Package Tours
The best tours of Finland are offered by Finnair (tel. 800/950-9000 in the U.S.; www.finnair.com), including its most popular, the Midnight Sun Flight (Helsinki-Rovaniemi-Helsinki). Any Finnair office around the world can provide information about tours for exploring Finland.
If you'd like to see as much as possible of Finland's highlights in the shortest possible time, consider one of the Friendly Finland Tours, lasting 3 to 6 days. This tour is operated by the Finland Travel Bureau, Kaivokatu 10A, PB 319, FIN-00101 Helsinki (tel. 10-82-61; www.smt.fi). Bookings can be made through any travel agent.
Organized Tours
Given its vastness and the often-difficult driving conditions during the long winter months, Finland is the one Scandinavian country where an organized tour makes sense. Even for those who enjoy the outdoors, it may be best to enter Finland's wilderness areas with a guide.
There's no better way to discover the natural beauty of Finland's lake region than by cruising its waters. Five Stars of Scandinavia (tel. 800/722-4126; fax 360/923-0488; www.5stars-of-scandinavia.com) conducts the best tours of Finland's Lake District. From June to August, one of their most popular tours is a 3-night 4-day tour of the Saimaa Lakeland, highlighted by a visit to the town of Savonlinna. Except for international airfares, prices begin at $930 per person, based on double occupancy, with a single supplement of $305.
Finnsov Tours Oy Ltd., Eerikinkatu 3 (tel. 09/436-69-60), in Helsinki offers the most comprehensive tours of both the countryside of Finland and St. Petersburg and Moscow. Discuss your needs with the staff at Finnsov -- musical festivals, an overnight in a glass igloo, a journey to see the aurora borealis (northern lights). The company's tours above the Arctic Circle are especially recommended, including action-packed adventures to Rovaniemi, capital of Lapland. Typical prices for individual package tours range from 345€ to 367€ ($449-$477), depending on the time of year and including a round-trip flight from Helsinki to Rovaniemi and 1 night in a hotel with breakfast and taxes included.
