Finland offers a wide array of locally made goods which are acknowledged for their consistently high quality, many of which are also exported. Some of the things on offer include food, leather, fabrics, footwear, furniture, toys and sports goods. Throughout the country, from the heavily populated south to the sparse north, you will generally be able to find shops offering a good selection of things to buy.

Go shopping and take home something uniquely Finnish!

This Finland shopping guide gives some indication about what you are likely to find in the shops of Finland, and to give you some ideas of things you may wish to take home as mementos or souvenirs. For some more local ideas take a look at the shopping in Helsinki. And before heading out shopping, make sure you tempt your tastebuds with a fine Finnish meal.

Finland Shopping Guide

Finland produces a number of high-quality items that you may wish to purchase during your visit. Some of the most popular for visitors to the country include glass and ceramics, clothing, textiles, jewellery, furniture and alcoholic beverages. Further information about these products is given below.

Glass and ceramics

Whether you want something completely original and designed by a famous Finnish artist or something a little more standard, you will find that there are a large amount of choices available. Nuutajavi, Iittala and Riihimaki are all well-known factories creating glass products, while Arabia is reknowned for its ceramics and china. Whether you purchase a vase, some tableware, ceramicware, glassware or an interior decoration item, it will be sure to something that will bring back memories of Finland.

Clothing and textiles

The Esplanade in Helsinki is a great place to start any shopping expedition for clothing and textiles. Among the items you are likely to find are warm shawls, cottons, linens and rugs (known as "ryijy") and wall hangings (known as "raanu"). Many of these items can also be found in souvenir shops throughout the country. There are also very fashionable and well-made suits, shirts, coats and leather items on sale. The Marimekko Corporation is a favourite, offering extremely colourful and distinctive textiles. They have several shops in the Esplanade.

Jewellery

In Finland, it is possible to purchase both modern designs as well as jewellery based on ornaments that are hundreds of years old. The modern creations are normally made in silver or gold, and sometimes other additions such as wood or semi-precious stones. The traditional jewellery is know as Kalevala Koru, and is generally crafted from materials such as bronze, silver and gold, and is made according to the national epic of Finland, the Kalevala. Most of the models date from the Viking Era.

Alcoholic Beverages

The most common beverages to purchase in Finland are wines and spirits. Many of the vodkas and liquors are made from local berries, including cranberry, the cloudberry and the Arctic bramble.

Department Stores

Some of the main department stores include Anttila, Citymarket and Sokos. These all have branches in various towns and cities throughout Finland. Stockman is the leading department store in Helsinki, and also has branches in a few of the cities, including Espoo, Tampere, Turku and Oulu.