Finland Travel Guide @ TravelNotes.org

Travel Notes: Europe: Finland Travel Notes

Finland tourist information with details about travel to and around the country. Where to stay and what to see is made easier with insider tips and hand-selected Finland links, by dedicated editors and visitors to TravelNotes.org - The Online Guide to Travel.

Suomi

Finland, called Suomi in Finnish, is a country with around 60,000 lakes, the largest of which are the Saimaa, Inari, and Päijänne. About 6,500 islands in the Baltic Sea also belong to Finland.

Countries neighbouring Finland are: Sweden, Norway and Russia, with Estonia across the Bay of Finland to the south.

About Finland

The official languages of Finland are Finnish, a  Finno-Ugric language, and Swedish.

The Swedish speakers are mainly on the Åland Islands and west-south-west districts.

Finland by Rail:
VR passenger services provide timetables and ticket prices for those wishing to see Finland by train.

Finland Festivals:
Search by art, location or date.

Finnair:
Air travel and transport information from the number one carrier to and from Finland.

Kajaani:
The Kainuu region is in the middle of Finland.

Virtual Finland:
Delve deeper into Finland's culture. Excellent resource.

Visit Finland:
The Land of the Midnight Sun - or long dark nights; depending on the time of year that you visit Finland.

Weather in Finland

View a graphical weather forecast for the week ahead in places around Finland.

Espoo Weather, Helsinki Weather, Jyvaskyla Weather, Kokkola Weather, Kuopio Weather, Oulu Weather, Pori Weather, Rauma Weather, Tampere Weather, Turku Weather, Vaasa Weather.

Helsinki

The capital of Finland since 1812 is also known as Helsingfors, in Swedish.

Helsinki was founded in 1550 by Gustav I Vasa, king of Sweden, on a site some distance inland from its present location, to which it was moved in 1640.

Helsinki was made the administrative capital of the Grand Duchy of Finland in 1812; then a part of the Russian Empire. The city became the capital of the Finnish Republic in 1917.

Helsinki has spacious streets and many gardens and parks. It is a pleasant city on a small peninsula extending into the Gulf of Finland, and was the site of the Summer Olympics in 1952.

The entrance to Helsinki harbour has been protected by the fortifications of Suomenlinna; on seven of the islands off the peninsula.

The port is icebound from January to May, except for one channel kept clear by an ice-breaker.

Virtual Helsinki Museum:
Familiarise yourself with the history of Helsinki with the aid of the fire inspector’s story and archaeological excavation results. The 3D model will give you a glimpse of how the city looked in 1805.

Accommodation in Helsinki

Hotels in Helsinki:
Find hotels in Helsinki with special online rates.

Sort Helsinki Hotels by: Hotel Price, Hotel Rating, Hotel Name.

Turku

Also called Åbo in Swedish, Turku is a port at the mouth of the Aurajoki River; in south-west Finland.

Turku was founded in 1157 by Eric IX; king of Sweden from 1150 to1160.

It was the capital of Finland until 1812, when the seat of government was moved to Helsinki.

Turku Sights:
What to see in the former capital of Finland.

The Kings Road:
Nothing to do with London, this is the road that Swedish Kings and Russian Czars travelled on between St. Petersburg and Stockholm.

Accommodation in Turku

Hotels in Turku:
Find hotels in Turku with special online rates.

Lahti

100 kilometres north of Finland's capital, Helsinki, the city of Lahti is the gateway to the Finnish lake district.

A town at the southern end of Vesijärvi Lake, in southern Finland. Lahti is famous for its winter sports facilities and annual ski events.

The nearby lake port of Vesijärvi, is the place to go for summer boat connections on Lake Päijänne.

Accommodation in Lahti

Hotels in Lahti:
Find hotels in Lahti with special online rates.

Oulu

Also called Uleåborg in Swedish, Oulu was founded by the Swedes in 1375, as a fortress against the Russians.

