Carved and painted wood
Romania has a long tradition of woodworking, as evidenced by the monumental carved portals at the entrance to houses in Maramureș or the Sicilian country. Wood, of which there is no shortage in these regions, is also carved to adorn furniture (chests, cupboards, tables...), door and window frames, shepherds' staffs, spinners' distaffs, kitchen utensils, etc. The art of everyday life is particularly evident on wooden spoons(linguri din lemn), with their finely chiselled handles. Here's a space-saving souvenir that's easy to take home, and a compendium of popular craftsmanship. You'll find them particularly in Maramureș, of course, as well as in Bucovina and all over the country. Also worth mentioning is Spoonman's store, in Sighișoara, whose founder, Mark Tudose, is a specialist in the genre. My Romanian Store, in Bucharest, also boasts a fine collection, as does the National Museum of the Romanian Peasant.
The motifs, whether geometric or figurative (spirals, stars, flowers, animals, etc.), convey symbols: hope, luck, love, health... Ask around to choose the one that speaks most to you.
Another facet of wood craftsmanship is painted furniture, a specialty of the Saxon and Hungarian minorities. It's hard to take home a chest or a set of chairs in your luggage, but you'll also find smaller objects, such as boxes, dishes, small stools and so on.
Ceramics
The Romanian ceramics tradition dates back to the Neolithic period, to the Cucuteni culture, named after the Moldavian village where the first traces of this refined civilization were found. It left a rich collection of finely executed ceramics, decorated with geometric and primitive motifs. Cucuteni ceramics can sometimes be found in craft stores, particularly in Moldavia.
Today, the most famous Romanian ceramics are those ofHorezu, listed in 2012 as part of humanity's intangible cultural heritage by Unesco. Made by hand, they represent an expertise that is often passed down within families, from generation to generation. The men extract the clay, transform and shape it, while the women take care of the decoration, using a hollowed-out ox horn extended by a thin stick. Horezu ceramics can be recognized by their colors, shades of dark brown, red, green, blue and ivory. The main motif is the rooster, a symbol of hope and rebirth. Other motifs include the peacock, the fish, the tree of life, the sun and all manner of plant and geometric motifs. Ceramics from Corund, a commune in the Harghita județ in Transylvania, are characterized by floral and animal motifs. It can be bicolored (white and brown or cobalt blue) or multicolored. Pottery from Marginea, in Bucovina, is distinguished by its black color, unique in Europe. This is achieved by closing the kiln during firing: the trapped smoke slowly penetrates the clay. Visit the Black Ceramics Center on the village's main road. Here, you'll find a wide range of objects and be able to see the craftsmen at work in the production workshop. Also worth mentioning are the ceramics of Maramureș, which differ from area to area: those of Baia Mare bear no resemblance to those of Baia Sprie, Săcel or Vama, whether in the patterns, colors or techniques used.
While the villages mentioned above are great places to see ceramists at work and make your purchases, you'll find them just about everywhere in the country. But beware of industrial charms. You should also be aware that today's ceramics are mainly designed for decorative use.
Gowns and textiles
The centerpiece of Romanian folk costume, immortalized in a famous painting by Matisse, women's blouses(ia) are distinguished by the finesse of their embroidery and the richness of their motifs and symbols. Made of cotton, linen or silk, the patterns and colors of these blouses reflected the wearer's identity: her region, social status, age, job, etc. Young women, for example, tended to wear their blouses with their children. Thus, young women tended to wear bright colors, to attract the attention of a potential husband, while married and older women wore more modest hues. Geometric, floral, natural or cosmic symbols conveyed mystical meaning and power: the cross protects against the evil eye, the flower brings harmony, the circle symbolizes renewal..
