Before visiting any place you haven’t been to, it’s always wise to know a few things about the place. It helps you with navigating things while there and helps you avoid running into surprises.
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When planning a trip to Finland, these are some of the few things to take note of.
Reserved People
Finland is the happiest country in the world but its people are very reserved and love keeping to themselves. So always approach them with caution.
Language
Finnish and Swedish are both official languages in Finland. Most signs and names are in both languages. Finnish people speak very good English and you will communicate with them in English. If you want to learn a few words here are some:
- Thank you = Kiitos
- I want = Minä haluan
- Sorry = Anteeksi
- Hi = Moi
- Bye = Moi Moi
Currency
Euros are used in Finland but the one and two Euro denominations are not available.
Safety
Finland is ranked as one of the safest countries in the world. The chances of you being robbed is slim to none. Thievery is very uncommon.
Transport
Finland has an extensive bus and train network that goes around the whole country. It’s very easy to get around. Public transportation has the bus, metro, train, and tram. They are all very reliable and reasonably priced. If you are driving you can park anywhere in Finland, as long as there’s no sign that says otherwise. Using taxis is very expensive, so I would advise you to stick to public transport. Something worth noting is you have to wave at a bus in Finland when at a bus stop for it to stop, if you don’t wave, it won’t stop. Trams always stop at every stop, you don’t have to wave.
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Weather
June, July, and August are the best times to visit Finland. It’s the summertime in Finland. You get 24 hours of sunlight throughout the summer. You will enjoy having longer days and shorter nights, giving you more time to explore the country. Winter is very long and cold. It lasts four to five months from the middle of November up to the end of March. It gets very windy during winter as well and days get really short. Always try to drink vitamin D while visiting during winter. Finland is known as the land of thousand of lakes as it has 188 000 lakes. The greater part of its size is occupied by lakes. It’s so green and there’s just so much to explore in nature.
Place
The best place to visit is Helsinki as it has a lot of museums, great architecture and a lot of festivals during summer. Accommodation is generally expensive in Finland and it’s best to book yourself a hostel room to save on cost.
Food
Restaurants are pricey in Finland, try out fast food places. Lunch buffets are very popular so you can try those out as well. Finnish eat their lunch very early, it starts at 10 am and dinner starts at 5 pm. People don’t tip in Finland, it’s not expected of you as waiters generally get a very good wage.
Finland has one of the best tap water in the world. You don’t need to buy bottled water. Bottled water is priced in the same range as soft drinks. Alcohol is only sold till 9 pm in stores and only beverages with no more than 5.5% alcohol are sold in stores.
