For the most part, Finland is a quiet country draped in forests and lakes and inhabited by small towns of people who rarely see tourists. But to the outdoor enthusiast, Finland is a land waiting to be explored. Hiking backpacks, trekking poles and camping gear are the most common items found on Finland flights. From dog-sledding to overnight trips in the wilderness, a cheap flight to Finland fuels the nature-lover's soul.
Helsinki, Finland’s capital city, offers an abundance of entertainment for tourists. While tourism fuels Helsinki’s economy, fishing and logging keep the remote province of Lapland alive under the “midnight sun.” As ancient as Finland might seem, this country is at the forefront of technology and social awareness. In 1906, Finland was the first European country to grant women the right to vote and despite its abundance of forests and trees, Finland makes baseball bats out of fiberglass. Per capita, Finland is the leading book-publishing country in the world and it has one of the highest Internet connection rates. For those travelers booking flights to Finland on a mission to make history, a stay in the dark wilderness won’t cut it; Finland hit the world’s record book when two Finnish brothers broke the record for sitting on an anthill.
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In general, Finland has an extreme swing between summer and winter, with bitterly cold winters when temperatures drop to -4F in many areas, particularly in northern Lapland. Summer, by contrast, can be warm with temperatures rising to 68F or more. Temperatures as high as 86F are possible in the south and east of the country. The capital, Helsinki, remains fairly temperate varying between an average of 63F in July to 23F in February. In the far north the sun does not set for about 73 days during summer, while in winter the sun remains below the horizon for a 51-day stretch.
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Peak season:
Understandably, in a country where the winter is so dark, the most popular time for tourists to visit is during the summer months (May-September). There are exceptions: the month of December in the run-up to Christmas is popular with those coming to see Santa Claus in his natural habitat. The Northern Lights are most likely to be seen in September-October and March-April.
Off season:
You’ll find cheap flights to Finland and travel deals in the winter months, though some major cities, such as Helsinki are year-round destinations.
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Finland is a very large country. If you’re traveling long distances, a Finland flight is by far the quickest option. There are a couple of airlines with domestic Finland flights, including Finnair and Blue 1. About 20 destinations within the country are served by air.
The train service is efficient and covers a very good distance, though buses are necessary if visiting more remote towns. Both are reasonably priced and comfortable.
The road system is excellent. Cars are available to hire throughout the country.
The following chart gives approximate journey times from Helsinki (in hours and minutes) to other major cities and towns in Finland.
| | Air | Road | Rail |
|---|
| Tampere | 0.35 | 2.50 | 1.50 |
|---|
| Turku | 0.30 | 2.40 | 1.50 |
|---|
| Rovaniemi | 1.15 | 13.30 | 9.10 |
|---|
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- Vibrant Helsinki is growing in popularity as a tourist destination. It’s a cultural city with museums, galleries, theater and some excellent restaurants. Less well known, however, are its beaches. If visiting in summertime, and the weather is good, pack your swimming clothes and head for one of the many beaches.
- Some of the more unusual events in Finland take place in the winter months. Reindeer racing, for example, takes place in northern Finland between February and April. The races consist of six reindeer, each pulling a skier, competing to reach the finishing line first. Though the sport is popular in Finland, the world record is currently held by a Norwegian.
- Lots of winter sports, naturally, revolve around ice. Try your skills at ice-fishing, where a hole is cut into the ice and a line dangled through it, or, for the braver, ice swimming. Again, holes are cut into the thick ice, but this time it is people who go through to the water below and not fishing lines. If this makes you too cold, not to fear, there will almost certainly be a sauna nearby in which you can warm up.
- For a more child-friendly reindeer experience, take your family to visit Santa Claus and his reindeer in Lapland. Many tours – ranging from one day to longer – are available and can be booked from most of the main towns.
- Moomin World is the biggest theme park in the country. Dedicated to the Moomins, created by Finnish author Tove Janssen, the park is situated on an island and contains such delights as “Snork’s pancake factory” and the Moominhouse, where you can meet all the Moomins. The park is located close to Turku, about 120 miles from Helsinki.
- If you want to take an unusual souvenir home, Finland is the place to shop. Reindeer hides, soapstone or birchwood mugs, fur and, of course, more conventionally, a huge array of design products.
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Helsinki (HEL) (Helsinki-Vantaa) is Finland’s principal international airport, 12 miles north of the city.
The other international airports are Turku (TKU), 4 miles north of the city; Tampere (TMP), 9 miles from the city; and Rovaniemi (RVN), 6 miles from the city.
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The borderless region known as the Schengen area includes the following countries: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain and Sweden. All these countries issue a standard Schengen visa that, in principal, allows the holder to travel freely within the borders of all.
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United States citizens require only a valid passport to stay in Finland for up to three months in a period of six months without requiring a visa.
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