Finland Things to Do Tips by sinoda Top 5 Page for this destination

The southern-most city of Finland - Hanko

Hanko is absolutely a summer city. Beautifully and conviniently enough situated by the sea, with lots of huge and smoothly washed rocks.

You have to see Hanko! There is a special flair in the streets, for the lovely pine trees and old victorian houses let you forget for a second that you actually are in Finland.

Hanko is one of the main harbours for both touristic and industrial traffic.

It is here from you can easily acces by boat Bengtsk?r - the lighthouse island.

Directions: south, south-west Finland

Website: http://www.hanko.fi

Hailuoto - off shore of Oulu

Welcome to the interesting island of Hailuoto.
Some 25 kilometers from Oulu (by road).

The island has nice sandy beaches, a lot of forest, mainly pine trees and a lively community. There are some camping grounds as well as some restaurants.

The island is reachable by a ferry - normally frequenting every 30 minutes.

Directions: middle to northern Finland

Website: http://www.hailuoto.fi

In the smoke sauna, the "Savusauna"

the smoke sauna

Ever been sweating in a sauna? Ok, that's alright, but have you ever been sweating in a smoke sauna?

Yeah, well, that's a totally different story. The traditional smoke sauna has no chimney what so ever. Which means the smoke does not escape the sauna during the heating up. The fireplace is somewhat larger and has massively more stones to be heaten up. So, therefore you need to heat up the sauna much longer - some 4-7 hours - in order to get the stones really hot. Once there's enough heat you remove the cole and ashes from the fireplace and the smoke from the sauna and leave the sauna for half an hour rest. Then you may enjoy the sauna as long as you wish to - the heat is stored in the huge mass of stones and lasts for many and many hours.... a hint: don't rush, take it slow - the sauna develops its delicate character only after some hours and is then at its best with soft and caressing steam eruptions mixed little traces of smoke.... you'll just love it.

Overviewing the city

Helsinki is a rather flat city with no real skyscraper and little high buildings of which the least ones are accessible. There however are exceptions for instance the Torni (the "tower") at Yrjönkatu and Kalevankatu and the tower at the olympia stadium. From both you'll have a wonderful view.

Directions: Torni - east of Mannerheimintie from Stockmann.
Olympia stadium - north of the Töölön lahti (bay)

Helsinki - of course

It is almost impossible to visit Finland without possibly seeing some of Helsinki.

The maiden of the Baltic Sea, as she is referred to often has something one cannot describe but will immediately see what it means to stroll thrugh summerish and lucious Helsinki...

Culture, marine nature, clubs, restaurants and much more will make you come back...

Directions: south Finland

Website: http://www.helsinki.fi

footprints in the sand...

this picture was taken at our cottage.
I guess this is a footprint of a lynx, don't know for sure though.

the evening before we were bbq-ing meat and fish and left the uncleaned grill outside - how stupid must one be? well, anyway, the next day we realised we had had a visitor... a hungry one.

Tango Festival in Seinäjoki

Finnish Tango

is something you may have never heard about. It's well different from the classic and traditional tango, the Argentinian, I should say.

This festival has at least three parts, all contests - the singing, the dancing and the composing.

Once a year this festival revives this sleepy town in middle-west Finland for almost a week and turns it into a real helter skelter. Mostly middle-aged will dance in the streets and arenas to live music.

Ince 1985 this festival has been held during the 1st week of July (this year it was from July 6-10)

Address: Seinäjoki

Directions: Middle-West Finland, 180km north of tampere

Dance off your feet

Finnish tango will sweep you off of your feet. Unlike the Argentinian version Finnish tango is being danced in an A-shaped form (meaning that the two dancers will have their upper bodies closer together and less the feet).

Tango will be danced in Finland mainly on three occasions:
1 During summer in the more or less 100 dance pavillions around Finland.
2 During the Tango Festival week in Seinäjoki (in July)
3 As a form of sport all around the year.

These three occasions do not always necessarily represent the Finnish tango.

Directions: just ask your local tango dealer