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Tourism in Finland 

Tourism in Finland is big business, but why? Why is this industry so important and how should it best be managed? Read on to find out…

Tourism in Finland

Finland, often dubbed the ‘Land of a Thousand Lakes’, offers more than just its serene waterscapes. Nestled between vast forests and the Arctic expanse, this Nordic nation presents a harmonious blend of natural beauty and modern innovation. As we embark on this article, we’ll explore the multifaceted attractions of Finnish tourism, delving into a destination where the midnight sun meets cutting-edge design, and age-old traditions thrive alongside contemporary culture.

Geographical overview of Finland 

Finland is a country located in northern Europe and shares borders with Sweden to the west, Norway to the north, Russia to the east, and Estonia to the south across the Gulf of Finland.

The country has a total area of approximately 338,000 square kilometres, making it the eighth-largest country in Europe. Its terrain is characterised by numerous lakes and vast forested areas, as well as many islands and archipelagos along its extensive coastline.

Finland has a relatively low population density, with most of the population concentrated in the southern part of the country, particularly around the capital city of Helsinki. The majority of the land is covered by forests, and about one-tenth of the country is covered by water, including over 188,000 lakes.

The landscape is marked by several large lakes, such as Saimaa, the largest lake in Finland and the fourth largest in Europe. The country also features several mountain ranges, including the Koli National Park, which is home to one of Finland’s most famous landscapes.

The climate in Finland is generally characterised by cold winters and mild summers, with the winter months bringing snow and freezing temperatures. Due to its location near the Arctic Circle, some parts of Finland experience the phenomenon of the midnight sun during the summer months and the polar night during the winter months.

The tourism industry in Finland 

Finland is a popular tourist destination known for its unique natural beauty, fascinating culture, and outdoor activities. The tourism industry in Finland is an important contributor to the country’s economy, and it has experienced steady growth in recent years.

One of the main draws for tourists is Finland’s vast wilderness areas, including its many lakes, forests, and national parks. Visitors can experience the Northern Lights, hike or ski in the mountains, go fishing, or enjoy a sauna by a lakeside cabin. Finland also has a rich cultural heritage, with numerous museums, art galleries, and festivals celebrating traditional Finnish culture and modern art.

Helsinki, the capital city of Finland, is also a popular tourist destination. The city has a vibrant cultural scene, with numerous museums, art galleries, theatres, and music venues. Helsinki also boasts many architectural wonders, including the famous Temppeliaukio Church, a church built into a rock face, and the modernist Kamppi Chapel of Silence.

Tourists can also experience Finnish traditions and culture through local food and drink, including smoked salmon, reindeer meat, and cloudberry jam. Finland is also known for its vodka, beer, and award-winning wines.

In recent years, Finland has also become a popular destination for wellness and eco-tourism, with a focus on sustainability and natural healing. Visitors can enjoy spa treatments, yoga retreats, and outdoor activities like foraging for wild berries and mushrooms.

Overall, Finland’s tourism industry offers a unique blend of nature, culture, and modern amenities, making it an ideal destination for a wide range of travellers.

Statistics about tourism in Finland 

Here are some of the most current statistics available and the time of publication about tourism in Finland:

• In 2019, Finland welcomed a total of 6.9 million tourists, which was a 3% increase from the previous year. (Source: Visit Finland)
• Tourism accounts for about 2.9% of Finland’s GDP, generating around €5.3 billion in revenue in 2019. (Source: Visit Finland)
• The majority of tourists visiting Finland come from neighbouring countries such as Russia, Sweden, and Germany. (Source: Visit Finland)
• The most popular destinations in Finland for tourists are Helsinki, Lapland, and the Lakeland region. (Source: Visit Finland)
• The average length of stay for tourists in Finland is about 4.4 nights. (Source: Visit Finland)
• The most popular activities for tourists in Finland include outdoor activities such as hiking, skiing, and fishing, as well as cultural activities such as visiting museums and art galleries. (Source: Visit Finland)
• In 2019, the tourism industry in Finland employed approximately 140,000 people, making up around 5.7% of the country’s total employment. (Source: Visit Finland)
• The number of Chinese tourists visiting Finland has been increasing steadily in recent years, with a 12.6% increase in 2019. (Source: Visit Finland)
• The majority of accommodation options in Finland are hotels, followed by rental cottages and apartments. (Source: Visit Finland)
• Sustainable tourism is an important focus for Finland, with the country being named the world’s happiest country by the World Happiness Report in 2021 and ranked as one of the most sustainable destinations in the world by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council. (Source: Visit Finland, GSTC)

Most popular tourist attractions in Finland 

Finland has a wealth of attractions that draw tourists from around the world. Here are some of the most popular tourist attractions in Finland:

• Helsinki – The capital city of Finland is a vibrant metropolis that offers a wide range of cultural and historical attractions, including museums, art galleries, theatres, and the iconic Helsinki Cathedral.
• Lapland – The northernmost region of Finland is a popular destination for tourists looking to experience the unique Arctic environment and outdoor activities such as skiing, snowmobiling, and dog sledding. Lapland is also famous for its Santa Claus Village and the opportunity to witness the Northern Lights.
• Finnish Lakeland – Finland’s lake district, located in the eastern part of the country, is a stunning region of interconnected lakes and islands, offering opportunities for boating, fishing, and hiking.
• Suomenlinna Fortress – This UNESCO World Heritage site located in Helsinki is a historic sea fortress built in the 18th century. Visitors can explore the fortress and learn about its history through guided tours and exhibits.
• Rovaniemi – The capital of Lapland and the official home of Santa Claus, Rovaniemi is a popular destination for families and tourists looking to experience traditional Finnish culture and the northern wilderness.
• Turku Castle – Located in the city of Turku, this mediaeval castle is one of the most well-preserved castles in Finland and offers visitors a glimpse into the country’s rich history.
• Åland Islands – An archipelago of over 6,000 islands located between Finland and Sweden, the Åland Islands offer a unique blend of Finnish and Swedish culture, as well as stunning natural beauty.
• The Archipelago Trail – This 250 km route takes visitors through the Turku archipelago and offers a scenic drive or bike ride through beautiful landscapes, traditional villages, and historic sites.
• Koli National Park – Located in eastern Finland, this national park offers breathtaking views of the Finnish Lakeland and is known for its rugged terrain and unique rock formations.
• Saimaa – The largest lake in Finland, Saimaa offers opportunities for boating, fishing, and relaxation in a picturesque setting, with numerous islands and waterways to explore.

These are just a few of the many attractions that Finland has to offer, making it an ideal destination for travellers seeking a unique blend of nature, culture, and history.

Most popular types of tourism in Finland 

Finland offers a diverse range of tourism experiences that cater to different interests and preferences. Here are some of the most popular types of tourism in Finland:

• Nature tourism – Finland’s pristine forests, lakes, and wilderness areas are a major draw for visitors seeking outdoor adventure and natural beauty. Activities such as hiking, cycling, fishing, and wildlife watching are popular among nature lovers.
• Cultural tourism – Finland has a rich cultural heritage that is celebrated through various museums, galleries, festivals, and events. Visitors can explore the country’s traditional handicrafts, music, and cuisine, as well as learn about its history and architecture.
• Winter tourism – Finland’s long, snowy winters offer a host of activities for visitors, including skiing, snowboarding, ice fishing, and snowmobiling. Lapland is a particularly popular destination for winter tourism, with its unique Arctic environment and opportunities to see the Northern Lights.
• Sauna tourism – Sauna is an important part of Finnish culture, and visitors can experience traditional Finnish sauna rituals and relaxation techniques in a variety of settings, from public saunas to private cabins.
• Food and drink tourism – Finnish cuisine features fresh, locally sourced ingredients and a range of unique flavours and dishes. Visitors can sample traditional Finnish dishes such as reindeer, salmon, and cloudberry, as well as Finnish craft beers and spirits.
• Health and wellness tourism – Finland is known for its natural hot springs, therapeutic mud treatments, and spa facilities that offer relaxation and rejuvenation to visitors. Health and wellness tourism is popular among those seeking rest and rejuvenation in a peaceful and natural environment.

These are just a few of the many types of tourism experiences available in Finland, catering to different interests and preferences.

Economic impacts of tourism in Finland

Tourism is a significant contributor to the Finnish economy, generating employment and income, as well as supporting various industries and businesses. Here are some of the economic impacts of tourism in Finland:

• Employment – Tourism creates jobs in a range of industries, including accommodation, food and beverage, transportation, and retail. In 2019, the tourism industry in Finland employed over 155,000 people, accounting for around 6% of total employment in the country.
• Income – Tourism generates income for businesses and individuals across the country, including hotels, restaurants, tour operators, and local vendors. In 2019, tourism contributed approximately €6.8 billion to the Finnish economy, accounting for around 2.9% of the country’s GDP.
• Investment – The tourism industry also attracts investment in infrastructure and services, such as new hotels, transportation networks, and tourism attractions. This investment helps to support the growth of the industry and enhance the visitor experience.
• Regional development – Tourism can support regional development by promoting the growth of businesses and infrastructure in less developed areas of the country. This can help to create more balanced regional development and spread the economic benefits of tourism more widely.
• Cultural preservation – Tourism can also help to preserve and promote Finland’s cultural heritage, by encouraging the development of cultural attractions and events that celebrate Finnish traditions and history. This can help to maintain a sense of cultural identity and pride among the local population.

Overall, the tourism industry plays an important role in the Finnish economy, generating income, employment, and investment, as well as supporting regional development and cultural preservation.

Social impacts of tourism in Finland

Tourism can have various social impacts on destinations, including Finland. Here are some of the social impacts of tourism in Finland:

• Cultural exchange – Tourism can promote cultural exchange and understanding between visitors and locals. Visitors can learn about Finnish culture and traditions, while locals can gain exposure to different cultures and perspectives.
• Community involvement – The tourism industry can involve and benefit local communities, by creating job opportunities and supporting local businesses. This can help to foster a sense of community pride and ownership over tourism development.
• Environmental awareness – Tourism can raise awareness about environmental issues and encourage responsible travel practices. This can help to promote environmental conservation and sustainability.
• Infrastructure development – Tourism can also support the development of infrastructure and services that benefit local communities, such as transportation networks, public facilities, and tourist attractions. This can improve quality of life for residents and enhance the overall visitor experience.
• Social tensions – However, tourism can also create social tensions and conflicts, particularly if it leads to overcrowding, environmental degradation, or cultural misunderstandings. It is important for tourism development to be managed in a sustainable and responsible manner, taking into account the needs and concerns of both visitors and local communities.

Overall, the social impacts of tourism in Finland can be both positive and negative, depending on how tourism development is managed and balanced with the needs and aspirations of local communities.

Environmental impacts of tourism in Finland

Tourism can have various environmental impacts on destinations, including Finland. Here are some of the environmental impacts of tourism in Finland:

• Carbon emissions – Tourism in Finland can contribute to greenhouse gas emissions, particularly through transportation, accommodation, and food and beverage services. This can contribute to climate change and other environmental problems.
• Land use – Tourism development can lead to changes in land use, such as the conversion of natural habitats into tourism infrastructure or the degradation of fragile ecosystems due to tourist activities.
• Waste generation – Tourism in Finland can generate significant amounts of waste, such as packaging, food waste, and disposable products. This can contribute to environmental pollution and waste management challenges.
• Resource depletion – Tourism can also lead to the depletion of natural resources, such as water and energy, particularly in areas with limited resources.
• Biodiversity loss – Tourism can have negative impacts on biodiversity, particularly through habitat destruction and disturbance, hunting and fishing, and the introduction of invasive species.

To mitigate the environmental impacts of tourism in Finland, there are various sustainability initiatives in place. These include eco-friendly accommodations, sustainable transportation options, waste reduction and recycling programs, and conservation efforts to protect biodiversity and natural habitats. It is important for tourists to also practise responsible and sustainable tourism behaviours, such as minimising waste, using public transportation, and respecting natural and cultural heritage sites.

FAQs about tourism in Finland 

Now that we know a bit more about tourism in Finland, lets answer some of the most frequently asked questions on this topic:

What is the best time of year to visit Finland?

The best time to visit Finland depends on your interests. Summer (June to August) is the best time for outdoor activities and sightseeing, while winter (December to February) is ideal for winter sports and seeing the Northern Lights.

Do I need a visa to visit Finland?

This depends on your nationality. Citizens of EU/EEA countries and several other countries are exempt from visa requirements for short stays. Check with the Finnish embassy or consulate in your home country to determine if you need a visa.

What is the official language of Finland?

The official languages of Finland are Finnish and Swedish. English is widely spoken, particularly in tourist areas.

How do I get around in Finland?

