Welcome to our posts about Finland – that so-called cold country (it’s actually warm in summer) in the north of Europe. It’s the home of Santa Claus, the sauna, white summer nights, and a lot of dedicated ice-hockey fans.
Join us while we discover what Finland has to offer – from delicious food to funny incidents. Don’t forget to leave a comment if you have any questions or thoughts!
Visited: 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022
We appreciate your comments and thoughts about Finland and our traveling.
Enjoy our stories from Finland!
Finström Library, or Finströms Bibliotek as it is known in Swedish, is the public library of Finström Municipality. It is located within the premises of the elementary school Källbo Skola in the village of Godby. This is where you can find books, films, and music. But that is not all, there are frequently local exhibitions…
Sjöfararkapellet is a chapel along the waterfront in the eastern part of the city of Mariehamn on the Åland Islands. It offers a picturesque scenery with the bay Slemmern in the background. It is a part of the maritime neighborhood of Sjökvarteret, known for its shipbuilding traditions. Sjöfararkapellet Sjöfararkapellet was built in 2008 by volunteers….
Skarpnåtö is a settlement and peninsula in Hammarland Municipality on the Åland Islands. The settlement has around 20 year-round inhabitants, but the population increases many times during the summer months. In addition, the peninsula is home to the homestead museum Skarpnåtö Hembygdsgård and the bicycle ferry M/S Silvana. A Short History of Skarpnåtö Skarpnåtö gained…
Stadshusbacken is the slope in Mariehamn that leads up to the town hall. This is a park landscape leading up to the entrance of the town hall, with statues, fountains, and plenty of plants. A statue of the Russian Empress Maria Alexandrovna was raised here in 2011 to celebrate the 150 years since the founding…
The Church of Saint George, or Sankt Görans Kyrka as it is known in Swedish, is the town church of Mariehamn on the Åland Islands. This is the only church on the Åland Islands that does not have its origins in the Middle Ages. Instead, this red brick church was inaugurated in 1927. Church of…
Hammarland Church, also known as Saint Catherine’s Church, can be found in the village of Kattby on the Åland Islands. The village is the seat of the Hammarland Municipality and is in addition to the church also home to many of the services of the municipality. Hammarland Church Hammarland Church dates back to the 13th…
Up on a hill known as Öhbergska Backen in Mariehamn stands the city’s town hall. The name in Swedish is Mariehamns Stadshus. Construction began in 1938 and the town hall was inaugurated already a year later in 1939. It is designed by the Finnish architect Lars Sonck (1870-1956). He was born in Kälviä in mainland…
Skarpnåtö Pier is in the small settlement of Skarpnåtö in Hammarland Municipality on the Åland Islands. The pier has since 1982 been home to the small ferry M/S Silvana, a bicycle ferry that during the summer months runs the route between Skarpnåtö and Hällö in Geta Municipality to the north. The crossing takes only 25…
Västergeta is a village in the northwestern part of the Åland Islands. It is the seat of the local municipality and it is also home to the parish church. The municipality has a population of around 500 inhabitants, most of which live in one of the 15 villages. Agriculture and fishing have always been important…
Sjökvarteret is a historical maritime neighborhood and today also a business district within the city of Mariehamn on the Åland Islands. Here you will find boat houses and fishing sheds that today have been turned into museums as well as to house smaller local businesses. This is also where the tradition of shipbuilding is maintained,…
Skarpnåtö Hembygdsgård is an old farmstead that was earlier known as Södergårds. The farmstead had its origins in the 18th century and is today the homestead museum of Skarpnåtö. The farmstead has also been a filming location. It was the Swedish-speaking Finnish TV series “Stormskärs Maja” that was filmed on the Åland Islands in 1976…
Savonlinna is a town in southeastern Finland, within the region of South Savo. In English, the name means the castle of Savonia and the town is home to the impressive medieval Saint Olaf’s Castle. The names are Olavinlinna and Olofsborg in Finnish and Swedish respectively. The town is also known by its Swedish name Nyslott….