Hanko is a remarkably exotic city: grand old ornate villas, long beautiful sandy beaches with changing cabins, and the scent and breeze of the Baltic sea coming from almost every direction are all hallmarks of this southernmost corner of mainland Finland, which stretches far out into the sea in western Uusimaa. Many Finns cherish Hanko […]
The Japanese term ‘hanami’ is often associated with admiring cherry blossoms, but the word refers more broadly to the appreciation and enjoyment of flowers in general. In Finland, too, there are cherry trees and cherry groves here and there, whose blossoming is a magnificent sight — though a fleeting one. A somewhat longer window for […]
One of those spring Sundays that remind you why you bother going outside. Sun out, a gentle breeze in the trees, and Lake Iso-Valkee looking exactly as good as ever: clear water, forest all around, not a building in sight. Iso-Valkee trail info It was one of the first properly warm spring days when I […]
The April wind was biting, and a late-season cold snap was on its way, but deep within the forest, the world seemed to stand still, as it always does. This past Sunday, we headed to Somero, into the rural peace of Southwest Finland, to explore the Metsäkoivula Trail. If you’re looking for a destination where […]
Tervetuloa! Welcome to Finland! As you prepare to explore our wonderful summer cities and breathtaking wilderness, you’re about to experience a very clean environment. To help you feel right at home, here is a quick guide on the Finnish Way of keeping our surroundings beautiful. In the City: The Bin When you are exploring the […]
As spring arrives and nature begins to awaken from its winter slumber, many hikers yearn for wide-open landscapes. One of the stunning natural gems in the Päijät-Häme region is closer to the city than you might think: Linnaistensuo mire in Lahti. Only about a 15-minute drive from the city center, this nature reserve offers an […]
The sun peeks out from behind the bay, and the crisp morning air is filled with the intense raucous calls of a black-headed gull colony. Up in the bird tower, a couple of spotting scopes are already visible with birders in tow – the crack of dawn is the best time for birdwatching. The photos […]
Finland has once again, for the ninth consecutive year, claimed the top spot in the World Happiness Report. While there are many contributing factors—such as high life expectancy, a profound sense of freedom, safety, and low levels of corruption—could one explanation lie in our country’s vast and abundant waters? The continental ice sheet left Finns […]
Late winter in Finland is perhaps the most mysterious of all seasons. As the sun finally begins to warm, yet the ground remains covered in snow and ice, nature seems to hold its breath. We wanted to make the most of this exact atmosphere when we headed to Latokartanonkoski trail in Salo. I was accompanied […]
Lapland is often promoted as a region with not just four familiar seasons, but as many as eight. From the south, it may be difficult to grasp these subtle shifts, but after living through even one full cycle of the year in Lapland, you truly begin to tell them apart. Each of the eight seasons […]