Finland has a well-developed transportation network that includes buses, trains, domestic flights, and ferries. Public transportation in major cities is affordable and reliable.

What are some popular tourist attractions in Finland?

Popular tourist attractions in Finland include Helsinki, Lapland, the Northern Lights, Finnish lakes, national parks, and cultural sites such as Suomenlinna fortress and Turku Castle.

Is Finland an expensive country to visit?

Finland can be relatively expensive compared to other European countries, particularly in terms of accommodation and food. However, there are budget-friendly options available, such as hostels and street food.

What are some typical Finnish foods I should try?

Finnish cuisine includes traditional dishes such as reindeer stew, smoked salmon, Karelian pastries, and rye bread. There are also many international dining options available in major cities.

Can I see the Northern Lights in Finland?

Yes, Finland is a popular destination for seeing the Northern Lights, particularly in Lapland. The best time to see the Northern Lights is during the winter months.

Are there any cultural customs I should be aware of when visiting Finland?

Finns tend to be reserved and value personal space, so it’s important to respect this when interacting with locals. It’s also common to remove shoes when entering someone’s home or certain public buildings.

What are some popular winter activities in Finland?

Popular winter activities in Finland include skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing, ice fishing, and dog sledding.

To conclude- Tourism in Finland

So, that sums up this article about tourism in Finland. As our exploration of Finland’s tourism landscape draws to a close, it’s evident that this Nordic gem seamlessly marries its rich cultural tapestry with unparalleled natural beauty. From its tranquil lakes to innovative urban hubs, Finland continually redefines the essence of travel, offering experiences that are both profound and enriching. In the realm of global tourism, Finland stands as a testament to timeless allure and modern evolution, promising each visitor a journey of lasting resonance.

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The 5 ultimate reasons to travel to the happiest country in the world

Press release, helsinki, 2022, inspiration, recreation, and rest close to nature in finland.

Finland, four times voted the happiest country in the world with the lowest population density in the entire European Union promises one thing above all: inspiration, recreation, and rest close to nature. Europe’s most densely forested country is a place where one can find saunas in any constellation or location; where one can hike through more than 41 national parks while breathing in the world’s cleanest air; where one can cycle under the Midnight Sun, and enjoy world-class art, design events and undisturbed island hopping.

Reconnect with yourself in the forest – New National Park “Salla”

Reduced anxiety and negative feelings, increase of antioxidants and endorphins – the benefits of spending time in nature seem innumerable. In Finland, you can experience the great outdoors safely in all of the country’s 41 national parks across the whole country. The newest member of the national park family is Salla , situated in one of the last European wildernesses in the southeastern part of Lapland.

With the recent designation of the Sallatunturi Protected Area as a new Salla national park, the Finnish Parliament is sending another important signal. Salla National Park is linked to other nearby protected areas on both sides of Finnish and Russian borders, improving the ecological connection with Russia’s national park network. Along the Russian border, from Oulanka National Park in the south, through Salla municipality, to the Tuntsa wilderness area in the far north, about 3,300 inhabitants and more than 10,000 reindeer breathe in the world’s cleanest air on every day. Not far from Ruka-Kuusamo, the famous ski resort, the natural wonders of Northern Finland reveal themselves to visitors. The never-ending days of the midnight sun, the polar night shrouded in several weeks of darkness, the Northern Lights – all to be observed on biking, snowshoe hikes, cross country skiing and hiking in the marked trails throughout the national park. Salla’s nature is characterized by old-growth forests, eskers, and ravines. From the top of Iso Pyhätunturi fell, one can admire the wide-open landscapes and the fells on the Russian side. Finland's 41st national park provides wonderful moments in pristine nature for the visitor and important opportunities for sustainable nature tourism.  

https://www.visitsalla.fi/en/   

www.nationalparks.fi/sallanp   

Enjoy the many islands of Åland – 100 years of Åland islands

Experiencing the idyllic city life in Mariehamn, the serene beauty of Kökar Islands, luxurious recreation at HavsVidden or the many culinary highlights, which are influenced by Swedish, Finnish and other food cultures – all of the many facets of Åland Islands can be experienced throughout this year’s anniversary.  

The autonomous Finnish region, located in the Baltic Sea, at the Southern end of the Gulf of Bothnia between Finland and Sweden, inhabits just over 30,000 people spread over more than 6,700 islands and skerries. Notwithstanding the fact that Swedish is the sole official language, it has its own postage stamps and own flag.  

As a tourist destination, Åland Islands are anything but monotonous: from adventurous island-hopping to boating, fishing, golfing to canoeing or kayaking all day without encountering another soul. As it is easy to get from one island to another, thanks to the many bridges and ferries, multi-day bicycle tours, destination riding or day rides and urban cycling can take you someplace new. Maybe to one of the many restaurants and bars, where you can enjoy authentic food that is produced locally. Cheese and other dairy products, beer, cider, juice and lemonades, chocolate, and bonbons, to only name a few of the many delicacies from Åland.  

As the year 2022 marks the one hundredth anniversary of extensive political autonomy for the Åland Islands, participants can look forward to theatre performances, operas, seminars, light festivals, concerts and the grand anniversary celebration from 9 to 12 June 2022. The succeeding Åland Harvest Festival will take place from September 16-18. As the island can be easily reached from the Finnish mainland, such as by a ferry from Finland’s oldest city and former capital Turku or Helsinki, Aland invites the whole world to take part.  

https://campaign.visitaland.com/en/aland100/  

Embrace the many facets of Finnish design – Helsinki, Finland’s design capital

Artek, Marimekko, Fiskars, Ittala and Aalto – falling in love with Finland means falling in love with Finnish design. As it can be found in whole Finland, there is one city that is entwined with design like no other: Helsinki. In the World Design Capital of 2012, design has earned a permanent place in the city’s core functions. Architectural milestones built throughout the last years strengthened Helsinki’s role as an internationally exciting City of Design and made design a topic of social interest. The biggest Design Festival in the Nordics, the Helsinki Design Week , held from 8 to 18 September 2022, the 2022 Fiskars Village Art & Design Biennale and the opening of the Paimio Sanatorium highlight this interest, respectively. 

The year 2022 will further strengthen Helsinki's national and international position as a city of exciting events and remarkable cultural institutions. Several new first-class venues will open their doors in the city and new cultural policies will create the conditions for a wide range of leisure activities. The opening of Pikku Finlandia (Little Finland) will be the first of these. A temporary venue over the period of Finlandia Hall's renovation in January, the Jaakko Torvinen-designed building will be a refuge for lovers of sophisticated design. The Tanssin Talo – the House of Dance – which will open in February, represents an architectural non-conformism that is not unusual in Finland. As a landmark for dance, as a platform for the community of dancers, it plays with the illusion of lightness and heaviness, combining the new building designed by JKMM Architects with the old factory building renovated by ILO Architects.  

The 2022 Fiskars Village Art & Design Biennale is one of the many exciting design events that awaits visitors from all over the world. Organized in the old foundry and the Raseborg region, it seeks new ideas and experiences at the ever-redefining intersections of art and design. Held from 22 May to 4 September 2022, the Biennale will host three main exhibitions: 

Knots & Knits , a part of the U-JOINTS design research project by Anniina Koivu and Andrea Caputo;  House by an Architect , a collection of eight wooden mini houses built on a meadow by an oak forest; and  HIDDEN – “Forms of the Senses”  by the Onoma artist cooperative, which explores multisensory experiences through arts, crafts and design. The Biennale also includes an Open Call for content to ensure a versatile parallel programme.

https://fiskarsvillagebiennale.com/

Alvar Aalto’s two masterpieces meet in Paimio Sanatorium

Paimio Sanatorium , Aino and Alvar Aalto’s iconic breakthrough design of 1933, close to Turku, opens its doors to visitors for the first time in its history. Enclosed in a forest of tall pine trees, the building has returned to the spotlight offering the same medicine it always did – light, sun and air. In parallel to the  Rooms of the Sanatorium exhibition, which sheds light on life in the tuberculosis sanatorium, Paimio Sanatorium will showcase Alvar Aalto’s other masterpiece this summer: Maison Louis Carré , a private residence completed in 1959 in Bazoches-sur-Guyonne near Paris. The exhibition mainly presents Les Femmes de Maison Carré  by internationally acclaimed Finnish photographer, Elina Brotherus. Through the suggestive animation of MLC’s historical interior and exterior spaces that Brotherus accomplishes by populating them with credible character, her photographs open a unique portal to experiencing the plain, mundane reality of life lived in Aalto’s two constructions, through which alone their delicate orchestration of site, space and detailing unfolds.

Maison Louis Carré was opened to the public in 2007. Today the house is owned by Association Alvar Aalto en France. The exhibition is produced by the Friends of Maison Carré association.

  www.paimiosanatorium.com

Cycle under Midnight Sun – the Saimaa Cycle Tour 2022

Finns have always loved their bikes as cycling is everyday business in Finland. Biking is not only fun but also a sustainable way to see a destination in the countryside. Why not experience the Finnish lake district responsibly by participating in the Saimaa Cycle Tour 2022, one of the most prestigious cycling events in all of Europe. Where else in the world can you enjoy a wooden-heated sauna by one of the biggest lakes in Europe after the ride?

Lake Saimaa is a very special place to both visitors and locals alike. Situated in the heart of Europe’s largest lake district, Saimaa offers great opportunities for activities of all kinds. The Saimaa Cycle Tour 2022 is only one of them. Not far from the Imantrankoski Rapids in the southeastern town of Imatra, one of the most beautiful cycle tours in Europe starts: the Saimaa Cycle Tour 2022 . On asphalted routes throughout, it will take experienced and inexperienced cyclists through forested areas, sections surrounded by lakes, over high bridges and deep valleys. Listed by Epic Road Rides as one of the most prestigious cycling events in all of Europe, the more than 1,000 registered participants from 15 countries so far can admire the midnight sun lingering over the horizon. This exceptional event, which is now taking place for the second time, is not designed as a competition: Each of the expected 2,500 participants will set his or her own challenge on three different routes, varying in difficulty: the Ruokolahti Tour (38 km) , the Jaakko Hänninen Tour (85 km) and the all-inclusive Saimaa Cycle Tour (300 km) . The shortest ones are designed for e-bikes. Lake Saimaa, which is also home to Saimaa Ringed Seal, the only seal in the world living the lake can be spotted by the luckiest ones. The Saimaa Cycle Tour offers local food specialities at the aid stations, the salmon comes from a local salmon fisher. After a great effort it’s time to relax and there is no better place to relax than a sauna and take a swim in Lake Saimaa . As there are plenty of different accommodations to choose from, the Finnish way is to rent a summer cottage.

Sweat and relax – in the Finnish sauna in many different locations

The sauna is the temple of well-being for Finns. It is the perfect place to relax, rest, cherish health, and engage in social interaction. The public sauna boom is taking over the country and saunas can be found literally everywhere. Like in Tampere, the sauna Capital of the world, where there are more than 43 public saunas to visit. The new ice sauna is a must for winter season – but only for the bravest.  

With over 3.3 million saunas in a country of 5.5 million inhabitants, the importance of the restful practice, which was included in UNESCO's Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2020, seems unquestionable : on rooftops of tall buildings or on private islands far from bustling cities. Saunas can be found in every hotel and swimming pool in every Finnish city.  As Finns love to spend time in their summer cottages, the most popular activity is sauna bathing. The healing power of nature is the core of Finnish sauna. With around 75% of Finland covered in forest and more than 188 000 lakes, the most authentic way to have a sauna bathe is in a shore of a lake or the Baltic Sea. The constant rise of public interest in public saunas has brought a wide variety of choices to choose from.  

One of them is the ice sauna , which is made of ice blocks from the local lake Pyhäjärvi. This year, the extraordinary ice sauna can be tested on the territory of Rauhaniemi sauna, one of the oldest public saunas in Finland located by the lake Näsijärvi. In addition to the ice sauna, the sauna park consists of a peat sauna, a hemp sauna, and a log sauna. These saunas are built from wood, and electricity is supplied from the main sauna building.

On the rooftop of Tampere’s newest hotel  Lapland Hotels Arena   one can enjoy a whole sauna terrace overviewing the city. The terrace with a modern Nordic atmosphere is located on the 12th floor of the hotel and is designed to fit 300 people. Three saunas, a hot tub, bars and kitchens bosting panoramic views are aimed to serve as a sauna living room for the locals, the hotel guests, visitors of the new Nokia Arena and everyone else. 

