10 of the best European activity breaks with a spirit of adventure
Fancy seatrekking, swimrunning or bodypainting? These and more familiar outdoor pursuits are on offer at destinations from northern Norway to the Greek islands
November 2023
‘A delirious deco dream’: former TB sanatorium is now Finland’s most unusual holiday let
For a limited period, architecture lovers can spend the night in a modernist masterpiece designed by Alvar Aalto
July 2023
Salmon, saunas and sopranos: Finland’s opera festival with a difference
Each July Savonlinna’s 15th-century fortress rings with song as music fans descend on this beautiful, lake-filled corner of south-east Finland
August 2022
Rail journey of the month
Rail route of the month: gliding past Finland’s pristine forests and lakes
Our slow travel expert explores Finland’s borderlands with Russia as she embarks on a 300-mile journey from Helsinki to North Karelia
April 2022
A local's guide
A local’s guide to Helsinki, Finland: delicious seafood, islands to explore and a dash of Arctic cool
Former tour guide Heidi Johansson leads us to great local food, unisex saunas and fab cocktails in the Finnish capital
July 2021
Away from it all: island hopping around Finland’s Turku archipelago
With Finland now open to vaccinated travellers, the 20,000 pristine islands off its south-west coast make for an appealing post-pandemic tour
May 2020
Helsinki's huge VR gig hints at the potential of virtual tourism
Finland’s biggest online event – a gig by JVG – was ‘attended’ by over half a million but Helsinki has even more ambitious plans to become the virtual capital of the world
April 2020
What the Moomins creator can teach us about small worlds
Tove Jansson’sThe Summer Book tells of peopleon a tiny island off Finland, living together with tact, grace and delightful attention to their surroundings
March 2020
Swimming under the ice: 'There's nothing. You are completely alone'
Freediver Johanna Nordblad first took to cold water as a cure for pain after a severe injury. This month she attempts to break the world record for swimming beneath ice
September 2019
A local's guide
A local’s guide to Helsinki, Finland: 10 top tips
The Finnish capital, which has committed to being carbon neutral by 2035, is great for island-hopping, nightlife, cool design and steaming saunas
June 2019
City break in Turku – where the Finnish started
Finland’s oldest city and former capital is well worth a visit, with buzzing bars, restaurants and museums, plus 20,000 islets to explore
November 2018
Seasonal city breaks: 10 of the best pre-Christmas European getaways
Shortcuts
Let’s visit Lordi’s Square: what to do if you’re stuck in Lapland with no snow this Christmas
October 2018
Five of Europe’s best wildernesses for spotting big beasts
Even on our crowded continent, there are remote regions where you can still spot bears, bison, lynx, wolves and more
August 2018
20 of the best Baltic beach holidays
The water may be colder but with its grand bygone-era resorts, wild islands and white sand beaches, these northerly shores are a great alternative to the Med
May 2018
20 of the best Nordic summer holidays
Stylish lakeside cabins, bear-spotting, Viking adventures and midnight sun and fun await in Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Finland
November 2017
World view
It's a husky's life, Finnish Lapland: travel photo of the week
Photographer Brice Portolano specialises in capturing lives lived close to nature in remote spots. His Arctic series looks at the life of a husky sledder who lives in a cabin in northern Finland
July 2017
New Moomin museum opens in Finland
Tove Jansson never took her family of fairytale characters too seriously, but they now have their own museum in Tampere, attracting Moomins fans from around the world
June 2017
Serene summer in Finland’s centenary national park
Free world
Silence, serenity and sparkling wine at Finland's Valamo Monastery
