Finland’s Culture Club- Travel Squire

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Finland has an air of mystique. Situated in the northern reaches of Europe as part of the Nordic region, a quarter of its territory is north of the Arctic Circle and further north you’re bound for Norway. It has a heavy Baltic influence thanks to Estonia to the south, Sweden to the west and its largest neighbor, Russia, to the east. This provides for a unique east meets west culture which makes for a memorable travel experience.

What I enjoyed most about my visit was that proximity to the Soviet Union. At the time it was the closest I’d gotten and it wasn’t hard to recognize the eastern influence. I had heard about the world famous Finnish saunas, the northern lights and midnight sun as well as the grand expanse of a country known for year-round outdoor pursuits.

Finland is currently experiencing a travel renaissance, as visitors are on the rise and the current cultural scene perfectly complements long-standing traditions.

Northern Lights Discoveries

Winter enthusiasts have ample opportunity to partake in skiing, snowshoeing, ice fishing, and snow safaris, all on the average Finn’s hit list. Some of the best downhill skiing in Finland can be found in the Ruka Kuusamo area near the Russian border, or Levi which has the largest ski mountain range in the country. True to Finnish style, the Yllas ski region has a special ‘sauna gondola’ that allows skiers to change into their swimwear for the 15 minute trek to the mountain top. Others come to catch glimpses of reindeer and huskies in their natural habitat or to venture out into frozen waters on an Arctic ice breaker cruise, unlike anything you’ve ever experienced.

The Lapland region is for the truly adventurous who might want to spend an evening in an igloo or ice hotel, or see an entire snow village beneath winter’s famed northern lights that reflect hues of green and blue from the snow covered land mass. The Kemi Snow Castle has been built every year since 1996 and includes a restaurant, hotel, chapel, and ice sculptures all enhanced by light and sound effects. Kemi is in the northwest at the tip of the Gulf of Bothnia, not far from the Swedish border and just below the Arctic Circle.

The Arctic Circle begins about 10 kilometers north of Rovaniemi, Lapland’s capital, and is the official home of Santa Claus. Approximately 200 kilometers further north and close to the two popular ski resorts of Levi and Yllas, you’ll find the Lainio Snow Village covering 20,000 square meters and built entirely of snow and ice. The village has a restaurant, disco, art galleries, and a hotel with igloo rooms and artistically designed ice suites. There are also plenty of winterized rustic huts that can be rented for overnight stays. Most are available year round, too, making them ideal for cross country skiing, especially in the Saariselka area, or hiking during the other seasons.

Finland is filled with natural wonders, including seven world heritage sites, such as the astounding Fortress of Suomenlinna, a short ferry out of Helsinki harbor. As well, the Archipelago Trail is about 155 miles in length connecting several islands via twelve bridges and eight cable ferries. A circular route goes from Naantali via Kustavi in the west or from Parainen via Nauvo in the east.

The Retretti Art Center in the beautiful natural ridge area of Punkaharju near the town of Savonlinna, about 200 miles from Helsinki, is one of the largest art centers in the Nordic region. The gallery is unique as it is built both above and below ground where it’s incorporated into natural caves. Savonlinna is where opera gained a significant foothold between 1912 and 1916, with the founding of a yearly festival where the performances are staged inside the fifteenth-century Olavinlinna Castle.

Midnight Sun Reflections

With longer days in spring, life takes on a whole new perspective in Finland. Vappu is a national holiday on May 1st that celebrates the season, with parades and parties throughout the country paying homage to the even longer summer days ahead. Finnish people rejoice during the warmer months, benefiting from the midnight sun which provides almost 20 hours of continuous daylight for several weeks in summer.

Culture has a distinctly long and varied history, influenced by Norse paganism and traditional folklore. It combines the indigenous heritage with both Nordic and European characteristics although the Finnish language, which belongs to the Uralic family of languages, is quite different from the rest of Europe. The Finnish National Theater was founded in 1872, and today there are numerous theaters in cities and rural areas with both professional and amateur groups. Finnish cinema also has its roots in the late 19th century but the film industry really began to develop after independence was won in 1917.

Music plays a key role in Finnish culture, much of it influenced by traditional Karelian melodies and lyrics, as seen in the famous Kalevala, a 19th century poem that is the national epic of the country. The composer Jean Sibelius drew inspiration from this source in composing his symphony Kullervo in the early 1890s. His life and work later became important symbols for forming a national identity of Finnish culture.

