Finland

You could see the vast Finnish landscape as a large nature reserve. As a nature lover this is a place you should definitely have been to at least once. The country is also called “the land of the thousand lakes”, as Finland has over 180,000 lakes. Especially the southeast of Finland is dotted with thousands of lakes. The largest one being Lake Saimaa.

Flora and fauna

Over 65% of Finland consists out of coniferous forest and vast lakes. The best time to observe animals here in the wild is between May and September. You’ll find plenty of small rodents, birds of prey and the arctic fox. Lapland stretches across the northern part of Finland, Norway, Sweden and Russia. The landscape in this region is a feast for the eyes and cannot be compared to the rest of Europe. Vast snow and ice fields alternate here. Due to the cold you will only find a few animal species in this area, such as reindeer or the snowy owl.

Activities

The presence of thousands of lakes makes it easy to find places in Finland to go canoeing, fishing or swimming during your holiday. A popular way of fishing here is fly fishing, where you use a little fake insect as bait to catch fish such as salmon or trout. But you are not alone! The fish hawk is also interested in these fish. From its nest high in the trees, he does occasionally swoop down to catch a fish. Not feeling like fishing? Then take a long walk or discover the Finnish nature parks whilst cycling on a mountain bike.