Finland's unspoilt, varied natural environment and four distinctive seasons offer a wonderful backdrop for a holiday in an exotic northern setting. You are always close to nature – even when you spend your holiday in a city.
Finland is renowned as 'the land of thousands of lakes' and 'the land of the midnight sun'. Saimaa, the most extensive lakeland in Europe, and the adjacent Central Lake District, lying to its west, provide a true paradise for canoeists and anglers, as well as for those who wish to admire the stunning scenery on board a cruise boat. Also the archipelago south of Finland's mainland is stunningly beautiful with more than 6,500 isles and islands and offers thus sailors magical places to dock their boats and relax. The light nights of high summer when the sun never sets are also among the extraordinary experiences the Finnish summer has to offer.
The Finnish winter with its abundance of snow and wealth of activities has in recent years made a true breakthrough in the tourism market. Especially during the Christmas season, there are hundreds of charter flights from all over the world to Finnish Lapland. It's no wonder, because Finland is the homeland of Santa Claus.
A winter holiday in Finland offers excellent opportunities for cross-country and downhill skiing, as well as for snowshoeing, husky or reindeer rides, and snowmobile safaris. All of these are available at the main ski resorts.
The idyllic and beautiful towns and cities of Finland, with their cultural attractions and hundreds of summer events, are well worth visiting. Helsinki, the capital of Finland, is deservedly called 'the daughter of the Baltic'. This attractive maritime city makes a good starting point for exploring and experiencing Finland.
In addition to the nature, Finland offers many activities that cannot be experienced elsewhere. Many tourists who think they have experienced everything come to Finland and realize that perhaps they haven’t. Imagine golfing under the midnight sun on a beautiful June evening. Think about spending the night or listening to a concert in an ice castle in Lapland.
After any activity in Finland, it’s time for sauna. In fact, every hotel in Finland offers sauna to its guests. The temperature is most likely going to be higher than for instance in the saunas in Vietnam and throwing water on the stove is a must. If you are lucky enough to get invited to a Finnish summer cottage by the sea or lake, be prepared for a very exotic experience. Finns like to bathe nude in the sauna, but will be respectful of differing cultural habits. Other traditions include making “vasta” or “vihta,” a whisk made of dried birch branches. Finns wet it and pat it onto themselves and each other to stimulate blood circulation and heighten the sauna experience.
Last, but certainly not least, is Finnish food. Finland offers many wonderful culinary experiences sure to please even the most demanding taste buds. There are many upscale, world-renowned restaurants in Helsinki, however you may experience the best tastes by the sea, close to nature, eating Finnish fish.
Updated 2/13/2008