Life & society

Magical ice-skating video from northern Finland wows viewers

Photographer Esko Liukas and figure skater Tiina Pakkanen created a video in which she appears to be gliding across the water of a lake in the Finnish far north.

Life & society Webpick

Make a move and experience life in Finland for three months

The 90-Day Finn campaign by Helsinki Business Hub welcomes international talent to Helsinki.

Life & society Environment

Fresh air and quiet: App finds best Helsinki routes for bikers and hikers

See how Green Paths, a prototype app from the University of Helsinki’s Digital Geography Lab, helps cyclists and pedestrians in the Finnish capital area choose routes with the cleanest air and the least noise.

First place in European Happiness Equality Index

Source: The Happiness Research Institute

Life & society Nature

Fleeting fame: Finland’s “centre of population” exists in the middle of nowhere

Why are two people putting up a monument in the woods? They’re attempting to pin down Finland’s centre of population as it moves slowly south through the quiet forests outside the city of Hämeenlinna.

Life & society Sustainability

Circular fashion finds a good fit in Finland

From hip flea-market boutiques to luxury recommerce, Finland’s second-hand clothing scene signifies a shift toward a circular fashion economy.

90%

Amount of bottles and cans recycled in Finland

Source: Palpa

Life & society Sustainability

For many in Finland, sustainability is the obvious choice

Many Finnish people place great value on sustainability, and it shows in the way they choose to live their lives.

Life & society Finnishness

Rethinking Finnish sauna

Hidden beyond the building sites of the vast new urban district of Kalasatama lies Helsinki’s best-known secret, Sompasauna.

Life & society Architecture

Helsinki’s renovated Olympic Stadium launches into a new era

The Olympic Stadium was unveiled four years after extensive renovations began. Its 1930s functionalist architecture and design have been meticulously preserved and enhanced with 21st-century technology and facilities (see photo show).

#1 passport

Finns can travel visa-free to 174 countries (Germans, Brits and Swedes share this honour)

Source: Visa Restrictions Index