Local entrepreneurs willingly embrace the sauna spirit of the city. This spring, one of the most fashionable restaurants in Tampere,  Periscope by Arto Rastas , will open its own 350 square meters sauna terrace on the restaurant’s rooftop. Visitors will be able to enjoy the steam of two public saunas and three jacuzzis, a warm glass house that fits up to 25 people, sofas and lounge areas. All accompanied by the breathtaking panoramic views over the city and the surrounding lakes – a sauna heaven on earth.  

https://visittampere.fi/en/sauna-capital/

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About Visit Finland

Visit Finland, a unit of Business Finland, is a national authority on tourism and an active force in promoting international travel to Finland. Its main goal is to develop Finland’s international image as a destination. Visit Finland supports the travel industry through research and helps businesses and groups develop products and services for the international market. For more information, please visit  www.visitfinland.com .

Tourism Slogans for Every Country in the World: From Catchy to Cringeworthy

You guys — I have gone down a rabbit hole. 🤦🏻‍♀️ I started searching for country tourism slogans to include on a Country Quick Facts Infographic I am creating for my newly-designed country category pages (check out the test run for Colombia here !).

Before I knew it, I had compiled a comprehensive list of the tourism slogans for every country and territory in the world! So I decided to rank the Top 20 Best and Worst tourism slogans just for kicks. And I also threw in a few tourism logos while I was at it!

It was interesting to see what catchy (or not-so-catchy) taglines countries have come up with to lure tourists, especially since (at the time of this writing) US citizens are banned from all but a handful of these countries due to the coronavirus.

Some countries opted for the easy go-to of alliteration (“Brilliant Barbados”; “Beautiful Burundi”; “Pristine Paradise Palau”; “Timeless Tuvalu”) or assonance (“Epic Estonia”; “Incredible India”). Other countries got a little more creative (Djibouti: “Djibeauty”; Slovenia: “I feel sLOVEnia”; Ukraine: “It’s all about U”).

A few countries decided to make some bold claims (“Dominican Republic Has It All”; “All You Need Is Ecuador”; Honduras: “Everything Is Here”), while smaller, lesser-known countries opted to just tell you where they are located (Andorra: “The Pyrenean Country”; Bosnia & Herzegovina: “The Heart of SE Europe”).

Without further ado, here is my ranking (in alphabetical order) of the Top 20 Best and Worst Country Tourism Slogans. Let’s get the cringeworthy taglines out of the way first before moving onto the catchy ones….

Table of Contents

Worst Country Tourism Slogans

Armenia – Visit Armenia, It is Beautiful

Straight to the point but I feel like Armenia kind of mailed it in on this one.

Explore Armenia

Brazil – Visit and Love Us

Sounds a bit needy to me, Brazil.

Explore Brazil

Brunei Darussalam – Abode of Peace

Interesting slogan for a country known for its human rights violations…

Explore Brunei Darussalam

El Salvador – El Salvador: Impressive!

I guess this is a step up from their previous slogan “The 45-Minute Country” but still a bit lackluster.

Explore El Salvador

Finland – I Wish I Was in Finland

Putting the words in tourists’ mouths…

Explore Finland

Gibraltar (UK) – Time to be Enlightened

I’m pretty sure Gibraltar is all about a giant rock so I’m not sure what’s so enlightening?

Explore Gibraltar

Honduras – Everything is Here

Bold claim, Honduras.

Explore Honduras

Hungary – WOW Hungary

WOW is supposedly an acronym for Wellspring of Wonders but it really only works if you’re in the know. I kinda feel like they should just spell it out and skip the acronym altogether?

Explore Hungary

Indonesia – Wonderful Indonesia

I’m sure it is wonderful but I feel like they missed an opportunity for something more creative here…

Explore Indonesia

Iran – You Are Invited

Nice sentiment but are we really? At least for Americans, I’m not so sure how welcome we’d be.

Explore Iran

Jordan – Yes, It’s Jordan

Jordan’s getting a bit cocky here if you ask me…

Explore Jordan

Luxembourg – Live Your Unexpected Luxembourg

I’m not even sure what this means? I’ve been to Luxembourg and it is a beautiful but bland tiny speck of a country.

Explore Luxembourg

Montserrat (UK) – Come. We Have Time for You.

It’s actually so bad that it’s kind of good.

Explore Montserrat

The Netherlands – The Original Cool

I think I’m missing something. What does this even mean?

Explore The Netherlands

Paraguay – You Have to Feel It!

Feel what? A bit forward for a first date.

Explore Paraguay

Slovakia – Travel in Slovakia – Good Idea

I actually secretly love how cringeworthy this one is…

Explore Slovakia

Syria – Always Beautiful

Really, Syria? The decades of civil war might imply otherwise.

Explore Syria

Tunisia – I Feel Like Tunisia

What does this even mean?!

Explore Tunisia

United States – All Within Your Reach

America, you can do better. First of all, our country is huge. Second of all, I beg to differ based on the rampant racial and gender inequity coursing through our nation.

Explore the United States

Uruguay – Uruguay Natural

Huh? I don’t get it.

Explore Uruguay

Best Country Tourism Slogans

Anguilla (UK) – Tranquillity Wrapped in Blue

This conjures up an image of taking a nap on a beach, wrapped up in a beach towel, with not a care in the world.

Explore Anguilla

Antigua and Barbuda  – The Beach is Just the Beginning

I like both the alliteration and the implication that there’s so much more to this country than it belies on the surface.

Explore Antigua and Barbuda

Austria – Arrive and Revive

This just sounds so refreshing!

Explore Austria

Bhutan – Happiness is a Place

Bhutan measures Gross Domestic Happiness as a metric of success so I believe them…

Explore Bhutan

Cape Verde – No Stress

Sounds good to me!

Explore Cape Verde

Denmark – The Happiest Place on Earth

If you’ve got it, flaunt it.

Explore Denmark

Djibouti – Djibeauty

See what they did there? Love the catchphrase but you need to work on your logo, Djibouti.

Explore Djibouti

Faroe Islands (Denmark) – Unspoiled, Unexplored, Unbelievable

I’m all about the hidden gems so sign me up!

Explore Faroe Islands

Fiji – Where Happiness Finds You

Yes, please. 🙋🏻‍♀️

Explore Fiji

Kiribati – For Travellers

The implication is that Kiribati is for travelers, NOT tourists. And I like it.

Explore Kiribati

Montenegro – Wild Beauty

Something about this slogan just resonates with me.

Explore Montenegro

Morocco – Much Mor

Clever, Morocco.

Explore Morocco

Mozambique – Explore the Unexplored!

My kind of traveling!

Explore Mozambique

Nigeria – Good People, Great Nation

I just love the country pride and it actually really makes me want to visit.

Explore Nigeria

Oman – Beauty Has an Address

Since I list Oman as one of my favorite places I have visited, I can attest to the truth of this statement.

Explore Oman

Philippines – It’s More Fun in the Philippines

Enticing…I’d like to find out if this is true!

Explore Philippines

Tajikistan – Feel the Friendship

Sounds lovely, Tajikistan.

Explore Tajikistan

Timor-Leste – Explore the Undiscovered

Hidden gems are my jam. One day, Timor-Leste, one day.

Explore Timor-Leste

Ukraine – It’s All About U

I love both the play on words and the inviting sentiment here!

Explore Ukraine

Uzbekistan – Naturally Irresistible!

From the pictures I’ve seen, I’m dying to find out if I can’t resist the nature in Uzbekistan.

Explore Uzbekistan

Complete List of Tourism Slogans by Country

Afghanistan – N/A

Albania – Go Your Own Way

Algeria – Tourism for Everybody

American Samoa (US) – N/A

Angola – Country of the Future

Andorra – The Pyrenean Country

Antarctica – The White Continent

Argentina – Beats to Your Rhythm

Artsakh (Armenia) – A Hidden Treasure

Aruba (Netherlands) – One Happy Island

Australia – Come Live Australia’s PhilAUSophy

Azerbaijan – Take Another Look

Bahamas – Fly Away

Bahrain – Ours. Yours. Bahrain.

Bangladesh – Beautiful Bangladesh

Barbados – Brilliant Barbados

Belarus – Hospitality Without Borders

Belgium – The Place to Be

Belize – Belize is a Curious Place

Benin – N/A

Bermuda (UK) – So Much More

Bolivia – Bolivia Awaits You

Bonaire (Netherlands) – Once a Visitor Always a Friend

Bosnia and Herzegovina – The Heart of SE Europe

Botswana – Our Pride, Your Destination

Brazil – Brazil. Visit and Love Us

Bulgaria – A Discovery to Share

Burkina Faso – N/A

Burundi – Beautiful Burundi

Cabo Verde – No Stress

Cambodia – Kingdom of Wonder

Cameroon – Africa in Miniature

Canada – Keep Exploring

Cayman Islands (UK) – Dream in Cayman

Central African Republic – N/A

Chad – Oasis of the Sahel

Chile – Where the Impossible is Possible

China – Explore the World with Us

Colombia – Colombia is Magical Realism

Comoros – N/A

Congo, Democratic Republic of – N/A

Congo, Republic of – N/A

Cook Islands (New Zealand) – Love A Little Paradise

Costa Rica – Essential Costa Rica

Côte d’Ivoire – N/A

Croatia – Full of Life

Cuba – Autentica Cuba

Curaçao (Netherlands) – Curacao: Real. Different.

Cyprus – Cyprus in Your Heart

Czech Republic – Land of Stories

Dominica – The Nature Island

Dominican Republic – Dominican Republic Has It All

East Timor – Being First Has Its Rewards

Ecuador – All You Need is Ecuador

Egypt – Where It All Begins

England – Discover Your England

Equatorial Guinea – N/A

Eritrea – N/A

Estonia – Epic Estonia

Eswatini – A Royal Experience

Ethiopia – Land of Origins

Falkland Islands (UK) – Desire the Right

France – Rendez Vous en France

French Guiana (France) – N/A

French Polynesia (France) – Reconnect with the World

Gabon – N/A

Gambia – The Smiling Coast of Africa

Georgia – For the Best Moments of Your Life

Germany – Simply Inspiring

Ghana – Culture, Warmth, and Much More

Greece – Always in Season

Greenland (Denmark) – N/A

Grenada – Pure Grenada: The Spice of the Caribbean

Guadeloupe (France) – The French Caribbean Archipelago

Guam (US) – Where America’s Day Begins

Guatemala – Heart of the Mayan World

Guinea – N/A

Guinea-Bissau – N/A

Guyana – South America, Undiscovered

Haiti – Experience It!

Hong Kong (China) – Best of It All, It’s in Hong Kong

Iceland – Inspired by Iceland

India – Incredible India

Iraq – The Other Iraq (Kurdistan)

Ireland – Jump into Ireland

Israel – Land of Creation

Italy – Made in Italy

Jamaica – Heartbeat of the World

Japan – Endless Discovery

Kazakhstan – The Land of Wonders

Kenya – Magical Kenya

Kosovo – N/A

Kuwait – Pearl of the Gulf

Kyrgyzstan – So Much to Discover!

Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Laos) – Simply Beautiful

Latvia – Best Enjoyed Slowly

Lebanon – Passion for Living

Lesotho – The Kingdom in the Sky

Liberia – The Gateway for Tourism

Libya – N/A

Liechtenstein – Experience Princely Moments

Lithuania – Real is Beautiful

Macau (China) – The City of Dreams

Madagascar – A Genuine Island, A World Apart

Malawi – The Warm Heart of Africa

Malaysia – Truly Asia

Maldives – The Sunny Side of Life

Malta – Truly Mediterranean

Marshall Islands – N/A

Martinique (France) – There’s Only One Martinique

Mauritania – N/A

Mauritius – It’s a Pleasure

Mayotte (France) – N/A

Mexico – A World of Its Own

Micronesia (Federated States of) – Experience the Warmth

Moldova – Discover the Routes of Life

Monaco – For You

Mongolia – Nomadic by Nature

Myanmar – Myanmar, Be Enchanted

Namibia – Endless Horizons

Nauru – N/A

Nepal – Lifetime Experiences

Netherlands – The Original Cool

New Caledonia (France) – Pacific Heart

New Zealand – 100% Pure

Nicaragua – I Love You As You Are

Niger – N/A

Niue (New Zealand) – Nowhere Like Us

North Korea – N/A

North Macedonia – North Macedonia Timeless

Northern Mariana Islands (US) – N/A

Norway – Powered by Nature

Oman – Beauty Has An Address

Pakistan – It’s Beautiful, It’s Pakistan

Palau – Pristine Paradise Palau

Palestinian Territories – A Land of the Heart

Panama – Discovered by Nature

Papua New Guinea – A Million Different Journeys

Peru – Land of the Incas

Pitcairn Island (UK) – Come Explore

Poland – Move Your Imagination

Portugal – Europe’s West Coast

Puerto Rico (US) – Ready to Enchant You

Qatar – Qurated for You

Reunion Island (France) – The Ultimate Island

Romania – Explore the Carpathian Garden

Russian Federation – Reveal Your Own Russia

Rwanda – Discover the Land of a Thousand Hills

Saba (Netherlands) – The Unspoiled Queen of the Caribbean

Samoa – Beautiful Samoa

San Marino – San Marino For All

Sao Tome and Principe – N/A

Saudi Arabia – Experience to Discover

Scotland – A Spirit of Its Own

Senegal – N/A

Serbia – My Serbia

Seychelles – Another World

Sierra Leone – The Freedom to Explore

Singapore – Passion Made Possible

Slovenia – I Feel sLOVEnia

Solomon Islands – Solomon Is.

