Finland

Finland is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of northern Europe. It borders Sweden on the west, Russia on the east, and Norway on the north, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland. The capital city is Helsinki. Finland is the country of thousands of lakes and islands – 187,888 lakes (larger than 500 m²) and 179,584 islands. The majority of the islands are found in the southwest in the Archipelago Sea, part of the archipelago of the Aaland Islands, and along the southern coast in the Gulf of Finland. The landscape in Finland is mostly flat with few hills.

Finland is a democratic, parliamentary republic with a mostly Helsinki-based central government and local governments in 348 municipalities. However before their independence in 1919 they were ruled by the Swedish and the Russians. In 1995 Finland became a member of the European Union and in 2002 the Euro was adopted as the currency of Finland.

In the capital city, Helsinki, you will find the famous “rock church”, beautiful architecture, Uspenski Cathedral and the Sibelius monument. Another popular destination in Finland is the city of Rovaniemi which is located just by the Arctic Circle. This is where many come all year to visit Santa Claus and visitors can also obtain a certificate stating that they have crossed the Arctic Circle.

Around 5.3 million people reside in Finland, with the majority concentrated in the southern part of the country. It is the eighth largest country in Europe in terms of area, but the most sparsely populated country in the European Union.

The climate in Finland is humid and cool semi-continental. There is a difference in the climate between Northern Finland and Southern Finland. The climate type in the Southern Finland is a northern temperate climate. Summers in the southern Finland are ca 4 months long (from the mid of May to mid of September). Winters of southern Finland are usually 4-5 months long, and the snow covers the land about 4 months of every year. In the southern coast, the snow can melt many times during winter, and then come again. The coldest winter days of southern Finland are usually -20 Celsius degrees cold, while the warmest days of July and early august can be 25-30 Celsius degrees. In Northern Finland, particularly in the Province of Lapland, a subarctic climate dominates, characterized by cold, occasionally severe, winters and relatively warm summers. Summers of northern Finland are quite short, lasting only 2-3 months. Winters of North-Finland are nearly 7 months long and snow covers the land almost 6-7 months every year. A quarter of Finland's territory lies above the Arctic Circle, and as a consequence the midnight sun can be experienced – for more days, the farther north one travels. In the winter on the other hand, when the sun does not rise, it is often possible to see the beautiful northern lights, Aurora Borealis.

Helsinki

Helsinki is the capital and largest city of Finland. It is in the southern part of Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, by the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is almost 575,000 making it the most populous municipality in Finland by a wide margin. The Greater Helsinki area contains 12 municipalities and has a population of over 1,300,000.

Helsinki is Finland's capital for business, education, research, culture, and government. This capital city is unique among Northern European cities. The lifestyle in the second-most northern capital city in the world is full of contrasts and activities, as Helsinki’s identity has been formed by cultural influences from both the East and West.

Helsinki is spread across a number of bays and peninsulas and over a number of islands. The inner city area occupies a southern peninsula, which is rarely referred to by its actual name Vironniemi. Some notable islands in Helsinki include Seurasaari, Lauttasaari and Korkeasaari – which is also the country's biggest zoo – as well as the fortress island of Suomenlinna (Sveaborg).

What to see in Helsinki:

Uspenski Cathedral

Completed in 1868 in the Katajanokka district of Helsinki, the Uspenski Cathedral is the largest orthodox church in Western Europe. With its golden cupolas and redbrick facade, the church is one of the clearest symbols of the Russian impact on Finnish history.

Sibelius Monument in Sibelius Park

Northwest of the city center, Sibelius Park is best known for the Sibelius Monument, an attractive stainless-steel sculpture by Eila Hiltunen that memorializes Finnish composer Jean Sibelius. Much photographed, the monument is almost considered a symbol of the city. The park, which is more like an arboretum, is even more scenic than the sculpture and is especially pleasant in early summer.

Temppeliaukkio Church (Rock Church)

Temppeliaukio Church is a Lutheran church and opened in 1969. The interior of the church was excavated and built into the rock, hence the nick name “Rock Church”. However, the interior of the church is bathed in natural light entering through the glazed dome. The Temppeliaukio church is one of the most popular tourist attractions in the city with more than half a million people visit it annually. The stone-hewn church is located in the heart of Helsinki. Maintaining the original character of the square is the fundamental concept behind the building.

Senate Square

The Senate Square in central Helsinki is a cohesive example of Neoclassical architecture. The square is dominated by four buildings designed by Carl Ludvig Engel between 1822 and 1852: Helsinki Cathedral, the Government Palace, the main building of the University of Helsinki and the National Library of Finland. Helsinki Cathedral is arguably Finland's most famous and photographed building; it celebrated its 150th anniversary in 2002.