Oulu:
Oulu is on the northern part of the Baltic Sea, well known for its excellent network of cycle ways. Enjoy the panorama.

Accommodation in Oulu

Hotels in Oulu:
Find hotels in Oulu with special online rates.

Tampere

Also known as Tammerfors in Swedish, Tampere was founded in 1779. The city is in south-west Finland, on the rapids that connect Lakes Näsi and Pyhä.

Tampere is the third largest city in Finland and the largest inland centre in the Nordic countries.

Tampere Sights:
What to see and do in Scandinavia's largest inland city.

Accommodation in Tampere

Hotels in Tampere:
Find hotels in Tampere with special online rates.

Lapland

Most of Lapland is north of the Arctic Circle, and extends across the northern parts of Norway, Sweden, Finland, and the Kola Peninsula of Russia.

The highest point is Mount Kebnekaise (2,111 m), in Swedish Lapland.

The climate is arctic and vegetation is sparse, except in the densely forested southern portion.

Steamers operate on some of the lakes, and a few ports are ice-free throughout the year.

Most inhabitants of Lapland are Sami (Lapps or Laplanders), who speak a Finno-Ugric language also known as Sami.

The Sami live mostly in Norway, where they are called Finns and herd reindeer for food and clothing.

Rovaniemi, up in the arctic circle, is the capital of Lapland.

Accommodation in Rovaniemi

Hotels in Rovaniemi:
Find hotels in Rovaniemi with special online rates.

Getting Around Finland

Car Rental Bevari:
The office is located in downtown Tikkurila, with service at Helsinki-Vantaa Airport. Beware of the kilometre surcharges and consider the unlimited package if you're going to be driving a lot in Finland.

The Åland Islands

The Aland Islands (situated in the Baltic Sea between Sweden and Finland) form an autonomous, demilitarised, Swedish-speaking province of Finland.

Getting to Aland

You can fly to the islands from Helsinki or Stockholm and there are several boat connections from both Sweden and Finland.

Eckerö Linjen:
Ferries passengers from Grisslehamn (2 hrs by bus from Stockholm) to Eckerö (45 minutes by bus from Mariehamn) in only two hours; all year round.

Silja Line:
Sails Turku-Åland-Stockholm, Helsinki-Åland-Stockholm, Helsinki-Tallinn-Rostock and Helsinki-St. Petersburg.

Viking Line:
The Åland Islands can be reached from Turku or Helsinki (timetable) on the Finnish mainland and from Stockholm or Kapellskär, in Sweden.

About Aland

Åland in Brief:
Of the 6,500 islands only 65 are inhabited, with over 90% of the population living on the Main Island (Fasta Åland).

Go Aland:
The most interesting and complete tourist guide to The Aland Islands, that we've come across.

Mariehamn:
Mariehamn is a carefree summer town with two large marinas and many hotels and restaurants, most within walking distance. It is also the seat of the highest administration of autonomous Åland.

Visiting Aland

Go Aland:
Whether it’s a mini-vacation for two or a conference for 200, the people at Ålands Turist & Konferens will help plan your Ålandic visit the way you want it.

Alandic Tours:
Tours run from May to September and cost around 3,200 Euro per person ($2,900) for an all-inclusive week. Small group sizes (8 guests) ensure a richer and more genuine experience with everything from the hotel in Mariehamn and specially selected restaurants, to the nature walks and carefully chosen activities, are first class -- the best the islands have to offer.

Hotel Arkipelag:
Åland's leading hotel, situated right in the heart of Mariehamn with a beautiful sea view both the rooms, the conference area and the restaurant.

Kasnäs Sailing:
Expeditions in the Baltic Sea aboard traditional sailing schooners - the Linden and Inga.

Finland Travel Guides

More detailed travel destination information for:

Helsinki.

Books on Finland Travel:
Browse Amazon's best-selling list of books on travel in Finland.