Somalia – N/A

South Africa – Inspiring New Ways

South Korea – Imagine Your Korea

South Sudan – N/A

Spain – #spainindetail

Sri Lanka – So Sri Lanka

St. Eustatius (Netherlands) – The Caribbean’s Hidden Treasure

St. Kitts and Nevis – Follow Your Heart

St. Lucia – Let Her Inspire You

St. Martin (France) / St. Maarten (Netherlands) – The Friendly Island

St. Vincent and the Grenadines – The Caribbean You’re Looking For

Sudan – N/A

Suriname – A Colorful Experience…Exotic Beyond Words

Sweden – N/A

Switzerland – Get Natural

Taiwan – The Heart of Asia

Tanzania – The Soul of Africa

Thailand – Amazing Thailand: It Begins with the People

Tibet (China) – Take a Trip to the Holy Land

Tonga – The True South Pacific

Trinidad and Tobago – Go Beyond Ordinary

Turkey – Be Our Guest

Turkmenistan – The Heart of the Great Silk Road

Turks and Caicos Islands (UK) – Beautiful by Nature

Tuvalu – Timeless Tuvalu

Uganda – The Pearl of Africa

United Arab Emirates – Discover All That’s Possible

United Kingdom – Home of Amazing Moments

United States of America – All Within Your Reach

Vanuatu – Discover What Matters

Vatican City – N/A

Venezuela – Venezuela is Your Destination!

Vietnam – Timeless Charm

Virgin Islands (UK) – Nature’s Little Secrets

Virgin Islands (US) – Visit To Be Inspired

Wales – #findyourepic

Wallis and Futuna Islands (France) – Islands of Hidden Treasures

Yemen – N/A

Zambia – Let’s Explore

Zimbabwe – A World of Wonders

Which tourism slogan makes you want to visit that country the most and why?

Loved this post? Feel free to share it!

About Laura

Laura is an avid traveler who aspires to live a life filled with adventure and a dash of luxury and hopes to inspire others to do the same. She seems to consistently be drawn to lesser-traveled hidden "pearls" and loves to give these under-the-radar places the credit they are due. Laura can often be found on the ski slopes in the winter and is obsessed with all activities involving water...and mac and cheese...and Golden Retrievers.

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European Travel Slogans, Ranked from Least to Most Awesome

20 best european travel slogans.

American travelers love to hit the road, with 1.8 billion people taking a leisure trip in 2018. And these travels don't come cheap: $1.1 trillion — yes, trillion! — was spent on travel last year alone.

With 195 countries in the world all hoping to attract (and cash in on) those billions of tourists, government agencies spend their money on campaigns that display the best of what their countries have to offer.

Using videos, social media, and advertising in print and online, along with slogans designed to inspire, European nations in particular have worked hard to get your attention. We've ranked 20 of the most prominent marketing campaigns there in recent history, from least to most inspiring. See if you agree!

20. Move Your Imagination - Poland

At the 2010 Internationale Tourismus-Borse (ITB) travel show in Berlin, Polish tourism officials shared a video with animated characters to drum up interest in visiting their country.  The characters were so popular that they were then used in collateral around the world to show off what the Poles already know: There's plenty to see in the country.

Today, the animated characters are no more, but that campaign's tagline — "Move Your Imagination" — has been adopted as Poland's official travel slogan. 

Verdict: What, exactly, does "Move Your Imagination" mean? Does it say anything specific about what makes Poland special? Or make you want to visit, which is ostensibly the whole point? Nah.

Be Inspired: Poland – Move Your Imagination

19. Think Hungary: More Than Expected

In 2012, Hungary welcomed 8.8 million tourists. The next year, in an effort to flaunt how awesome the country is, officials launched a promotional video campaign — and boosted that number to 9.3 million people. 

Today, the word is fully out, with nearly 13 million people enjoying the spoils of Hungary last year. There is more than expected in Hungary — like, to start, wineries, fabulous architecture, national parks, historic cities and excellent nightclubs.

Verdict: "More Than Expected" seems to sell itself short. It's like admitting "We're not France, but we're better than you'd expect." 

Be Inspired:  Think Hungary: More Than Expected

18. Jump into Ireland

Ireland's promotional videos, first launched in 2015, attempt to lure Americans like St. Patrick lured snakes (except into the country, and not out). It's estimated that the extensive campaign built around the idea of "jumping right in" to the Emerald Isle has reached 255 million people. 

That's a lot  of potential visitors who've watched imagery of the country's green landscapes, charming towns and scenic waterfronts. (Of course, pints of beer have also been prominently featured.) And seemingly, the campaign has been a success; more than 10 million people visited Ireland in the last year alone.

Verdict: "Jump into Ireland?" Like a leprechaun jumping? Or the sheep in the ad? We think you can do better, Ireland.

Be Inspired: Jump into Ireland

17. Spain in Detail

Spain turned to social media to market its hidden gems, asking travelers to discover 12 distinct destinations' smallest details, and to tag #spainindetail when spotting something to win a prize.

This 2015 campaign may have worked too well, as 82.8 million people visited Spain last year , and cities like Barcelona are dealing with overtourism.

Verdict: This one's a cute concept, but outside of hidden gems, "Spain in Detail" doesn't hold any real meaning.

Be Inspired: Spain in Detail

16. Get Natural - Switzerland

With eco-tourism and adventure tourism on the rise, Switzerland decided to reach out to travelers with images of the country's natural wonders, promoting outdoor vacations.

The Get Natural campaign, launched in 2017, has included a series of cheeky videos, including a viral hit that showed an office worker shedding his inhibitions in the Swiss wild. 

Designed to serve as inspiration for city-dwellers and nature-lovers alike, the campaign has been a success, increasing overnight stays in the country.

Verdict: Showcasing pretty pictures of Swiss' awesome natural scenery — including rock climbers sweeping the mountains — is a nice touch. But "Get Natural" just doesn't have the impact that other slogans on this list do.

Be Inspired: Switzerland: Get Natural

15. Arrive and Revive - Austria

The message for travelers is simple: Arrive in Austria, and you'll immediately begin to revive. The 2015 campaign allowed each area of Austria to showcase what it's renowned for, from the Alps to the charming cities, from the palaces to the mountain chalets.

The campaign has played an important role in an ongoing push to reach the American market. And thanks to continued video and social-media pushes, the number of Americans visiting has indeed been increasing year over year.

Verdict: We adore visiting Austria. But "Arrive and Revive"? Isn't a vacation anywhere supposed to revive us? 

Be Inspired: Austria. Arrive and Revive

14. I Wish I Was in Finland

A decade ago, Visit Finland launched a social-media push in which they asked people to share photos of where they were along with "I wish I was in Finland" graphics. People responded so well, it became the basis for the country's ongoing travel campaign.

In 2019, Visit Finland's newest initiative allowed you to " Rent a Finn ." Ten Finns from around the country were selected as "happiness guides" following the 2019 World Happiness Report, which found Finland to be the happiest nation on Earth. These guides spent the summer showing lucky travelers around, letting them discover just why everyone in Finland is so happy all the time.

Verdict: While it is certainly catchy, how many people have ever uttered the line, "I  wish I was in Finland"? France, we can see. The Greek Isles. A beach on the Mediterranean, definitely. But Finland? Not so much.

Be Inspired: I Wish I Was in Finland

13. Simply Inspiring - Germany

To promote the 16 different provinces of Germany in 2017, the government created the slogan "Simply Inspiring." Like other European nations, social media played a huge part in bringing in 13.5 million visitors .

This year, the country is continuing this campaign, along with the summertime #GermanSummerStories, which asks visitors to tag their summer vacation photos so others can be motivated to visit, too. 

Verdict: Germany is, in fact/no question, inspiring. Heck, Walt Disney even used a German castle as inspiration for Disneyland's centerpiece castle. The slogan, however, doesn't quite inspire.

Be Inspired: Germany: Simply Inspiring

12. Find Your Great Britain

Keeping the "GREAT" in Great Britain, Visit Britain's new ad campaign originally launched in 2012, the same year the Queen celebrated her Diamond Jubilee.

It continues today, highlighting the not-so-obvious places to visit in Britain. In 2018, the campaign began asking travelers " What do you travel for? " on Visit Britain's website, connecting users to top and unique places in the country. 

The campaign is listed as the government's " most ambitious international promotional campaign ever. " Verdict: "Find Your Great Britain" is simple but effective.  And we especially love that these ads focus on real people for a more intimate look at the country. Who wouldn't want to share a laugh with the friendly-looking folks featured in this campaign? 

Be Inspired: Find Your Great Britain

11. Find Your Epic - Wales

Before the "Find Your Great Britain" theme, Wales worked to bring tourists within its borders by placing a giant mirrored "Epic" somewhere in the country, then asking travelers to find it.

The art installation was moved around the nation throughout 2016, appearing on social media to show people what they were missing in Wales and inviting them to "Find Your Epic."

Verdict: This is such a cool concept that we're bummed it's not currently happening. Wales should keep this hide-and-seek game going!

Be Inspired: Find Your Epic: Visit Wales

10. A Spirit of Its Own - Scotland

Considering the country's official animal is a unicorn , it should come as no surprise that Scotland relishes its mysterious and mystical side with its slogan, "A Spirit of Its Own."

The country's first-ever global ad campaign launched in 2016 with videos accompanied by the Royal Scottish National Orchestra zooming in on mystical places like the Isle of Skye's fairy pools and the Isle of Lewis' Calanais Standing Stones (shown).

Verdict: Taunting us with places steeped in mystery and wonder will work every time.

Be Inspired: Scotland: A Spirit of Its Own

9. All Time Classic - Greece

One of Europe's oldest countries , Greece is revered for its history. During the 5th and 4th centuries BC, the Classical Greece era shaped the world's modern politics, architecture, literature, theater, scientific thought and philosophy. This is when Hippokrates founded modern medicine, Socrates established modern philosophy and Sophocles penned "Oedipus Rex" and "Antigone."

Harkening to its past has helped the country move into the future. The country is breaking travel records, with 33 million people visiting last year to see classical sites such as the Parthenon and Acropolis of Athens.

Verdict: Playing off its Classical Greece era, "All Time Classic" is the perfect travel slogan!

Be Inspired: Greece All Time Classic

8. Full of Life - Croatia

What better way to lure travelers than by musing about how our days should be filled with life, rather than our life filled with days? So true! 

Croatia threw out its old slogan , "The Mediterranean as it once was," and began highlighting the more modern, active and adventurous side of the country with its "Full of Life" campaign in 2015. With nearly 20 million people visiting the nation, it appears there are plenty of people who are taking the campaign's inspiring words to heart.  

Verdict:  Out with the old and in with the new always works. This slogan is truly full of life.

Be Inspired: Croatia Full of Life

7. Rendez Vous en France

It's funny to think that a decade ago, France needed to rebrand itself in order to maintain its spot as one of the top destinations in the world. But it did, and the effort has most definitely worked: 90 million people visited the country in 2018.

France's slogan uses the commonly known French phrase rendez vous en France (meet you in France). The still-used logo features Marianne, the national symbol of the French Revolution, with letters that create her arms and body, and the colors of the French tricolor flag creating her hair.

Verdict: Demonstrating a clever play on words, illustration and colors, this is a great slogan and logo. Point goes to France.

Be Inspired: Rendez vous in France

6. Land of Stories - Czech Republic

For its first-ever campaign in 2012, CzechTourism targeted Millennials, known for seeking experiences, culture and a chance to interact with locals to immersive themselves in a country. "Land of Stories" was launched to invite potential visitors to create their own stories, while also learning tales from the nation's history.

The Czech Republic had been behind the Iron Curtain until 1989, but in the 30 years since, it has become a leading destination for foreign visits, welcoming 10.6 million people in 2018 — a record!

Verdict: We continue to tell stories from a trip long after it has ended. Offering a way to collect new stories is a great lure.

