Written by Hayu Hamemayu
Do you have friends coming over to Sweden? Are you going to visit your family back home? Either way, you might end up with this question: “Where can I get Swedish souvenirs?”
In Lund, these are the options:
Lunds Turistbyrå (Tourist Information Centre)
As indicated in its name, this is a must visit place for any tourist who comes to Lund. It is also the first stop if you want to get some souvenirs. Used to be located in Lunds Bantorget, this place is now conveniently located in Lund Central station, just next to the main waiting room. Here you can find tea towel, tray, magnet, books and many more.
Gretas Hemslöjd
Only a few metres away from Lunds Domkyrka, you will find this small shop with lots of gems inside. Bring home the famous Swedish butter knives, key rings, cute napkins, and other things.
Hökeriet
Get something oldies at the oldest grocery shop in town. In Hökeriet, you can buy old-fashioned goods related to the last century, including juice, jam and candies. You can also find packaging from the same time period and have a fika there.
This yellow shop is actually part of Kulturen, the second oldest open air museum in Sweden. Located in the corner of Sankt Annegatan and Tomegapsgatan, Hökeriet was originally built around 1815.
Arken Bokhandeln
Started as an association with Christian orientation and specialising in theological literature, this bookshop also sells non-religion related books and items with Swedish icons such as Pippi Longstocking, Pettson & Findus, and Mumin. Where is the location? Just next to Lunds Domkyrka, you will barely miss it ☺
Tehuset Java
Know someone who is fond of tea? Then this is the right place to get her/him a present. But this tea house/shop sells not only teas from all over the world, but it also sells kitchen utensils, coffee, wallets, handbags and many more.
Don’t forget to take home the shop speciality: Lundablandning, a mixed tea with a secret recipe that has been handed over for generations and is claimed as a reflection of the city of Lund, where tradition and modernity are blended beautifully. Packed in a tin can with motifs from the shop’s exterior, it is a tea that suits all tea lovers, both those who want a traditional tea and the one who is looking for something new. Tehuset Java is located close to Botulfsplatsen bus station and therefore is accessible by foot or bus.
Seven Eleven
This convenience chain shop is not the most ideal place to get souvenirs. But if you just want a key ring with Sweden’s flag on it, this shop can be an alternative. Especially when other shops are closed. In Lund, the branch that sells Swedish souvenir is the one at Knut Den Stores Torg 2 (the opposite of Lund C station).
Those are the places where you can get souvenirs in Lund. Of course, there are other options too, depending on your preferences. For example, you can visit Saluhallen to buy chocolate or cheese. There are also shops like Sländan, where you can get Swedish yarn and other knitting products.
Or, if you’re not a fan of fridge magnet or key ring, you can instead buy a Skanska special cake called spetkaka for your friends and families. It is a local dessert and an important part of the Scanian culinary heritage. You can get this Swedish version of spit cake in most bakeries in Lund, and even in a supermarket.
Hayu Hamemayu is a Lund-based freelance writer whose work has appeared in The Jakarta Post, Media Indonesia, Kompas, Majalah Kartini, and Indonesia Travel Magazine among others. A traveller mommy by nature and random thinker by inclination, she keeps memories in her Instagram @hayuhamemayu and writes her everyday stories in her blog.
