8 Reasons Finland Is a Trendy Destination in 2019

8 Reasons Finland is a Trendy Destination in 2019 There’s a reason this country is ranked first on The 2019 World Happiness Report and the lowest on the 2019 Travel Risk Map. Welcome to MojoTravels and today we’ll be counting down 8 reasons Finland is a trendy destination in 2019. For this list, we’re looking at the best reasons you should head to Finland as soon as possible. Wildlife Finland is a country full of fascinating wildlife. While it’s renowned as a destination for birdwatchers thanks to amazing avians like the rare golden eagle and beautiful snowy owl, many much larger animals also call Finland their home. If you trek into the wilderness, which thankfully is vast , with much unspoiled by development, you might glimpse moose and grey wolves, and there are even tours specifically to go and see wild bears. But Finland’s best offering is its reindeer population, one of the country’s major draws during the winter months. Winter Speaking of winter, with the north of the country located in the Arctic Circle, parts of Finland are a snowy paradise all year round. If you’re looking for a great winter getaway, Finland is a great option, with lots of activities poised to provide a winter experience like no other. Tourists can go skiing and snowboarding, but there are also winterrific wonders like dog-sledding with huskies or even ice fishing. The new year is the best time to visit if this is your goal, with Lapland guaranteed to have heavy snowfall from December all the way through to April. You’ve got a pretty big window to experience everything the cold has to offer. Design Nordic design only gets more and more popular as the years roll by, and no northern European country, even the three nations of Scandinavia, is more proud of their innovative design heritage as Finland. There’s even a museum in Helsinki (appropriately called Design Museum Helsinki) dedicated to different types of design – everything from architecture to fashion – which chronicles Finnish design as far back as 150 years. Finland can be thanked for many of the aesthetically pleasing, sleek, clean styles we call modern, and there’s no better way to appreciate this flair than exploring the country itself. Food The one Finnish dish every tourist will have heard about is reindeer, and while it’s true reindeer is widely-enjoyed meat most visitors will try at least once, there’s a much wider variety in Finnish cuisine. It’s not difficult to find other local delicacies because there are plenty of markets offering good-quality food throughout the year. For the vegetarians there’s leipäjuusto, a type of cheese typically eaten with coffee, and for vegans, there’s a range of dishes involving locally-sourced berries and fruits. Finally, seafood in all its forms is wildly popular since so much of Finland is coastal, and traditional fish pies and soups are plentiful. Saunas They’re one of the most important parts of Finnish culture, and while tourists can find the concept intimidating, no trip to Finland is complete without stripping down for some traditional R&R. Saunas date back thousands of years and were significant in important roles in society, from religious rituals to bathing to socializing, and remain wildly popular. With an estimated 2 million saunas for a population of just over 5 million, there’s one sauna for every three people. With their purported health benefits and rejuvenatory appeal, they are a big Finnish attraction. Talk about a hot destination. Helsinki During the summer months, Finland’s capital is a warm and wonderful to visit for those who don’t want to brave the harsh winters. One of the cleanest and safest cities in the world for both tourists and residents, there’s no real reason not to spend a few days in Helsinki and is architectural wonders, and you definitely won’t run out of things to do. There are lots of varied dining experiences as well as vibrant nightlife, so both days and nights can be full of excitement. Not to mention, you can hop a ferry and visit the Helsinki Islands, an archipelago of over 300 islands ripe for exploring. National Parks A wide swathe of Finland is covered in lush boreal forests, and there are forty national parks across the country, ranging from the icy wilds of the Arctic to southern Finland’s Lakeland. There’s a reason the country is nicknamed “Land of a Thousand Lakes.” (Did we mention that Finland actually has over 180,000 lakes?) These parks are home to much of Finland’s diverse wildlife, and if you head south to the lakes you might be able to see the Saimaa ringed seal, one of the rarest seals in the world. Thanks to liberal freedom-to-roam laws, you can explore as much or as little of Finland’s scenic parks as you like, going for the day, or camping for awhile. Northern Lights Finland — Lapland specifically — is one of the best places to go to see this world-famous phenomenon, and there are lots of places specifically designed with watching the Aurora Borealis in mind. Because of the long, arctic winters, the Auroras are visible for roughly 200 nights out of the year, so unless you go in mid-summer you’ll have a decent chance of glimpsing them. If you go north to the city of Rovaniemi, you can stay in treehouses with huge windows so that you can watch the Auroras in warmth and comfort, or you can opt for a more traditional experience and brave the cold nights. The harsh temperatures will be worth it.