Things to Do

Best Biking Routes in Ylläs (2026)

Ylläs has around 200 km of marked summer bike trails plus a multi-award-winning lift-served bike park at Ylläsjärvi. Easy family rides circle the lakes at Äkäslompolo; the Kukastunturi and Kaulavaara routes serve experienced riders. In winter, ~100 km of groomed fatbike trails, the most in Finland, take over.

Best Day Hiking Routes in Ylläs (2026)

The best day hikes in Ylläs run through Pallas-Yllästunturi National Park: the easy Varkaankuru gorge and Lake Kesänki loops near Äkäslompolo, the moderate Tuomikuru and Pirunkuru climbs, and the long Kukastunturi fell circuit. Trail maps and most trailheads are at the Kellokas visitor centre.

Best Hotels in Ylläs (2026)

Ylläs stays centre on characterful village hotels and cabins. The landmark Lapland Hotels Äkäshotelli and the log-house Hotel Ylläshumina lead the accessible end, while the ski-in, ski-out Lapland Hotels Saaga is the practical resort base by the gondola. For a splurge there's the boutique, lakeshore Aurora Estate, the glass-roofed Arctic Skylight Lodge built for the northern lights, and the exclusive whole-lodge Luxury Lodge L7.

Best Restaurants in Ylläs (2026)

Ylläs eats far better than a ski resort its size should. The heart of it is small, characterful village kitchens: the fourteen-seat Rohki Bistro, the all-day village favourite Ravintola Rouhe and the fell-top Ylläskammi 718, with the lakeside Humina rounding out the everyday options. When you want to splurge, two destination fine-dining tables wait at the top end: rustic Restaurant Poro and the MasterChef-led Aurora Estate.

Best Shopping in Ylläs (2026)

Shopping in Ylläs centres on two K-Market supermarkets (Jounin Kauppa in Äkäslompolo, Eelin Kauppa in Ylläsjärvi), ski and bike rental shops at both resort bases, and the Kellokas visitor centre for maps and Lappish souvenirs. There is no S-market in either village.

Helsinki

Helsinki Region, Finland

Things to do· 10 picks

Best Cafes in Helsinki (2026)

Helsinki takes coffee seriously, Finns drink more of it than almost anyone. Mix the classics with the new wave: the seaside red cabin of Café Regatta and historic Ekberg (since 1852) alongside specialty roasters Johan & Nyström, Kaffa, Sävy and Good Life Coffee, plus modern bakeries Way and Andante and neat little coffee bars like Flat 14 and Café Cle.

Things to do· 10 picks

Best Hotels in Helsinki (2026)

Helsinki's best places to stay lean design-forward, and most cluster a short walk apart in the compact centre. Art Deco Lilla Roberts, lifestyle-led Hobo and the train-dock Folks Konepaja (home to the Albina restaurant and Alexis rooftop) lead the boutique scene, with art-filled St. George and waterfront Haven at the top end. Whatever the style, you're rarely more than a short walk from the harbour, the Esplanade and the design shops.

Things to do· 13 picks

Best Restaurants in Helsinki (2026)

Helsinki's most exciting eating is in its neighbourhood bistros and natural-wine bars, clustered around Kallio and Punavuori: small sharing plates, low-intervention wine and a relaxed local crowd. Bull & the Firm, Teller, Harju8, Wino and Maukku lead the wine-bar scene, Nolla flies the zero-waste flag, and Grön holds down the Michelin-starred end.

Best Saunas in Helsinki

Helsinki has more saunas per head than almost anywhere, and its public bathing scene runs from architectural showpieces to a free DIY shack. Don't miss design icon Löyly and the central, harbour-side Allas Sea Pool, the gloriously traditional Kotiharjun Sauna (since 1928) in Kallio, the free community-run Sompasauna, and the calm, architect-designed Kulttuurisauna.

Best Shopping in Helsinki (2026)

Helsinki is a design-shopping capital: Marimekko prints, Iittala and Arabia glass and ceramics, Artek furniture, plus the Design District's boutiques. Stockmann is the landmark department store and Hakaniemi Market Hall the place for Finnish food and crafts.

Loviisa

Helsinki Region, Finland

Best Cafes in Loviisa (2026)

Loviisa does cosy cafes beautifully: Tuhannen Tuskan Kahvila in an 18th-century Old Town house, the glass-pavilion Loviisan Kappeli, tea and home baking at Favorit Cafe & Teashop, and the plant-based Helgas Vegan Café. Most are at their fullest in summer.

Best Hotels in Loviisa (2026)

Loviisa's stays are small and characterful: the central Hotel Degerby and keyless Hotelli Uninen in the town centre, historic townhouse rooms in the Old Town, characterful lodging out at the Strömfors ironworks, and seaside cottages around the Loviisa archipelago.

Best Restaurants in Loviisa (2026)

Loviisa's dining leans local and seasonal: Saltbodan in the old customs warehouse by the harbour, the historic Degerby Gille in the town's oldest building, Italian-style home cooking at Ravintola Locale, and casual plates at Fylla. Summer is when the harbour terraces are at their best.

