Author of materials about St. Petersburg, travel, tours and city routes.
Historian and guide in St. Petersburg, Peterhof, Tsarskoye Selo and Vyborg.
You want to take St. Petersburg home with you – as a taste, a texture, a beautiful detail, or a little trinket that will later remind you of walks along the embankments, museum halls, white nights, and the northern wind. Here you can find gifts for any occasion – from imperial porcelain and museum souvenirs to chocolate smelt, books, postcards, local merch, and cute St. Petersburg cats.
In this article, we've gathered the best souvenir ideas from St. Petersburg: what to buy for yourself as a keepsake, what to give to loved ones, what to bring for children, colleagues, and those who love unusual gifts with character.
What to bring from Saint Petersburg
- Edible souvenirs from Petersburg
- Sweets from the Krupskaya factory
- Chocolate smelt and Petersburg sweets
- Eliseevsky Store
- Beautiful gifts with history
- Imperial porcelain
- Souvenirs from the Hermitage and the Russian Museum
- Gifts from the Fabergé Museum
- Coins and souvenirs from the Saint Petersburg Mint
- Unusual souvenirs from Peter
- What to bring from Petersburg for children
- What to bring from Petersburg for a man
- What to bring from Petersburg for a woman
- Where to buy souvenirs in Saint Petersburg
- Frequently asked questions
- Popular destinations
Edible souvenirs from Petersburg
Gastronomic gifts are a convenient option for a trip: they are easy to bring to friends, colleagues or family, and after the trip they won't gather dust on a shelf. From Petersburg people most often bring chocolate, candies, marshmallow, pastila, Karelian berries, tea.
Sweets from the Krupskaya factory
Sweets from the Krupskaya factory have long been part of the Petersburg souvenir tradition. As a gift you can choose the recognizable candies “Mishka na Severe”, “Leningradskie”, “Sankt-Peterburg” or “Osoby” chocolate. You definitely won't go wrong, because both adults and children love sweets.
Chocolate smelt and Petersburg sweets
Fresh smelt is hard to transport, but Petersburg confectioners found a way out – smelt made of Belgian chocolate. Also pay attention to marshmallow and pastila from the Kronstadt factory, as well as “Grondard” marzipan with various flavors and fillings. All of this can be found in the official Krupskaya stores, of which there are many around the city, especially on Nevsky Prospekt.
Eliseevsky Store
It's worth stopping by even just for the interiors, but it's hard to leave without a purchase. Here they sell handmade artisanal sweets made according to old recipes: marzipan shaped like fruit, chocolate coins and exquisite boxed candy sets in tin cans.
Beautiful gifts with history
If you're looking for what to buy in St. Petersburg as a gift with status and history, take a look at these brands.
Imperial porcelain
Be sure to visit the official store of the Imperial Porcelain Factory. Its most famous pattern is the "cobalt net": a white-and-blue ornament that is immediately associated with classic St. Petersburg. As a gift, you can choose a tea pair, a small plate, a cup, a Christmas ornament, or a porcelain figurine.
Souvenirs from the Hermitage and the Russian Museum
The museum shops of the Hermitage and the Russian Museum are an excellent option for those looking for a beautiful gift connected with St. Petersburg's cultural heritage. In the museum shops you can find items featuring reproductions of world masterpieces: silk scarves, tea pairs, umbrellas, notebooks, calendars, shoppers, and much more. We also recommend books about famous paintings, artists, and certain movements in painting from different eras.
The State Hermitage
Go to the article →Gifts from the Fabergé Museum
First, it's worth heading to the Fabergé Museum itself and getting acquainted with its exhibits, learning their history and how it is connected with the world of jewelry art, seeing the imperial Easter eggs with your own eyes, and only then stopping by the souvenir shop, where you can choose postcards, books, pendants, and earrings in the shape of the famous Fabergé eggs. There are sweets there too; we recommend buying for yourself or as a gift for someone monpensier in small tin jars featuring images of collectible Fabergé eggs.
Coins and souvenirs from the Saint Petersburg Mint
At the Peter and Paul Fortress you can also buy themed souvenirs. Commemorative coins, tokens, medals, and sets with St. Petersburg symbols look solid and are closely tied to the city's history. This is a real find for collectors and history lovers. Such a gift is especially appropriate for men and colleagues.
