Meet Ida Elina, Finland’s modern kantele virtuoso

Arts & cultureMusic

Everything started with a small act of mischief.

It was the late 1990s in Oulainen, a small town in the North Ostrobothnia region of Finland, when 12-year-old Päivi Kujanen decided to irritate her younger sister. Her sister played the five-string kantele, a traditional zither and Finland’s national instrument, which Päivi dismissed as unbearably dull.

One day, the girls’ uncle arrived with a find from a local auction: a large, 30-string kantele. Which sister would want to try it?

“I was about to say no when I realised that even a little tease counts,” Kujanen says with a laugh.

However, the instrument soon captivated her, and she couldn’t put it down.

“I had already become fascinated. It was something new, something different,” Kujanen says.

As the only kantele player in her home town, she found it easy and motivating to become the best. Once she received her first concert kantele and began proper lessons, the ambition crystallised.

“From the age of 15, my biggest dream was to become a kantele artist.”

Reinventing Finland’s national instrument

Video: Nina Karlsson and Annukka Pakarinen

Today, Kujanen, better known by her stage name Ida Elina, is one of the most distinctive voices in contemporary kantele music in Finland and abroad. Her signature electric kantele blends the delicate timbre of the instrument with the energy of modern pop and rock.

The kantele, or kannel, has a history stretching back more than 1,000 years. It features throughout Finnish folklore and the Kalevala, Finland’s and Karelia’s national epic, compiled in the 19th century, in which the hero Väinämöinen enchants listeners with the kantele’s sound.

“The kantele has an unusual tone which is a mix of guitar, harp, piano and a rich bass line,” Kujanen says. “It’s incredibly versatile.”

But finding her own sound took time. As a musically gifted child, she advanced quickly at first. The 30-string instrument opened an entirely new universe beyond the simple five-string.

“I had a strong preconception of the instrument. But the sound of the larger kantele stunned me. I thought, ‘Wow – you can make real music with this.’ It was a mind-blowing moment.”

A crisis, a turning point and Billie Jean

A close-up shows Päivi Kujanen’s hands playing a 30-string kantele, highlighting the strings, tuning pins and contrasting light and dark wooden body.

Päivi Kujanen has four custom-built concert kanteles with 40 strings and lever systems that allow swift key changes. Her kanteles are unique: there are no other kanteles like them in the world.

Kujanen’s path wavered when she failed to secure a place in the performance programme at the Sibelius Academy, Finland’s highest institute of music, named after the nation’s most famous composer, Jean Sibelius. Studying classical kantele in the music education department, she realised it wasn’t quite her world.

During an exchange year in Japan in 2009, she found the revelation she needed.

“I left Finland feeling lost. I even prayed that if something transformative happened in Japan, I’d continue playing. Otherwise, I’d quit.”

Living in Sapporo, she stumbled across a video of someone playing Michael Jackson’s Billie Jean on the kantele.

“I immediately thought, ‘Could you really play popular music on this instrument?’”

From that moment forward, she began forging her own path.

“Even my mum didn’t believe anything would come of it. Becoming an artist required enormous courage.”

New horizons: film scores and Finnish myth

Päivi Kujanen smiles holding her concert kantele at the Alvar Aalto Studio in Helsinki.

Päivi Kujanen performs frequently in Finland but also internationally. She has been invited to appear at events such as Finland’s Independence Day reception, hosted by the President.

Today, Kujanen not only performs but composes extensively. Her recent major project, Under the Northern Skies, is a short film retelling the adventures of Lemminkäinen, a handsome and short-tempered young man from Finnish mythology.

“When I write songs, I often draw from my own life. But with this film, the inspiration naturally came from the Kalevala.”

Kujanen coproduced the film and composed its entire score, with the script constructed around her music. The film has travelled widely on the international festival circuit and collected a string of awards.

It feels particularly fitting, as the kantele occupies a central position in the Kalevala. And in Päivi Kujanen’s life, too.

