For locals, and people who have done previous Baltic cruises...

[Chocolate Teapot]

1. Prawns (obviously if you are not allergic to shellfish!) I had a superb prawn open sandwich in Copenhagen in a little restaurant where Hans Christian Andersen might have gone for his lunch. And another good one at Kastrup.

 

2. I had some wonderful chocolate and fudge in Finland and can't remember the name. It was in Porvoo though.

 

3. Apart from the chocolate and fudge, the other souvenirs I recommend are Dala horses from Sweden (if you don't want the wooden horse, there are other souvenirs such as a Dala horse teatowel) and Russian lacquer work boxes. These vary dramatically in quality and price, but I find that the finer the artwork, the bigger the price tag!

[Got2Cruise]

Russian Vodka! The alcohol proof is much higher than what is sold in U.S.A.

[rboijon]

As a local in Helsinki, here is my two cents (a list of things that are local to either Finland or Scandinavian countries in general):

 

What to eat/try, many alternatives:

1. Our versions of cinnamon buns. We have our fair share of different varieties, with different toppings and variations. Someone already mentioned "korvapuusti" (plural: korvapuustit) which is quite traditional, but there are many others also. They are generally called "pulla" in Finnish and are served in all bakeries and cafes.

2. Baltic herring. If you love fish, you might want to taste same locally caught fish e.g. in the market hall. There are also pickled versions of this that the locals are eating with new potatoes, these are called "silli".

3. Local berries, especially cloudberries ("hilla" or "lakka") from Northern Finland. If you can't get them fresh (they are quite seasonal), you can buy them as a jam.

4. Salted licorice ("salmiakki"). You can find these in all supermarkets and even in ice creams.

5. Reindeer meat. If you like to eat Rudolph. I have noticed in some cultures they can't stand the idea of eating Santa's little helpers.

6. Blini. Actually originally from Russia, Finns have their own spin on this one.

7. Cabbage rolls ("kaalikääryleet"), usually eaten with lingonberry jam.

8. Makaronilaatikko - The Finnish version of "mac and cheese", usually done with beef and pork meat and eaten everywhere in the country.

9. Chocolates (especially milk chocolates). Like most other countries, we have our own trusted brand: Fazer. You can't miss the dark blue chocolate bars. They come in all sorts and sizes.

10. Blood sausages, e.g. "mustamakkara" from Tampere region. Doesn't actually taste like blood, so if the dark looks don't scare you off, you might catch one of these from e.g. "Tapola" stands that are usually near every market. Locals eat them with lingonberry jam and milk on the side.

 

Then there are a million more, all across Finland, but I decided to stick with ten only.

 

What to take home:

1. Coffee. Sounds weird right? But the Finnish brand "Paulig" is doing exceptionally good coffees at every price point and roast level. Finns are also drinking the most coffee per capita in the world. We have also a lot of small roasteries.

2. Chocolate. If you didn't want to just stick to tasting.

3. Jams. E.g. cloudberry.

4. Salmiakki.

5. Salmiakkivodka (salmari). Vodka that is flavored with salmiakki.

6. Finnish design: e.g. visit Stockmann in central Helsinki and you might find something interesting, e.g. Moomin dishes, glassware, Marimekko prints, ceramics, Fiskars-products (e.g. scissors), Kalevala-jewelry (inspired by Nordic mythology). Or one of the markets to find e.g. "Kuksa", a handcrafted traditional drinking cup made from wood.

 

Rudolph is tasty. Elves not so much. Great list!

[KittyloverCA]

As a local in Helsinki, here is my two cents (a list of things that are local to either Finland or Scandinavian countries in general):

 

What to eat/try, many alternatives:

1. Our versions of cinnamon buns. We have our fair share of different varieties, with different toppings and variations. Someone already mentioned "korvapuusti" (plural: korvapuustit) which is quite traditional, but there are many others also. They are generally called "pulla" in Finnish and are served in all bakeries and cafes.

2. Baltic herring. If you love fish, you might want to taste same locally caught fish e.g. in the market hall. There are also pickled versions of this that the locals are eating with new potatoes, these are called "silli".

3. Local berries, especially cloudberries ("hilla" or "lakka") from Northern Finland. If you can't get them fresh (they are quite seasonal), you can buy them as a jam.

4. Salted licorice ("salmiakki"). You can find these in all supermarkets and even in ice creams.

5. Reindeer meat. If you like to eat Rudolph. I have noticed in some cultures they can't stand the idea of eating Santa's little helpers.

6. Blini. Actually originally from Russia, Finns have their own spin on this one.

7. Cabbage rolls ("kaalikääryleet"), usually eaten with lingonberry jam.

8. Makaronilaatikko - The Finnish version of "mac and cheese", usually done with beef and pork meat and eaten everywhere in the country.

9. Chocolates (especially milk chocolates). Like most other countries, we have our own trusted brand: Fazer. You can't miss the dark blue chocolate bars. They come in all sorts and sizes.

10. Blood sausages, e.g. "mustamakkara" from Tampere region. Doesn't actually taste like blood, so if the dark looks don't scare you off, you might catch one of these from e.g. "Tapola" stands that are usually near every market. Locals eat them with lingonberry jam and milk on the side.

 

.

 

Oh Fazer!! I remember getting some delicious dark chocolate Fazer mints, almost like a chunkier version of an after 8 when I was in Finland many years ago!

[Richjoxyz]

Fazer Cafe and Chocolate Shop in Helsinki. It's about two blocks from where the shuttle dropped us off. THE BEST CHOCOLATE I HAVE EVER EATEN! We bought a couple bars (large bars!) for $2.80 each to eat back in the cabin. Loved it. When we got home we tried to find more. It is not sold in USA. Amazon will ship it for $10 per bar. This is my MUST GO TO place for any future Helsinki trip. The cafe is great. It is right downtown close to all the attractions.

 

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g189934-d1010845-Reviews-Karl_Fazer_Cafe-Helsinki_Uusimaa.html

[Quasar1011]

Clothing question: I wear medium-sized shirts (USA), what would be my size in the Baltic countries? I am hoping to get some shirts in the ports.