Read all about our travels! For us, traveling is a hobby, a passion, a way of life. Here you can join us on our adventures in Europe, Africa, North America, South America, and Asia. We have been to many countries, but there are still many left on our list. Not only do we write about the places we have been to. We also want to share tips and travel inspiration with you. Come along as we travel the world!
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Suomussalmi is a locality as well as municipality in northern Finland, in the region of Kainuu. The main settlement in the municipality shares its name, but is also known by its former name Ämmänsaari. The population of around 7.000 in the municipality is considered to be unilingually Finnish-speaking. This is a border region, with the border…
What to do during the Easter weekend? That is a constant question for us. It is a weekend where we usually try to travel. Susann and I actually spent our first Easter together in Belgrade together with another close Finnish friend. The weekend has since included several trips. In 2023 we joined Susann’s parents on…
The Purasjoki Frontline lies along the Raatteentie, the Raate Road, and it played an important role during the Winter War. Purasjoki is the river here, with trenches and other fortifications. These trenches along the Raatteentie lie just to the east of Suomussalmi and not many kilometers from the current border between Finland and Russia. A…
I have visited Warsaw several times, and many of these visits took place in 2024. So did this multi-country adventure. I love the possibility of day trips, even better when these trips include a border crossing or a flight. During the spring of 2024, I did something similar. Then I had Warsaw as a base…
There is something about day trips. To wake up in one place, spend the day somewhere else, and be back by the evening. That feeling is amplified tenfold when it includes a border crossing. Even more when it is done from a place that is already far from home. Day trips from Sweden to Gdańsk…
One of the best things with traveling is to get to explore new places. With Warsaw as a base there are several smaller towns reachable by train for a day trip. After a few cold days in Warsaw and an amazing day trip to Rome, I decided for something smaller for my last full day…
Pelkosenniemi, or Pelkosenniemen Kirkonkylä as it is also known, is a village in Northern Finland, in the province of Finnish Lapland. It is the seat of the local municipality that shares its name. The municipality has a population of around 950 inhabitants, out of whom around 300 lives in the urban area of Pelkosenniemi Church…
Raate is a small border settlement in Eastern Finland, right at the border with Russia. It lies along the historical road Raatteentie, or Raate Road, to the east of Suomussalmi. The area was made famous for the Battle of Raate Road during the Winter War. There is still a border guard station here and the…
Looking for something unusual? Looking for something bizarre? Well, that is something you might find just north of Suomussalmi. Hiljainen Kansa is an art exhibition outdoors. You can consider it one single art installation. Translated this is The Silent People and it consists of hundreds of peat-headed figurines, each with their own clothes. Their creator…
Sodankylä, or Sodankylän kirkonkylä, is the central village of the Sodankylä Municipality within Finnish Lapland. Around 4.800 people live in this small urban area in northern Finland. This is the church village of the former parish, which is the actual translation of “kirkonkylä”. The center of the village lies between the rivers Kitinen and Jeesiöjoki….
Looking for gold? You are not alone, especially if you visit Tankavaara. This is a village in northern Finland, within the Sodankylä Municipality of Finnish Lapland. This is known as the “Gold Village”, or Tankavaaran Kultakylä in Finnish, and is today a tourist attraction. Who knows, maybe you will find gold and maybe you will…
Saariselkä is a resort village in northern Finland, in the region of Lapland. Its main attraction is the ski center along the slopes of the two nearby mountains of Kaunispää and Iisakkipää. The village is home to several hotels and separate lodges. Reindeer walks the streets and tourists come for either skiing or summer activities…