Shopping

Most visitors limit their Moscow shopping to a few matryoshka nesting dolls and some Soviet memorabilia, but a bit of perseverance can uncover unusual crafts and striking gifts. Hand-embroidered table linens from the textile-producing towns along the Volga are a good buy, as are scarlet-and-gold Khokhloma wooden spoons, intricate wooden Easter eggs, or jewelry cut from richly colored Siberian stones you won't find at home, such as lilac-colored charoite and deep pink rhodonite.

Moscow has also become one of the world's fastest-growing luxury shopping destinations, with a bigger Prada store than Milan, and Russian designers' top-of-the-line creations that sell for jaw-dropping prices. There are also plenty of midmarket clothing chains such as Benetton and Mexx, but overall, Moscow remains less touched by this kind of globalization than other European capitals.

Moscow's vendors are quite market-savvy after more than a decade of capitalism. That means the shocking bargains of black market days are long gone, but it also means that quality is more reliable and competition has livened up the selection of products available. Beware, as in any big city, of con artists on the street trying to sell a "real" silver fox hat or czarist medal for a suspiciously low price.

Clothing Size Conversions

Russian clothing and shoe sizes are similar to--but not always exactly the same as--continental European standards. Items in Russian clothing stores are labeled in European sizes, Russian sizes, or both, usually depending on the country where the item was manufactured. It is always worth asking a vendor for advice if you have any doubt, especially if you are buying a gift for someone else.

The Shopping Scene

When you buy anything in Russia, keep in mind that you'll want to take it home -- and Customs officers can bar the export of anything antique, any book printed before 1960, or any painting or other work of art considered of cultural value to Russia. You'll have no problem with the majority of souvenirs, and even the antique or valuable ones can usually be cleared for export by the Ministry of Culture. This process takes a few days, involves getting the item appraised and then approved, and can cost anywhere from 10% to 100% of the item's value. If you're in doubt about a purchase, check with the vendor about its exportability, and also with a tour guide or other third party, if possible. Many hotel concierges can help you get Culture Ministry clearance. Otherwise, you can try contacting the ministry's Moscow appraisal and certification agency (8 Neglinnaya Ulitsa, 3rd floor, room 29; tel. 495/921-3258). The rules change frequently, but items like samovars and old icons are always on the iffy list.

Hotel gift shops are the most expensive places in town for souvenirs, and heavily touristed areas such as Red Square are a close second. Better bets are the small crafts shops or outdoor markets farther from the center of town. For Orthodox icons and other church-related paraphernalia, the monasteries have the most authentic and attractive selection.

Moscow has no traditional sales tax, so the price printed on an item is the price you'll pay, as long as you know what currency is being cited. Prices include VAT (value-added tax), which adds from 5% to 18% to the item's original price. The Russian VAT is not refundable at the border as it is in some European countries.

Shops and shopping centers are generally open daily from around 10am to 8pm. Food stores open earlier, and kiosks around town are often open round-the-clock. Most stores are closed on Russian holidays, and smaller stores are closed Sunday or Monday. A very few shops still close for an hour at lunch, usually from 1 to 2pm.

Companies such as DHL (11 Pervaya Tverskaya-Yamskaya; tel. 495/956-1000) and UPS (8 Bolshoi Tishinsky, building 2; tel. 495/961-2211) can ship paintings, rugs, or other large items to your home and take care of any clearances you need.

Russian Orthodox Icons -- The haunting, gold-flaked biblical images on Orthodox icons hold a magnetic appeal for many visitors to Russia, regardless of their faith. The angular, distorted faces and figures may seem jarring if compared to western Renaissance art, but that's because Russian icon painters were not aiming at three-dimensional realism. Russian Orthodox icons are rich in symbolism but lacking in light or shadow; they do not aim to render beauty but to honor and inspire spirituality. Modern icons strictly follow the traditions and images established centuries ago, and all must be blessed by an Orthodox priest. The design is carved into a wood panel, then hand-painted. Gold leaf and silver crowns can make the icon more valuable, but they don't make it any more authentic. The vendor should be able to explain what era of icon-painting is represented or what artist is being emulated. Most of the icons for sale today are safe for export, but any made before the Soviet era require permission. Be sure to get a receipt even for the new ones, preferably with the date of production (data izgotovleniya) printed on it. The larger icons are more likely to arouse the suspicion of Customs officers.

Icons are best purchased at Orthodox monasteries or cathedrals, though they are also available in kiosks around town. Novodevichy Convent is known for an extensive collection.

Nesting Dolls -- Matryoshka nesting dolls are so ubiquitous in today's Russia that they're almost banal, but a quality doll can be a symbol of Russian art and history. The first dolls, believed to be based on a Japanese tradition, were created in the 19th century in the Orthodox Church center of Sergiev Posad. The richest versions depict scenes from Russian fairy tales opening up to reveal the next stage in the story. The most common version is a rosy-cheeked woman in a vibrant headscarf, holding a series of sisters or daughters inside. The dolls are usually made from birch wood, and a proper set of dolls will be made from the same tree so that the wood responds uniformly to temperature and humidity changes.

Matryoshka dolls are a great, inexpensive gift. The basic versions can sell for as little as $2 (£1) at open-air markets. Older kids and adults may appreciate those with more intricate designs -- or those with a theme such as all of Russia's leaders over the past century stacked inside each other (or U.S. presidents, or international pop stars . . . ). Most vendors will claim the dolls are hand-painted, but a better gauge of quality is your own eye. If the colors are delicate and distinct, it's worth more than a matryoshka with crude and over-bright pictures. Sergiev Posad's Toy Museum has a small display on the history of the dolls.