Thinking on such a large scale, it is difficult  to say which are the best, or most popular, or more affordable buys in this country. It is simply  too vast and eclectic, equipped with an impossible variety of shopping venues. Nevertheless, it seems that tourists exhibit a strong preference for Kholui and Palekh lacquered boxes,  traditional Matryoshka dolls, as well as the Khokhloma cups, silver- and gold-plated saucers and spoons, the Dymkovskaya Igrushka clay folk figurines, plus the jewellery containing pieces of engraved amber. Additional buys are Gzhel porcelain, Vologda lace, and the famed samovar – the well-known metal object used in Russia to boil tea water. Occasionally, you might happen to see vendors of homemade food around railway stations. Here you will find traditional pelmeni, sausages, smoked fish and pickles. Further options to immerse yourself in are the many open-air markets, where you can find groceries and miscellaneous local produce. The country’s vast  range of trendy goods includes watches, digital cameras, wines, expensive furs, ceramics, jewellery and toys. 

Shopping in Moscow, although immensely challenging, is a great experience when you plan well and know exactly what  you are looking for. When in  the capital of this gigantic Federation, you can find delicate hand-embroidered table linens, as well as hand painted Khokloma wooden spoons, wooden Easter eggs with vivid colorful decorations, or jewellery cut from Siberian stones, including charoite or radonite. Visitors opting for authentic Russian Orthodox Icons should head towards authorised antique shops or to the temples and monasteries themselves, as many of them have their own shops selling original old and modern icons. The Russian Orthodox Icon, representing two-dimensional images carved into a wood panel and hand-painted, may include gold and silver crowns, which adds  to the price. Purchases of modern icons might also require a receipt, so make sure that along with your purchase, you obtain a document  designating its date of production.