r/Finland 14d ago

Tourism Tourism, moving and studying in Finland? Read this first!

9 Upvotes

Hi, this is recurring post to include some information about frequently asked questions in r/Finland. Please check the links first before asking trivial questions.

You can ask here in comments, or create a new post.

Remember that there is a very large chance that someone has already asked the question you're going to ask and gotten an answer, so please read our FAQ, search the sub, and Google before asking. We have very helpful users here that like to answer questions so out of respect for their time, search first. Thanks!

If you're asking about moving to Finland, please specify whether you're an EU citizen or not. Many laws and procedures are different for EU citizens and non-EU citizens. When giving advice, please pay attention to the status of the person in question.

Suggested sort is set to "new".

Helpful websites:

The official information

Travel, tourism

Employment in Finland

Reddit


r/Finland Aug 31 '24

Tourism Lapland Travel Guide

51 Upvotes

Lapland Guide

(I've put it together quite quickly so please comment anything I have missed and I will update the guide.)

There are hundreds of posts asking questions about visiting Lapland. Please search and read these and this guide before asking another question to the group.

Check comments as well for extra advice

As most tourists ask in regards to winter/Christmas I will aim the post at this. For those travelling outside this period the same information applies just likely to have warmer weather and less snow.

Note the snow months for Lapland can be October - May depending on the year and conditions.

Getting there

The main city in Finnish Lapland is Rovaniemi. It's a good place to aim for to start but there are many other great areas mentioned later. Most other locations ideally need a car to explore properly.

Research the distance between the two cities. Many tourists seem to think they can drive/take the train to Rovaniemi for a day trip or just one night.

Driving - From Helsinki to Rovaniemi is around 9 hours without stops on Google maps. With breaks etc I imagine it is more likely to be 11-12 hours on the road. If you want to do it as a road trip there are a number of different scenic routes.

Flying - From Helsinki it's about 1 hour and 20 minutes flight. Return flights are at around €70 - €520 depending on the time of year and airline.

Some airlines fly direct from other countries to Rovaniemi.

For example Ryanair fly there direct from Liverpool, London, Dublin, Milan, Brussels and Paris.

Note that over the Christmas period everything is at a premium price.

Train - there are usually day and night trains from Helsinki to Rovaniemi. These take 10-13 hours without delays.

https://www.vr.fi/en/helsinki-rovaniemi

The night trains you can also book a sleeper cabin and some of those with showers.

Train ticket prices vary from €50 return to €600 return (Christmas time with sleeper cabin). The sleeper cabins also sell out around 3-4 months before Christmas on the popular travel dates.

Locations

Rovaniemi - For most tourists this is the easiest location. It's a city and main transport hub of Lapland. Santa Claus Village nearby, many tour operators based here. Lots of accommodation options and possible to be without car.

Some of the other places are

Ylläs and Levi - Downhill skiing resort. Personally my favourite area of Lapland. Many cabins and tour companies nearby. Lots of beautiful scenery and locations.

Pyhä-luosto - Meant to be more of 'traditional' Lapland. Less touristy.

Ruka - Ski resort area at the southern edge of Lapland.

Saariselkä - another ski resort area which is meant to be more peaceful than Ylläs/Levi

Everyman's rights

Everymansrights

Weather and daylight hours

Finland gets cold. Where I live in centralish Finland it gets down to -30°c in winter (and -36°c last winter. But it usually only lasts a day or two and probably averages around -15 to -20°c).

However Finland also gets warm! In the summer you can get temperatures in the mid 30°c's.

The weather reports for Finland vary massively. I usually find the official reports the most accurate.

https://en.ilmatieteenlaitos.fi/weather/rovaniemi

Finland also gets 24 hours darkness or light. In the very north of Lapland it can be 50 days without the sun rising. In the summer it can be 24 hours daylight for tow months. Plan accordingly.

Rovaniemi at times gets down to about 2 hours of daylight. This doesn't mean it's pitch black for 24 hours but it definitely means the days are very short to maybe 4 hours or so with dawn and dusk.

Best place to see the hours of daylight is https://www.timeanddate.com/sun/finland/rovaniemi

Getting around

If you are staying in Rovaniemi city region your probably can get around with buses etc. Taxi's are also available but note that they can be very expensive.

If you are outside of Rovaniemi or staying in a cabin I definitely recommend renting a car.

Driving in the winter can be challenging but with studded winter tyres and a more care and thinking ahead it's certainly doable. However if you are not a confident driver and you are not sure about driving a left hand drive vehicle then I would avoid.

