This spring, Finland was announced as the happiest country in the world for the third year running by the United Nations World Happiness Report.

If you ask a Finn, what makes us happy, one answer is nature.

We Finns like to put on a pair of rubber boots, head to the woods to slow down and calm our mind.
About 70 per cent of our country is covered by forest and travellers fall in love with Finland’s clean air, serenity and silence. Now, however, is not the time to travel, but rather focus on the health and wellbeing of oneself and those around us.

Visit Finland would like to share some simple tips on how to find your calm at home – the Finnish way – while you dream about your next adventure.

Books are close to the Finns’ hearts. There are many libraries in Finland with Helsinki’s Oodi being the newest library to open in 2019 and was awarded the best public library in the world the same year. In 2016 the UN named Finland the world’s most literate nation, and Finns are among the world’s most enthusiastic users of public libraries. We are 5.5 million people, and we borrow close to 68 million books a year.

Moomins are probably the most known and adored Finnish literary icon. The white, hippo-like Moomins are Finnish characters created by the much‐loved Swedish‐speaking Finn, writer and artist Tove Jansson in the 1940s.

Today the Moomins are part of the Finnish identity, inspiring generations over and over from children to adults. Moomin books can be found in every bookshop and library in Finland. Above all, reading (any) book is surely more relaxing than surfing social media!

Life wisdoms of the Moomins

More about Moomins

There is something magical about the forest and the Finnish soul has always been linked with it. The green color is calming; the gentle rustling of the leaves and pine needles is like music. Finns feel good in the forest. The forest roots us and helps us remember who we are and where we come from. In the forest we don’t feel being alone or even lost – the forest provides protection and peace for us.

It has been scientifically proven that only 15 minutes in the forest calms your pulse and your body starts to rest; what a wonderfully simple cure for stress! So, please close your eyes, stretch yourself on the sofa, and have an imaginary sound trip to the Finnish forest.

You can experience the relaxing sounds of Finnish Lapland by listening to Scapes album on Spotify

More about therapeutic effects of forests

Korvapuusti translates into “slapped ears” in English but they are essentially cinnamon buns baked Finnish style with a dash of cardamom. We Finns love our coffee (we are heavy drinkers of coffee, almost 10 kg per person per year) and korvapuusti so much that there is actually a special word for it, “pullakahvit”, which literally means “bun coffee”, either it is home-made, enjoyed at a café, or at work with your work mates – at the moment we’re doing with virtual “pullakahvi” pauses.

For us, it’s the highlight of the day, and we definitely don’t count the calories. Cinnamon buns are perfect comfort food as well, and baked at home they bring a cosy smell to the kitchen as in our childhood days, when we ate them with a glass of milk.

Here is a great recipe for how to bake them, and make your world a little sweeter.

Would you like to know more about Finnish delicacies? Test our Finnish recipe generator and we’ll give you the recipe of a Finnish pastry we think you would love.

Finland’s contemporary art scene embraces everything from experimental artist-run initiatives and commercial galleries to flagship art institutions. There are more than 55 art museums, and numerous art galleries packed into our cities. Finland is a country of extremes and contrasts and along with the Finns’ close relationship with nature are the main sources of inspiration for Finnish Art.

The Finns use art to calm the mind and transport their thoughts to stress-free comforting places. Why not take a virtual trip from your own sofa to the Finnish museums to understand how art is a tool for happiness. In March 2020, Amos Rex won the prestigious LCD (Leading Culture Destination) Award for New Cultural Destination of the Year – Europe.

Have a virtual tour of the Amos Rex museum to see the new Generation 2020 exhibition in their Instagram Stories.

If you want to discover Lapland, head to Rovaniemi Art Museum located in the Arctic Circle. Their main focus is on Finnish Contemporary Art and Northern Art.

Culture Vultures on the search for something more classical should pay a visit to Ateneum Art Museum.  Have a virtual tour of the Ateneum.

Finland Convention Bureau provides complimentary information, consultation and assistance to all congress organizers and meeting planners.
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