Be Inspired: Czech Republic: Land of Stories

5. Powered By Nature - Norway

Visit Norway knew to focus on the country's best assets when it launched its campaign in 2012.

"Powered by Nature" videos, billboards and ads highlight the beauty of the country's fjords, waterfalls, lakes, mountains and more. The country even fills its airports with images of people enjoying nature, inspiring you to get out there and experience the wonder for yourself.

Norway's land is so sparse that for every square mile there are about 35 people , making it one of the least densely populated countries in the world. Plus, Norway's electricity is powered 98 percent by renewable sources.

Verdict: As slogans go, this one fits Norway to a tee.

Be Inspired:   Norway: Powered by Nature

4. Be Our Guest - Turkey

In case Turkey didn't give off the impression it really, really wanted you to come visit, perhaps its travel slogan provides a clue? 

Focusing on places within the country that visitors may not have heard of, Turkey rolled out the welcome wagon and got what it wanted. Last year, it was flooded with nearly 40 million  visitors.

Verdict: Welcoming us with open arms and getting the "Beauty and the Beast" song stuck in our heads? Clever. Very clever.

Be Inspired: Turkey: Be Our Guest

3. Made in Italy

So many fabulous things are made in Italy — from designer clothing to super-speedy sports cars, handcrafted leather to delicious wines — that it just made sense to create a travel campaign around the coveted words, "Made in Italy."

Launched in 2015, this program focused on culture and wellness, gastronomy and wine, medieval villages, mountains and parks, artistic cities, seas and lakes, and active getaways, all tailor-made for travelers.

Verdict: Not that we needed clever words to get us to go, but you have to admire this campaign's savvy play on words. Again, so many great things really are made in Italy!

Be Inspired: Made in Italy

2. I Feel sLOVEenia

Slovenia joined the world of travel marketing later than most of Europe, but when it did launch its new slogan in 2016, it filled it with "love."

This social-media campaign using the hashtag #ifeelsLOVEenia was the country's way of providing the world with 2 million reasons to visit. The hashtag was used by the tourism board, as well as locals and tourists alike to serve as ambassadors of Slovenian travel. 

By 2018, Slovenia welcomed 8 percent more travelers and 10 percent more overnight stays than the year before. In the same year, the country began to showcase itself as a destination for 5-star experiences.

Verdict: Sharing the love really does make us want to feel it, too!

Be Inspired: I Feel sLOVEnia

1. The Original Cool - Holland

The Holland Marketing Alliance unveiled its slogan in 2013: "Holland. The Original Cool." Television commercials and YouTube videos feature the cool-as-a-cucumber chief-of-cool ambassador, Pim de Koel, who attempts to teach viewers how to be as rad as the Dutch.

Showcasing the best of The Netherlands, the slogan highlights cities from Amsterdam to Rotterdam, as well as its cultural attractions and people, to great effect — Vincent Van Gogh was certainly one cool cat!

Verdict:  Teaching travelers how to be cool instead of just showing off the country's goods? Winner!

Be Inspired: Holland. The Original Cool

AN UNDERRATED HOLIDAY DESTINATION

Credit: Konsta Punkka/Visit Finland mediabank

Finland has reinvented itself in just one short century – and we’re still at it. Our national character and Northern heritage have boosted us to the top of many kinds of country rankings from quality of life to clean air.

Why come to Finland for a holiday? Almost every foreign traveller has heard this question when visiting Finland. In reality, the question says more about our self-deprecating attitude than about Finland as a place to visit. Bragging isn’t in our nature, but if it was, there would be lots to brag about. Our pure and beautiful natural environment and our varying seasons are as amazing to visitors as to Finns, and are becoming ever more valuable in today’s world.

REASONS WHY YOU’LL LOVE FINLAND

Finland is one of the world’s most sparsely populated countries, with more forest as a percentage of surface area than anywhere else in Europe. So it’s no wonder that tourists are blown away by the sheer beauty of our natural landscape. Spending time in our quiet, undisturbed and clean wilderness also has health benefits. Studies show that just eight minutes in the forest are enough to reduce stress hormone levels.

FINLAND IS DIVIDED INTO FOUR MAIN AREAS, EACH HAVE THEIR OWN UNIQUE STRENGTHS

Finnish Lapland is an area of dramatic contrasts. In the north, the sun never rises in midwinter but shines around the clock at midsummer. Natural splendours such as the Northern Lights and the Midnight Sun provide visitors with a holiday experience that is completely different to standard, man-made attractions.

Known as the pearl of the Baltic, our capital city, Helsinki, is also based on contrasts. It is a meeting place of eastern and western Europe, a crossover that makes it one of the liveliest cities in Europe.

Lakeland is the largest lake district in Europe. A blue labyrinth of lakes, islands, rivers and canals, interspersed with forests and ridges, stretching for hundreds of kilometres in a placid and staggeringly beautiful expanse.

Finland’s coast boasts the world’s largest archipelago. Old wooden towns, lighthouses, historical manors and stone churches, large national parks stretching over land and sea – this all sums up our coast and archipelago in a nutshell.

MEANINGFUL ENCOUNTERS

Finns have always lived close to nature, prompting us to create tourist services that are unique around the world. Where else can you find a people of five million with half a million summer cottages? Sauna, ice swimming, glass igloos and icebreakers are examples of the offbeat attractions offered by this Arctic country. These are experiences that you will never forget or stop telling your friends about. Time and again tourists praise Finland for its opportunities to do and join in rather than just standing back.

Here your travel experience will be enriched and enhanced by meaningful encounters with nature, wildlife and the local people. The travel packages offer experiences that are both simple and extreme. You can embrace them with all your senses and feel them to the depths of your soul.

Come to Finland for an experience that won’t blend in with the rest.

FACTS & FIGURES

37 national parks.

188,000 lakes.

Over two million saunas.

The biggest archipelago in the world.

Aurora Borealis can appear on 200 nights a year in Finnish Lapland.

Santa Claus – the one and only – comes from Finland.

Finland hosts some of the world’s craziest summer events, such as wife carrying and mobile phone throwing competitions.

LEARN MORE ABOUT Finland /Follow us

• VisitFinland.com
• instagram.com/ourfinland

Finland as a tourist destination

Why come to Finland for a holiday? Almost every foreign traveller has heard this question when visiting Finland. In reality, the question says more about our self-deprecating attitude than about Finland as a place to visit.

This presentation offers basic information on Finland as a tourist destination.

Edited: 26.1.2021

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Finding Serenity and Silence in Finland

• Last updated: May 28, 2024
• Destinations , Europe , Finland , Health , Outdoor

Home » Travel Blog » Finding Serenity and Silence in Finland

Walking through forests in Finland is mesmerizing from the very first moment. No sounds of cars in the distance, no birds chirping or wind whistling through the high trees near the calm lakes. Only y, the stillness and your breaths that will stop for a while in awe. That’s the silence in Finland.

Silence here is considered a common part of communication , and from our short time observing, Finns don’t speak fast, even in their own language. Generally, they are better at listening rather than speaking and interrupting during conversation is considered quite impolite.

When doing business with Finnish representatives, two- or three-minute pauses of silence are common in business meetings and it’s highly recommended to avoid interrupting that silence. Finns are known also as leaders in international peace initiatives and we believe there is a reason for that.

Now, would it surprise you to hear that many proverbs related to silence are of Finnish origin? For example, “Silence is a person’s best friend, for it remains behind after the rest has gone”, “A silent man is a wise one” and one of the most common ones, “Silence is golden, talking is silver”.

Plan your trip around Europe:

• Where To Stay In Stockholm: Best Hotels And Neighborhoods
• Finnish Sauna: How to Have a Blissful Experience
• Train Travel in Europe with Interrail
• Learning to be a Swede in Dalarna
• Places to Visit in Latvia: Awesome Tips From A Local
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There is also a joke about silence in Finland that says: “A Finnish guy loved his girlfriend so much that he almost told it to her” and I just like how accurate it is when speaking about the precise use of words and enhancing silence in Finland.

You might notice that a person in Finland speaks only when he or she truly has something to tell, and if there is something to say, the sentences are spoken thoughtfully and with pauses of silence. Sure, not all people in Finland speak with a meditative tone and a slow pace, but it was rather exceptional to notice that trend during our stay in Finland.

“Entering the forest he moves not the grass; entering the water he makes not a ripple.” Zenrin Kushû

If you are visiting Finland for the first time, I am sure you are aware of its natural treasures, but let me ‘warn’ you about Finnish quietness and harmony of the woods. It is amazing to observe how your own perceptions and expectations change within a few moments once you enter this green, Zen kingdom of silence.

Imagine you’re walking on mossy earth, not making any sound, surrounded by high trees that do not move, still lakes that mirror the sky, with no airplanes above, no sounds of animal life around, with barely any humans on a walking path.

Join some of the local tours in Finland: 

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We humans are sometimes terrified of silence and we often avoid it rather than appreciate it. To stay relaxed, we prefer CREATING the right environment rather than GETTING RID   OF the noise around us. We put on relaxing music rather than switch off all the electronics. We prefer talking about an issue rather than contemplating it or letting it go.

We’ve also been taught that only constant memorization of large amounts of information will help us to develop our intellectual potential. But what if the opposite is the truth?

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“This silence, this moment, every moment, if it’s genuinely inside you, brings what you need.” Rumi

Walking through the forest and being embraced by the silence in Finland, you will experience not only an intensive physical and mental recharge, but you also start to feel that there is much more beyond silence that calms you down.

It was also our great guide Johannes Sipponen from Outdoors Finland who pointed out the quietness of the Finnish woods on our hiking tour in the Häme region and mentioned the Finnish Tourist Board’s campaign, “Silence, Please”, a re-branding of the country using silence in Finland as a leading feature to make the country a more popular tourist destination.

Coincidentally, Audrey Scott from Uncornered Market saw our Instagram photo and recommended that we read an article where they answered the questions we were asking ourselves while indulging the peace in the land of thousand lakes.

Up until then, we’d been aware that silence could bring a feeling of ease and we knew that after having a rest in a quiet place, we were usually more productive and could go back to a rushed work rhythm with clear minds. But after reading the article and learning more about the phenomenon of “noise pollution” , we learned that silence has a great positive impact on the human brain’s development and on memory, and that noise, even hidden noise from electrical devices or ambient street noise, can change the quality of your life drastically.

“In silence there is eloquence. Stop weaving and see how the pattern improves.” Rumi

The origin of the word silence goes back to Gothic verb anasilan, which means “wind dying down” and the Latin designer, a word meaning “stop”. From the very beginning of history, “silence” has carried the meaning of interrupting the action, rather than only indicating a still condition.

That’s exactly what we felt while exploring the outdoors in Finland. We simply stopped thinking, analysing, planning ahead and just allowed ourselves to be completely present, to listen to the silence while meditating early in the morning in the woods, hiking, sitting on a boat on a quiet lake and looking at the sun rising or canoeing down the clear river water. Suddenly everything had a purpose when quietness let us be fully conscious about our actions.

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“Silence is the universal refuge, the sequel to all dull discourses and all foolish acts, a balm to our every chagrin, as welcome after satiety as after disappointment.” Thoreau

Finland has approximately 5.4 million inhabitants, with an average of 17 people per square kilometre, while in Arctic Lapland the average is only two people per square kilometre. And if you consider that around 75% of Finland is covered by forests, the chance that you will enjoy the Finnish woods and their Zen atmosphere, still lakes and sweet berries all for yourself for hours is more than high.

There probably won’t be anyone making small talk with you, nobody will ask you why you’re there, how long you plan to stay and where you’re headed next. There will be nothing to disturb your inner silence and tranquility. The serene silence will talk to you in all languages and give you answers or ask you questions you needed to hear.

Because it’s the silence of Finland that makes you want to come back.

A big thank you goes to VisitFinland and Outdoors Finland , who helped us to explore the Häme region in its best. All opinions, impressions and experiences of silence are our own

Ivana Greslikova

• Published: May 22, 2024

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23 thoughts on “finding serenity and silence in finland”.

Thanks, Shikha, if you love nature and its peace, then you’ll definitely love Finland 🙂

Unfortunately I’ve never been to Finland and judging from your pictures and your writing, I’m clearly missing out. I can actually feel a sense of peace and tranquility only by looking at the places and landscapes you captured. I think I would need to spend some days somewhere like Finland to completely relax and embrace the beauty of the surrounding nature.

And imagine the real nature in Finland is double more tranquil than the photos 🙂 It’s indeed a place to “switch off”. Hugs to Berlin!

I am very interested in what you describe as the Finnish way. I can’t imagine stopping the conversation for minutes of silence. It would be good practice for me…I’d like to go there…

Thanks for commenting, Kathleen. We found the “silence culture” there really fascinating. And there are many other inspiring things in the Finnish culture, their approach towards the nature in particular.

