Shopping: link syntax
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Revision as of 19:51, 29 July 2015
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As you might expect given the general price level, souvenir shopping in Finland isn't exactly cheap. Traditional buys include Finnish ''puukko'' knives, handwoven ''ryijy'' rugs and every conceivable part of a reindeer. For any [[Finnish Lapland|Lappish]] handicrafts, look for the "Sámi Duodji" label that certifies it as authentic.
As you might expect given the general price level, souvenir shopping in Finland isn't exactly cheap. Traditional buys include Finnish ''puukko'' knives, handwoven ''ryijy'' rugs and every conceivable part of a reindeer. For any [[Finnish Lapland|Lappish]] handicrafts, look for the "Sámi Duodji" label that certifies it as authentic.
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Popular brands for modern (or timeless) Finnish design include
Marimekko
[http://www.marimekko.fi] clothing,
Iittala
[http://www.iittala.fi] glass,
Arabia
[http://www.arabia.fi] ceramics,
Kalevala Koru
[http://www.kalevalakoru.fi] jewelry,
Pentik
[http://www.pentik.fi
/
] interior design and, if you don't mind the shipping costs,
Artek
[http://www.artek.fi] furniture by renowned architect and designer Alvar Aalto. Kids and not a few adults love
Moomin
[http://www.moomin.fi
/
] characters, which fill up souvenir store shelves, and Angry Birds products now plague the entire country.
+
Popular brands for modern (or timeless) Finnish design include [http://www.marimekko.fi
Marimekko
] clothing, [http://www.iittala.fi
Iittala
] glass, [http://www.arabia.fi
Arabia
] ceramics, [http://www.kalevalakoru.fi
Kalevala Koru
] jewelry, [http://www.pentik.fi
Pentik
] interior design and, if you don't mind the shipping costs, [http://www.artek.fi
Artek
] furniture by renowned architect and designer Alvar Aalto. Kids and not a few adults love [http://www.moomin.fi
Moomin
] characters, which fill up souvenir store shelves, and Angry Birds products now plague the entire country.
Beware of limited Finnish '''shopping hours'''. For smaller shops, normal weekday opening hours are 9 AM to 5 or 6 PM, but most shops close early on Saturday and are closed entirely on Sundays. Larger shops and department stores are generally open until 9 PM on weekdays and 6 PM on Saturdays and Sundays. Stores are allowed to stay open until 9 PM on Sundays. Smaller grocery stores (less than 400 m², or Sale, Alepa and the like) have no limitations; some are open during the same hours as larger stores but some are open later. During national holidays, almost all stores are closed. Shopping hours for small and speciality stores in small towns and in the countryside are often much shorter than in big cities, but most national chains keep the same hours throughout the country.
Beware of limited Finnish '''shopping hours'''. For smaller shops, normal weekday opening hours are 9 AM to 5 or 6 PM, but most shops close early on Saturday and are closed entirely on Sundays. Larger shops and department stores are generally open until 9 PM on weekdays and 6 PM on Saturdays and Sundays. Stores are allowed to stay open until 9 PM on Sundays. Smaller grocery stores (less than 400 m², or Sale, Alepa and the like) have no limitations; some are open during the same hours as larger stores but some are open later. During national holidays, almost all stores are closed. Shopping hours for small and speciality stores in small towns and in the countryside are often much shorter than in big cities, but most national chains keep the same hours throughout the country.
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Convenience stores like the ubiquitous '''[http://www.rkioski.fi
/
R-Kioski]''' keep somewhat longer hours, but still tend to be closed when you most need them. If in desperate need of basic supplies, gas station convenience stores are usually open on weekends and until late at night. Some of the gas station convenience stores are open 24/7, particularly the '''ABC!''' chain. Supermarkets in [[Helsinki]]'s Asematunneli, underneath the Central Railway Station, are open until 10 PM every day of the year, except on Christmas Day (December 25).
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Convenience stores like the ubiquitous '''[http://www.rkioski.fi R-Kioski]''' keep somewhat longer hours, but still tend to be closed when you most need them. If in desperate need of basic supplies, gas station convenience stores are usually open on weekends and until late at night. Some of the gas station convenience stores are open 24/7, particularly the '''ABC!''' chain. Supermarkets in [[Helsinki]]'s Asematunneli, underneath the Central Railway Station, are open until 10 PM every day of the year, except on Christmas Day (December 25).
Most products need to be imported, and unfortunately this shows in the selection of goods and the pricing. It is not uncommon to see exactly the same product in different shops, at exactly the same price.
Most products need to be imported, and unfortunately this shows in the selection of goods and the pricing. It is not uncommon to see exactly the same product in different shops, at exactly the same price.