The happiest country in the world offers magical landscapes, well-deserved peace and the opportunity to completely switch off from everyday life. With lakes as far as the eye can see, millions of saunas to relax in, fresh and delicious food made from regional products and the friendliness of the Finns, the country captivates travelers. There are many ways to discover Finland – these nine should be on every bucket list for 2024.
1. Eating in the Saimaa region – the European Region of Gastronomy 2024
Saimaa in the Lakeland region of Finland is currently becoming a top international destination for foodies. In 2024, Saimaa will be awarded the European Region of Gastronomy Prize for its commitment to the importance of cultural and culinary uniqueness. This commitment is reflected in the region’s popular products, which are grown deep in the forests or freshly caught from one of Europe’s largest lakes, Saimaa. The cuisine is based on seasonal and local produce such as game, mushrooms and berries, local perch and vendace, while producers such as Ollinmäki Winery fly the flag for Finland’s emerging wine industry. Saimaa is a real insider tip for travelers – a place where Finns especially like to spend their vacation in a summer house in nature.
2. Watch films above the Arctic Circle for 24 hours
In mid-June, Sodankylä, a small town in Lapland, comes to life. With less than 10,000 inhabitants, Sodankylä is the center of cinema and culture. The Midnight Sun Film Festival was founded in 1986 by Finnish filmmakers Aki and Mika Kaurismäki together with the municipality of Sodankylä and has enjoyed growing popularity ever since. The atmosphere of the Midnight Sun Film Festival is unique – many international guests visit the festival every year and the program consists of a combination of old and new films. Celebrities such as directors Francis Ford Coppola and Wim Wenders have already been guests. In a relaxed atmosphere, films are shown 24 hours a day over five days at four different locations in the city.
3. Cross-country skiing in the Green Capital of Europe – Lahti
Cross-country skiing is a national hobby in Finland and a skill that locals learn early on in school. The season begins in October, when the first trails are prepared with the snow from the previous season in Finland’s most popular cross-country skiing areas, such as Levi in Lapland and Imatra City on Lake Saimaa. In Lapland, the northernmost region of Finland, the cross-country skiing season lasts until May, where you can also run under the northern lights until spring. Lahti, the 2021 European Green Capital, has hosted the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships seven times – the region offers 180 kilometers of world-class trails in the forests, just an hour’s train ride from Finland’s capital Helsinki. There are thousands of kilometers of well-maintained ski trails throughout the country, with the frozen lakes considered the best places to enjoy the sun. Every March, Himos Ski Resort hosts a unique bikini skiing event, Simmarihiihto, which combines skiing and sauna.
4. Hike three Nordic countries in 10 seconds
In Kilpisjärvi, a small, lively village in northern Finland near the Norwegian border, the midnight sun lasts for more than two months. The village is home to the 1029 meter high Saana Fell, the sacred sacrificial site of the Sami. When visiting Kilpisjärvi, travelers should definitely include climbing Saana in their itinerary. In mid-summer, holidaymakers can even ski on the heights of the Saana fell and admire the flowers on the way down, take a dip in the clear waters of Lake Kilpisjärvi from the sauna or go on a canoe trip. In autumn you can hike amidst the landscape colored in red tones. A three-kilometer-long hiking trail begins at the northern end of Lake Kilpisjärvi and takes visitors over a wooden structure to the “Three Countries Cairn,” which lies in the middle of the water. This makes it easy to circumnavigate the border triangle and visitors can hike to Finland, Sweden and Norway within 10 seconds.
5. Travel regeneratively and build an insect hotel
Regenerative travel means traveling in a more meaningful way and actively contributing to the preservation of the destination. Haltia Lake Lodge, which was awarded the Visit Finland Sustainable Travel Award in Finland and the Best Sustainable Hotel in Europe 2022 Award by Visit Finland, is committed to fighting biodiversity loss and supporting holidaymakers in regenerative travel. In summer 2024, Haltia Lake Lodge will offer an eco-friendly conservation holiday for groups for the first time. This includes actions such as combating the spread of invasive plants and rejuvenating pastures. Hawkhill Cottage Resort, a pioneer in regenerative travel, increased revenue while reducing carbon emissions by allowing guests to participate in the construction of insect hotels. Lapland-based company Wild Out is on a mission to take everyone into the forest to eat by the fire and build a birdhouse to help the local community.
6. Small talk in the sauna
5.6 million people live in Finland, but there are over three million saunas. It is therefore not surprising that Finnish sauna culture is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site. There are most public saunas in Tampere, the sauna capital of the world. Mänttä, an hour from Tampere, is home to the world’s only renowned artificial sauna. The Lonna Sauna, a handcrafted wooden structure, is located on a nearby island off Helsinki city center – it can be reached by public boat and is only open during the summer season. The northernmost public sauna, the Arctic Sauna World, is located above the Arctic Circle on the sacred Lake Jerisjärvi and offers soothing moments after a hike in Ylläs Pallas National Park. A sauna is one of the few places in the world where cell phones are not welcome, allowing visitors to enjoy peace and deep relaxation.
7. Celebrate love in the capital Helsinki
Helsinki is one of the most LGBTQ+ friendly cities in the world. Travelers in the capital may find the image of the famous erotic artist “Tom of Finland” on their hotel bed linen or buy it as a souvenir. The Pride festival in the capital brings the entire city to life in the colors of the rainbow at the end of June. “Helsinki Gay Pride” attracts more than 100,000 visitors and is celebrated across the city with a week-long series of cultural events, parties, demonstrations and exhibitions. The activities for LGBTQ+ visitors are not limited to the Pride festivals that take place once a year. The recently reopened DTM, the largest gay club in the Nordic countries, is an institution. It has existed since 1992, was originally known as “Don’t Tell Mama” and is now located in the city’s former butchery district, Teurastamo.
8. Admire and photograph wildlife in “Europe’s Last Wilderness”
When they cross empty roads, they cause the only traffic jams in Lapland – reindeer are the most common residents of this region and roam freely in summer. Finland’s untouched and picturesque landscapes are also home to many wild animals and birds, including wolves, lynxes, eagles, cranes and swans. The bear watching season begins in early May and lasts until September. While traditional outdoor photography tours are common, there’s a unique way to experience local wildlife from a sauna. Hossan Karhut’s Bear Sauna Safari welcomes travelers to the world’s only “hide sauna,” offering the opportunity to view bears and other wildlife through a window while relaxing in the sauna.
9. The extra cold experience – ice fishing, ice cruise and ice hotel
The Nordic latitudes usually guarantee a snowy season, especially in the central and northern parts of the country. The lake district with its thousands of frozen lakes offers excellent conditions for ice fishing from January to March. Lake Saimaa, for example, is rich in fish even in the frosty winter months. The legendary and world’s only icebreaker cruise, Sampo in Kemi, takes travelers to the frozen sea where they find a unique setting. The Arctic Snow Hotel also promises a unique experience at night or a swim in the frozen lake or sea. Ice bathing is considered by locals to be a guarantee of boosting happiness hormones and improving health.
