According to clothesbliss, Finland (Finnish: Suomi) is a country in Europe bordering Russia, Norway and Sweden. In the Gulf of Bothnia between Sweden and Finland is Åland, an autonomous region of Finland. The northern part of Finland also falls under the Lapland region. The capital of Finland is Helsinki, where most of the population lives. A number of major cities in Finland are: Espoo, Tampere and Turku.
Finland is known for its many lakes (approximately 188,000 in total) and the use of the sauna. There are approximately 3.7 million saunas in Finland. Lapland is located in the north of Finland. This is an area that covers part of northern Finland, Sweden, Norway and Russia. It is known as a snow landscape where you can do excellent winter sports. The dog sled is also widely used here. There is no less than 200 days of snow in this area! Furthermore, Finland has many National Parks that attract many hikers. See sunglasseswill for top 10 sights in Finland.
Where is Finland located?
Travel information of Finland
Official name: Republic of Finland
Continent: Europe
Area: 338,145 km²
Capital: Helsinki
Population: 5,571,665 inhabitants (2020)
Form of government: Republic
Highest point: 1,324 m (Haltiatunturi)
Distance (Amsterdam – Helsinki): 1,506 km
Flight time: approximately 2 hours and 20 minutes
Travel advice
Current status: No special security risks.
Current color code: Green.
Corona
Due to the coronavirus (COVID-19), there may be (temporary) measures in Finland that you as a tourist may have to deal with. For the most up-to-date corona travel advice, please refer to our special coronavirus travel advice page. For the number of current corona infections, number of deaths and various corona-related graphs in Finland, please visit Countryaah.
Travel offer
On our travel offer page you will find an overview of reliable travel organizations that offer complete trips and holidays to Finland. In addition, you will find an overview of separate travel components (car rental, hotels and airline tickets) with which you can compose your ideal trip yourself.
Travel guides and maps
Are you looking for a travel guide, map, hiking map, cycling map, book or DVD about Finland?
Excursions, activities and day trips
With the help of Countryaah you can reserve an excursion, activity, guided tour, entrance ticket and/or day trip for your stay in Finland at a discount. This way you are assured of a place, in some cases you can skip the queue and you can already plan your travel program.
Weather and climate
Finland has a continental climate with precipitation in all months. In the summer the weather is slightly less warm than in the Netherlands. In the winter months there is a lot of snow, especially in the north, that can stay for a long time. Temperatures in the north can drop below -30 degrees due to the few hours of sunshine.
The current weather (weather forecast) and a weather forecast for Finland can be found on our extensive weather page.
Detailed information about the climate of Finland can be found at Climate info.
Best time
June, July, August and September are the best months to travel to Finland. In these months you have the least chance of precipitation and the best chance of good weather. February and March are the best months for a winter sports or snow holiday to Finland.
Language
Finnish and Swedish are both official languages in Finland.
Would you like to translate from or into Finnish and/or Swedish for free? Use the Google translator for this.
Travel documents
You must have a valid identity card or passport.
A visa is not necessary.
Embassies and consulates
Below is an overview of relevant diplomatic representations, including addresses and contact details.
Netherlands Embassy in Finland: netherlandsworldwide.nl.
Dutch consulates in Finland: netherlandsworldwide.nl.
Finnish Embassy in the Netherlands: finlande.nl.
Finnish consulates in the Netherlands: rijksoverheid.nl.
For urgent assistance, you can contact the Ministry of Foreign Affairs 24/7 on +31247247247.
Vaccination (inoculation)
You do not need any vaccinations for a visit to Finland.
Money and Currency
In Finland, payments are made with the euro (EUR).
An overview of all ATMs in Finland can be found on our ATMs page.
Price level
Prices in Finland are slightly higher than in the Netherlands. The price difference with the Netherlands is +1% on average. Some examples are: restaurants (4% cheaper), food (10% more expensive), imported beer in catering (42% more expensive), cigarettes (4% cheaper) and public transport (3% more expensive). Please note that the price difference in tourist areas, especially during high season, may vary.
