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 […]
Cherry blossoms are blooming in southern Finland right NOW. Hanami, the Japanese tradition of admiring flowers, has quietly taken root in Finland. After months of darkness, cold, and snow, Finns greet spring with open arms and hearts. The fleeting bloom of the cherry trees coincides with the moment spring begins turning into summer, and Finns […]
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 […]
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 […]
From the front yard of the Finnish Nature Centre Haltia, you can step straight into the wilds of Nuuksio. With the snow now plentiful and winter wonderfully beautiful, it’s the perfect time to slip on a pair of snowshoes. A three-kilometre snowshoeing trail has been marked in the nearby nature around Haltia. It largely follows […]
Located in Eastern Lapland, Salla is home to Finland’s newest national park, Salla National Park. The park offers a variety of excellent walking trails, and the area also features relatively easy-to-access weather shelters built especially for those wishing to watch the Northern Lights. The grey weather and snow-covered ground painted the landscape in their own […]
Our small ironworks tour around Raseborg over the weekend had already taken us through Antskog, Fiskars and Billnäs when we finally arrived in Mustio (Svartå) for the grand finale. As in the previous destinations, it was quiet here as well – apart from a duck drifting on the rippling water, we were completely alone. The […]
The Raseborg area in western Uusimaa is rich in fascinating history and historical sites. In my view, one of the most picturesque features of the region is its old ironworks villages, whose varied buildings look postcard-perfect to modern Finnish eyes. Perhaps the most famous of these is Fiskars Village, which buzzes with tourists in summer […]
Jonna Viitaniemi stood on the summit of Saana Fell, gazing out over the wilderness of Lapland. She found herself wondering what it might be like to hike out there in the distance, far removed from the twists and turns of the human world. Saana, dressed in autumn colours, and the vast Kilpisjärvi wilderness stretching out […]
