Things to do in Finland

'Aurora alarms', remote lakeside huts and monitoring software all increase your chances of seeing the lights. You can toast marshmallows and hear aurora myths from local guides as you wait by the fire long into the Arctic night for the colours to creep across the sky. It's no wonder the Northern Lights are top of the bucket list for many.

The Arctic winter is magical – and how better to experience it than on a husky-pulled sleigh, gliding through the Christmas card scenery with only the padding of paws and the swishing of the sled runners to break the snowy silence. Husky sledding tours can cover anything from a couple of kilometres to a couple of hundred, travelled over a week. This is when you really immerse yourself in local life – you'll harness your own team of four or six dogs, prepare their food, settle them for the night – and you might even be allowed to snuggle one in your cabin! You'll wake in the morning to their excited barks – huskies love their jobs and are always eager to get out on the trail. Be careful; emotional goodbyes are guaranteed.

You don’t have to leave Europe to find yourself in a wildlife filled wilderness. Some creatures can be seen as you travel with cross-country skis or huskies; others, such as wolverines and bears, require specialist guides. But don’t worry – you’ll be in a hide for the bear watching!

Finns are fanatical about the sauna; there are 1.6 million saunas for a population of 5 million. Electrical stoves are often used to heat the stones, but more traditional varieties heat them with wood stoves, filling the sauna with smoke over a long period. The smoke is then released through a chimney before the sauna is used – connoisseurs claim this to be the best experience, and we highly recommend you try this if you get the chance.

Aki Käräjäoja, of our supplier Routa Travel, explains one of his favourite things to do in Finland: "Sauna is really important in our culture. Some tourists think it’s weird, especially when it’s -20, -30 outside. You can roll in the snow afterwards, or – if you’re on a lake – make a hole in the ice for a small refreshing swim! But there is no one way to do this – if you just want to sprinkle cold water on yourself then that’s already enough. Sauna is a place where everyone is equal and you lose your titles. It is said that it washes both your body and your soul, and I really believe this."