuff you can purchase here to preserve as token of memory from your Ukraine visit. Stuff like household decor, kitchen stuff, wooden toys, diary covers, book marks, fridge magnets, colorful posters, hand printed T-shirts and many more things you can buy from street markets or folk museums in Kiev / Kyiv.
I hope you loved this virtual tour of Souvenirs From Ukraine – Buy Traditional Ukrainian Gifts and would love to listen to your best thing to buy in Ukraine below in the comments. You would love shopping in Ukraine with some colorful Ukrainian souvenirs.
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Beautiful ideas for souvenirs. I’m going to pin to remember later when I visit Ukraine.
I’am really a sucker if it comes to souveniers. I have to have something from every city. I especially liked the hand made puppets and boxen in your blog post. What means I have to travel to Ukraine soon! 🙂
It’s so true we hear so much about the hardships, wars and corruption when we hear about Ukraine in the media. They talk
so little about the art and culture. Thanks for sharing the variety of artisanal products in authentic Ukrainian style. I’d love to get the blouses, boxes and dolls.
yes sometimes things get infamous due to many reasons and the things which should get famous are always under table. Traveling is to explore those beautiful hidden things instead of dark tourism.
The one thing that comes to my mind when I see all these goodies is cheerful. Every piece – be it the terracotta plates or the lovely clothes , are so bright and chirpy. Speaking of clothes, I loved the simple Rushnik. The outfit looks like something trendy that can be worn almost anywhere. And yes, I would love to get one of those nested dolls too.
Great souvenir choices from Ukraine! I like the Babushka dolls and printed woolen socks. Great photographs!:-)
I loved learning about all these beautiful traditional souvenirs and the fact that they are all so reasonably priced is amazing. A friend of mine had gifted me a Matryoshka and I love its vibrant colors. Those embroidered patterns are so intricate and the wooden boxes look so beautiful. Am so surprised to read that these boxes are so affordable despite the fact that they are hand-painted with such beautiful designs. Lovely photographs.
While it is very unlikely that I will ever visit Ukraine, I do love Babushka dolls. I also enjoy learning about handicrafts from other cultures so I thought this blog post was cool!
Great overview! I love practical souvenirs and I never buy just decorative one because from all the travels… I would have a cluttered life. Great are the ones you can use, such as ceramic dishes, foods, or clothes.
Yes Slavka, some souvenirs are worth to buy which we can use immediately and not forms a clutter.
I would grab a painted box (or several) for gifts for my family. Those are lovely and would easily fit in a carry-on bag. The colorful shawls are so cheery, too. This is a fun, unusual post!
Thanks for finding this post fun and interesting too
Wow, what beautiful souvenirs!! I’m with you- I much prefer to shop local rather than just get cheap, mass produced souvenirs and these are amazing. I know my girls would love the cute little nested dolls.
We are usually not big on souvenirs but we do like to check and sometimes bring back local and cultural handicrafts. It’s rare though to find a place that covers so many crafts. I am biased with pottery as I used to do some myself (though by no mean as detailed and beautiful!). The vinok reminds me of festivals and summer celebrations, I am not sure why. Not surprising that Ukrainian ladies are wearing them too!
Yes I too love to buy local crafts and wearing that head crown also gives glamorous look on special festivals and occasions.
Good to see there are all sorts of cute little trinkets that would be easy to fit in your suitcase or backpack. A shame that we didn’t see a shop at the airport to buy some of these. We had a layover in Kiev during our Istanbul to NY flight, and there were no shops in our terminal. Just a little sandwich stand and a gallery of military photographs.
That is why I never rely on airport as they have all imported stuff or some branded eat outs. Shopping in local street markets are always great experience.
Love how you including the price and best places to buy. The nesting dolls are always seem interesting, although I can’t imagine a Russian leader one. 🙂 Love that they repurpose scraps to make the Motanky.
Thanks Debra for finding this post useful.