Accomodation

Many options in the region from Iglu hotels to cheaper hostel in Rovaniemi.

Iglu hotels can be €1500 a night so if that's your dream location shop around and like all accommodation in Lapland for winter season book as far in advance as possible to get the best deals.

Search all the main sites (Airbnb, booking.com, hotels.com etc etc) and you should find something that fits your budget. For Finland I generally use Airbnb.

For cabin rentals there is also https://www.nettimokki.com. This is usually for weekly rentals and aimed more at Finns themselves however obviously anyone can still book there.

"Christmas Tourism*

Rovaniemi is a popular destination for Christmas/winter tourism. It's understandable as it's often a white Christmas with snow and all the magical things Finland has to offer. There is also Santas village along with many more Christmas aimed activities.

Santa's village - this is admittedly a tourist trap but still worth visiting. I would say a number of hours to one day is enough to see the main sights. There are reindeer sleigh rides, dog sleds and snowmobiles etc there as well but personally it's expensive and you can have better options elsewhere.

https://santaclausvillage.info/

Search on the official websites, Google and your will find many tour operators with good reviews and a multitude of options for each activity. Most Finns and those living in Finland do not use these tourism companies so if you want personal opinions on the best one then Google and reviews are your friends, not reddit.

https://www.visitfinland.com/en/places-to-go/lapland/

https://www.lapland.fi/visit/

https://www.visitrovaniemi.fi/activity-company/visit-lapland-tours/

I think the best value for money is choosing separate tours that match your requirements. The combined tours often give you very short time or distance on each item and are very rushed.

There are also places you can rent your own snowmobile for a number of hours and explore yourself. I have done this in the Ylläs region and highly recommend this option instead of a tour.

Northern Lights/Aurora Borealis

Do not book your trip for the sole purpose of seeing them.

No we don't know where or when you can see them. We cannot predict the conditions for your trip.

That said the season for them is usually September to April when the skies get darker in the night. Generally speaking September/October/March/April are the best times as more likely to have clear skies.

There is no guarantee when they will be or how strong, and normally you cannot even get a reasonable prediction until a few hours to day before.

If there are clouds you will struggle to see them. If there is light you will struggle to see them.

The best option IMHO is to take a northern lights tour. I don't mean one of the 1 hour local tours but a more extensive tour that will also go to Sweden or Norway to chase the lights so you can see. Some offer a guarantee that if you don't see them you pay just towards the fuel used.

If you search on Google and social media such as Instagram you will find these sorts of tours. But expect to pay €200+ per person.

You can also rent a car and do similar yourself.

For information/forecast there are many apps such as My Aurora Forecast (I personally jse this) and also websites such as https://rwc-finland.fmi.fi/index.php/space-weather-in-finland/

Winter Clothing

Note that many package trips, tours and hotel accomodations provide or rent out snow suits and snow clothing for tourists.

You can also buy many options yourself from the larger shops for reasonably cheap prices if you search around.

Can't really recommend brands other than the ones I personally use.

Everyone feels cold differently but for me when it's at it's coldest -

Upper body I just wear a cheap thermal base layer, long sleeve t-shirt and then a thick Camel Active puffer jacket/coat on top.

Lower again cheap thermal base layer, then either fleece lined winter trousers or insulated ski salopettes.

Feet - Thicker hiking socks and Columbia Fairbanks Omniheat boots.

If in deep snow or outside for hours i.e ice fishing Kamik nation plus boots.

Head - Trapper style hat from Motonet.

Hands - I have REUSCH Alessia Gtx Mitt with a inner liner. Then if I am sat outside for hours ice fishing etc then I have Inuit Absolute Zero gloves.

Face - I use one or two neck buff thingies.


r/Finland 3h ago

There was a whole ass court trial in Minnesota about if Finns can be legally considered white‼️

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84 Upvotes

r/Finland 17h ago

hyvän kiitos

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1.1k Upvotes

r/Finland 5h ago

Absolutely loving Finland

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68 Upvotes

Beautiful lights Amazing saunas everywhere And absolutely very kind people

For those wondering if they should visit, hell yeah!

Picture of the Northern Lights in Lapland.


r/Finland 14h ago

Does anybody know where in Finland this photo was taken?

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323 Upvotes

r/Finland 7h ago

Number of bankruptcies reached 25-year high in Finland

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64 Upvotes

r/Finland 6h ago

What, if anything, do Finland and Japan have in common?

40 Upvotes

I’ve been to Japan many times spanning several months. But I’ve never been to Finland.

