Finland is a Nordic country of 5,5 million inhabitants. The capital is Helsinki, located by the Gulf of Finland in southern Finland. Finland has three neighboring countries: Russia in the east, Sweden in the west and Norway in the north. Finland covers 338,440 km² (131,991 square miles). The distance between the northernmost and southernmost points is 1 157 kilometers. Finland celebrated 100 years of independence in 2017. Finland is a republic and a parliamentary democracy. Finland became a member of the European Union in 1995. Finland’s currency is the Euro. There are two two official languages: Finnish and Swedish. Finnish is spoken by 87,9 % of the population and Swedish by 5,2 %.
Good to know! Tips before coming to Finland
We collected some usual tips to travellers who are coming to Finland
Best time to come
It depends what you are looking from Finland...
Weather
Weather is changing in Finland almost all the time...
Money and Costs
How expensive country is Finland?
Health & Safety
How do health services work and is it safe to travel to Finland?
Getting to Finland
Not all roads lead to Finland. But unexpectedly many do...
Food & cuisine
Food
12 unforgettable experiences and things to do in Lapland, Finland
1. Midnight sun Between May and June the nights are bright and full of light everywhere in Finland, but only in Lapland you get to realize what this magical phenomena is all about; it really doesn´t get dark at all and in the most northern parts of the country this lasts until the end of July. The contrast is huge especially if coming from somewhere further down south and at first it might even be hard to get sleep without blackout curtains. Other thing that often happens due to this is losing track of time and getting the feeling that the days just never seem to end. 2. Hiking during the colors of Autumn After the intense northern summer, it´s time for the more serene and peaceful Autumn season. This is a wonderful time of year to head on a hike to experience the restful atmosphere of the northern wilderness,...
10 Best viewpoints in Finland
1. Koli If you had to name one “national landscape” from Finland, it would most probably be the astonishing view from Ukko-Koli hill over Lake Pielinen. Most Finnish people recognize this view as it has inspired several famous photographers and painters, including Eero Järnefelt and Akseli Gallen-Kallela. Ukko-koli rocks are 347 meters above sea level and located in Lieksa, in the province of North-Karelia. Finland is a rather flat country if the far north is not taken into account, so we are really talking about a very special natural formation here. In Koli National Park there´s several other beautiful places and natural wonders to admire as there´s over 80 km of marked hiking trails and the area is well known for its majestic hills and old-growth forests. 2. The mysterious lighthouse islands of the Finnish archipelago There´s several lighthouse islands in Finland but the most famous ones are Bengtskär and...
9 wonderful options for autumn adventure in Finland
1. Malla Nature Reserve, Enontekiö The oldest nature reserve in Finland, the 30 square kilometer fully protected Malla nature reserve in Enontekiö is a beautiful hiking destination all around the year, but during the Autumn time the bursting colors take the views to another level. There´s an 11km hiking trail running across the area, reaching the point where the borders of Finland, Sweden and Norway meet. Couple of natural highlights in the area are the Kitsiputous waterfall known as “the tears of Malla” and the Pikku- Malla fell that reaches up to 738 meters above sea level and offers stunning views to the fjells in Sweden and all the way to the Saana fell in Kilpisjärvi too. 2. Urho Kekkonen National Park. UKK National Park offers plenty to see, but to get a taste of this vast wilderness area a good place to start is near Kiilopää or Kaunispää fells...
8 mysterious places to visit in Finland
1. The island of Ominainen, Parainen Ominainen is a rugged island located in the municipality of Parainen and what makes this place special is that it served as a burial ground for those who were not allowed to be buried in the cemeteries of the church; murderers, rapists and those who committed suicide to mention a few. According to stories the place is haunted and sleeping on the island is impossible. 2. Mental hospital of Röykkä, Nurmijärvi This currently unoccupied facility used to serve as a place where rich people went to treat their lung diseases but since then it has served as a mental hospital and a reception center for immigrants. Old part of the main building represents the Jugend –style and looks a bit like a castle. As mentioned it´s not allowed to go inside and not many would even want to because there is a legend of...
Northern Lights in Finland
“Aurora watching” or hunting for Northern lights has become extremely popular in Lapland the past few years and it´s something that millions of people have on their bucket list and no wonder; witnessing this light phenomena with your own eyes really is magical in the true sense of the word. One should be aware that this is not a constant phenomenon and to actually see the lights yourself depends on the solar winds and the weather conditions. Here´s some detailed information about the northern lights from both scientific and historical / folklore perspective. An aurora, sometimes referred to as polar lights (aurora polaris), northern lights (aurora borealis), or southern lights (aurora australis), is a natural light display in the Earth's sky, predominantly seen in high-latitude regions. The word "aurora" itself is derived from the name of the Roman goddess of the dawn, Aurora, who travelled from east to west announcing...
