Local, handmade, and traditional could be some of our favorite words. The same goes when describing the souvenirs we recommend buying. We believe that choosing the right item is the best way to take with you the place you are visiting. In this case – Croatia. When you know what to look for, choosing the right souvenir isn’t that hard. We’d love to help you pick the little treasures as they serve either as memories or as gifts. The following items are both local and traditional.
LICITAR
If you know a little bit about Croatia, you’ll know about Licitar Hearts too. Little heart-shaped biscuits are well known Croatian symbol of love originally gifted at ceremonies of love. Licitars are made out of sweet honey dough, painted in red and then precisely and intricately decorated. They are part of Croatian cultural heritage and something visitors like to buy the most. Giving Licitar to someone is a sign of pure love. How romantic!
CROATIAN CRAVAT (TIE)
A cravat is a piece of decorative clothing originally invented by Croatian soldiers. Since then, neckties have become so popular worldwide that anything of a business matter couldn’t go without a tie. Today, a tie, or “kravata”, is carefully designed in special stores in Croatia. It suits anyone’s budget, from plain materials to ties embodied with gold so we are sure anyone can find something for themselves or their loved ones.
LACE
If you were to visit any Croatian grandma, you would notice something all of them have in common: white handmade lace carefully placed over their old TV. Why? We don’t know either, it’s just something Croatian grandmas do. Notable for its unique designs and patterns, Croatian lace becamethe Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity recognized by UNESCO. Sounds impressive for a piece of lace. The most famous ones are those made in Pag and Hvar island. Buying a piece of lace means bringing the peace of Croatia back home.
THE VUCEDOL DOVE
The dove from Vukovar could be the most significant archeological finding from Croatia discovered in 1938. A bird on tree legs, a partridge to be exact, was made of baked dark-colored clay decorated with ornaments. Today you can see it in the Archeological Museum in Zagreb and buy the replica for around 180 kuna. In Vukovar you can find it even cheaper; 45 kuna and up. Perfect gift for anyone who’s into art, history, and archeology.
ANYTHING LAVENDER
You can’t miss the purple stands full of lavender souvenirs as you walk along Croatian promenades. This scented purple flower is used for a variety of purposes; usually packaged in tiny decorative bags and used as moth repellent in closets. You can get it as cheap as 5 kuna or get lavender oil for 200 kuna per liter. Be sure to get something for yourself as lavender represents the true scent of Mediterranean.
THE SESTINE UMBRELLA
The art of making Šestine (Shestine) umbrella comes from a small village between Zagreb and Medvednica mountain. It was part of folk costumes during traditional events in Zagreb and made out of red cotton with a naturally crooked chestnut handle. Today, the best place to get the Šestine umbrella is Dolac Market in central Zagreb. Legend says that its intense red color comes from love between Jankic and Jana; another souvenir that represents love. Ah, Croatians.
MINIATURE KAZUN
Typical Istrian house is now very popular as a souvenir in Istrian County. Originally made out of natural stone and with no windows, Kažun (Kazhun) served for shelter purposes. Nowadays, shepherds are using it in case of severe weather or as storage for tools. Miniature Kažuns are handmade and can be bought at stands at local markets. These small charming houses are perfect gifts for anyone appreciating Croatian art and heritage.
For Typical Croatian Souvenirs, pt.2 where we talk about food souvenirs click here.
Special thanks to the Souvenir shop ”Kaptol” (Kaptol 2, Zagreb ) for letting us photograph their souvenirs!
MONEY BELT
Maybe the most innovative product lately when it comes to traveling is a money belt bag. If you don’t know what it looks like, Google it right now! You can keep all your small valuables around your waist. Even better; tuck the bag under the shirt since the bag is really thin. Your most important documents like ID, passport, cards, or even phone can fit inside, are easily reachable, and unlikely to get lost.
LEARN ALL THE NUMBERS
Before even coming to your destination make sure to write down all the important numbers or even better; memorize them! You never know when you could need the help of the police, firefighters, or emergency. We hope you won’t, but just in case!
DO NOT HITCHHIKE
This is a brainer. We all heard the horror stories that started with some happy travelers happily deciding to hitchhike. And we sure know how it ended. Seriously though, hitchhiking could be very dangerous. Not to be paranoid or anything but going into someone’s car or a truck is the easiest way for things to end up badly and go out of control. On the other hand, yes, it could be a lovely and authentic experience. But still, we wouldn’t take our chances.
NIGHT OWLS
Walking at 4 am in a foreign city is yet another unwise decision and a recipe for disaster. Always look for a cab, Uber, or any other alternative rather than walking in the middle of the night through the streets you don’t know anything about. A suspicious neighborhood is not the best place for a lost tourist.
ANIMAL SAFETY
Let’s say you are in Thailand surrounded by goofy monkeys or in India surrounded by puppies and cats. We understand they are cute but be careful if petting them since stray animals are known to carry different diseases. If you see an unattended or hurt animal make sure to call local animal rescue centers and see what they can do.
LOCATION BUDDY
You must have someone who always knows your approximate location. Give them the address of your hotel, your agency contact (if you have one), or the phone number of your Airbnb host. It’s okay to be relaxed and disconnected when on a vacation, but try not to go too much under the radar.
TRUST YOUR INSTINCTS
Lastly, trust your gut. We all know the feeling of suspecting something is not right even when we can’t tell exactly what it is. It’s okay to listen to that voice and get out of the situation. Most of the time, we realize that this feeling was here to help.
We don’t want to make you paranoid. These are just precautious and ‘good to know’ measures that could make your life easier if you find yourself in a situation no one would enjoy dealing with. In the end, we travel to have fun and experience the unknown. So be careful and be smart.
HUCK FINN EXPERIENCE
Traveling in a small group of 10 people with a local guide always there for you is a perfect mix of safety and adventure. Experiencing small villages, intact paradise islands, and scenic landscapes far away from the city buzz could be the best way to see the most while caring less. We do our best to minimize the risks above, allowing you to fully immerse into new experiences and enjoy the benefit to the local community.
‘’I want to see the world. Follow a map to its edges. And keep going. Forget the plans, trust my instincts. Let curiosity be my guide. I want to sleep under unfamiliar stars and let the journey unfold before me.’’ -unknown
