Crossing the Arctic Circle: A Journey from Helsinki to Lapland Finland

After visiting Antarctica in 2019, Lynn and I wanted to see the other side of the globe by crossing the Arctic Circle. It’s the invisible line that marks the northernmost point where the sun can be seen at midnight during the summer solstice. So when we had the chance to visit Lapland, Finland, crossing the Arctic Circle became a reality.

We started our journey to Finland in Helsinki, the capital of Finland. Helsinki is a beautiful city with a rich history and culture. But we were eager to get to Lapland, so we headed north to Kuopio.

The scenery was amazing. We saw forests, lakes, and mountains that seemed to go on forever. Finland has more lakes than any other country in the world, with over 187,888 lakes and is the most forested country in Europe, with forests covering 74% of the country’s land area.

Just prior to getting to Kuopio, we stopped by a ski jump practice area where young kids were smoothly jumping in a style that would scare the hell out of most us.

Kuopio is the 8th largest city in Finland, with a population of 122,615 but is small, clean and well kept. It’s the home of several universities and the Cathedral of Kuopio, a beautiful cathedral built in the 18th century.

Walking through town takes you to the Kallavesi Lake, a picturesque area with islands, tons of bird species and many water activities.

One of the delicacies in Finland is Reindeer. We saw several places that offered it as an entrée or in a meat pie. Would you eat it?

Continuing north, but not yet at the Arctic Circle, we began to make our way to Rovaniemi. We stopped at one of the oldest churches in Finland where the inside was built primarily from wood.

We also stopped by a village dedicated to the indigenous people of Finland, the Sámi. Our guide was Sámi and gave us an understanding of their past and life as it is today.

Once in Rovaniemi, we visited a reindeer farm. All reindeer are owned by Sámi tribe members and are tagged and allowed to roam free. Reindeer are an important part of the Sámi culture, and they have been herded by the Sámi for centuries. We were given a tour of the reindeer farm by a popular Sámi where we visited the herd and had a wonderfully prepared meal of fish. They also offered reindeer on the menu, but we stuck to the fish.

They also allowed us to practice lassoing reindeer (using a wooden practice unit). Several people tried lassoing from about 15 feet away, but Lynn and I were the only people to successfully do it.

A few days later, we noticed that our Sámi guide at the reindeer farm was famous when we saw his biography in a local museum.

Alas, we reached the Arctic Circle. It located in Santa’s Village, where Santa takes the rest of the year off. We also got a chance to meet the big guy and let him know what our grandkids want for Christmas.

We continued our journey north to Norway, our favorite of the Scandinavian countries, and I will cover that blogs in the coming weeks.

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Helsinki Finland: Home of 3 Million Saunas and One Bad Boy

After visiting Copenhagen and Stockholm, we embarked an overnight cruise to Helsinki Finland. The cruise passes through the Gulf of Finland (a huge body of water separating Finland from Sweden) and is a great opportunity to take in the beautiful scenery of the Baltic Sea.

The cruise passes by several islands, including the Åland Islands. As you approach Helsinki, you encounter lots of islands where the Finish people have second homes.

Once we arrived, we were greeted by the iconic Ferris wheel. As you hop on one of the Ferris wheel’s gondolas and start ascending, you might notice a distinct, high-pitched sound accompanying your journey. No, it’s not the wind or some mechanical malfunction. It’s the notorious squeak that has become synonymous with the SkyWheel Helsinki. Rumor has it that the squeaky sound is intentionally engineered into the ride, as a way to entertain and surprise visitors.

As you walk around the city, you notice a lot of public saunas. In Helsinki, saunas are not just a luxury, but a way of life. The city boasts a staggering number of saunas—over 3 million! That’s roughly one sauna for every two residents. Forget about the usual coffee shops; here, you’ll find saunas in converted buses, boats, and even gondolas!

Perched in the middle of town is the Helsinki Cathedral, a Lutheran church built in 1852, accessible via a grand staircase of 40 inclining steps, perfect for a quick workout.

If you take a closer look at the Helsinki Cathedral’s exterior, you’ll notice several statues. Among them, the four statues atop the cathedral’s pediment represent the four evangelists: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. These statues were actually created by Russian sculptor Johan Sergel, showcasing the historical ties between Finland and Russia.

As we toured the city, we stopped by the Sibelius Monument. It is an 89 foot abstract sculpture of organ pipes, located in Sibelius Park in the Töölö district of Helsinki.

It was designed by Finnish sculptor Eila Hiltunen and was dedicated in 1967. The monument is a tribute to Finnish composer Jean Sibelius, who is known for his symphonic works. The monument is meant to represent the sound waves of Sibelius’ music, and it is often said to resemble a giant harp or a forest of birch trees.

We also visited the Flying Cinema of Helsinki, a combination of 360-degree video, motion seats, and special effects to create a truly immersive experience. As you watch the video, the seats move and tilt to simulate the feeling of flying. The special effects, such as wind and mist, add to the realism of the experience. While not as enthralling as the Flyover Cinema in Iceland, it is a great way to see Helsinki and Finland without having to leave the city.

I didn’t learn about this until after we left, but not far from the Flying Cinema is a famous statue called the “Bad Bad Boy”, you can see why from a picture I found online:

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