By Emilia Kangasluoma, photos by Annukka Pakarinen, February 2026

Regenerative tourism in Finland gives travel a deeper meaning

Life & societyTravel

Regenerative tourism aims to have a positive impact on the destinations where it operates. Would you be willing to spend part of your holiday volunteering? For Tiina Polo, the answer is an obvious yes.

“In our family, we like to be active anyway,” says Polo. “Protecting nature while getting physical exercise at the same time seemed like a splendid combination.”

In February 2025, Polo and her family joined a small group on the shores of Lake Saimaa to build artificial snowdrifts. Their aim: to help the Saimaa ringed seal, an endangered species found only in Finland.

The seals rely on deep snowbanks to dig out their breeding lairs. During mild winters, natural snow cover may be insufficient, and seal pups can perish as a result.

Five people are using wide shovels to push snow into a huge pile for Saimaa ringed seals in eastern Finland.

As part of their holiday, volunteers help pile up artificial snowdrifts where Saimaa ringed seals can dig breeding lairs.Photo: Jarno Artika/Karelia Cottages

Volunteers use shovels to pile snow into drifts at carefully chosen spots. In recent years, these efforts have helped dozens of pups survive winters with little natural snow.

How it’s done: Watch volunteers make a snowdrift for Saimaa ringed seals.Video: Jarno Artika/Karelia Cottages

Building on these efforts, Karelia Cottages, a small family enterprise in eastern Finland, has explored turning this important work into a travel experience that can make a tangible difference. Their idea is to offer seal-themed winter weekends where guests can actively participate in creating the snowdrifts and learn about the seals’ delicate ecosystem.

In 2025, challenging weather conditions allowed only one of three planned weekends to go ahead – the one that Polo and her family attended. Katri Vuorjoki, managing director of Karelia Cottages, says that she intends to continue offering the seal weekends in the coming years.

From sustainability to regeneration

Five people are gathered around an enormous mound of snow, with their hands raised in triumph.

After a lot of hard work, the snowbank reaches a viable level on the measuring stick.Photo: Jarno Artika/Karelia Cottages

The seal weekends are just one example of the growing travel-industry trend known as regenerative tourism.

Whereas sustainable tourism focuses on minimising harm, regenerative tourism expressly aims to have a positive impact on the travel destination’s people, societies, cultures and ecosystems. Although definitions vary, it often involves tourists in hands-on activities – planting trees, removing invasive species or helping the local community in someway.

Similar trends are gaining ground in other countries as well, from reef restoration in Indonesia to rewilding holidays in Scotland.

“The travel industry in Finland has faced many challenges, and regenerative tourism could offer some new opportunities,” says Elli Vento, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Eastern Finland.

She is part of a project coordinated by the Natural Resources Institute Finland, which aims to promote regenerative tourism by building networks and developing new thematic tourism experiences.

An aerial view shows part of a lake with myriad islands dotting its surface.

Saimaa, Finland’s largest lake, with a water surface area of 4,400 square kilometres (1,700 square miles), is a vast array of islands and inlets in eastern Finland.Photo: Jarno Artika/Karelia Cottages

Since Finland’s unspoiled environment is a major draw for visitors, Vento sees the largest regenerative tourism potential in nature-based experiences, which may also include elements related to local heritage. She points to the popular Shepherd for a Week holidays, as well as a “cow camp” offered by a farm in eastern Finland, as existing examples.

Vento says that regenerative tourism probably won’t appeal to mass-market travellers. However, it could still resonate with people who seek a different kind of meaningful experience. The key lies in designing the right kinds of travel products and connecting with potential customers.

Ideas for every season

Two small children in winter clothes eat apples while adults shoveling snow are visible in the background.

There’s time to enjoy a picnic while out on the lake.Photo: Jarno Artika/Karelia Cottages

Karelia Cottages is thinking beyond winter. While seal weekends may be limited to a few weeks in midwinter, the company is developing new activities in the same spirit for other times of year.

“We’re currently in the process of creating a map of nearby birdhouses,” says Vuorjoki. “Our visitors can then go around and clean the birdhouses before the migratory birds arrive. They can also build new birdhouses and hang them in trees along a nature trail.”

