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Finland
The Finnish culture is closely linked to nature with vast forests and glimmering blue lakes dominate scenery wherever you go.
Finland is most famous for its iconic natural light phenomena with white nights in the summer and northern lights in the winter.
It is also a land of adventure with endless snowy landscapes in the winter and dense forests and waterways in the summer.
Fun facts about Finland
- Finland has been ranked as one of the happiest countries in the world
- There are more saunas in Finland than cars
- Unique sports in Finland include; mosquito huntin, wife carrying, air guitar, mobile phone throwing and swamp football!
- The average Finn consumes around 12 kilos of coffee per year
- The Finns love Salmiakki (a salty liquorice sweet)
Finland is well known for the famous Northern Lights and other light phenomena including the Midnight Sun and the Polar Night
Your Finland Explore trip is fully catered for with breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks in between to keep you fully fuelled throughout.
A typical day's menu includes:
Breakfast: A selection of bread, cheese, ham, porridge, muesli, yoghurt, tea and coffee
Lunch: Fish or meat dish, soup and bread
Dinner: A selection of meat or fish, vegetables, pasta, fresh salad, bread and dessert
Here are some of Finland's most popular dishes:
- Karjalanpiirakka - a traditional pasty with a variety of fillings
- Kalakukko - fish baked in a loaf of bread!
- Grillimakkara - tasy sausages, served with mustard
- Ruisleipä - rye bread, the most popular in Finland
- Korvapuusti - pastries filled with brown sugar and cinnamon
Check out Visit Finland's website for more information.
Finns have a strong sense of national identity and are proud of their country and its achievements, particularly in rally drivers, Formula 1 stars, contemporary composers and orchestral conductors.
Cultures and manners are typically European.
Finland is famed for the invention of Nokia.
Finns tend to avoid small talk and make a conscious effort with their chosen words. They also tend to take words more literally than the Brits.
If you're looking for a topic of conversation, sport would be a good starting point.
Around 83% of Finns belong to the Evangelical-Lutheran Church.
There is a high degree of gender equality in Finland.
When you meet people, it's appropriate to shake their hand and make eye contact. The handshake should be firm and brief. It's not commonplace to place a hand on their shoulder or arm, as we sometimes do in the UK.
Language
Finns speak either Finnish, Swedish or Saami (native language). English is also widely spoken.
Take a bit of time to learn a few useful Finnish words and phrases before you go. Here's some to help you get started...
You can also visit The Culture Trip and Trip Savvy websites for more words and phrases.
| English | Finnish | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Hello | Hei | Hay |
| Goodbye | Näkemiin | Nak a meen |
| Yes | Kyllä | Koorla |
| No | Ei | Ay (as in A for Amy) |
| Thank you | Kiitos | E-doss |
| Excuse me | Anteeksi | Andexi |
| My name is | Nimeni on | Knee many on |
| Do you speak English? | Puhutko englantia? | Pot ko show meah Eng lantia |
Useful Resources
If you're keen to learn more about Finland before you go, there's plenty of information to be found online, in travel magazines and in guide books. Here are a few recommendations;