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Digital Combat Simulator World (DCS World) är ett fritt att spela digitalt slagfältspel. Vår dröm är att erbjuda den mest autentiska och realistiska simuleringen av militära flygplan, tankar och skepp. Den fria nedladdningen inkluderar ett stort uppdragsområde i Kaukasusregionen och Svarta havet som omfattar mycket av Georgien. Den innehåller också flygtiga ryska Sukhoi Su-25T jordattackflygplan och den kända WWII nordamerikanska TF-51D-fighteren. Nedladdningen kommer med en av de mest kraftfulla missionärerna som planerats någonsin, full nätverksspel och mer än 145 AI vapensystem, 113 markfordon och tåg, 16 fartyg och 73 AI-flygplan som gör att du kan planera och spela mycket sofistikerade uppdrag. DCS World är massivt utökningsbar genom ytterligare DCS-moduler samt användarbaserade tillägg och mods som du kan köpa och ladda ner från vår webbplats. DCS är en sann sandbox simulering som också är utformad för att täcka flera tidsperioder av intresse, såsom andra världskriget, Vietnam, Gulfkriget och andra. Som exempel på produkter som går fram till slutförandet för DCS, är Normandie 1944 i sista fasen av utvecklingen och Persiska viken ligger nära. DCS World är i grunden ett djupt, autentiskt och realistiskt simuleringsspel utformat för att erbjuda ett mer avslappnat spel som passar användaren och hans speciella nivå av erfarenhet och träning. Ambitionen är att hålla användare från nybörjare pilot hela vägen till den mest avancerade och sofistikerade operatören av sådana komplexa vapensystem som A-10C eller Mirage 2000C. Det enda nästa steget är den riktiga saken Tack för ditt stöd och för att tro på DCS. A-10C: Stone Shield är en historia-driven kampanj som sätter dig i cockpit av en A-10C Warthog som en USAF-pilot som tilldelats 445: e Air Expeditionary Wing. År 2015 har Abchazien, Sydossetien och Ryssland meddelat starten av Kaukasus-2015 militärövning. Intelligensanalyser avslöjar senare att övningarna faktiskt täcker för Rysslands styrkor som flyttar till Abkhaziens territorium och ytterligare eskalerande spänningar i Kaukasusregionen. Den 445: e Air Expeditionary Wing och den 6: e mekaniserade brigaden har deployerats till Georgien som ett svar från Nato för att motverka Rysslands militära aggression mot sin fridfulla granne. F-5E Aggressors BFM-kampanjen sätter dig i cockpit av en F-5E Tiger II, som en ny Aggressor-pilot med 65th Aggressor Squadron på Nellis Air Force Base. Baserat på verkliga processer kommer du att flyga som Red Air mot Blue Air Forces. Vid ankomst kommer du att flyga ett förtroendeflyg runt Nevada Test and Training Range (NTTR). Då kommer du att möta en serie utmanande Basic Fighter Maneuver (BFM) uppdrag mot liknande och disliknande flygplan. Dina motståndare inkluderar F-4E, F-5E, F-14A, F-15C, F-16C, FA-18C, M-2000C, MiG-29G, CF-188 och MiG-21. Operation Piercing Fury (OPF) är en historia driven kampanj som består av att du leder ett vidareutvecklat A-10C Warthog Hawg Flight i det georgiska operationsområdet (AO). Du kommer att tilldelas och ledas av Joint Special Operations Command som ger direkt stöd till konventionella och icke-konventionella koalitionskrafter i regionen mot extremistiska grupper i Al-Doran och Special Purpose Islamic Army. Dina färdigheter kommer att testas när du utför avstängningsflygning (CAS), bekämpa sökning och räddning, hjälpa till med Capture-or-Kill-uppdrag och tillhandahålla CAS för övergrepp mot luften av specialstyrkor i hela regionen. Kampanjen sätter dig direkt i åtgärden med många uppdrag baserade på verkliga scenarier, operationer och taktik. OPF gör det möjligt för dig att uppleva det unika perspektivet att du befinner dig i en kampzon baserad på realistisk kommunikation, kraftskydd, framåtriktade baser, bekämpa utposter och insikt från kampanjskaparen Ranger79, en amerikansk flygvapenbekämpningsveteran av Operation Joint Forge, Operation Southern Titta, fungera bestående frihet, och fungera irakisk frihet. Känn adrenalinhoppet som ger nära Air Support i AO Museum Relic är en historia driven kampanj som äger rum mellan de två små fiktiva länderna Matova och Obristen. När deras krig sträcker sig in i sitt femte år, känner båda nationerna ansträngningen att inte kunna fylla på några av sina förlorade fordon. Du kommer att flyga som ett tecken som i början av kriget var bara en civil. Men efter att ha sett den svåra situationen som hans land står inför bestämmer han sig för att anlita sig i Matova Army Air Corp. Med sina anteckningsböcker tar han med sig också hans personliga flygplan som han donerat till museet för år sedan. P-51D High Stakes-kampanjen P-51D: High Stakes-kampanjen är en enstaka, historia-driven kampanj för DCS: P-51D