Top Things to Do in Finland | Must-see Places

This Nordic country attracts tourists with various things to do in Finland, in their top tourist spots. Finland has over 180000 lakes, forests, and Santa Claus's home, delivering a serene yet thrilling feeling for travelers chasing lifetime memories.

Finland tops as the world's happiest nation, drawing roughly 4 million visitors yearly for Finland tourist attractions. There are year-round Finland activities to do in different must see places in Finland with a combination of peace and adventure.

This Finland travel guide will help with local tips, and expectations for peak experiences at Finland's best places. Stay seamlessly connected from remote trails to city hubs with our SimCorner's eSIM and SIM options. We offer reliable high-speed data for finding hiking trails, and live sharing updates with no roaming or any hidden fees.

Dive into Finland bucket list destinations and know why this gem gets top marks every time as a travel-worthy country.

1. Lapland: Land of Northern Lights or Aurora

Who would not want to have the cool experience of witnessing the greenish skies of the Northern Lights, a natural electrical phenomenon visible in only a few countries in the world? Finland is one of those lucky countries that are home to Auroras. Visit the city Lapland, which is the prime aurora viewpoint at night. This is one of the best things to do in Finland.

What to expect here?

• You can spend your night under the open green sky, or in glass igloos to have the clearest views of the starry night. This is a must see in Finland. During September to March, there’s a 80% chance to see this phenomenon if the sky is clear. You’ll get app notifications about it.

• Beside this, you can also do and enjoy winter activities here. As it is the home of Santa, kids love playing here with reindeer safaris, husky sled rides, skiing, and ice fishing. You can even get free certificates here which you can keep as a souvenir.

Because of this natural wonder and the fun activities, this land is the best-rated, no.1 tourist attraction of Finland. Researcher Juha Kuisma describes this beautiful place as, “The Northern Lights in Lapland are both a natural phenomenon and a cultural symbol of the region, inspiring myths and local traditions.”

2. Helsinki

It is the capital city of Finland which has a combo of modernity and history. With modern style architecture and cafes to old heritage cathedral and fortress, this city will make you feel vibrant with some of the things to do in Finland.

Must-See Attractions here:

• Suomenlinna Fortress, which is an UNESCO-recognized heritage on islands

• Senate Square & Helsinki Cathedral, these will show you iconic neoclassical architecture

• Market Square (Kauppatori), is where you’ll get the authentic local cuisine and culture

The city offers a unique mix of modern local and Russian empire style lifestyle. That is why you will enjoy a range of diversity over here and so the capital is a must see in Finland.

3. Lake Saimaa

This is the largest lake in Finland and also the fourth largest in all of Europe. It is situated in the southeastern side of the nation. This place is one of the favourite Finland tourist spots for nature lovers, and for those seeking peace and solitude.

Activities to do here:

• You can do several different water activities like fishing, canoeing and kayaking. To explore the lake, take rides on sightseeing boats and enjoy the beautiful calm water.

• You can also spend your time, even the whole night by renting a lakeside cottage.

• You should also expect to see some wildlife animals like Saimaa ringed seals. If you have kids with you, they will love the sights of those special kinds of seals. Only 500 of such seals are available in the world now! So visiting here should be in your things to do in Finland list.

4. Koli National Park

This park is located at the northern side of Finland, and is surrounded by 30 square kilometres of forested hills. Besides these, the park has lakes. Visiting here is one of the must things to do in Finland to get one of the most scenic landscape views of Finland. Hiking to the top view will give you a panoramic Finnish view.

Apart from enjoying the natural beauty, you can also do birdwatching and winter activities like snowshoeing and skiing over here. This is why this park is one of the popular Finland tourism places. Don’t forget to take some breathtaking photographs here.

The beauty of Koli has inspired many Finnish art and folklore for generations. So visiting this park means visiting a piece of Finland’s culture too. That’s why historian Pirjo Hämäläinen praised this park by saying, “Koli has long been emblematic of Finland’s national identity through its landscapes.”

5. Turku

Turku is considered Finland's medieval city. This old city offers full history and ancient heritage. To learn about the Finnish past, you need to visit here. Then you will explore and see different castles, museums, cathedral, and archipelago excursions. All of these will show you their medieval roots, and their evaluation to today’s modern trade hub. So this place is among the Finland bucket list destinations.

You can also enjoy exploring markets and spend quality times with family or alone sightseeing the beautiful Aura River from riverside cafes. The river is said to be the soul or heart of the city as it divides between east and west banks. Enjoying such a river is one of the peaceful things to do in Finland.

