Finland — find the right stay, from deciding to booking
“Home of Santa Claus, the Northern Lights, saunas, and design-led Helsinki”
Finland is a land of a thousand lakes, pine forests and saunas — the real home of Santa Claus at Rovaniemi in Lapland, the Northern Lights and glass cabins for stargazing, Helsinki the design capital on the Baltic, the World Heritage Suomenlinna fortress, and a sauna culture inscribed by UNESCO — peaceful, clean, and close to nature.
Finland at a glance
Choose a city in Finland
Each city has its own things-to-do and food guides plus in-depth ranked hotel reviews with real photos and price comparison — start with the city that fits your trip.
Decide — is Finland right for you?
Why people love Finland, how it compares to its neighbors, and which travel style suits you
The home of Santa Claus
The Santa Claus Village at Rovaniemi on the Arctic Circle — send a letter and meet Santa all year round.
Northern Lights and glass cabins
Lapland has clear views of the aurora — sleep in a glass cabin or igloo and watch the stars from your bed.
Sauna culture
The sauna is the heart of Finland (a UNESCO heritage) — heat up, then leap into the lake.
A thousand lakes
The Lakeland region, with rowing, fishing and lakeside log cabins.
Design-led Helsinki
The white cathedral, the design district of Marimekko and Iittala, and modern architecture.
Snow activities
Dog sledding, reindeer, snowmobiling and snow safaris in Lapland.
Finland vs its neighbors
| Finland | Sweden | Estonia | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daily budget (per person) | $80–160 | $80–160 | $50–100 |
| Visa (Thai passport) | Schengen | Schengen | Schengen |
| Known for | Santa · Northern Lights · sauna | Old town · archipelago | Old town · digital |
| Currency | Euro (EUR) | Krona (SEK) | Euro (EUR) |
| Winter highlight | Lapland & Santa | Northern Lights in Kiruna | Christmas markets |
Figures are rough per-person, per-day estimates — your real budget depends on your travel style.
How do you travel?
Families and Santa
Rovaniemi, the Santa Claus Village, snow activities and reindeer — great for families in winter.
See this plan → 🌌Northern Lights and romance
Glass cabins for watching the aurora, saunas, and frozen lakes — for couples.
See this plan → 🏙️City and design
Helsinki, the cathedral, the Suomenlinna fortress, the design district and public saunas.
See this plan →Plan — stay, eat, see
Start with where to stay (the heart of the trip), then add food and sights, and gauge your daily budget.
Find the stay you want
1 ranked reviews
No reviews match these filters — try removing some.
- 1🐟
Lohikeitto
A creamy salmon, potato and dill soup that warms you on a cold day.
📍 National dish - 2🥧
Karjalanpiirakka
A rye-crust pie filled with rice and spread with egg butter — a popular breakfast.
📍 Snack - 3🦌
Poronkäristys
Sautéed reindeer meat served with mashed potato and lingonberry — a Sami dish.
📍 Lapland - 4🍞
Ruisleipä
Dark, intensely tangy rye bread, with butter and fish — a staple of the Finnish kitchen.
📍 Staple - 5🍥
Korvapuusti
A coiled cinnamon bun with afternoon coffee (Finns drink the most coffee in the world).
📍 Sweet - 6🖤
Salmiakki
Salty licorice candy with ammonium chloride, oddly salty — a Finnish favorite.
📍 Acquired taste
- 1🎅
Santa Claus Village
Santa's home on the Arctic Circle — meet Santa, send a letter and cross the polar line.
📍 Rovaniemi - 2🏰
Suomenlinna
A World Heritage sea fortress on an island, a 15-minute boat ride away, with walls and cannons to explore.
📍 Helsinki - 3⛪
Helsinki Cathedral
A white cathedral with a green dome above Senate Square — the city's defining image.
📍 Helsinki - 4⛪
Temppeliaukio
A church carved into granite with a copper roof, with beautiful acoustics and natural light.
