Finland travel guide

For those who don't know what it is, a sauna is a very hot room (70-95 ℃C) with wooden benches and a stove. Some are a just a small room attached to the bath room, while others can be a separate hut. Sauna is such intergrated part of Finnish living that at least one visit such be considered mandatory. And why not, it's nice (if done in moderation) and you will have an opportunity to get close with the otherwise reserved Finnish people. However, you first have to overcome to sit totally naked among other people, for sauna is done naked... also in mixed sex saunas.

The Struve Geodetic Arc is a series of triangulation points, stretching over a distance of 2,820 kilometres (1,750 mi) from Hammerfest in Norway to the Black Sea. The points were set up in a survey by the astronomer Friedrich Georg Wilhelm Struve who first carried out an accurate measurement of a long segment of a meridian, which helped to establish the size and shape of the Earth. Originally, there were 265 station points. The UNESCO World Heritage Site includes 34 points in ten countries (north to south: Norway, Sweden, Finland, Russia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Belarus, Moldova, Ukraine), six of which are in Finland. Alatornio Church, one of the station points in Finland, is pictured.

The Arctic Circle marks the southernmost point where the sun never sets during the summer and never rises in winter. Naturally, it's also the demarcation line for the Arctic, the far north regions of the Planet, known for snow-capped, rugged and inhospitable landscapes. Claiming that Santa Claus lives in Finland, the Finns have marked the Circle with an aptly named Santa Claus' Village, which can only be described as mega-kitsch. The village includes a Santa Workshop selling souvenirs, a reindeer farm offering rides, and a post office if you would like to mail Santa your wish list. Unless you are travelling with children, you might not buy into the whole idea though. Instead, take advantage of the fact that the village is also the starting point for some great hikes and during the many winter months you can rent snowmobiles and go on dog-sled excursions from behind the village.

The wooden church in Tornio is one of the oldest wooden ones in Finland. It was first founded in 1621, but not completed until 1647. In 1682 it burned to the ground after it got hit by lightning. The present church was built in 1686, though some work went on until the beginning of 18th century. The bell tower, west of the church, was added in 1687 and is still in use today (the oldest of its kind). The church is now the oldest wooden church still in use in Finish Lapland, but only during summer.

Turku is Finland's oldest town and has a fine medieval castle, which is more than 700 years old. The castle is constructed on the banks of Aura River and has had an important role in the Finnish and Swedish history. Today, Turku is a vibrant university town with a young crowd.