Finland Off the Beaten Path Tips by finlandia

The archipelago of Turku is said to be the most beautiful one in the whole world. The island group between the Finnish mainland and the Åland islands is the largest archipelago in the world. There are more islands and islets than people there!

Groups could stay overnight in Herrankukkaro (Rymättylä, Turku archipelago). There you may sleep in a luxurious bird-box (a sea view), in nature, in sauna or in many kind of cottages.

The Turku archipelago is a quite interesting place in wintertime, too, but it is best to visit it in summertime...

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Website: http://www.saaristo.org, http://www.travel.fi/saaristomeri/eng, http://www.herrankukkaro.fi, http://www.strandbogroup.fi/index_E.htm

Finland is the home country of Santa Claus. Santa lives on a fell called Korvatunturi (Ear Mountain) in the municipality of Savukoski. Santa can´t live on the North Pole because there isn´t anything to eat for his reindeer there. But in Finnish Lapland a reindeer is a very common animal and it has a lot of food there. There are about 200 000 reindeer in Finland. Eagles, foxes, swans and wood grouse are other common animals. The spruce is the most common tree in Lapland. Wild cloudberry and Arctic bramble are the two most highly valued berries of Lapland. Lapland is a paradise for all nature lovers!

Ear Mountain is near the Russian border (border zone) and it isn´t possible to visit this Santa´s secret cave, his real home. (You may meet him in Rovaniemi where Santa has his office.) However, you can visit Santa´s home municipality Savukoski. It is a very small municipality with interesting nature (also nice safaris)...

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Website: http://www.korvatunturi.fi, http://www.savukoski.fi, http://groups.msn.com/965172qg02rbm4ek3a6e7udur5/ , http://www.gonowfinland.com

Kaunissaari (literally Beautiful Island) Island is a traditional, small but still lively fisherman village on the sea outside the city of Kotka. Boats from Sapokka Harbour (in front of Maretarium Aquarium) about 2-3 times a day in summer. Tickets are sold on boats. For timetables see the link below, please.

There may be quite windy on the sea (even if a day may be warm). So take warm clothes with you. On the island you find a very small museum, a restaurant (good fish dishes) and accommodation. Remember to taste extremely delicious salmon pastries which are sold at a kiosk near the museum.

Many tourists visit Kaunissaari during a day but only a few stays overnight there. It is quite an experience! Sit on sea rocks, have a campfire, sleep in your own tent or in a small b&b house...

Other very interesting islands are Tammio (only one permanent inhabitant!), Ulkotammio and Haapasaari (10 permanent inhabitants, 25 kilometers from Kotka). For boat timetables see the link below, please.

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Website: http://www.kotka.fi/matkailu/saaristo.htm