Finland – a photogenic country

I have developed a newfound passion for photography while being in Finland.

Finland is a very photogenic country; the lakes make great mirrors and the massive amount of trees found make a picture being taken a beautiful one.

I have had the pleasure and luck to have met a lot of people to travel around with and who shared my passion for adventure and nature. Travelling around Finland is easy, but it takes a lot of time. Finland seems small but it is very big and going to Lapland for example can take up to 15 hours driving, if you happen to have the license and means to rent a car. Traveling by bus is also an option and cheap buses can be found everywhere. Savonlinja and Onni bus are cheap buses line that connects Joensuu to the rest of Finland.

Hitchhiking is easy and safe, you have only to consider the weather and the fact that in winter you cannot wait for hours for a car to pick you up. I strongly suggest you plan out mini getaways with friends for the weekend to cottages or refuge cottages in national parks.

Ruska time, autumn where the leaves from the trees start changing color is my favorite time. Don’t be afraid of travelling in winter, if you find good gear to travel with you will find only amazingness. Remember lakes get frozen in winter, you will be able to walk everywhere and explore every small island.

Koli national park is the closest and one of the most popular national parks in Finland, it’s a must. Olhava national park got my heart though, the climbing spot at that national park is stunning. You can climb rocks reaching through the water and once up the rock you have the most amazing view. Patvinsuo national park is great for hiking, but the most amazing trail I’ve done and in Ruska time was “The Bear Trail” in Oulangan National Park. I would rank those national parks as my favorite ones, but there are a lot more to discover.

Other cities are also worth visiting, as I am more interested in nature I haven’t travelled much through cities and towns, but I strongly suggest going for a visit in Tampere, a super alternative city, with still lots of nature.

Maria Drughieri Lamm