10 unique things to do in Finland as a solo traveller

High levels of safety, equality, a focus on LGBTQ+ rights, clean air and a commitment to sustainability make Finland one of the world’s best destinations for solo travellers. Whether you dream of seeing the Northern Lights in snowy Lapland or exploring the design and architecture of Helsinki, travelling here alone feels both exciting and reassuring.

Solo travel is growing fast, particularly among younger generations. In a 2025 news story, Forbes stated that nearly 80% of Millennials and Gen Z are planning solo trips in the near future. Finland, voted the world’s happiest country for multiple years running and among the top countries in the Global Peace Index ranking, offers everything from unique landscapes to vibrant culture in a safe setting.

Saunas are the great social equaliser in Finland. Everyone from students to CEOs shares the same benches. For solo travellers, they’re a safe, welcoming place to strike up a conversation or simply relax in company. It is perfectly ok to go to a public Finnish sauna by yourself. In Helsinki, try Löyly, Allas Pool or Kulttuurisauna; in Tampere, the “sauna capital of the world”, head to Kuuma, Rauhaniemi or Kaupinoja.

Aurora hunting is more fun with company, and most Lapland operators cater perfectly to single travellers. In Rovaniemi, the gateway to the Arctic, you’ll find dozens of options from snowshoe hikes through quiet forests to minibus safaris to remote viewing spots. 

Levi and Ylläs are ski resort towns with a lively après-ski scene and plenty of evening Northern Lights excursions, while Saariselkä in the far north offers unique tours, like those with reindeer. Book a small-group outing and you’ll spend the evening with others who share the same excitement when the sky comes alive.

Finns love fun workshops and you'll find one-of-a-kind ones around the country. Love baking? Try a Karelian pie making workshop in Joensuu or Puumala. Are you into crafts? How about making a birdhouse, learning how to play air guitar, or making something out of reindeer antlers? It's possible. 

Helsinki’s Design District isn’t just for window shopping – many studios offer classes in pottery, jewellery making or print design. Joining a workshop lets you spend a few hours with locals, learn a new skill, and take home a self-made souvenir.

There’s something quietly powerful about gliding across a still Finnish lake or the Baltic Sea under the Midnight sun, surrounded only by forest, sky and the sound of your paddle dipping into the water. For solo travellers, joining a guided canoe trip is the perfect balance of independence and connection. You’re free to soak in the silence, but you also have the reassurance of a guide and fellow paddlers.

For travellers who like to explore at their own pace, Finland’s Museum Card is a golden ticket. Valid for a full year, it grants entry to over 300 museums across the country but even in a single day or two, it’s an excellent way to immerse yourself in culture without having to commit to one theme or schedule.

In Helsinki, you might start at Ateneum Art Museum, home to Finland’s national art collection, then wander over to the striking underground spaces of Amos Rex for contemporary exhibitions. Continue to Kiasma for cutting-edge visual art, or take a short bus ride to the mid-century modern Didrichsen Art Museum. If you’re exploring beyond the capital, the same card works at regional gems like the Serlachius Museums in Mänttä, Aalto2 in Jyväskylä, and Arktikum in Rovaniemi.

Finland’s long coastline is dotted with historic lighthouses, many of which now welcome overnight guests. For solo travellers, these small, self-contained islands offer the best of both worlds: peaceful seclusion and easy opportunities to connect with fellow visitors.

On the south-west coast, Bengtskär rises dramatically from the sea as the tallest lighthouse in the Nordics. Staying overnight in the old keeper’s quarters lets you watch the sunset from the lantern room and wake to the sound of waves against the rocks. Further north, off the coast of Rauma, Kylmäpihlaja lighthouse combines rugged maritime history with cosy rooms and a small restaurant serving freshly caught fish. In the Kvarken Archipelago, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Tankar Lighthouse near Kokkola offers summer stays where you can wander the island’s fishing huts and birdwatching spots.

Finland’s history and culture are best absorbed slowly, something solo travel allows in abundance. UNESCO-listed treasures such as Suomenlinna Sea Fortress in Helsinki and the wooden Old Church Town of Petäjävesi, and the old castles from Turku to Hämeenlinna can all be explored without rushing, letting you linger where your curiosity leads.

In Lapland, immerse yourself in Sámi heritage at the Siida Museum in Inari, where exhibitions and open-air displays tell the story of Northern Europe’s only Indigenous people. Smaller gems, such as the red-brick Old Rauma (also a UNESCO site) or the fishing village of Reposaari near Pori, are perfect for wandering with a camera and stopping for coffee when the mood strikes. Without a group schedule, you can follow your own rhythm pausing to sketch, photograph or simply sit and watch life go by.

Walking is woven into everyday life in Finland. Cities are compact, streets are safe, and public spaces are designed for pedestrians. For solo travellers, joining a guided walking tour is an easy way to meet people while discovering the local character at ground level.

In Helsinki, themed tours reveal different sides of the city from Jugendstil architecture in the Katajanokka district to the capital’s vibrant food scene, complete with market hall tastings. Turku’s guided walks bring the medieval old town to life with stories of merchants, monarchs and river trade, while Tampere’s tours trace the city’s industrial heritage along its historic red-brick factories and waterways. 

Finland’s vintage market halls are a feast for the senses and perfect for solo travellers who want to eat well without the formality of a sit-down restaurant.

In Helsinki, the Old Market Hall by the harbour has been serving customers since 1889. Inside, the air is scented with freshly baked cinnamon buns and smoked fish. You can savour a steaming bowl of creamy salmon soup at a counter, chat with a vendor about cloudberry jam, or simply watch the ebb and flow of locals on their lunch break.

In Turku, Turku Market Hall combines old-world charm with bold flavours. Try perunapiirakka (potato pasties) or a slice of archipelago bread topped with pickled herring. For a more contemporary bite, head to the Kauppahalli food stalls offering everything from vegan wraps to Asian street food. Up north in Oulu, the Oulu Market Hall is smaller but full of local character. Sample cheeses from nearby dairies, smoked reindeer, or berry juices pressed from the surrounding forests.

In Finland, silence isn’t something to be filled. It’s something to be enjoyed. In Koli National Park, you can watch the sun rise from the Ukko-Koli hilltop, the still surface of Lake Pielinen stretching endlessly below. In Hossa National Park, a guided canoe trip takes you through narrow esker lakes ringed by silent pine forests, far from any road. Up in Pallas-Yllästunturi National Park in Lapland, winter snowshoe hikes across the open fells bring you to places where the only sound is the crunch of your boots in the snow. 

Even Finland’s coast has its quiet corners; in the Åland Islands, ferries connect to tiny outer islets where sea and sky meet in near-complete solitude. For a wilder stillness, head to Kuhmo in the Kainuu region, where you can spend the night in a remote hide, watching brown bears in hushed anticipation.