Best Shopping in Loviisa (2026)

Loviisa is a small but serious browsing town: the Mariankatu flea markets and vintage shops, including the well-known Suurkirppis, the Old Dairy's Krinti, antique and design finds, and the craft studios and galleries down at the Laivasilta warehouses.

Best Things to Do in Loviisa (2026)

Loviisa is made for slow wandering: lose an afternoon in the pastel wooden Old Town, take the summer ferry out to Svartholm sea fortress, browse the red salt warehouses at Laivasilta harbour, and walk the Myllyharju trail up to the old lookout tower. Most of it is free.

Porvoo

Helsinki Region, Finland

Best Cafes in Porvoo (2026)

Cafe culture runs deep in Porvoo. Don't miss the square-side Café Fanny and its Runeberg cakes, the nostalgic wooden tea room Helmi, the own-roasted riverside Porvoon Paahtimo, and Brunberg, the chocolatier making sweets in the Old Town since 1871.

Best Hotels in Porvoo (2026)

Porvoo's nicest stays are small and right in the Old Town. The characterful Old Town B&B Ida-Maria leads the affordable end, with boutique Hotel Onni opposite the cathedral and Pariisin Ville close behind, plus central Hotel Sparre for value, and the design-led RUNO Hotel, Finland's first Michelin Key hotel, as the splurge.

Best Restaurants in Porvoo (2026)

Porvoo eats far above its size. The everyday heart of it is relaxed bistros doing modern New Finnish cooking at fair prices, Bistro Sinne, the former-pharmacy Bistro Gustaf and old-town Gabriel 1763, with two destination tasting-menu tables, cellar SicaPelle and Michelin-starred VÅR, waiting at the top end.

Best Shopping in Porvoo (2026)

Porvoo's Old Town is a browser's dream: the cobbled Jokikatu and Välikatu streets are lined with independent craft, design and antique shops, plus the 1871 Brunberg chocolatier, the design-and-vintage Jokikadun Antiikki, and the sweet-meets-vintage Doris & Duke.

Best Things to Do in Porvoo (2026)

Porvoo is made for slow wandering: lose an afternoon in the cobbled Old Town, climb to the medieval cathedral, photograph the red shore houses from the bridge, and look in on the home of national poet J.L. Runeberg. Most of it is free and walkable.

Savonlinna

Lakeland, Finland

Best Cafes in Savonlinna (2026)

Coffee in Savonlinna comes with a lake view or a lörtsy. Café Sataman Sydän sits right on the market-square harbour, Café Saima brings old-town charm among the wooden houses on Linnankatu, and the kauppatori stalls are the place for the town's famous fried pastry.

Things to do· 3 picks

Best Hotels in Savonlinna (2026)

Stay by the water and the castle. The boutique Lossiranta Lodge sits right by the bridge to Olavinlinna, the central Sokos Hotel Seurahuone is on the market square by the lake, and Spahotel Casino occupies its own island with a spa and pool.

Best Restaurants in Savonlinna (2026)

Savonlinna dining is about lake fish and a waterfront table. The easygoing picks are the brewery-restaurant Huwila, the muikku (fried vendace) terraces of Muikkuterassi and Sarastro, and lakeside Rantakrouvi, with summer's Linnakrouvi by the castle and the historic Wanha Kasino for a special night.

Things to do· 3 picks

Best Shopping in Savonlinna (2026)

Shopping in Savonlinna is small and local: the lakeside market square for crafts, produce and lörtsy, the old wooden-house quarter on Linnankatu for boutiques, and the central streets for everyday shops and Finnish design.

Best Things to Do in Savonlinna (2026)

Savonlinna revolves around the water and the castle. Tour medieval Olavinlinna, catch an opera in its courtyard in July, take a steamboat cruise on Lake Saimaa, dig into lake history at the Riihisaari museum, and graze the lakeside market square.

Turku Archipelago

Coastal Finland, Finland

Best Cafes in the Turku Archipelago (2026)

Archipelago cafe culture means coffee and a fresh bun with a harbour or sea view. Don't miss the cafe at the foot of Bengtskär lighthouse, the harbour cafes of Nauvo, and roadside bakeries selling the sweet dark archipelago bread.

Best Hotels & Stays in the Turku Archipelago (2026)

Archipelago stays range from harbour hotels in Nauvo (Strandbo, Nestor) and the Kasnäs spa hotel to characterful lodging on the fortress island of Örö and historic Korpoström. Cottages and guest-harbour cabins are the classic self-catering choice.

Best Nature Spots in the Turku Archipelago (2026)

The Archipelago Sea National Park protects a maze of islands, skerries and birdlife. Standouts: the treeless moraine island of Jurmo, the outermost village island of Utö, the historic island of Seili, and the rewilded fortress island of Örö.

Best Restaurants in the Turku Archipelago (2026)

Archipelago dining is about local fish, new potatoes and rye, often eaten at a guest-harbour terrace. Nauvo (Nagu) is the dining hub, with spots like L'Escale and Köpmans; Korpo and the outer islands add their own harbour kitchens.

