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Travel guide, from the UK

Finland

Finland has two very different sides. In the south there are lakes, forest and Helsinki, a seaside capital known for design and saunas. In Lapland there is snow for much of the year, along with reindeer, Sámi culture and the Northern Lights. Forest covers about three-quarters of the country, and its 41 national parks are all free to explore. Finland had 3.2 million saunas when its sauna culture joined UNESCO's list of intangible heritage in 2020.

Photo: Hert Niks, Unsplash License

Helsinki Cathedral glowing in golden evening light against a deep blue sky above the Senate Square steps
When to go
Summer brings the midnight sun: in June and July the nights stay light across Finland, and north of the Arctic Circle the sun does not set at all in June. The autumn colours, called ruska, reach Lapland from late August to early October and the rest of the country in September and October. For the Northern Lights, go to Lapland between late August and April; September, October, February and March are the best months, and clear skies matter most. Winter in Lapland is long and cold, with Rovaniemi averaging −10 to −20°C, and from November the polar night brings very short days.
Getting there from London
Finnair flies from Heathrow to Helsinki several times a day, in a little under 3 hours, and there are also flights from Gatwick and Stansted. In winter, from late October to late March, direct flights reach Rovaniemi in Lapland from Gatwick, Luton, Stansted and Southend in about 3 hours 25 minutes, and Kittilä from Gatwick and Luton.

What to do in Finland

  1. 1Suomenlinna sea fortressBuilding began in 1748 on a group of islands off Helsinki, and the fortress has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1991. About 800 people still live there. The HSL ferry from Market Square takes about 15 minutes and runs all year.
  2. 2Helsinki's public saunasAt Löyly you can try a smoke sauna; book ahead and bring swimwear. Sompasauna is free, run by its users and open around the clock, and Lähde dates from the 1880s.
  3. 3Rovaniemi and the Arctic CircleSanta Claus Village sits on the Arctic Circle about 8 km north of Rovaniemi. It is open every day and served by bus 8. Step over the line marked on the ground and collect a certificate for crossing it. Winter activities from December to March sell out early, so book ahead.
  4. 4The Northern Lights in LaplandIn Lapland the lights appear on about every other clear night between late August and April. The best time is usually from 9pm to 2am, and a guided tour takes you away from the lights of town.
  5. 5Husky and reindeer safarisHusky farms around Rovaniemi run sled rides in winter and kennel visits in summer, and some let you drive your own team. Reindeer farms welcome visitors all year and offer sleigh rides in winter.
  6. 6Lake Saimaa and everyman's rightLake Saimaa has thousands of islands and is the only home of the Saimaa ringed seal, one of the rarest seals in the world. Under Finland's everyman's right, anyone may roam the countryside, pick berries and mushrooms, and fish with a rod and line.

Getting around

Trains from Helsinki airport reach the city centre in about 30 minutes. In Helsinki, one HSL ticket covers trams, buses, the metro, commuter trains and the Suomenlinna ferry; buy it in the HSL app or pay by bank card at tram and bus stops. To reach Lapland, take a VR night train from Helsinki to Rovaniemi, arriving in the morning, or fly, as there are daily flights between the two. Ferries cross from Helsinki to Tallinn in about 2 hours 15 minutes. If you drive in winter, winter tyres are required from November to March whenever conditions call for them, and you should watch for elk and reindeer on the roads.

Living in the UK on a non-UK passport? You'll need a visa for Finland.

Finland visa from the UK →

Where these facts come from

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