6. Nuuksio National Park

It is another park which is just 30 kilometers away from the capital. It covers around only 45 to 50 square kilometers but is one of Finland's best places mainly for its uniquely beautiful landscapes. You will see 60km trails along with several small lakes. So the combination of rocky terrain and waterbodies make this park an interesting natural place to explore and things to do in Finland.

You can enjoy camping, and relax at the treehouses or resorts near the lakesides. Even though you will not really see wild animals here, you can definitely spot the Finnish national bird whooper swan. This park is mainly for breathing in some fresh and clean air, along with sightseeing clear water. It will give you a sense of peace and tranquility.

7. Urho Kekkonen National Park

After or before some relaxation session at the previous park, if you are looking for some adrenaline release, go hiking in this park. Situated in Lapland, where you already will watch Aurora and enjoy other winter activities, this park will give you some beautiful untouched wilderness of the Finnish landscapes. This is why the park is among the famous Finland tourist attractions.

You can take short scenic walks as well as multi-day trekking routes on these trails. During the winter, everything gets covered with snow which makes this place more magical. So that is the best time to visit here. But for long hikes, you can come during summer time too. You will find rustic huts for sleeping and enjoying the wilderness. So for various things to do in Finland all together, you can come here.

8. Tampere

It is the country’s third-largest city, and is among the renowned Finland tourism places for its lakes, industrial history, and cultural scene. So this city will allow you to experience history with modern urban culture. As mentioned before, Finland is famous for its sauna experiences, you will get some of it here in this city. But mainly you will get different sorts of museums here.

Activities to do here to fulfil your things to do in Finland bucket list destinations:

• Vapriikki Museum Centre is one big museum where many other small museums can be found under one roof. It’s interesting because it offers varieties of exhibitions and so something new is always there to encounter for every kind of visitor.

• Näsinneula Observation Tower, which is the tallest structure in Finland. It’s 168 meters long, which offers you a birds eye view of this city and the surrounding natural landscapes. It is always fun to look at things from high latitudes.

• Tampere Market Hall, will give you insights of the local Finnish market. You will get local foods and learn local culture from here.

9. Olavinlinna Castle

If you are an opera lover, then this world’s oldest castle is one of the things to do in Finland. The castle is located in Savonlinna, in eastern Finland. It is a lakeside fortress, built in the 14th century, and still hosts the world's oldest opera festival in July.

A surprising fact about this festival is every summer the venue for the festival is rebuilt as there’s no permanent space inside the castle. So this special festival is a must see in Finland.

If you visit during the off festival time, you can still explore the castle with a local tour guide everyday. You can expect to see just some small exhibitions inside it.

10. Seurasaari Open-Air Museum

It is a museum which is situated 5.5 kilometers northwest from the capital city. This museum is one of the popular Finland tourist attractions for preserving Finnish old heritage like traditional handicrafts, historic wooden buildings and seasonal traditional festivals. This museum visiting is hence one of the things to do for the cultural lovers. For gaining cultural knowledge for the country, this place is recommended. After urban life, get to see a bit of rural lifestyle from here.

11. Pyhä-Luosto National Park

This park is ideal for nature exploration along with geology-rich features. Located in Lapland, this place will serve you with nice landscapes, bird and wild animals spotting. You can also visit mines, and go for hikings on fells and ridges. So this place is also one of the Finland bucket list destinations with some of the interesting things to do in Finland.

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Things to do in Finland: FAQs

What are the top things to do in Finland for the visitors?

Finland is mainly visited for watching the Auroras. So start your trip from Lapland. Also, you can do hiking, winter activities like riding Reindeer Sleighs, husky sledding adventures, ice fishing and skating, skiing. Since Finland is a home to many museums, visiting there to learn about the country’s cultural and historical heritage is also a popular thing to do.

What are Finland's best places?

Lapland attracts visitors with aurora views and sleigh adventures in the Arctic magic. Helsinki blends modernity with historic sites like Suomenlinna Sea Fortress. Lake Saimaa offers serene boating on Finland's largest lake, Koli National Park, Turku charms people with medieval castles, and Tampere is crowded with saunas and lakeside energy.

How many days are needed for the Finland bucket list destinations?

Plan for a 14 days of journey in this country. This will make it easy for you to manage time travelling from city centers to even remote areas. Also, in case you miss watching Aurora one day, you can then come back hunting for it the next day.

What to pack for trips to top spots in Finland?

If you are coming during the winter time, that is from November to March, then know that it’ll be extremely cold here. So pack layers of clothes, handgloves and other winter gears. You should also bring water bottles, powerbanks, backpacks. Finally, don’t miss your cameras to capture the stunning views of Aurora and other natural wonders of Finland.

How to stay connected in Finland tourist attractions?

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