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
Evangelical Lutheran cathedral of the Diocese of Helsinki, located in the center of Helsinki.
Travel Squire goes to Northern Finland to greet a Sami and see some reindeers.
Let’s face it; no one enjoys the logistical barriers that bog down vacations; who really wants to spend time waiting in line for a visa? With the increasingly popular visa-free cruises from Five Stars of Scandinavia Inc., that inconvenience can be easily avoided. Traveling between the exciting cities of Helsinki … Read more
You’re speeding by frozen lakes, snowcapped mountains and frosty evergreen forests on your journey to the White City of the North- if your thoughts immediately jumped to Game of Thrones, a) you would be mistaken, and b) consider yourself a total nerd. Fortunately, there’s a better way to traverse the … Read more
It’s the biggest annual winter sports event worldwide – nope, not indoor soccer. From May 4-20, the 2012 IIHF World Championship will be held in Helsinki, Finland and Stockholm, Sweden, where the world’s top teams will compete for the highest title in hockey. This year, the IIHF will debut … Read more
If you’ve ever traveled to Finland more than likely you’ve shopped, seen, or heard of Marimekko. Admired by fashion lovers and interior decorators alike, the company designs and manufactures high-quality clothing, textiles, tableware, and a bunch of cool accessories. Known for its strikingly inventive patterns and clever use of … Read more
Each year, summer in Finland is heralded in by the celebration of the capital city’s founding in 1550. Helsinki Day, which over the years has burgeoned into a weeklong outdoor festival, invites travelers from all over the world to engage in picnics, concerts, theatre and street shows. Since 1959, … Read more
Chez Dominique A two star Michelin rating is a big deal in any country but in Finland it’s even bigger. It’s understandable that thoughts run toward France and the UK as far as award-winning cuisine, but who knew that Finland had ante-d up? I found out when I stepped foot … Read more
[wide][/wide] 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, … Read more
It’s not Your Momma’s Cuisine! Wild reindeer terrine with tart lingonberry jam. Earthy trumpet chanterelles in a wine reduction sauce over seasoned trout. Crispy buckwheat blinis with Russian pickles, honey and sour cream. It’s enough to give any culinary enthusiast warm and fuzzy goose bumps. Yet that’s what makes … Read more
Midsummer in the heart of Finland – pop, world music, dance, theatre, cinema & exhibitions
Sauna is more than a stress-buster, more than a medical miracle – it’s practically a religion