Finnish Lapland
"The blanket of snow of this distant land brought peace back to my soul.
Melted my fears and recalled The Sense, why we are living for.
Time got lost in this white wasteland of nothing.
Here, one hour can last forever,
proving there’s enough time for everything, mainly for what it really counts.
This is the place where impatient souls, like mine, can finally rest,
cuddled by starry skies, crystalized trees,
unforgettable sunsets, frozen seas and love.
I wish the noise of the city will not alter this new inner peace
And I wish I could preserve this feeling forever."
Emma
Our Itinerary
(10 days in February)
A Brief Introduction
Finland.
A flat country without mountains, washed by the Baltic Sea, surrounded by Sweden, Norway and Russia and crossed by the Arctic circle. The less rich and powerful among Scandinavian countries. Nonetheless, Finland managed to preserve its strong cultural, historic, linguistic and artistic identity and never lost its fascinating philosophy of life.
Finland is a happy country.
Not because everyone always smiles. Actually, Finnish people don’t smile so often and can seem pretty rude at first sight, but inside in the deep, they are just really happy, because they are in peace with the surrounding world. The pace of their life is slower than the rest of the world, why do they have to rush? Haste doesn’t exist and it’s replaced by efficiency. Distances are quite short and things to see and to do are reduced to the essentials. They can have more, but probably they just don’t want to overload themselves with the “unessential”. Finnish are simple people in love with nature. Both in summer and in winter they live at deep contact with it, and also in the cities, all people-friendly, they try to preserve nature. An example, the chirping of birds reproduced in every toilet in Helsinki to sweetens your experience.
I understand, it’s impossible not to love that nature. Infinite expanse of birch forest, the midnight sun and the aurora borealis…every season is magical.
In conclusion, the typical Finnish is a kind, happy, intelligent and efficient person.
In Finland everything works, everything is clean and create to enjoy nature in a healthy way, from warm saunas in the middle of nowhere to baths in the freezing waters in the middle of winter.
A brainstorming of Finland would look like this…
SUGGESTED CLOTHING (February)
Ski suite!!! Warm boots, wool socks, hat, doble gloves, VODKA
(or any other alcohol)
and DECATHLON WARMERS!
Let's start the trip
 HELSINKIDesign, food-markets and tranquillity |  IVALO - INARI - NELLIMNorthern lights & Sami culture |  SAARISELKÄ - SODANKYLÄdog sledding, snow bikes and more |
|---|---|---|
 ROVANIEMIArctic circle and Santa |  RANUA ZOOArctic animals in a big natural environment |  KEMI - OULUFinally the sea. Ice castle&Icebreakers |
Helsinki (- 6°C)
TRAVEL NOTES
Helsinki: nice, livable city. Nothing so incredible to see but gentle people and relaxed atmosphere.
Katajonokka: residential island surrounded by the frozen sea. There you can see icebreakers (Finland is the first producer in the world), the biggest Orthodox Church out of Russia, the touristic harbour where ex-factories have been transformed into cool cafes and bars, like Johan & Nyström Oy, Coffe Roasters and tea Merchants (lovely breakfast and brake from the cold). We slept there at Eurohostel Helsinki, good value for money.
Helsinki cathedral (Tuomiokirko): white lutheran church that reminds me the White House.
Kauppatori (main square): piers, thermal waters, kiosks with fresh fish and the old market, the best part!
Punavuori: design/cool district (but shop close at 4 pm!)
Temppellaukion Kirko: incredible rocky church underground, where you can attend concerts as it had specifically been built for a perfect acoustic!
Kiasma Museum and Music Hall: modern part of Helsinki. Close by you can walk on the frozen Lake and reach the Olympic stadium and the panoramic tower, perfect for sunset time.
MUST DO: Molly Malone's bar for beers, live music, dancing and small casino + try a typical Finnish brunch now trendy in Helsinki
Ivalo - Inari -Nellim (-20°C)
MISS AURORA
After almost two hours waiting for Her on a hill suggested by locals, a bit disillusioned, we decided to change place. We start driving down the frozen lake and suddenly, watching out of the car windows I started screaming to stop...Miss Aurora was there!! She arrived fast and fast she left. She danced a sensual green dance in front of us, behind us, upon us...all around us actually! She was everywhere in the sky, we didn't know where to watch and what to do, so we started screaming like the happiest children in the world. We knew for Sami people screaming in front of Miss Aurora is a sign of bad luck, but we couldn't help it, the emotion was too big. The Universe made us a big gift. The only word to define it is just Amazing!
