Finland Travel Guide

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Let Facebook Do the Work for Your Next Flight on Finnair

Where: Finland
March 21, 2013 at 8:17 AM | by | Comments (0)

Another week means it’s time for another carrier to do the social media thing both on the ground and up in the air. This week it looks like Finnair is sending their Facebook capabilities to 35,000 feet, as the airline is trying to get passengers connected during their flights.

Basically what Finnair is trying to do is to allow their passengers to check-in aboard their flight just like the would back on the ground. The new system is able to connect someone’s Facebook profile to the seating map, and then from there they can what friends or other passengers might be up to. In theory it should even alert friends when you’re safely on the ground and in need of a pickup from the airport.

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Video Interlude: A Time-Lapse Trip on Scandinavia's Ultra Fancy, Duty-Free Ferry

Where: Finland
February 21, 2013 at 1:30 PM | by | Comments (0)

If you think cruise shops are pretty fancy, then you haven't stepped onboard a Scandinavian ferry. Indeed, ferries aren't what they used to be—they're so much better, as musty waiting room-like spaces are being replaced with comfortable lounges, entertainment spaces and even airport-style shopping.

The latter is the highlight of the crossing between Stockholm, Sweden and Turku, Finland onboard the Viking Line ferry M/S Grace. The boat stops in Marihamn, a port town which sits pretty on the Åland Islands between the two Baltic Sea cities. These islands are one of those weird territories travelers love to visit, as they have their own government, flag, stamps and patriotism, but still come under some jurisdiction of another country (Finland, in this case). The draw for the ferries and their duty-free shops is that these boats are exempt from Europe's VAT tax. It's literally a booze cruise—buying it, not so much consuming it.

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Finnair Flashes Their Frosty Blue New Business Class

Where: Finland
February 21, 2013 at 12:19 PM | by | Comments (0)

Another week, another new business class seat. This time, it's Finnair's turn to dazzle passengers with a fully horizontal comfy chair. Pair this new seat with their Marimekko design and revamped premium menus and things are a-changing at Finnair.

So the seats aren't exactly new since a few of them already sport some butt-prints on three of the carrier's Airbus 330s. Eventually they will be added to the entire fleet of long-haul planes —A340 and, eventually, A350—to make a consistent product for passengers. And, just like many other European business class upgrades, this one comes with aisle access for (almost) everyone.

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Booking a Flight on Finnair Now Means Choosing from Six Ticket Flavors

Where: Finland
November 15, 2012 at 10:58 AM | by | Comments (0)

Fresh off their partnership with Marimekko it looks like Finnair is already back in the news, as they’re spiffing up some of your passenger options before you even board the plane. It all starts when you go to book your flight, as the carrier has all kinds of new ticket types from which to choose.

In total they’re introducing six levels of tickets which will go up for sale beginning at the end of November. First of all, all ticket flavors will thankfully include one free checked piece of baggage, and they’re even throwing in a meal or beverage service. After that things get all crazy, as you’re welcome to package amenities and options with your ticket.

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So You Want to Spot the Northern Lights This Winter.

Where: Finland
November 9, 2012 at 7:16 PM | by | Comment (1)

It's that time of the year again, when Scandinavia touts its reindeer meat and hotels made of ice. Luckily they've got a few other good qualities to keep attracting tourists even in the depths of dark winter...like the Aurora Borealis!

We may have previously told you about viewing the phenomenon from a plane, and Finnair knows that their flights are the best for Northern Lights-spotting. That's why they not only wrote a giant blog post about how the Finns sometimes take it for granted, but they're reminding travelers what side of the plane to sit on for the best viewing (hint: whichever side will face north).

Some other Aurora Borealis tips from Finnair:

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Finnair Flight Crew Flip the Pages of Their Own Storybook

Where: Finland
October 5, 2012 at 4:37 PM | by | Comments (0)

It's not often that an airline comes out with its own book; actually, it's been damned rare since Pan Am ended production of their regional and world guidebooks. Still, it does happen and one such instance is now, with Finnair's publication of Airborne: Tales from A Thousand and One Flights [in Finnish, the title is Taivas mikä työpaikka].

The book, a 256-page collection of flight crew stories, was conceived of and written by Finnair's own people. The stories themselves are short and often with a quip, making for light and quick reading. Here's one such story we nipped off its site:

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Say HEL-lo to Helsinki: Inside Finland's Deserted Aviation Museum

September 14, 2012 at 12:37 PM | by | Comments (0)

HEL-lo Helsinki! Hilarious puns on the city's airport code (HEL) aside, our man about the world John "Yes, That John" Walton has been spending some down time in Helsinki this year, and has some great recommendations all this week for things to do in the world's most northerly capital!

