Finland's capital of Helsinki commands the southern coast with its striking modern architecture and contrasts with the stunning wilderness beauty of Lapland in the far north, where the sun shines all day in summer and almost never in winter. Tens of thousands of reindeer roam free in these majestic open spaces and lush forests. In between you will find a veritable paradise of lakes where boating and fishing are enjoyed. The country is widely known for the simple beauty of its ceramics, furniture, glassware and textiles. That translates into beautiful souvenirs. The shopping is not inexpensive, so you will want to look for quality. The same kinds of modern and elegant lines can be seen in the work of Finland’s best-known architects, Alvar Aalto and Eliel Saarinen. To live a little like the Finns, be sure to try two pleasant national pastimes: a sauna, followed by a cup of coffee in one of the numerous cafes. Finnish is a difficult language, spoken by a small number of people in total, but English is widely spoken in Finland.

The country wins more points with adventurous travelers, in part because it is a destination that is not yet that well known to most Americans. Besides, it has the kind of terrain, natural beauty and range of available pastimes that particularly appeal to the active outdoors enthusiast.

As in all the northern countries, the most popular time to visit Finland is May to September.

Overnight in the Mammut Snow Hotel in Kemi. The property includes a chapel, restaurant and art gallery all made of snow, as well.

Or, overnight in a snow igloo at the Holiday Centre just south of Muonio village.

Go to ski resorts in summer for mountain biking. Places with planned routes and guided excursions include Hallanmaa, Kuopio/Puijo, Lahti, Levi, Rovaniemi/Ounasvaara, Ruka, Saariselkä, Tahko and Yllas. Or, cycle from Helsinki to Vaasa on the west coast on the 350-mile Via Finlandia. Or take the 155-mile King’s Road between Helsinki and Turku.

Take a horseback trek in Oulanka National Park, which is just to the south of the Arctic Circle and near the Russian border. Overnights along the way are typically taken in cabins or huts.

Take a Jeep or ATV safari under the midnight sun.

Shoot the rapids on the Muonio or Tornio river systems. These waters, for experienced canoeists, are in western Finland along the border with Sweden.

See Lapland’s wilderness by quad bike under the midnight sun. Or, drive a quad bike on safari to the reindeer farm Lapinkartano in the village of Torassieppi. This journey includes lunch in a traditional Lapp teepee.

Go on an overnight bear watching adventure at the Martinselkonen Wilds Center at Soumussalmi near the Russian border. You spend the night in a log hide for viewing the animals. Also, at Martinselkonen, you can spend another night in a hide for watching moose.

Try ice-hole swimming. Do this with a warm dressing room and sauna near at hand!

Take a multiday safari by dog sled, driving your own team of huskies across Lapland. There are opportunities, as well, to drive reindeer pulling a sleigh.

Cruise on an ice breaker that has been converted for carrying tourists. The Sampo sails out of Kemi from mid-December to the end of April. Try swimming in a waterproof thermal suit, too.

Go canoeing on Lake Summasjarvi, or on the Karttimonjoki River, or in any of numerous lakes and rivers.

Spend part of your holiday in a farmhouse or cottage made available by a Finnish family. You may have options like biking, fishing, hiking and saunas, and you can help with farm chores if you wish.

At Hanko, go on an elk safari after collecting a map and advice from the local tourist office. Besides seeing elk in their natural habitat, you may see deer, otters and other wildlife.

Take a coastal cruise. One example, in southern Finland, would take you from Mariehamn in the western Aland archipelago via Turku and Helsinki to Kotka in the east.

Go fly-fishing in Lapland, or fish in the Aland archipelago. In winter, go ice fishing, even enter a competition.

Hike in Petkeljarvi National Park which has hiking trails of varying lengths. For a longer excursion, hike the 83-mile Bear (Karhu) Trail in the northwest.

Make the sauna a trip theme. Visit the Muurame sauna village near Jyvaskyla; visit traditional saunas in the Nuuksio National Park near Helsinki; in the Lapp village of Kongas, complete a sauna by swimming in a hole in frozen ice; also, sample a smoke sauna. For more ideas, see www.visitfinland.com/w5/index.nsf/(Pages)/Sauna.

Attend unusual events. Try the Wife Carrying World Championship in Sonkajarvi or the Finnish blacksmithing championship at Petajavesi. Buy the smithies’ products.

Drive the 465-mile west coast touring route through Finland’s old wooden towns, from Turku to Oulu. See Rauma, noted for lace-making as well as for its wooden houses.

Compete in Stone Age games at a recreated Stone Age Village at Saarijarvi in central Finland.

At Lake Tuusulanjarvi, take a guided tour that tells you about the lives of two artists, composer Jean Sibelius and painter Pekka Halonen, who were friends and who had homes near the lake.

Play golf under the midnight sun; enter one of the country’s numerous midnight golf tournaments.

In Jyvaskyla, see the museum dedicated to the father of modern Finnish architecture, Alvar Aalto. Jyvaskyla was his hometown.

Sample a traditional sauna, complete with a quick dip in a river or lake.

Visit the Open-Air Museum Hallan Tupa, displaying traditional buildings and features of 17th century Finnish life, at Hankasalmi.

Take a guided tour of Helsinki, the better to appreciate the architecture in the capital.

Eat well on local fish, and sample game meats as well: duck, elk, reindeer, snow grouse, plus a wide range of local berries.

In summer, visit the Savonlinna lake district to see Finland’s largest castle, Olavinlinna; attend a performance of the opera festival held in its courtyard. Seek out other historical castles, at Hameenlinna and Turku.

Visit Santa Claus’ Main Post Office near Rovaniemi, in Santa Claus’ Village.

Go skiing. Finland counts nearly 80 ski resorts. Or, go cross-country skiing on any of thousands of miles of marked and maintained ski trails, with trails suitable for skiers at all skill levels. Some trails are lighted for nighttime skiing, as well.

For more information, consult the Finnish Tourist Board at www.visitfinland.com

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