Where Aurora Meets Luxury
Finland is a land of extraordinary contrasts -- a place where the Northern Lights dance across Arctic skies in winter, and the midnight sun bathes endless forests in golden light through summer. It is a country that has elevated simplicity into an art form, from the purity of its lakeland landscapes to the minimalist elegance of Finnish design. Here, luxury is not about opulence -- it is about authenticity, space, and a profound connection to nature.
At Baywatch Travels, we craft Finnish itineraries that immerse you in this remarkable culture. Sleep beneath the Northern Lights in glass igloos, race across frozen tundra on husky-drawn sleds, float weightlessly in ice-cold Arctic waters in a thermal survival suit, and warm your soul in a traditional lakeside sauna. From Lapland's snow-draped forests to Helsinki's cutting-edge design scene, your Finland journey will be an experience unlike anything else on earth.
Helsinki is a compact, walkable capital where cutting-edge Nordic design meets a rich cultural heritage — a city of clean lines, functionalist architecture, and a creative energy that has made it one of Europe's most exciting urban destinations. The Design District, stretching across 25 streets in the city centre, is a curated quarter of independent studios, galleries, fashion boutiques, and design shops that showcase Finnish creativity at its finest. The iconic Helsinki Cathedral, the modernist Kamppi Chapel of Silence, and the extraordinary rock-hewn Temppeliaukio Church reveal a city that celebrates architectural boldness.
Helsinki's waterfront is its soul — the historic Market Square bustles with stalls selling fresh Baltic herring, cloudberries, and reindeer sausage, while the harbour-side Allas Sea Pool offers open-air swimming alongside traditional Finnish saunas with views of the cityscape. A ferry to the UNESCO-listed Suomenlinna sea fortress — an 18th-century island stronghold across six interconnected islands — makes for a perfect half-day excursion. And Helsinki's food scene has quietly become one of the Nordics' most exciting, blending New Nordic philosophy with Finnish ingredients like wild mushrooms, Arctic char, and hand-picked berries.
Stay: Hotel St. George · Hotel Kamp · Lilla Roberts
Must Do: Design District walk, Suomenlinna fortress, Allas Sea Pool sauna, Market Square, Temppeliaukio Church
Finnish Lapland is the last true wilderness of Europe — a vast, snow-blanketed expanse of Arctic tundra, frozen rivers, and boreal forests that stretches above the Arctic Circle into a landscape that feels both primordial and magical. This is where the Northern Lights dance most brilliantly, painting the sky in curtains of green, violet, and crimson on clear winter nights. The silence is absolute, broken only by the crunch of snow beneath your boots and the distant howl of huskies eager to run.
Lapland's luxury experiences are unlike anything else on Earth. Fall asleep watching the aurora from a heated glass igloo at Kakslauttanen, mush your own team of huskies across frozen lakes, ride a reindeer-drawn sleigh through snow-laden forests, and float in the Arctic Ocean in a thermal survival suit as the stars wheel overhead. Visit Santa Claus Village in Rovaniemi — the official hometown of Father Christmas, right on the Arctic Circle — a dreamlike experience for families. And warm yourself afterwards in a traditional smoke sauna, the most authentic Finnish ritual there is.
Stay: Kakslauttanen Arctic Resort · Arctic TreeHouse Hotel · Nova Skyland
Must Do: Northern Lights safari, Glass igloo overnight, Husky sledding, Santa Claus Village, Arctic ice floating
The Finnish Lakeland is one of the most beautiful and least-visited regions in Europe — a vast, serene expanse of 188,000 lakes connected by rivers and canals, fringed by birch and pine forests, and dotted with traditional wooden cottages that have served as the Finnish summer retreat for generations. Lake Saimaa, the largest, is home to the critically endangered Saimaa ringed seal — one of the rarest mammals on Earth — and its island-studded waters offer kayaking, sailing, and fishing in a setting of profound natural beauty.
The Lakeland experience is quintessentially Finnish — unhurried, nature-immersed, and deeply restorative. Stay in a lakeside villa with your own private sauna and wooden jetty, pick wild blueberries and lingonberries from the forest, swim in crystal-clear lake water warmed by the midnight sun, and gather around a campfire as the endless summer evening stretches toward a dawn that never quite arrives. In winter, the frozen lakes transform into vast skating rinks and ice-fishing grounds, with smoke saunas providing the perfect counterpoint to the crisp Arctic air.
