Travel

 
Finland is a country that boasts more lakes than any other and is full of natural beauty, unique cultural treasures and historic locations.

The Finland you encounter will depend on the season of your visit, but whatever the month, the call of the wilderness is a siren song not to be resisted. There’s something pure in the Finnish air and spirit that’s really vital and exciting; it’s an invitation to get out and active year-round. A fabulous network of national parks has well-marked routes and regularly spaced huts for overnighting. There are bears deep in the eastern forests, where you can watch them on nature-watching trips.

Summer Days
Finland’s short but reliable sunny season sees the country burst into life. Finns seem to want to suck every last golden drop out of the summer in the hope that it will last them through the long dark winter months, and there’s an explosion of good cheer and optimism. It’s a time for music festivals, art exhibitions, lake cruises, midnight sunshine on convivial beer terraces, lazy days at remote waterside cottages and mouth-watering market produce.

After the Snow
Winter has a special charm. The best way to banish those frosty subzero temperatures is to get out and active.

• There is great skiing until May.
• Or you could charter a team of dogs, a posse of reindeer, or a snowmobile for a trek across the snowy wastes, lit by a beautiful, pale winter sun
• Catch the aurora borealis (Northern Lights) after your wood-fired sauna and you’ll feel blessed by the universe.
• You could spend a night in an ice hotel or take an ice-breaker cruise.

City Lights
Vibrant cities stock the southern parts, headed by the capital, Helsinki, a cutting-edge urban space with world-famous design and music scenes. Embraced by the Baltic, it’s an enticing ensemble of modern and stately architecture, island restaurants, and stylish and quirky bars.

To read more visit: http://www.lonelyplanet.com/finland