Shopping

St. Petersburg
St. Petersburg has a large number of stores offering a variety of traditional goods, including quality lacquered boxes, stocking dolls, colorful linens, or the famous Matrushka dolls. Shopping along the city's festive main thoroughfare, Nevsky Prospekt, offers the best variety of stores in the city. Bolshoi Prospekt on Vasilyevsky Island also offers a comparatively good selection of stores.

Many stores accept credit cards, and all stores accept only rubles that you can buy at a number of conveniently located currency exchange points (obmenni punkti) throughout the city. You're likely to get the best exchange rates on Nevsky Prospekt, but be sure to bring along your passport. Without a passport, you can not change money.

Tallinn
Favorite souvenirs include handicraft items such as hand-knitted wool sweaters with traditional Estonian folk patterns, carved wooden beer mugs, fun felt hats, juniper coasters and limestone candle holders.

The main shopping hub is on the Viru väljak. The area near the port has also sprouted an ever-increasing array of mini-markets, supermarkets, and hypermarkets. For boutiques and souvenirs, your best choice is Viru street in the Old City and its side streets. There are many stalls selling traditional items like woolen pullovers and crystal. Bargaining is encouraged.

Riga
Apart from amber, Latvia offers a wide assortment of beautiful jewelry. Brooches, necklaces, rings, and bracelets abound and many are crafted using ancient Liv designs. Silver is particularly popular in Latvia, as are creatively designed glass adornments.

The markets next to International Bus Terminal are full of people selling their wares at stalls, both inside the large halls and around the outside. The market is surprisingly non-touristy with more emphasis on selling things like second-hand clothing, food, furniture or kitchen supplies. However, there are also many interesting souvenirs to be found. Small cafés serving up cheap local eats surround the markets.

Avoid the overpriced souvenir shops by searching for items like amber and wool mittens in the central market. If you are willing to haggle you can find good prices. If you are looking for Soviet era items, such as hats, medals, pins, or complete uniforms, go to the flea market "Latgalite." Local artwork can be found at Gallerija Istaba (Kristjana Barona 31).