Cottage life in Finland can be totally different depending on the location. We listed some stunning cottages and villas that offer unforgettable experiences for your holiday in Finland.

Holiday on an Island – Enjoy the Fresh Air of the Sea

Finland is often said to be the Land of a Thousand Lakes, but there are plenty of islands, too! Renting a cottage in one of the 180,000 islands gives a good chance to get away from everyday life.

Finland, known also as the Land of a Thousand Lakes, is famous for its natural beauty and quiet landscapes. While the natural surroundings serve as a playground for many holiday activities, the cities and towns offer many interesting cultural attractions. Finnish photographer Juha Kalaoja shares his list of ten most beautiful landscapes in Finland. 

10. Porvoo Old Town

Photograph: VisitFinland

The Old Town of Porvoo is famous for its colorful buildings and its maze of streets which date back to the Middle Ages. Even if the town has suffered many devastating fires during the past centuries, the original atmosphere is still present in the area. Nowadays, Old Porvoo attracts a lot of visitors from all over the world, and it is no wonder – the town is astonishingly beautiful both in summer and in winter.

Text and photos: Marjaana Tasala

This year 2017 is very special to us Finns, because our beloved home country is turning respectably 100 years old! There have already been all kinds of celebrations going on through Finland, but one major occasion worth mentioning is the newest addition to Finnish National Parks – Hossa. Oh Hossa, a true paradise for anyone keen on pristine northern wilderness. Its clear waters lure you to hop on your kayak and enjoy the peaceful stillness. Its meandering paths through wild green forests and rugged rocks invite you to a nature adventure you will never forget.

Fascinating nature attractions with diverse wildlife

Imagine a mystical landscape full of ridges formed by Ice Age glaciers, and a mosaic dotted by over a hundred crystal clear lakes and ponds. Some of them might be the most clear ones you have ever seen! Like Lake Öllöri, which is situated next to Hossa Visitor Centre. Or narrow Muikkupuro Stream, which campfire site is one of the most attractive places to have a well deserved break between your hiking or paddling trip through Hossa National Park.

The Archipelago Trail is a 250 km long sea route that allows you to visit the beautiful Finnish archipelago even if you don’t know anything about sailing or boating. Today, The Archipelago Trail, or the Ring Road, is one of the country’s most popular tourist routes, which attracts around 20,000 tourists annually.

Photographer: Juha Kalaoja

The ring road can be travelled either by car, bicycle or motocycle. If you’re feeling lucky, you can even try hitchhiking! Whatever the mode of transport, there are plenty of interesting cultural attractions which are worth exploring along the beautiful trail.

The whole Archipelago Trail can be accessed only in the summertime, as the ferry crossing between Houtskar and Iniö operates from the beginning of June to the end of August. If you haven’t got enough time for the whole ring road, the Small Archipelago Trail offers an alternative way to explore the archipelago along its 100 km long route.

To get you started, we listed some of the most interesting stopping points in the archipelago.

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Salla – in the middle of nowhere, as their official slogan goes – is a heaven for the peace-loving traveler. Whether you’re traveling alone or with children, winter or summer, you will find lots of places to see, things to experience and history to discover.

Text and photos: Laura Rumbin

In the south of Finnish Lapland lies the small village of Salla. Salla is most known from its Ski Resort, which is no wonder: Salla is actually the place where skiing was born in Finland. The first downhill skiing and slalom competitions were held in Salla’s sister fells Sallatunturi, Välitunturi and Rohmoiva in 1937, but there is even older evidence of skiing in Salla. The world’s eldest ski, that has been tracked all the way to the Stone Age, has been found in Salla!

Photos: Visit Finland Media Bank

Each year, an independent market research company Taloustutkimus carries out a study revealing the best travel destinations in Finland. In 2017, almost 4,000 Finnish people took part in the research expressing their opinion of which cities, towns and municipalities they think to have the most impressive brand regarding travel and tourism.

You might think the Finnish capital city Helsinki would overpower the list year after year. Surprisingly, this is not the case. Helsinki is included in the top 4, but what would you think; Which 3 Finnish towns rank better than the capital?

Let’s find out which destinations are included in the top 10 and what they have to offer for travellers! Perhaps you’ll find your next travel destination in this list. Almost 4,000 Finns can’t be wrong, can they?

In Finland it’s very easy to arrange adventurous excursions and experiences, even for a short visit. Wild nature is near everywhere you go, even in the capital city Helsinki.

Helsinki is also a popular stopover destination especially when flying between Asia and Europe. As you might guess, the capital offers plenty of things to do, even if you had only a few hours in the city.

Planning a trip with a stopover in Helsinki is getting so popular these days that Finland’s leading airline Finnair created its own stopover program for international travelers. You can spend up to 5 days in Finland before your connecting flight, but how to decide how to spend those stopover days?

The easy way is to book tailored tours, when your tour operator will take care of the transport between the airport and your stopover destinations as well. Adventurous travelers might want to plan an unforgettable stopover in Helsinki all by themselves.

Are you one of them? Read on, because we have some suggestions how to plan an unforgettable stopover in Helsinki with 4 interesting itineraries for adventurous and outdoorsy travelers.

The last few months of 2016 were pure celebration for Finland; Many international hot stream medias highlighted Finland in their headlines trying to convince travelers all over the world that Finland truly is the top destination for 2017.

It all started when Lonely Planet listed Finland as the 3rd best travel destination in the whole world. Soon after also National Geographic and Financial Times, among others, followed Lonely Planet’s example.

There’s no doubt we wouldn’t agree with the headlines, but at the same time a rumor started to go around stating Finland, and especially Lapland, being fully booked in 2017. While the hotels are busy with tourists, there are thousands and thousands of empty cottages available for holiday rental throughout the country.

Therefore we want to present 6 outstanding beach cabins in Finland where to stay during your visit. After all, you’ll get the best feeling for the Finnish way of living if you choose a cottage over a hotel.

Christmas is right around the corner and we all need to take a short break from the festive preparations. Exploring Finnish Christmas markets is a great way to share warm moments with your loved ones, discovering some of the most typical Finnish treats and unique local handicrafts.

But where to find these Finnish Christmas Markets to bring back home some of the most unique hand-made gifts?

Finland is often referred to as a true Winter Wonderland – for a good reason. In Finnish Lapland the winter lasts 7 months on average. For the majority of international travelers, snow itself is an attraction and a reason to travel to Finland.

For decades many winter destinations in Finland have lifted the snowy experiences up a notch: Each winter, dozens of unique structures are built out of snow and ice all over the country, from the world’s largest snow castle to wedding chapels, ice restaurants and even saunas.

This winter, to celebrate Finland’s 100th birthday, the very first Cave Ice Carving World Championships will be organized in the municipality of Leppävirta in the Finnish lakeland. The contest will bring along even more unique ice sculptures for travelers to admire.

Let’s have a closer look at the unique winter destinations in Finland, with the most amazing structures built of snow and ice, shall we!