Shiraz Souvenir

Shiraz Souvenir

 

If you want to travel to the heart of history and see the city of great poets (Hafez and Saadi) and beautiful gardens, you must go to Shiraz. Shiraz, with its beautiful gardens, tall cypresses, and rose bushes, is the flagship of Iranian cities. This beautiful city has long been mixed with poetry, literature, and art. The mausoleum of Hafez and Saadi are two memorial structures having a historical and old atmosphere and giving everyone a good feeling.

 

One of the main parts of traveling is buying souvenirs, and Shiraz welcomes you with memorable edible and handicraft souvenirs. Like other cities, Shiraz souvenirs are divided into two main categories: foods and handicrafts. Foods usually include traditional sweets and distillates, and handicrafts include valuable artistic products. You can enjoy sightseeing in scenic places and buying souvenirs from the city of orange blossom and bergamot orange.

 

 

Shiraz Edible Souvenirs  

Faloodeh

 

Faloodeh is one of the specific Shiraz souvenirs. It is a type of noodle besides condiments like fresh lemon juice, cherry syrup, and herbal distillates like rose water. Also, it is sometimes served with traditional ice cream. Although it is not considered a souvenir you can buy and take with you, we suggest you test it. You can buy Faloodeh in cafes, markets, and ice cream shops.

 

Youkheh 

 

Yokheh is a light, energetic, delicious sweet used as a snack among the Shirazi people. This Shiraz sweet remains for a long time. For this reason, it is one of the choices of most tourists to take as souvenirs. Yokheh is made of thin dough layers coated with cinnamon, then rolled and decorated with Pistachio, or almond powder. The dough is a mixture of oil, wheat flour, sugar powder, eggs, water, salt, and leaven. Kaak sweets made in Kermanshah are very similar to Yokheh of Shiraz with the difference that they make the Yokheh dough thinner.

 

Masqati

 

Masqati is a delicious well-known Shiraz sweet made in most Iran cities. Masghati is so favariot in Shiraz. Its soft texture and unique aroma are a mixture of starch, sugar, water, oil, rose water, Saffron, and lemon essence. There are various kinds of Masqati, with the taste of Pistachio, Damask Rose, Barberry, etc. The most popular one is Larestan Masqati which has many nuts in it.

 

Candied almonds (Badam Sookhteh)

 

Candied almond is a delicious, long-lasting Shiraz sweet, listed among the best-selling Shiraz souvenirs. It is made of roasted almonds in melted sugar, sometimes using sesame and making it more delicious. It is very nutritious and is usually used instead of sugar when drinking tea. 

 

Herbal distillates 

 

Different original medical herbal distillates are found in Shiraz because this city has special weather conditions and is surrounded by beautiful gardens and vegetation, each has many healing properties and is recommended in traditional medicine. Among all of the distillates, the most commonly used are:

 

Bahar Naranj (Orange Blossom) 

 

If you are in Shiraz in late April or early May, you will be intoxicated by the smell of orange blossoms. People collect orange blossoms, use them as distillate, juice, or dried, and add them to tea. In traditional medicine, many benefits are mentioned for Bahar Naranj distillates. Solving the problem of insomnia, having anti-cough and anticonvulsant properties, reducing nervous headaches, preventing heart attack, and regulating heart rate.

 

Bidmeshk (Pussywillow) 

 

Pussywillow is a shrub from the willow family with yellow flowers that grows abundantly in Shiraz. The distillate obtained from feather-like and fragrant flowers of this plant in spring is one of the favorite souvenirs of Shiraz. The syrup extracted from it is very popular in traditional medicine. The medical properties of it are strengthening the heart, nerves, and digestive system.

 

Nastaran 

 

Nastaran distillate is one of the fragrant souvenirs of Shiraz. Nastaran is a type of autumn flower that belongs to the wild rose family. This aromatic and beautiful flower grows in gardens and along rivers in white and pale red colors. There are many properties of Nastaran distillate, such as relieving stomach pain, eliminating kidney stones, and relieving fatigue. Drinking Nastaran Syrup creates vitality and relaxation on hot summer days.

