Things to do in Finland
The clear, inland air of Finnish Lapland makes it one of the best places in the world to witness nature's most awesome light display.![]()
Northern Lights
'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.
Our Finland Holidays
Finland Northern Lights holiday, Wilderness Auroras
Winter activities & Aurora hunting in Finland
From
£1785 to £2345
5 days
inc UK flights
Cross-country skiing holiday in Finland's eastern wilderness
Guided country skiing holiday through remote eastern Finland
From
€1075
7 days
ex flights
Finland wildlife short break
Bear, wolverine and elk widlife short break in Finland
From
€750 to €780
5 days
ex flights
Finland winter activity holiday & Northern Lights
Discover this Finnish winter activity wilderness week
From
£2449 to £2949
8 days
inc UK flights
Winter holiday in Finnish Lapland
Log fires, lakeside trails and a range of winter activities
From
£2235 to £2895
8 days
inc UK flights
Northern Lights family holiday, tailor made
A mix of Lapland family activities and a relaxing spa hotel
From
£1675 to £2010
4 days
inc UK flights
Husky safari
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.
Moose, arctic foxes, lynx, wolves and even brown bears still roam the Finnish forests. And did you know that wolverines exist?!![]()
Arctic wildlife
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!
Our top Finland Holiday
Finland Northern Lights holiday, Wilderness Auroras
Winter activities & Aurora hunting in Finland
From
£1785 to £2345
5 days
inc UK flights
Small group travel:
2022: 28 Nov, 5 Dec, 12 Dec, 19 Dec, 26 Dec
2023: 2 Jan, 9 Jan, 15 Jan, 23 Jan, 30 Jan, 6 Feb, 13 Feb, 20 Feb, 27 Feb, 6 Mar, 13 Mar, 20 Mar
2022: 28 Nov, 5 Dec, 12 Dec, 19 Dec, 26 Dec
2023: 2 Jan, 9 Jan, 15 Jan, 23 Jan, 30 Jan, 6 Feb, 13 Feb, 20 Feb, 27 Feb, 6 Mar, 13 Mar, 20 Mar
Travel Team
If you'd like to chat about Finland or need help finding a holiday to suit you we're very happy to help.
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Sauna
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.”
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.”
More about Finland
Our Finland travel guide lets you into long and light summer days, for trekking and kayaking, as well as Northern Lights watching, snowshoeing and cross country skiing in the snow covered, darker months of winter.
The best time to visit Finland depends on what you wish to do as winter is ideal for dog sledding and winter sports whereas the arrival of spring in May sees the sun making a return prior to the long hot summer days.
Click on our interactive Finland map and highlights to discover some of the best places to visit in both summer and winter, whether you're seeking wolverines, wild bears, snowshoeing, Santa or Sami hospitality.
If you’re looking to put a bit of colour into the darker depths of winter there’s no better place to start than Finland and if you’re also looking for more info on the best time to go then read as you keep watching the skies.
From snow shoeing and cross country skiing to husky safaris, Northern Lights and warming fires, Finland in the winter abounds with things to do so slip on your woolly socks, grab a glass of Glögi and read on for more info.
There’s no more exhilarating and rewarding way to discover the snowy Finnish wilderness other than on a husky safari, with a team of dogs pulling you through pure white landscapes and across vast frozen lakes.
Finns grow up learning about jokamiehenoikeus: every man’s right to roam. The Finnish landscape is everyone’s, including yours, to explore and forage – so long as you do so carefully.
You don’t need to travel to Alaska to see brown bears; the Wild Taiga region of Finland is home to these fascinating creatures and a supporting cast of other animals, too, from wolves and wolverine to elk and reindeer.
Travelling in Finland with kids is a wonderful experience for families of any age, with snowshoeing and canoeing on the cards for older children, and snowmen, sledging and reindeer-nuzzling delights for younger ones.
If you think that Lapland is just about snow and Santa then think again as summer holidays in Finland help to create a far more accessible and affordable outdoor experience. including self-drive tours and hiking holidays.
Rail holidays in Finland are far more relaxing than driving. They also encourage an element of destination-hopping, so you will be able to visit Oulu and Kemi instead of heading straight to busy Rovaniemi in Lapland.
Although traditionally semi nomadic reindeer herders, the Sámi are adapting to a changing world with responsible tourism playing a role in keeping alive the languages, music and folklore tales from around the Arctic Circle.
Holidays in Finland don’t have to mean Santa. You could exercise huskies in autumn to help them get fit for sledding season or visit the country in summer, when far fewer people think to come, and try holidaying like a Finn in a log cabin.
The first eSleds have made their debut in Finland, and in the responsible travel stakes, electric beats traditional snowmobiles hands-down, but how can you make sure your snowmobile safari is good for Finnish Lapland?
Finns prize privacy and remoteness above all else, and many choose to holiday in their home country, fleeing to their family cabins in search of solitude. Just like Finns, honeymooners appreciate a bit of alone time – just replace that family cabin with a place for two.
Our specialist holiday companies and travellers have shared their Finland travel advice on everything from cross country skiing and the best time to see wildlife, to packing for the cold and eating locally sourced food.
If you fancy fat biking in Oulanka National Park, these mountain bikes with big chunky tyres are a great way to enjoy some Arctic exercise and have fun as part of a small guided group without damaging the environment.
When you stay in a log cabin in Finland, you’re often staying in a family’s second home – sauna, open fire and a cupboardful of kayaks and snowshoes included.
Helsinki is the cool capital of Finland – a southerly peninsula city surrounded by lakes, islands and forest parks.
It's hard to go wrong when travelling in this nature loving nation but there are a few things to be aware of including hunting, Sami rights and huskies vs snowmobiles; read our thoughts on responsible tourism in Finland.
Find all our Finland guides in one place, from Husky safaris to the Northern Lights and everything in between.
