For the uninitiated, Finland is sauna, cold and vodka. But it is also nature, virgin territories, extensive taiga forests and wild fauna. In fact, it is the country in Europe with the most forested area, since almost 65% of its total area is covered in green.

Every citizen of Finland You have the right to be able to walk through any forest area you want. Which shows that the forest is part of the lives of its inhabitants.

Snowy landscape in Finland

Summer is the season of light, as beautiful as it is brief. While the absence of ice and snow makes life easier, the Winter greatly transforms the country and everything seems still. Although only in appearance.

In the country of a thousand lakes, the season of cold and short days exudes magic, enigma and rawness in equal parts and despite this it is the star season. When the cold prevails, nature acquires a beauty that leaves the visitor speechless.

What to see and do in Finland: Six boreal adventures

Nattule offers you a unique tour so that you can discover the best ecotourism activities What you can do during the Finnish winter:

1. Hunting for the Northern Lights

For a night sky photographer, the Northern Lights are the jackpot.

This spectacle of nature can only be seen in a few places on the planet and always under exceptional conditions. Those who have experienced it agree that it is a once in a lifetime experience. For this reason, there are more and more followers who dedicate themselves to an authentic “search and capture” of the dancing lights. And one of the best places to do it is Finland.

The magic of the northern lights

The key is to go north. In Lapland, the northernmost region of the Nordic countries, the auroras occur every other night between November and March. Of course, only when the sky is clear. To avoid wasted nights outdoors, you can register on the website of the Finnish Meteorological Institute and receive notifications when atmospheric conditions are most favorable to see the auroras.

Once you know the time, you only have to decide the place. Utsjoki is the Finnish town from where you can see the most northern lights as it is the one located furthest north, right on the border with Norway. It is only possible to get there by car or bus, which you can take from Ivalo, the largest city in these latitudes.

View over Utsjoki © Milja Laakso

Another good observation point is Kaunispää Hill near Saariselkä. Despite its size, this small town is a famous tourist destination, as it is located right at the gates of the Urho Kekkonen National Park, where you can go on dog sled excursions.

Despite the number of legends surrounding this phenomenon, the origin of the northern lights has nothing mystical. They are produced simply by the collision of solar particles against the Earth's magnetic field. Beauty, in this case (as in so many others), is in the eyes of the beholder. Or in the camera, if you want to take a souvenir with you.

In any case, dress warmly and be patient; because the nights hunting for the northern lights promise, above all, to be cold.

enjoying the show

If you want to get started in the world of astronomy you cannot miss this astronomical observation activity in the Pyrenees, where you will learn to identify stars and other bodies.

2. Wildlife photography

If he winter in Finland It is wild, its fauna could not be less so. Among the animals that inhabit this Nordic country, reindeer, moose, brown bears, wolves, boreal lynxes and arctic foxes stand out, among many others.

All these species find refuge in the more than 30 National Parks of Finland and one of the best memories you can bring back is a photograph of one of them, although it is not an easy task.

arctic fox

To help you capture them with your lens, photographic safaris are organized in the eastern regions of the country in search of brown bears, wolves and boreal lynx, species that are seen almost exclusively in those areas.

Almost on the border with Russia, Kuhmo is located, the starting point for many of these expeditions. Most of the population is concentrated around the city, but the rest of the region remains practically wild, with more than 600 lakes and numerous forests..

Wolf in the forests of Finland

Being the closest city to the Hiidenportti National Park, it brings together a good number of nature photography lovers and you will undoubtedly be able to find guides to accompany you on your outings, since it is not convenient to do them alone.

In addition to its impressive fauna, this National Park is famous for housing the Hiidenportti Canyon, the most important natural attraction in the region.

Hiidernportti National Park © Marisa Metsälä

Despite its remote location, Kuhmo is relatively close to Kajaani, which can be reached by plane. From there, you can take a bus to reach your destination.

Do you also want to photograph our wolf? Join this guided activity for the observation of the Iberian wolf in Zamora.

3. Sauna session and bath in ice waters

Believe it or not, ice bathing is one of the favorite activities of Finns during the winter.

It probably wouldn't be your first choice, but if they offer it to you, don't immediately refuse. After the initial bad drink, you will discover that bathing in ice water has some benefits; such as immediate energy recharge, which makes many Finns start the day this way.

The ideal is to combine the bath with a previous sauna. In Finland, the sauna is practically a national symbol; In fact, there is more or less one for every three inhabitants.

Typical Finnish sauna

The one of Kiilopaa may be one. Kiilopaa is located next to the Urho Kekkonen National Park. Being such a small and remote place, it has very little light pollution, so you will have the perfect evening if you also manage to see some northern lights. The sauna is not open every day, so it is important to know the opening hours.

The ritual is always the same. You start by hitting some birch branches, which they say stimulates blood circulation and provides a pleasant aroma, and then you get into the sauna. The cold will suddenly go away: the temperature inside the sauna is around 80 degrees.