Great that there are so many options to choose from! I personally like to buy souvenirs that are unique to the country. The Montanky dolls would fit into this category and its interesting customs behind. In this time and age , its good to use fabric scraps to create something wonderful. I also like that they stuff it with herbs too. Besides this, the embroidered stuff looks very good too!
I too loved the idea of recycling of fabric scraps and making them into cute pieces
Having never been to the Ukraine, I wasn’t sure what souvenirs I’d recognize. The babushka were familiar in name, a few were familiar by sight, but many were new discoveries.
You would find many unique things in Ukraine.
I love buying souvenirs whenever I travel. This is a great Ukraine souvenirs guide. All of these souvenirs look really unique.
I love these souvenirs! They remind me a lot of Romania’s countryside. They have so many similar ones there (not surprisingly, since they are neighbors). I particularly like the woodcrafts, the Matryoshka and Pysanka. However, I think the sweets beat everything. They look so delicious!
Yes some of things looked like Russian and yes neighbors sometimes share common traditions or cultures. Sweets are really amazing here.
These are all such unique gift ideas. The ceramics and pottery items are gorgeous! I’d love to visit Ukraine someday and hopefully purchase a few of these souvenirs.
You would love many of them. Hopefully you will visit soon to Kiev.
How pretty and colorful! Having recently taken my first potter class, I was really drawn to these pieces. But the chocolate!!
Wow good to know you are interested in pottery.
So many lovely things! I think tracking down the Lviv chocolates would be my first priority in the Ukraine 🙂 The lacquered boxes look beautiful too. Thanks for the great detailed post.
Thanks for finding this post useful and detailed too.
I love reading about where to buy the best souvenirs, and you have picked some great ones! I would be loading up my suitcase with the wool socks, the patterns are beautiful and they look so cozy. I also love the idea of the Motanky dolls. Using up fabric scraps to make something special like a little doll is a wonderful custom.
Yes wool socks are very cozy and cute too.
Love the design of their clothing and bet useful info on where too esp price! Ukraine is on my list to visit this year hehe
What beautiful and colourful items. I want to go and buy the woollen socks now, they looked fantastic and toasty warm. And I didn’t know Ukraine had its own version of lovely pottery. Thank you for sharing this informative post.
Ukraine has a lot of interesting souvenirs, my first choice would probably be the Lviv chocolates! The embroidery work also looks really impressive and colorful.When I lived in Russia I knew the Matryoshka nesting dolls were popular souvenirs, but I didn’t know they are in Ukraine as well.
Embroidery work is really wonderful here with so many colors and a too many intricate designs.
I had a Matryoshka when I was a kid, and I loved it. So, I think it is a perfect souvenir. They are so beautiful, so detailed. But I have no idea that Lviv is famous for chocolate. I want to try this confectionary. I also like this Ceramics and Pottery works and hand-painted wooden boxes. I would like it for my bracelets or earrings.
Yes Agnes, those wooden boxes are perfect for keeping out jewelry and other beauty products.
I would absolutely love shopping Ukraine! I would love many of the items you’ve pictured including the nesting dolls, chocolate and floral wreaths. I always love truly authentic souvenirs.
Thanks for reading through and yes authentic souvenirs are always great to buy.
I visited Russia back in 2012 and bought a Matryoshka doll. It still sits proudly in my room. They are absolutelyThe lovely, I’m glad they’re the first thing on your list. And those Lviv chocolates look fantastic. I’m such a sucker for chocolate. I think the handmade socks would definitely be something I’d buy. Those designs are so intricate!
I too loved those cute hand knitted socks and you would find many such cute and colorful things here.
We found our first Matryoshka dolls on a visit to Russia. We did not buy any. But we would love to see the colourful decorations and variety in these dolls. Weirdly, we saw ones that we Donald Trump! Food is always a great souvenir for us. So local chocolates and truffles would definitely head home with us. If they made it! The painted wooden boxes look beautiful. I know a friend or two who might like those. Certainly a great variety of things to choose from.
Yes Linda, many colorful varieties are available here to choose from.