Travel ideas for Finland - unique sights, worth Guinness records

Among the numerous festivals and symbolic national holidays a special place belongs to gastronomic festivals. One of the most unusual and interesting among them is the Festival of herring which is held annually in Helsinki. For residents of Finland herring is not just one of the favourite delicacies, but a real national symbol. The Herring Festival is usually celebrated in early October.
The Market Square becomes the centre of events during the fair. It transforms into a lovely set of counters and pavilions. Helsinki’s Herring Festival is not only about tasting and trading herrings, there is also plenty of entertainment. Every day locals and visitors enjoy delicious treats, the market is packed with herring prepared in a variety of ways. Every trading kiosk offers its guests exclusive treats the secrets of preparation of which are kept in secret.
The large-scale celebration was preceded by the annual fair which took place in Helsinki from the middle of the 18th century and traditionally coincided with the completion of fishing. At modern fairs you can buy a lot of other interesting products such as knitted clothes made of natural wool, original artisan crafts and beautiful crockery. Traditionally, the Herring Festival is accompanied by interesting culinary competitions, master classes and presentations. It is a very heart-warming and sincere holiday full of national hospitality. ... Complete sights collection

The Saimaa Canal links Finland and Russia. In contrast to its modest origins, the canal has been a world famous object for over a 150 years. The idea to build a canal that would connect Lake Saimaa with the Gulf of Finland appeared in the 16th century, but the construction work had been deferred for an indefinite period.
Only in 1845 the ambitious project was launched. Its official opening took place11 years later and happened to fall on the day of the Emperor Alexander II. The canal has a length of 57300 metres. Since the opening it has been used for passenger and cargo transportations. Tours on the canal are very popular with modern travellers. It takes 4 to 5 hours to cross the waterway.
Built in the 19th century, the old locks are reconstructed nowadays and considered invaluable historical sights. During a tour a lot of memorable monuments on the banks of the Saimaa Canal are available. They are dedicated to a variety of events. The Saimaa Canal has long enjoys its status of being the transport, cultural and social facility. Over 30000 workforce is in the service of the canal. ... Complete sights collection

In Helsinki there is a memorial to the well-known Finnish composer Jean Sibelius. The sculpture is so original and abstract that one can hardly guess at first glance who it might be dedicated to. The author of the monument is the Finnish painter Eila Hiltunen. Their masterpiece is a composition of 600 steel listeners, which form an abstract figure and are brazed together.
On the day of the monument opening, the most influential politician of Finland participated in the ceremonial ceremony. Because of the bold and creative idea of ​​the sculptor, the ceremony threatened to fail. Although the opening of the monument has become a state scandal, the monument has decorated a Helsinki park for nearly 50 years and is the most visited sculpture in the country. The monument was opened on the occasion of the decade after the death of the composer, in 1967. The author has worked on the monument design for several years.
The park, in which the remarkable monument is located, was also named to honor Jean Sibelius. The idea of ​​the monument is quite simple - through the composition of several hundreds of tubes, the painter has tried to create a unique musical instrument that is just as special as the musician's work. The original monument has a secret. In the windy weather the metal tubes give the pleasant and melodic tones. Hundreds of thousands of curious tourists visit the remarkable 'singing' monument annually. ... Complete sights collection

At present, there are many original ice-cream parlors around the world. The first of them - Lumi Linna Castle - was opened in the Finnish town of Kemi and is part of the chic ice hotel. The room of the restaurant is built entirely from the ice and decorated with the incredibly beautiful ice sculptures and chiselled blue ice furniture, covered with real fur. The restaurant maintains the constant temperature, which is about -5 degrees Celsius, so it is recommended to all visitors to wear themselves warm.
Thanks to the beautiful lighting the restaurant hall looks simply magical. When you eat here you do not notice any cold. Just like the ice hotel, the ice restaurant is rebuilt every year, so its interior equipment changes every year. The best designers and painters of the world are working on the design of the restaurant, which, according to individual sketches, carve out the wonderful sculptures and set up the harmonious lighting system. The original ice restaurant can visit modern tourists not only in Kemi, but also in Moscow. Recently, the ice cream restaurant was also opened in Dubai. ... Complete sights collection

A real leader in the number of original baths and saunas is Finland. In the hospitable town of Turku, travallers will be able to visit an original sauna-garlic. A small building, in which it was opened, indeed resembles a garlic with its outlines, a unique similarity is emphasized by the walls painted in yellow. The unusual sauna has one more feature - internal acoustics, which varies depending on how water gets to the heater.
The author of the project of the unusual sauna is a sound designer Shaw Dekkirinu. He added special sockets, which he fixed on the roof. Thanks to the sockets, people from the outside can hear people hovering in the bath. The unusual sauna is located on the territory of a picturesque recreation park. A large outdoor swimming pool and a lot of terraces are open here in warm season.
Next to the sauna there are some more unusual bathing complexes. One of them is located on the water. Its visitors will have an opportunity to relax in a unique atmosphere. Thanks to special lenses that have been fixed on the walls of the sauna, beautiful projections of the surrounding landscapes are formed inside it. The opening of the unusual sauna in Turku took place in 2011, when the city was recognized as a cultural capital of Europe. The sauna has also an official name – "The Sounding Dome". ... Complete sights collection