Then comes the difficult part. When leaving the sauna, which is usually located on the shore of a lake, you have to quickly get into the hole made in the ice. You may notice that you lose sensation in your legs, but as soon as you go outside, circulation will begin to activate and you will feel more alive than ever. Very important, however, is to never stick your head in.

Hole in the ice © Lassi Matero

To get to Kiilopaa, you can take a plane to Ivalo and, from there, take the same bus that goes to Saariselka.

4. Cross-country ski paradise

In Finland Skiing, and more specifically cross-country skiing, is considered the national sport. Deeply rooted in the culture, due to the country's very flat relief and the long snowy seasons, it has been used as a means of transportation to explore the forests for millennia. In fact, today, there are still communities that practice it daily to get around. Almost without having finished learning to walk, children begin to learn it from a very young age.

Children skiing in Finland

Putting on skis and crossing the white natural landscapes, with no more hurry than you want to impose on yourself, should be one of your goals if you decide to visit the north of the country. There is no better way to experience the peace and tranquility of winter nature in full. Sami region.

Another of the peculiarities of skiing in this Nordic country is that it is possible to enjoy visiting the countless islets that are on its coast, since during the winter most of the Finnish coast remains frozen and it is quite easy to get close to one of them. If you manage to reach one of these islets, a pleasant feeling of privilege will invade you.

Ski crossing

If in Spain, one of the most emblematic places to practice this sport are the Aragonese Pyrenees; In Finland, we would be talking about the Lemmenjoki National Park, located in the heart of Lapland and very close to the Norwegian border. It is located in the triangle formed by the municipalities of Inari, Kittila and Enontekio. With almost 3,000 square kilometers it is the largest national park in Finland.

With a little luck, along your journey you will be able to see an elk in the most wooded areas and tracks of a wolverine or wolverine, a relative of weasels, which is much more robust and patrols tirelessly in search of food.

Specimen of wolverine or wolverine

In Spain you can also practice cross-country skiing. Try it with this ski route through the Sierra de la Demanda.

5. Winter birding

Although birdwatchers usually prefer spring or summer to organize their outings, the winter in Finland It can give you the opportunity to photograph some birds in a spectacular setting. Due to its location on the edge of the extensive Siberian taiga, many species of birds can be found there that cannot be seen in other areas of Europe.

Some of the most characteristic are the owls. Throughout the year, up to ten species can be found in Finland. Although most are seen between March and April, in winter you can see the Great Tawny Owl, the Hawk Owl and the Snowy Owl. The latter is the rarest of Finland, and during this season you can find it on the west coast, for example, in the Oulu region.

Snowy owl

In the north of Oulu, you can see the great tit or the black jay, species that can be seen near human settlements in search of food. In the south, it is easier to see the gray woodpecker and the white-backed woodpecker.

But probably the most popular area for bird watching in Finland It's Kuusamo. Nearby is the Oulanka National Park, where you can see the two most emblematic species of birds of prey in the country, such as the golden eagle and the European eagle. Grouse, black grouse, grouse, Siberian jay, Great Tit and black woodpecker are other species that you can capture with your lens.

European eagle

This is one of the most visited National Parks in Finland, thanks above all to the 80 kilometer trail that runs through it, known as the Bear Ring. If you have three or four days to explore it, you will walk along cliffs, gorges and hanging bridges.

The easiest way to get to Kuusamo is by plane, as the city has its own airport, served by daily flights from Helsinki. From Kuusamo, the National Park can be reached by car.

Oulanka National Park

This introductory activity to ornithology in Salamanca It is the best option to enter the world of bird watching.

6. Skating and trekking on Lake Saimaa

In the south of the country, in the Savonia region, is Lake Saimaa, the largest of the almost 190,000 lakes in the country and the most precious jewel of the country. nature of finland. This majestic inland sea surrounded by extensive coniferous forests is an enclave that brims with nature everywhere.

In summer, this immense lake invites you to explore it on foot or by kayak, or even to swim in its calm, cold waters. This labyrinth of islets, forests and water is also home to a species of freshwater seal endemic to this area of Finland, called the Saimaa ringed seal. One of the strangest seals on the planet and one that can be seen relatively easily.

However, in winter everything changes: Finland It is a country of contrasts. With the arrival of the intense cold, the ice wins the game and you can take guided skating tours on the icy waters of the lake.

Skating on the ice

From the towns of Onari or Rantasalmi you can also take routes in the heart of Linnansaari National Park. There are ones for all tastes and levels of demand, since you will find established routes of more than 30 kilometers. Your backpack should not be missing a hot drink and something to eat. Being hydrated is crucial in these latitudes.

To recharge your batteries at the end of the day, you can have a hot chocolate in one of the cafes in the beautiful and historic town of Savonlinna, which acts as a lookout for this part of the lake.

Linnansaari National Park

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The Queen of England does not receive visitors in a tracksuit for the same reason that Finland does not receive the traveler with an anticyclone: she knows how to behave. If winter is the most elegant of seasons, it is because Finland is its governess. In the country of snow everything is so in order that even the storm seems to have studied protocol.

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