Tourism that restores and regenerates allows travellers to become stewards, not just spectators.

By Juha Mäkinen, February 2026

Finnish winter fun: Zooming across a frozen lake on an ice route

Life & societyWinter

On a day like this, winter in Finland shows its best side. There is hardly any wind, and the sun is shining in a cloudless sky so brightly that sunglasses are essential. By this point in the season, its rays already feel pleasantly warm, even though the air temperature is minus ten degrees Celsius (14 degrees Fahrenheit).

On Lake Tuusula in southern Finland, the view is an endless expanse of gleaming white snow. A well-maintained, clearly marked “ice route” extends across the surface, ploughed and prepared for skaters, skiers and other outdoor enthusiasts. Groomed cross-country ski tracks run parallel to the ploughed tracks where people are skating or walking.

People stroll and skate across a wide frozen lake on a sunny winter weekend, following snowy tracks under a clear sky.

On a sunny weekend, as many as 10,000 people may visit Lake Tuusula.

It feels as if the whole of Finland has gathered here. Skaters speed past in an endless stream towards the horizon, eventually becoming distant dots against the snow.

We move with the flow towards the lake’s northern end, passing Finnish flags fluttering over the ice and people skating, kicksledding, skiing and cycling. At times, someone speeds past hanging on to a snowkite while standing on skis or a snowboard. Further along, ponies make their way across the lake.

Two adults and two children sit together on a pile of packed snow beside a frozen lake, dressed in winter coats and helmets, with ice skates on their feet.

The Vuorinen family visits the frozen lake several times a week. Jonna and Ilkka live in nearby Järvenpää, with their children Ahti and Hugo.

There are lots of people out and about, but it doesn’t feel crowded. The ice route is wide – about 80 metres (87 yards) across – and stretches for seven kilometres (4.5 miles).

Every now and then, a passenger plane flies overhead, a reminder that Helsinki–Vantaa Airport is only about 20 kilometres (12 miles) away.

Ice routes all around

A winter guide smiles while holding a kicksled, a sled that has handlebars, outside a small lakeside hut, with snow on the ground and more gear by the entrance.

Along the shores of Lake Tuusula, visitors can rent Nordic ice skates (touring skates) and kicksleds. Wilderness guide Helmi Turunen works for Retkiisi, which offers guide services and equipment.

Before the advent of cars, ice-covered lakes offered Finns a convenient shortcut when travelling by sleigh to church or to visit neighbours on the opposite shore. Those sleigh rides are now a thing of the past. Today, people head out onto the ice for leisure and exercise, enjoying the scenery and the crisp winter weather.

The number of maintained routes on frozen lakes seems to have increased in recent years. Judging by social media, they can now be found across the country: some stretch only a few kilometres, others much farther. One of the longest runs through Punkaharju in eastern Finland. Measuring around 17 kilometres (ten miles), it winds through the heart of a stunning esker landscape formed during the last Ice Age.

Three women stand on cross-country skis in the snow, holding poles and smiling in bright winter sunlight.

Sini Saarenharju, Mari Ojala and Seija Kuparinen pause at the café at Vanhankylä Manor during a ski outing. From one end of the lake to the other, the skiing track totals 14 kilometres (8.5 miles).

The ice route on Lake Tuusula is probably the most popular in southern Finland – and for good reason. A volunteer team known as the Ice Observation Men (Jäähavaintomiehet in Finnish) maintain the marked path and provide up-to-date information about conditions. On snowy days, their work can stretch to 20 hours.

Ice Observation Man and long-standing tourism entrepreneur Juha Jäntti was involved in establishing the ice route, which has now been maintained for around ten years.

“The idea is that the ice route is for everyone and that there is a good spirit among people,” Jäntti says. “On the wide ice route, there is space to enjoy the winter.”

Safety first

A woman in winter clothes stands on a snowy track beside a dog on a lead and a kicksled, under a clear winter sky.

“There haven’t always been this many people at Lake Tuusula,” Päivi Tähtinen says. “The popularity of the ice route is due to how well it is maintained.”

