Capital: Helsinki … 5,503,000 People … 338,424 km²
The Country
Known as the “land of a thousand lakes”, Finland is a Scandinavian country rich in nature and culture. With over 70% of the country covered in forests, and 25% of the country being above the arctic circle, Finland has a unique landscape for exploration. Although large and sparsely populated, Finland strives to have a strong educational and technological infrastructure, becoming the first nation to make broadband internet a legal right for every citizen.
Fun Facts:
Speeding fines are not a fixed amount in Finland; they are based on your income.
Finland is the birthplace of the Wife Carrying competition
There are more saunas than cars in Finland
My Experience
With only a day in Helsinki, I had a list of things I needed to do: have some Finnish vodka, and go dog sledding. Not an extensive list, but a list nonetheless. Before I could complete these goals, however, I wanted to explore Helsinki to find some hidden gems. We drove past Kaivopuisto, one of the oldest parks in Helsinki, where we saw people washing their carpets in the Baltic Sea; a Finnish tradition. After exploring southern Helsinki, we made our way to Senate Square to see Helsinki Cathedral. A beautiful cathedral overlooking the square, I was extremely grateful and surprised I didn’t fall down the many steps leading up to the cathedral.
After this, we went to Temppeliaukio Church, also known as the Rock Church. The church is built into solid rock, and is filled with natural light. After some brief souvenir shopping, I finally had the opportunity to go to WinterWorld, an experience attempting to show the beauties of Lapland. I plan to visit Lapland in the future, but WinterWorld provided a unique cold experience on a hot day in Helsinki.
After some vodka in shot glasses made of ice, I explored a maze made of solid ice, perfectly constructed igloos, and went to see the sled dogs. As a dog lover, I knew this would be one of the highlights of my short stay in Finland. After a quick ride, we packed our things and went back to the Port of Helsinki to continue our trip. Although it was very hot when I was there (around 20 degrees celsius ), I am excited to explore northern Finland in the future.
Photos of Finland