Holidays in finland

Russian tourists often visit Finland. There are many reasons why you should come here at least once. First, the flight from Russia to Finland is only about one and a half hours. Secondly, here you can see stunningly beautiful northern lights, live in a fabulous hut right in the forest, have a cup of tea with Santa Claus in his village, and finally, relax in the famous Finnish sauna.

How to get to Finland?

Finland is very close, just a stone's throw away! You can get to the capital of Finland - Helsinki - by plane. When departing from Moscow, the flight duration will be about 100 minutes. When departing from St. Petersburg, the time spent in flight will be equal to one hour.

In addition to the plane, Finland can also be reached by train. A corporate train to Helsinki, the “Leo Tolstoy”, is sent daily from Moscow. Travel time will be about 14 hours. Residents of St. Petersburg can also take this train, and for them the duration of the journey will be slightly less than 7 hours.

In addition, a new high-speed train from St. Petersburg to Helsinki was recently launched. Travel time is only 3 hours and 40 minutes.

Customs in Finland

• Import into the country of national or foreign currency can be in any quantity, without any restrictions. As for the importation of alcoholic beverages, the following rules apply. Without paying the duty, you can import 1 liter of strong alcoholic beverages with a strength of more than 22 degrees, no more than 2 liters of alcoholic beverages with a strength of not more than 22 degrees, 2 liters of champagne, not more than 4 liters of wine or 16 liters of beer. In addition, the fact that a tourist carrying alcoholic beverages must be at least 18 years old is stipulated.
• Rules for the importation of tobacco products. A tourist can import 200 cigarettes, 100 cigarillos, 250 g of tobacco or 50 cigars duty free.
• 100 g of tea, or 40 g of tea extract, or tea essence can be imported duty free. Those tourists who have already turned 15 are allowed to import 500 g of coffee or 200 g of coffee essence.
• Perfume is allowed to be imported - not more than 50 ml, or toilet water - not more than 250 ml.

• Strictly prohibited from importing meat, meat products, milk and dairy products, as well as poultry eggs.
• Those things that are not on the list are allowed to be imported, but only for an amount not exceeding 430 euros (and beer is included in this amount).
• It is possible to import those goods, the quantity of which is regulated, in the aggregate quantity, but not exceeding the specified quantity. For example, you can import 100 cigarettes and 25 cigars duty free.

Transport in Finland

If you want to travel from one city to another in Finland, you can take a bus, a train, or take a plane. Within the same city movement is carried out by bus, tram and subway. You can purchase a ticket in advance at any newsstand. This can be done directly in the transport - you need to enter through the front door and purchase a ticket from the driver.

The cost of a ticket for one train ranges from 1.1 to 1.5 euros. You can purchase a ticket for 10 trips, it will cost 12 euros.

Schedule metro-from 5.25 am to 23.20 pm. Please note that on Sundays the time interval for public transport is extended.

You can rent a car, so as not to depend on the schedule of urban transport. To do this, you must be at least 21 years old, you must have an internationally recognized driver’s license with you and at least 1 year of driving experience. In addition, you must have a credit card on which a certain amount is temporarily blocked.

If you only need a car for rent in Finland for a one-way trip, you will also have to pay for its return haul and gasoline.

Finnish currency

The official currency of Finland is Euro. For 1 Euro will need to pay almost 41 rubles. You can exchange currency in banks, in exchange offices and by mail. The most favorable exchange rate is in banks. The longest working day is in the mail.

Finnish climate

The climate of this country is rather peculiar. The seasons here are pronounced.

• Winter is snowy and dark. Snow cover, even under very warm winters, is always high. Low snow cover can only be seen in coastal areas. A light day in winter starts around 10 am, and at 15.00 it is already ending. The sun does not rise high above the horizon line. Winter temperatures range from -3 degrees to -15 degrees. The lowest recorded temperature record was set in 1999. The air temperature was -51.5 degrees! However, you should not be afraid! The air here is always very dry, so it always seems that it is warmer outside than the thermometer shows.

• Spring in Finland is very short. At this time, you can see how nature comes to life and flourishes with the brightest colors.
• Summer is moderately warm. The average temperature in the south of the country reaches 20-21 degrees. In the north of the country - 14-15 degrees above zero.
• Autumn in Finland is known to the whole world for its unusually bright colors.

Where to live in Finland?

This question is one of the most important. After all, half of all impressions about the rest are made up of exactly where you lived at that time.

There are a lot of hotels in Finland. But, unlike other European countries, there is no official star. Most hotels are simple but well equipped, comfortable and cozy. In any hotel in Finland, the cost of accommodation includes the use of the sauna, located on site, and all the saunas are always of very decent quality. All breakfasts in hotels in Finland are offered in the form of a buffet.

In addition to hotels, you can always rent a house or cottage. Your choice will provide a house with the desired number of rooms, various technical equipment, different distances from the city. You can even live in a house at the foot of the mountain, is this not a fairy tale ?! You need to book a house in advance, a few months before the intended trip. The earlier you start to choose, the greater the possibility that you will find exactly what you need. Most companies offering rental services require that you make a full prepayment for the rental already 2 months prior to arrival.

Finnish cuisine

• The proximity of the sea affects the kitchen of the country. The fish here - almost the most important ingredient in all dishes. Here you can taste smoked, salted, boiled, dried, fresh, stewed and fried fish, and it will always be generously flavored with all sorts of spices and sauces. With the help of sauces, the unusual taste of ordinary fish is achieved.
• All sorts of stews, casseroles, long stewed in the oven are also loved here.
• If you happen to be in Lapland, be sure to try venison. This is an incredibly tasty dish! The meat is a little sweet and a little harsh. The dish is considered exotic, so its price is never low.
• In Finland, they love bread, and always, like us, they serve it to the table. Bake bread from wholemeal flour with the addition of bran. In addition, the Finns are very fond of coffee, so you can drink a cup of hot drink in any cafe.
• At 11 o'clock in Finland begins lunch. At this time, people fill the cafes and restaurants. For lunch there is always a buffet with a variety of meat, fish dishes, an abundance of snacks and salads. However, at this time there may be problems with the availability of seats. Therefore, if you want to get it to lunch, you should come a little earlier.
• Finland does not produce its own wine, but in all stores and restaurants there is a wide range of wines from all over the world.

• If you want to dine late, do not forget that in all restaurants in Finland, the kitchen closes around 10-11 pm. So try to make an order in advance.
• In Finland, it is not customary to tip, but if you are well served, you can leave the waiter 1-2 dollars.

Having made a trip to Finland, you will remain absolutely fascinated by this country, you will visit, as if in a fairy tale! And if you decide to celebrate New Year in Finland, and visit the village of Santa Claus, you will never forget this trip!

Enjoy your holiday!