Guests of Helsinki can order a wheeled bus sauna for recreation. This is a classic Finnish sauna, which has been furnished in a big bus. The latter did not lose its original purpose after modernization. The sauna can be ordered to any neighbourhood of the city and to the surrounding areas. Some tourists go by this bus to watch city sights.
The idea of creating 'sauna on wheels' belongs to a young designer Heikki Tolonen. He has been assisted by a team of talented young specialists. It is important to note that Tolonen is an experienced specialist in the design of different vehicles, so the sauna for him was not the first project of this kind. The interior of the bus was decorated with wood and bright fabrics. The sauna is equipped with a pleasant lighting system.
Besides the sauna itself, there is a rest area with sleeping places on the bus, as well as a small kitchen. In a matter of months, the sauna bus has gained incredible popularity. Nowadys, travellers have an opportunity to book it to any country in Europe. The sauna is open all year round and is great for long trips. Its carefully planned environment allows you to get acquainted with beautiful national traditions of Finland. ... Complete sights collection

Travellers who rest in Finland near Lake Larsmo, have an opportunity to visit a sauna, which is located on a real ferry. It has been built on a unique project and represents an impressive size complex, whose weight is 36 tons. A very beautiful sauna has been built on the ferry. It resembles a fairy-tale castle, up to 20 people at a time can have rest in it. Guests of the sauna are served by a professional crew. They will have an opportunity not only to soak in a real Finnish sauna, but also to make an unforgettable water trip on lake Larsmo.
The ferry was specially equipped to accommodate the sauna and is unique in its kind. There is an original sauna at the pier Café 7 broar, it can be rented by everyone. Typically, the duration of the lease is 4 - 5 hours. The ferry has spacious open terraces, from which it is convenient to admire the surroundings during a boat trip. It is also worth mentioning that the original M/S Gloskär steam sauna is available for tourists all year round, it is a classic example of the world-famous Finnish sauna. ... Complete sights collection

Those who are not afraid of heights, will surely like an original cable car bath. It was opened in the most ordinary cabin of the gondola lift, which, among the others, is distinguished only by a beautiful finish made of light wood. The "extreme sauna" in located the famous La Jolla ski resort. The cabin of the lift, in which it was equipped, rises to a height of 500 meters in 40 minutes and descends back, visitors of the sauna will have an opportunity to enjoy incredibly beautiful landscapes of snow-capped mountains during the rest.
The unusual bath accomodates four people. Those who do not seem to have an extreme air trip will be able to diversify the rest with another enchanting event - to dive into the snow at one of the funicular stations. The so-called "Flying sauna" is a unique construction of its kind. At the minimal area of a small cabin architects and designers managed to make a classic Finnish sauna. Despite the specific location, the steam in it is simply excellent. ... Complete sights collection

Many experienced travelers note that Finnish sauna is best visited in Finland, despite its wide distribution in various countries around the world. The most unusual Finnish sauna can really be visited in its native country, Saunalautta has been built on water and offers clients a very special conditions for recreation. The sauna has been built of recycled materials. One of the main materials used for its construction was wood.
In addition to the sauna itself, the complex provides a sleeping room with four seats, as well as the presence of several terraces with hammocks. One of the terraces has been equipped with a special barbecue area. Thanks to the developed infrastructure, Saunalautta is considered a full-fledged leisure center, and not just an ordinary sauna. The sauna operates only in summer. It can be rented for a day or for several days. A floating sauna is located in an incredibly picturesque place, a short distance from the shore of Lake Pyhäselkä, which allows its clients to rest in a secluded and serene setting. ... Complete sights collection

The highest observation tower in Scandinavian countries is situated in Finland. Nasinneula tower is a true historical landmark. It was built in 1971. Now it is the highest observation tower, not only in Finland, but also in Scandinavia. The tower height is 168 meters, that makes it the tallest free-standing building in the country.
The tower is located in a beautiful park. There is a number of great attractions for fans of extreme sports, including an inverted roller coaster close to the sight. The Nasinneula Tower is located in one of the quietest and most picturesque areas of Tampere, on the shores of the lake. There is a magnificent viewing platform on a top of the tower, the rise to which will be an unforgettable experience. The building is equipped with a high-speed elevator that lifts passengers to the observation deck in just 32 seconds.
Besides the observation deck, there is an excellent restaurant on the top floor, where you can taste the wonderful local dishes and enjoy the opening enormous panorama at the same time. It is important to note that this restaurant is very popular among visitors with children. Besides common dishes its menu features a huge selection of ice cream. The history of the construction of the tower is very amazing; it took only 33 days to build a structure. The builders worked around the clock, every day increasing the height of the tower for 4 meters. The initiator of the construction of the tower was Mayor Erkki Lindfors. An amusement park was opened next to this iconic landmark quite recently. ... Complete sights collection