Beautiful post guys. I had the same feeling, even though we explored a different part of Finland. Finnish attitude to nature is good for the body and for the soul, and I can’t wait to go back to explore more.

Thanks a lot, Margherita, we loved their attitude too, as well as the fact that our experience in the nature in Finland was kind of educative and we will be more than happy to go back there again and hopefully explore Lapland which has been our dream destination for a while.

Interesting post guys. I didn’t know that about the Finnish. But we are all shaped by our environment and I just have to look at the photos to feel the peace and isolation. Just beautiful. Reminds me of many spots back home (in Canada). Frank (bbqboy)

Hi Frank, you’re the third person already who pointed out a similarity of Finnish nature to Canadian. Hm, there must be something about it, and we really want to see it ourselves 🙂

The words silence, calmness and peacefulness definitely describe Finland. There is something extremely calming about the lakes and the forest and those are the two things I need whenever I feel stressed or tense. I am glad you also found the Zen state of mind here in Finland 🙂

Lucky you, Laura, that you can go for a meditative walk almost anytime you wish 🙂

This was such a fascinating post to read—I never would have guessed that Finland would prize silence so highly, but I suppose the few other things I know about the country would certainly lend themselves to that being true.

I remember how eerily quiet I found London after we touched down there following nearly 2 years in Asia. I can only imagine what it might have been like if we had headed to Finland instead! 😀

Oh yes, then you’d have felt like on another planet, where all happens in totally different pace using special “silence power”. I really wish you to experience this “noise metamorphosis” in Finland one day, Steph 🙂

Oh how this sounds like my kind of place. A silence like this is rare to find and much to be treasured. Marvelous post.

Is indeed a magic place, Gaelyn! Thanks.

Great blog you have. You have really touched the essence of living here in Finland 🙂 nature is important to us in many ways. My favorite is the area called Lake-Finland, and especially Saimaa area. Of course Lapland too, northern lights are fantastic to see if you have a chance, and to hear them too. If you ever come back here, there are places you maybe want to visit. I will gladly give information.

Warm Regards,

Hello Jari, thanks much for stopping by and for your kind words. Finland has impressed us a lot, indeed and we definitely want to see more of the country. I’ll stay in touch as we do love local tips!

This is exactly what I love about Scandinavian nature. I remember that moment when I was walking in the woods and stopped for a while. Suddenly I realized how silent everything is. At first I was astonished but then it got me thinking – shouldn’t it be natural to humans? We are so used to the noise in our lives that it really might be scary for some of us to hear nothing 🙂 Anyway, I find it very energizing and even healing if you listen to the silence carefully 🙂

Right on! Just when you are embraced by “nothing” you realize how many disturbing objects, situations we are surrounded by in our daily lives… Agreed on healing power of silence, Monika, absolutely 🙂

Have this finnish BF, who happened to be here with me in my country(philippnes) 2014..But before that, we have ups and downs… 4 months that he not able to chat with me.. Till September came, we back to normal and he met me here.. Right now, we are in the situation where, he not again talk to me while, the past days, we were happy. Don’t know what is going on but..I am being patient. I’ll wait till he spoke to me. Not sure, is this normal to Finnish men?

Hi Jean, well, we met only a few Finnish men when in Finland and most of them were not super talkative, but they neither avoided the conversation. The best way how to find it out might be to talk openly with your beloved one and tell him how you feel so there are no cultural misunderstandings 🙂 Best of luck!

I love the silence! With so much going on at home, work and in my head, silence can be pure bliss! I have experienced silence in only one place in my life so far, Red Rock Canyon Conservation Area, just outside of Las Vegas, NV. When I got out of the car and stood in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by mountains and desert, the silence was deafening! It was truly unbelievable how quiet it was at 2pm in the afternoon! Every time we go to Las Vegas, I make my husband drive me out to the park just to sit in silence for a while. I’ve been 4 times in the last 3 years! LOL I think I need some peace in my life! 🙂

Thanks so much for reading and your comment, Sharon! You totally brought me there and I could stand in pure silence in Red Rock Canyon for a second! We all need some silence every now and then at the end 🙂 Cheers!

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List of Tourism Logos And Slogans of Every Country in the World

Slogan plays a significant role in motivating the potential tourist and travellers to plan a visit. While we may have grown used to our memorable catchphrase, other countries have their unique slogans. Now check out the world map with countries and their slogans. Which one of these catchy phrases and logos do you think is the best?

Northern Africa

Morocco – Much mor

Western Africa

Central Africa

East africa.

Kenya – Magical Kenya

South Africa

Northern Europe

Western Europe

Eastern Europe

Southern Europe

Albania – Go your own way!

Northern America

Central America

South America

Central Asia

Western Asia

Southeast Asia

Micronesia – Experience the warmth

Australia – There’s NOTHING like Australia

Which country’s tourism logo and slogan that captures your attention? Leave us your thoughts on the comment sections below. Head over to Jobstore.com and unveil your next job opportunity.

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• Destinations
• Top attractions

Top attractions in Finland

Here are our top suggestions for places to go and things to do whilst in Finland:

1. Helsinki

Helsinki  doesn't follow any of the rules of a European capital; it isn't quaint, it isn't regal, it isn't even terribly old. But it is an immensely compelling place to explore, in a quintessentially Finnish way – reserved and modest, enigmatic and stylish. 

2. Lakeland

Finland's  central region  of lakes, surrounded by lush pine forests, matches the image most people have of the country, and a tour of the waterways is one of the best ways of enjoying the country. 

3. Kayaking

Kayaking in Finland is great, whether you are experienced or a novice. Hiring a kayak or canoe is the best way to see some of the most remote, and otherwise inaccessible, parts of the country.

Usually associated with Christmas and bleak Arctic landscapes,  Lapland  is also a thriving region of quaint farming and fishing communities. 

The ancient rural communities of eastern Finland are considered the cultural heartland of the country. 

6. Taking a sauna 

No trip to Finland is complete without experiencing this most Finnish of activities, an invigorating and restorative way to get to know nature – and the locals. 

7. Igloo Village Kakslauttanen

There could be no better place to sleep under the stars and see the Northern Lights than this collection of glass igloos tucked away in a far corner of  Lapland . 

Discover more of Scandinavia on our blog

Take a look at our articles on the  best film and TV locations  you can visit in Scandinavia, staying in  Swedish Lapland ,  Norse folklore , the iconic  Moomin stories , experiencing art on  Stockholm's subways , (Denmark's alternative city)  Christiania  and sleek  Scandinavian design .

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• 16 Phrases You Need To...

16 Phrases You Need to Know Before Visiting Finland

The Finnish language can seem intimidating to visitors at first due to its long words and letters that aren’t used in English; thankfully, getting the pronunciations down allows non-Finnish speakers to easily say the most common phrases. These are some of the most useful words and phrases that you will need on a visit to Finland .

Kiitos (please/thank you).

The most important phrase visitors need to learn is ‘kiitos’, or its more informal version ‘kiiti’, which means ‘thank you’. Basic manners say to use this phrase after interacting with a cashier, bartender, or anyone else who has provided a service. Using it to say ‘please’ isn’t quite as common as it isn’t used in the same way it is in English. Don’t worry about being rude when not saying ‘please’ as in Finnish, it is optional.

Puhutteko englantia? (Do you speak English?)

If you still find yourself unable to understand what someone is saying, using this phrase will usually cause a Finnish speaker to switch to English for your benefit. English has been a part of the Finnish-school curriculum for a long time, so most Finns will be able to hold a conversation with an English speaker.

Hei hei (Hi/bye)

Rather than the more formal versions of ‘hello’ and ‘goodbye’—‘terve’ and ‘näkemiin’ respectively—it is more common to use the more informal version, ‘hei hei’, which means both ‘hi’ and ‘bye’.

Mitä tama/tuo on? (What is this/that?)

You may come across a lot of unfamiliar things in Finland, so this phrase, using ‘tama’ for ‘this’ or ‘tuo’ for ‘that’ will get your questions answered. Remember to use ‘mikä’ in place of ‘mitä’ when referring to a noun.

En ymmärrä (I don’t understand)

If your best efforts to speak Finnish still gets away with you, this phrase followed up by the one below should help get you back on track. You might also want to remember ‘voitko sanoa uudelleen’ as a way of saying ‘can you repeat that?’.

Puhuisitteko hieman hitaammin? (Can you speak more slowly?)

Most people can get carried away when speaking their own language and not realise that they are speaking too quickly for others to understand. People may forget that they are speaking too quickly for you to pick up on an unfamiliar language, so using this polite phrase will help you keep up with the conversation.

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Ei kesta (No problem)

The literal translation of ‘ei kesta’ is ‘no problem’, but it can also be used to say ‘no worries’, ‘don’t mention it’, or ‘you’re welcome’.

Olen kotoisin…sta (I am from…)

Despite their reputation for being unfriendly, many Finns will likely want to chat find out more about you. Use this phrase to say where you are from—or where you live, adding a ‘sta’ suffix to the end. Many countries’ names are spelled differently in Finnish (e.g. ‘Iso-Brittania’ instead of ‘Great Britain’), but if you don’t know the translation, it is still permissible to use your local name for your country or town.

Voinko saada…? (Can I have…?)

Use this phrase when asking for something in a shop, restaurant, or café. Use ‘tama’ or tuo’ if you don’t know the correct Finnish for what you are asking for. In informal settings, such as at a bar , you can even just say what you want without any formalities. For instance, ‘kaks olut’ in place of ‘two pints’.

Anteeksi (I’m sorry/Excuse me)

Another useful phrase to learn, ‘anteeksi’ means both ‘I’m sorry’ and ‘excuse me’. Use this to apologise, get somebody’s attention, or ask them to move out of your way. Most Finns use the shortened version ‘anteeks’ and rarely have the need for the more formal version.

Onko kaikki kunnossa? (Is everything alright?)

If there’s a situation where ‘I’m sorry’ isn’t enough, this phrase can be used to check on a person’s well-being or to assess a situation. For example, if there is traffic on the road, you can ask the taxi driver ‘onko kaikki kunnossa?’

Missa on vessa? (Where is the bathroom?)

Always an essential phrase to know, ‘missa on’ means ‘where is’ and can be used to ask the location of any object or place. You can also usually identify a bathroom with a big ‘W.C’ on the door.

Sisu (Guts)

This one doesn’t come up much in conversation, but is still an interesting one to know and a good way of understanding Finnish cultural attitude. ‘Sisu’ has no direct English translation, but it means something like ‘guts’, ‘grit’, ‘spunk’, or the ability to persevere despite great difficulty. It is most famously applied to the literary character Ensign Stäl, whose tale forms the lyrics of the Finnish national anthem.

Jumalauta! (God dammit!)

If the need to vent anger without letting out an offensive swear word arises, this phrase usually has you covered as it isn’t considered too offensive. It is even considered a pop culture reference, as it is the catchphrase of the police chief Repomies in the popular animated series Pasila, who frequently lets out the phrase in an angry rant.

Kippis (Cheers)

The standard toast made when drinking , which generally wishes good health or is another way of saying ‘bottoms up’.

Olen hyvin (I am fine)

If a shop assistant asks if you need assistance and you do not, this phrase will tell them that you wish to browse in peace. It can also be used in reply to ‘mitä kuuluu?’ meaning ‘how are you?’. If you wish to get the shop assistant’s attention again, use ‘missa on’ to ask for what you are searching for.

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Tourism slogan of Finland

Tourism slogan of Finland: I Wish I Was in Finland .

Finland National symbols

⏪ Back to the national symbols of Finland

What is Finland known for?

Finland is known for the well-known multinational telecommunications, information technology, and consumer electronics company Nokia. The country is also known for its beautiful Northern lights

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Neighbours of Finland

Questions & Answers about Finland

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• What is the national language of Finland?
• What is the national sports of Finland?
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• What is the national bird of Finland?
• What is the national currency of Finland?
• What is the country code of Finland?
• What is the capital city of Finland?
• What is the national airline of Finland?
• What is the national drink of Finland?
• What is the national instrument of Finland?
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• What is the national hero of Finland?
• What is the national mausoleum of Finland?
• What is the nationality of Finland?
• What is the driving side of Finland?
• What is the date format of Finland?
• What is the total area of Finland?
• What is the timezone of Finland?
• What is the national football team of Finland?
• What is the tourism slogan of Finland?
• What is the literacy rate of Finland?
• What is the average elevation of Finland?
• What is the coastline of Finland?
• What type of plugs and sockets are used in Finland?
• What are the emergency telephone numbers of Finland?
• What is the alternative name of Finland?
• What is the mythical creature of Finland?
• What is the national government of Finland?
• Who is the president of Finland?
• Who is the prime minister of Finland?
• What are the proverbs of Finland?

