Introducing Finland
There's something pure in the Finnish air and spirit that's incredibly vital and exciting. Although socially and economically it is in the vanguard of nations, parts of the country remain gloriously remote; with the trendsetting modern capital of Helsinki counterbalanced by vast forested wildernesses in the north and east, like Lemmenjoki National Park and Oulanka National Park. These wilds are perfect for treks among the pines and lakes in summer. And who'd have thought that so far north you could have such a summer? It's a golden, sunny season when Finland bursts into life with an explosion of festivals, good cheer and optimism. It's a time when the towns are buzzing, but it's also a time to head for the lakelands of Mikkeli & around and Lappeenranta. Sit on the veranda of a waterside wooden cottage and watch the summer sun shining low over the trees, and you'll have experienced one of Finland's ultimate treats; a real Nordic peace that eases the soul.
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Winter, too, has a special charm here, and the best way of banishing those scary subzero temperatures is to get active. Every type of skiing and more goes on for months, but how about chartering a team of dogs or a snowmobile and heading out on a trek across the snowy wastes, lit by a beautiful, pale, winter sun? Catch the aurora borealis after your wood-fired sauna and you'll feel blessed by the universe. The Sámi, many of whom still make a living from the reindeer roaming the awesome Lapland expanses, once believed the northern lights to be the snow beaten from the tail of a giant fox spirit.
Finnish towns, too, have much to offer. Whether cosy wooden churches, avant-garde design, quirky museums or passionate Finnish rock music are your thing, you'll find them in abundance, as well as cafés warm with the smell of baking cinnamon, and boisterous nightlife - the latter particularly in chic, cultural Helsinki.
Best of all, Finland is full of Finns, who tend to do their own thing and are much the better for it. Independent, loyal, warm and welcoming - they are a memorable people in an inspirational country.
Ready to go?
These tours & activities make it easy:
- Start in Helsinki for a 15-day Baltic Experience
- Travel from Oslo to Berlin in a month
- Tour Scandinavia in two weeks
Last updated: Feb 20, 2012
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Thorn Tree forum discussion
Recent posts
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Helsinki bars for a Sunday and Monday night?
by we11cress 28 May 2012
I am travelling to Finland for a wedding, and a group of us will then be descending on Helsinki on Saturday night - staying until Tuesday.…
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RE: Eurovision
by WaterhazardJack 28 May 2012
+How come we consistently do so badly...even when we have a perfectly decent song?...We do badly because, ahem, we have taste and class…
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RE: Eurovision
by lynnekeys 27 May 2012
We are in Turkey; no-one watched it here as Turkey were playing Finland away (Turks finally won in the last minute). We were hoping for…
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Our Top Picks For Finland
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1 Helsinki
The capital. Harbour city with fascinating museums, the country’s best eating and savvy nightlife
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2 Åland
Low, scenic archipelago. Semi-independent, Swedish-speaking and a cyclist’s paradise
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3 Muonio
Rustle up a team of sled-dogs and whizz off across the snowy wilderness
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4 UKK National Park
Experience Lapland’s awesome spaces in one of Europe’s most remote areas
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5 Inari
Learn about the Sámi, the people of the north, in this, their Finnish capital
Fast Facts about Finland
- Number of days of constant sun in Nuorgam
72
- Unemployment rate
8.8%
- Population
5,236,611
- Number of reindeer
230,000
- GDP per capita
€28,646
- Percentage of water
10%
- Number of days of no sun in Nuorgam
51
- Number of mobile phones
4.9 million
- Size
338,145 sq km
Our favourite Finland Blogs (beta)
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Tango in the sky
Blog: velvet escape's blog - 25 April 2012
I’ve always wanted to see the northern lights or the aurora borealis. I was about eight when I first saw a picture of it in a geographic encyclopedia. I stared at the image for ages, in total awe of the colours and how they seemingly dance in the sky. Thirty-odd years later, my wish to [...]Tango in the sky is a post from: Velvet Escape travel blog
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A Finnish sauna like no other
Blog: velvet escape's blog - 10 April 2012
The sauna is an integral part of daily life in Finland. It’s much more than just a place to sit, sweat and relax; it’s woven into the social fabric, a place where families and friends gather for a chat or the latest gossip. There’s an average of one sauna per household in Finland! I’ve been [...]A Finnish sauna like no other is a post from: Velvet Escape travel blog
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Inside the Snow Village
Blog: velvet escape's blog - 27 March 2012
Each year in late-November, a thousand truck-loads of snow and massive blocks of ice carved out of a nearby river are used to create a winter wonderland like no other: the Snow Village in Finnish Lapland. Situated deep in the forests near the ski resorts of Ylläs and Levi, the Snow Village is a place [...]Inside the Snow Village is a post from: Velvet Escape travel blog
