World Guide

Finland

Country · Europe, Northern Europe

Suomenlinna
Pictured: Suomenlinna · Photo: Michal Pise, Michal.Pise, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Finland is a country located in Northern Europe with the capital Helsinki. It has an area of 338,478 square kilometers and a population of about 5.6 million. The country offers travelers a mix of cities, natural areas, and cultural sights.

Highlights

The site covers 17 sights across cities like Helsinki, Turku, Rauma, Rovaniemi, and Kilpisjärvi. Capital sights include Helsinki Cathedral, Uspenski Cathedral, Temppeliaukio Church, Helsinki Olympic Stadium, Sibelius Monument, and Suomenlinna. Other notable locations are Santa Claus Village, Santa Park, Olkiluoto Nuclear Power Plant, Saimaa, Archipelago Sea, Three-Country Cairn, Turku Cathedral, Turku Castle, Saana, Old Rauma, and Sammallahdenmäki.

Food and drink

Traditional dishes and items include Kalakukko, Karelian pasty, Semla, Salty liquorice, Runeberg torte, Mämmi, Bread cheese, Sahti, Lohikeitto, Egg butter, Mustamakkara, and Sautéed reindeer.

When to go

This covers the capital's weather. May through August bring milder daily highs ranging from 12 °C to 20 °C, with rainfall between 39 mm and 84 mm. Winter months from November to March feature freezing daily highs between -4 °C and 3 °C, lows dropping to -8 °C, and snow or rain spanning 10 to 16 days per month.

Practical notes

The currency is the euro (EUR). Official languages are Finnish and Swedish. Plugs are type C and F with a voltage of 230.0 V. Driving is on the right side. The time zone is UTC+02:00.

Cities

Food and drink to try in Finland

  • Kalakukko
  • Karelian pasty
  • Semla
  • Salty liquorice
  • Runeberg torte
  • Mämmi
  • Bread cheese
  • Sahti
  • Lohikeitto
  • Egg butter
  • Mustamakkara
  • Sautéed reindeer

Top sights in Finland

  1. SuomenlinnaUNESCOSuomenlinnaHelsinki
  2. Santa Claus VillageSanta Claus VillageRovaniemi
  3. Helsinki CathedralHelsinki CathedralHelsinki
  4. Olkiluoto Nuclear Power PlantOlkiluoto Nuclear Power PlantEurajoki
  5. Helsinki Olympic StadiumHelsinki Olympic StadiumHelsinki
  6. SaimaaSaimaa
  7. Temppeliaukio ChurchTemppeliaukio ChurchHelsinki
  8. Archipelago SeaArchipelago Sea
  9. Three-Country CairnThree-Country CairnKilpisjärvi
  10. Uspenski CathedralUspenski CathedralHelsinki
  11. Sibelius MonumentSibelius MonumentHelsinki
  12. Turku CathedralTurku CathedralTurku
  1. Turku Castle · Turku
  2. Saana · Kilpisjärvi
  3. Santa Park · Rovaniemi
  4. Old Rauma · RaumaUNESCO
  5. Sammallahdenmäki · RaumaUNESCO

UNESCO sites in Finland →

Weather by month

The warmest month is July, with an average high of 20 °C. Rain is spread fairly evenly through the year.

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Average high, °C-3-3061216201914830
Average low, °C-7-8-506101414950-4
Rainfall, mm503438343960698464827460
Rainy days151211978101211141616

Temperatures and rainfall: 1981–2010 averages for Helsinki (4 km grid), from CHELSA. Rainy days: 2015–2024, NASA POWER.

Also worth a look

Neighbouring countries and territories