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Badass Finland tourism poster will make you laugh

If you’re brave enough to make it to Finland in winter, congratulations – you’re a badass! This cheeky sign was posted on Reddit on Monday by user Sampo – a billboard outside the city’s airport that reads, “Nobody in their right mind would come to Helsinki in November. Except you, you badass. Welcome.”

Imgur / Sampo

Helsinki’s temperatures can drop to 1 degree at the beginning of winter and you can calculate your chances of turning into an icicle for yourself. Visit Finland confirmed to The Independent’s indy100 that the slogan and banner was real. The sign was created for Slush , a tech conference that took place in Helsinki last week.

The message on Slush’s FB page reads: “Our volunteers don’t always come up with the event slogans… but when they do, they are amazing enough to reach the #1 spot on the Reddit front page. Twice.”

Cheeky does it! Photo: Petri Anttila via Slush

Marianne Vikkula, CEO at Slush told indy100: With only a few hours of sunlight during November, and lots of muddy slush on the ground, Helsinki in November is weather-wise probably the worst place you can imagine. It is quite difficult to promote our otherwise lovely capital. You might have seen photos of beautiful snowbanks – well, you don’t usually find them in Helsinki (they’re in Lapland).We at Slush have always been about originality and honesty, so we try to take the best out of the sh**ty weather.

Every country could do with a dose of honesty in their otherwise picture-perfect tourism campaigns – we love this example of Finnish humour! And if you do visit in winter, go on and pat your back – you’re officially a badass!

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Finland Tourism Slogan

Tourism Taglines of Every Country In The World

What is the first thing that comes to your mind when you think of a holiday destination? It may be its scenery, its culture or so on but I can say that there are some tourism slogans that reflect the true essence of a place where some may be amusing, some can leave a broad …

European Countries With Their Tourism Taglines

Europe is a unique continent, which is not surrounded by water from all directions and has an overland border with neighboring Asia. Physiographically, it occupies the northwestern part of the large landmass known as Eurasia and surrounded from the north by the Arctic Ocean, from the west by the Atlantic Ocean, from the south by …

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The Best & Worst Tourism Slogans: From Unforgettable Tag Lines To Those That Are Best Forgotten

Devising a slogan that encapsulates every­thing a holiday destination has to offer is no easy task. There are clichés to avoid and cultural differences to consider, not to mention the issue of timing. “Hong Kong will take your breath away” coincided with the outbreak of deadly respiratory disease Sars in 2003, for example.

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Slogans range from the unimaginative “Visit Armenia, it is Beautiful” to the lost in translation “Think Hungary – More Than Expected” . “Colombia is Magical Realism” hints at a drug-fuelled brainstorming session at the ad agency while the national tourist offices of some lesser-known nations are merely content to tell travellers where they are: “Andorra, The Pyrenean Country” ; “Bosnia & Herzegovina, the heart of SE Europe” , and “Tuvalu: Yoo-hoo, we’re over here in the South Pacific”. (Sorry, I made that last one up).

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Meanwhile, Nebraska’s “Honestly, it’s not for everyone” , suggests a lack of self-esteem. Mind you, the bar was already pretty low – the American state previously tried to lure tourists with, “Visit Nebraska. Visit Nice.”

Here are some more winning watchwords and a few that are best forgotten.

Launched in 2006, Tourism  Australia’s   “So where the bloody hell are you?” campaign was banned in some coun­tries (“hell”, rather than “bloody”, being the offending word) and spawned plenty of parodies. It was successful in terms of exposure but failed to generate an increase in visitors.

Bhutan , the land of gross national happiness, attracts travellers with the slogan, “Happiness is a Place” , while  Belize ’s “A Curious Place” seems a little enigmatic. Maybe that’s the point. I’m curious to know why it didn’t stick with the previous slogan, “Mother Nature’s Best Kept Secret” .

Clean, green, biodiverse and environmentally sustain­able,  Costa Rica  advertises itself to tourists with the won­der­fully succinct “No Artificial Ingredients” . Situated in the Atlantic Ocean off northwest Africa,  Cabo Verde  (the island country formerly known as Cape Verde) also keeps things concise, with “No Stress” . Just be on your guard for muggers, as the streets are often unlit at night. Strong currents have led to drownings and there’s a risk of malaria. How about instead, “Cabo Verde: What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger”?

Beautiful is the most overused adjective when it comes to tourism slogans. St Lucia’s “Simply Beautiful” couldn’t have taken long to think up, likewise Laos’ “Simply Beautiful” and “Beautiful Burundi” . The little-known African nation of  Djibouti  used more ingenuity in its single-word sales pitch: “Djibeauty” .

Another example of wordplay, this time from the Scottish capital,  Edinburgh , resulted in “Incredinburgh” , although the strap line was scrapped before it saw the light of day. “Winterinedinburgh” and “Goaheadinburgh” somehow escaped the cull. Still, it could have been worse. To highlight the short distances between sightseeing attractions,  El Salvador  promotes itself as the “45-minute country” , which gives the impression that the place, one of world’s most violent nations, is not a place to linger, even for an hour.

“I wish I was in  Finland ” has an inviting ring to it but turn up at this time of year and you’ll wish you were somewhere else. Similarly, the city of  Fargo , in North Dakota, the United States, fibs to us with, “Always Warm”. Have you seen the film?

Georgia ’s attempt to woo the world to the former Soviet republic, “For the Best Moments of Your Life” , is ambi­tious. I’m a big fan of the Caucasus country, its people, soar­ing mountains, food and wine but, unless you met your first true love in Tbilisi, exchanged wedding vows in Batumi or won the lottery in Kutaisi, you might want to keep your expectations in check.

Following in Georgia’s footsteps,  Honduras  goes with the equally bold “Everything is Here” . It’s far from the only offender in the self-importance category, though; delusions of grandeur are contagious in the Caribbean, as demonstrated by: “The Dominican Republic has it all” and “Venezuela is Your Destination” (it could soon be for invading US troops, but the rest of us would have to be  caracas  to book a holiday there). Until recently, things were just as unstable next door, in Colombia, but, as the situation improved, the tourist office took a chance with, “Colombia: The Only Risk is Wanting to Stay.” It’s now one of the world’s fastest-growing tourism markets.

Indonesia  has a chequered history in the tourism slogan game. After dabbling with the catchy “Indonesia is an amazing country to visit” and the cocky “Admit It You Love It”, authorities have opted for a better-safe-than-sorry approach, with “Wonderful Indonesia”.

“Right guys, we’ve spent months on this project and worked with countless focus groups. We’ve streamlined the syntax and fine-tuned the font – just wait until the world hears these unforgettable three words: Yes, it’s  Jordan .” (Personally, I think they would have more success with: “Petra? You Betcha!”)

“ Kansas : as big as you think” is an odd slogan, consi­der­ing the number of travellers (and truck drivers) who complain about how long it takes to cross the never-ending Midwest state. To make matters worse, “Kansas: as bigoted as you think” bumper stickers soon began appearing, a reference to the divisive state debate on same-sex marriage.

In 2005, the British city of  Leeds  paid an ad agency £150,000 (then worth HK$2.24 million) to come up with a snappy tourist ad. The creative team obliged with the alliterative “Leeds. Live it. Love it”. Unfortunately, Hong Kong had been using the same phrase since 2003.

An American state of spectacular vistas and wide open spaces,  Montana  offers endless scope for adventure – a place to truly find yourself. Or perhaps not. Since 2012, the tourist board has encouraged visitors to “Get Lost”. In the nicest possible way, of course. Another accomplished example of minimalist wordplay is  Morocco’s  “Much Mor”. The secret to a successful tourist tagline seems to be, keep it brief. Oh wait …

In 2016,  North Korea  introduced 375 slogans for its people to learn and live by. “Make Wonsan area an icon of city layout and build it into a world-level tourist city!” might not benefit from the brevity of “Get Lost” but I suspect North Korean citizens will find a way of remembering it, along with the other 374 stirring sound bites.

Talking of remembering slogans, you can’t beat a popular sitcom for giving maximum exposure to your country. “ New Zealand , take your mum”, “New Zealand, better than old Zealand” and “New Zealand; don’t expect too much – you’ll love it” were not official exhortations from the country “that’s not Australia” (that’s another one), but those seen on the office walls of Murray, a deputy cultural attaché at the New Zealand Consulate in New York – and part-time band manager – in the HBO hit series  Flight of the Conchords .

Along the lines of Bhutan’s “Happiness is a place”,  Oman  tells travel­lers that “Beauty has an address”. In fair­ness, the sultanate on the Arabian Penin­sula has been welcoming tourists for at least 5,000 years, so it’s had plenty of time to dream up this inspiring slogan.

The remote Finnish town of  Padasjoki  promotes its pristine wilderness in a humor­ous video with the catchphrase, “Experience Nothing”. The voice-over begins, “New York has everything … we have nothing. Paris has monuments … we have nothing.” Cue scenes of lakes, saunas and forests.

Qatar  sells itself to the world with “Where Dreams Come to Life” . Or possibly not, if you’re a South Asian migrant worker.

To counter negative British government attitudes towards  Romanian  immigration, the initiative by Romanian news portal  Gandul  is in a league of its own. The campaign took the form of ads on Facebook and outdoor sites in Britain and featured slogans such as, “Our draft beer is less expensive than your bottled water”; “Your weekly rent covers a whole month here (Pub nights included)” and “We may have half of your GDP but we have three times the FUN”.

The promotional videos of idyllic Mediterranean beaches, fancy hotels, ancient ruins and bustling cities all look highly enticing but there’s one small catch. The “Syria Always Beautiful” campaign avoids any reference to a civil war that has claimed at least 400,000 lives. Even on its website, the Ministry of Tourism neglects to mention the potential risks foreigners could face if they rock up in a war zone, including terrorist attacks, armed conflict and kidnapping. Check the small print on your travel insurance before booking.

When the phrase “ Tanzania : The Land of Kilimanjaro” was deemed to be lacking, the slogan was amended to “Tanzania: The Land of Kilimanjaro and Zanzibar”. “What about the wildlife?” someone asked. For now, the East African country has settled on, “Tanzania: The Land of Kilimanjaro, Zanzibar and the Serengeti”. There’ll be trouble when the people of the Ngorongoro Crater find out they’ve been overlooked.

“It’s all about U” is short and sweet, and if it weren’t for the conflict with Russia,  Ukraine  would receive far more tourists. If you’re in two minds about visiting, head 1,200km away from the front line to Lviv , one of Europe’s most beautiful cities.

Dating back to 1969, “ Virginia  is for Lovers” is the longest-running tourism slogan in the United States and has been declared one of the top 10 travel industry marketing campaigns of all time. Not bad considering the iconic tagline was almost “Virginia is for History Lovers”.

At first glance, “Weed like to welcome you” appears to be a typo, but for  Weed , California, it’s a merchandising oppor­tunity. Order your “Enjoy Weed” and “I (Heart) Weed” T-shirts from one of the many local souvenir shops. Not seen are “I Weed in California” mugs, unfortunately.

Xiamen Tourism Bureau has launched a “Go to Amoy” campaign with Dutch air­line KLM. China’s “second most suitable city for living” hopes the deal will strengthen trade relations and lead to an uptick in tourists. Why they opted for the former English name, with its opium war connotations, is unclear: why not “Show Me Xiamen ” ?

When it comes to attracting visitors, there’s no substitute for Donald Trump-style self-congratulation. In  Yangshuo  they say, “Guilin has the best scenery under the heaven, but Yangshuo is even more beautiful.” And in southwestern China, they go with “Colourful  Yunnan , Tourism Paradise of the World”.

Beat that  Zambia  … Maybe not. The East African country that shares Victoria Falls with Zimbabwe beckons tourists with a limp, “Zambia – Let’s Explore”. They would be better off using the local term for the waterfall, which trans­lates as “the smoke that thunders”. You can probably get that on a T-shirt in Weed, California.

This feature is written by Tim Pile & originally appeared in South China Morning Post .

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50+ Captivating Finnish quotes and quotes about Finland

What makes Finland such a special place and the people some of the happiest in the world? Is it the people, the natural beauty, or the way of life?

Quotes are a great way to get an insight into the Finnish mindset and explore what people say about Finland.

This collection of 50+ quotes on life, travel, and love is just a small selection, and maybe I can add your favorites over time. Since the quotes are originally in Finnish, some expressions may differ slightly from the original.

But even if they might not be exactly like the originals, you will find a unique and original quote to use in a card or message for birthdays, leaving a job, leaving school, or any time you want to cheer up a loved one.

