FINLAND

If you want to thank the ingenious Finnish for inventing the steam bath, among other great innovations, do so by venturing into their scenic country – Finland. The Finnish are a welcoming, confident and cosmopolitan lot and you should feel right at home in the multi-lingual, multi-cultural aura of this country.

Finland contains some of the most densely forested parts of the Scandinavian Peninsula – a land of lakes, woods and astounding Nordic beauty. Come explore this land of stark natural beauty, from the rugged terrain of Lapland to the idyllic landscapes of the Swedish influenced Aland Islands and into the metropolitan city of Helsinki. Finland is truly a land where nature reigns alongside high technology and 21st century modernity.

Capital: Helsinki

Best time to visit:

  1. ‘Maritime’ and ‘Continental’ are the two words which best summarizes the climate of Finland. Even though the ideal time to visit this country is from May through September, Finland offers many interesting natural phenomena throughout the year.
  2. If you are looking to pay Southern Finland and Lakeland a visit, consider the summer months of June to August..
  3. Planning a visit to Northern Finland and Lapland is reversed if you are looking for the best time to go. October to March is the suitable time to visit Lapland if you want to take the popular ‘Santa Claus Tour’.
  4. Winter is also the time for ‘Northern Lights’ which is brought on by ‘Polar Nights’ and is guaranteed to leave
  5. you in awe of Mother Nature.

Min Days Required: 5 days

Places of Interest:

  1.  Helsinki – Suomenlinna, Hartwall Areena, Helsinki Cathedral,Seurasaari , Uspenski Cathedral, The Natural History Museum of Helsinki

Climate:

  1. A lot less severe than one might expect, considering its latitudinal location, Finland has a temperate climate thanks to the surrounding water bodies.
  2. Summer months from mid June to mid August have warm days and cool nights.
  3. Daylight hours are long and depending on the region the sun never really sets. In winter, mild snow forms a sheet on the ground for a couple of months in the south, and for a little longer period in the northern mountains.
  4. Precipitation is roughly 460mm in the north and 700 mm in the south. Averages temperatures during the summer are about 16.5° C and drop to as low as – 8° C in the winter.

Currency: Euro

Things to carry:

  1. If traveling to the north during the summer peak season, bring along your personal mosquito-repellant kit, as these creatures will surely welcome you on your arrival and stay till the end.
  2. Moreover, you will need warm woollens if traveling in winters and light cottons for summers. Throw in a light stole or a jacket for the evenings, as it tends to get chilly.
  3. A basic first aid kit, camera and your medicine prescription are a must.

How to get there:

Air:

  1. Finland’s main international hub is Helsinki-Vantaa Airport near Helsinki. Finnair , Blue1 and Flybe Nordic are based there.
  2. Around 30 foreign airlines fly to Helsinki-Vantaa.
  3. Ryanair’s Finland hubs are Tampere in central Finland and Lappeenranta in the east near the Russian border, while Wizz Air is decreasing its hub at Turku in the southwest. Other airlines have limited regional services to other cities, mostly just to Sweden, and, in the winter high season, occasional direct charters (especially in December) and seasonal scheduled flights (Dec-Mar) to Lapland.
  4. Air Baltic connects many provincial Finnish towns conveniently to Europe via Riga. It may also be worth your while to get a cheap flight to Tallinn and follow the boat instructions below to get to Finland.
  5. Starting in early 2011, Norwegian Air Shuttle established Helsinki as one of its bases, and now offers both domestic and international flights.