planning a trip to
Finland
Here is what you need to know: Finland Travel Guide
Finland is one of the Scandinavian countries. It is the latest of the northern countries before Russia. It is also bordering the Baltic Sea and that’s the reason we first visited it. On a road trip in the Baltic States, we made a one-day trip to Helsinki.
But Finland has much more to offer. Its northern region is wild and magnificent but also super-duper cool in winter.
About
Finland has a population of about 5.5 million people over 338 455km². Its capital and largest city is Helsinki.
Finland is bordered by Sweden to the northwest, Norway to the north, and Russia to the east, with the Gulf of Bothnia to the west and the Gulf of Finland across Estonia to the south
Finland was first inhabited around 9000 BC after the Last Glacial Period. The Stone Age introduced several different ceramic styles and cultures. The Bronze Age and Iron Age were characterized by extensive contacts with other cultures.
The blue colouring is said to represent the country’s thousands of lakes and the sky, with white for the snow that covers the land in winter. This colour combination has also been used over the centuries in various Finnish provincial, military, and town flags
Finland is the world’s happiest country
The Nordic countries consistently rank at the top of the UN’s annual World Happiness Report. But in 2020, Finland was named first!
The rankings take into account many factors. Life expectancy, freedom to make life choices, economic strength, generosity, social support from friends, perceived corruption, and views of the survey respondents.
Finns are the world’s biggest coffee drinkers
Most people would think Europe’s coffee capital would be Italy or France. But no, it’s the Finns that consume more coffee per capita than any other country in not just Europe, but the world.
The Finnish language is totally different from the Scandinavian languages
Although Finland is in Scandinavia, the country’s language shares nothing in common with its Scandinavian friends. Finnish is part of the Uralic language family, of which Hungarian is the closest relation.
What to expect?
Language: The official language is Finnish. But English can get you around without any problem as the Scandinavic countries are some of the best English speaker.
Food: Many traditional dishes can be found. And it resolves mostly around fish and Rein deers. But all type of options can be found.
Transportation: It is super easy to travel around. Train is the best option. But buses are also a good option. And planes in between the main cities or long distances.
Money: The currency in Finland is the Euro.
Plugs: The plugs in Finland are type F. The standard voltage is 220V with a frequency of 50hz. Same as the rest of Europe
Safety: Finland isn’t just the happiest place in the world; it’s also one of the safest countries to live or travel in. Comparatively, crime rates are low
Finland Travel Guide