Stay: Hotel & Spa Resort Jarvisydan · Lehmonkarki · Anttolanhovi
Must Do: Lakeside sauna and swim, Berry and mushroom foraging, Kayaking Lake Saimaa, Cottage life experience, Midnight sun cruise
Levi is Finnish Lapland's premier resort destination — a vibrant alpine village that combines world-class skiing, Arctic adventure activities, and a lively apres-ski scene with the pristine wilderness of the surrounding tundra. With 43 slopes, 28 lifts, and consistently reliable snow conditions from November through May, Levi offers the finest downhill skiing in Finland. But the resort is equally renowned for its off-piste adventures — snowmobile safaris across frozen landscapes, reindeer farm visits, and ice fishing on lakes so remote that the only sound is the wind across the snow.
Levi's luxury villas and chalets — particularly the Levi Spirit collection — offer private retreats of exceptional comfort, each with its own sauna, fireplace, and panoramic windows designed for aurora viewing. The village's restaurants serve Lappish cuisine — reindeer stew, Arctic char, and cloudberry desserts — in settings that range from rustic log cabins to sleek modern dining rooms. And at the Levi Ice Gallery, an extraordinary museum carved entirely from snow and ice, art and architecture merge in a frozen wonderland that is rebuilt fresh each winter season.
Stay: Levi Spirit Villas · Levi Panorama · Hotel Levi
Must Do: Skiing at Levi, Snowmobile safari, Reindeer farm visit, Ice fishing, Levi Ice Gallery
Finland's Arctic luxury properties are unlike any other in the world -- designed to bring you impossibly close to nature without sacrificing a single comfort. From glass-roofed igloos to design hotels suspended among the treetops, each stay is an experience in itself.
Finland offers experiences you simply cannot have anywhere else on earth. From chasing the aurora to meeting Santa himself, these are the moments that make a Finnish journey truly magical.
Journey deep into the Lapland wilderness by snowmobile or reindeer sleigh to hunt the Aurora Borealis. Expert guides know the best spots away from light pollution, and hot berry juice by an open fire makes the wait unforgettable.
Take the reins of your own team of eager Alaskan huskies and race across frozen lakes and snow-covered forests. Multi-day husky safaris with overnight stays in wilderness cabins are the ultimate Arctic adventure.
Don a thermal survival suit and float weightlessly on the surface of an icy Arctic lake. A surreal, meditative experience that is exclusive to Finnish Lapland -- complete silence, starry skies, and the gentle embrace of near-freezing water.
Between June and August, the sun never sets in northern Finland. Hike, fish, kayak, or simply sit by a lakeside campfire in the ethereal golden light of a sun that refuses to dip below the horizon -- an experience that feels almost otherworldly.
Visit the official hometown of Santa Claus in Rovaniemi, right on the Arctic Circle. Meet Santa, send postcards from the Santa Claus Post Office, and cross the magical Arctic Circle line -- a dreamlike experience for families and the young at heart.
With over 3 million saunas for 5.5 million people, sauna is the soul of Finnish culture. Experience traditional smoke saunas, lakeside saunas with ice-hole plunges, and Helsinki's acclaimed design saunas -- the most authentic Finnish ritual there is.
Finland is a destination of two extraordinary seasons. Whether you come for the aurora or the midnight sun, each offers a profoundly different and equally unforgettable experience.
The aurora season. Snow blankets Lapland from November, and the Northern Lights are at their most active between December and March. This is when you experience glass igloos, husky safaris, reindeer rides, ice floating, snowmobile excursions, and the magical atmosphere of Santa Claus Village during the Christmas season. Temperatures range from -10 to -30 degrees Celsius, but the Arctic resorts keep you warm in extraordinary style.
The midnight sun season. In northern Finland, the sun does not set for weeks, creating endless golden days perfect for hiking, fishing, kayaking through the Lakeland district, foraging for wild berries, and experiencing Finnish summer cottage culture at its best. Helsinki buzzes with festivals, outdoor dining, and island-hopping in the archipelago. The weather is pleasantly warm, with temperatures reaching 20-25 degrees Celsius.
Let our travel designers craft a bespoke Finnish itinerary -- whether you dream of glass igloos under the Northern Lights or midnight sun adventures in the Lakeland. Your Arctic journey starts here.