10 days in Finland: Top 3 Recommendations
Home to Santa Claus, Finland is known for its enchanting landscapes, beautiful summers and a quirky culture that’s neither fully Scandinavian nor purely Baltic. From seeing polar bears and seabirds in Spitsbergen and exploring Riga’s Old Town to discovering Copernicus's hometown Toruń and enjoying a traditional Sami meal, you can cover all the top destinations of Finland and its neighboring countries in nine to 11 days. Ideally, we would recommend a two-week trip to Finland, but 10 days in Finland is enough to get a real taste and feel of this beautiful land.
- Wisam Al Badr
1. Introduction to Spitsbergen: 10 days in Finland
| Day 1 | Tour begins in Helsinki |
| Day 2 | Take a flight to Longyearbyen, Norway, from where you board a cruise |
| Day 3-9 | Enjoy the beauty of Spitsbergen and Norway's Svalbard archipelago |
| Day 10 | Depart from Finland |
Get ready for fascinating Arctic expeditions with Polar bears and other wildlife sightings, extraordinary scenery, and an unforgettable cruise in Northern Europe. 10 days in Finland is enough to cover western Spitsbergen, breathtaking fjords and the northern islands in Norway. Top sights include the 14th of July Glacier, Alkefjellet and the Hinlopen Strait. Since the weather is unpredictable in these parts, everything may not go as per the itinerary. But expect to see massive glaciers, magnificent Polar bears out hunting or resting between hunts, hundreds of noisy walruses on the coast, and thousands of Brünnich’s guillemots ready to take off from cliffs. If you are visiting during summer, you can also see wildflowers bloom in the tundra. See our 10-day tours in Finland.
2. Helsinki to Warsaw: Finland in 10 days
| Day 1 | See Helsinki’s top sights with a local expert |
| Day 2 | Free day where you can explore Helsinki on your own |
| Day 3 | Board a ferry to Tallinn and join an expert local guide for a walking tour of Estonia’s capital |
| Day 4 | Explore Riga, the capital of Latvia. Along the way, tour the resort city of Pärnu in Estonia |
| Day 5 | Go on a sightseeing trip to Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania |
| Day 6 | Visit the Gothic Trakai Castle in Lithuania’s Trakai National Park |
| Day 7 | Discover the Dutch influence on Gdansk during a locally guided walking tour |
| Day 8 | See the beautiful medieval town of Toruń, a UNESCO World Heritage Site |
| Day 9 | Go on a driving and walking tour of Warsaw, the capital of Poland |
| Day 10 | The tour ends in Warsaw |
A guided city sightseeing trip can span several destinations and countries. Start in Helsinki, Finland. See the Senate Square and Helsinki Cathedral and enjoy a relaxing sauna. Next, discover Estonia’s Tallinn’s Tall Hermann (tower), dating from the 14th century, and St. Olaf’s Church, originally built in the 12th century. Learn about Latvia’s World War I history at the Latvian War Cemetery, and discover the mysterious pilgrimage site, the Hill of Crosses, in northern Lithuania. In Poland, stroll around the beautiful port city of Gdansk, visit the 13th-century Teutonic Malbork Castle, and marvel at the architectural gems of Warsaw.
Are you looking to travel across the country at your own pace? Get in touch with our local tour operators to plan a tailor made trip to Finland.
3. Northern Lights of Scandinavia: 10 days in Finland
| Day 1 | Arrive at Helsinki |
| Day 2 | See the famous Northern Lights in Ivalo through the glass ceiling of your hotel room |
| Day 3 | Explore the beautiful waterfront and fishing villages in Magerya |
| Day 4 | Visit North Cape, the northernmost point on the European mainland |
| Day 5 | Visit an ice hotel in Alta |
| Day 6 | Explore the Alta Museum, which has 7000-year-old rock paintings and rock carvings |
| Day 7 | Enjoy the beautiful mountain scenery in Troms |
| Day 8 | Interact with the Sami community and learn about their cultural practices |
| Day 9 | Take a ferry or guided tour to the islands of Oslo Fjord |
| Day 10 | Depart from Oslo |
Discover Scandinavian culture in Finland and Norway. In a 10-day tour, you will cover charming places like Ivalo, Oslo and Helsinki in Finland and Norway. Also, learn about the past and present of the small fishing community of Honningsvag. See the world’s first Northern Lights observatory in Alta. Taste caviar in the northernmost point of Europe and visit a husky farm where you’ll meet the champion sled racing Alta huskies team. See the Oslo Opera House and the new Deichman Library in Oslo’s contemporary Bjørvika district. See our 10-day tours in Finland.
By giving yourself 10 days in Finland and surrounding countries, you can discover one of the most beautiful parts of Northern Europe. You’ll encounter awe-inspiring mountain peaks, stunning fjords, ancient churches, lovely castles and amazing animals. Our travel experts will help you plan a customized trip or create a unique itinerary. For other recommended trips of different durations, check out our guide on how many days to spend in Finland.
