Finland lies northwest of Russia and east of Norway and Sweden. Helsinki in the south is about 250 air miles from Stockholm, 1,144 air miles from London.
Finland is a delightful and vigorous country which is unspoiled by too many tourists despite the fact that it offers the traveler a great deal. This land, where the midnight sun shines through the summer, is a paradise of virgin forests, crystal lakes (about 60,000 of them), mountains and cascading rivers. As in all Scandinavian countries, its people are blond and blue-eyed, its cities clean, its food marvelous. The country is efficient, the people hospitable, and the rugged rather mystic quality of the country is reflected in the Finns themselves. For an unusual vacation, Finland is the answer.
SIZE …130,165 square miles, the size of New Mexico plus Vermont.
CAPITAL … Helsinki, with 460,000 inhabitants.
GOVERNMENT … A republican form of government but more like the British parliamentary system than that of the United States.
Among the luxury hotels in Helsinki are the Palace and Vaakuna. First-class hotels are Helsinki, Kamp, Seurahuone, Klaus, Kurki, and Torni. There are many less expensive but very good hotels there, too, such as the Hospiz.