Even when the ice appears safe, it is wise to treat natural conditions with humility. In their updates, the Ice Observation Men regularly remind people that the ice may be thinner than expected outside the marked route. It can give way in reed beds, near jetties, or close to drainage outlets, for instance.

“We cannot guarantee that the ice is strong enough on every part of the lake,” Jäntti says.

On Lake Tuusula, it’s clear that many people take this message seriously. Setting an example is Päivi Tähtinen, who glides across the ice with her kicksled and her dog Marcel. Around her neck hangs the most important piece of safety equipment: ice picks – handheld spikes designed to help you pull yourself out if you should fall through the ice.

While falling through the ice is rare on the maintained track, slips are another matter. And oops, there goes another skater. Falls are common on a busy day like this. In addition to ice picks, skaters are advised to wear a helmet.

Activities for all tastes

People gather near a small building at Fjällbo Jetty on a snowy lakeshore, with pine trees rising behind the frozen lake.

Fjällbo Jetty is one of the best-known landmarks on Lake Tuusula.

As we continue towards the northern end of Lake Tuusula, the atmosphere begins to resemble a public festival. Cafés and campfires dot the ice, offering places to warm up and grill marshmallows.

The jetty at Fjällbo, known for its distinctive triangular structure, is visible from far away. Small groups gather along its edge to sit and chat. At a nearby café run by students from Tuusula Upper Secondary School, visitors can buy hot juice and doughnuts.

Some cafés operate on a pop-up basis. Moving on from Fjällbo towards Onnela on the opposite shore, we come across an open-fire grill run by Juha-Matti Tamminen, where chicken and mushroom skewers are sizzling away. He also offers lentil and sweet potato soup, which receives plenty of praise from customers.

A man in winter clothing serves food to a customer at an outdoor grill on a snowy lakeshore.

Juha-Matti Tamminen serves lentil soup and chicken skewers on the shore at Onnela.

Tamminen says he came up with the idea of selling food only recently and set up his grill at short notice. The response has been slightly overwhelming, with a steady stream of customers lining up for a portion. Tamminen is the sole employee, so when the grill runs out of firewood, he has to pause sales while he chops more himself.

What makes the Lake Tuusula ice route special is that it seems to offer something for everyone. A sledging hill? Yes. A sauna and ice swimming? Absolutely.

People walk along a snow-covered path beside a wooden café building near a frozen lake, while others sit outside in the sun.

Several places along the Lake Tuusula ice route offer food and drink. The café at Vanhankylä Manor has a cosy atmosphere.

On the opposite shore from Fjällbo, slightly further north, lies Vanhankylänniemi, home to a lakeside sauna. There’s also a hole in the ice where visitors can plunge into the freezing water, as is the Finnish custom. Nearby stands the idyllic Vanhankylä Manor, which sells handicrafts and runs a café.

Two skiers stand beside Vanhankylä Manor, a wooden building, with skis propped upright in the snow.

The café at Vanhankylä Manor is a popular stop among skiers and other outdoor enthusiasts.

To round off the day with fine art, you can stop at Halosenniemi, the former home of renowned artist Pekka Halonen (1865–1933), known for his paintings of snowy landscapes and trees. The Halonen family’s impressive log-built wilderness studio is visible from the marked track, making it easy to step off the ice and into the museum to warm up.

More ice routes in Finland

  • The Punkaharju ice route in eastern Finland runs through stunning scenery and is maintained daily. At 17 kilometres (ten miles), it is one of the longest in Finland. The route is subject to a fee.
  • Koli National Park in eastern Finland: In one of the country’s best-known landscapes, forested peaks rise next to an ice route on Lake Pielinen. The trail stretches approximately 2.5 kilometres (1.5 miles) in one direction.
  • The Porvoo ice route, on the sea ice of southern Finland, varies in length. It has no official operator.

