Finland is located in northern Europe, which means it gives a different picture in both winter and summer. But nature with its lakes and dark forests and gushing rivers doesn’t change. Finland is a land of thousands of lakes. There’s one lake per every 26 of the five million Finns. During your travel, sauna and Santa’s trails await you. This time, I give you travel tips for visiting Finland in a somewhat different way, specifically through the eyes of the Finnish Hostelling International organisation and its hostels.
The Finnish Hostelling International (Suomen Hostellijärjestö) was founded in 1935. Its founding member is the Hiking Commission of the Ministry of Education. Its primary objective was to develop camping culture in Finland. Back then, hostels could be used by young hikers, cyclists, skiers and canoeists. The first hostels were located in cottages by lakes or rivers, and they had strict house rules. During the day, guests weren’t allowed to sit down and daily showering was mandatory. It was important that every cottage had its own sauna. Today, HI Finland has around 30 partner organisations, from tourism to pensioner and youth associations. In Finland, hostels don’t serve only as separate accommodation, but are also linked to tourist centres, farms and student dorms. The organisation’s vision is for the hostels to become the first choice for travellers who are looking for cheap, cosy and social accommodation. The organisation’s main values are a sense of belonging, openness to all guests, affordability, and environmental, social and economic responsibility.
HI Finland, together with the Finnish Nature League, developed eco criteria that promote travelling within the home country and ensure that hostels are environmentally friendly. The brochures are printed on recycled paper. The hostels use eco-friendly cleaners and electricity is hundred per cent renewable. When buying new equipment or furniture, they always choose eco-friendly options. Educating their guests is also an important part of the network. The organisation, together with its hostels, strives to improve the understanding and respect of cultural differences. It promotes social activities among travellers and makes sure all people are welcome in the hostels. Most of these are family friendly. The organisation believes stable finances and ethical conduct of business are the basis for sustainable development. Profits stay in the local environment, which aids the community’s well-being as well as those of individuals.
HI Finland encompasses 50 unique hostels scattered all across the country, from the Arctic Circle to the Baltic Sea. Each one of them has its own story and specific components which make them distinct. Some are closely linked to nature and the countryside, while others pride themselves with modern city design. You can choose from different kinds of hostels, such as ones that are located at the edge of national parks or a pilot station on a remote island. What links all hostels, though, is that they’re a space that provide experience where you can meet fellow travellers. The organisation together with its partner Nordic organisations, also has a blog called Say HI to Scandinavia where most articles are about Finland and its hostels.
Finland is a land of a thousand lakes. Why not stay on an island in the middle of one of those lakes? You can do exactly that thanks to Linnansaaren Ekohostelli, which is located on the eponymous island on Lake Haukivesi. The island with its hostel is the largest one, but far from the only one on the lake. The hostel encompasses five cottages, a small café, a fireplace and, of course, a traditional Finnish sauna. There’s no electricity or running water anywhere on the island, but there are lots of hiking trails. The Hostel Ahopää is the best choice if you want to spend winter holidays in the magical Lapland. It’s located in Saariselkä in the middle of the mountains. The hostel offers cosy accommodation, delicious food, skiing, snowshoeing and hiking trips. You can have an unforgettable bathing experience under the northern lights while relaxing in a Finnish sauna. There’s also another wonderful hostel in northern Finland, namely the Visatupa. You can find it above the Arctic Circle, which means long summer days and winter nights. It’s located on a dairy farm where guests are welcome to help out and learn about Arctic farming. Nearby is an inviting lake that’s perfect for swimming in the summer, and the surroundings attract with their vast fields of blueberries. There’s also excellent traditional food.
Time Hostel in Jyväskylä was declared the best hostel of 2021. The hostel got points for its pleasant atmosphere and excellent care for the needs of its guests. The hostel opened in April 2019 and is located in a building that used to be a retirement home and later a student dorm. Each room is special and all walls were hand painted. Most of the wall paintings contain the word time. The hostel has been renovated using sustainable materials. In Turku, you’re in for an unforgettable night at Laivahostel on the SS Bore museum ship. The former steam ship is docked by the riverbank of the Aura, in front of the Forum Marinum maritime museum near the castle. You can enjoy free sauna in the morning. In the capital, Helsinki, is a hostel with a straightforward name – CheapSleep Helsinki. It gives seven reasons for why you simply have to book a stay. Among them is free breakfast and a large common room with arcade machines.
The Finnish have a solution for you even in case you want to sleep in a tent. This solution is the Bohemian Cirkus Hostel Holken in Inkoo in southern Finland. The circus wagon was once a kiosk-van in one of the most popular Finnish circuses, but is not parked at a courtyard of an old school. Sandra Perez, a Mexican artist, painted the van’s exterior in the Mexican Otomi style. At the school, you can have a meal and relax at the sauna or in the jacuzzi. The staff will also arrange a picnic at your request. The circus-style hostel is run by Pekka and Maria, a charming couple with an interesting background.
Tankar Inn is a hostel located on a lighthouse island off the coast of western Finland. The lighthouse that was built in 1889, the chapel from 1754 and the Seal Hunting Museum are the island’s most popular attractions. You can enjoy some delicious traditional Finnish salmon soup on the hostel’s terrace and spend an unforgettable night on an island in the middle of the Finnish archipelago. You can sleep in a small tower where you’ll have a 360-degree view of the surroundings.
For tips on what to see in Finland, you should check out GetYourGuide. Take a tour of Helsinki with a local guide who’ll show you all the hidden places in the city, the major attractions and the best bars. Then head out from the capital and go on a trip to the Nuuksio National Park where you’ll be guided by a professional biologist. Visit the boreal forest, the lakess and the moss-covered cliffs. Then visit Porvoo as well and discover the different side of Finland. The medieval town of wooden houses used to be visited by bards, musicians and kings. And no winter trip to Finland is complete without trying to spot the northern lights. The best place to see them is in Lapland. Travel there on a dog sled. There’s also Santa Claus village nearby. You can visit his reindeer in the summer. The reindeer farm is where you can learn about the culture of Lapland while feeding the reindeer. On a winter day, embark on a snowshoe adventure across the endless snowy landscape of Lapland and learn a few photography tricks along the way. You can also go on a kayaking tour in an archipelago of numerous islands covered in endless forests from Turku. And to top it all off, rekindle your childhood dreams in the world of the Moomins. The Moomins are adored by the Finnish children and their parents. They’re magical beings that were brought to life by the writer Tove Jansson.
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