Finland
A country of lakes and manors where a 200-year-old estate restaurant is more common than a tourist trap.
Long light and short summers set the rhythm here — most of the country's best tables and manor hotels are only fully open, and fully worth the drive, between June and August.
Places in Finland
Helsinki
A harbour capital where the best kitchens are in a Kallio walk-up or a warehouse, not the tourist grid.
Mikkeli
A lakes-region town in the Finnish interior, surrounded by farmland and water rather than coastline.
Porvoo
A wooden old town on a river east of Helsinki, small enough to see on foot in an afternoon.
Rovaniemi
The official hometown of Santa Claus, and the practical gateway to Finnish Lapland's aurora season.
Turku
Finland's oldest city, quieter and slower than Helsinki, built along the Aura river.
Vantaa
Helsinki's airport city, with a scattering of old manor estates in its outer parkland.
Logged in Finland
Alley
Helsinki, FinlandA young couple's Kallio bistro, honest plates and artisanal wine, still running on almost no reviews.
Arctic TreeHouse Hotel
Rovaniemi, FinlandGlass-walled suites above Rovaniemi, built so the northern lights are visible from bed.
Dagmar Bistro & Wine Bar
Helsinki, FinlandA neighbourhood wine bar by the Parliament steps, sommelier tastings and plates that feel like a friend's kitchen.
Hotel Haikko Manor & Spa
Porvoo, FinlandA grand manor-house hotel, spa and restaurant in Porvoo's leafy waterside park.
Kuurna
Helsinki, FinlandA quiet Kruununhaka bistro that helped start Helsinki's bistro boom, still running on natural wine and seasonal plates.
Ravintola Nokka
Helsinki, FinlandA Michelin Green Star kitchen in a Katajanokka harbour warehouse, cooking sustainable Finnish food over an open fire.
Restaurant Backas
Vantaa, FinlandA restored 200-year-old manor outside Helsinki, serving Arctic-influenced dishes across a parkland garden.
Restaurant Harald
Turku, FinlandA Viking-themed kitchen in the heart of Finland's oldest city, forest and sea flavours served with real production value.
Tertti Manor
Mikkeli, FinlandA historic lakeside farmhouse hotel and restaurant growing its own produce, six rustic rooms outside Mikkeli.
Trillby & Chadwick
Helsinki, FinlandA courtyard speakeasy off a Kruununhaka side street, pouring serious, literary-named cocktails in offbeat calm.
Wino
Helsinki, FinlandHalf a dozen tables in Kallio, funk records and natural wine, priced well below kitchens twice its size.
Mentioned in
Dagmar Bistro & Wine Bar
Helsinki, FinlandA neighbourhood wine bar by the Parliament steps, sommelier tastings and plates that feel like a friend's kitchen.
Restaurant Harald
Turku, FinlandA Viking-themed kitchen in the heart of Finland's oldest city, forest and sea flavours served with real production value.
Tertti Manor
Mikkeli, FinlandA historic lakeside farmhouse hotel and restaurant growing its own produce, six rustic rooms outside Mikkeli.
Mikkeli
A lakes-region town in the Finnish interior, surrounded by farmland and water rather than coastline.
Turku
Finland's oldest city, quieter and slower than Helsinki, built along the Aura river.