Finnish delicacies at the airport

Some Finnish delicacies are always a nice gift to bring when visiting people abroad. But then it easily gets too late to still make it to the city center. Luckily Helsinki Vantaa Airport is well equiped. And it even has a small Stockmann shop.

Here you find everything that works well as a nice souvenir from Finland. Get e.g. some Salmiakki, Fazer Chocolate or some reindeer salami. Check it out at Terminal 2.

First Christmas shopping

I know it’s still a while until Christmas. But better be early with you preparation than having to run through the city to find the last roll of wrapping paper on December 23. And if you are in Helsinki as a tourist you probably want to bring back something from your trip to Finland – the country where Santa Claus lives.

No matter if you are searching for some nice christmasy souvenir or just want to get the first decoration for your home you should head to the Argos Hall on the fifth floor of Stockmann in Helsinki. A whole Christmas world is awaiting you here with lots of beautiful Finnish Christmas products. You also find Christmas candy and pastry here.

And believe me, after spending a few minutes here you will be in the Christmas mood for the first time this year.

The Aalto Vase

The so called Savoy Vase from Alvar Aalto is probably one of the most popular Finnish design products of all times. It can be found in almost any Finnish household and is – like most Finnish design products – timeless.

The famous designer Alvar Aalto created it together with his wife Aino Marsio for the luxury Savoy restaurant in Helsinki in 1936. With the vase Aalto also participated in a design competition of then Karhula-Iittala glassworks factory.

Even though the vase is extremely popular till today Aalto never made any money with it since the design was owned by the factory.

If you are searching for a nice souvenir from Finland this is probably one of the most typical gifts you can find. The vase is sold in several different sizes and colors nowadays and can be found from almost any department store or online.

From Finland with love

You are a visitor in Finland and before going back home are searching for a nice souvenir to remind you of the Finnish summer? Or are you searching for a nice Finnish gift to take with you abroad when visiting family or friends?

Then check out the 5^th floor of Stockmann in the city center. Till the end of August the Argos Hall hosts the Feels like Finland department. Wonderful Finnish products are waiting here for you. You find a wide selection of Finnish design products from e.g. marrimekko or iittala, Finnish candy and chocolate and of course kids products from the Moomins and Angry Birds.

Have fun browsing through Feels like Finland!

Christmas everyday

Christmas is over, right? Well, not everywhere. There is a small shop in Helsinki that has Christmas every day.

Kankurin Tupa on Esplanadi is a big and well organized souvenir shop – ideal for tourists. What makes this shop so special though is its lower level. As soon as you come down the stairs you enter a winter and Christmas wonderland. Down here it is Christmas all year long. The music, the decoration, the trees, the Christmas elves all make you feel like it was Christmas again. Just a few minutes down there will completely get you back into the Christmas feeling. 

Give it a try! It’s fun!

Love all, serve all

After several months of constructing, renovating and decorating the Hard Rock Café Helsinki opened its doors for its visitors for the first time. Even though the opening was unannounced the restaurant filled up in no time.

When stepping through the door of the new Hard Rock Café you first enter the HRC Store where you can buy all the well known T-shirts, sweaters, glasses etc. The stairs get you up to the real café.

Unlike most other HRC the one in Helsinki is built in a lounge style. It is not dominated by the typical yellow and orange colors but rather by a restrained purple. The second floor is huge and divided into a restaurant and a bar area. The location was chosen very well. It couldn’t get any more central. You have a beautiful view on the facades of Stockmann and all those city lights on Mannerheimintie during the evening.

The menu is more or less the same you’ll find in any other HRC which doesn’t mean it’s a bad thing. They have amazing food. But you shouldn’t count calories if you come to dine here. Try for example the Hickory Smoked Pulled-pork Sandwich. 

Or just ask the staff for recommendations. They are very friendly and glad to help you. What might be a bit surprising (for Finland) is that you have the option to tip the waiter when you pay.

Of course you will also find lots of items from famous Rock and Pop stars on the walls. Walk around and take a look. They also have small explanation signs next to every exhibit.

So go there and check it out for yourself! Visiting a Hard Rock Café is always an experience.

The birds are back in town

After the first and only Angry Birds fan shop at Verkkokauppa closed a few months back there was no place in Helsinki anymore that was purely dedicated to those peculiar characters. But luckily a new shop opened right in the center that has everything the real Angry Bird fan craves for. Backpacks, candies, t-shirts and whatever else you can think of is here.

And of course you can also play the game here on one of their big screens. Don’t forget paying this place a visit on September 27^th when Rovio launches their Angry Birds sequel Bad Piggies.

You find it just across the street from the main station at Kaivokatu 8.

Your loved ones scent everywhere

No one likes to be far away from the people they love. Wouldn’t it be nice to have something that reminds us of our partner at home? The Finnish company Kaipaus came up with a solution with a great idea to make us feel closer to our bellowed ones. They produce jewelry that catches the scent of the person we want to have close to us and keeps it for several weeks.

So whatever scents you would like to save for a long time, just spray it on the jewelry, carry it around with you all the time and smell it whenever you like.

You can find their products in design shops throughout the country or just order them online from their web store.

It’s also a perfect gift. And it’s made in Finland.

Finland is Moominland!

Who doesn’t know the Moomins, those small friendly trolls that have brought happiness to generations of children? And most of you probably know that they are invented by a Finn. Tove Jansson published her first Moomin book in 1945. She was a Swedish speaking novelist, illustrator, painter and comic strip author. Her little Moomin trolls became world famous and soon the first TV series about them was produced. In the 90s a Japanese-Dutch animation series became the probably most successful approach to put the Moomins on the TV screen.

Meanwhile the Moomins achieved cult status. Near Turku there is even a whole Moomin amusement park. And of course you can also buy all kinds of merchandise products with Moomins. Among the nicest are the Moomin cups designed and produced by Arabia. You can get them in every iittala store or warehouse in Helsinki.

At Forum you even find a Moomin shop. It is a pretty small but nice place that is worth a visit and definitely a place when you are searching for a present or a nice souvenir from Finland.