Question 1

Finland : what are the cultural particularities?

Accepted Answer

Sauna: with about 1.6 million saunas, you could say that this relaxation method is a tradition in Finland. In most hotels, room rates include the sauna and the use of the swimming pool. From the traditional saunas next to the water or more modern facilities, the principle is the same: you wash yourself, then go and relax in a humid room, in a heat of 60 to 80°C. After a complete perspiration, the skin's pores are closed by a cold shower or a dip in the lake or swimming pool!
Christmas: Christmas for Finnish people lasts much longer than two days. Celebrations start as early as October, with the preparation of Christmas decorations and fairs. These evenings are called Pikkujoulu, or 'small Christmas'. On Christmas Eve, Finnish people light up graves of relatives with candles. The view of snow covered and lit cemeteries is really magical. In Lapland, near Rovaniemi, you can visit Santa Claus' house (and entertain yourself at Santapark), as well as Mother Claus' house in the east of Ukko Kekkonen park.
Reindeer races: they take place from January to March. Raising farms, in the north, also offer you the opportunity to learn how to drive sleds and to learn more about reindeer-raising.

Question 2

Finland : what to buy?

Accepted Answer

Jewellery, woolen hand-woven carpets, glassworks, porcelain, ceramics, wooden items, leather clothes and fur. Shops are open during the week, from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, and Saturdays from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm. Supermarkets are open until 9:00 pm during the week.

Question 3

Finland : what to eat?

Accepted Answer

Finnish cuisine is inspired by French, Swedish and Russian food. You must taste fish from this fishing country: marinated or grilled herring, pike, vendace, arctic char, devilfish and raw or sea salted-raw smoked salmon. The crayfish season starts in late July. In the Kuopio region, the speciality is Kalakukko, a rye bread filled with small fish and bacon. In the east, you find Karelian baskets with a thin rye dough filled with rice or mashed potatoes.
In Finnish Lapland, you will be able to taste meat and fish. Reindeer is obviously the main dish. The country produces 2.5 million tons every year and exports 3% of it. Some of the farms can be visited. The taste is similar to beef. All or almost all of the reindeer can be eaten, even the tongue (it has a very delicate taste); the liver and the heart are smoked. It can be cooked in soup or in a stuffed stew, and is usually served with mashed potatoes in a sauce or with forest mushrooms, with white bread or stuffed with potatoes. The animal can live up to fifteen years, but breeders think that the best meat (because it is the most tender) has to be eaten around the age of three or four. Additionally, perches, trouts, and roaches are found in Finnish lakes. Fish (and their eggs) are eaten smoked or marinated, definitely worth a try! Local producers organise food events in order to introduce their specialities to travellers. For more information on this topic and the 'food and travel' project, contact the Tourist Office of Finland, see 'Usefull Addresses' in the 'All Information' section. For breakfast, you can also taste fir tree-based lemonade (made with the tree's buds), or Arctic berry jam, slightly more sour than our berry jam.