Tipping
In Finland it is not customary to tip. In most hotels and restaurants, the tip is automatically calculated in the price.
Time difference
In Finland it is 1 hour later than in the Netherlands.
Summer time in Finland is the same as in the Netherlands.
Find the local time, date and time zone for Finland on our time difference page.
Traffic and route
In Finland you have to drive on the right.
You do not need an international driver’s license to drive and/or rent a motor vehicle in Finland.
With the Google route planner you can compile a route description from, to or within Finland.
Electricity
In Finland the same plugs and sockets are used as in the Netherlands.
More information about electricity in Finland can be found on our electricity page.
Emergency services
If you need help from the police, fire brigade and/or ambulance in an emergency, you can use the emergency numbers below.
– Police: 112
– Fire: 112
– Ambulance: 112
Tap water
It is safe to drink tap water.
News and newspapers
The latest news related to Finland can be found on Google news.
An overview of the newspapers from Finland can be found on Abyznewslinks.
Internet
Websites from Finland end in.fi.
Official websites of Finland: finland.fi and visitfinland.com.
Telephony
The country code (international prefix) to call someone in Finland is 00358 or +358.
Do you want to call the Netherlands from Finland? Then use the Dutch country code 0031 or +31.
(If using a country code, omit the leading 0 of the number to be called.)
Telephone numbers can be found in the Finland Telephone Directory.
Company details can be found in the Yellow Pages of Finland.
Photos and videos
On Flickr you will find a nice collection of photos from Finland.
On Youtube you will find a nice collection of videos from Finland.
Holidays and school holidays
An overview of all public holidays in Finland can be found on Beleven.org.
You will find an overview of all school holidays in Finland in the Eurydice school guide.
Reviews and travel experiences
On Zoover and TripAdvisor you will find reviews from travelers about accommodations (eg hotels and holiday homes), restaurants and destinations in Finland, supplemented with photos, videos and points of interest.
Travel reports
Are you looking for a travel report about Finland?
Here you will find travel reports and experiences of travelers who have previously visited Finland. It is also possible to keep a free diary of your trip for family and/or friends.
Nature and World Heritage
An overview of the protected nature areas (including national parks, reserves and wildlife parks) in Finland can be found on Protected Planet.
An overview of the world heritage sites in Finland can be found on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Customs rules
Do you want to know how much you are allowed to import and export when traveling to Finland? On the IATA website you will find an overview of the maximum quantities of cigarettes, alcohol, medicines and money, among other things. If you stick to these quantities, you don’t have to declare anything to customs. You will also find the laws and regulations regarding the entry of pets on this website.
Entrepreneurship and doing business
If you are planning to do business in or with Finland, it is wise to prepare well. The Netherlands Enterprise Agency can help you with this. On PaulSourcing.com you will find a large amount of information about Finland, including: opportunities, import and export regulations, trade figures, do’s and don’ts, business partners and subsidies.
Studying and internship
Are you considering a study, internship or gap year in Finland? You are by no means the only one and certainly not the first. To help you on your way, Nuffic (the Dutch organization for internationalization in education) has set up the WilWeg.nl website. On this website you will find all the information that can help you on your way, such as admission requirements, forms of education, accommodation, scholarships, internships, health insurance, study costs and of course experiences.
Relevant legislation
Below you will find relevant legislation and regulations that you may encounter during your visit to Finland.
– Alcohol: Buying and/or drinking from the age of 18. Above 22% from the age of 20.
– Alcohol and traffic: The maximum permitted alcohol content is 0.5.
– Tobacco: Buying and/or smoking from the age of 18.
– Smoking ban: In public places.
– Homosexuality: Allowed
Did you know that…
…One can see the midnight sun in the very north of Finland?
…Santa Claus can be visited in Santa Claus Village (Finnish Lapland)?
…Finnish babies don’t get their official names until they are three months old?
…Many road signs in Finland are yellow because of the snow?
…The newspaper in Finland is delivered 7 days a week?
…The Molotov cocktail is a Finnish invention?