Sightseeing tour + Peter and Paul Fortress
Go to the tour →Unusual souvenirs from Peter
Not everyone wants to bring home classic magnets and mugs – in St. Petersburg it's easy to find souvenirs with character, featuring cats, rain, curbs, drawbridges, courtyard wells, the Neva, and subtle local self-irony.
Cats have long become an informal symbol of the city, so figurines of Hermitage cats, soft toys, postcards, pins, and travel neck pillows with their images will make a cute gift for those who love urban legends and cats.
For those who appreciate St. Petersburg humor, pins, socks, postcards, and magnets with local jokes about curbs, eternal gloom, sphinxes, and drawbridges will be a good fit.
And for real treasures, head to Udelnaya Market or Retrosklad. There you can find antique porcelain, vinyl records, and household items from the imperial and Soviet periods.
What to bring from Petersburg for children
Little travelers will love edible souvenirs, such as marzipan modeling clay that you can shape and eat right away. Also good gifts include "Smart Paper" construction sets with models of St. Petersburg palaces, coloring-book guides, and figurines of hares reminiscent of the legends of the Peter and Paul Fortress.
What to bring from Petersburg for a man
Men don't value gifts so much as the care itself. Take a look at collectible coins from the Mint or stylish watches from the brands "Raketa" and "Pobeda." Souvenirs with a nautical theme (striped undershirts, ship models), books on the city's history, or a gastronomic set with Karelian delicacies and St. Petersburg-produced cognac would also work. And if your man appreciates humor, you can bring a T-shirt with the inscription "Drinking in St. Pete" or "This is St. Pete, baby."
What to bring from Petersburg for a woman
A wonderful gift for the female half would be elegant imperial porcelain, jewelry with the famous Fabergé eggs, or amber items. Silk scarves or umbrellas from museum collections, natural vegan cosmetics from Laboratorium, artisanal scented candles, and books about art are also popular.
Where to buy souvenirs in Saint Petersburg
Nevsky Prospekt: most souvenir shops are concentrated here, including the Krupskaya sweet shop and Zenit stores.
Dom Knigi and Podpisnye Izdaniya: the best places to choose books, postcards, symbolic keychains, and merchandise from the film Brother.
The Hermitage and Eliseev shops: for refined gifts and sweets.
New Holland and Sevkabel Port: for modern merch, designer items, and jewelry
Udelnaya Market: for vintage and antiques lovers.
Imperial Porcelain Factory stores: branded locations on Nevsky and at the factory itself.
Frequently asked questions
What to bring back from St. Petersburg as a gift?
From St. Petersburg you can bring back imperial porcelain, museum souvenirs, sweets from the Krupskaya factory, chocolate smelt, books, postcards, local merch, St. Petersburg cats, coins, and gifts from the Fabergé Museum.
What edible things to bring back from St. Petersburg?
As an edible souvenir from St. Petersburg, candies, chocolate, marshmallow, pastila, marzipan, chocolate smelt, Karelian berries, tea, and sweets from the Eliseev shop are good options.
Where to buy souvenirs in St. Petersburg?
Souvenirs in St. Petersburg are conveniently bought on Nevsky Prospekt, at Dom Knigi, Podpisnye Izdaniya, the Hermitage and Eliseev shops, New Holland, Sevkabel Port, Udelnaya Market, and the Imperial Porcelain Factory stores.
What to bring back from St. Petersburg for children?
For children you can bring marzipan modeling clay, sweets, building sets with models of St. Petersburg palaces, coloring guidebooks, rabbit figurines, toys, and souvenirs with St. Petersburg cats.
What to bring back from St. Petersburg for a man?
For a man you can bring collectible coins, Mint souvenirs, watches, books on the history of St. Petersburg, nautical souvenirs, a gourmet set, or a T-shirt with an ironic St. Petersburg slogan.
What to bring back from St. Petersburg for a woman?
For a woman you can bring a tea set of imperial porcelain, jewelry inspired by Fabergé eggs, amber items, a silk scarf, an umbrella with views of St. Petersburg, scented candles, and art books.
Which souvenirs from St. Petersburg are considered non-banal?
Non-banal souvenirs from St. Petersburg are chocolate smelt, Hermitage cat figurines, items with local jokes about the curb and rain, vintage finds from Udelnaya Market, New Holland merch, and gifts from museum shops.
What to bring back from St. Petersburg cheaply?
Budget gifts include postcards, pins, marzipan, chocolate, tea, keychains, magnets with local humor, small souvenirs with cats, and symbolic gifts with city views.
