Russia Shopping - Shops, Stores, Best Buys & Inside Tip

Souvenirs attract millions of shoppers to the Saint Petersburg shopping area and other locations throughout Russia. Tourists can find quite a bit of church artifacts, including figurine heads, photographs, and crosses. Jewelry, wooden dolls, and Faberge eggs are also prevalent.

Shopping is made easier with vendors located in front of St. Isaac’s. Guides will normally direct you to places where you can shop for almost anything, but be aware that the guides typically get a cut of the profits for doing so. Take a few minutes to shop around before deciding where and what to buy. If you like postcards, you can get a dozen for a couple of dollars.

You will find some of the largest souvenir shops located in front of the Russian cruiser Aurora, a museum ship moored in St. Petersburg. Here you can buy  sailor shirts, captain's hats, and long-sleeve shirts. This is a great attraction for military tourists.

Classical musical instruments from other countries are hard to come by, and usually cost a lot, but in St. Petersburg you may be able to purchase a traditional Russian instrument called a Treshchotka. The instrument is actually a small set of wooden boards attached to a string that claps together as a single group. It is used in Russian folk music.

Editor’s Note: The information on this page was compiled using traveler reviews about Russia shopping.