12 days in Finland Itinerary

Finland's largest and most populated metropolis, the maritime town of Helsinki boasts varied architecture, a lively cafe culture, and plethora of picturesque natural delights.

Visit Rock Church and Helsinki Cathedral for their historical value. Do some cultural sightseeing at Sea Fortress Suomenlinna and The Esplanadi Park. Change things up with a short trip to Nuuksio National Park in Espoo (about 46 minutes away). And it doesn't end there: take a stroll through Katajanokka, take in the spiritual surroundings of Uspenskin Cathedral (Uspenskin Katedraali), and identify plant and animal life at Laajalahti Nature Reserve.

To find more things to do, photos, traveler tips, and other tourist information, use the Helsinki trip planner.

London, UK to Helsinki is an approximately 6-hour flight. You can also do a combination of flight and ferry; or drive. The time zone difference moving from Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) to Eastern European Time (EET) is 2 hours. Traveling from London in September, things will get a bit cooler in Helsinki: highs are around 19°C and lows about 8°C. Wrap up your sightseeing on the 12th (Thu) to allow time to take a train to Kouvola.

Kouvola is a town and municipality in southeastern Finland. Start off your visit on the 13th (Fri): look for all kinds of wild species at Riverside Park, go for a walk through Linden Esplanade, then take in the architecture and atmosphere at Pyhtaa Church of Saint Henry, and finally go for a walk through Stromforsin ruukki. On the next day, look for all kinds of wild species at Arboretum Mustila, explore the striking landscape at Hiidenvuori, then delve into the lush surroundings at Niivermaki Nature Conservation Area, and finally examine the collection at Kouvola City Museum.

To see ratings, more things to do, reviews, and more tourist information, you can read our Kouvola trip itinerary planner.

Take a train from Helsinki to Kouvola in 1.5 hours. Alternatively, you can drive; or take a bus. September in Kouvola sees daily highs of 17°C and lows of 9°C at night. Finish up your sightseeing early on the 14th (Sat) so you can travel to Inari.

Inari is Finland's largest, most sparsely populated municipality, with four official languages, more than any other in the country. Start off your visit on the 15th (Sun): see the interesting displays at Siida, pause for some serene contemplation at Pielpajarvi Wilderness Church, and then get a dose of the wild on a nature and wildlife tour.

For ratings, reviews, traveler tips, and other tourist information, read our Inari road trip planner .

Getting from Kouvola to Inari by combination of train and flight takes about 5 hours. Other options: do a combination of train, flight, and bus; or drive. Prepare for slightly colder weather when traveling from Kouvola in September: high temperatures in Inari hover around 13°C and lows are around 4°C. Finish your sightseeing early on the 15th (Sun) so you can travel to Vaasa.

Vaasa is a city on the west coast of Finland. Kick off your visit on the 16th (Mon): head off the coast to Kvarken Archipelago World Heritage Site. Keep things going the next day: pause for some serene contemplation at Mustasaaren kirkko, indulge your thirst for a good beer at Bock’s Corner Brewery, then examine the collection at Pohjanmaan Museo - Osterbottens Museum, and finally enjoy the sand and surf at Hietasaaren uimaranta.

For more things to do, traveler tips, maps, and other tourist information, go to the Vaasa tour planner.

Traveling by flight from Inari to Vaasa takes 6 hours. Alternatively, you can drive; or do a combination of bus and train. While traveling from Inari, expect a bit warmer days and about the same nights in Vaasa, ranging from highs of 17°C to lows of 7°C. Wrap up your sightseeing on the 17th (Tue) early enough to take a train to Tampere.

Finland's third largest city, Tampere boasts an array of cultural offerings and a lively music scene.

Popular historic sites such as Amuri Museum of Workers' Housing and Tampere Cathedral are in your itinerary. Get a sense of the local culture at Vapriikin Museokeskus and Finlayson Church. Step out of Tampere to go to Ylojarvi and see Seitsemisen Kansallispuisto, which is approximately 54 minutes away. And it doesn't end there: identify plant and animal life at Hatanpaa Arboretum, take in the spiritual surroundings of Vanha Kirkko, soothe aching muscles at some of the top local wellness centers, and kick back and relax at Rauhaniemi Beach.

To find more things to do, traveler tips, reviews, and tourist information, read our Tampere trip itinerary builder website .

You can take a train from Vaasa to Tampere in 2.5 hours. Alternatively, you can drive; or take a bus. In September, daytime highs in Tampere are 17°C, while nighttime lows are 7°C. Finish up your sightseeing early on the 20th (Fri) so you can travel back home.