Suomenlinna Fortress

Suomenlinna is a major monument of military architecture. During the Swedish rule, the construction of the sea fortress on six islands just off Helsinki in 1748 as a protection against Russian expansionism. When it was complete, its military shipyard was one of the biggest dry docks in the world and centres of know-how at that time. Originally named Sveaborg (Fortress of Svea), or Viapori as called by Finns, it was renamed Suomenlinna (Castle of Finland) in 1918 for patriotic and nationalist reasons, though it is still also known by its original name. It is an example of the Star Fort style of fortification. Today the fortress is on the UNESCO’s World Heritage List and Suomenlinna is one of Finland’s most popular tourist attractions.

Seurasari Open Air Museum

The Seurasaari Open-Air Museum provides an insight for interested visitors into Finnish housing throughout the last centuries and Finnish folk tradition. The buildings and interiors transferred to the Museum from the Finnish provinces reflect the life of crofters, peasants and gentry from the 18th to the 20th century so that visitors can get an idea of how it was to live in Finland so many years ago.

Finlandia Hall

Finlandia Hall was designed by Alvar Aalto and it was completed in 1971. Even the interior and furnishings were, down to the last detail, also designed by Aalto himself. The Finlandia Hall is the leading concert and congress hall in Finland, as well as a major architectural sight visited by many people each year.

Other Cities:

Rovaniemi

Rovaniemi is the administrative capital and the centre of commerce of Finland's northernmost Province, Lapland. It is situated by the Arctic Circle and between the hills of Ounasvaara and Korkalovaara, at the confluence of the Kemijoki River and its tributary, the Ounasjoki River. The city and the surrounding municipalities were consolidated into one on January 1, 2006. The new municipality has an area of 8,017.23 square kilometers (3,095.47 sq miles) and an approximate population of 59,000. It is one of the largest cities in the world by area – though much of it is covered by forests.

Rovaniemi have several prominent landmarks. These include the Jaatkaankynttilaa bridge with its eternal flame over the Kemijoki river, the Arktikum House by Ounasjoki river, the Rovaniemi Town Hall, the Lappia House which serves as a theatre, concert hall and congress centre, and the library. The last three mentioned buildings were designed by the famous Finnish architect Alvar Aalto. Claimed to be the residence of Santa Claus, Santa Claus Village, is located a few kilometres north of the city centre. Rovaniemi is also home to the world's most northern branch of McDonald's. In Rovaniemi you will also find the comprehensive museum of Finland's Arctic region called Arktikum Museum.

A phenomenon also attracting numerous tourists to Rovaniemi is the Aurora Borealis or Northern Lights. In Lapland the number of auroral displays can be as high as 200 a year whereas in southern Finland the number is usually fewer than 20. Therefore, visitors staying in Rovaniemi a few nights can have good chances of seeing this beautiful phenomenon. During their stay, they can spend the days visiting husky dogs and riding the husky dog sledge, visit a reindeer farm or go on an exciting snow mobile safari in the beautiful Lappish wilderness.

What to see in Rovaniemi:

Santa Claus Village

Santa Claus Village is located about 8 km northeast of Rovaniemi and it is built to be the home of Santa Claus. Santa Claus village is the most popular tourist destination in Finland with thousands of tourist visiting it every year. Here, visitors can meet Santa Claus and cross the Arctic Circle at the same time.

Arktikum Museum

The Arktikum in Rovaniemi provides a unique insight into the way of life, culture and history of North Finland. The exhibitions portray culture, history, traditions and modern life in the Arctic regions. The Arktikum Museum is an excellent place to learn about the livelihoods of the Northern people and animal life in the Arctic.

What to see outside Rovaniemi:

If the activities in Rovaniemi are not enough or if visitors have time, they can also go on excursions outside Rovaniemi. Some popular activities are:

Kemi - Sampo Icebreaker

After serving 30 years as an icebreaker, the Sampo is one of the world's few tourist icebreakers. It operates on the northern Gulf of Bothnia out of the port of Kemi in southern Finnish Lapland, ca 2.5 hours drive from Rovaniemi. On board the Sampo, visitors can learn about ice breaking technique and experience it for themselves. It is even possible to take a dip into the sea in a waterproof thermal suit among broken ice blocks! The Sampo sails from the middle of December to the end of April.

Kemi - Lumilinna Snow Castle

The Lumilinna Snow Castle in Kemi is the biggest snow castle in the world The area covered by the castle has varied from 13,000 to over 20,000 square meters. It is rebuilt every winter with a different architecture. In 1996 the first snow castle drew 300,000 visitors and today it remains a popular attraction. The Snow Castle is normally open from end of January till early/mid April, depending on the weather conditions.

Ranua - Ranua Wild Life Park

Ranua Wild Life Park is the northernmost zoo in the world located ca. 1.5 hours drive from Rovaniemi. Here it is possible to see Nordic and Arctic animals in their most natural environment possible around the year. The zoo has become one of the most attractive tourist attractions in Northern Finland.