 

 

Lemon Juice and Verjuice

 

Shiraz is famous for having citrus groves. Among the citrus products of this city, Shiraz lemon is known for its best acidity and excellent flavor. High-quality lemon juice is a particular souvenir of Shiraz used as a seasoning in salads, faloodeh, and various syrups. Shiraz has many vineyards and verjuice is one of its famous and popular souvenirs. Shirazi people prepare a tasty soup with verjuice. This natural and nourishing product is a suitable option as a souvenir. The cities around Shiraz, such as Jahrom, have a proper climate for growing limes. Therefore, in Shiraz, you will find the best types of lemon juice. In addition, Shirazi Faloodeh will be very tasty with lemon juice.

 

 

Shiraz Handicrafts

 

Though many of its handicrafts are not specific to it, Shiraz’s handicrafts are so colorful and glazed that you cannot ignore buying them. The eye-catching effect of Iranian culture and art is seen in these handicrafts. Buying products that reflect the spirit and civilization of Iran and are made by the hands of artists is the best option for tourists coming to Shiraz. 

 

Khatam

 

Khatam Kari is an original and beautiful branch of handicrafts in Iran. In this art, the surface of an object is decorated with small triangular pieces of wood, bone, and metal (gold, silver, brass…). The smaller the wood, bone, and metal pieces used, the higher the value of the work. Khatam Kari requires time, precision, patience, artistic taste, and vision. According to most archeologists, Shiraz is introduced as the birthplace of this art-craft. But due to the interest and attention of the kings of the Safavid dynasty to this art, Isfahan became the hub of the production and promotion of Khatam Kari. Shiraz Khatam has more elegance and charm than other areas where these works are produced. Among the most popular khatam products are small and large jewelry boxes and beautiful pencil cases.

 

Glassblowing

 

One of Shiraz’s handicrafts for art lovers is glasses made by the hand of artists of this city. Archeologists believe that the oldest sample of Glassblowing art was found in Susa. Later, the first glass workshops were built in Shiraz and Isfahan to expand this art. Italian crystal masters were invited to teach the principles of the work. As you can see today in the markets of Shiraz, the unique examples of this art show the age of their generation. Beautiful samples of this art in the shape of lamps and chandeliers exist in the historical houses of Shiraz.

 

Mina Kari (Enameling)

 

Mina Kari is the art of painting and designing on the metals like gold, silver, and copper. Usually, copper dishes are used for Mina Kari. They make beautiful designs on copper dishes with glazing colors in the furnace. This valuable art dates back to 5000 years ago. The peak of this art was in the Safavid era. Tourists like this glorious art and buy Mina Kari dishes as valuable souvenirs. 

 

Namad Bafi (Felt)

 

Namad bafi is an exhausting job and Shiraz handicraft. This Shiraz souvenir is made by joining together, condensing, and pressing natural fibers like wool or animal fur with the help of hands and feet. That’s why it is very time-consuming to prepare. In the end, a beautiful and lasting work emerges that is soulful. Buying Namads with eye-catching designs and colors gives a new spirit to the space of your room and keeps alive the good memories of your trip to Shiraz.

 

 

Moaragh Kari (Marquetry)

 

One of the beautiful Shiraz souvenirs and the oldest handicrafts in Iran is Moaragh. This art has a special place and history in Shiraz. According to some historians, Moaragh was brought to Iran from India and acquired an Iranian flavor. Originally it was a combination of metal and wood. Indian artists used only one type of wood to create mosaic works. With the help of Iranian artists’ imagination, they used different woods (usually more than 70 types) with different colors. You can see the most beautiful examples of Moaragh in Shiraz and buy them as valuable souvenirs for your loved ones.

 

Monabat (woodcarving) 

 

Monabat is one of the Shiraz handicrafts, which is welcomed by tourists. It is a type of carving and engraving on wood to beautify it. The designs have many variations, and all of them are inspired by the original art of Iran. A woodcarver is a person who can create outstanding carvings on wood using his creativity and artistic hands.

 

Last but not least, Shiraz is the city of culture and literature and the birthplace of famous poets of our country, Saadi and Hafez. This spectacular city is one of the important tourist destinations of Iran. Many tourists visit this beautiful city every year. Also, Shiraz has a variety of sweets and handicrafts that you can buy as souvenirs for your friends and family.