8 special Hungarian souvenirs

Theculturetrip.com collected 8 unique souvenirs you can only take home from Hungary. You can find many Hungarian products that are truly special and will remind you of your splendid time in the country. Here are the 8 best souvenirs from Hungary!

Pálinka

The traditional Hungarian fruit brandy. The European Commission provided this drink a status as a protected geographical indication, meaning you can only buy true Pálinka in Hungary. It is usually made from fruits such as plums, pears, and apricots, and its alcohol content is usually between 37% and 86%. Many Hungarians believe in its beneficial effect to health.

Hungarian paprika

Paprika is the basic spice for any traditional Hungarian dish. It arrived with the Turks in the 1500-1600s, and became the most popular spice ever since. The towns of Kalocsa and Szeged are famous for their paprika production, but we can buy it literally anywhere. For tourists, there are lovely little packs.

Photo: Daily News Hungary

Air from budapest

A funny gift you can literally take home only from Budapest. Air form Budapest comes in tin cans, decorated with the outlines of different landmarks. It can be bought many places around the city centre.

Tokaji Aszú

Tokaji Aszú is one of the most famous sweet dessert wines. The Tokay region can be found in Northern Hungary. Tokaji aszú was once a royal favourite, and now it is a perfect souvenir: theculturetrip.com suggests trying Szepsy 6 puttonyos Aszú.

Szamos marzipan

The confectionery was founded in the 1930s by Mátyás Szamos. Its sweet treats are famous worldwide, especially the marzipan in the shape of a rose. They have a Cholcolate and a Marzipan Museum as well for everyone who is interested in the history of the sweets.

Matyó embroidery

Included on the the UNESCO Intagible Cultural Heritage list since 2012, Matyó embroidery is an important part of the traditional Hungarian folklore. Its mostly characterised by floral motifs.

Mangalica salami

A famous Hungarian snack, made from the Hungarian Mangalica pig. It is flavoured with different seasonings, of course paprika is one of them. It can be found in the Vásárcsarnok for instance, and the most popular brand is Pick.

Tisza Shoes

The shoe company was founded in 1942 and named after one of the biggest rivers in Hungary, the Tisza River. It was immensely popular at the time of the communist regime, but nowadays it is revived and is one of the emblems of contemporary Hungarian style. There are only 6 stores in the country, but the shoes can also be purchased online.

Image: Daily News Hungary

Source: theculturetrip.com