Best Things to Do in the Turku Archipelago (2026)

The Turku Archipelago is best explored along the Archipelago Trail (Saariston Rengastie), a ring route of roads, bridges and free ferries. Highlights: the Bengtskär lighthouse, the fortress island of Örö, the harbour village of Nauvo, and sea kayaking among thousands of islands.

Levi

Lapland, Finland

Best Day Hikes in Levi (2026)

Levi's fell has more than 70 km of marked trails. Ride or hike to the Levitunturi summit for the big view, loop the lakeside Immeljärvi trail, take on the neighbouring Kätkätunturi fell, or just wander the village nature paths.

Best Hotels in Levi (2026)

Stay in the village to walk to the slopes and restaurants. The central Break Sokos Hotel Levi and characterful Hotel Hullu Poro lead the everyday choices, the family-friendly Levi Hotel Spa adds pools and a waterslide, and Hotel Levi Panorama sits up on the fell by the gondola.

Best Mountain Biking in Levi (2026)

Levi Bike Park has run gondola-served downhill since 2006, with trails for every level from the gentle Village Trail to steep descents. Beyond the park, the area links to long fell routes including the 50 km Ylläs-Levi trail.

Best Restaurants in Levi (2026)

Levi has the liveliest food scene in Lapland. The easy picks lean into reindeer and Lappish flavours, Sami-owned NiliPoro, casual Ravintola Ämmilä, and the fire-cooked Saamen Kammi and Kammi experiences, with charcoal-grill Kekäle and Hullu Poro's Valkea Vaadin at the top end.

Best Shopping in Levi (2026)

Levi has the most shops of any Lapland resort: outdoor and sportswear stores and rental shops in the village, a well-stocked grocery for self-catering, and Lappish-design and souvenir outlets, with Kittilä town nearby for everything else.

Saariselkä

Lapland, Finland

Best Day Hikes in Saariselkä (2026)

Saariselkä has some of Finland's most accessible fell hiking: the Rumakuru gorge loop and the Kiirunapolku climb up Kiilopää are the classics, Kaunispää is the quick view-hit, and Tankavaara's Koppelolenkki is an easy ruska loop. Most start straight from a marked gate into Urho Kekkonen National Park.

Best Hotels in Saariselkä (2026)

Saariselkä is the home of the glass igloo: Kakslauttanen Arctic Resort and Star Arctic for sky-watching from bed, the Northern Lights Village for aurora cabins, Holiday Club for a family spa hotel, and Fell Centre Kiilopää for a wilderness base.

Best Northern Lights Spots in Saariselkä (2026)

Saariselkä sits under the auroral oval at 68°N, so the lights are a realistic catch on any dark, clear night from late August to early April. Kaunispää fell is the easy go-to, Kiilopää and Urho Kekkonen National Park give darker wilderness skies, and a glass igloo lets you watch from bed.

Best Restaurants in Saariselkä (2026)

Saariselkä punches above its size for food, with reindeer and Lapland flavours front and centre: Laanilan Kievari for fireside fine dining, Restaurant Petronella for a polished Arctic dinner, Kuukkeli for hearty all-day eating, and Teerenpesä for a relaxed pub meal.

Best Things to Do in Saariselkä (2026)

Saariselkä is about the fells and the wilderness on its doorstep: ride or hike up Kaunispää for the view, walk into Urho Kekkonen National Park, pan for gold at Tankavaara, warm up in the Kiilopää smoke sauna, and head out on a husky or reindeer safari. Aurora hunting tops it all off in winter.

Ruka

Lapland, Finland

Best Day Hiking Routes in Ruka & Oulanka (2026)

Ruka is the gateway to Finland's most famous hiking. Day-trippers should head for the 12 km Pieni Karhunkierros loop in Oulanka, the short, view-packed climbs up Valtavaara and Konttainen, and the rapids walks of Oulanka, with the full 80 km Karhunkierros for those with time to spare.

Best Hotels in Ruka (2026)

Stay in the pedestrian village so the lifts, trails and restaurants are on your doorstep. Scandic Rukahovi sits in the heart of the resort, Ski-Inn RukaValley and the ski-in/ski-out cottages cover apartments and self-catering, and the award-winning Ski-Inn RukaVillage is the boutique pick.

Best Mountain Biking in Ruka (2026)

Ruka Bike Park was named Finland's Bike Park of the Year in 2023, with lift-served downhill and flow trails for every level. Beyond the park, the area has around 180 km of marked mountain-bike trails and close to 900 km of gravel routes through the fells.

Best Restaurants in Ruka (2026)

Ruka eats better than most ski villages. The everyday picks are easygoing spots like Camp Kitchen & Bar, the modern-traditional Hanki Baari and Pizzeria Ruka, with the historic Pohjolan Pirtti for old Kuusamo flavour, and two destination tables at the top end: game specialist Riipisen and the Michelin-starred Restaurant Tapio.