Table of Contents

Quotes from foreigners about Finland and Finnish

Quotes from finns on finland and finnish, finnish motto, finland and finnish travel quotes, finnish quotes about happiness, finnish quotes about life, finnish quotes about dreams and goals, finnish quotes about love, quotes about finland and the finnish language.

Let’s start with a category that includes a few quotes on a very hot topic in Finland: what do others say about us?

If you ask a Finn, a good Finland quote would probably come from a foreigner and reveal something about us that we would be happy for others to understand about our country.

“My favourite country is Finland because once you get to a certain point, you can drive for hours without seeing a single person. I love peace and quiet – something I don’t get very often.”

Christopher Lee, actor

“You’re so sadly neglected

And often ignored

A poor second to Belgium

When going abroad

Finland , Finland , Finland

The country where I want to be

Pony trekking or camping or just watching TV

It’s the country for me”

Monthy Python: Finland Song

James May visited Finland in Top Gear to learn rally driving from the formula one legend Mika Häkkinen, this was part of their conversation:

May: “I wondered if I might be, in some way, a bit Finnish myself. I don’t like noisy people, so does that make me Finnish, d’you think?”

Häkkinen : “Yes.”

May: “At home, I quite like to have the spanners in my toolbox in order of size so that I can always find the right one — is that quite Finnish?”

Häkkinen : “Yes it is, very much. Personally that’s what I do, if you’re talking about the toolbox, and everything has to be very organized.”

May : “I quite like to have the air vents on my car all pointing the same way, exactly. Is that Finnish?”

Häkkinen : “Uhh..No.”

“In Sweden, we have what is called ‘The Finnish Disease.’ It consists of not talking much, or at all.”

Hannes Holm, director

“It [discovering Finnish] was like discovering a wine cellar filled with bottles of amazing wine of a kind and flavor never tasted before. It quite intoxicated me.”

J.R.R. Tolkien, author of Lord of the Rings

“I am extremely proud of Finland. Here a child from a poor family can get a higher education and reach many places in life. A cashier can become even a prime minister.”

Sanna Marin, prime minister

“Finnish is not a language, it is a way of sitting at the end of the bench with your fur cap pulled over your ears.”

Paavo Haavikko, author

“The boreal owl on its branch was so wise, wise,

Because it didn’t say a word – In Finland even that was plenty!”

Eino Leino, poet

“This country of Finland is a windy place, the wind blows from each direction. You have to have a sturdy house here and in the meanest weather even plow with a fur coat on.”

Aaro Hellaakoski, poet

“The reason I love this country is that its surface is like its people – frozen on the surface but when the ice melts, no one has seen a more beautiful glow.”

Alisa Martikainen, poet

“I have to live in Finland. I could never fully leave this country; it would end me and mean the death of my art.”

Jean Sibelius, composer

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This is an interesting one – does Finland have a motto like some other countries?

One doesn’t exist today, but the phrase “Vapaa, vankka, vakaa” was suggested in 1936. The translation would be something like “Free, sturdy, stable”.

Interestingly, mottos do exist for the municipalities and cities in Finland and some are very imaginative. YLE has collected a list of slogans on their website. Included are ones like “Life” by Uusikaupunki and Toholampi’s “natural home valley”.

Inspired by these, there have been various discussions about what Finland’s motto could be. A Twitter discussion on the topic got around 300 replies.

One of the most popular ones referred to the Finns’ love for coffee in the form of the humble saying “Ei minua varten tarvii keittää” or “You don’t have to brew it just for me”.

For a small country, Finns have traveled across the world and influenced a lot of places. No wonder then, that there are some inspiring quotes about travel and returning home too.

One travel related poem has even been printed on Finnish passports:

“Oh, from the swan now learn a lesson wholesome! They leave in autumn, come back in the spring. It’s our own peaceful shore that us-wards pulls them, Our sloping fell’s kind shelter will them bring.”

“The wonderful thing about traveling by sea is being so detached.”

Aino Kallas, author

“When you travel from your own country to another country for a long period, you do become aware of the differences. For example, verbal expression is much more important in France – in Finland people don’t speak so much. Also, Finnish people say things directly; that kind of direct honesty would be very impolite in France.”

Kaija Saariaho, composer

“Travelling is about making comparisons.”

Matti Kurjensaari, author

“It is cheerful to travel when you can say anything, and no one will understand what is going on.”

Mika Waltari, author

“You must go on a long journey before you can really find out how wonderful home is.”

Tove Jansson, author, in Comet in Moominland

Experience adventures, travel by land,

See green lands full of berries,

Taste the tastes and hear sounds,

Find out, don’t simply assume,

Experience the journey of life wildly,

Live every, every moment.

Anonymous, a poem often written on cards

“I started going down the road again, a fellow, always cheerful.”

Aleksis Kivi, author of Seitsemän veljestä (Seven brothers)

“There are those who stay at home and those who go away, and it has always been so. Everyone can choose for himself, but he must choose while there is still time and never change his mind.”

Snufkin, character in Tove Jansson’s Moomins

“The world is nothing but branching paths.”

Einari Vuorela, poet

Finland has been crowned the happiest country in the world for 5 consecutive years. Maybe these quotes contain the secret to why Finns are so happy?

“Everyday happiness consists of being content.”

Elina Hirvonen, journalist

“I haven’t really looked back. Nostalgizing accelerates the end of the world. I have become happier little by little over time.”

Paula Vesala, singer and songwriter

“In difficult times, it gets easier if you do something that makes you feel good every day: a cup of good coffee, reading a book, going outside, listening to music, anything, even just for 15 minutes a day.”

A reader comment in Kodin kuvalehti magazine

“Touch is a form of being seen. It grounds people into the world in a concrete way and the biological and chemical reactions that are related to it bring happiness.”

Silvia Hosseini, writer

“It is simply this: do not tire, never lose interest, never grow indifferent—lose your invaluable curiosity and you let yourself die. It’s as simple as that.”

Tove Jansson, author, in Fair Play

“Rest, hope, contentment and moderate joy keep a person healthy and sometimes even heal the sick.”

Elias Lönnrot, philologist

“Time doesn’t measure happiness, only your own glow measures it.”

Saima Harmaja, poet

“When you forget what you can’t change, you are happy.”

Arvo Ylppö, professor

“It is not the man with silver and gold who is rich, but the man who is content with little”

Mika Waltari, author, in The Egyptian

Finns have a very practical outlook on life and sometimes even face the challenges in life with a little bit of humor. These quotes offer a taste of it!

“Life is full of great and wonderful things for those who are ready for them.”

Moominpappa, a character in Tove Jansson’s Moominpappa at Sea

“Human life is a combination of tragedy and comedy. The shapes and designs that surround us are the music accompanying this tragedy and this comedy.”

Alvar Aalto , architect

“It is not good to work too much. You must also be lazy sometimes, sometimes have fun.”

Minna Canth, writer and social activist

“Peace is a question of will. All conflicts can be settled, and there are no excuses for allowing them to become eternal.”

Martti Ahtisaari, president, mediator and Nobel Prize laureate

“The salt of life is the unpredictable nature of it.”

Jorma Uotinen, dancer and choreographer

“There are lots of people who give their all and have that inner glow on. It’s a shame that majority of them are under seven years old.”

Esa Saarinen, philosopher

“Do what you believe in. Believe in what you do. Do what you think is best. Don’t believe what others say. Say what you think.”

Tommy Tabermann, poet

“It is part of being adult to accept that life is ragged. When for the thousandth time you forgive yourself for the same thing, you can’t afford to judge others anymore.”

Tommy Hellsten, author

“In life, it is usually wise to trust that everything goes well. It usually pays off even when you don’t really believe it.”

Mauno Koivisto, president

“Life is always beautiful. It just doesn’t always show you. Then you often need to wash your eyes with water made out of tears.”

Marleena Ansio, artist

“Life is at its best when it arrives without asking or hesitating, when you haven’t earned it or anticipated it.”

Kari Hotakainen, author

“Always design a thing by considering it in its next larger context – a chair in a room, a room in a house, a house in an environment, an environment in a city plan.”

Eliel Saarinen, architect

“Life is quite peculiar. Here I have been thinking all my life that a silver plate can be used only one way and then it turns out it is much better for something completely different.”

Moominmamma, a character in Tove Jansson’s Moomins

“Life is black if you believe it to be black. Life is a cheerful yellow color if you say it is a cheerful yellow color. You write the manuscript of your life with the ink of your choice.”

Tom Lundberg, journalist

“It is good to try to understand everything, but not to accept.”

Sylvi Kekkonen, writer and First Lady

The Finnish superpower, sisu, allows people to achieve great things. Here is some advice on how they do it.

“Go towards your dream. Whatever it is like. If others try to push you down, don’t surrender. No one or nothing can deny you your dreams and goals. They can try but they have no right to do it. Fight them. Go all in and never let them beat you.”

Samu Haber, singer and songwriter

“A person is at their bravest when they are middle-aged. They won’t try anything that takes superhuman effort just to look like Marketta next door and they have the courage to go pick up the mail in their spouse’s clothes. A person like that is not afraid of anything.”

Roope Lipasti, author

“When you believe in your dreams, you start growing towards them.”

“Without crazy dreams no wise decisions are born.”

“I honestly think the reason I’ve been able to improve year by year is work. Work with the team, work with my ability, focus on all the single details.”

Valtteri Bottas, Formula 1 driver

“I want to stand at the border where the future starts and shout: ‘I’m not afraid!’”

Edith Södergran, poet

“I could do anything and still I do nothing at all. Oh how fun it is when you can do whatever you like.”

Little My, character in Tove Jansson’s Moomins

“I often conduct an orchestra in my sleep; my orchestras are so huge that the back desks of the violas vanish into the horizon. And everything is so wonderful.”

You might think that because Finns are said to be quiet, they don’t really express their love much. Is that true? Read these heartwarming quotes about love and decide for yourself.

“Finland is a famously introverted nation. Finnish joke: How can you tell if a Finn likes you? He’s staring at your shoes instead of his own.”

Susan Cain, writer

“Those who have heart will make it even if their head is not the brightest.”

Jukka Parkkinen, author

“Love leaped out in front of us like a murderer in an alley leaping out of nowhere, and struck us both at once. As lightning strikes, as a Finnish knife strikes! She, by the way, insisted afterwards that it wasn’t so, that we had, of course, loved each other for a long, long time, without knowing each other, never having seen each other.”

Mikhail Bulgakov, author, in the Master and Margarita

“I love you, I know it. It is not just the thrill of a moment. It is the quiet glow of a campfire, it is burning hot raging fire. And when we walk with heavy steps. And when time brings us sorrows to our house, I will hold your hand even gentler. I promise to love you even more.”

Juha Tapio, singer and songwriter, in Minä sinua rakastan

“What I have learned throughout the years is that love doesn’t come when you order it. It happens, if it is meant to happen.”

“We are all now on a ship and going through the waves of the big sea. We were born with struggles and once die with strain. But what is in between, let that be warmth, love! When two join together when it snows, the going gets easier too.”

“That night, I wasn’t missing anything until I saw you and suddenly I was missing everything.”

Hanna Lind, poet

“In the end, we don’t feel the most important things were what we achieved or how we performed. The strongest memories are drawn based on the experiences and moments that we got to share emotionally with another person.”

Maaret Kallio, psychotherapist

“The golden rule, often broken. In war and love everything is fair. Except love in war and war in love.”

Juice Leskinen, poet, singer and songwriter

“When you recognize love, you have to receive it. There is no point in denying it.”

Ismo Alanko, singer and songwriter

“Throughout history, truth and love have always won.”

I hope these quotes have provided fun insights and some inspiration. What are some of your favorite quotes, Finnish or otherwise? Let me know in the comments.

Here are some other articles on Finnish sayings and wisdom you might find interesting:

30+ Famous Finnish Sayings that Will Inspire You

50 Funny Finnish Phrases & Words in English that Describe the Finnish Mindset

20 Sweet Ways to Say I Love You in Finnish

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About Varpu I’m the founder of Her Finland. I love cultural tidbits, aha moments, Finnish folklore, and cinnamon buns. My newest interest is learning bird songs. Read more about me..

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Saturday 3rd of December 2022

Great article, I enjoyed it a lot! I especially liked seeing how some of my favorite authors and characters (Tolkien, Snufkin) embrace the essence of Suomi, which is so magical and unique, yet often overlooked. But maybe that's a good thing - Finland is like this mysterious land that only true lovers can truly appreciate.

Kiitos as always for your insight and perspective.

Friday 9th of December 2022

Thank you so much, Netta! You made my day with this comment. Kiitos sydämeni pohjasta! <3

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