June to August is the best time to visit Finland for warm weather and the Midnight Sun. Late August to April is the best time for the Northern Lights, with September and March offering the strongest combination of dark skies and milder temperatures. There are highlights year-round: Juhannus bonfires mark Midsummer in late June, cloudberry foraging season runs through July in Lapland, autumn brings ruska, when Finland's forests turn shades of red and gold, and winter draws visitors to Rovaniemi's Santa Claus Village on the Arctic Circle.

The best things to do in Finland include exploring Helsinki, riding the sleeper train to Lapland, and discovering the Finnish Lakeland.

• Exploring Helsinki's design districts, museums and waterfront

• Taking the overnight sleeper train from Helsinki to Rovaniemi in Lapland, with private sleeping cabins and Arctic scenery

• Exploring the Finnish Lakeland around Lake Saimaa, known for rock paintings and lakeside towns

• Visiting Turku, Finland's oldest city, and the more than 20,000 islands of its archipelago

• Discovering Tampere's sauna culture and lakeside architecture

• Foraging for cloudberries and wild mushrooms in the forests

• Hiking in one of Finland's 41 national parks, including Nuuksio and Oulanka

• Aurora ice floating in Lapland, lying in a dry suit on a frozen lake to watch the Northern Lights overhead

Finland is reachable by ferry via Sweden, with connections from Stockholm to Turku or Helsinki. A new cross-border train service also links Haparanda in Sweden with Oulu in Finland, connecting onward to Helsinki. Within Finland, an extensive VR rail network connects major cities including Helsinki, Turku and Tampere.