Every year about 8 million people vacation in Finland, who have heard such names of cities as Helsinki, Turku, Porvoo, Kuopio, Tampere. Are you interested in the answer to the question "What to see in Finland?" Pay attention to Finnish lakes, fortresses, city streets with neoclassical architecture.
Holiday season in Finland
Holidays in Finland should be allocated December-March (it will be possible to see the Northern Lights, steam in the Finnish sauna, recover on a snowmobile safari, pamper yourself with winter fishing, meet Santa Claus in Lapland) and June-August (spending time in ecologically clean areas and lakes).
July-August in Finland is notable for the opera festival in this country (Savonlinna), the 4-day “Sea Festival” (Kotka), the chamber music festival (Kuhmo), the 10-day folklore festival “Yutajset” (Rovaniemi).
As for the ski season, it falls in November-April.
Top 15 places of interest in Finland
Lake Saimaa
The largest Finnish lake is home to salmon, Saimaa seal, white-finned gudgeon (fishing here is year-round, but it is advisable to purchase a special license in any post office or travel agency for 12 euros / day or 24 euros / week), and the shores of the Saimaa are famous for deposits of asbestos. Those who decide to relax on Lake Saimaa will be able to see the Olavinlinna fortress (opera festivals are held there), swim in the clear waters of the lake, canoe or kayak, rent a cottage, and take a lake safari for a seal.
Sveaborg fortress
Sveaborg fortress
The Sveaborg Fortress is a bastion fortification on the islands near Helsinki. On the territory of the fortress there are:
- museums (Customs Museum, Toy Museum, Suomenlinna Museum, War Museum, Vesikko Submarine);
- a men's prison (convicted of minor offenses pay for their maintenance by working on the main island of Suomenlinna and in Helsinki);
- Hostel Hostel Suomenlinna;
- cafes and restaurants (Café Vanille, Suomenlinna Brewery, Café Chapman, Café Piper);
- artillery pieces.
JT-Line ferries run between the fortress and the Finnish capital from 6 a.m. to 2 a.m. (tourists spend 15 minutes on the way; a round-trip ticket costs 7 euros).
Moomin Valley
A small train will take everyone to the Moomin Valley in Naantali. Children will be delighted with slides, swings, towers and wooden houses.
Visitors will see the tower with Moomin-papa and Moomin-mama living there, walk along the route paths along which the characters of Tove Jansson's books walk, attend performances (they are staged on the stage of a small theater), satisfy hunger in the Moomin-mama restaurant, learn about everything what happens in the Valley from local newspapers, will acquire T-shirts, pendants, bracelets and other souvenirs with the image of the Moomin Trolls. The 3-storey mansion (Moomin's house), equipped with a cellar, rooms, and a kitchen, deserves special attention.
The entrance ticket will cost 28 euros / day.
Abo Castle
Abo Castle
The equipment of the Abo castle (a landmark of Turku), reminiscent of a square with 5-meter walls, is represented by a historical museum (everyone will see coins, medals, weapons and medieval toys), a cafe-restaurant (on weekends, visitors are pampered with medieval feasts), Renaissance halls (they can be rent for celebrations, conferences and meetings), a chapel (often weddings are held here), the duke's chambers, sculptures of the 16th century, prison cells.
It will be possible to visit the Abo castle from 10:00 (on Tuesdays-Sundays) -12: 00 (on Wednesdays) to 18: 00-20: 00 for 8 euros (the cost of a child ticket is 4.5 euros).
Veijo Rönkkönen Sculpture Park
The sculpture park is located in the village of Koitsanlahti (50 km to Imatra). The Mystic Forest is famous for its concrete caricatured figures, namely more than 500 creations by the Finnish sculptor Vejjo Rönkkönen. In the yoga park, you can see over 200 figures in the form of animals, people and heroes of legends in strange poses.
It is advisable to visit the sculpture park in spring and autumn. You should not go here with children, pregnant women and mentally unstable people in order to avoid their torment from nightmares.
Santa park
Santa park
Santa Park is located 8 km from Rovaniemi, which can be reached in 15 minutes by bus number 8. Guests of Santa Park graduate from elf school (here they learn how to bake gingerbread, cook mulled wine, master the art of calligraphy) and at the end of their studies they receive a real diploma. spend time at the Angry Birds playground (slingshot shooting), meet Santa Claus (there is his office in the park), visit the Ice Gallery (here you can admire ice sculptures and taste refreshments in the Ice Bar), satisfy hunger in a cafe “Kota”, receive a certificate confirming their crossing of the polar circle.
An adult ticket costs 33 euros, and a child ticket (3-12 years old) costs 27 euros.
Church in the rock
The Temppeliaukio Lutheran Church is carved into the rock, and natural light enters there thanks to the existing glass dome. Since the church is famous for its excellent acoustics, organ, classical and even metal concerts are often held there. The church has an organ with 3001 pipes and 54 registers, and there are no domes (the bell ringing is recorded and "pours" from the loudspeakers).
