Destinations/Finland

The privileged position in the north of Europe will make of Finland the best spot to enjoy the beautiful northern lights also known as Aurora Borealis. Although this phenomenon is caused by science, according to Finnish folklore the northern lights happen when the fur of a mystical artic fox touches the mountains. The best and most famous place to appreciate this show is in Lapland, yes Lapland, the Santa Claus village!!  Lapland, in the north of Rovaniemi, is the official Santa Claus hometown and a place visited by thousands of locals and tourists. Three million letters are sent to Santa’s post office every year! If you ever visit Lapland enjoy the opportunity to take a husky or reindeer sleigh ride!

Do you imagine your country having a national holiday called “Sleepy Head Day”? Finnish do have it and it dates back to middle ages and from the superstition that the last one to rise on that day will be lazy for the rest of the year! Better not to take the risk right? Specially because the last to rise on that day means being thrown into the nearest lake by the rest of the family! After a good dive you can relax and enjoy one of many saunas in the country! And you won’t have problems finding one since there are more saunas than cars in Finland!

Nokia has given popularity to Finland being one of the pioneers of telecommunications world and the number one from 1997 to 2012. Nowadays we don’t see often Nokia associated to cellphones, but the company keeps strong on the field having offices and operating in all the 5 continents.

As a Nordic country we can expect Finland to be cold during the wintertime, but does it really matter when you have all the fun snow activities you can do?  It probably does, but when the good weather comes, the funny snow activities turn into nature activities! While in the north the coldest temperatures can go down to -30ºC, in the south the warmest temperatures raise to 30ºC. Winter is so long that when summer arrives Finns celebrate with music festivals and water activities as sailing, swimming and fishing.

Finns are relaxed and easy-going but also hard workers. They like their fun traditions and if you found Sleepy Head day a nice one, what how you say about the Wife-carrying world championship happening every year in Sonkajärvi where husbands carry their wives around an obstacle course and the winner gets his wife’s weight in beer!

Finns say “An introverted Finn looks at his shoes when talking to you; an extroverted Finn looks at your shoes”. This means although they are open people you probably will not think so in the first place as they are not fans of “small talk” and prefer the silent above saying meaningless things.

Studying in Finland is having the opportunity to connect with history and nature and to fall in love with the country. Although its population is small for such a big territory, you will find a great international community and you will find yourself home. Highly rated and recognized globally the education system of Finland defends equality and freedom. All students must have equal opportunities to receive a high-quality education and the freedom to choose what they what to study, being possible to choose different subjects and get knowledge in different fields.

The fact that tuition fees are free for European students and not as high as other destinations for non-european students are a plus when choosing this destination. Another great advantage for international students is the fact that most part of population speaks current English, facilitating the integration and giving the possibility to work while studying.

Finns are passionate about their food and there are some unavoidable treats to taste if you want to feel like a local!

Beginning by the simple, Ruisleipä (rye bread) is present in every Finnish house and Finns will eat it anytime! Leipäjuusto (bread cheese) even though bread is part of its name it will look like a squeaky cheese pie and it’s often served with cloudberry jam. Pastry lovers will enjoy the peculiar Karjalanpiirakka (rice pies), a rye crust filled with rice porridge and topped with egg butter and Korvapuusti (cinnamon bun), sweet roll filled with sugar, cinnamon, and cardamom.

On the main dishes the most popular one will be Poronkaristys (sauteed reindeer), sautéed reindeer with a side of mashed potatoes and lingonberries. But as simple people, Finns are happy with their tradition of eating pancakes every Thursday, served with strawberry or raspberry jam and whipped cream and coffee as beverage. Did you know that the average Finn consumes 12 kg of coffee per year?

Finns are big fans of vodka and have their own, but for those who like sweeter beverages you must try Sima (a fermented low level alcoholic drink) and Laka (cloudberry liqueur).

Finns like good quality brands and therefore you might not find as often the fast-fashion options as in the other countries. Finns are creative and when in Helsinki you will find the Design District Helsinki that brings together creative people. In this district you can find top-class Finnish design products and fashion stores along with dining and cultural options. Finns are known for their textiles industry, so if you are a home wear enthusiast you may want to save some space in your bag for these less traditional souvenirs. If you are looking for a more traditional shopping experience, visit the Market Square.

When it comes to nightlife Finns like to have a good time and you will often see them going out on Friday and Saturday nights but also on Wednesdays, what they call little Saturdays. You should find options to have a good time whether you are in a big city or a small village! Clubs, restaurants that become bars later in the evening or the popular Vodka bars are some of the available options for having a good time.