From our Top 10 places to visit series, we’ve covered a top 10 list on Iceland and showed the 10 most beautiful things to see or experience while in Iceland. Today we’ve come with another European country ‘Finland’. Finland is recognized as the cleanest and happiest country in the world. But there are a lot more things that make it a worthy place to visit.
10 –Safe and Hospitable
Finland has been ranked as the safest country in the world, because of its extremely low crime rates. It’s also worth noting that the Finns’ trust in their police is the highest in Europe. They will always greet you with openness, warmth, and hospitality, and quickly introduce you to their way of life.
9 –Finnish Sauna
If you want to understand Finland and its people, getting familiar with the sauna is a good starting point. Sauna is such a big part of Finnish culture it can’t be compared to anything else. Finns are the unquestioned champions of sauna – they have over 3 million of them, which is more than one sauna for every other citizen. They are not only used for relaxation and health, but is also a meeting point for business and festive gatherings.
8 –Skiing
In Finland, the skiing season can last way over 6 months – from late October all the way until May. During the darkest winter days, the ski slopes are lit and in the spring the sun shines until late at night. If you fancy going cross-country, there are hundreds and hundreds of kilometers worth of ski tracks in Finnish Lapland. For example, Ylläs’ 330km of tracks is more than any one place has to offer in Europe.
7 –Shopping
Finland’s many charming shops and large shopping centers offer iconic, exclusive and affordable textiles, jewels, furniture and much more. The Stockmann Department Store in Helsinki is Scandinavia’s largest shopping mall with more than 50,000 square meters over 10 floors, in other words, a Mecca for shopping enthusiasts and well worth a visit!
6 –Landscapes
The thousands of lakes in Finland are surrounded by beautiful forest-covered hills and valleys. There is untouched and exotic nature here like nowhere else, snow-capped mountains and trees, as well as the spectacular aurora borealis or Northern Lights! Visit Saimaa, Finland’s largest lake, located in the beautiful Lakeland region. You also have the ”Right to Roam” in Finland, which is a law that allows you to set up a tent anywhere you like as long as you are not disturbing any people or the surrounding nature.
5 –Local Cuisine
In Finland, there is a wide range of tasty dishes to try, and most of them rely on fresh, locally sourced ingredients. Fish is particularly common due to the number of lakes, as are specialty meats, mushrooms, and berries. You can enjoy delicious delicacies from Finnish nature such as chanterelle soup, a sweet blueberry pie or exquisite fresh salmon.
4 –Lakeside Cottages
The tradition of staying in rustic, lakeside cottages far out in the country creates the ultimate holiday destination for isolation, relaxation, as well as easy access to ski resorts. The surrounding Baltic Sea and archipelagos offer the same experience. And hundreds of thousands of small lakeside cottages and cabins to this – peace and quiet guaranteed.
3 –Northern Lights
Some of the world’s best Northern Lights can be spotted in Finnish Lapland. The Aurora Borealis – as they are also called – can appear more than 200 nights a year. That’s pretty much every winter night. The Northern Lights season starts in Finland in mid-August and ends in early April.
2 –Santa Clause
Santa Claus is known and loved all over the world. But did you know he comes from Finland and that it is possible to meet him in person? Open each day of the year in the city of Rovaniemi, children, and adults can visit Santa’s office, enjoy a private chat with him and revel in the enchanted atmosphere. As we all know, Santa’s annual mission is to deliver happiness around the world with the help of his team of furry reindeer friends.
1 –Silence & Peace
In the rush and crush of modern life, the rarities are what we value most, such as space, quiet and time. Space to breathe, time to dream. You can find these treasures in Finland, where the lakes are many and the people are few. A handful of pure nature, a pinch of the Finnish sauna, a spoonful of traditional treatments, serve with wild food and add light activities to taste – equals extreme relaxation. So what excited you most about Finland, Tell us in the comment section.