Aquarium "Maretarium"
More than 60 species of inhabitants of the Baltic, Finnish rivers and lakes live in the “Maretarium” in Kotka. There are themed aquariums (22), and in the center there is a 7 m deep pool with representatives of the Baltic Sea floating there. In each of the aquariums, the seasons are artificially changed, lighting and water temperature change.
Every day in the summer months in the “Maretarium” at 15:00 you will be able to visit underwater fish feeding (in other months - three times a week), thematic exhibitions (the venue is the Maritime Theater), nature studies master classes (focused on children).
An adult ticket costs 12 euros, and a child ticket (4-15 years old) - 6 euros. Pensioners and students will pay 9.50 euros for admission.
Lappeenranta Fortress
The barracks of the Lappeenranta fortress became shops, and the warehouses became museums. Tourists should pay attention to the art (in the museum's exposition - works of Finnish and Karelian masters) and Local Lore Museums of South Karelia (folk costumes are exhibited here), the Church of the Intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary (famous for the iconostasis of the 19th century and the bell of 1905 hanging at the entrance to the temple, the decoration of which are ornaments and relief inscriptions), craft shops, restaurants and souvenir shops.
And also the fortress of Lappeenranta (a ticket in September-May will cost 8, 50 euros, and in June-August - 4, 50 euros) - a site for festivals and city events.
Lutheran Cathedral in Kotka
Lutheran Cathedral in Kotka
The red brick cathedral in Kotka is a reflection of the neo-Gothic style with elements of Art Nouveau and Finnish national romanticism. It can accommodate over 1,500 people. Near the temple there is a monument to the Remaining in Karelia and a monument in honor of those who fell during the Soviet-Finnish war. The cathedral is famous for one of the finest organs in Finland (baroque style), the altar icon "Adoration of the Magi" (it depicts the baby Jesus), rosette windows and stained-glass windows.
The Lutheran Cathedral is the venue for music concerts and, at the end of November, for Organ Music Week.
Museum "Karelian House"
In the Karelian House Museum, located on the banks of the Vuoksa River, guests will see household items of Karelian peasants, sketches and paintings (those who examine them will be able to learn about the traditions and way of life of the peoples who inhabited this area), original buildings and houses (11), stylized as Karelian village of the 19th century.
The museum (entrance ticket price - 1-2 euros) is open to the public in May-August from 10 am to 6 pm (closed on Monday).
Sirmakko reindeer farm
At the Sirmakko reindeer farm in Rovaniemi, everyone will see reindeer, see how to properly care for these animals, and even be able to hand feed reindeer cubs (for this purpose, guests will be given reindeer moss). The main entertainment on the farm is a 5-6-hour ride in a sleigh pulled by reindeer (visitors will be taught how to give commands to them) through the snowy distances. In addition, as part of the tour, guests are treated to pancakes and spiced milk coffee, as well as dedicated to the Lapps. It is worth noting that the farm has a souvenir shop (there is a trade in things that reflect the symbols of the farm), a small house (you can rent it), and a banquet hall.
The farm is open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and tickets cost 110 euros (the cost of a child ticket is 55 euros).
Monument to Sibelius
Monument to Sibelius
The monument was erected in honor of the Finnish composer Jan Sibelius in the picturesque park of the same name in Helsinki and is an ensemble of 600 organ pipes (made of copper) welded together. A melody is extracted from these pipes when the wind blows. And next to the monument you can take a picture against the background of the sculptural portrait of Sibelius.
Trams No. 2, 4, 8, 7A, 10, 4T and buses No. 18, 14, 18N, 24, 39, 39B go to the Sibelius monument.
Seurasaari
Seurasaari is a museum island in the Finnish capital, where bus number 24 goes (the journey will take half an hour). The equipment of the island is represented by a cafe, a summer restaurant, a recreation area, 2 beaches, in particular, a nudist one. In December, the holiday “Christmas trail” is organized here, and in other months - excursions, subbotniks and other events.
The museum (entrance fee - 9 euros / summer and 6 euros / May and September) is open to the public in May-September, and here you can see the Karuna church, meet squirrels, raccoon dogs, rabbits, geese, mute swans, and visit summer plays (staged by the theater troupe "Palkolliset"). A walk along the forest paths will allow you to see old wooden buildings (houses, sheds, mills).
Fort Ekaterina in Kotka
Today, from the fort “Ekaterina”, located in the area of the marine park, there is a battery, a powder magazine and fortifications (explanatory plates in 3 languages are installed next to them). Everyone who is looking for solitude with nature and silence rushes here. On the territory of the fort there is a playground for children (equipped with swings and horizontal bars), a stylized “Labyrinth of Thoughts”, a ramp for skateboarders, “Anchor Island” (an anchor belonging to a 19th century sailboat is installed here), picnic areas.
It makes sense to visit the fort "Ekaterina" in May-June during the flowering of lilies of the valley.
