Main page for the series can be found here: Exploring Finland
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Kilpisjärvi is a village in the far north of Finland, with Norway and Sweden as close neighbors. It is a gateway to the Arctic with one of the main roads passing through connecting Sweden and Finland with the northern Norwegian regions of Troms and Finnmark. It is also the gateway to the three-country cairn, the…
Kokkola is a town in northern Finland, in the region of Central Ostrobothnia of which it is the capital. The municipality has a large Swedish-speaking minority of around 12% and the town is also well-known by its Swedish name Karleby. The town lies along the coast of the Baltic Sea, or rather the Gulf of…
Sastamala is a town in southwestern Finland, in the region of Pirkanmaa. It lies on the shores of the river Kokemäenjoki, a river that enters the Gulf of Bothnia at Pori. Sastamala was earlier known as Vammala, the new town was created in 2009 when the municipalities of Vammala, Mouhijärvi, and Äetsä were merged. The…
Kolmen Valtakunnan Rajapyykki is the westernmost point of the mainland of Finland. It is also the northernmost border tripoint in the world. Here in the remote part of the Nordics, within the Arctic, the borders between Finland, Norway, and Sweden meet. In English this is the “landmark of the Three Kingdoms”, referring to the previous…
Karesuvanto is a small settlement in northern Finland, in the Enontekiö municipality in Finnish Lapland. It lies at the border with Sweden, with its sister village Karesuando just across the Muonio River. The Sámi name of the village is Gárasavvon and it is a part of the cultural Sámi region of Sápmi, an area that spans…
Close to the town of Sastamala is a service area of Motorway 12 that stands out a bit more than usual. This is Kiskokabinetti, a rest area for car-bound travelers that includes an old locomotive and a few railway carriages. And no, there has not been a railway station here. Instead, these are historical railway…
Godby is a village in Finström Municipality on the Åland Islands. It is the island’s second commercial center after Mariehamn and with its population of around 1.300 inhabitants, it is also the second largest locality. It has a strategic location close to the geographic center of the islands, to the north of the capital Mariehamn….
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…
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…
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….
Imatra is a town in the southeastern part of Finland, in the region of South Karelia. It lies just a few kilometers from the border with Russia and the Russian town of Svetogorsk is 7 kilometers away. The town is the seat of the local municipality and has a population of around 25,200 inhabitants. A…
Lappeenranta is a city in the southeastern part of Finland, in the region of South Karelia. This is the border region with Russia, and the border is only about 64 kilometers away from the city. Lappeenranta is majority Finnish-speaking, but it is also known by its Swedish name Villmanstrand. The city is the seat of…