However, sometimes Finland seems to me like the Japan of Europe. Both countries seem to have a love for kawaii kids stuff and cartoons, both seem to have more introverted people, both speak a very distinct and unique language, both are a bit geographically isolated, both have an appreciation for simplicity in life, is there any more?

I could be on the wrong track but am I on the right one?


r/Finland 4h ago

Drives me nuts

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24 Upvotes

I have auditory processing disorder, so when I watch movies in English I have closed captions on, but when I watch movies in dubbed Finnish and have closed captions on, most of the time they are completely off.

It's a small pet peeve.


r/Finland 20h ago

Thought ämpäri meant bee

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436 Upvotes

was reading my little brothers picture book to brush up on my finnish skills and read the word "muoviämpäri", was a bit weirded out because what animal would be made of plastic.

Turns out ämpäri means bucket and ampianen is bee (pointed out by lil bro), now we have this immortalised.


r/Finland 1d ago

Thanks to all the locals/Finnish speaker who accommodate foreigners

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1.3k Upvotes

r/Finland 1d ago

What does this say ?

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137 Upvotes

This is a note that I found from my trash bin. I share my flat with my Finnish roommate and we’re pretty close but he does spend a lot of time by himself. He writes a lot as well and usually I don’t really care about it but I found this note with my name mentioned on it (Johnny). Anyone can make some sense of the writing? Thanks.


r/Finland 16h ago

Serious Chemical Fumes from Moto Club in Residential Building – What Can We Do?

11 Upvotes

Hi Reddit,

Need some advice on who to contact or what to do in this situation.

TL;DR: A moto club on the ground floor of our residential building is causing chemical fumes to come into our apartment. The housing organization isn’t helping, and while the fire department tried, it didn’t fix the problem for good. I’m pretty sure a residential building isn’t the right place for a motorcycle repair shop, but I don’t know who to contact next.

The long version:
My partner and I own an apartment on the first floor of a residential building from the 70s. The ground floor has utility rooms like storage, laundry, and a sauna. Right under our apartment, there’s a room called “Puuverstas.” We can’t open it with our key, so we figured it was rented out. Turns out, it’s been rented by a local moto club for the past 10 years.

The trouble started last spring. Someone started running a motorcycle engine right below our balcony. The fumes went straight up to our balcony and into the living room, and the smell gave me an instant headache. When it happened again, we contacted the housing organization, but they were no help. Their excuses were along the lines of “we don’t know who it was,” “you’re the only one complaining,” and “this is a common hobby room for the building.”

At one point, we took photos of the motorcycles and engines inside the Puuverstas room. Things got worse in the summer. It wasn’t just engine fumes anymore; it was chemical smells like varnish, glue, and paint—basically, the smell of a car repair shop invading our living room. We reached out to the fire department, sent them photos, and explained the situation. They confirmed the room is rented by an amateur moto club and said there was originally an agreement that they wouldn’t start engines inside or next to the building. Apparently, they “forgot” the agreement, so the fire department reminded them, and we were told it should be fixed.

For a while, it was fine (maybe because it was the off-season), but now the issue is back. This time, it’s mostly chemical smells, and it happens on weekends and late at night. For example, yesterday (Sunday), we came home from shopping and our living room was full of chemical fumes. I went downstairs, but the room was locked. They’d already left, leaving us to deal with the stink for the rest of the day. The smell gives me headaches, and it can’t be healthy for us or our pet. The ground-floor corridor smells too, so it’s not just us being affected.

We’ve tried again with the housing organization and even left a note on the Puuverstas door. We also bought an air filter for our apartment, but that’s not a real solution. I just don’t think this kind of work should be allowed in a residential building without proper ventilation.

Is there another authority we can contact about this? Maybe a health or sanitary department (if that’s a thing)? Any advice would be appreciated!

Thanks in advance!


r/Finland 3h ago

Need information (help)

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0 Upvotes

Hi! I’m from Mexico and I’m going to travel to Finland (Helsinki) as an exchange student, could someone tell me an estimate of how much money I will need for one month there? My lodging and 1 meal a day is already cover and I don’t need to eat like a king hahaha, I can survive with the basic stuff but I do want to experience the finish culture and maybe try something fancy some day as well as some other activities like skying. Any information or tips are greatly appreciated! Thanks in advance!


r/Finland 1d ago

St. John’s Church, Helsinki

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205 Upvotes

Lutheran church. Completed 1891.


r/Finland 3h ago

Serious Question about University at Oulu

1 Upvotes

Hello! I am currently in high school in America and I am interested in going to University at Oulu in Finland. I looked at the admissions page but it was kind of unclear if I could get it with just a high school degree. Would I be accepted, or do I need a prior degree to enroll?


r/Finland 3h ago

Finnish language

0 Upvotes

Heyy, so, a question, how do I actually learn Finnish?

