What to buy in Finland? — 21+ Top things to buy in Finland & best souvenirs from Finland

Finland is a country known for its handcrafted designers and independent artists (unsigned artists) that sell a wide variety of unique and good quality homemade items and products. Besides, there are many delicious cakes, candies and special foods, wonderful souvenirs and gifts that you only have the opportunity to taste or bring back when traveling to Finland. During a trip to Finland, salty licorice candy or items made of traditional knitted fabrics are souvenirs that are hard to find anywhere else. So, what souvenirs should tourists buy in Finland, what to buy in Finland and what to bring home from Finland? Let’s check out our Finland shopping guide with top 21+ meaningful things to buy in Finland, best gifts from Finland and best souvenirs from Finland as well as where to find them!

If you are planning a trip to visit this country that is known as one of the world’s happiest country as well as most livable places on the globe, don’t forget to buy the following specialties and souvenir items as gifts.

What to buy in Finland: Salty Salmiakki Liquorice Candy (Salmiak Liquorice or Salmiac Liquorice)

One of the most popular Finnish sweets that will make you feel a little odd is salty licorice. The Finnish people are so “addicted” to the taste of Salmiakki that they can pair it with any other food or drink, from ice cream to wine, spirit or liquor.

Salty licorice candy is made into many shapes and textures from round, square, triangle with black or dark brown in a candy-like shape, has a pungent, salty, and sweetish taste but when chewed and swallowed, it has a slightly sweet taste, remains in the throat. If you are brave enough to try it or want to buy it as a souvenir for your loved ones, you can find Salmiakki in supermarkets or popular sweets stores.

What souvenirs should tourists buy in Finland: Fazer Salmiakki Chocolate

Salmiakki, or salty licorice, is only for those who are truly Finnish-obsessed and who can accept the quirky Finnish palates. If you want something more special, look for Salmiakki covered in smooth Fazer chocolate. Fazer Salmiakki Salty Liquorice is a typical chocolate flavor from Finland. If you are a fan of chocolate, you cannot miss this sweet souvenir.

Cool things to buy in Finland & best souvenirs from Finland: Moomin souvenirs

Finland is known to everyone as the hometown of Santa Claus, but also known for a very popular comic series, Moomin by Tove Jansson. It has now been translated into many languages ​​around the world. Coming to Finland, you can visit the valley of the same name, visit the museum of the same name, and buy the original series as well as its related souvenirs as gifts for relatives and friends. You also need to note that these items are very cute and friendly, but it made in Finland, so it is quite expensive.

You can buy Moomin books and souvenirs all over the world, but it’s only in Finland, home of this adorable hippo, that you find the best selections.

Moomin is the most widely known and loved cartoon character, even becoming a symbol of Finnish culture. The cute white hippo was created by Finnish-Swedish artist Tove Jansson in the 1940s, and quickly emerged as a worldwide phenomenon. You can find various items with Moomin images including toys, housewares, stationery, children’s clothing, jewelry… They are commonly sold not only at Moomin stores but also in supermarkets and other stationery stores.

Kitchenware with cute Moomin hippo designs

If anyone loves Finland, they will probably know the Moomin hippo, when souvenirs using its image decorate all the souvenir shops in this country. And of course, if you have someone who is a fan of cooking, you can’t miss the souvenirs that are kitchen utensils with the design of this hippopotamus, from glasses, cups, bowls, etc. with new designs every year.

For something really special, buy for your friends limited edition Moomin Arabia plates, cups or bowls, which feature new designs every year. Moomin house cup with removable roof will be a very special gift.

Best gifts from Finland: Iittala Glass & Tableware

Finland is famous for its glassware and one of the most valuable and iconic brands is Iittala. This is a company that has been producing glassware, tableware, dinnerware… since 1881 and if you are observant you will easily realize that most families in Finland own at least some of its glass products, passed down from generation to generation.

Looking for Iittala glassware during your trip to Finland – an extremely quality and meaningful gift. Designs come from the most renowned glass artists in Finland, are often simple yet beautiful and fit into any interior style, for everyday use or at parties. Candle holders made from colored glass are especially popular, as well as the beautiful and delicate Toikka glass birds.

What to bring home from Finland: Canned Reindeer Meat

To people outside of Finland, eating reindeer meat may seem brutal, but it’s a Finnish staple and even eaten as Christmas dinner in Lapland. For a friend who likes to try unusual dishes, pick up some canned reindeer meat, which can even be found in the usual supermarkets in small villages. You can also find elk, wild boar, venison and bear meats that can be cooked in a variety of ways. Do you like bear meat, venison stew or wild boar sandwich?