Helsinki – World Design Capital

Helsinki is a hotbed of music, film, design, and architecture that has quietly made its way into the international scene and is designated the World Design Capital for 2012 by the International Council Societies of Industrial Design. This will allow local culture to shine brightly in various art forms throughout the city, including international exhibitions and showcases never seen before. The central meeting place is a wooden pavilion designed by Aalto University students and being built in the courtyard area between the Design Museum and the Museum of Finnish Architecture. In the summer months the pavilion will become the hub for visitors with a diverse mix of dance, film, design flea markets and more than 250 events, exhibitions and projects.

For example, Helsinki City Museum is presenting ‘Design in Helsinki Films’, opening in February and spotlighting the nostalgic world of Finnish cinema from the 1930’s to the 1960’s. Highlights include the visual expression of design, architecture, costumes and set design as well as filmmaker profiles. The City Museum’s World Design Capital year will culminate on Helsinki Day, June 12th, with the opening of ‘Made in Helsinki 1700-2012’, an exhibition that will explore the roots of crafts and design with traditionally made objects from the past to the present.

Music buffs will want to check out ‘Thank You for the Music – How Music Moves Us’, which runs until the end of June at the Kiasma Museum of Contemporary Art and includes mixed media works by a host of Finnish artists. It’s an opportunity to see and understand how music, and the act of listening to it, impacts art and vice versa. Nightlife in the city is predominately DJ driven, but there is a thriving live music scene as well that can be found at such places as, Kaapelitehdas, Suvilahti, and Korjaamo. For bars and lounges there are many to choose from, such as the A21 cocktail lounge, Ahjo Bar in the KlausK Hotel, Konig Club, Jenny Woo, and the infamous Kaarle Xii.

Leisure and Culture

Visually, Helsinki’s architectural panorama has a high concentration of past styles including everything from Neoclassic to Art Nouveau (Jugend), to the National Romantic style, an important movement that expressed progressive ideals. Comparisons are often made with St Petersburg. The steps of Helsinki Cathedral are great for people watching and the Tori Quarter, between Senate Square and Market Square which is surrounded by historic landmarks, is being revitalized as the Empire center of the capital.

Summertime is when festivals happen all over, almost every day of the year. Helsinki Festival is the largest and takes place over a two week period at the end of August, this year featuring a varied program of arts and culture. The Savonlinna Opera Festival this year is celebrating its 100th anniversary in July with a line-up of international acts performing in Finland’s amazing Lakeland region. The most beloved and colorful celebration is Yuhannes, celebrating the longest day of the year around the solstice. All night parties take place with large bonfires, coaxing festive songs and performances by folk groups.

Helsinki’s dining options satisfy both astute foodies and late night partiers with new places opening on a regular basis, such as the Café & Wine Bar K3 in the trendy residential area of Arabianranta. Other options include Saaristo, Sarkanlinna or Walhalla, which is located on the UNESCO World Heritage Fortress Island of Suomenlinna. If you’re seeking traditional Finnish, try Elite, Kappeli, or Lasipalatsi, and for modern Nordic food head over to K17 Kitchen, Salutorget, Olo, Nokka, Havis, or Juuri. If you’re looking for something extra special majestic Savoy, located high above the rooftops of Helsinki with original furnishings by Alvar Aalto, has delicious food and stunning skyline views.

Helsinki Wholesale Market is a trendy meeting place for fine food lovers near the developing harbor area. For the restless, there are nearly 60 miles of shoreline along which one can enjoy the magnificent scenery and fresh sea air. Helsinki will also play host to both the European Athletics Championships and the Ice Hockey World Championships this year.

2012 and Beyond

At the moment Helsinki is experiencing a revitalization of former industrial warehouse and desolate areas that are being converted into happening locales for living and lounging, such as the previously developed shoreline district Alvar Aalto. The harbor areas of Kalasatama, Jätkäsaari and Kruunuvuorenranta are currently being rebuilt for residential and commercial use and expected to be fully completed around 2030. Finlandia Park is also undergoing repurposing as a cultural hub that encompasses the Helsinki Music Centre, Finlandia Hall, National Opera, Helsinki City Museum, and the Kiasma Museum of Contemporary Art.

A project called Kulttuurisauna (cultural sauna) is developing a new public sauna culture in Helsinki. The goal is to create an urban place for cleansing, bathing and sharing quiet moments. It is expected to open in summer of 2012 on the Helsinki waterfront, in Hakaniemenranta.

The World Design Capital year also coincides with the 200th bicentennial anniversary of the city being named the capital of the country back on April 8th, 1812. For the previous 600 years Finland had been part of Sweden, with Stockholm as its capital.

With all these events, celebrations, and developments happening over the next several months, it gives even more reason to visit Finland in 2012 … and many years beyond!