12 unforgettable experiences and things to do in Lapland, Finland
1. Midnight sun Between May and June the nights are bright and full of light everywhere in Finland, but only in Lapland you get to realize what this magical phenomena is all about; it really doesn´t get dark at all and in the most northern parts of the country this lasts until the end of July. The contrast is huge especially if coming from somewhere further down south and at first it might even be hard to get sleep without blackout curtains. Other thing that often happens due to this is losing track of time and getting the feeling that the days just never seem to end. 2. Hiking during the colors of Autumn After the intense northern summer, it´s time for the more serene and peaceful Autumn season. This is a wonderful time of year to head on a hike to experience the restful atmosphere of the northern wilderness,...
10 Best viewpoints in Finland
1. Koli If you had to name one “national landscape” from Finland, it would most probably be the astonishing view from Ukko-Koli hill over Lake Pielinen. Most Finnish people recognize this view as it has inspired several famous photographers and painters, including Eero Järnefelt and Akseli Gallen-Kallela. Ukko-koli rocks are 347 meters above sea level and located in Lieksa, in the province of North-Karelia. Finland is a rather flat country if the far north is not taken into account, so we are really talking about a very special natural formation here. In Koli National Park there´s several other beautiful places and natural wonders to admire as there´s over 80 km of marked hiking trails and the area is well known for its majestic hills and old-growth forests. 2. The mysterious lighthouse islands of the Finnish archipelago There´s several lighthouse islands in Finland but the most famous ones are Bengtskär and...
Northern Lights in Finland
“Aurora watching” or hunting for Northern lights has become extremely popular in Lapland the past few years and it´s something that millions of people have on their bucket list and no wonder; witnessing this light phenomena with your own eyes really is magical in the true sense of the word. One should be aware that this is not a constant phenomenon and to actually see the lights yourself depends on the solar winds and the weather conditions. Here´s some detailed information about the northern lights from both scientific and historical / folklore perspective. An aurora, sometimes referred to as polar lights (aurora polaris), northern lights (aurora borealis), or southern lights (aurora australis), is a natural light display in the Earth's sky, predominantly seen in high-latitude regions. The word "aurora" itself is derived from the name of the Roman goddess of the dawn, Aurora, who travelled from east to west announcing...
12 unforgettable experiences and things to do in Lapland, Finland
1. Midnight sun Between May and June the nights are bright and full of light everywhere in Finland, but only in Lapland you get to realize what this magical phenomena is all about; it really doesn´t get dark at all and in the most northern parts of the country this lasts until the end of July. The contrast is huge especially if coming from somewhere further down south and at first it might even be hard to get sleep without blackout curtains. Other thing that often happens due to this is losing track of time and getting the feeling that the days just never seem to end. 2. Hiking during the colors of Autumn After the intense northern summer, it´s time for the more serene and peaceful Autumn season. This is a wonderful time of year to head on a hike to experience the restful atmosphere of the northern wilderness,...
6 special foods and drinks in Lapland
1. Local fish Most restaurants located in the holiday destinations of Lapland serve local fish and the best thing is that often it´s fresh and caught nearby. Major rivers like the Tornionjoki and Tenojoki river provide good catches along with Lake Inarinjärvi which is the largest lake in Lapland. Dishes including white fish, brown trout, salmon and arctic char are definitely worth a try and fried vendace is another specialty; it´s a small salmon-related fish that is often served fried in butter with some mashed-potatoes and flavored sour-cream dip on the side. Local people love them and when travelling you should always expose yourself to local delicacies! 2. Sauteed reindeer Don´t even talk about Lapland without mentioning sautéed reindeer; no other dish better represents the essence of Finnish cuisine. Usually served with mashed potatoes and lingonberry jam, it is a meal that is served everywhere and even Finnish public schools...
10 Best viewpoints in Finland
1. Koli If you had to name one “national landscape” from Finland, it would most probably be the astonishing view from Ukko-Koli hill over Lake Pielinen. Most Finnish people recognize this view as it has inspired several famous photographers and painters, including Eero Järnefelt and Akseli Gallen-Kallela. Ukko-koli rocks are 347 meters above sea level and located in Lieksa, in the province of North-Karelia. Finland is a rather flat country if the far north is not taken into account, so we are really talking about a very special natural formation here. In Koli National Park there´s several other beautiful places and natural wonders to admire as there´s over 80 km of marked hiking trails and the area is well known for its majestic hills and old-growth forests. 2. The mysterious lighthouse islands of the Finnish archipelago There´s several lighthouse islands in Finland but the most famous ones are Bengtskär and...
