thisisFINLAND

Helsinki’s uniquely beautiful winter soul

Helsinki provides uniquely beautiful winter views that combine snow, ice, sky and ocean – all within a few steps of the city centre.

Life & society Environment

Forecast fair for weather expertise exports

The Finns know weather – they experience quite a bit of it – and now Finnish meteorological know-how is in global demand.

Arts & culture Art

Begin the year brightly

Light shows shower Helsinki landmarks and parks with colour, texture and contrast as 2011 gets started.

Business & innovation Innovation

Choking off cancer cells

We’re one of the first nonspecialist publications to hear how professor Kari Alitalo and his team are breaking ground with a new procedure to limit or even halt a cancer tumour’s growth.

Life & society Education

Knowledge, skills – and time to grow up

At Finnish daycare Satusoppi, kids play to learn. They also visit world-famous designer Eero Aarnio to share ideas and draw.

Life & society Travel

Allegro speeds up Saint Petersburg line

The new, high-speed train Allegro cuts more than two hours off travel time between Helsinki and the former city of the tsars.

Life & society Education

Finns score high again in PISA

In the 2009 Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), Finland maintains a place near the top of the tables in all categories: reading, mathematics and science.

Christmas Cuisine

Beginning to taste a lot like Christmas

By Peter Marten, December 2010 Chef Hans Välimäki of Finland’s undisputed number one restaurant, Chez Dominique, teams up with Helsinki design hotel Klaus K…

Christmas Finnishness

Strangest Greetings from Santa and 23 other extraordinary Finns

This December we’re proud to present an online exhibition showcasing Finland’s weird and wonderful creativity. Twenty-four artists and musicians post refreshingly unconventional Christmas messages to capture your imagination. Enjoy!

Arts & culture Film

A wildly different Christmas movie

This one is not for kids: Rare Exports turns the concept of the Christmas film – and of Christmas itself – on its head.

Christmas Christmas traditions

Old-time magic at Finland’s Christmas markets

Christmas markets in Porvoo and other locations in Finland offer locally made gifts and goodies.

Life & society Environment

Finnish bioenergy show-how grows

Green energy promoters around the world are watching eastern Finland, Europe’s leading region in sustainable wood energy.

Life & society Slideshows

Quiet corners in the Finnish capital

We open a book that takes you off the beaten path in Helsinki, in words and photos – see the slideshow.

Life & society Cuisine

Big fuss about small beers in Finland

Finland offers beer-lovers a growing number of tasty alternatives to the generic uniformity of the big global brands.