The Northern Lights are visible for human eyes only when it’s dark and the sky is clear and cloudless. In northern Finland they can be witnessed from late August until early April.
Staying playful: A Finnish artist combines fatherhood with creative freedom
Everyone’s an artist in Teemu Keisteri’s family, no matter if they’re four or almost 40. Father and son get creative together and explore Finland’s vibrant children’s culture scene.
Finnish innovation shrinks lab-grade imaging to fingertip size for everyday use
A startup from Aalto University has turned complex laboratory imaging into a tiny, affordable sensor – opening the door to new uses in health monitoring and food quality control.
What one person’s path to speaking Finnish reveals about life and language
For polyglot Irina Pravet, learning a language isn’t just about grammar. She sees knowing Finnish as a way to belong – and that’s something you don’t find in textbooks.
Libraries the Finnish way: welcoming, wild and wonderful
From reading dogs to 3D printers, Finnish libraries are reinventing what it means to be the home of learning and information. Here are some activities you can do in many Finnish libraries.
Heads up for Helsinki’s urban overstory: Lions and gargoyles and bears, oh my!
If you elevate your gaze, Helsinki’s architecture contains surprising details. Mythical creatures, solemn figures and watchful animals perch high above street level.
How Finnish glass design enchanted the world and keeps evolving
From kitchen cabinets to museum displays, Finnish glass design turns everyday objects into timeless art. Our reporter visits Finland’s last remaining glassworks and explores how a small country became a powerhouse of modern glass design.
Trams carry the future in Helsinki and elsewhere in Finland
From the hum of the motor to the clatter of the tracks, people connect Helsinki’s trams with modern daily life and historical memories. This mode of transport will play a central role in the future of the capital and other cities in Finland.
Sodankylä Geophysical Observatory might seem like a bunch of humble buildings in the middle of nowhere. However, a team of top scientists works there to unravel the mysteries of the Northern Lights. The director, space physicist Eija Tanskanen, has good news for aurora spotters: the active years have just started.
Project helps flying squirrels succeed in Finnish capital region
Flying squirrels are adapting surprisingly well to life in one of Finland’s fastest-growing urban areas, thanks to smart planning and green forest corridors.
Nature photographers find a haven in Kuusamo, northern Finland
With its rugged fells, ancient forests and mirror-like lakes, Kuusamo offers nature photographers a front row seat to the magic of Finland’s wilderness.
Spotlight on Vörå, Finland: the local impact of KAJ’s Eurovision success
The Swedish-speaking Finnish trio KAJ represented Sweden in the Eurovision Song Contest with a cheerful sauna song that was the hot favourite to win the final last May. In the end, they came in fourth – but they went from local heroes to viral international phenomenon, transforming their home village in the process.
Rising stars: These young fiddlers carry on Finland’s pelimanni folk music tradition
In the small town of Kaustinen, a hotspot for Finnish folk music, two young musicians are making waves. Erkki Virkkala and Iikka Huntus are part of a new generation keeping the pelimanni (folk music) tradition vibrant, blending skill, creativity and a love of playing together.
Discover the charm of Tankar Lighthouse Island, off the Finnish coast
Tankar Lighthouse Island, off the western seaboard of Finland, blends centuries of maritime history with pristine nature, welcoming visitors to explore trails, wildlife and seafaring heritage.
