Sweden Information
Joined: 21 Oct 2006
Posts: 18
Home Country: sweden
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 Posted: Thu Nov 02, 2006 6:23 am Post subject: SHOPPING IN SWEDEN |
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SHOPPING IN SWEDEN (STOCKHOLM & GOTHENBURG)
GENERAL
Sweden has set the pace for modern design the world over. High-quality cutlery, china, sports equipment, textiles, handicrafts, furs, crystal, jewelry, silver, fine glassware, pottery, furniture, quality cars and mobile phones.
Bargain hunting – look for the special signs indicating sales. “REA” indicates a sale; “Extrapris”, used along with red price labels, indicates discounts of at least 10%; and “Fynd” indicates special offers.
Best buys: High-quality glass and crystal are widely available throughout Sweden. For bargains in low-cost “seconds” visit the major glassworks shops, such as Orrefors, Kosta Boda, etc. located in Småland. For ceramics, Nya Höganäs-Keramik, at Höganäs in southern Sweden, offers bargains at up to 40% below normal retail levels.
Everywhere in Sweden, even in small villages, you’ll find “hemslöjd” (handicrafts) shops where you can buy traditional handicrafts like knitwear, needlework and woodcarvings.
Many traditional markets and country fairs are held in Sweden throughout the year. Some are big events attracting thousands of visitors. Inquire at local tourist offices about markets in the area you are visiting.
In Sweden, value-added tax (VAT) is always included in the purchase price. Non EU-residents can get a refund of the VAT when you leave the EU via Global Refund Sweden.
Christmas Markets
In late November Christmas markets spring up all over Sweden, it is a very old tradition and various stalls sell Swedish delicacies and handicrafts.
Christmas spirit abounds in Gothenburg with the approach of the holiday season. Gothenburg’s main boulevard, Avenyn, is adorned with lights and a giant Christmas tree stands in the main square at Gustaf Adolfs Torg. The city’s pedestrian streets and town squares are beautifully decorated with restaurants serving a traditional Christmas buffet with a maritime twist.
Christmas markets spring up all over the city, including the Haga Old Town and Kronhuset, Gothenburg’s oldest official building. However the largest by far can be found at Liseberg amusement park where more than four million fairy lights illuminate the festivities. Some 80 rustic market stalls sell arts, crafts and festive foods and an ice rink provides hours of entertainment for visitors along with several children’s attractions. The coronation of Gothenburg’s Lucia takes place on 12 December. The market will be open between 17–19, 24–30 November, 1–3 December and daily between 6–23 December.
Stockholm offers a whole host of Christmas markets, both in the city and outlying areas. At Skansen open-air museum visitors can enjoy festive stalls, music, entertainment, food and warming glögg (hot spiced wine). Stockholm’s Lucia will be crowned on 10 December when there will be a procession and magnificent fireworks display. There are also markets in Gamla Stan (the old town) and visitors can take a boat out to markets in the archipelago.
Malmö comes alive at Christmas, with the streets transformed by sparkling fairy lights, decorations and candles in every window. Traditional markets open at Södertull and Gustav Adolf’s Torg between end of November until 23 December, along with an ice rink at Lilla Torg in the city centre complete the festive scene.
SHOPPING IN STOCKHOLM
Stockholm is filled with shop after shop of dazzling merchandise -- often at dazzlingly steep prices that reflect the high esteem in which Swedish craftspeople are held.
Bargain shoppers should proceed with caution. Some good buys do exist, but it takes a lot of searching. If you're a casual shopper, you may want to confine your purchases to handsome souvenirs and gifts.
Swedish glass, of course, is world-famous. Swedish wooden items are outstanding, and many people love Swedish functional furniture in blond pine or birch. Other items to look for include playsuits for children, silver necklaces, reindeer gloves, stainless-steel utensils, hand-woven neckties and skirts, sweaters and mittens in Nordic patterns, Swedish clogs, and colourful handicrafts from the provinces. The most famous souvenir to buy is the Dala horse from Dalarna.
Shopping Streets & Districts
Everybody's favourite shopping area in Stockholm is Gamla Stan (Old Town). Site of the Royal Palace, it even attracts such shoppers as the queen. The main street for browsing is Västerlånggatan. Many antiques stores are found here, but don't expect low prices.
In summer, Skansen is an interesting area to explore because many craftspeople display their goods here. There are gift shops (some selling "Skansen glass") as well as individuals who offer their handmade goods on temporary stands.
In the Sergels Torg area, the main shopping street is Hamngatan, site of the famous shopping centre Gallerian, at the corner of Hamngatan and Sergels Torg, and crossing the northern rim of Kungsträdgården at Sweden House. Big department stores, such as NK and Åhléns, are located nearby.
The Kungsgatan area is another major district for shopping, stretching from Hötorget to the intersection of Kungsgatan and Vasagatan. Drottninggatan is one long pedestrian mall, flanked with shops. Many side streets branching off from it also are filled with shops. Hötorget, home to the PUB department store, is another major shopping district.
Shopping Hours
Stockholm shops are open Monday through Friday from 10am to 6pm, and Saturday from 10am to somewhere between 1 and 4pm. Once a week, usually on Monday or Friday, some of the larger stores are open from 9:30am to 7pm (July-Aug to 6pm).
SHOPPING IN GOTHENBURG
Many residents of Copenhagen and Helsingør come to Gothenburg just for the day to buy Swedish merchandise. You can, too, but you should shop at stores bearing the yellow-and-blue TAX-FREE SHOPPING sign. These stores are scattered throughout Gothenburg.
Major Shopping Districts
Nordstan, with its 150 shops and stores, restaurants, hotels, patisseries, coffee shops, banks, travel agencies, and the post office, is the largest shopping mall in Scandinavia. Here you can find almost anything, from exclusive clothing boutiques to outlets for the major confectionery chains, to bookshops. There's also a tourist information centre. Most shops here are open Monday through Friday 10am to 7pm and Saturday from 10am to 4pm.
Kungsgatan/Fredsgatan is Sweden's longest pedestrian mall (3km/1 3/4 miles in length). The selection of shops is big and varied. Near these two streets you'll also find a number of smaller shopping centers, including Arkaden, Citypassagen, and Kompassen.
At Grönsakstorget/Kungstorget, little carts are put up daily with flowers, fruits, handicrafts, and jewelry, among other items. It's right in the city center, a throwback perhaps to the Middle Ages.
The often-mentioned Avenyn, with its many restaurants and cafes, also has a number of stores selling merchandise of interest to visitors.
Kronhusbodarna, Kronhusgatan 1D (tel. 031/711-08-32; see "Architectural Highlights"), houses a number of small-scale and rather sleepy studios for glassblowers, watchmakers, potters, and coppersmiths, some of whom sell their goods to passersby. They can be visited, if the artisans happen to show up (call ahead to make arrangements). Take tram no. 1 or 7 to Brunnsparken. |
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