Finland

This is the Åland Archipelago chapter from Lonely Planet’s Finland guide-book.

Åland is the sunniest spot in northern Europe and its sweeping white-sand beaches and flat, scenic cycling routes attract crowds of holidaymakers during summer. Yet outside the lively capi-tal, Mariehamn, a sleepy haze hangs over the islands’ tiny villages.

• cycle the archipelago’s flat, well-marked routes alongside green fields, red granite and sparkling seascapes
• maps
• run the ramparts of the cannonball-scarred ruins of Bomarsund Fortress, then cool off with a beach dip
• transport
• hike the trails, climb the rocks or just enjoy a meal while overlooking postcard-worthy Käringsund Harbour in Eckerö
• restaurants & accommodation

Coverage includes: Fasta Åland, Mariehamn, Jomala, Hammarland, Eck-erö, Geta, Saltvik, Sund, Vårdö, Finström, Lemland, Lumparland, Northern Archipelago, Southern Archipelago.

This is the Helsinki chapter from Lonely Planet’s Finland guidebook.

It’s fitting that harbourside Helsinki, capital of a country with such watery geography, melds so graciously into the Baltic. Half the city seems liquid, and the writhings of the complex coastline include any number of bays, inlets and islands.

• pack a picnic and exploring the fortress island of Suomenlinna
• maps
• sweat your cares away at Löyly Sauna, then jump straight into the sea
• transport
• track down cutting-edge designs in boutiques and at the fabulous Design Museum in Punavuori
• restaurants & accommodation

Coverage includes: History, Sights, Activities, Tours, Festivals & Events, Sleeping, Eating, Drinking & Nightlife, Entertainment, Shopping.

This is the Karelia chapter from Lonely Planet’s Finland guidebook.

If you’re looking for wilderness, powerful history and the Finnish soul, your search starts here. Densely forested and gloriously remote, this is paradise for nature lovers. Bears and wolves roam freely across the Russian frontier, and animal hides allow visitors a close encounter.

• swoosh down the ski slopes in winter, or swoop above the tree line aboard the summer chairlift, in Koli National Park
• maps
• shoot Ruunaa’s rapids on a rubber raft
• transport
• cruise from Lappeenranta to the Karelian town of Vyborg
• restaurants & accommodation

Coverage includes: South Karelia, Lappeenranta, Imatra, North Karelia, Joensuu, Ilomantsi, Hattuvaara, Lake Pielinen, Koli National Park, Paalasmaa Island, Vuonislah-ti, Lieksa, Patvinsuo National Park, Ruunaa Recreation Area, Nurmijärvi District, Nurmes.

This is the Lapland chapter from Lonely Planet’s Finland guidebook.

Lapland casts a powerful spell: there’s something lonely and intangible here that makes it magical. The midnight sun, the Sámi peoples, the aurora borealis (Northern Lights) and roaming reindeer are all components of this – as is Santa Claus himself.

• hike the lonely wildernesses in Finland’s highlands around Kilpisjärvi in Fell Lapland
• maps
• dash through the snow pulled by a team of reindeer or huskies from the excellent Harriniva activities centre attached to the Arktinen Rekikoirakeskus (Arctic Sled-dog Centre) in Muonio
• transport
• sail on an ice-breaker, then sleep in Kemi’s ethereally beautiful snow castle, Lumilinna, in Kemi
• restaurants & accommodation

Coverage includes: Southern Lapland, Kemi, Tornio, Rovaniemi & Around, Kemijärvi, Pyhä-Luosto, Fell Lapland, Ylläs, Levi, Muonio, Hetta, Pallas-Yllästunturi Na-tional Park, Kilpisjärvi, Northern Lapland, Sodankylä, Saariselkä, Around Saariselkä, Saariselkä Wilderness & Urho Kekkonen National Park, Ivalo, Nellim, Inari & Around, Lemmenjoki National Park.

This is the Oulu, Kainuu & Koillismaa chapter from Lonely Planet’s Finland guidebook.

Stretching across Finland’s waist from the Gulf of Bothnia to the long Russian border, this broad swath of territory offers some of the nation’s most memorable outdoor experiences, from birdwatching and beachcombing in the west to skiing, canoeing and trekking in the east.

• view four-millennia-old rock art in Finland’s newest national park, Hossa National Park, with canyons, lakes and a wealth of activities, including scuba diving
• maps
• canoe river routes or trek the Karhunkierros trail through some of Finland’s finest wilder-ness scenery in Oulanka National Park
• transport
• creep into the evening forests around Kuusamo to spot brown bears
• restaurants & accommodation

Coverage includes: Oulu & Around, Kajaani, Sotkamo, Kuhmo, Hossa, Kuusamo & Ruka, Juuma, Karhunkierros Trek & Oulanka National Park.

This chapter contains the Welcome to Finland, Finland’s Top 15, Need to Know, What’s New, If You Like..., Month by Month, Itineraries, The Great Outdoors, Travel with Children, and Regions at a Glance chapters from Lonely Planet’s Finland guidebook.