TIPS TO SEE THE NORTHERN LIGHS
- Of course, it would be great to see them while on a husky sledge or a snowmobile tour, but you need a clear sky and a good magnetic activity...and such perfect conditions are not easy to find. So keep in mind that you will have to HUNT her! Just take a car, usually after midnight, and go, as long as you can resist.
- Ask locals for good places to see it (they know everything)! Check weather forecast (you need a clear sky without clouds) and the magnetic activity on the web, there are plenty of website but we used to watch Aurora Service
- The legend says that northern lights were created by a fast run of a fox in the snow, others believe it's a football match between gods...I think you can choose your own legend and believe it!
TRAVEL NOTES
INARI: The capital of Sami people, small and surrounded by a huge lake that freezes in winter becoming the playground for ice-fishing, snowmobile races, walking, husky sledge tours and aurora sightseeing. Very interesting to see: Sami Parliament and Siida (Museum of Sami culture and Lapland wildlife)
Where to stay: Traditional Hotel Kultahovi, cozy family hotel with normal rooms but great sauna along the river, cozy atmosphere and very good restaurant (we had dinner with mushroom crêpes, reindeer fillet with reindeer blood sausages, dark chocolate and blueberry dessert
IVALO: the smallest city ever seen, but with the airport!!
NELLIM: Sami very little town made of 5-6 houses and a hotel. Here you will find the first orthodox wooden church built in Lapland...such a nice KIRKO in the middle of nothing perfect for scenographic weddings
Saariselkä - Sodankylä (- 18°C)
Typical Finnish Breakfast
TRAVEL NOTES
SAARISELKÄ: Ski quiet tourist location in the middle of a taiga forest of benches and northern pines. We took a cottage in the wild , with great sauna and surrounded by infinite walking path. In this city you can find any lappish touristic experience, we choose to go on a husky-sledge tour for a day. Driving the sledge was just amazing! There are plenty of travel agency, but I can suggest Husky & co
SODANKYLÄ: little stop on the way to Rovaniemi to see another nice wooden church, but no other reasons to go!!
Rovaniemi (-15°C)
TRAVEL NOTES
ROVANIEMI: The first real "city" we saw, very touristic so less fascinating than all the rest. If you want to see real Lapland, Rovaniemi should be the beginning or the end of your trip northern, absolutely not the only destination as many people do. Fortunately our couchsurfing host made our experience a bit more local and real!
Santa Claus Village: very nice to visit with children. You can enjoy meeting the real Santa (after hours of queue), sending postcards and letters from Santa's Office (with the option receiving it on Christmas Day) and mainly you MUST enjoy a very good salmon cooked on the fire at the Santa's Salmon Place.
In Rovaniemi we tried the experience of driving snowmobile; searching for Aurora we reached lovely public cottages far from the city where we made a fire and cooked typical food...fun and romantic!
Suggested agency: Arctic lifestyle
Ranua Zoo (-10°C)
TRAVEL NOTES
Nice OPEN AIR (so very cold) arctic zoo with arctic animals: Lynx - Wolverine - Elk - Reindeers - Deers - Owls, Eagles and Falcons - Wolves - Otters - Wild bores - Mice and similars - Musk Ox - Polar Bear and Brown Bear!
And... ICE BAR + vodka
Kemi - Oulu (-10°C + humidity)
TRAVEL NOTES
KEMI: Kemi is famous for its ice castle, where you can sleep, eat or even get married, and for the Ice breakers, where you can spend some day on a VERY EXPENSIVE cruise...we didn't do any of that and we just walked at sunset on the frozen sea to reach the island in front of the city for many kilometres with our glasses frozen for the high humidity...fortunately in every accommodation in Finland there is always a warm sauna waiting for you!
OULU: First city with an active nightlife! Very pleasant for spending some days, even though it's definitely more enjoyable during summer than winter, but we liked it anyway. You cannot miss the old marketplace (Kauppahall) in front of the symbol of Oulu: the statue of a funny and fat policeman! And for a caloric stop with sweet or salty pancakes: Pannukakkutalo