A brief guide to ice safety

  • Always check ice conditions and local warnings before heading out.
  • Avoid areas with currents, near shorelines, under bridges and around any open water. Do not approach shipping lanes.
  • It’s preferable to travel with a companion.
  • Carry a set of ice picks around your neck. They are handles with sharp metal points at one end, to help you grip the ice and pull yourself out if you fall through.
  • Keep your phone in a waterproof pouch.
  • If you plan to take up Nordic skating (long-distance tour skating), take a course first.

By Anitra Rönkkö, photos by Sami Heiskanen, February 2026

Where Finnish snow-how meets “Wow!”

Life & societyTravel

Kemi Snow Castle

The castle has a year-round snow and ice experience SnowExperience365 on the ground floor, where you can admire ice sculptures, slide down an ice slide and dine at the ice tables with advance reservation. In winter SnowCastle Winter Park opens outside with snow fun like the snow maze, tube hill and hoijakka, a traditional type of sledge carousel. During the winter months the castle also serves as the final destination for three-hour icebreaker cruises departing from Tornio and Haparanda. 

SnowExperience365 open year round, SnowCastle Winter Park usually from mid-January to April 

An enormous-looking statue of an octopus made out of snow stands in a room whose walls also appear to be made of snow and ice.

Lapland Hotels Snow Village, Lainio, Kittilä

The Snow Village gets built from scratch every winter, and delights its visitors with stunning ice art. The 2026 theme is the underwater world, which will also be reflected in the decor of their unique luxury ice suite.  

Open December to April 

Two people in bathrobes and slippers walk down a hallway whose walls, floor and ceiling are made of snow and ice.

 Arctic Snow Hotel, Rovaniemi

The hotel’s ice sauna and snow restaurant welcome visitors during the winter season, but you can try your hand at ice sculpting or stay in a glass igloo any day of the year.  

Hotel open year round, ice hotel and snow restaurant December to March  

A row of large ice sculptures portrays various Moomin characters from Finnish author and artist Tove Jansson's books.

Moomin Ice Cave, Leppävirta near Kuopio

Slide down the ice chute to meet ice sculpture versions of the beloved Moomin characters created by Finnish author and artist Tove Jansson. If it gets too chilly, just return to ground level and warm up in pools and saunas at Vesileppis Spa. 

Open year round 

Warm, windproof and Finnish: How Finns dress for the ski tracks

Life & societyWinter

It’s minus 16 degrees Celsius (minus three degrees Fahrenheit) and the wind has a sharp edge to it. Yet the tracks are calling. Skiing with frostbitten toes is no pleasure, but neither is breaking into a sweat within the first few metres. So how should you dress for winter exercise when temperatures plunge?

We headed to ski trails in Finland’s capital, Helsinki, and to Kuusamo up north, to ask skiers what they rely on when the mercury drops.

Matilda, 3, skiing in Kuusamo

Matilda is wrapped up in a bright orange padded snowsuit, with merino wool layers underneath. Her hat and gloves are firm favourites.

“I like pink. It’s my favourite colour.”

An older man and woman in winter clothing pose on skis in the snow with trees behind them.

Pentti, 81, and Maija, 73, skiing in Helsinki

“We’ve skied in Lapland [in northern Finland] dozens of times, so that’s where I learned how to dress for the cold,” says Pentti. “Today it is minus five degrees, so the weather couldn’t be better for cross-country skiing. I’m wearing base layers and fleece under my ski suit. The suit itself is old. I think we men tend to keep our clothes for a long time. For example, I can’t give up my hat. My wife can spot me from far away just by recognising it.”
Maija adds, “I wear thermal layers, a ski suit and a gilet. I always protect my face carefully.”

A man skis along a snowy trail behind a woman out of focus in the foreground, both wearing winter clothing.

Jari, 72, skiing in Kuusamo

“Clothes shouldn’t make you sweat. Some outfits trap moisture. With merino wool, you don’t feel damp. I’m also carrying extra woollen layers in my rucksack, as it is almost minus 20 degrees Celsius [minus four degrees Fahrenheit] at the moment.”

A cross-country skier in winter clothing stands with ski poles, with pine trees and another skier behind.

