Escorted Tours to Finland
Snowshoe treks, Sámi culture, Santa and sleighs bring visitors to villages in Arctic Lapland. Castles, cathedrals and striking urban architecture, festivals, cafés and a foodie scene mark vibrant southern cities; and wherever you are, the wilderness is never far away.
Why choose a tour in Finland?
With much of the country cloaked in lakes and forestry, much of its history intertwined with folklore, and many of its old-world buildings juxtaposed with cutting-edge design, Finland is ranked third in the world for quality of life, and lauded as ‘the happiest country in the world’ for the community ethos of its people.
Finland’s four main regions are Lapland, where there are more reindeers than people, and the sun never sets in the summer and barely rises in winter; Lakeland, a perfectly pristine place to reconnect with nature in Europe’s largest lake district; the Coast & Archipelago, with a maritime culture and 50,000 wind-whipped islands; and Helsinki Region, where the ‘great outdoors’ is on the doorstep of urban streets, and a calendar of lively events is complemented by a laid-back tempo.
The country’s capital and largest city, Helsinki covers a peninsula and sprinkled islands with Neo-classical and notably modern architecture, the 18th-century Suomenlinna sea-fortress dominating its islets, gourmet bistros, trendy cafés and time-warp traditional restaurants catering for the foodie reputation, and central landmarks from Senate Square to City Hall and the Presidential Palace.
In the peaceful spread of the Lakeland’s watery, wilderness miles, beautiful Savonlinna is known as ‘the pearl of the lakes’, and famed for the summer festival of opera, staged in the 15th-century Olavinlinna fortress on its lake island, the northernmost medieval stone castle still standing.
With ospreys overhead and seals in the water, the stunningly scenic Lake Saimaa forms the heart of a natural wildlife sanctuary, while small towns and sleepy villages reveal the cultural side of the region, from little Kerimäki with its big yellow church, to the intriguing statuary of Parikalla’s Sculpture Park, and, in the Puumala area, summer resorts on the lake shores, and World War ll bunkers on the old Finnish/Soviet Union border.
Nestled in the inlets of the southern coastal region, picture-postcard Porvoo was one of the six medieval towns of Finland. Close to the capital, it hems its namesake river with red-painted wooden houses, and fills the cobbled streets of its Old Town with history, charm and atmosphere.
When to go on Finland holidays
Finland has maritime and continental climates, and significant differences between north and south. Lapland’s winter lasts for seven months of temperatures below freezing, from October to April, rising to a balmy 18° for a short burst of summer in June and July. In the southern lakes and coastal areas, the best time to travel is mid-May to late-August, when daytime temperatures average 21° and the days are long, with ‘white nights’ in June.
Who are Finland tours suited to?
Tours in Finland are time to recharge, relax, and return to nature, balanced with colour, character and culture in the capital, towns, and villages. Jules Verne’s tours are in sociably small groups of like-minded travellers.
Why book Finland Tours with Jules Verne?
With 45 years’ experience and a passion for creating extraordinary adventures, Jules Verne takes you to iconic landmarks and lesser-known sites, with expert tour guides who share their local knowledge, and show you hidden gems. Memorable experiences in our journeys in Finland include a cookery lesson to bake Karelian Pasties, steamboat and catamaran cruises on beautiful Lake Saimaa, and the chance to enjoy a sauna, almost de-rigueur in Finland.
Our guided tours to Finland are ABTA and ATOL protected, and we offer a 100% price guarantee, so you can book with complete confidence.
Baltic Capitals
Four countries, four capitals, and seven centuries of architectural styles, in their street-scenes and monuments, form the focus of this intriguing Baltics tour, as we travel to Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, and take the ferry across the Gulf for a final day in Finland