We were excited to finally travel to Finland on our most recent Europe trip.

Finland is a country that was somewhat of an enigma to me. So close to Russia but yet part of Western Europe. Grouped with Sweden and Norway, yet seeming quite different. I can’t say that my travel in Finland helped me uncover all its mysteries but it was a fun experience!

We explored Helsinki during the Midsummer. This means that the days were crazy long, the weather could have been worse (but was still cold) and the people were in celebration mode. Our Finland travel blog contains articles from our time in Helsinki and our Finland travel tips.

Travelling to Finland

We travelled to Finland from Stockholm which was very easy. It is a ferry ride or a very quick flight. Given the bargain air fares on Norwegian Air, we flew. This only took about 45 minutes between Stockholm and Helsinki.

Our onward journey was to Estonia. There are many quick ferries (starting at only 1.5 hours) that ply between Helsinki and Tallinn. We took a Linda Line ferry which was only 50 euros for 4 tickets and only 1.5 hours long.

Finland for kids

Senate Square from outside of Helsinki Cathedral

Finland is a very easy place to travel with kids, especially young ones. We loved how just about everything was free for our preschoolers. Public transport is free for under 7s or parents pushing prams. We only had to pay for one attraction for them.

There are many things to do in Finland with kids, and this is a great place to go as a family.

Best hotels in Finland

We stayed at the Sokos Hotel Pasila in Helsinki. It is a great option which is perfect for families with family rooms, gifts for children on arrival, family toiletries and even rubber duckies in the bathroom!

It also has a great kids playroom in summer with a bouncing castle as well as lots of other things.

We also stayed at another Sokos hotel in Tallinn and had another great experience. Sokos Hotels are located throughout Finland.

Read our travel blog Finland articles below… You can also read about our experiences in the neighbouring coutries: Sweden and Estonia.