Welcome to Finland Travel Club!  Finland (Suomi, Finnland, Finlande, Finlandia) is the home country of sauna, Sibelius and Santa Claus. We have about 2 million saunas and only 5 million people in Finland! The Moomins are Finnish, too. Helsinki is the capital of Finland but there are also very many other interesting cities and municipalities in Finland, e.g. Tampere - the biggest inland city in Scandinavia. There are 187 888 lakes, 179 584 islands, 5 100 rapids and 450 600 summer cottages in Finland. Saimaa is the biggest lake area in Europe. Finnish nature is extremely beautiful, especially in Lapland (wonderful fells i.e. arctic treeless mountains, 200 000 reindeer, the midnight sun during summer and the Northern Lights - Aurora Borealis - during winter). Watch live Finnish bird box cameras and you could see birds nesting or overnighting in bird boxes: Bird Box Cam, Bird Box Cam 2. Check also golden eagle online cameras: Golden eagle 1, Golden eagle 2, Golden eagle 3. Look at these Finnish nature cameras too: Natureit. See also other live webcams and a multimedia by Helsingin Sanomat Newspaper about Four Seasons in Finland (click "Aloita esitys" in the bottom of the page). The archipelago of Turku is said to be the most beautiful one in the whole world. The island group between the Finnish mainland, Åland islands and the Swedish mainland is the largest archipelago (90 000 islands!) in the world. There are more islands and islets than people there! Groups (min. 8 persons) may stay overnight in Herrankukkaro (an archipelago holiday village in Rymättylä, Turku). It is possible to sleep in a luxurious bird-box (a sea view), in nature, in sauna or in many kind of cottages there. We have many specialities: the biggest snow castle in the world, the largest wooden church in the world and the biggest indoor aqua park in Europe etc. You can even try kick sledding also in the summer on a track made in a Finnish primary rock. The airport of Helsinki-Vantaa has been selected as the best airport in the world. Our luxurious boats cruising from Helsinki and Turku to Stockholm are the best ones on the Baltic. Bengtskär Lighthouse is Scandinavia's highest (52 meters) lighthouse. It was built in 1906 and it is the first lighthouse museum in Finland. You may stay overnight in the old home of the lighthouse keeper! All the rooms have a sea view. Remember also other interesting attractions. Kristina Cruises (the Czar's Route from the world's most beautiful archipelago to the blue Lake Saimaa) got the first prize of "Scandinavian Travel Award 2004 by German specialists, the Best Travel Product in Scandinavia" and Hotel & Igloo Village Kakslauttanen in Finnish Lapland got the third prize. In Kakslauttanen you can stay in a glass igloo and you see the northern lights or the midnight sun from your own bed. These igloos are very warm and they have motored beds. Hotel & Igloo Village Kakslauttanen has snow and ice igloos, an ice bar, an ice gallery and a snow chapel, too (in winter of course). Read also about other interesting accommodation possibilities. We especially recommend spa hotels. Most of them have large indoor swimming pool departments, massaging showers, waterslides, saunas, steam rooms, outdoor pools and special pools for children. Usually all these activities are included in the room price which isn't higher than in other hotels. Other activities and health spa treatments are optional. There are many exotic and unique events in Finland: Wife Carrying World Championships, Sauna Bathing World Championships, Swamp Soccer World Championships, Aquajogging World Championships, Santa Claus Reindeer City Race, Santa's Midnight Sun Marathon, Midnight Sun Film Festival, Mobile Phone Throwing World Championships, Karaoke's World Championships, Kicksled World Championships etc. Finnish women were 2nd in the world to gain the right to vote in 1906. President Tarja Halonen is a woman, too. Welcome to Finland, a modern country with long cultural traditions. You will enjoy your trip and you will remember it for your whole life. Tips and details on the left. We answer all questions about Finland for free and personally both for members and non members. Contact us: finlandia@netti.fi . If you want to get answers from other travelers you may add your question on our Message Board. Click here to see our mirror site Finland Travel Facts, please. ACTUAL: Finland Summer Trivia by MEK |
