Summer and Winter Holidays in Finland
Finland’s Forests and Lakes Make It Ideal for an Outdoor Holiday
Nov 4, 2009
A winter holiday in Finland is perfect for hardy skiers or those who want to see Father Christmas. But summer is different as visitors can enjoy quiet pursuits like walking, bird-watching or fishing, or enjoy a taste of adventure like mountain-biking, canoeing or white-water rafting.
Summer and Winter Holidays in Finland
During the Finnish winter the days are short and the ice on the lakes can be over a metre thick. Even the capital, Helsinki, at the southern tip has only about five hours of daylight.
But in summer, thanks to the Gulf Stream’s warming breezes, Finland’s weather is similar to Britain’s except that the nights are very short. In the most northern part, Lapland, the sun does not set at all from mid-May to the end of July and there is even a 24-hour golf course.
Holiday Accommodation and Saunas in Finland
Standards of holiday accommodation in Finland are high, especially in the log cabin ‘cottages’ dotted through the countryside. Sturdily built to withstand the harsh winter conditions, they are often large and luxuriously equipped.
Saunas, an important feature of Finnish life, are everywhere. Most houses have one and people use them at least once a week. The most exhilarating saunas are those beside lakes where a session ends with a quick naked swim to cool off.
Helsinki is Finland’s Capital
Helsinki, the capital of Finland, is a lively city. Surrounded on three sides by the sea, it is one of Europe’s smallest capitals but has excellent shops, lively terrace cafes and an efficient network of green and yellow trams.
However none of the buildings is old, as the city was almost completely destroyed by fire in 1808. The presidential palace and lofty Uspenski cathedral were both built soon afterwards.
Temppeliaukio Church and the Sibelius Monument in Helsinki
Two of the other main sights date back only as far as the 1960s, the Temppeliaukio church, a circular building cut out of a huge rock, and the Sibelius monument, a 10-metre high cluster of 600 vertical stainless-steel pipes designed to depict the expanses of trees and water that inspired his music.
A shapely nymph, the city’s symbol, gazes out to sea from the top of a fountain in the cobbled square beside the harbour. Originally facing inland, she was turned round after complaints that she was too voluptuous to look at. From the harbour, there are frequent ferry services from Stockholm, St Petersburg and Tallinn, as well as tourist trips to nearby islands.
Food and Wood
Each morning colourful food stalls fill the square, followed by an afternoon craft market which includes many wooden items. With so many trees, wood is used extensively throughout Finland. Indeed one of the first sights to strike visitors on arrival at Helsinki airport is its shiny parquet floor.
From the harbour, there are frequent ferry services from Stockholm, St Petersburg and Tallinn, as well as tourist trips to nearby islands.
Eating Reindeer
In restaurants, Finnish specialities include creamy mushroom soup, fish and reindeer which tastes rather like tongue.
Beer is sold in three strengths and berry liqueurs are popular, often knocked back in a single gulp from a small wooden cup.
So Finland certainly offers the visitor plenty of variety, summer or winter.
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