Finland

The midnight sun, Northern Lights and superb saunas: there’s no shortage of natural beauty or quirky charm in Finland, it just might come at a premium price. Get the best of the country by using our map of Finland to start planning your trip.

Largely flat and wooded, the Finnish landscape really comes into its own in the North, where the remote wilderness of Lapland allows access to the Arctic Circle. Finland isn’t just husky sleighing and reindeer herding, however: don’t miss the country’s capital, Helsinki, where the architectural grandeur of the neoclassical buildings and wide streets provides a dramatic backdrop to excellent museums of art and national history. Finally, visit the Lake Region, a huge bay dotted by densely forested islands, one of which boasts the ancient Olavinlinna Castle. If you’re an opera fan, head to the regional centre, Savonlinna, where the renowned opera festival takes place amidst the beaches and harbours of the town’s three islands.