Fun things to buy in Finland: Angry Birds

In recent years, Angry Birds has become a national brand. The crazy bird icon is not only in the game, but it has stepped out into real life from clothes, candies, cosmetics, toys, books, keychains… You can easily find these super cute items anywhere in Finland.

What to buy in Finland: Chocolate, Finnish Black Bread

Two famous chocolate brands in Finland are Fazer and Brunberg, they are extremely delicious and reasonably priced.

Besides, Finnish Black Bread (Rye bread) is a dark, sour bread which is made with 100% dark rye flour and produced in quantity in Finland, it is also a good suggestion.

What to bring home from Finland: Marimekko Fashion & Accessories

Marimekko is a Finnish well-known design house specializing in textiles, clothing, accessories and home furnishings fashion. It’s aslo famous worldwide for its original prints and colors. So, you can buy its fashion clothing, accessories or textiles to bring back. Especially, not only that, the name of its textiles is spread to other developed countries such as Japan, USA, France. However, you should also note when choosing this gift that the style and color of this textiles is quite old and somewhat strange.

This most popular Finnish designer brand can also be found worldwide, but the widest and best selection is still in Finland. Every shopping center in every city has a Marimekko store, and practically every woman in Finland has at least one branded from this brand from: Shirt, skirt, dress, bag or purse.

The Marimekko brand is also loved and very popular throughout Northern Europe. The features of these items are bold and colorful patterns but simple and elegant. Marimekko clothes can be expensive, but you can buy someone a nice gift by picking up a bag, purse, or even an apron with striking floral patterns. You can even find household items in the supermarket with Marimekko’s unique designs, like wrapping paper, napkins or cups, etc.

What souvenirs should tourists buy in Finland: Kantele

You’ve heard of the ukulele, but what about the kantele? This is a traditional plucked string instrument of Karelia, Finland, similar to the ukulele of Hawaiian but longer. Every child in this country learns to play the kantele, which is also commonly used in Finnish folk music. Not only does a small kantele sound great, but it’s also a beautiful decoration, making it ideal for you to buy as a souvenir after leaving Finland.

What to buy in Finland: Reflective Accessories

Wandering around Finland in winter, you will find that everyone has a reflector on their bag or jacket to help them stand out from the traffic when it is dark in Finland. These reflective items such as keychains… come in all sorts of beautiful designs and with popular Finnish characters like Moomins or Angry Birds.

Finland shopping guide: Hand-Knit Clothes

Because the climate is so cold, the Finns always have to find ways to keep their bodies as warm as possible, and the clothes made from traditional knitwear help them get through the frigid winter. Visitors can find these traditional and vintage knitwear items at craft stores.

To feel like warm as a Finn in winter, you can buy a cardigan or hat with a pop of color design. You can find these at most of the city’s craft stores. They are widely sold in areas further north in Lapland, where you can also find comfortable handmade boots, socks and hats that can keep you warm in cold winters.

Things to buy in Finland: Essential oils for steam inhalation

The use of essential oils for steam inhalation has caused some controversy online recently, but they are still commonly used in Finland in sauna therapies. You just need to put a few drops of essential oils in the steaming water, throw it on the coals or hot stones, and the whole sauna room will be filled with fragrance. Finnish sauna essential oils comes in many unusual variations including salmiakki. If your friend doesn’t have a sauna, you can use essential oils in a diffuser like regular essential oils (just don’t try to use them as medicine is okay!).

What to buy in Finland: Fiskars Kitchen Utensils & Cooking Tools

For those who likes practical gifts, anything from Fiskars will make them happy. Finnish brand Fiskars is best known for its iconic orange-handled scissors, but they also make a variety of kitchen utensils and cooking tools such as knives, cheese graters and potato peelers, often with hands vintage orange handle. Fiskars products are extremely high quality and very durable and can use for many years.

Best gifts from Finland: Vodka

Finland is a very famous country for consuming alcoholic beverages, so it is not surprising that you can find this drink. Vodka is a such famous drink, everyone who comes to Finland wants to enjoy a glass of Koskenkorva, Finlandia and Minttu (Peppermint vodka). If possible, remember to buy a few bottles as gifts.

