Finland
in Europe

When people think of the Nordics, they often forget about the magic of Helsinki. Surrounded by water and with a killer sauna culture, this is a vibrant, unique city full of unexpected quirks. Think: naked bathing, a buzzing caffeine scene and a restaurant industry that's seriously blossoming.

An hour west of Helsinki along the southern coast, Raseborg is the kind of place that Finns escape to when Helsinki itself starts to feel like too much. The municipality is predominantly Swedish-speaking, which gives it a particular character distinct from the Finnish interior: wooden manor houses set back from the water, a medieval castle ruin rising above the reed beds of a dried lake, and a coastline that fragments into hundreds of small islands the further out you go. Ekenäs, the main town, is a well-preserved old quarter of low wooden buildings and a harbour where the sailing culture is serious and the fish soup is very good. In summer the archipelago is navigated by kayak, sailboat, and the occasional vintage wooden motor launch. In winter the sea freezes and the silence becomes something else entirely.