Finland is alive with culture, outdoor activities, lush landscapes, and the midnight sun. There are heaps of arts festivals, sporting events, and a balanced mix of small-town life and modern cities. Common sense, no fuss, and making things work, sums up how the Finns operate. Spending time in the sauna is a national pastime. Finns love the outdoors and spend much of their time skiing, hiking, and even sailing. Finnish and Swedish are both official languages, and the Finns like to preserve their culture, which is what makes Finland so unique. The Finns are also considered to be cool – a bit quiet and reserved. However, they are actually warm, friendly, hospitable and especially honest people once you get to know them.
You can visit Santa Claus in his house in Lapland, eat salt licorice, compete in or watch events from wife carrying to swamp football, take a dip in a hole in the ice, ride with reindeer and huskies – the list is endless! Believe it or not, Finns also have a brimming social life with hundreds of art festivals and a balanced mix of small-town life with modern cities. The nation’s capital, Helsinki, has no high-rise buildings, so it retains its 19th century small-town charm while being a fully modern city. From numerous rock, jazz, opera and folk festivals to chamber music and theater events, there’s always a party going on. Of course, you already know the sun never sets…