Environment - thisisFINLAND

5 reasons to love Finnish porcini mushrooms

The word porcini means “piglets” in Italian. In English they go by “penny bun” and “king bolete.” These are only a few of the many names people use to refer to this beloved wild mushroom. Here’s why you should love them too.

Life & society Nature

Discover the wild herbs growing across Finland

Finland’s forests are full of flavour. Meet the wild herbs hiding in plain sight.

Life & society History

Then and now in photos: Helsinki 50 years after the Cold War summit

As Finland hosts an anniversary event marking 50 years since the historic OSCE summit and the signing of the Helsinki Final Act, we return to the city streets where history happened. Paired images show iconic Helsinki locations in 1975 and 2025, offering a glimpse of how much has changed.

179,584

Number of islands in Finland

Source: Eupedia

Life & society Sauna

Finnish architect Sami Rintala tells us how saunas got hotter than ever

Inspiration from Finland is prompting a global sauna boom, thanks to architects such as Sami Rintala, whose designs can be found in Japan, Norway, Romania and the UK. He tells us how saunas got so hot.

Life & society Lifestyle

An ode to the joys of Finnish summer cottages

From coastal islands to inland forests, our American reporter explores the quiet joy – and hard work – of Finland’s summer-cottage traditions.

75%

of Finnish land area is forest

Source: Natural Resources Institute Finland

Business & innovation Sustainability

Savouring sustainable eating in Finland

We visit two innovative Finnish businesses – a discount retailer and a Michelin Green Star restaurant – to see how food culture is shifting from consumption to conservation.

Life & society Nature

Where the skies speak: Finland’s southern tip is a birdwatcher’s paradise

At the Hanko Bird Observatory in southern Finland, a reporter joins biologist Aki Aintila and volunteers as they track hundreds of thousands of migratory birds and marvel at the stories the skies reveal.

Business & innovation Innovation

7 surprising things that Finnish companies are making out of wood

Clothes, car batteries, fish feed – you name it. Some of the world’s most creative and commercially promising wood-based innovations come from Finland, and many are made from industry by-products. Here are just a few.