Shopping in Stockholm

Shopping Stockholm can literally be a full-time pursuit. Those who love to shop will have a lot of fun in Stockholm searching for Scandinavian gifts to take home with unique Scandinavian design. Shopping Stockholm literally puts the best of Scandinavian gifts and Scandinavian design at the fingertips of the shopper. Whether you are searching for Scandinavian gifts crafted from wood or the perfect glass Scandinavian design, Stockholm shopping offers the best of Scandinavia.

Swedish glass is famous throughout the world, and there are even entire cruise trips completely planned around shopping Stockholm and other Swedish cities for glass. Even if glass is not your main motivation, it is hard not to notice the many shops in Stockholm specializing in incredibly intricate glass work. Lots of small trinkets, dishes and decorative items made of glass are found throughout the city and the country.

There are multiple districts in the city for Stockholm shopping. Gamla stan in particular is a big favorite for Stockholm shopping. With the Royal Palace sitting majestically on the street nearby, the shops of Gamla stan have an old world feel (though the prices may not feel so old-world). The queen of Sweden has even been known to shop here in Gamla stan, due to its quaint atmosphere and high-end apparel.

Another hot neighborhood for shopping is Skansen. This is an outdoor market, so it is open only in good weather, which is generally the summer. Here, people display homemade craft work, and travelers can find interesting items such as reindeer gloves, wooden furniture and homemade clothing, including sweaters, mittens and more. The neighborhood known as Sergels Torg is also popular for shopping, with the main drag of Hamngatan having the most shopping action. This is where travelers will generally find the larger department stores of Sweden, such as NK. Kungsgatan and Drottinggatan are two other popular places for shopping on foot. In general, shops are open Monday through Saturday from 10 am to 6pm, with extended hours on Saturday. Yes, shops are closed on Sundays.

There are taxes on products that you purchase in Sweden and intend to take home. If you spend more than $130 at any store, however, be sure to get a tax-free check from the store right then and there, and you won’t have to pay taxes on those items when heading through customs on your way back home. The store will need your name, address, and passport number in order to issue the check, and you can’t unwrap your purchase until you get home. When going through customs, you will need to show the tax-free check and the purchased items.