Finland Unfiltered: A Local’s Guide to Finland

Planning a trip to Finland?

Let a Finnish local help you figure out what you actually need to know before you go!

Finland is a pretty easy country to travel around once you know how things work. But when you're planning your first trip, there are quite a few things to figure out.

Do you need a rental car? Which parts of Finland should you visit? What should you expect from Finnish sauna culture? And what is actually worth spending your money on?

I've put together the things I'd genuinely want you to know before visiting my home country, along with my honest recommendations, opinions and local perspective.

So you can spend less time jumping between 20 different browser tabs and feel a lot more prepared for your trip.

THIS IS FOR YOU IF...

🇫🇮 You're visiting Finland for the first time and don't quite know where to start.

✈️ You want to know what Finland is actually like before you arrive, beyond what you see in travel photos.

🚗 You're wondering whether you need to rent a car or if you can get around without one.

🗺️ You're trying to decide where to go and which parts of Finland are worth including in your trip.

❄️ You're not sure which season to visit, what the weather is really like or what to pack.

💸 You want to spend your money wisely and avoid paying for things that might not be worth it.

🤯 You've got 20 browser tabs open, a million questions and still feel like you're missing something.

WHAT YOU’LL GET

70+ pages of practical Finland travel information, local recommendations and honest opinions.

🚗 Getting around: When I'd rent a car, when I wouldn't, and how I'd travel around Finland depending on where I was going.

🗺️ Where to go: Get a better idea of what different parts of Finland have to offer and which regions might suit the kind of trip you want.

🚆 Transport: Understand your options for travelling between different parts of the country and which ones I'd choose.

🏨 Where to stay: Explore different accommodation options, from hotels and cabins to more unique stays, and what I'd look into when choosing.

🍴 Food: Get to know Finnish food culture, what I'd actually recommend trying and what to look out for.

🧖 Sauna culture: Know what to expect, how things work and the Finnish customs worth knowing before you jump in.

❄️ Seasons: Understand what Finland is really like throughout the year, including what to expect when visiting in different seasons.

🧳 Packing: Know what I'd actually bring depending on when you're visiting, so you're not completely unprepared for Finnish weather.

🚫 What I'd skip: Things I wouldn't go out of my way for, and where I'd spend my time or money instead.

BUT THIS ISN’T JUST A BASIC FINLAND GUIDE.

You can Google how to get from Helsinki to Rovaniemi. You can find lists of Finnish foods and read about the different seasons.

But that doesn't necessarily help you figure out what makes sense for your trip.

Do you really need a rental car? Is it worth travelling all the way across the country? What would I prioritise if I were visiting for the first time? And what wouldn't I bother spending my time or money on?

That's the kind of information I wanted to include.

I'm Finnish, born and raised in Turku, and I've spent years exploring my own country. This guide brings together the practical information, personal recommendations and local opinions I'd share if a friend from abroad were coming to visit.

No generic bucket lists. No trying to cover every single place in Finland. No information just for the sake of filling pages.

Ready to make your Finland trip a little easier?

Get the local perspective, practical information and honest recommendations I'd share with a friend visiting Finland for the first time.