Tuula, 68, skiing in Helsinki

“I’m wearing some old thermal trousers and a very old jacket, as they keep the wind out. Underneath I have merino wool and cotton. I usually dress quite warmly. Even today I’m carrying mittens, because as I’ve gotten older my fingers get cold more easily.”

A man and woman stand on cross-country skis with trees heavy with snow behind them.

Keijo, 62, and Essi, 32, skiing in Kuusamo

“My hat is about 20 years old and it still does the job,” says Keijo. “My base layers are breathable and the outer layer is windproof. It’s windy now, but the cold doesn’t cut straight through you. When skiing, it’s important not to wear too much.”

Essi says, “I wear slightly newer gear. I’m into sports equipment. I get cold easily, so staying warm is the key.”

Young children dressed in warm snowsuits and hats ski along a track in the snow with adults nearby.

Edda, 18 months old, skiing in Kuusamo

Edda is wearing her big brother’s old snowsuit and skiing for the second time in her life. Her skis are attached directly to her regular boots. Ski poles are not yet necessary.

Two people stand on cross-country skis holding poles on a snowy field with trees in the background.

Antti, 26, and Riku, 25, skiing in Helsinki

“I’m wearing a base layer with running trousers on top,” Antti says. “The jacket is actually meant for cycling, but it works well for skiing too. Layering is essential. I’m sensitive around my face, so a neck gaiter and sports glasses offer protection.”

Riku adds, “For me, it’s important to dress appropriately for what I’m doing. Today that means base layers and a tracksuit. I borrowed these skis from Antti.”

A woman holding ski poles stands on cross-country skis in a snowy landscape.

Ritva, 72, skiing in Kuusamo

“I have a merino wool base layer, a second insulating layer and a Finnish Raiski outdoor suit on me. I have two pairs of thin socks on and a beanie that covers my ears. Layering is wise in freezing temperatures. I’ve also learned that ski gloves shouldn’t be too thick – I originally bought these for motorcycling. I always wear contact lenses when skiing, as glasses fog up too easily.”

A small child in a brown snowsuit skis across snow with trees in the background.

Aape, 3, skiing in Kuusamo

Aape is dressed in a padded snowsuit by Finnish brand Reima, with a woollen overall underneath and a hat on his head. He went on his first ski outing a couple years ago.

Text and photos by Emilia Kangasluoma, February 2026

Finnish youth turn climate ideas into action in Turku

Life & societySustainability

In Turku, a city in southwestern Finland, young people have taken a strong role in the city’s climate action. Turku is the only Finnish city participating in the global Youth Climate Action Fund programme, funded by Bloomberg Philanthropies.

In 2024 and 2025, the City of Turku funded 29 climate projects with a total of 111,000 euros. As a result, thousands of young residents have participated in climate-related events, campaigns and training sessions. The projects have been visible in everyday city life through events, workshops, climate art and practical actions.

The Puhurin Pojat scout troop built a battery and solar power system for their boat, enabling electricity generation without a diesel engine. The organisation HangFlow explored sustainable consumption and the circular economy through art, community and hands-on activity. “When you see how consumption affects the environment, you have to choose: continue as before or change course. We chose change,” says Hannaneh Mahmoudian from HangFlow.

The impact, however, extends far beyond Turku. The Youth Climate Action Fund connects cities across the globe, building a bridge between young people’s everyday actions and international climate policy.

Polar-night hike: A winter walk in the northern Finnish woods

Life & societyTravel

Even wearing snowshoes, you sink knee-deep into the powder. Progress is slow, laborious, with a heavy backpack pressing against your shoulders.

The temperature hovers close to minus 20 degrees Celsius (minus four degrees Fahrenheit), and the sun barely musters the strength to rise above the horizon. It is one of the darkest days of the year in Oulanka National Park in northern Finland.

And yet, in the cold and darkness, this feels like the perfect moment for a polar-night hike.

A partially frozen river winds between steep, snow-laden banks and frost-covered trees in the Kiutaköngäs rapids in northern Finland.

Kiutaköngäs, situated in northern Kuusamo, is a striking stretch of rapids, impressive to visit and admire at any time of year.

