As children many of us dreamed of a trip to Finland – the snowy home of Father Christmas, his elves and a certain red-nosed reindeer. Finland holidays still hold enough magic to turn those dreams into reality. Inside the Arctic Circle, with its mystical Northern Lights, frozen seas, and midnight sun – Finnish Lapland welcomes you in for a wealth of winter adventures in a place dominated by lakes and trees. In fact Finland is home to an amazing 187,888 lakes, and what's not covered with water is pretty much all forest - 75% to be precise. Beyond the wilder frontiers, Finland is a strange world brimming with rare encounters, cosy corners and a fascinating culture.

Finland holiday ideas

A few suggestions to get the holiday planning process started

Why visit Finland with Original Travel

Have you ever longed to dogsled by day and sleep in a glass igloo beneath the Northern Lights by night? Our savvy travel consultants can bring your dreams to life with a tailor-made trip to Finland. We’ll go above and beyond to ensure your visit is magical, from organising private ice floating in Finnish Lapland to ensuring you’re well-equipped with the correct winter clothing. Our Concierges, just a WhatsApp away, know the best restaurants from Helsinki to Lapland to satisfy stomachs after a busy day of exploring (and can even arrange the reservations for you).

ENQUIRE NOW

A few of the benefits of travelling with us to Finland

  • Our local Concierges
  • The Original Travel app
  • Airport lounge access
  • Destination Dossier
  • 24-hour helpline
  • Expert guides
  • 100% carbon absorption

Travel to Finland by Region

Finnish Lapland

For your children, Finnish Lapland holidays mean only one thing: a rare sighting of Father Christmas. Yes, far beyond the Arctic Circle, in a winter wonderland of forest and snow, a dream landscape where the night skies are sometimes ablaze with the colours of the Northern Lights, they will meet Father Christmas’s elves and will be taken by horse drawn carriage to find the great man himself. This is after learning how to race huskies, and fish in the ice. Too much excitement for one weekend? Time to go to sleep in the Arctic treehouse hotel, an igloo, or even the Ice Hotel! Truly magical.

Helsinki

With over 300 islands and miles-upon-miles of coastline, Helsinki holidays are ideal for anybody who wants a relaxed waterside city break. You’re always close to nature in this European capital. There are abundant parks and gardens to explore, and it’s extremely easy to get around on foot, bicycle or by ferry. As well as it’s lovely pockets of natural beauty, Helsinki itself as a city is exciting from an architectural point of view, with its bold design and urban planning choices which combine the more traditional, colourful houses that are synonymous with other Scandinavean cities such as Copenhagen alongside cutting-edge and modern new buildings. Caught in a sweet spot between natural and urban, between calm serenity and a lively nightlife, holidays to Helsinki are sure to be full of wonderful contrasts and Nordic charm!

Our Finland holiday collections

Discover different ways to explore Finland

Finland Guide

Practical advice and inspiration to help you prepare for your holiday

Finland Testimonials

1 reviews
5 / 5
"Just a quick note to say thank you for all your help in organising us for our trip to Finland, it was absolutely awesome! One of our boys has autism and so structure and planning is always his thing, so we doubly appreciated the careful management of our itinerary and calm approach to everything! The trips were truly wonderful. "
Jacob - London
Published on 5th March 2017

Our Finland
specialists

When our travel experts aren’t exploring Finland, they’re working hard to ensure your trip to the land of Father Christmas and the Midnight Sun is full of wonderful adventures. From the tip to the tail of the country, we can recommend the best national parks for exploring, unique igloos for a magical stay and restaurants where you can sample traditional cuisine. Before you arrive, our Concierges will be in touch to get to grips with your likes and dislikes, making sure their suggestions are personalised to you. While you’re there, you’ll enjoy experiences like snowshoeing, reindeer sleigh rides and kayaking with our trusty guides.

What can you find in Finland that you won’t find elsewhere ?

Finnish Lapland is a hot spot for Northern Lights holidays, a haven for families seeking an audience with Father Christmas, and a dream for those wanting wilderness hotels and the chance to explore the Arctic Circle. Traveling to Finnish Lapland in the winter is an amazing opportunity to witness the Northern Lights and to soak up the magic of the Father Christmas experience; or enjoy husky dog-sledding safaris, snowshoeing and skiing.


Who is Finland best for?

Lakes, islands, national parks, wild landscapes – from north to south, Finland is a country full of nature. For those travellers who adore a sense of silence and dream of hiding away in a cabin in the woods, Finland has endless deep dark forests and wilderness hotels. For intrepid travellers who want to plunge into icy lakes and hop into steamy saunas, Finland holidays are sure to get your heart beating strong. For travellers who love a taste of the action - Finland offers winters spent traversing the landscapes by snowmobile, cross country skis or snowshoeing.


What are the best ways to discover Finland ?

Be sure to take a weekend in Helsinki, where you can revel in the beauty of its architecture - kick back in the green parks, and head out island hopping. The Suomenlinna fortress is a must see, dating back to the 18th century and declared a UNESCO heritage site. If you want to extend your trip, a long weekend in Lapland puts you right in the heart of mother nature. Admire herds of reindeer or mysterious elk and partake in endless activities that move with the rhythms of nature.


Special things to do in Finland

Helsinki

With 200km of slopes and giant ice sculptures, Helsinki invites the best of both worlds – offering a cultural city break along with the chance to cross-country ski across the great outdoors.


Over in Lapland and the village of Father Christmas

Children and adults alike will fall head over heels for sleigh rides, husky and reindeer cuddles and twinkling lights.


A husky ride is another incredible experience

Listen to the hound’s howl before they take off across the snowy grounds, pulling you and the sleigh into the air as you go. For the truly brave of heart, Finland is an incredible place to take a ride in an icebreaker and even swim alongside giant eerie groaning icicles.


Meet the Sami

We can arrange for you to meet some of the native Sami people, many of whom still live a nomadic life criss-crossing the northern borders of Norway, Sweden and Finland.

Best places to go in Finland



100% tailor-made holidays

Understanding Your Needs

Our team of destination experts will get to know you and your unique requirements for your holiday

Personalisation

We work with you to build an ultra-personalised holiday itinerary with your choice of accommodation, experiences and activities

Our Services

All of our holidays include little extras designed to make a big difference to your trip, from fast-tracking you through airport check-in and security to our network of local Concierges