Who can turn down an afternoon poking around a completely empty aviation museum, with old planes just waiting for you to clamber around them?

Not us! Ee spotted the Suomen Ilmailumuseo while taking the hotel bus to a Helsinki Airport hotel earlier in the summer, so on our return to HEL, with a carefully crafted morning free, we made sure to stop off.

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Say HEL-lo to Helsinki: Yes, You Can Eat Reindeer on a Tractor

September 13, 2012 at 1:02 PM | by | Comments (0)

HEL-lo Helsinki! Hilarious puns on the city's airport code (HEL) aside, our man about the world John "Yes, That John" Walton has been spending some down time in Helsinki this year, and has some great recommendations all this week for things to do in the world's most northerly capital!

Does your country's main tractor manufacturer have its own restaurant in the capital city? If not, you're totally slacking behind Finland, because tractormaker Zetor has a tractor-themed restaurant in the center of Helsinki. Reindeer ahoy!

If you want a wide range of traditional Finnish food in a hilariously kitsch olde-tyme restaurant, with well-translated menus in a variety of languages—yes, tractors as part of the décor—you've come to the right place.

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Say HEL-lo to Helsinki: Boating to the Baltic Sea's Suomenlinna Guardian Fortress Islands

Where: Finland
September 12, 2012 at 12:33 PM | by | Comments (0)

HEL-lo Helsinki! Hilarious puns on the city's airport code (HEL) aside, our man about the world John "Yes, That John" Walton has been spending some down time in Helsinki this year, and has some great recommendations all this week for things to do in the world's most northerly capital!

The history of Helsinki and Finland is fascinating, caught between the Swedish and Russian Empires—and later the Warsaw Pact and Nato.

Naturally, back in the day someone thought it would be a fairly good idea to defend Helsinki's natural harbor with a fort, and that fort's called Suomenlinna, covering numerous islands just off the coast.

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Say HEL-lo to Helsinki: A Dip at the All-Nude Uimahalli Sauna and Swimming Pool

September 11, 2012 at 12:02 PM | by | Comments (0)

HEL-lo Helsinki! Hilarious puns on the city's airport code (HEL) aside, our man about the world John "Yes, That John" Walton has been spending some down time in Helsinki this year, and has some great recommendations all this week for things to do in the world's most northerly capital!

Splish, splosh, splash...if you're in Helsinki, go swim like a Finn: in the buff!

Helsinki's fantastic Uimahalli sauna and (inside) swimming pool complex is tucked away on Yrjönkatu, a short walk from the main railway station and the center of town.

At five euros for a single visit, it's one of the cheapest—and most authentically Finnish—things you can do in this otherwise expensive city.

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Say HEL-lo to Helsinki: Five Ways to Spend a Day in Finland's Capital

September 10, 2012 at 1:32 PM | by | Comments (0)

HEL-lo Helsinki! Hilarious puns on the city's airport code (HEL) aside, our man about the world John "Yes, That John" Walton has been spending some down time in Helsinki this year, and has some great recommendations all this week for things to do in the world's most northerly capital!

Cards on the table: we're enormous fans of the Nordic countries, and Helsinki is one of our favourite cities. Not only does it have an awesome airline (Finnair) and airport (we <3 HEL!), it's really easy to get into town and have an explore.

If you're going to or transiting through HEL at some point, try booking a day's layover, leaving your luggage at the airport and hopping on the Finnair bus that delivers you straight to the impressive Helsinki Central railway station...and then consider some of our favorite Finnish things to do.

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How You Can Help Helsinki Airport...via Pinterest

May 22, 2012 at 9:19 AM | by | Comments (0)

So Helsinki Airport is going to open a library or, rather, a "book swap." Typically we wouldn't hear about this until the book swap officially opens to the public, but the advance warning comes courtesy of Helsinki AIrport's surprise obsession with social sharing network Pinterest.

HERE is Helsinki Airport's book swap board, where they are "pinning" actual decisions for their book swap, as well soliciting comments and additional inspiration to polish out the program. From whom? From you, if you're on Pinterest and at all intrigued by the idea of helping shape a space where travelers can come for their literary fix. Want to review the floor plan? It's there. Their possible QR-coded book plates? It's there. Lots of other library porn? Oh yeah—it's there.

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