A hiker in winter gear prepares firewood outside a wooden shelter surrounded by snow and stacked logs, in northern Finland.

Finnish wilderness huts and rest shelters are often ascetic, but they are free for everyone to use. At our hut by the Oulanka River, there is a generous supply of firewood in the yard – splitting it soon warms you up, even in the deep cold.

A small wooden basket filled with chopped firewood stands on snow at night, lit by a headlamp that casts a sharp shadow.

Good manners dictate leaving at least one basket of chopped firewood at the wilderness hut for the next visitors.

Reading the winter landscape

Reindeer tracks. Someone has passed this way before us. The snow is a canvas, every print leaving behind a story.
Soon, the sound of rushing water cuts through the silence. Even the sharpest frost cannot stop Kiutaköngäs, the powerful rapids of the Oulanka River. Elsewhere, the river is already sealed beneath a thick layer of white ice.

The forest speaks, too. Trees crack and groan in the cold, loud enough to set the imagination racing. Did something just move behind that spruce? Breathing slows, listening takes over.

A snow-covered hillside fades into darkness as light snow drifts past icy branches glowing faintly in the night.

In the dark, the imagination starts to wander. Is there a herd of reindeer watching from somewhere just beyond view? Or is it something else entirely?

The air is so cold that it almost stings. Long strands of pale lichen hang heavily from the pine branches.

A recent storm has brought down several trees. Are we still on the trail? Hunger starts to gnaw. Luckily, there’s some chocolate in your pocket – frozen, but welcome all the same.

There is still a lingering twilight. And what a light it is. The sky turns soft pink, then every imaginable shade of blue. When darkness finally settles shortly after midday, the stars and the moon illuminate the snow so brightly that it never feels completely dark at all.

Woolly sock-clad feet are balanced against a warm wooden wall.

In the wilderness, a mobile phone is of little use, and in subzero temperatures its battery would not last long anyway. This offers a rare opportunity to be properly offline.

A pale cloud illuminated by white light drifts against a background of pitch-black darkness.

Before the spring sun begins to glint off the snow, nature is notably quiet. In the depth of midwinter, only a handful of walkers are out and about.

A hiker wearing a red hat carries firewood across a snowy clearing at night, surrounded by tall trees.

In freezing conditions, dressing in layers is essential. Start with wool or merino wool as a base, add further wool or down for insulation and finish with a windproof outer layer. In the dark, a head torch is an indispensable companion.

A night in a wilderness hut

By the beam of our headlamps, we find our place for the night. The wilderness hut is cold and empty – the guestbook notes the last visitors were here two months ago – but candles and a fire in the stove soon make it feel cosy.

There is still work to be done.

Firewood is plentiful, but it needs sawing and splitting first. There is no well, so melted snow will have to do for drinking water.

We eat dinner still wearing our woollen hats and winter jackets.

A bright moon shines above a line of trees, casting pale light across a frozen landscape at night.

Finland’s national parks offer hundreds of kilometres of trails for hiking during the snow-free months. In winter, some routes are maintained, but mostly it is a matter of luck whether someone has passed along the trail before you. Especially in winter, navigation skills are essential.

Glowing embers and flames burn inside a wood stove, casting warm light in the dark.

In freezing conditions, heating a wilderness hut with a wood-burning stove is work in itself. Firewood must still be used sparingly: hauling it into the middle of the fells or the forest is both costly and laborious.

Headlamp beams light a small table as two hikers eat inside a dim wooden shelter at night.

On a winter trek, the essentials are moving, staying warm, resting and, of course, eating. In subzero temperatures, your body consumes energy at a remarkable rate. When running water is not available, you can obtain drinking water by melting snow.

Clothes and gloves hang from wooden beams inside a warmly lit cabin, drying by the heat.

Wilderness huts suitable for overnight stays are found particularly in northern Finland. Many huts have stories of their own, having served for decades as shelters for loggers or reindeer herders.