Having fallen into disuse for many years, the Romanian blouse suffered from a lack of transmission of know-how, today held by few and aging craftswomen. In recent years, however, it has made a comeback, with many Romanian women starting to wear it again, usually in a revisited, modernized and less elaborate version. You'll have no trouble finding them in craft or souvenir stores, or even in some clothing stores. Not all are of equal quality: they are more or less elaborate, more or less hand-sewn. You'll find some beautifully crafted ones at My Romanian Store, in Bucharest, but also at Artizanat, in Brașov, a cooperative store that brings together products from all over the country. There are also many online stores. For beautiful antiques, head to Boldă de fer, in Sighișoara, or deDor, in Bucharest.
In addition to the blouse, other traditional garments can make great souvenirs: embroidered skirts, shimmering floral scarves, knitted socks, woollen toques(caciulă), felted wool coats for men, etc. Lovers of the textile arts will certainly fall in love with Romania's beautiful works: embroidered tablecloths and napkins, woollen blankets, rugs and other weavings... Often very colorful, they are adorned with traditional motifs carrying symbols, such as painted eggs or blouses, and produced by hand, on ancient looms. This work, carried out by women, was devolved to the winter period. Maramureș is particularly rich in this type of work.
Decorated eggs
Traditionally made by women for Easter, painted eggs are one of the most surprising manifestations of Romanian folk art. They make a lovely souvenir, but are tricky to transport: it's best to find suitable packaging to protect their fragile, decorated shells. Now a national symbol, you'll find them all over the country, in craft stores and ethnographic museum boutiques, including the Peasant Museum in Bucharest. At My Romanian Store, also in the capital, you'll find eggs decorated with modern motifs alongside traditional ones. But it's in Bucovina, the flagship region for this art form, that you'll be able to make the finest purchases, notably in the three must-see places in this field: the National Museum of the Decorated Egg in Ciocănești, the Museum of the Artist Lucia Condrea in Moldovița and that of Letiția Orșivschi, in Vama.
Icons on glass
Since the 18th century, peasant artists have been painting icons on wood and glass. Very popular, they were intended to protect homes and encourage spiritual communion during prayers. Icons on glass(icoane pe sticlă) from Transylvania are particularly famous, the technique having been introduced with the annexation of the region by the Habsburg Empire in 1699. The depictions of religious scenes, mixed with popular beliefs and everyday elements, are simple and naive, which is what makes them so charming. You'll find them at craft fairs and souvenir stores, such as the folk art gallery in Sibiu's Astra Museum. You can also buy them directly from artists such as Ioan Borlean in Vadu Izei.
Food
Did you enjoy yourself during your stay? Extend the pleasure by packing a few easily transportable products in jars: jams, honey, zacuscă, salată de vinete, murături... To prepare a Romanian-style ciorbă, bring back some borș, in bottles or powdered. Of course, you can buy these products in supermarkets, but the best ones remain those from the farm: you'll find them at markets, in agrotourism guesthouses, in some souvenir stores or as you wander through villages, along roadsides, etc.
Drinks
The soil, climate and variety of landscapes have long favored the cultivation of vines in Romania. Traces of this activity have been found dating back over four thousand years! Today, the country is one of the world's leading wine producers. The quality of these wines has improved in recent years, and visitors are delighted to discover new, varied, high-quality and affordable wines, some of which have a place on the international fine wine market. There are many French grape varieties (pinot, chardonnay, cabernet-sauvignon, merlot), but there are also some typically Romanian varieties, such as fetească. The best option is to buy a bottle after your visit to a vineyard (Cotnari, Murfatlar, Lacerta, Davino, Serve...). Failing that, opt for a delicatessen or wine shop, where you'll find variety and good advice (notably at the excellent Enoteca de Savoya, in Timișoara).
But the national spirit is unquestionably plum brandy, the famous țuică. It's also called palincă (in Hungarian-influenced Transylvania), when refined several times, or răchie or horincă, in Maramureș. It can also be made with apricot or strawberry, as in Satu Mare. Also worth mentioning are vișinată, made with morello cherry, andafinată, a delicious blueberry liqueur. In the countryside, many people make their own homemade liqueur, and some sell it. You'll also find it at markets, supermarkets and airports.
