GENERAL

Not only one of Europe's best kept secrets, but one of the world's, Finland is the embodiment of rugged wilderness. Generally flat and sparsely populated, Finland's terrain is occupied by vast, dense forests of fairy-tale beauty, spectacular lakes and long sandy beaches. Despite its reputation for isolated, hardy terrain, Finland is home to one of the most vibrant and cutting edge cities in Europe, Helsinki.

Seasonal landscapes...

A nation of dramatic seasonal contrasts, winter holidays to Finland provide a completely different experience to summer holidays. The thick canopy of snow that embraces Finland during the winter provides one of the world's finest winter sport settings. On top of skiing and snowboarding, activities such as snowmobiling, ice fishing, cross-country skiing and of course husky dogsledding are available.

When the snow melts, a verdant green countryside is revealed, perfect for hiking, horse riding, fishing, mountain biking, sailing and bird watching. Island cruises are also a memorable experience.

Vibrant cities...

No holiday to Finland is complete without visiting Helsinki, the cosmopolitan capital on the shores of the Gulf of Finland. A small city with everything within easy reach, Helsinki is affluent, lively and fashionable, while it enjoys a rapidly-growing reputation for design and creative arts.

Added to that, it has a wealth of cultural attractions and one of the best nightlife scenes of any city in Europe! Find out more about holidays to Helsinki here.

Espoo is Finland's second largest city, located just a short hop west of Helsinki, also on the south coast. Many people visit here on a day trip from Helsinki, although it is an interesting travel destination in its own right.

Bordering the city - and certainly recommended for any Finland holiday - is the glorious Nuuskio National Park, home to dramatic forested landscapes, deep lakes and rare flora and fauna. The city itself has a good choice of museums and galleries and hosts a renowned Jazz festival in April.

Interested in similar destinations?

Take a look at our guides to holidays in Estonia, holidays in Sweden and holidays to Norway for inspiration.