Finland is known as the “Land of a Thousand Lakes” is an inviting place to be when you want to experience unusual things peculiar to this country.

Santa Claus

Popular among kids and once kids (like me), Santa is a true symbol of hope and discipline among kids so seeing Santa in person is a dream come true! Finland is a home for Santa since the old times in Rovaniemi. Tales have it that he really lived in a place called Ear Fell or Korvatunturi but only those close to him know it. Now, the place of Rovaniemi became the home of Santa and is a place where you can experience sleigh ride, chat with Santa, shop for gifts, and other snow related activities. Hotels and international flights are available to and from the area and the best part is- Santa Claus Village is open all year round!

Northern Lights

Very famous among people who wants to see MAGIC IN THE SKY, known as the Aurora Borealis, the Northern Lights is a magnificent view that almost every visitor in Finland would like to see.  It can be seen around 150 nights from mid-August until early April. There are many places where this phenomenon could be seen but the Arctic Garden and the top of Ounasvaara fell are the best destinations to witness Northern Lights. In some cases, the glowing sky can be seen all over Finland when the sky is very clear and the weather condition favors the process. There is no definite day to see the Aurora Borealis but it is also announced when the possibility is high so people could witness it if they like. For some Finns, it is a common sight, but for visitors, it will make the journey unforgettable.

Fishing

Fishing in Finland is more like a hobby than a means to hunt for food as far as I have observed. Ironically, when Finns go fishing, a lot of the time, they let go of the Fish as well, but I keep mine :). There are varieties of fish to catch in the ocean and lake, shallow and deep. Important thing to remember when Fishing is that you need to have a license to use certain fishing gears and fishing by net must have a license as well. You can basically fish all year round. People also go fishing in the ice where they drill a hole and sit with their fishing gears while having a cup of coffee or a can of beer.

Sauna

Sauna is Finland’s most popular cultural practice where almost every houses have a an own sauna. Sauna is a place for relaxing not only for cleaning and refreshing the body. At the same time, sauna is a place to have small talks with friends and families and for some a place to find peace. There is a separate sauna for men and women in public places, and you go in the sauna naked, it is a norm to take off your clothes when you go in and it is pretty normal. Mothers have their boys or girls with them in the sauna too.

Mummie Land

This place is located in Naantalie, the summer capital of Finland as they say. The mummie story goes back to 1945.

The Moomins are the central characters in a series of novels, short stories, and a comic strip by Finnish writer and illustrator Tove Jansson, originally published in Swedish by Schildts in Finland. They are a family of white, round fairy-tale characters with large snouts that make them resemble the hippopotamus. Source. You can tour the island where the story revolves, even you can find a variety of souvenirs and some events taking place in the summer. Right after your tour, there are places to eat and relax around the area.

Berries

Berry picking is a relaxing activity that I never miss to do every year. Not only it is relaxing but also it is a good way to be physically active. On top of it, one can make money easily by selling the berries in the market or directly to buyers.

Finland has a variety of farmed and wild berries. Berry picking is a common seasonal job for foreign people mainly from Asia. There are blueberries, lingonberries, bilberries, cranberries, hawthorn and raspberries to collect if you are fond of berries. They make into delicious juices, pudding, jams and jellies. One good thing is that, berry picking is free for all in Finland. You can go pick berries in other people’s forests as long as you do not disturb them in some ways. So if berry picking is in your list to do in Finland, schedule your trip in the months of September -October.