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Licitar hearts and red umbrellas: Zagreb souvenirs with a story
The back story
About Licitar hearts and red umbrellas: Zagreb souvenirs with a story
The best souvenirs from Zagreb come with a story: the licitar heart, the red umbrella of Šestine, a silk tie, a bar of Kraš chocolate or a bottle of Croatian wine.
Licitar hearts
Licitar are decorated gingerbread biscuits, usually heart-shaped, painted bright red and trimmed with icing, little mirrors and messages. Made for centuries in northern Croatia and given as tokens of love, the gingerbread craft is on UNESCO’s list of the intangible cultural heritage of humanity. They are decorative rather than for eating.
The Šestine umbrella
The šestinski kišobran is a large red umbrella with coloured stripes, once part of the folk costume of Šestine, a village on the slopes of Medvednica. It inspired the red umbrellas of Dolac market and has become a symbol of the city.
A licitar heart says “I love you” in the language of northern Croatia.
Ties and chocolate
A silk tie or scarf honours Croatia’s invention of the cravat, and Kraš’s Bajadera pralines are a much-loved Croatian chocolate.
Food and wine
Bring home a bottle of graševina or plavac mali, a kulen sausage from Slavonia, truffle products from Istria or olive oil from the coast.
Our advice: buy licitar hearts and small Šestine umbrellas from souvenir shops in the centre and from the Advent stalls in December, and visit a good wine shop for bottles to take home.
Why it's on our list
- Licitar hearts
- The Šestine umbrella
- Ties and chocolate
- Food and wine
Opening hours, prices and seasonal openings change, so please check with Licitar hearts and red umbrellas: Zagreb souvenirs with a story before you go.