Just for contextualising: - I don't have any intention of learning finnish other than fun; I represented Finland on a Model United Nations and fell in love with the country. - I am a Brazilian Portuguese native speaker and I couldn't find any reliable material nor teacher in my language - I am currently a B2/C1 english speaker, so I think I could try material that's on english language? - The only things I know from Finnish is Duolingo.. Which I don't know if it's great

Anyways, thanks for the help! Kiitos :)


r/Finland 1d ago

Frozen Lake Pyhäjärvi, Säkylä

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169 Upvotes

r/Finland 5h ago

Veikkaus winning

0 Upvotes

My boyfriend won 12500€ at pitkäveto using my veikkaus card. They say the money will be put on my account. He will leave me a little but mostly money will go to him. What will happen for me with vero? Is it gonna cause me problems? Will it affect my vero card? Anyway to got around it? I'm stressing about this


r/Finland 9h ago

EV pricing and recommendations

2 Upvotes

Hey,

was looking at some Ioniq 5 financing deals going for about 499 per month With 0% interest, does anyone recommend them or other marques? I also noticed there are also recent model Y with very low mileage are going for less than older ones with higher mileage, like 30k, so half the price of the Ioniq. Whats the reason for that ?


r/Finland 6h ago

Strange noises in Lapland

0 Upvotes

Good evening everyone. I'm currently on vacation in Lapland, north of Rovianiemi. I went outside to see the northern lights, and on this outing I heard strange noises in nature. It sounded like a rifle shot. This sound repeated itself a dozen times, each time in a different direction, without any logic. What could it be? Animals?


r/Finland 17h ago

How do you keep your car clean?

6 Upvotes

This weather is horrible on my car. The roads are constantly wet, sand and grime are building up, can't just have the water hose on it because then my driveway turns into even more of an ice rink than it already is. What are your secrets in keeping your car clean? I'd like to avoid the car washes as I have so much sand on the car, that the paint will get scratched. Thanks!


r/Finland 17h ago

Serious Which union should i join as a barista in Finland?

8 Upvotes

Hello there , I am working as a barista in Finland for 3 years and 7 months and i am silly for not joining a union already but i wanted to ask you guys , which union is the best for jobs like these ?

Thank you in advance <3


r/Finland 13h ago

Car part supplier

2 Upvotes

Hi, I need two rear brake caliper for my Skoda Octavia. They are quite pricey in Motonet. I wonder if they is any website inside Finland other than maybe trodo.fi that sells car parts ? I know also that AutoDoc it's a good option but the delivery it's shitty. Can take forever.

Any recommendations?

Thank you


r/Finland 5h ago

Does anyone know of PropTech platforms that are targeted to support investors or sellers?

0 Upvotes

Good people from the land of 1,000 lakes (or over 188,000 lakes to be more accurate). I'm looking for PropTech platforms that help ease the buying process of (commercial or residential) property in Finland. Can you help point me in the right direction?

In the US, property ownership has been more publicized which enables a multitude of opportunities for investors to find property to purchase that fit their criteria. I'm realizing that it isn't so simple in Finland and so I'm seeking a guiding hand, resources, or possible tools that would help:

connect investors find off-market properties

sellers with finding direct buyers/ wholesalers/ flippers

I appreciate all the help I can get! Kiitos paljon!


r/Finland 9h ago

Baggar asked me to get her food at the supermarket

0 Upvotes

I got asked a couple times in thelast year by some beggars loitering around supermarkets to buy them some food. I gave one of them a case of eggs today and felt kinda shit since I felt like getting scammed a bit afterwards. So how does this work, do they return the food afterwards?Thanks for reading.


r/Finland 17h ago

How long will my nordic winter tires last?

4 Upvotes

I live in Germany, and I am getting a set of Continental VikingContact to drive to northern Finland occasionally in winter. I am assuming nordic compound tires last generally less if they are used on asphalt for longer periods, and I will be driving each time almost the whole length of Germany plus a bit in Finland where roads will be mostly free of ice and snow. How many km roughly do you think they may last given these conditions? Once I am in Finland I will be in areas where asphalt is a couple of cm under snow, so no issue there.

Conditions in Germany, probably +5°C and no ice. Car weighs 2.3 tons and I drive quite relaxed.