Stockholm guide
Top 10 Swedish souvenirs to buy in Stockholm.
Insider recommendations from a Stockholm design studio. We've spent a decade sourcing, designing and shipping Swedish souvenirs to museum stores and gift shops across Europe — here are the ten pieces we'd genuinely take home ourselves.
01 · The classic
Dala häst — the red wooden horse from Dalarna
Hand-carved and painted in Nusnäs since the 19th century, the Dala horse is the single most recognisable Swedish souvenir. A small one packs flat; a larger one anchors a whole shelf back home.
Shop Dala horses →02 · Best for December visitors
Advent stars for the window
From late November every Stockholm window glows with a paper or straw advent star. Foldable, light and unmistakably Swedish — the easiest festive souvenir to travel with.
Browse Christmas →03 · Folklore lovers
Tomte and Nisse figures
The bearded farm gnome of Nordic winter tales. Wool-and-linen tomte look considered rather than kitsch, and read as a year-round decor object, not just a Christmas ornament.
04 · For the host at home
Locally made stoneware and ceramics
Small Swedish studios turn out muted stoneware mugs, bowls and vases in fjord blues, forest greens and warm off-whites. Practical, stackable, and made to last.
05 · The heirloom pick
Hand-blown glass from the Kingdom of Crystal
Småland's glassworks have been shaping vases and drinkware since the 1740s. A single hand-blown piece from a Stockholm design shop outlasts a whole suitcase of miniatures.
06 · The lightest souvenir
Straw ornaments — goats, hearts and stars
Woven wheat straw tied with red thread. Traditional Julbock (Christmas goat) ornaments weigh almost nothing and survive a checked bag in a paper envelope.
07 · Outdoorsy friends
Enamel mugs and camping cups
Speckled enamelware suits both a Stockholm kitchen and a hike in Sarek. Lightweight, unbreakable in a backpack, and a nod to Swedish allemansrätten — the right to roam.
Shop souvenirs →08 · For the home-body
Linen tea towels and textiles
Woven linen from small Nordic mills, printed with folk motifs or left plain and natural. Useful, quietly beautiful, and reads as thoughtful rather than touristy.
09 · For the adventurous eater
Salty liquorice (salt lakrits) and Swedish sweets
Divisive but unforgettable. A bag of Djungelvrål or Turkisk peppar from any Stockholm convenience store is the fastest way to bring the taste of Sweden home.
10 · For everyone else
Keychains and small enamel pins
When you need a small, honest memento for a colleague or classroom, a well-made enamel keychain or pin beats a plastic magnet every time.
Browse gifts →Where to shop in Stockholm
- — Gamla Stan for traditional Dala horses, tomte and folk crafts in the old-town lanes.
- — Södermalm for independent design shops, ceramics studios and small-batch textiles.
- — Museum stores — Nordiska museet, Skansen and Moderna Museet all curate a much better souvenir selection than the airport.
Looking for more Nordic gift ideas?
Our companion guide expands beyond Stockholm into the wider Scandinavian gift landscape — advent stars, ceramics, textiles and more.