Beyond Helsinki's varied architecture, busy harbor, performing arts scene and stunning shop windows, the rest of Finland offers an equally diverse set of attractions. Turku's Medieval castle and summer music festival and Porvoo's quaint buildings and antique shops give travelers enough reasons to stay and explore the southern coast. In the summer, the Finnish lakes are paradise for water sports enthusiasts and for opera lovers, with the world-renowned Savonlinna Opera Festival held in lakeside venues that include a castle. Farther north, in the beautiful rolling fells, visitors can meet the indigenous Sami people and their reindeer herds, and revel in the great open spaces. In the winter, the region is filled with snow sports, including downhill and cross-country skiing, dog sledding, snowmobiling and even driving reindeer sleds. At Rovaniemi, a museum the Arkitcum celebrates the land, peoples and mystery of the northern latitudes. From the busy northern harbor of Kemi, ice breaker ships keep the Gulf of Bothnia open to shipping, and take travelers on cruises through the frozen water.
- Barbara Rogers for Triporati
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