Then comes rest. Curl up inside a sleeping bag, switch off the headlamp and watch the candlelight flicker across the wooden walls. Outside, darkness stretches in every direction. Rather than emptiness, it feels more like a protective embrace.

A single headlamp glows among trees in a dark snowy forest, lighting a narrow path.

The return journey feels lighter, following our own tracks back. Until next time, forest!

Practical notes for a Finnish winter hike

What is the polar night?

The polar night (kaamos in Finnish) is an annual period when the sun does not rise above the horizon. It occurs within the Arctic Circle, lasting longer the further you travel north toward the pole. In Nuorgam, Finland’s northernmost village, it lasts for more than 50 days. The polar night, however, does not mean complete darkness. In midwinter, the sky fills with shifting shades of pink and blue, a kind of twilight. If you’re lucky, you will see the northern lights appear, too.

A person skis along a narrow trail through a snow-covered forest of tall pine trees.

The northern reaches of Oulanka National Park lie on the edge of the Arctic Circle. Areas north of it experience the polar night each year.

How do you hike in winter?

Winter hiking is safest for those with solid experience of trekking in varied conditions. Always check weather forecasts and inform someone of your route and schedule. Essential equipment includes a first-aid kit, spare clothing, sufficient food, a stove, a headlamp and a properly rated winter sleeping bag, as well as a high-quality shelter.

In winter, travel is done on either skis or snowshoes. You carry your gear in a backpack or, more commonly, pull it behind you on a type of sled called a pulk in English and ahkio in Finnish.

Beginners might want to start with day trips to gain more experience. Late winter often offers easier conditions than midwinter: the snowpack is more likely to be firm, and daylight stretches well into the afternoon.

Trails, parks and huts in Finland

Finland has an extensive network of marked trails. All 41 national parks in Finland are free to access year-round. Always check local regulations, as camping is usually permitted only in designated areas. Many parks offer shelters and wilderness huts for overnight stays.

Hut etiquette is simple: make room for those who arrive after you, leave chopped firewood behind and clean the hut so it is at least as tidy as when you arrived. More details about Finnish national parks and huts are available online on a website called Luontoon (“into nature”).

Text and photos by Emilia Kangasluoma, February 2026

Momentous Sámi exhibition arrives at Helsinki’s Kiasma Museum

Arts & cultureVisual arts

Their northern homeland, called Sápmi, is divided into four parts by the borders of the nation-states Finland, Sweden, Norway and Russia. We Who Remain (March 23–September 6, 2026) invites audiences to experience Sámi identity through the voices of the Sámi themselves.

Curated by Sámi rights advocate, essayist and musician Petra Laiti, the exhibition presents contemporary art by and about the Sámi community, featuring 20 artists with pieces ranging from the 1970s to the present.

We Who Remain is a joint production of Kiasma and Sámi Museum Siida, located in Inari, northern Finland. “Sámi contemporary art is receiving growing international attention,” says Taina Máret Pieski, Siida’s director. “This is the first major exhibition of Sámi contemporary art and duodji [Sámi handicrafts] ever held in Helsinki.”

Deep significance

A woman, curator Petra Laiti, in a red traditional Sámi hat and a coat with some fur lining visible, stands in a snowy landscape with mountains visible in the background.

Sámi rights advocate, essayist and musician Petra Laiti is the curator of We Who Remain.
Photo: Lotta Hurnanen

Pieski calls it “deeply significant” that the curator is also Sámi: “Petra Laiti’s curatorial concept powerfully weaves together our people’s past and present.”

The Sápmi region existed long before the emergence of Nordic nation-states or national ideologies. The exhibition highlights the complexities of the Sámi experience, showing how Sámi identity endures and flourishes despite external pressures.

“The Nordic peoples have been taught that Sápmi never even existed, and if it did, it was not what the Sámi themselves say it was – or that its existence ended for reasons other than those we still feel in our bones,” Laiti has written.

“Don’t let that fool you. Before there were Nordic countries, there was Sápmi. Not a state in today’s sense, nor a nationality as defined by passports, but a nation. And in the past, it was the only nation that called these lands home.”

By ThisisFINLAND staff, February 2026