welcome to mojo travels and today we're
counting down our picks for the top 10
destinations in finland
for your next trip are you a fan of our
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for this list we're looking at the
diverse travel options within finland
including cities historic towns
picturesque landscapes and
natural spaces that you may want to
consider when you travel again
number 10 tampere we begin our list in
finland's
third largest city and highest
population center outside of the greater
helsinki area
that might make it sound big but with a
total population of under two hundred
and forty thousand tampa day feels
distinctly like a mid-sized city
the atmosphere is relatively laid back
the locals are friendly and there's not
too much
in the way of major tourism but don't
make the mistake of thinking that this
makes tampa day boring
culturally rich and with more than its
fair share of local attractions
tampere is a perfect choice for anyone
looking to experience finnish city life
without the crowds
once an industrial city tampere is now a
hub for the arts
with various old factories having taken
on new life as museums and venues
tampa bay's music art and food scenes
are all distinctly modern
but it's also got a trio of must-see
historic churches
number nine italy beach time isn't the
first thing that comes to mind when you
think of finland
but during the summer months this
stretch of baltic coastline
actually becomes quite the bustling
little beach even if the water is too
chilly for a dip when you visit
that doesn't mean that you can't
appreciate the breathtaking ocean views
a casual stroll along italy beach in the
off season can actually make for a great
change of pace from your usual
overcrowded beach experience the
neighboring city of pori
though modest in size gives the area a
nice balance of nature and culture
if you're considering visiting be sure
to plan around pori's annual jazz
festival
which never disappoints complete with a
golf course
spa and plenty of summer activities like
surfing
kayaking and hiking itunes is the
finnish beach getaway you didn't know
existed number 8 vaza
when you're in the mood to explore ruins
one typically starts looking at flights
to rome or greece
finland not so much but the town of vaza
dates all the way back to the 1300s
and though decidedly peaceful now it was
the site of calamity back in the mid
19th century
in 1852 the entire town burned to the
ground
over the course of a single day the
residents moved a little
over four miles away from the original
settlement and that's where modern vaza
stands today
for those with an interest in history
however the ruins of
old vasa now encompassed by a large park
make for a fascinating visit more than
just a relic to the past
modern day vaza is a beautiful little
city of about 66 000 people that boasts
an attractive waterfront
the largest bridge in the country and a
solid calendar of festivals and events
not to mention plenty of shops and
restaurants to visit
number 7 toroku another great mid-sized
finnish city
torku bears the distinction of being the
oldest surviving settlement in the
country
its cathedral was consecrated in the
year 1300
while there are references to it as
early as the mid-12th century
located in southwestern finland turku
wears its history
proudly centuries-old attractions like
turku castle
the museum village and the cathedral
certainly are a major part of its appeal
those who can't get enough of the old
continent charm
may want to time their travel plans to
coincide with the medieval festival
in terms of more modern selling points
however torku's riverfront area is the
place to be for dinner
time offering plenty of restaurants to
choose from and beautiful views
overlooking the aora river
torku is also home to a variety of
museums
galleries a philharmonic orchestra and a
number of annual music festivals
number 6. oland archipelago who doesn't
love a good archipelago
this collection of islands sits off of
finland's southwestern coast in the gulf
of bothnia
across the baltic sea lie sweden with
whom the land was
long contested today it's considered an
autonomous region of finland
albeit one that almost exclusively
speaks swedish
the area is largely unspoiled and is
incredibly popular with hikers
mania haman is the region's capital city
but with only about 11 000 residents
it feels more like a large town and a
charming one
at that fastaoland upon which mariahman
is located is where roughly 90 of the
population lives
and is one of a handful of major islands
the archipelago however is made up of
many smaller islands
making for an altogether gorgeous
landscape that attracts photographers
and artists alike number 5.
porvo second only to torku in terms of
age
porvo has got an old world charm that's
hard to beat
though it is very much an active and
thriving city
great pains have been made to preserve
the historic appeal of porvo
from its cobblestone streets and picture
perfect centuries-old homes
to the historic warehouses along the
waterfront porvo is a testament to the
country's past
once upon a time it was actually a major
center of trade between finland and
neighboring european nations
nowadays structures like the old town
hall have been converted into museums to
further educate visitors about the
history of the city and surrounding
region
while the past is cherished in porvo the
city isn't afraid of new ideas
those who have already made the trip
will tell you that the city is
also home to some world-class dining
options and a small
but exciting art scene number four
lake saima savonlina and the lakes
region
if natural beauty is your thing the
finnish lakes region
needs to be on your bucket list here the
country's dense forest gives way to
countless lakes
each somehow more idyllic than the last
as you navigate this landscape of
winding rivers
peaceful bodies of water and marshland
it feels as if you've stepped right into
a fairy tale
and then savonlina's olaven lena castle
comes into view with its storybook
towers
and you realize that you are actually in
a fairy tale though the sprawling nature
of the lakes region is such that each
traveler can find their own little slice
of pastoral heaven
the city of savannah and lake saima are
the
starring attractions the latter is
actually the fourth largest lake in all
of europe
covering a staggering 1700 square miles
summer or winter it honestly doesn't get
much more romantic than this number
three
lemonyaki national park outdoor
enthusiasts and nature lovers are truly
spoiled for choice when they visit
finland
the country has a higher percentage of
forest cover than any other nation in
europe
with forest making up nearly 75 of the
land
the sheer size of the finnish wilderness
can be overwhelming at times
but you can't go wrong with the visit to
one of the country's
many beautiful national parks lemon
yucky is the largest and arguably most
celebrated encompassing roughly 1100
square miles in northern finland
depending on the time of year this can
be a great place to catch the northern
lights
whether you're in the market for a cozy
rental hut or just prefer to rough it
lemon yucky can accommodate the variety
of national parks in the country however
is amazing
some of the other top options include
the kevarken archipelago
kohli nuxio and linansari national parks
number 2 rovaniemi and lapland
the winter wonderland of rovaniemi is
the capital of lapland
the nation's frosty northernmost
province for those interested in seeing
what the arctic has to offer
without giving up conventional comforts
rovaniemi is a perfect home base that's
actually been experiencing something of
a tourism boom
because of its extreme northern location
rovaniemi is one of the best places to
experience
midnight sun during the summer months
and between hiking
jet skiing swimming and horseback riding
there's no shortage of activities in
lapland to keep you busy
with or without snow number one
helsinki not every nation's capital is
necessarily the country's top
destination
but helsinki is well and truly the
center of finnish life
politically economically and culturally
considering its population of around 650
000 in the city proper and over 1.5
million
in the metropolitan area helsinki
significantly overshadows the
competition
with its grand beautiful architecture
and bustling nightlife
the city appeals on every level it's got
a healthy mix of new
and old from historic attractions like
the suamelina sea fortress
to modern structures like the helsinki
music center
esplanadi park old market hall the
design museum
helsinki is truly blessed so by all
means
when you fly into international helsinki
airport plan to spend a decent amount of
time
seeing the city just don't forget to
explore everything else that finland has
to
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