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Food and Drink
Finnish food has been influenced by both climate and its location between Sweden and Russia. Fish (salmon, zander, herring, perch, char above all) is a staple and delicious whether eaten fresh or smoked/pickled accompanied by dark rye bread. Typical meat dishes include meatballs; reindeer and elk meat are also eaten. In summer, things come alive, as the land rapidly produces an abundance of delicacies. Tender new potatoes, dill, numerous wild mushrooms and a fabulous assortment of wild berries add fresh colour and texture to the Finnish plate. You'll find snacks in a kahvila (cafe), of which there are many - Finns drink more coffee than anyone else in the world. A ravintola is a restaurant, and may serve homestyle cooking, international dishes or new Finnish cuisine, with elaborate creations derived from traditional ingredients, such as reindeer carpaccio with cloudberry coulis. Finnish chain restaurants are common but unremarkable. A lounasravintola serves a lunchtime buffet - the main meal of the day, while a grilli is a no-frills kiosk serving sausages and fried potatoes.
Things to know: Waiter service is common although there are many self-service snack bars. Bars and cafes may have table and/or counter service and internationally-known beverages are available. All alcohol is served until half an hour before the restaurant closes.
National specialities:
• Pulla (a sweet cardamom-flavoured bun and the traditional accompaniment to coffee).
• Poronkäristys (sauteed reindeer traditionally eaten by the Sámi).
• Lakka (hilla) (the Arctic cloudberry, a real treat with creamy texture offset by tart acidity).
• Kalakukko (a thick rye loaf stuffed with tiny lake fish, a specialty of Kuopio).
• Karjalanpiirakka (a savoury pastry of rye flour stuffed with rice pudding and eaten with egg butter).
National drinks:
• Koskenkorva (a vodka-style spirit. Salty liquorice sweets are often added to make salmiakkikossu).
• Berry liqueurs - mesimarja (arctic bramble), lakka (cloudberry) and polar (cranberry).
• Finnish beer is of a high quality and graded according to alcohol content.
Legal drinking age: 18 years; 20 for anything over 20% ABV.
Tipping: A service charge is added in hotels and restaurants (14-15%). A tip for doormen usually takes the form of an obligatory cloakroom charge.
Things to know: Waiter service is common although there are many self-service snack bars. Bars and cafes may have table and/or counter service and internationally-known beverages are available. All alcohol is served until half an hour before the restaurant closes.
National specialities:
• Pulla (a sweet cardamom-flavoured bun and the traditional accompaniment to coffee).
• Poronkäristys (sauteed reindeer traditionally eaten by the Sámi).
• Lakka (hilla) (the Arctic cloudberry, a real treat with creamy texture offset by tart acidity).
• Kalakukko (a thick rye loaf stuffed with tiny lake fish, a specialty of Kuopio).
• Karjalanpiirakka (a savoury pastry of rye flour stuffed with rice pudding and eaten with egg butter).
National drinks:
• Koskenkorva (a vodka-style spirit. Salty liquorice sweets are often added to make salmiakkikossu).
• Berry liqueurs - mesimarja (arctic bramble), lakka (cloudberry) and polar (cranberry).
• Finnish beer is of a high quality and graded according to alcohol content.
Legal drinking age: 18 years; 20 for anything over 20% ABV.
Tipping: A service charge is added in hotels and restaurants (14-15%). A tip for doormen usually takes the form of an obligatory cloakroom charge.
Nightlife
Finns are enthusiastic party people, and nightlife choices range from grungy dives to boat pubs to ultra-cool vodka bars to traditional dance halls filled with couples dancing the Finnish tango. Young Finns favour nightclubs playing dance music or Finnish summer pop, while quieter clubs might have a minimum age of up to 25. Nightclubs are typically open until 0200, or up to 0400 at weekends. Look out for 'little Saturday', which is Wednesday night, when things can get as lively as if it were Friday.
Shopping
Finland isn't a cheap place to shop, but the quality on offer is very high. If something looks like a bargain, it is probably been mass produced. Finnish design studios are world-famous, and the major ones all have outlets in Helsinki, including Artek, which concentrates on the classic designs of Alvar Aalto, and Skanno, which offers more avant-garde pieces. Arabia ceramics and Iitala glassware are also world famous, as are the optimistic and colourful textiles of Marimekko. Stockmann is a large traditional department store that offers decent Finnish craft and souvenir products. In all Finnish towns, the kauppahalli (indoor market) is a great place to try and buy local foods; in summer this expands out to the kauppatori (market square); Helsinki's is by the water in the centre of town and is touristy but well worth a stroll.
Finnish handicrafts make appealing purchases, with handcarved wooden curios, handwoven ryijy rugs, Sámi jewellery and knives, and objects carved from reindeer horn. Look out for the Duodji label - this signifies that the object has been produced in an authentic Lapland craft workshop. Handknitted jumpers are of excellent quality but be wary of mass-produced copies.
Duty-free: Anyone permanently resident outside the EU can claim a refund of 12-16% on goods that cost more than €40 at the time of departure from the EU. Retailers (look out for the 'Tax Free for Tourists' sign) will provide a cheque that can be redeemed at airports, ports or major land borders.
Shopping hours: Mon-Fri 0900-1800, Sat 0900-1500. Many department stores are also open 0900-2100 during the week and Sat 0900-1800; some also open on Sunday.
Finnish handicrafts make appealing purchases, with handcarved wooden curios, handwoven ryijy rugs, Sámi jewellery and knives, and objects carved from reindeer horn. Look out for the Duodji label - this signifies that the object has been produced in an authentic Lapland craft workshop. Handknitted jumpers are of excellent quality but be wary of mass-produced copies.
Duty-free: Anyone permanently resident outside the EU can claim a refund of 12-16% on goods that cost more than €40 at the time of departure from the EU. Retailers (look out for the 'Tax Free for Tourists' sign) will provide a cheque that can be redeemed at airports, ports or major land borders.
Shopping hours: Mon-Fri 0900-1800, Sat 0900-1500. Many department stores are also open 0900-2100 during the week and Sat 0900-1800; some also open on Sunday.