For those who love to buy spirit as a souvenir, a large bottle of Finlandia Vodka is perfect gift. It comes in a variety of flavors including lemon, coconut and mango along with a simple classic vodka. Be wary, though, as it’s almost 40% alcohol content.

What to buy in Finland: Fazer Candy

Fazer has been a manufacturing company selling confectionery and other food items in Finland since 1891. To this day, Fazer products are still loved by Finnish and tourists, especially its candies and chocolates.

These range from regular candy bars, marshmallows, to snacks and most commonly the “Fazer blue” milk chocolate bars. Surely not only children but even adults will fall in love as soon as they taste this special gift.

What to bring home from Finland: Lumene Cosmetics

This cosmetic brand is the largest cosmetic brand in Finland with a wide range of cosmetic products that can help women become more beautiful. Finnish girls mainly use cosmetics of this company with luxurious and eye-catching designs.

The cosmetic lines of this company are also not too expensive, so you can buy them as gifts for relatives and friends, which are very polite and appropriate. You can easily buy them in special supermarkets in Anttila Department Store and Stockmann in Helsinki capital.

Karelian Pastry

Karelian is an oval pastry filled with rice, potatoes or carrots and often coated with egg butter, is one of the most famous foods you cannot miss when discovering Finnish cuisine.

Local Finnish bakeries are the best place to try authentic Karelian pastries warmed in the oven and covered with rich egg butter. The pastry is so popular that craft shops in other Finnish tourist destinations even sell their homemade breads shaped like Karelian pastries.

Best souvenirs from Finland: Reindeer Horn Corkscrew

If you want a souvenir from reindeer but can’t stand the thought of reindeer being killed as a gift, look for stalls selling corkscrew openers made from reindeer horns from $27/piece. Reindeer shed their horns each year for their owners to collect them, attach a corkscrew opener to it, and sell them for extra income. They also look fun and quirky when hung in the kitchen or used to open bottle of beer or wine.

What to buy in Finland: Sima

Sima is a light alcoholic beverage, served on Finnish Labour Day (May 1) with traditional funnel cakes. Sima is often sold as a carbonated beverage mixed with ingredients including honey, lemon zest or even raisins.

However, Sima is usually only sold in stores around Labor Day in May. During your trip to Finland, if you have the opportunity, try this country’s traditional drink.

What to buy in Finland: Tom of Finland Coffee

Tom of Finland is a worldwide famous brand popular for its flashy value and unflinching homosexuality. You can find artwork on everything from postcards to oven mitts in Finland. But the strangest attraction is the coffee brand Tom of Finland, which you can find in almost every major supermarket in Finland. The coffee is rich, bold, strong flavor, just like the Tom of Finland.

Jewelry from Taito shop

Address: Eteläesplanadi 4, 00130 Helsinki, Finland
Hours: 10AM–6PM/Sunday: Closed

Finnish jewelry is also very famous. The jewelry found in Taito’s shops is beautiful, unsophisticated, and all handcrafted by local artisans. Most Taito stores will also provide you with beautiful jewelry wrapping boxes.

In addition, Finland is also very famous for its handmade jewelry from small shops by local artisans.

Best souvenirs from Finland: Reindeer skin gloves, clothes

Thick reindeer leather gloves usually cost more than €50 a piece, but are essential to prevent frostbite in the frigid Finnish winters. Although most other countries may not have very cold winters, gloves can still keep your hands warm. Also, buying clothes made from reindeer skin also helps support reindeer farmers in Lapland.

Finland shopping guide: Shopping places in the center of Helsinki

• Aleksanterinkatu: This is a shopping street leading to the White Church where there are countless different famous brands.
• Marimekko Finnish Design House specializes in providing handmade handicrafts in Finland.
• Vantaa Airport: Where you can comfortably shop from alcohol, chocolate, moomin souvenir items, angry birds.
• Stockmann: A place that offers luxury and expensive items.
• Kamppi shopping center and Forum: Selling popular goods.
• Freda street.
• Kauppahalli: The most famous market in Finland.

Some best day tours, trips, activities and transfer services, tickets in, from and to Helsinki you can refer to

• Helsinki Card
• Meet Santa Claus at the Arctic Circle 4D3N Tour from Helsinki with Flights
• Helsinki & Tampere 3 Day Trip from Helsinki
• Helsinki Hop On Hop Off City Sightseeing Bus Tour
• Helsinki and Suomenlinna Sightseeing Half Day Tour
• Helsinki Highlights Half Day Tour

Read more Finland travel guide here.