thisisFINLAND

From Finland with laughter: Ismo turns cultural quirks into comedy gold

Finnish comedian Ismo Leikola translates humour across cultures, making comedic observations about even the most mundane exchanges. His newest endeavour brings music into the act.

Life & society Wellbeing

Floating Finnish sauna brings people together and boosts wellbeing

Olosauna, a floating public sauna in Oulu, northern Finland, combines river swimming and social spaces. Founder Armi Ruusuvirta plans to expand the concept beyond Finland.

Life & society Sports

Disc golf flies high in Finland

Disc golf has become a phenomenon in Finland, fuelled by free public courses, an outdoor sporting culture and a remarkable crop of elite players.

Arts & culture Travel

Discover a city of outdoor art and other surprises in Oulu, northern Finland

In Oulu, culture spills onto bike paths, into forests, along riverbanks and across former industrial districts.

Life & society Sports

Finnish wild swimming puts a smile on your face

Jumping into lakes, sea and rivers is a shared passion for many Finns. We asked three of them about their love of swimming. They spoke of relaxing, floating, courage and the soft touch of lake water.

Arts & culture Circus

Open your eyes to the daring, quirky world of Finnish circus

Amaze! Tales and Magic of Circus, an exhibition at the Theatre Museum in Helsinki, traces the history of Finnish circus through danger, dark humour, endurance and the thrill of doing the impossible.

Life & society Art

Turning Finnish nature into ink: A peek inside Seed Art Studio

Seed Art Studio founder Rushan Nasretdin turns acorn caps, alder cones and aronia berries into ink. Her workshops offer a new way to connect with Finnish nature through curiosity and experimentation.

Life & society Sauna

Sauna for everyone: the essence of Helsinki’s sauna culture

A cooling dip in the sea followed by a steaming sauna is the perfect start to a weekend for Finnish Canadian writer and journalist Katja Pantzar. Her book Helsinki by Sauna explores the city’s public saunas and the culture of wellbeing, equality and connection they represent.

Arts & culture Design

Finland’s Aalto Works joins Unesco World Heritage List

Finland has gained its eighth Unesco World Heritage Site after Aalto Works, a collection of architectural landmarks designed by Alvar, Aino and Elissa Aalto, was inscribed on the Unesco World Heritage List.

Business & innovation Startups

Finnish startups go beyond buzzwords

Finland’s startup scene is powered by purpose, resilience and a deep belief in doing things differently. And when entrepreneurs need support, they can rely on each other.

Life & society Sauna

Remote Finnish smoke sauna draws visitors from near and far

Few experiences are as deeply relaxing as a traditional Finnish smoke sauna. This one in eastern Finland has loyal guests that arrive by foot, boat and even seaplane.

Life & society Language

Aino, Lumi and Pyry: Let’s look at Finland’s naming traditions

Finnish first names can feel opaque to outsiders – full of vowels, folklore and unfamiliar sound – but when you take a closer look, Finland’s naming traditions tell a fascinating story.

Business & innovation Technology

How Finland is future-proofing encryption for the quantum computing era

Finland is helping build the quantum computers that could one day break the internet’s encryption – while also leading the race to ensure they don’t.

Life & society Travel

Riding whitewater rapids in northern Finland’s summer wilderness

Families and first-time adventurers head to the rapids of Kuusamo, near the Arctic Circle, to experience northern Finland’s rivers beneath the endless summer light.

Life & society Food

5 reasons to love Finnish oats

Today, oats are more popular in Finland than ever before. Behind the boom is a perfect combination of innovative new products, Finns’ deep-rooted love affair with pure, high-quality traditional ingredients, and unshakeable belief in the perfect breakfast.

Life & society Fun

Unusual speed dating in Finland offers a new way to meet people

Speed-dating events are drawing crowds in Helsinki, but not for the reasons you might think. We visit with Tatskatytöt (“tattoo girls”) to see what attracts people and keeps them coming back.