Finland is a country I’ve already been to before. Helsinki is where I started and ended my three-day visa-free trip to Saint Petersburg, Russia. It was November, which was both magical and a mistake. This was during my semester abroad in Aarhus, Denmark in 2012. I’ve only seen Helsinki and Rovaniemi, so it’s about time for a revisit with more depth.
Things I’d Like to Do Next Time in Finland
- Hitchhike waaaay more; I only hitchhiked a taxi very shortly from the airport in Rovaniemi back in 2012. That’s not really enough to draw any conclusions
- Revisit Helsinki as a digital nomad. I’d also love to take ferries to/from Helsinki to other Baltic Sea countries, such as Estonia
- Speaking of ferries and boats, Finland has a lot of islands that seem exciting, perhaps in summer. I’m mostly looking at the Hermanni Islands nearby Oulu and other islands of the Bothnian Bay. The same goes for the Ekenäs Archipelago in the south. Of course, I should mention the Turku ferry that passes through the Turku Archipelago to the Åland Archipelago and the ferry from Vaasa to Sweden. And then there are the shared islands with Sweden: Inakari/Kataja and Märket
- Visit as many cool lighthouses as possible. For example, the one in Valsörarna (an Eiffel production), Bengtskär lighthouse (tallest in the Nordic countries), and Marjaniemi Lighthouse
- Travel in winter (again) and hitchhike across an ice road—an idea I’m absolutely obsessed with. In particular, I’m looking at the ice road to the island of Hailuoto. Also, perhaps it’s time to pick up skiing again or improve my shoddy ice skating skills. You know, make those sauna visits worth it!
- Learn more about Sámi cultures in the north around Inari. I’d love to experience the midnight sun in the remote Utsjoki region
- Enjoy the night sky and other astronomy things. There’s an observatory and a planetarium in Helsinki
- Dig deep into the Soviet history of Finland in places such as the Porkkala Peninsula and the Hanko Peninsula. Also, the statue of friendship between Leningrad and Turku and the Lenin Museum in Tampere stand out
- Admire architecture such as the Temppeliaukio Church, the Paimio Sanatorium, the brutalist Asemapäällikönhovi Building, and the Puijo Tower
- Enjoy natural spaces, such as the Torhola Cave and the Pihtsusköngäs waterfall
- Perhaps I’m too old for this now, but back in my student years, I really wanted to participate in the annual Kaljakellunta beer floating festival in July/August
- Speaking of floating, I think Finland is a perfect country for kayak trips. The longest river is the Kemijoki, which flows through the familiar city of Rovaniemi. But why do rivers if Finland is most famous for its many lakes? If you have some tips about several interconnected lakes, please comment below. So far, the most promising lake system is Iso-Kalla
- Do some urban exploring. The only abandoned airport I could find is Kannus Airfield (location)
- Enjoy trains, trams, the Turku funicular,
- If feeling up to the challenge, hike up Halti (1365masl), the highest point in Finland. However, it might be better to ascend from Norway. If not for hiking, I’d definitely want to visit that area, which is the remote Enontekiö panhandle
- In general, I’d love to go hiking. Perhaps the Finnish section of the European long-distance path E10 is doable
If you know cool places and things to do in Finland or if you are Finnish, comment at the bottom of this page so I can always find your suggestions again once I start plotting my return!
So you are a travel blogger and do you have good posts about Finland. Then drop them in a comment below and I’ll read them!
Accommodation in Finland: Where We Stayed between Kilpisjärvi and Turku
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Kayaking the Agger, Sieg, and Rhine – Zucchini’s Recertification River Trials for the Danube
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