Hotels in Finland

Still haven’t decided where you would like to visit? Read on and be inspired by Finland’s main destinations…

The sprawling metropolis of Helsinki is easily Finland’s greatest urban asset. Awash with museums, bars and excellent restaurants, this vast and picturesque city on the Gulf of Finland is a buzzing delight. As it is a compact city, it is also easy to explore if you stay centrally.

Then there is Finland’s third largest town, Tampere, which sits between two lakes connected by half a mile of dramatic rapids. It isn’t Finland’s most architecturally stunning destination, but it has dozens of theatres and is well known for its open-air arts scene and being home to many of the festivals that span the Finnish year.

The southern cities of Espoo and Vantaa make up part of the Helsinki Metropolitan Area, but have their own charms and a wealth of places to visit.

In the southwest of Finland, Turku is a popular cruise port, though its status as the official Christmas City of Finland should give you a clue to its festive charms.

Further north in Finland is the city of Oulu. With a renowned tech university and an enticing network of cycle paths, this is an immensely enjoyable and youthful destination that lends itself to simple pleasures such as eating, drinking and cycling.

Come winter, when darkness falls in the afternoon, families flock to the north, where Finnish Lapland holds promises of festive magic and unforgettable childhood memories. It’s also a paradise for lovers of the great outdoors and a fantastic place in which to get wrapped up warm and beg the skies to come to life with the aurora borealis.

Visitor numbers peak in the cities of Finland in July and August and just before Christmas; book hotels as far in advance as possible to secure your room. In Lapland, the winter months are naturally busier and hotels should be secured as soon as possible. Use the search tool now to make your hotel booking in Finland. 

Helsinki may make most of Finland’s headlines, but there’s much more to this Nordic beauty than its vibrant capital city...

Top five attractions

Northern lights

Plenty of countries in the northern hemisphere will offer the chance to see the aurora borealis or northern lights. However, few enjoy more opportunities to see Mother Nature’s most dazzling display than Finland, where the phenomena can be seen at least 200 nights of the year.

Lemmenjoki National Park

Wilderness fans will love this stunning parkland, which has hundreds of miles of walking trails as well as a few camping huts dotted around the countryside. The park is home to golden eagles, moose, reindeer, wolves and the odd brown bear.

Aland

Aland is a large group of islands forming an autonomous archipelago between Sweden and Finland. It is a fascinating area with a remarkable history clouded by all sorts of conflict that led to it becoming a demilitarised zone in the 19th century. From that a tourism industry spawned and the striking islands are now peppered with excellent restaurants and museums.

Finnish Lapland

While the chance to see the northern lights never fails to lure hopeful visitors, opportunities to get active also appeal. Let Finland’s reindeer or huskies take you on a tour of their land as you enjoy a winter safari, or have a go at cross-country skiing and see the sights under your own steam.

Esplanade Park

This sprawling open space in Helsinki hosts a number of summer festivals and concerts. It is a splendid place to relax when the sun is shining and a great spot to enjoy the vibe of this welcoming capital. 

The people of Finland have spent centuries learning how to celebrate in style. Almost every week sees a festival or event...

Finland Ice Marathon; February: Fast becoming the country’s biggest winter event, the Finland Ice Marathon takes place each year in the frozen depths of Kuopio in the north west. Competitors from all over the world gather to test their bodies and minds on what is one of the most gruelling marathon courses on earth. And there is plenty for onlookers to enjoy.

Mobile Phone Throwing Championships; August: Ever wanted to just grab your mobile phone and chuck it, really hard? Well, the Finnish clearly have, and they’ve made a world championship event out of it. Travel to the town of Savonlinna to see mobile phones flying through the air and enjoy the many fun fringe-festivals around the main event.

Helsinki Festival; August/September: Finland’s biggest event draws crowds in their thousands to witness 17 days of music, dance, visual arts and theatre. Daily concerts cover every musical genre imaginable (bear in mind that Finland has the largest concentration of heavy metal bands of anywhere in the world), and parties go on into the small hours.