When I’m not working, then you’ll most likely find me doing sports, in front of my computer, or ….. in Finland. Finland? Yep, that’s a nice country in Northern Europe, in case you didn’t know yet. Having a population of just above five million people, which tend to be rather quiet (but nevertheless lovely), I wouldn’t wonder if you haven’t heard of this country – until now that is.

Finland, which is called Suomi in Finnish, is a peaceful place. It’s a country of thousands of lakes which are great for a swim in summer or ice skating in winter. The mostly flat landscape is distinguished with forests and granite rocks. Latter ones  you’ll even find in the middle of Helsinki (Finland’s capital). The company most people associate with Finland is probably Nokia. A paper mill that merged with a cable company and a rubber firm to set the path to become a global player on the mobile phone market.

So why you might wonder do I like this country so much? That isn’t an easy question to answer, as there are many reasons for it. For starters I like the people. It may seem that they’re really unfriendly in the beginning, but once you realize that this is because Finns aren’t really talkative, which simply is the way they are, you will enjoy your time and appreciate their hospitality. And don’t be fooled, once you’re hitting the clubs and pubs, you will quickly realize how fun Finns can be.

Furthermore, it isn’t all that dark and cold throughout the year as a lot of people might expect. It highly depends on where you are. While in the south a summer might not be quite as long as a German summer may be, the temperatures don’t differ that much. I actually happened to have a really nice and warm summer with temperatures above the German ones a few years ago. In winter and in the northern part of the country pretty much everything is true though, what prejudices suggest. The north is pretty much dark 24/7, while the south at least has a few hours of ‘brightness’. (It really is difficult to say sun here.) But back to me liking this place. Winter is great as I love snow. As simple as that. It also has the side effect of brightnening up the day – and what could be nicer than a warm sauna with your loved one, a quick skinny-dip in the snow and a nice dinner at a fireplace afterwards.?

If you consider visiting Finland now, I would suggest going there in summer, as Helsinki’s parks, coffee bars, restaurants and live music are great for visitors. If you’re not a big fan of a bustling city life and rather would like to see the countryside, I would suggest to go hiking on one of the many trails in Finland, or rent a house next to a lake to relax, swim or go fishing. But as I mentioned, winter also has it’s positive aspects, especially when you like cross-country skiing and taking a sauna.