Travel Guides: All Countries / Europe / Finland
 |  | Destination Guide : Finland |
|
| | | Home of the reindeer |  | Why go on holiday to Finland?
For vodka and saunas, skiing and icebreaker cruises, reindeer tours, art galleries, medieval castles, magical midnight sun - and very long winter nights.
How much does it cost?
Flight prices vary considerably. If you shop around, you can get a return from the UK from around £100. Helsinki city breaks from £300. Hotels start at around £50, farmstay B&Bs from about £20.
When should I go?
Finland is warmer than other countries on a similar latitude like Greenland and Alaska, thanks to mild winds from the Gulf Stream along the Norwegian coast.
Summers are usually warm (maximum 20C/68F) and dry but occasionally it can dip to a chilly 10C (50F). Winters are cold and dry. Snow starts falling in October and is gone by the end of March, apart from Lapland, where you might find snow as late as June.
You won't see the midnight sun in most of Finland, but it never gets really dark during the summer months.
|
|
|
|
| | | 'Aland' of activities |  | What should I do when I'm there?
Visit the capital, Helsinki - the cultural, financial and economic centre, with more than 30 art galleries and museums. It has a small-town feel with no high rise buildings and many open-air cafes in the busy market square in summer.
Medieval Turku was Finland's former capital. A university town, it houses some 50 museums including one named for Finland's famous composer, Sibelius.
Where's good for camping?
Aland province has its own flag and culture, and comprises more than 6,400 small islands. It's perfect for bicycle tours, camping and cabin holidays, and experiencing the islands' distinctive culture, expressed in folk dancing and maypole dancing.
Is the countryside accessible?
You have a legal right to walk, cycle, paddle a canoe or camp almost anywhere in Finland. Nordic skiing is popular and there are cross-country trails of varying difficulty.
Hiking or trekking is best from June to September. Stop off in the wilderness huts which line the northern trails free of charge.
What about holidays on the water?
Coastal regions, including the Turku archipelago and Aland Islands, are a sailing and fishing paradise in summer.
Navigation is demanding around the Turku archipelago. Canoeing is best on the lakes or around Turunmaa and Aland archipelagoes in summer. There are wild rapids in Lapland and North Karelia.
What wildlife can I see?
Brown bears roam Finland's forests. Other mammals include elk, foxes, lynxes, lemmings and hedgehogs.
Reindeers abound in the north, and beavers are common. There are more than 300 species of birds, including black grouse, whooper cranes and birds of prey.
|
|
|
|
|
| | | Visit Santa in Lapland | | Where's good for nightlife?
Discos and pubs have replaced many of the traditional Finnish dine-and-dance restaurants, although there are still some around. There's a big casino in Helsinki if you fancy a flutter, and another at Mariehamn.
Helsinki has the largest concentration of bars and clubs and there is a good theatre, music and opera scene in the capital. Check out Helsinki This Week.
What's the food like?
In summer salmon, whitebait and Baltic herring are popular. Crayfish are in season from late July to September. Try delicious cloudberries and lingonberries for dessert. In winter fish like burbot are popular. Try meatballs (lihapullat) any time.
Traditionally, the Finns eat early - lunch between 11am and 1pm (their biggest meal), dinner 4pm to 7pm and supper 7pm to midnight.
For cheap eats, look for a kahvila (cafe) or a baari and in Helsinki, check out the kauppatori or fish market for cheap snacks and salmon chowder. Hesburger is Finland's own burger chain.
What should I buy?
Finland is famous for glass, pottery, woollens and handicrafts made from pine or birch. Colourful mittens and sweaters are a useful souvenir - though not cheap, they are unique - but check that they are really made in Finland.
Lappish or Sami handicrafts are found in Helsinki, but for the best selection visit the Sami villages of Inari and Hetta.
Mariehamn is also a good place to shop for Finnish crafts.
What is there for children to do?
Nothing could be more magical for kids than Santaland in Lapland. Moomin World theme park, near Turku, is dedicated to those charming children's characters, the Moomintrolls.
Or try the House of Puppets at Onkiniemi, Helsinki zoo or the Linnanmaki amusement park just outside Helsinki. Rollerblading is popular in the capital - you can rent the full gear.
Tourist office
Finnish Tourist Board, PO Box 33213, London W6 8JX. Tel. 020 7365 2512 (Information and brochures).
|
|
|
|
|
| | Available rental properties in Finland |
|
|
|
|
