What Makes Finland Special: Sauna, Nature and Finnish Pride

Finland is a land of lakes, forests and light: a sea fortress at the gate of Helsinki, wooden towns, a sauna culture recognised by UNESCO, the northern lights in Lapland and sisu, the Finnish spirit of determination. Here is what makes it special.

Eight World Heritage Sites

UNESCO lists 8 World Heritage properties in Finland. Among them:

• Fortress of Suomenlinna, a sea fortress built across islands off Helsinki
• Old Rauma, one of the largest wooden towns in the Nordic countries
• Petäjävesi Old Church, a beautiful wooden church
• Verla Groundwood and Board Mill, a preserved industrial village
• Bronze Age Burial Site of Sammallahdenmäki, with granite burial cairns

A sauna culture recognised by UNESCO

Sauna is part of everyday Finnish life, found in homes, apartment buildings and lakeside cottages. In 2020 sauna culture in Finland was added to UNESCO's list of Intangible Cultural Heritage.

Lakes, forests and light

Finland has tens of thousands of lakes and vast forests. Summers bring nights that hardly get dark, and winters in Lapland bring the northern lights.

Two official languages

Finnish and Swedish are both official languages of Finland, and many towns use both names on their street signs.

Sisu

Sisu is a Finnish word for courage and determination in difficult conditions, a quality Finns are proud of.

Design and architecture

Finnish design and architecture, from Alvar Aalto onwards, are admired around the world for their clean, human, nature-inspired style.

The summer cottage

Summers at the cottage by a lake, with a sauna, swimming and berry picking, are among the most loved Finnish traditions.

Carrying the pride with you

Lakes, light, sauna and sisu: Finland gives its people a great deal to celebrate. That pride is what our Finland designs are made for, and our guide to choosing a gift based on someone's home town shows how to make it personal.