Here is an interview with my brother about what to do in Finland, he went to visit this country in May for 4 days,
📋 Key points to remember: Finland is experienced in 2 opposite seasons: winter (northern lights, Santa Claus in Rovaniemi, sauna + frozen lake, snowmobiling) or summer (midnight sun, kayaking, hiking). Helsinki + Lapland is the classic combo. Plan for 6-10 days. High budget: €100-150/day. Country ranked #1 in the world for happiness 6 consecutive years.
What to do in Finland?
Interview with ROCKY about what to do in Finland
Can you introduce yourself to us?Oh, do I have to introduce myself? I thought you had already introduced me to your audience! So to start, hello Stéphane, I’m 23 years old, I finished my computer science studies and I currently work in a large IT services company.
I also take this opportunity to say hello to my girlfriend who will join this interview to share her feelings about the trip we took together to Finland.
How do you organize your vacations?The first thing I look at is the budget to go to a certain country, if there are promotions on flights or hotels if we are in low season, if the budget allocated to my vacation suits me, I start planning the vacation in depth.
I head to search engines and price comparison sites to find the cheapest plane ticket that fits my schedule.
Finally, once the plane ticket is purchased and the hotel booked, I gather information about places to visit and activities, especially by going through the tourist office of the desired country.
For example, I was able to order brochures and documents to plan my trip on the Finland tourist office website, all for free (brochures and shipping costs).
🌍 Did you know?
Finland has 3.3 million saunas for 5.5 million inhabitants. It is the only country in the world where the word sauna is Finnish (sauna). A millennial tradition, the sauna is integrated into the culture (family sauna, after sports, end of workday). Typical temperature: 80-100°C, followed by a plunge into a lake or snow.
Ps: The article, get free information from tourist offices
Of course, you can make a monetary donation to cover the costs of sending brochures, but that remains your choice. I did it!
What is Finland like?
Since I had well prepared my trip with my girlfriend (tourist office brochure, forum, and the official Finland website), I didn’t have many surprises regarding my outing choices because what the hotel offered in terms of outings was the same as what I had found on the Internet.
To talk about Finland itself, it is truly a beautiful country where life is good; admittedly it was a bit cold when we went in May, but what I really liked about them are their manners, their kindness, their friendliness, their way of life, but also the omnipresent nature, hygiene, nutrition, and the landscapes!)
Regarding security in Finland, it is rare to see delinquency at night and it is very pleasant to go out even though you are never completely safe from something, so be careful ;).
What to do in Finland? In 2 or 3 or 4 days?
I recommend staying for a good week or more if you have the chance; you can especially go to the north and take a trip to Lapland (Rovaniemi…), since many activities await you there during the winter period (sled dog racing, wolf sledding, Santa Claus village, northern lights, unique nature and landscapes, etc.).
🗣️ My experience: My strongest memory: traditional Finnish sauna in Rovaniemi (-15°C outside, +90°C inside), followed by a plunge into the frozen lake through a hole cut with a chainsaw. 10 seconds in 1°C water, back to the sauna for 5 minutes, and repeat 3-4 times. The feeling afterward: total euphoria, skin tingling, and cold resistance multiplied for 1 hour. Unmatchable.
| Region | Specialty | Recommended season |
|---|---|---|
| Helsinki | Design capital, archipelago | May-September |
| Rovaniemi (Lapland) | Santa Claus village, auroras, husky | December-March |
| Levi / Saariselkä | Ski resorts + winter activities | December-April |
| Lake Saimaa | Largest lake in Finland, seals | June-August |
| Turku + archipelago | Medieval city + islands | May-September |
| Inari (far north) | Sami culture, intense auroras | October-March |
On the other hand, I can’t tell you more about this part because I wasn’t able to go there, but in 3-4 days you can easily visit Helsinki and its surroundings!
- On the first day, we arrived at the Finn hotel, then decided to visit the island of Suomenlinna in Helsinki, which is part of the many islands of the Finnish archipelago.
This island takes its name from the Fortress of Finland and has made its history through the old fortress built from 1748 and intended to defend the harbor of Helsinki.
Today it is listed on the UNESCO World Heritage inventory: it is therefore a place with beautiful walks in a maritime universe (Culture and history await you there).
Allow yourself half a day, so you can take your time to visit the port and take some photos, but also to do some souvenir shopping since many stands of goodies are open until 6 pm.
🍀 Finland
- World’s #1 country for happiness
- Maximum safety (1st worldwide rank)
- Preserved nature, sparsely populated
- Almost guaranteed auroras in Lapland
🔻 Limitations
- High cost (Scandinavia)
- Very cold winter (-20°C in Lapland)
- Infrequent direct flights from Paris
- Paid activities (dog sledding €100+ /h)
- On the second day we went to Nuuksio, a small town just an hour east of Helsinki where we went to see the lakes and landscapes through a very beautiful forest!
If you want to go there, then take the day to hike or spend good time in nature like a picnic or a barbecue in the wild (however be careful to preserve this space by throwing your trash in the appropriate places).
- On the third day, we had decided to go to the Korkeasaari Zoo just 20 minutes by bus from downtown and to the SEA LIFE aquarium. Because we love animals and it was for us the only chance to see real deer and reindeer other than in cartoons…
In itself, it is almost one of the few zoos in the world located on an island which it occupies entirely.
You will therefore have the chance to see Siberian tigers, snow leopards, deer, exotic birds, bears, etc.
⚠️ Classic trap
Visiting Lapland in November thinking to see the auroras. November is statistically the cloudiest month (50% average cloud cover). To maximize your chances of auroras: February-March (clearer skies) or late September-October (still green landscapes). Count on a minimum of 4-5 nights on site to have a real chance.
What I liked the most was Nuuksio, the island of Suomenlinna, and downtown Helsinki with the buildings in the romantic style!
What to do in Finland or Helsinki: Some tips?
- If you eat at a restaurant, go early, because if you plan to eat a bit late at night, know that a good number of restaurants, if not all, close very early!
As an anecdote, we went to about 5 or 6 restaurants on a Saturday night around 9 p.m., all announcing that the stoves had started to close and be cleaned…
To extend to other Nordic countries, the Scandinavian countries compare Finland, Sweden, Norway. The Northern Lights in Iceland offers the Icelandic alternative. And cheap destinations in Europe reminds that Scandinavia remains expensive.
- On the transport side, I didn’t have too much trouble with the Helsinki card (it is not necessarily essential).
- The capital of Finland may seem a bit too strict at first, but just stay a few days to appreciate its personality.
- Take the boat to visit the islands of the archipelago, rent a bike, or experience nightlife right in the center of Helsinki! I didn’t have much time to visit the museums, but save some time to visit the capital’s museums to marvel at an architectural confrontation.
It is no coincidence that the city of Helsinki was elected World Design Capital for the year 2012!
- Go see the forum on Finland: http://www.salutfinlande.net/forum/, so don’t hesitate to register and introduce yourself by submitting your questions and feedback!
Last question, What do you think of Finnish women?
She: Close your eyes, my dear, you haven’t seen anything…
Thank you Rocky!
If you want more tips, follow the guides here on Finland:
To find other information on the Scandinavian countries it’s here and notably the watch on Stockholm
