Finnish handicrafts, jewelry, handwoven
ryijy rugs, furniture, glassware, porcelain, ceramics, furs and textiles are amongst the many Finnish specialties. Excellent supermarkets and self-service shops can be found all over the country. Helsinki railway station has the first underground shopping center in the country, where the shops are open 0800-2200 (Sun and public holidays 1200-2200).
Itäkeskus is the largest enclosed shopping center in the Nordic countries.
Kiseleff Bazaar is great for handicrafts and souvenirs. At the
Katajanokka boat harbor, there is a shop
selling glass, china, wooden articles and textiles.
Duty free: Anyone permanently resident outside the EU can claim back purchase tax at the time of departure. Repayment can be made (on presentation of a special cheque provided by the retailer) at the following gateways: Helsinki, Turku, Tampere, Mariehamn, Vaasa and Rovaniemi airports; onboard ferries and ships operated by
Polferries,
Silja Line,
Vaasaferries and
Viking Line; and at the main checkpoints on the land borders with Sweden, Norway and the Russian Federation.
Shopping hours Mon-Fri 0900-1800, Sat 0900-1400. Shops are generally open on Sunday from June to August. Many departments stores are also open 0900-2100 during the week and Sat 0900-1800.
Currency Information:CurrencyEuro (€) = 100 cents. Notes are in denominations of €500, 200, 100, 50, 20, 10 and 5. Coins are in denominations of €2 and 1, and 50, 20, 10, 5, 2 and 1 cents.
Currency ExchangeForeign currency and traveller’s cheques can be exchanged in banks and at bureaux de change at ports, stations and airports.
Credit/Debit Cards and ATMsAmerican Express, Diners Club, MasterCard and Visa are widely accepted, as are Eurocheque cards. Up-to-date information is available in Helsinki from American Express (tel: (9) 6132 0400)
or Diners Club (tel: (9) 693 991).
Traveller's ChequesTraveller’s cheques are also accepted in banks and some shops. To avoid additional exchange rate charges, travelers are advised to take traveller’s cheques in Euros, Pounds Sterling or US Dollars.
Banking HoursMon-Fri 0915-1615 (regional variations may occur).
Exchange Rate Indicators| Date | Apr 07 |
| £1.00= | 1.48 |
| $1.00= | 0.75 |
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