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General Tips
Prakash holds Finnish Permanent Residency, which facilitated travel to many European countries.
Europe
Below is a summary of how I entered, whether through a visa or another permitted route.
First entered Finland in September 2014 on a student visa. Later renewed the student visa, transitioned to a work visa, and eventually obtained a permanent residence card.
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| S.No | Details | Date | Amount | Currency | Amount (NPR) | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ~70/night | — | — | — | 210 | Accommodation |
| 2 | ~40/day | — | — | — | 120 | Food & Dining |
| 3 | — | — | — | — | 10 | Activities |
| 4 | Free | — | — | — | — | Activities |
| 5 | Coffee + snack | — | — | — | 15 | Activities |
| 6 | ~9/day x3 | — | — | — | 27 | Transport |
| 7 | — | — | — | — | 10 | Connectivity |
| 8 | Resident coverage | — | — | — | — | Insurance |
| 9 | — | — | — | — | 30 | Miscellaneous |
| 10 | — | — | — | — | 12 | Transport |
| 11 | — | — | — | — | — | EUR 434 |
| Total | 0.00 | 434 |
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Prakash holds Finnish Permanent Residency, which facilitated travel to many European countries.
Finland has over 2 million saunas for a population of 5.5 million. Sauna is a deeply important cultural tradition. In traditional and single-gender saunas, nudity is the norm. Public saunas in cities like Helsinki (e.g., Loyly, Allas Sea Pool) often allow swimsuits. Enter and exit quickly to keep the heat in, and always shower before entering.
Finnish tap water is among the purest in the world, so there is no need to buy bottled water. This saves money in what is otherwise an expensive country. Finland is one of Europe's priciest destinations, so cook your own meals using supermarkets like S-Market or K-Market, and take advantage of free activities like hiking and visiting public parks.
Finland uses the Euro. Credit and debit cards are accepted almost everywhere, including small cafes and market stalls. Contactless payment is the norm. Carrying cash is rarely necessary but can be useful at flea markets. Bargaining is not practiced in Finland; always pay the marked price.
Helsinki has excellent public transport including trams, buses, metro, and ferries, all accessible with the HSL app or travel card. VR trains connect major cities efficiently. For Lapland, domestic flights or overnight trains from Helsinki to Rovaniemi are available. Electric scooters (Lime, Voi, Tier) are popular in cities for short trips.
June to August offers midnight sun in Lapland, warm weather, and long daylight hours ideal for outdoor activities. December to March is best for Northern Lights, skiing, and snow activities in Lapland, but expect very short days (as few as 4-5 hours of daylight in the south). September to October offers beautiful autumn foliage known as 'ruska' in Lapland.
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📍 Helsinki
Start at Senate Square with the white Helsinki Cathedral and walk down to the Market Square (Kauppatori) by the harbor for fresh salmon soup and Karelian pies. Take the 15-minute ferry to Suomenlinna sea fortress, a UNESCO World Heritage Site spread across six islands, and explore the tunnels, ramparts, and museums for 2-3 hours. Return and visit Temppeliaukio Church (Rock Church), carved directly into solid rock with a copper dome. Evening sauna experience at Loyly, a public sauna on the waterfront with a swimming spot in the Baltic Sea.
📍 Helsinki
Morning walk through the Design District, visiting the Design Museum and the Artek flagship store for Finnish design. Explore the Amos Rex art museum housed beneath Lasipalatsi Square with its distinctive domed skylights. Visit the Oodi Central Library, a striking piece of modern Finnish architecture with free-to-use facilities including 3D printers and music studios. Afternoon at the National Museum of Finland for a crash course in Finnish history from prehistoric to modern times. Try a traditional Finnish meal of lohikeitto (salmon soup) and korvapuusti (cinnamon cardamom buns) at a local cafe.
📍 Rovaniemi
Fly or take the overnight train to Rovaniemi in Finnish Lapland. Visit Santa Claus Village right on the Arctic Circle line, where you can meet Santa, send postcards from the official Santa Claus Post Office, and step across the Arctic Circle latitude. Explore the Arktikum museum and science centre to learn about Arctic life and the Northern Lights. In winter, book an evening Northern Lights hunt by snowmobile or minibus. In summer, enjoy the midnight sun and a Lappish dinner of sauteed reindeer (poronkaristys) with mashed potatoes and lingonberry jam.
📍 Turku
Fly or take the train to Turku (1 hour from Helsinki). Visit Turku Castle, a medieval fortress dating to the 1280s, and explore its historical museum with period rooms and dungeons. Walk along the Aura River past the riverboat restaurants and cafes moored on the banks. Visit Turku Cathedral, the national shrine of Finland consecrated in 1300, and climb its tower for city views. Stroll through the old town quarter of Luostarinmaki, an open-air handicrafts museum with original 18th-century wooden houses preserved after the Great Fire of 1827. Sample the local specialty, a Turku mustamakkara (blood sausage) from the market hall.
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Karelian pastries made with thin rye crust filled with rice porridge, topped with egg butter.
Traditional fish-filled rye bread from Eastern Finland, baked slowly for hours.
Creamy salmon soup made with potatoes, dill, and cream, a comforting Finnish classic.
Sautéed reindeer meat served with mashed potatoes and lingonberry jam, a Lapland specialty.
Finnish cinnamon rolls flavored with cardamom, a staple of coffee table culture.
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Security Ranking
93/100
Very strong
Finland currently sits in the lowest caution tier across the main government travel advisories we track.
Refreshed 04 Apr 2026
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Helsinki Cathedral is a central neoclassical landmark overlooking Senate Square and one of the city's most photographed sites.
📍 Open in Google Maps →Santa Claus Village in Rovaniemi is a popular Lapland destination for Arctic experiences, winter activities, and family travel.
📍 Open in Google Maps →Suomenlinna is a UNESCO-listed sea fortress spread across islands near Helsinki, combining military history and coastal walking routes.
📍 Open in Google Maps →Finnish Lakeland offers extensive inland water landscapes ideal for nature stays, sauna culture, and summer cottage travel.
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A glimpse into our favourite moments from Finland.
Welcome to Finland
