Four trips to Finland in eight years

I have taken planes, trains, and automobiles across the whole country at this point. Here's why you might want to do the same.

Caro Griffin

28 Nov 2024 — 5 min read

I’ve been to a handful of places where the locals have been confused by my presence.

These are usually places that don't get much American or European tourism (like Yangon), or places where foreigners go for a specific reason (like Amman, to learn Arabic).

These cities usually share some common denominators, though. They’re not predominantly white. They’re not places Americans can go without a visa. And they’re places I could not have placed on a map before I went.

And then there’s Finland.

I have been to Finland four times over the last eight years. I have taken planes, trains, and now automobiles across most of the country.

And I’ve always done it in October or November, which makes everyone look at me funny.

Part of this is practical—it’s a very seasonal country where there’s lots to do at the height of summer or in the middle of winter, and less to keep you busy in between. In November, a lot of stuff is closed, and it’s cold, but not cold enough to be at peak pretty.

Part of it also seems like genuine confusion from people who love their country, but don’t really expect other people to love it as much as they do. There's this underlying desire for visitors to see it under the best possible circumstances.

I always promise to come back in the summer... and then plan another trip in the fall. 😅

Things to do in Finland

Most people outside of northern Europe don't know much about Finland. Understandably! It's a small, somewhat isolated country that minds its own beeswax and doesn't make a lot of international news.

I didn't know anything about Finland until I went on a whim to meet a coworker-turned-bestie, but then I just kept finding reasons to come back.

So, if you're wondering what you would do on a trip to Finland, some suggestions:

You can spend a few days exploring Helsinki, which has all the quality food, drinks, and art you would expect from a big city - with a Finnish twist that is somewhat Nordic, somewhat Russian.
You can take a short (and very nice) ferry to Tallinn, Estonia, for a 2-in-1 trip. It's lovely! (And I have it on good authority that this wine bar is 10/10.)
You can take the overnight train (my vote) or a short flight to Lapland, the northernmost part of Finland, AKA the Arctic Circle. There are reindeer farms and husky safaris, the Northern lights maybe, the North Pole definitely, and surprisingly interesting museums. Also, the home of the "real" Santa Claus.
Or, you can do what I did this time, and take a whole road trip around Finland.

I would recommend the first three options, but not so much the road trip.

Not because I didn’t have fun (I did), but because it’s a niche trip that only people with very flexible lives, a Finnish-speaking friend, and a love of rye whiskey are going to enjoy.

Speaking of rye whiskey...

Finland Road Trip

This road trip was all a big excuse to visit the Kyro Distillery in Isokyrö, Finland. 😆

I first tried Kyro's whiskey at a bar that's literally spitting distance from the North Pole at the aforementioned Santa's Village. Not only had I never heard of the brand before, but I didn't even know Finnish whiskey was a thing!

Fast forward a year, and I have tried every product, been smuggling my favorites to Mexico on the reg, and converted dozens of other whiskey fans.

I knew I wanted to feature them on an upcoming episode of the podcast but unfortunately, their distillery is in a tiny town called Isokyro (hence the name Kyro), and the trip was hard to justify, even for me. (The girl who literally took a three-hour bullet train for a particular cocktail in Japan.)

I also don’t drive, so... there’s that.

Thankfully, my Finnish bestie, Kelli, was down for the adventure!

We ended up driving ~2,000 km across six days with stops for food, drinks, museums, and all the random points of interest we could dredge up. Because, if we're going on a road trip, we might as well make it a Real Road Trip, right??

I have a handful of recs, but am not going to bother making a Google Map since this is the definition of niche travel. If you find yourself in any of the following places, reach out, and I’ll share them!

Kotka, Jyväskylä, Isokyrö, Vaasa, Pori, Tampere, Lapland/Rovaniemi

The tiniest sauna that ever was, found inside a one-bedroom apartment

Other things to know about Finland

It's a small, spread-out country. There are ~5.5 million people, but only about 600k live in Helsinki.
Russia's presence is looming. The border is only a couple of hours away, and, since they joined NATO, the bullying has gone from somewhat silly to low-key horrible. They've fought Russia twice before—and lost 100,000 lives and 10% of their territory last time. A conflict is not off the table.
That is not to say Finland is unsafe. It's one of the safest-feeling places I've ever traveled to.
You should definitely try the Karelian pies! You can get them with egg butter 🤤 at most restaurants and cafes, but you can also buy them from the bakery area of any grocery store. It's a perfect walking-home-from-the-bar snack, if I do say so myself.
Saunas are A Thing™️ in Finland, and you should definitely partake. Every house has its own, and apartment buildings will have a communal one, but we even stayed in a studio apartment that had one!
There are a million recycling categories, and everyone is required to sort things correctly. Like, they will put brightly colored tape over your bin to announce your failure to your neighbors, fine your ass, and refuse to pick up your mess until you correct your behavior. It’s vicious and I loooove it.
Finns do not make small talk and have a reputation for being somewhat awkward. I love this webcomic and feel like it's great travel prep for Finland.