7 days in Helsinki, Koli National Park & Rovaniemi 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.

Sea Fortress Suomenlinna and Temppeliaukion Church will appeal to history buffs. Step out of the city life by going to Nuuksio National Park and Stand-Up Paddleboarding. Take a break from Helsinki with a short trip to Sipoonkorven Kansallispuisto in Vantaa, about 30 minutes away. The adventure continues: take in the architecture and atmosphere at Helsinki Cathedral, tour the pleasant surroundings at The Esplanadi Park, take an in-depth tour of Seurasaari Island and Open-Air Museum, and get a dose of the wild on a nature and wildlife tour.

For where to stay, photos, ratings, and more tourist information, refer to the Helsinki trip planner .

If you are flying in from Australia, the closest major airport is Helsinki Vantaa Airport. Expect a daytime high around 3°C in December, and nighttime lows around -3°C. Finish up your sightseeing early on the 13th (Sun) so you can travel to Lieksa.

Lieksa is a town and municipality of Finland.It is located in the province of Eastern Finland and is part of the North Karelia region. On the 14th (Mon), identify plant and animal life at Era Eero, then see the interesting displays at Pielisen Museum, and then make a trip to Paateri.

To see other places to visit, reviews, photos, and more tourist information, read our Lieksa trip planner .

Use the Route module to find suitable travel options from Helsinki to Lieksa. Traveling from Helsinki in December, expect Lieksa to be little chillier, temps between -1°C and -6°C. Finish up your sightseeing early on the 14th (Mon) so you can travel to Rovaniemi.

An urban center set amongst the great Arctic wilderness, Rovaniemi serves as the capital of Lapland province.

Start off your visit on the 15th (Tue): make a trip to Santa Claus Office and then take an in-depth tour of Arktikum.

To see maps, other places to visit, photos, and other tourist information, refer to the Rovaniemi tour itinerary maker site .

Getting from Lieksa to Rovaniemi by car takes about 6.5 hours. Other options: do a combination of car and flight. In December, Rovaniemi is little chillier than Lieksa - with highs of -6°C and lows of -13°C. On the 15th (Tue), wrap the sightseeing up by early afternoon so you can travel back home.