📍 Helsinki - 5🛶
Lakeland
The thousands of lakes of Saimaa, with rowing, lakeside saunas and summer log cabins.
📍 Central Finland - 6🌊
Allas Sea Pool
A seawater pool and sauna in the middle of the harbor, alternating cold and hot dips with a city view.
📍 Helsinki
🚆 Getting around Finland
Helsinki trams and metro
Trams are handy for sightseeing, the single metro line is easy to understand — use an HSL ticket.
VR trains
Connecting cities nationwide, with overnight trains to Rovaniemi/Lapland and sleeper cars.
Ferries
Boats to Suomenlinna, and a ferry across the sea to Tallinn (Estonia) in 2 hours.
Vantaa Airport
HEL is an Asia–Europe hub, with a 30-minute train into the city plus domestic flights to Lapland.
Snow safaris
Get around Lapland by snowmobile, dog sled or reindeer sleigh.
🛂 Etiquette & culture in Finland
Sauna etiquette
Finnish saunas are often nude (separated by sex) — shower first, and keep it quiet and relaxed.
Quiet and personal space
Finns are quiet and sincere, value space, and don't go in for idle small talk.
Nearly cashless
Pay by card or mobile almost everywhere — you can carry little cash.
Tipping not required
Service is included, so there's no need to tip.
Everyman's right
Jokamiehenoikeus lets you roam and pick berries and mushrooms in the forest freely — respect nature.
💸 Daily budget — a rough guide
Budget
🛏️ Hostel / shared room $43–85
Eat from supermarkets, take trams around the city, use cheap public saunas, and walk Suomenlinna for free.
Comfortable
🛏️ 3–4★ hotel $100–170
A trip to Rovaniemi, snow activities, and good restaurants.
Premium
🛏️ Glass cabin / Lapland resort $230+
A glass igloo for watching the aurora, private safaris, and a snow resort.
🗓️ When to visit Finland
Winter
Dec – MarSanta, the Northern Lights, snow activities and glass cabins — Lapland's high season.
Summer
Jun – AugThe midnight sun, lakes, log cabins and lakeside saunas — best for the cities.
Autumn (Ruska)
Sep – OctLeaves turn golden in Lapland, the aurora starts to appear, and there are fewer people.
Spring
Apr – MayThe snow begins to melt, the days grow longer, and the shoulder season brings lower prices.
Book — hotels our team picked
Hand-picked from the highest guest-rated hotels we've reviewed in Finland — compare prices across 3 sites.
★ 9.4🎒 Great for your trip
★ 9.3💑 Great for your trip
★ 9.2💑 Great for your tripWant to see every option in Finland?
Browse all our ranked stay reviews — every budget and area, with real photos and price comparison.
View the top city guide →FAQ — visiting Finland
How many days do I need in Finland?+
4–6 days — 2 days in Helsinki (the cathedral, Suomenlinna, saunas) plus 2–3 days in Rovaniemi/Lapland for Santa and the Northern Lights.
Do Thai passport holders need a visa?+
Yes, you need a Schengen visa in advance (which lets you travel across the Schengen area) — prepare your documents and insurance.
When can I meet Santa?+
The Santa Claus Village at Rovaniemi is open all year, but winter (Dec–Mar) has snow, activities and the Northern Lights all together — the best atmosphere.
Do I have to be naked in the sauna?+
Traditional Finnish saunas are often nude (separated by sex), but many mixed saunas and hotels let you wear a swimsuit.
Tips before you go to Finland
- Try a genuine Finnish sauna (shower first, keep it quiet, relax).
- Take the VR overnight train to Lapland to save a night's accommodation.
- For the Northern Lights, go to Lapland from Sep–Mar when skies are clear.
- The ferry to Tallinn (Estonia) is just 2 hours — an easy combo trip.
- Book the Santa Claus Village/glass igloos ahead in winter (they fill fast).
- You can pay by card or mobile everywhere — carry just a little cash.