Finland Holidays Guide
Europe
Finland is, as every child knows, the home of Father Christmas. While families come here because their children want to meet the genuine Santa, trendy sports types can also visit Lapland to try out the excellent winter sports scene, and romantic couples can get married in a chapel carved from ice. The north of Finland is noted both for the scenery of the Artic tundra and it's wildlife – you can go searching for wolves, wolverines and caribous on a husky or reindeer pulled sled. But Lapland's endless summer days mean that you can enjoy hiking in the forests and tundra, and canoeing in the lakes. It's particularly worth visiting during Juhannus, the midsummer festival where the whole nation heads to the countryside for an enormous party. Finland can also be visited for its cities, which offer an intriguing mixture of Russian and Scandinavian architecture.
Map of Finland
Finland
Finland Holidays Planner
You'll find plenty to occupy you in Helsinki. Visit the many impressive parks and museums, try a traditional sauna, and in the summer join a cruise around the surrounding archipelago. You should definitely visit Suomenlinna, the impressive coastal fortress built by the Swedish to protect their empire against the Russians. Have a drink in one of the city's many trendy bars and cafes before you head north towards the Artic Circle. Luosto, in Finnish tundra, is the best-known resort in the north of the country. As well as outdoors activities, which vary according to season, the nearby amethyst mine is a year-round attraction.
Helsinki
Places to Visit
Most of the population and city-based sights are in the south of Finland. Porvoo is a pretty waterside town, with many of its buildings made out of wood. It is particularly popular in the summertime, when you can try your hand at kayaking in the placid local river. The city of Tampere has traditionally been a socialist stronghold; Lenin spent quite a bit of time here, which you can find out about in the museum that bears his name. There's also museum dedicated to spies, which children and adults alike will be fascinated by. For history buffs, the world's northernmost medieval castle is in Finland, the impressive St. Olaf's Castle is in the east of the country.
Travel Facts
Savonlinna-Olavinlinna Castle
Finland Accommodation Guide
Hiker in Hut
Finland Holiday Tips