Finland

The Finland you encounter will depend on the season of your visit, but whatever the month, there’s something pure in the Finnish air and spirit that’s vital and exciting. With towering forests speckled by picture-perfect lakes, as if an artist had flicked a blue-dipped paintbrush at the map, Suomi offers some of Europe’s best hiking, kayaking and canoeing. A fabulous network of national parks has well-marked routes and regularly spaced huts for overnighting, and you can observe bears and elk deep in the forests on nature-watching trips. Finland isn’t just vast expanses of pristine wilderness. Vibrant cities stock the country’s southern areas, headlined by the capital, Helsinki, an electrifying urban space with world-renowned design and music scenes.