INDIVUE – travel & art

(Updated 11/2025)

Welcome to read INDIVUE – Trip to Finland! It is the latest item in my independent works related to travel. As I have been born and raised in Finland myself, I know pretty much about travel in Finland, especially Helsinki, the capital. This visual travel guide INDIVUE – Trip to Finland is based on my own travel experiences, photos and videos, thus it is very unique.

INDIVUE – Trip to Finland -collection has links to blog posts related to Finland. You will see photographs and videos with both travel tips and informative art to enjoy.

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Enjoy this virtual trip and get ready for real!

Finland Travel Guide: Cities, Attractions, and Local Highlights

Finland has four seasons: spring, summer, autumn and winter. Each season has its own lovely characteristics, but summer is usually the best and warmest time to visit Finland, if you want to play it safe.

Finland has beautiful clean nature and it is over all a beautiful country. This visual guide will give you an overview of some of the popular places to visit in Finland.

Discover All Finnish Cities – From Helsinki to Hidden Gems

Finland is home to over a hundred cities, each offering a unique blend of nature, history, and urban life. This travel guide presents a curated look at Finland’s cities and cultural gems. Bookmark this visual guide, packed with blog posts, video links, and travel tips!

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Quick Navigation

• Capital Region
• Southern Finland
• Western Finland
• Eastern Finland
• Lapland and the North
• Hidden Gems
• UNESCO Sites in Finland
• Thematic Travel Tips

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Capital Region of Finland

HELSINKI

Helsinki is the capital of Finland with over 650000 habitants. My separate Helsinki travel guide will tell you more than 10 essential things to do in Helsinki, Finland, and even more will be we added later on, so do come and check the updates regularly. Read my Visual travel guide for Helsinki here

• Region: Uusimaa
• Population: ~660,000
• Why Visit: Finland’s capital offers architecture, sea views, art, design, and a dynamic food scene.
• Top Attractions: Suomenlinna, Oodi Library, Esplanadi Park, Helsinki Cathedral
• Transport: Metro, tram, bus, and ferry connections
• Events: Helsinki Design Week, Book Fair, Summer Festivals
• Blog Post: Top 10 Things to Do in Helsinki
• Video: Helsinki Travel Video Collection

HELSINKI ART

• Helsinki Biennial 2021
• Helsinki Biennial 2023
• Museum: All the Art Museums in Helsinki and the days of Free Admission

Café examples in Helsinki:

• Café with seaview in Munkkiniemi
• Café near Amos Rex art museum

Restaurant examples in Helsinki:

• Indian restaurant in Pasila

• Helsinki in English
• Helsinki in Finnish

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ESPOO

Espoo is among the largest cities in Finland and it is located next to Helsinki, the capital of Finland. Espoo belongs to the capital region and you can reach various parts of Espoo by metro, train or a bus from Helsinki centre. Metro connection to Espoo is relatively new, the newest metro stops being added in 12/2022 only. The population of Espoo is some 300000 people. You can find lot of beautiful nature in Espoo to visit, but also some museums and theatre and shopping malls and such. Espoo is also a great place to live if you love nature. Discover some of its most beautiful places!

• ESPOO Travel Guide

• Region: Uusimaa
• Population: ~300,000
• Why Visit: Nature and technology meet in Espoo. Great for hiking, lakeside stays, and modern metro access.
• Top Attractions: Nuuksio National Park, Pentala Island Museum
• Transport: Metro from Helsinki or train
• Restaurant Tip: Restaurant in Pentala island
• Video: Nature in Espoo Video

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VANTAA

• Region: Uusimaa
• Population: ~240,000
• Why Visit: Gateway to Finland via Helsinki Airport. Vantaa also has family-friendly attractions and some good hotels.
• Top Attractions: Heureka Science Centre, Tikkurila Centre
• Transport: Direct trains and buses to Helsinki Centre and the airport
• Restaurant Tip: Helsinki Airport business lounge

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Southern Finland

PORVOO

• Region: Uusimaa
• Population: ~50,000
• Why Visit: Famous for Old Town’s colorful wooden houses and riverside cafés.
• Top Attractions: Old Porvoo, Porvoo Cathedral
• Cafés & Restaurants: Nepali restaurant, Ice cream kiosk by the river
• Video: Porvoo Travel Video Collection

LOVIISA

• Region: Uusimaa
• Population: ~15,000
• Why Visit: Small town charm with Strömfors Iron Mill and historic sites
• Top Attractions: Strömfors village, Ruotsinpyhtää church

