I wish is was in Finland. That’s a thought that regularly pops up in my mind. Diving into another world or country can be so easy if you have a little bit of imagination. Especially if you can’t travel due to a pandemic or due to time, health or money issues, a little bit of creativity can lead to a great exploration and discovery too.
One week ago I took some days off to discover the most Finnish places in Vienna. To prepare, I did a lot of research using Google and asking friends for recommendations to find the right places for my intended mission. So this was the first time travelling to “Finland” without using a Finnair plane to get there – just a few hours bus ride within my home country was necessary to find what I was looking for: a little bit of Finland in the middle of Vienna.
So here are my favourite spots in town that you should definitely check out too.
Hotel Rathaus Wein & Design Wien
Finding a Finnish themed accommodation was the most difficult part of the whole journey. Now you might think that Hotel Rathaus Wein & Design doesn’t sound too Finnish, but they are offering a hotel room in cooperation with the Scandinavian Design House and the Hästens Store Vienna. The junior suite is located on the fourth floor and offers a wonderful view over the city. But not the view, the interior was the main reason why we chose to stay there: The room was filled with beautiful furniture and decorations from prestigious Scandinavian designers like Swedese, &tradition, Montana, Design Letters, Skagerak or Hay. When you get it down right, Finland is not part of Scandinavia, but we were really happy to find some Finnish design items from Iittala and Marimekko in the room too. The highlight of the stay was without doubt the wonderful Hästens bed, a handcrafted luxury bed from Sweden, which I would love to own in silver beige too. The hotel room felt more like a small apartment and reminded me of the beautiful Airbnb accommodations in Finland.
It would also like to mention the friendly hotel staff and the great location of the hotel close to the Finnshop which leads me to our second spot.
Lange Gasse 13
1080 Wien
Update: The cooperation with the Scandinavian Design House has unfortunately ended. The junior suite no longer has Scandinavian-style furnishings.
Finnshop
Finnshop is the main address if you want to own a piece of Finland and make your home a little bit more beautiful. It’s definitely a paradise not only for Finland-, but also for design lovers. In three rooms you can find the newest collections of well-known design brands like Marimekko, Aarikka or Iittala in addition to design classics like the Alvar Aalto vase or the Marimekko unikko series.
If you have ever been to Finland, you might have noticed that you can find design everywhere – even in the most isolated Mökki somewhere in the deep forest. Design is so much more than just a pretty object in Finland, it’s an important essence and a way of living. Since many Finnish designers are inspired by nature, especially by the forest and the archipelago, you can recognize a lot of forms and shapes from nature in their designs – and I feel a little bit more connected to my favourite country through these pieces, even at home in Austria. I will never get tired of the joyful and colorful Marimekko designs or the timeless Iittala Kastehelmi collection. It’s always a pleasure to visit the Finnshop and get a bit carried away by the beautiful items you can find there. Also if you are a Moomin lover and a fan of the Moomin themed Arabia mugs you can find a lovely variety to add to your collection. For those with a sweet tooth you can also buy some Finnish sweets like Fazer chocolate or my favourite Geisha bar there.
I can also highly recommend checking out their online shop where you can find even more clothing, jewelry and home items etc. If you are looking for inspiration or just want to learn some Finnish words, check out their Instagram account which is one of my personal favourite accounts from Austria.
Siebensterngasse 17
1070 Wien
Café Ihana
After spending countless time in the Finnshop we got a little bit hungry and there is definitely no better place for a Finland-inspired trip than visting Café Ihana. “Ihana” already says it all – the Finnish word means “wonderful” and there is no better way to describe this place.
If you want to feel Scandi vibes and get the feeling of being in a “kahvila” in Finland while smelling freshly brewed coffee and warm korvapuustit (cinnamon rolls) you are at the right spot. The coffee place is a small and very cozy gem with a wonderful selection of coffee, wine and bites. The different versions of “smörrebröds“ with ham, cheese, salmon, roast beef or shrimps are beautifully decorated and taste delicious. If you would like to try something really traditional you have to order a “Karjalanpiirakka”, a Karelian pasty – if you wish with “munavoi” (egg butter). After a few smörrebröds it’s time to eat something sweet: We ordered cinnamon rolls and a blueberry cake while getting a little bit sentimental as we could listen to some Finnish conversations.
If I would live in Vienna, Café Ihana would definitely be my go-to-place and I can’t wait to go there again.
Kleine Pfarrgasse 3/1
1020 Wien
My top 3 shops:
1. Finnshop
2. Scandinavian Design House
3. & Other Stories (for Scandinavian-inspired clothing)
My top 3 food locations:
1. Café Ihana
2. Das Tortenstudio (for vegan korvapuustit)
3. Julius Meindl am Graben (for buying some Fazer sweets)
My top 3 Finnish activities in Vienna:
1. Go for a walk e.g. in the Augarten park to get some forest vibes
2. Look out for some cool thrift shops and try to find some design classics
3. Eat some fresh berries or peas as a tasty Finnish summer snack
If you still have some other Finnish tips for me – e.g. for the whole Austrian area, I would be happy if you could write them in the comments.