39 Best Shopping in Sweden

For a good indoor market hit Hötorgshallen, directly under the Filmstaden movie theater. The food hall is filled with butcher shops, coffee and tea shops, fresh-fish markets, and specialty food vendors.

Sweden's leading department store is the unmissable NK; the initials, pronounced enn-koh, stand for Nordiska Kompaniet. Almost every type of clothing can be found here, along with books, fine Swedish crystal, housewares, gourmet food, and much more. You pay for the high quality, however.

A branch of this mid-priced department-store chain is in the Nordstan mall.

Åhléns City has a selection similar to NK, the main department store, except with slightly better prices. There's a large, well-stocked supermarket on the basement level.

On the corner of Östermalmstorg, Bruka has a wide selection of creative kitchenware and other colorful household items, as well as wicker baskets and chairs.

Sweden's leading auction house, Bukowskis, is on Avenyn.

At this store there's an excellent selection of glass art as well as porcelain and china—and almost everything you might need in housewares. It also carries big-name glassware brands such as Kosta and Orrefors.

One of Sweden's hottest designers, Filippa K specializes in stylish simplicity and has stores filled with young women and men grabbing the latest fashions.

Look here for the very latest in Scandinavian interior design. The center also sells products related to its changing exhibitions on related topics.

As an arts-and-crafts cooperative, Formargruppen is owned and operated by its 22 members. It sells high-quality woodwork, including cabinets. Quality ceramics, textiles, metalwork, and jewelry are also for sale.

Just down the road from Sergels Torg, this large indoor mall has designer chic to spare, selling everything from toys to fashion in beautiful surroundings.

For a memorable antiques-buying experience, check out Göteborgs Auktionsverk. There's a large amount of very good silver, porcelain, and jewelry hidden among the more trashy items.

H&M is one of the few Swedish-owned clothing stores to have achieved international success. Here you can find fashionable designs at reasonable prices.

The clothes, accessories, and housewares at Indiska are inspired by the colors and handicrafts of India.

This men's store sells brightly colored and highly fashionable clothes in many styles. The golf line has been made famous by Swedish golfer Jesper Parnevik.

Jaber is something of a draw for the wealthy in the area. It is a family-run clothes shop with a line of gorgeous international designs, matched only by the personal service it provides.

If you are looking to buy Swedish arts and crafts and glassware, visit the various shops in Kronhusbodarna. They have been selling traditional, handcrafted quality goods, including silver and gold jewelry, watches, and handblown glass, since the 18th century.

For something classic, you can't do better than Modernity, where 20th-century Scandinavian design by the likes of Arne Jacobsen, Alvar Aalto, and Poul Henningsen is in full force.

This square's lively year-round market usually has a wonderful array of flowers, fruit, and vegetables. It is an old working-class area that is now one of Malmö’s most international districts. Nearby are many restaurants serving food from all corners of the globe.

Stockholm's newest destination for high-end shopping spans an entire city block. Stylish and art-filled, it has specialty boutiques and gourmet eateries that differ from the chain stores found in many Swedish shopping centers.

Try the local branch of NK for upscale men's and women's fashions and excellent household goods.

Head here for a broad selection of Nudie Jeans, the cool streetwear label born in Göteborg.

This long-running handicraft cooperative is still hugely popular today, offering a unique and beautiful range of ceramics, knitted goods, woodwork, and jewelry.

If you're interested in high-quality Swedish food, try the classic European indoor market Östermalms Saluhall, where you can buy superb fish, game, bread, and vegetables—or just have a glass of wine at one of the bars and watch the world go by. The historic 1880s building has undergone extensive renovation to preserve and restore its original character while also ensuring its future as one of Stockholm’s most popular destinations for specialty foods.

There are several large food markets in the city area, but the most impressive is Saluhallen. Built in 1889, the barrel-roofed, wrought-iron, glass, and brick building stands like a monument to industrial architecture. Everything is available at this food hall, from fish, meat, and bakery products to deli foods, herbs and spices, coffee, cheese, and even just people-watching.

"Foodhall" is an adventure in itself, an excellent example of the traditional Swedish food market, albeit one that also stocks delicacies from Italy, Japan, and many other places. Cheese, meats, fresh and pickled fish, and pastries are all in great supply. It's the perfect place to get some food for a picnic in one of Lund's many squares and parks.