NURMIJÄRVI

• Region: Uusimaa
• Why Visit: Birthplace of national author Aleksis Kivi.
• Restaurant Tip: Turkish restaurant in Klaukkala

RASEBORG (FISKARS VILLAGE)

• Region: Uusimaa
• Why Visit: A creative haven for artists and designers surrounded by idyllic nature
• Top Attractions: Fiskars Village, nature trails

INKOO

• Region: Uusimaa
• Why Visit: Scenic small harbour town with calm sea views and sailing opportunities
• Top Attractions: Inkoo marina, historic churches

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Western Finland

TURKU

• Region: Southwest Finland
• Population: ~195,000
• Why Visit: Finland’s oldest city, riverfront culture, castle, archipelago access
• Top Attractions: Turku Castle, Aurajoki riverside, Turku Art Museum
• Video: Aurajoki River Tour

RAUMA, PORI, VAASA, SEINÄJOKI

• Details Coming Soon

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Eastern Finland

KUOPIO, JOENSUU, MIKKELI, SAVONLINNA

• Details Coming Soon

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Lapland and the North Finland

ROVANIEMI

• Region: Lapland
• Why Visit: Santa Claus Village, Arctic Circle experiences, Northern Lights

KUUSAMO

• Region: Northern Ostrobothnia
• Why Visit: Northern landscapes with forests, reindeer, and ski resorts
• Top Attractions: Ruka ski hills, nature trails
• Blog Post: Autumn Colors in Kuusamo
• Video: Ruska Season in Kuusamo

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Hidden Gems

ALAVUS

Alavus is a small town in Southern Ostrobothnia and it is often called the gate of the vastness, because the low landscapes without high hills start from that region. It is good to know Finnish language if you plan to travel here, for example to a rented summer cottage.

• Region: Southern Ostrobothnia
• Why Visit: Peaceful lakeside town with rural charm and a summer cottage haven
• Restaurant: Grill by Route 66

VERLA (UNESCO Site)

• Region: Kymenlaakso (Kouvola)
• Why Visit: Historic paper mill, museum, and UNESCO World Heritage Site
• Video: Trip to the Unesco World Heritage Site in Verla

ÅLAND

Åland is an autonomous and demilitarized region and it is situated in an archipelago in the Baltic Sea. Its official language is Swedish, which is the second official language of Finland, after Finnish. The capital of Åland is Mariehamn. Åland has beautiful nature and many touristic facilities and you can reach it by ship daily. Some 30000 people live in Åland. Read more from the storylinks below –

• Beer making in Åland
• Hotel: Hotel with a seaview in Åland
• Ship to Åland and back
• Restaurant: Good restaurants in Mariehamn

• Åland in English
• Åland in Finnish

ÄHTÄRI

Ähtäri is a peaceful town in Southern Ostrobothnia, Finland, known for its beautiful lakes, forests, and family-friendly attractions. Its most famous sight is Ähtäri Zoo, home to over 60 animal species. The town also features the unique Mesikämmen Hotel built into bedrock, scenic lakes like Ähtärinjärvi, and outdoor activities year-round. With a history rooted in forestry and the railway, Ähtäri blends nature, culture, and tradition, offering a perfect getaway for nature lovers and families looking to explore the authentic Finnish countryside.

• Hotel: Hotel Mesikämmen in Ähtäri
• Sight: Finnish nature and wildlife enchant visitors at Ähtäri Zoo

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UNESCO Sites in Finland

• Suomenlinna (Helsinki)
• Verla Groundwood and Board Mill (Kouvola)
• Petäjävesi Old Church (Central Finland)
• Bronze Age Burial Site of Sammallahdenmäki (Rauma)
• Struve Geodetic Arc Points (Various)

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Thematic Travel Tips

• Nature Cities: Espoo, Kuusamo, Savonlinna
• Historic Cities: Turku, Porvoo, Rauma
• Lakeside Towns: Mikkeli, Alavus, Jyväskylä
• Winter Adventure: Rovaniemi, Kuusamo, Levi (Kittilä)
• Art and Culture: Fiskars, Helsinki, Tampere

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Videos, Blog Posts and Routes

• Flights to Finland
• Flights from Finland
• Cruise Journeys
• The Spirit of Koli: A Majestic View Over Lake Pielinen
• Travel Vlogs from Cities and Events
• Safety: Safety tips for traveling in Finland

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All the cities in Finland

The list of cities in Finland is long, as there are more than a hundred cities in the country. Here is a list of all the cities in Finland in alphabetical order. Please note that the status and number of cities can change when municipalities merge or when municipalities get city status.

Blog posts and videos related to traveling in Finland

• President Joe Biden traveling in Finland

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