| Population: |
5,158,000 |
| Capital
city: |
Helsinki (pop: 891,000) |
| Language
: |
Finnish & Swedish
(English is widely spoken in tourist establishments) |
| Religion: |
Lutheran & Orthodox
|
| Government:
|
Democratic republic
|
| Time: |
GMT/UTC plus two hours |
| Electricity: |
220V, 50Hz |
| Health
risks: |
Slippery pavements.
If you're mushroom picking, make sure you know what you're
eating. |
When the nights are long in Finland (and they can be very, very
long) there's much more to do than huddle inside with a vodka
or two. You can ski across vast frozen lakes or relax in a sauna,
beating yourself ever so gently with a fragrant branch of birch
leaves to loosen the travel grime. During the months of the midnight
sun, coastal regions, including the Turku archipelago and Åland
Islands, are a sailing and fishing paradise. Inland, the largest
unspoilt wilderness in Europe attracts thousands of trekkers every
year.
Weather in Finland
Whatever time of year you visit Finland, there's something
happening. Most museums and galleries are open year-round, annd
there is as much to do in the depths of winter as there is at
the height of summer. Nevertheless, you'll probably have a better
time if you come in the warmer months, either in summer or anytime
from May to September. As well as the advantages of warm weather,
summer is the time of the midnight sun. Winter north of the Arctic
Circle is a chilly confluence of strange bluish light and encroaching
melancholy. Despite snow falls from November, it stays pretty
sludgy until late winter: skiing isn't great until February, the
coldest month, and you can ski in Lapland right through to June.
Helsinki Weather
Helsinki has a cold climate considering it is located in Northern
Europe. The summer in Helsinki is mild, temperatures average at
16.8°C (62.2°F). When traveling to Helsinki in the summer,
bring a light jacket. When winter comes so does the cold. Temperatures
average -6.1 (21°F) during the winter.
Events
Midsummer's Day (Juhannus) is the most important annual event
for Finns. People leave cities and towns for summer cottages to
celebrate the longest day of the year. Bonfires are lit and lakeside
merrymakers swim and row boats. Enthusiastic alcohol consumption
is also a feature of midsummer partying. The Pori Jazz Festival
in July is one of the country's most popular festivals, but the
Savonlinna Opera Festival, held at medieval Olavinnlinna Castle,
is the most famous. Some of the best (and the most international)
festivals are the most remote: check out chamber music in Kuhmo,
or folk music in Kaustinen (near Kokkola). For rock, there are
big festivals during the Midsummer weekend, and big annual events,
such as Ruisrock, the longest-running of rock festivals, at Turku
in July. On the lighter side, check out the Sleepyhead Day, where
on 27 July the laziest person in the towns of Naantali and Hanko
is thrown into the sea. Finland's strangest event is the annual
wife-carrying championship held every July in tiny Sonkajärvi.
Activities
You have a legal right to walk, cycle, paddle a canoe or even
camp almost anywhere in Finland. Nordic skiing is popular and
there are cross-country trails of varying difficulty. Downhill
skiers go to Lapland, or to resorts such as Koli in North Karelia
or Ruka in Kuusamo.
Hiking or trekking is best from June to September (May in the
south). Wilderness huts line the northern trails and are available
without charge. Most of them have unlocked doors, basic bunks,
cooking facilities, leftover dry food, a pile of dry firewood
and even a wilderness telephone. You should always leave the hut
as it was - replace the used firewood and clean the place. For
the easiest hikes, go to areas such as Ruunaa in Karelia or try
a national park. Routes such as Karhunkierros and the Lemmenjoki
are very scenic.
Boating can be enjoyed on both sea and lake but the prime sailing
region, the Turku archipelago, is demanding to navigate. Canoeing
is best on the lakes or around Turunmaa and Åland archipelagos
in summer. There are wild rapids in Lapland and North Karelia.
Money & Costs
Finland was declared the world's most expensive country in 1990,
right before it was hit by recession. Since then the markka has
been reasonably low and prices are much more bearable. If you're
travelling on a tight budget you should be able to get by on around
$25 a day. This would cover hostel accommodation, self-catering
and no alcohol or bottled drinks. If you want to have a slightly
more user-friendly holiday, a budget of around $50 a day should
do it, and for a few more luxuries, such as your own bathroom,
taxis and a restaurant meal or two a day, you'll need about US$100
a day.
Finland's three national banks have offices all over the country,
but they will charge you slightly more for exchanges than private
exchange bureaux. Travellers cheques are expensive to change.
Many Finnish ATMs will accept foreign cards on the Visa or Plus
system, but if they don't take your plastic rest assured that
credit cards are accepted all over the country.
Tipping is generally not necessary anywhere. Service charge is
usually included in restaurants' listed price. Bargaining will
get you nowhere in most shops, but could come in handy if you're
after trekking equipment or used bikes, when you might get a 10%
discount if you ask nicely. |
