Romania is still an underrated travel destination, and many visitors arrive without knowing much about its rich culture and traditions. While most significant landmarks have souvenir stalls filled with trinkets, finding something truly representative of Romania can be challenging.
If you want to bring home a meaningful gift that reflects Romania’s heritage, history, and craftsmanship, this guide will help you discover the best traditional and authentic souvenirs. From handcrafted ceramics and embroidered blouses to local wines and folk art, here’s how to choose a souvenir that captures the spirit of Romania.
Here are the best souvenirs from Romania, beyond the classic magnets and postcards.
Folk art & cultural items
If you’re looking for something truly distinctive, Romanian traditional masks are a fascinating option. Traditionally used in New Year’s rituals, these masks are made of cloth, animal fur, and wood, and decorated with multicoloured ribbons.
Mărțișoare are wonderful choices for Romanian souvenirs, especially since they are small, lightweight, and easy to carry. These decorative charms tied with a red-and-white string are traditionally given to women on March 1st to celebrate the arrival of spring. You’ll find mărțișoare in markets, souvenir shops, and even supermarkets – but unfortunately only from mid-February to early March.
For those appreciating religious art, orthodox paintings make meaningful keepsakes. In monasteries, you can even find glass or wood hand-painted icons.
Romanian painted eggs are traditionally hand-decorated using wax-resist techniques and natural dyes. These eggs are fragile and transportation can be a burden. Don’t worry, the egg’s contents are carefully removed, so the eggs do not expire. Each egg is a one-of-a-kind piece of art. They can make great Easter gifts.
Ceramics
While not the easiest souvenir to pack, a ceramic piece would be a great souvenir from Romania. The Romanian ceramics are not only decorative but also practical, making them a meaningful and functional gift.
Traditional Romanian pottery includes plates, bowls, mugs, jugs, pots, vases, bells and decorative pieces. Many are hand-painted with intricate geometric and floral motifs inspired by folklore and nature, and some are glazed for a glossy finish.
Various regions are known for their distinctive pottery styles. Horezu ceramics, recognized by UNESCO, are the most famous. Horezu pottery is hand-shaped and decorated using a unique technique with patterns in red, yellow, brown, green and blue.
Other notable ceramic centres include Corund in Transylvania, known for its distinctive blue-and-white motifs, and Marginea in Bukovina, where artisans create elegant black pottery using an ancient smoking process.
Avoid the mass market-produced replicas and look for Romanian handmade ceramics crafted using techniques passed down through generations. You can find authentic Romanian ceramics at craft fairs, artisan workshops, and souvenir shops across the country. Horezu, Corund, and Marginea are the best places to buy directly from local potters, but major cities like Bucharest, Sibiu, and Cluj-Napoca also have speciality stores selling high-quality pieces.
Textiles & embroidery – Romanian traditional clothes
The traditional Romanian blouse known as ie has gained international recognition. Today, it’s often worn by women as part of modern outfits. Typically white and made from natural fabrics, the ie is perfect for warm spring and summer days.
Beyond the ie, you can buy souvenir items such as scarves and veils or traditional vests (cojoc). Some souvenir shops even offer full authentic Romanian folk costumes, though these can cost several thousand euros.
These garments are traditionally crafted from natural fabrics like cotton, wool, flax, and borage, with hand-embroidered geometric or floral patterns. Each region of Romania has its own distinctive colours and embroidery style.
Some Romanian souvenir shops also offer beautifully crafted accessories, such as colourful beaded chokers and embroidered purses. A clop (man hat) can be a cute way to remember your Romanian trip.
If you want to support the local manufacturer and get an authentic Romanian souvenir, avoid buying the ones mass-produced, especially those made from synthetic fabrics. Instead, look for genuine handmade textiles at craft fairs, artisan workshops, and speciality stores across the country.
Woodwork pieces you can buy in Romania
Wood carving is a deeply rooted craft in Romania, with artisans passing down their skills through generations. You can find a variety of hand-carved wooden items, practical or decorative pieces.
A great example of wooden souvenirs is the hand-carved spoons, not only functional but also beautifully decorated with intricate patterns. They make a unique and affordable gift from Romania.
Besides spoons, you can also find wooden boxes, plates, and decorations, often featuring the same motifs as ceramics or textiles. A remarkable woodcraft category is traditional musical instruments. You can find beautifully carved flutes (nai or caval).
Romanian sweets to bring back home
Romanian traditional products make excellent souvenirs, whether you prefer sweet or savoury. If you want to bring back home some sweets from Romania, look up these iconic products:
Cozonac – a traditional sweet bread often enjoyed during holidays, filled with nuts, cocoa, or Turkish delight. It is similar in taste and texture to the Italian panettone but in a different shape. While you can find cozonac in supermarkets under various brands, the best options are available at speciality bread stores or traditional product fairs.
Honey – Romania has a rich beekeeping tradition, and it produces high-quality honey and related products. You’ll find excellent honey at most markets, as well as at fairs dedicated to traditional goods.
Jams – another Romanian staple found at traditional fairs, homemade jams are made from locally grown fruits like plums, cherries, raspberries, and apricots.
ROM bar – a rum-flavoured bar with chocolate.
Eugenie – biscuits with a chocolate cream filling, usually sold in pairs.
Pufarine – puffed wheat coated with a colourful sugar glaze.
By the way, ROM bar, eugenie and pufarine used to be the common sweets found in stores during the communist era. Many people prefer them because of childhood nostalgia, not because they are objectively good.
Savoury delicacies as gifts from Romania
If you enjoy Romanian flavours and want to bring something home, consider these savoury treats. However, check customs regulations before travelling with certain food products.
Local cheese – there are a few types of cheese in Romania that can be easily found in speciality stores, market farmers and grocery stores. The most popular are telemea (a white salty cheese that crumbles, similar to feta) and cașcaval (semi-hard, yellow cheese, easy to melt).
Local curated meats – the best selection can be found in speciality stores or traditional fairs. Romania is known for its variety of salami, sausages, and pastrami, which make excellent gifts for meat lovers.
Zacuscă: many tourists fall in love with this vegetable spread made with roasted eggplants and other vegetables. Maybe you can take a few jars back home?
Pickles – not only cucumbers but all the vegetables (and more) are pickled in Romania. Under the name murături, you’ll find cabbage, cauliflower, onions, green tomatoes, watermelons, and peppers, to name a few.
Romanian alcoholic drinks
Romanian wine – Wine production in Romania dates back to ancient times. For something unique, try the Fetească wines, made from native Romanian grape varieties.
Romanian spirit alcohol – if you want strong, clear spirit alcohol, look for authentic homemade versions of pălincă. The most popular is țuică, made from fermented plums.
Those who enjoy strong sweet alcohol can try vișinată – țuică with sour cherry syrup.
