Posted: 02/09/2007--25/11/2008 || Rate this Article: 3 || Views|| Sign In || Register ||Hello Guest
On planning a vacation to Finland, one will be pleasantly surprised at how family-oriented the country is. Whether your family is active or seeking a more cultural experience, Finland will be sure to please everyone of all tastes from the youngest child to the hard-to-please teenager. Finland is a large European country with interesting attractions in all its regions.
Helsinki, the nations capital, is perhaps the most popular place for the tourist to visit. This city boasts eleven museums such as the Finnish National Gallery, the Museum of Cultures, and the Maritime Museum. The city also has a zoo with a wide variety of animal species and the local amusement park, Linnanmaki is a day happily spent. Also near Helsinki is the Serena Water Park, the largest park of that type in all of Europe. Even in the heart of winter, you and your family can slide down water slides and float in heated wave pools. This Water Park also has a ski center attached to it.
A trip to Finland is not complete until one takes in the scenery of the countryside. A country of mountains and beautiful forests, there are many places to hike. Other sports that the country provides is, of course, cross-country and alpine skiing, snowboarding, mountain biking, snowmobile safaris, fishing, and husky-drawn sleigh rides. This Scandinavian country is one of the most beautiful in Europe since so many of its forests are well maintained and well cared for.
While touring the countryside, there are many other attractions to see. Castles and ruins are numerous as are the lighthouses which give the tourist a beautiful view of the sea. The Untamala Archaeology center, located in the village of Laitila, allows tourists to walk amongst the ancient graves of a stone age graveyard and a medieval village.
The Northern region of Lapland is almost a vacation in itself. Here lies the infamous Snow Castle, or Luni Linna as the Finnish people call it. This hotel is sculpted entirely from ice and even has a restaurant that serves warm meals and beverages. While staying there, you and your family can visit the Ranua Wildlife Park. This park has large enclosures for its 150 species of native animals including the polar bear.
An activity that native Fins enjoy is ice water swimming. This is where they change into bathing suits and warm themselves in saunas and then run into a nearby frozen lake to cool off.
If you and your family want to stay in one place then Finland also has a wide variety of resorts. Tahko, which is located in central Finland has three hotels and 650 holiday apartments. A family can golf here or go canoeing, hiking, or skiing as the weather permits. Another great family resort is the Kalajoki Sand Dunes. Open only in summer, the kids can play for hours in the long, shallow beaches and then go to the Juku Juku Maa Amusement Park. There are also a spa, an animal park, and great nightclubs that suit all tastes.
Finland is not only a beautiful place to go on vacation, but a fun experience as well. Everyone in your family will enjoy the warmth and enthusiasm that this country invokes.
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