Souvenirs to take from visited countries

FINLAND

The finnish figure par excellence is the reindeer. It is also very typical the figures of trolls (peikko) with the Finnish flag.

There are stuffed animals, key-rings or statues shaped as reindeers. There is also a long-time tradition in the working of amber (as in all of the baltic countries) and they have quite beautiful magnets with ambar.

For the sweet-toothed, you can take him Fazer chocolate (it is one of the most delicious chocolate I have ever tasted in my life).

If you want to take something for a child, you should buy him something related to the Moomin.

If you are looking for a “different” design, there are Marimekko shops everywhere, it is a bit expensive but their designs are beautiful, it’s the Finnish Ágata Ruiz de la Prada (Finnish style, much more simple and less showy).

And, an important thing to take it is a bottle of Salmiakki, the drug of the Finnish. It is a liquor of salted liquorice.

SWEDEN

The most common figure, as in Finlandi, it is the reindeer. You can find it in a lot of different forms, however, it is more traditional to take the figures of colorful horses. They are called Dalecarlian horse. We can also find the same troll figures with the Swedish flag.

Here we can find different kinds of viking souvenirs, statues, jars, key-rings, helmets…

For children, you can take them anything related with ‘Pippi Longstocking’, a tale written by a Swedish female writer.

For readers, there are amazing and beautiful metal bookmarks, some of them with viking-shaped (when I go there I always buy one). And of the same “brand” there are spinning candle holders with figures, so beautiful.

ESTONIA

The typical animal here is also the reindeer, although this time it was hard to find stuff reindeer (when I travel I take one stuffed animal with the countries flag for my sister, from every country I visit).

Streets are full with amber shops (the magnets are the same as in Finland, beautiful) and of things made with clay, jars, horns, etc.

Another traditional souvenir are the handmade socks (or just any cloth) made of wool, the price is proportional to its warmth.

And you can’t leave Estonia without taking the liquor ‘Vana Tallinn’, that it is soooo tasty.

UK

• London

We all know what are the traditional things to take from London are ones related to the ‘red bus’ or the royal guard.

We also know that it is customary to buy the tea, ‘Earl grey’ or ‘English breakfast’ and the tea pastries.

Some Harry Potter ‘freak’ will believe to be in paradise (as me when I find a library, o a writer’s house , or the scenery of a book).

 

• Edinbugh

What is more traditional than something related to Nessie, the scottish terrier or Bobby, the famous Greyfriars dog?

Regarding the tea, the same as in London, they love black tea as the ‘Earl gray’ or ‘English breakfast’.

It is also customary to buy handkerchiefs, kilts or blankets with the Scottish square patterns but, watch out! Each pattern means a different clan!

And we can’t forget about the Scottish Whisky, the most famous and probably the best in the world!

DENMARK

Denmark, the land of vikings, each souvenir par excellence has to be related with the vikings, necklaces, statues, glasses…

It is also customary to buy lego stuff because it is a Danish brand.

There are also famous ‘The Little Mermaid’ statues.

For children, the best to take is the tales of Hans Christian Andersen.

FRANCE

Paris is a city where I recall there were not original or beautiful souvenirs. I had to take a figure of Notre Dame that, even though that it is not ‘ugly’ it differs a lot from the ones I had from other countries.

You can find figures of the Eiffel Tower, the Arc of Triomphe, of Notre Dame…

I do not recommend you to take macarons because they are so fragile and they break easily.

POLAND

What is the most traditional thing to take from Poland? VODKA.

Cheap vodka, made of thousands of flavor, two or three aisles in each supermarket full of vodka, the paradise. (The most recommended is the Zubrowka)

Here, as in Finland and Estonia, there are the beautiful amber magnets.

They also have some colorful designs with roosters that remind me of Portugal, I bought a beautiful bookmark in that style, but there are notebooks, clothes, bags...

-SARU.