Santa Claus is coming to town! Stop telling the kids that Santa Claus isn’t real, because this isn’t just a fat man with a beard and a red suit. Did you know that the real Santa lives in Lapland, Finland? He’s taking a day off from reading letters and making … Read more
Forget about Valentine’s Day. February is no longer the month of love, because here comes Midsummer’s Eve on June 22 to take the throne. For all you singles, according to Finnish folklore this is the day when magic comes alive with spells that will reveal your future suitor. For example, … Read more
Gather round, all running aficionados, because the Helsinki Marathon in Finland isn’t your average 42,195-meter race. On Saturday, August 18, the Helsinki Marathon’s course takes you running along the Baltic Sea and through the most beautiful and historical parts of Helsinki. The route is considered one of the most … Read more
Finland’s flag may be blue and white, but during one week in summer, Helsinki proudly displays a more colorful spectrum for Pride, Helsinki. The biggest GLBT event in Finland and one of Helsinki’s biggest week long affairs, it has become an increasingly popular party in northern Europe. In the … Read more
Hotel key? Check. Wallet? Check. Helsinki Card? … The Helsinki Card is a 2×4 inch survival kit to any visitor spending time in the Finnish capital. In addition to unlimited travel via metro, bus, tram, train and ferry to every nook and cranny in Helsinki, the card, valid for … Read more
Art is a reflection of the world around us, how we live in different environments and interact with many kinds of people. If you live in a busy city, perhaps you know how what I’m talking about. It’s hard enough to stop and smell the roses, let alone stop … Read more
Caution: the out of the box creativity infused in Finland’s design aesthetic may lead to an inferiority complex. Side effects could include gasping in awe followed by sudden, uncontrollable curiosity. Lucky for you, Finland’s renowned design superstar, Alvar Aalto, was used to designing with medical criteria in mind. After his … Read more
You know Dasher and Dancer and Prancer and Vixen … actually, you probably don’t, but the Sami people do, since their livelihood is reindeer herding. The Sami are the Arctic indigenes of Lapland in northern Finland. You can be immersed in the culture of these fascinating people with a tour … Read more
World Village Festival Hearing the words “world” and “festival” together, I immediately think of people joining hands around a massive bonfire and singing songs about world peace. Finland’s World Village Festival, however, is way more than that (minus the bonfire). If Memorial Day comes around and you have no plans … Read more
Granted, the terms love and anarchy don’t usually go together. In fact, we tend to think of them as polar opposites (unless you love anarchy, in which case, sorry for the assumption). But when there’s a festival that screens such a wide variety of films as the Helsinki International … Read more
Only one travel experience includes the phrases “Santa Claus” and “snowmobiling” in the same sentence. On the Arctic Circle Impressions tour offered by Scantours, tourists can first revel in Lapland’s wintry wonderland, then head to Helsinki where they can treat themselves to fine dining and city sightseeing. First stop … Read more
It was June and we were celebrating Midnight Sun, so spirits were high as we boarded the Helsinki flight. I’d already been won over by the boarding passes with all over background images of nature scenes and the Finns in their natural environment, a key element in a trip … Read more
With all of the natural beauty of Northern Europe and none of the ravaging or pillaging, Borton Overseas’ Viking Line offers the grandeur of a cruise ship and the excitement of a Scandinavian vacation. The Viking Line sails daily between Finland, Sweden and Estonia and functions either as a … Read more
Ancient 13th century Finnish royalty knew how to travel – scenic routes, luxurious accommodations, and a host of dutiful servants. Today, people are following in their footsteps by making excursions along the same ancient travel route which ran between Scandinavia and Russia, aptly deemed the King’s Road. As one … Read more
The Land of a Thousand Lakes Imagine a medieval landscape from a scene in Shrek. Imagine yourself in castles, fortresses and manors. Think of winding roads and quaint, quiet villages with a backdrop of ridges, forests and crystal blue lakes. Sounds like a fairytale, right? Wrong. This is ScanAm’s Self-Drive … Read more