Your journey to Finland starts here. You’ll find the tools to plan your adventure: where to go and when, how much to budget, plus in-depth info on outdoor activities.

• tailor-made itineraries, arranged by region, themes and events
• list of highlights and best experiences
• everything you need to know about hiking in Finland
• user-friendly country overview ensures you won’t miss a thing

Coverage includes: Welcome to Finland, Finland’s Top 15, Need to Know, What’s New, If You Like: Offbeat Accommodation, Art, Island-Hopping, Wildlife, Traditional Ar-chitecture, Modern Architecture, Finnish Food, Saunas, Month by Month, Itineraries, The Great Outdoors, Travel with Children, and Regions at a Glance.

This is the Tampere, Pirkanmaa & Häme chapter from Lonely Planet’s Finland guidebook.

Modern cities and traditional settlements exist side by side in this historically replete region. Here, you can explore Finland’s rural past at ancient wooden churches, learn about its unsettled history at Hämeenlinna’s castle and admire its rich industrial heritage in Tampere.

• admire world-class art, architecture and landscape design in the attractive forest-edged art town of Mänttä
• maps
• absorb the laid-back but culturally engaged vibe and check out the vibrant local bar and restaurant scene in Finland’s second-largest city, Tampere
• transport
• attend a Sibelius performance at Lahti’s architecturally significant and acoustically excel-lent harbourside concert hall, Sibeliustalo
• restaurants & accommodation

Coverage includes: Tampere, Pirkanmaa, Ruovesi, Helvetinjärvi National Park, Keuruu, Mänttä, Häme, Iittala, Hämeenlinna, Lahti.

This is the Lakeland chapter from Lonely Planet’s Finland guidebook.

Most of Finland could be dubbed lakeland, but around here it seems there’s more aqua than terra firma. Reflecting the sky and forests as clearly as a mirror, the sparkling, clean water leaves an indelible impression.

• attend an opera staged under the stars in the courtyard of a magnificent medieval castle at Savonlinna Opera Festival
• maps
• seek a glimpse of the rare Saimaa ringed seal while paddling around the Seal Lakes within the Linnansaari and Kolovesi national parks
• transport
• join international architecture buffs on an Alvar Aalto pilgrimage in and around Jyväsky-lä
• restaurants & accommodation

Coverage includes: Savonlinna, Punkaharju, The Seal Lakes, Sulkava, Mikkeli, New Valamo, Jyväskylä & Around, Kuopio.

This is the Turku & the South Coast chapter from Lonely Planet’s Finland guide-book.

Anchoring the southwest is Finland’s former capital, Turku. This striking seafaring city stretches along the broad Aurajoki from its Gothic cathedral to its medieval castle and vibrant harbour, and boasts cutting-edge galleries, museums and restaurants, and music festivals that electrify the summer air.

• unearth Turku’s medieval history at Aboa Vetus
• maps
• stroll cobbled lanes lining the picturesque Old Town of Vanha Porvoo
• transport
• climb to the top of Finland’s tallest lighthouse, Bengtskär Lighthouse
• restaurants & accommodation

Coverage includes: Turku, Naantali, Turku Archipelago, Pargas, Nagu, Korpo, Houtskär, Iniö, Kustavi, The South Coast: West of Helsinki, Kimito Island & Archipelago National Park, Hanko, Raseborg, Fiskars, Lohja, The South Coast: East of Helsinki, Porvoo, Lov-iisa, Kotka, Hamina.

This chapter contains the Finland Today, History, The Sámi, Finnish Lifestyle & Culture, Finnish Design, The Arts, Food & Drink, Directory A-Z, Transport and Language chapters from Lonely Planet’s Finland guidebook.

All the info you need on everything from history, Finnish design, arts and cuisine to flights, public transport, climate, money, the internet... you name it. Get tips for women travellers, gay and lesbian travellers, travellers with disabilities, and travellers with kids. And get the most out of your conversations with a handy language guide and glossary.

• a rundown on Finland’s design scene
• info on the culture of the indigenous Sámi people
• full coverage of Finnish cuisine
• details on proper sauna etiquette

Coverage includes: Finland Today, History, The Sámi, Finnish Lifestyle & Culture, Finnish Design, The Arts, Food & Drink, Directory A-Z, Transport and Language.

This is the West Coast chapter from Lonely Planet’s Finland guidebook.

Stretching for 500km, Finland’s west coast harbours a cache of historic wooden towns such as Jakobstad, Kokkola and Unesco-protected Rauma, founded at the height of the Swedish em-pire. But the coastline itself is the biggest attraction.

• cycle around the idyllic landscape and seascape of Velhoveden kierros near Uusikaupun-ki
• maps
• wander the narrow streets and admiring the colourful wooden houses in the Unesco-protected Old Town of Rauma
• transport
• check off your bird list while following the boardwalks through the Bothnian Sea National Park on the Yyteri nature trails
• restaurants & accommodation

Coverage includes: Uusikaupunki, Rauma, Pori & Around, Kristinestad, Närpes, Seinäjoki, Vaasa & Around, Jakobstad & Around, Kokkola, Kalajoki.