Mustang. Kampanjens förutsättning är att en kraftfull affärsman och spelare som heter Maslov har anställt pilot-för-hyra pilot Vasily Sinitsa med löften om berg av pengar. I gengäld behöver Vasily flyga och behärska den ärafulla Mustangen över en sträng av 15 uppdrag som kommer att testa sina färdigheter. Maslov kommer att lägga Vasily i större utsträckning när kampanjen fortskrider och Vasily kommer att behöva använda alla sina kunskaper för att inte bara uppfylla sina tilldelade uppgifter utan också att rädda sitt liv och i längden sin ära. För att fullt ut kunna fullfölja varje uppdrag och fortsätta till nästa, kommer Vasily att landa sin Mustang vid den tilldelade punkten efter varje uppdrags avslutning. Dessutom beror Vasily på att ta hand om sin Mustang och minimera skadorna för att fortsätta genom berättelsen. Alla Vasilys uppdrag innehåller detaljerade briefings och uppdragskartografi. Varje uppdrag innehåller också kneeboard briefing och kartor. Är du redo att gå med Vasily på denna episka resaFinland (finska: Suomi. Svenska: Finland) ligger i norra Europa och har gränser med Ryssland i öster, norge i norr och sverige i väster. Finland är ett grundligt modernt välfärdsstat med välplanerade och bekväma småstäder, men erbjuder fortfarande stora områden av orörd natur. Finland har cirka 188 000 sjöar (cirka 10 av landet) och ett liknande antal öar. I nordligaste delen av landet kan norrsken ses på vintern och midnattssolen på sommaren. Finländare hävdar också det mytiska berget av Korvatunturi som Santa Claus hem, och en växande turistindustri i Lappland gynnar Santa fans. Trots att de bor i ett av de mest tekniskt utvecklade länderna i världen, älskar finländarna att gå till sina sommarstugor under de varmare månaderna för att njuta av alla slags avkopplande fritidsaktiviteter, inklusive bastu, simning, fiske och grillar. Idag har Finland ett distinkt språk och kultur som skiljer det från övriga Norden. Förstå redigera Historia redigera Saint Olafs Castle, världens nordligaste medeltida slott, byggd i Savonlinna av Sverige år 1475 Det är inte mycket känt om Finlands tidiga historia, med arkeologer som fortfarande debatterar när och var en finsk-ubisk talare skar upp. Romerska historiker Tacitus nämner en stam primitiv och viljig Fenni i 100AD och även vikingarna valde inte att bosätta sig, handla och plundra längs kusterna. I mitten av 1150-talet började Sverige att erövra och kristna de finska hednarna allvarligt, med Birger Jarl som inkorporerade större delen av landet till Sverige år 1249. Finland var en integrerad del av Sverige fram till 1800-talet, även om det var nära konstant krigföring med Ryssland på den östra gränsen och två korta yrken. Efter Sveriges slutliga katastrofala nederlag i finska kriget 1808-1809 blev Finland 1809 en självständig storhertigdöd under rysk regel. Ryska regeln växlade mellan tolerans och repression och det fanns redan en betydande självständighetsrörelse när Ryssland slog in i revolutionärt kaos 1917. Parlamentet grep chansen och förklarade självständigheten i december, och snabbt fick sovjetiskt samtycke, men landet drev snabbt i en kort men bitter civil krig mellan de konservativa vita och de socialistiska röda, så småningom vunnit av de vita. Under andra världskriget attackerades Finland av Sovjetunionen i vinterkriget. men slog dem i viloläge som såg Sovjetunionen segra 12 av finska territoriet. Finland allierade sedan med Tyskland i ett misslyckat försök att avvisa sovjeterna och återfå det förlorade territoriet, besegrades och, som ett villkor för fred, var tvungen att vända mot Tyskland istället. Således kämpade Finland med tre separata krig under andra världskriget. I slutet förlorade Finland mycket av Karelens och Finlands andra stad Vyborg. men sovjettarna betalade ett stort pris för dem med över 300 000 döda. Efter kriget låg Finland i den grå zonen mellan västländerna och Sovjetunionen. Den finsk-sovjetiska pakten om vänskap, samarbete och ömsesidigt bistånd förpliktade Finland att motstå väpnade attacker från Tyskland eller dess allierade (läst: Väst), men fick även Finland att vara neutral i det kalla kriget och undvika en kommunistisk regering eller Warszawa Pact-medlemskap . I politiken var det en tendens att undvika någon politik och uttalanden som kan tolkas som anti-sovjetisk. Denna balanseringsakt av Finlandisering definierades humoristiskt som konsten att böja mot öst utan att väga väst. Trots nära förbindelser med Sovjetunionen lyckades Finland behålla demokratiska flerpartsval och förblev en västeuropeisk marknadsekonomi och byggde nära förbindelser med sina nordiska grannar. Medan det fanns några spända ögonblick tog Finland sig av: under det närmaste halvt århundradet gjorde landet en anmärkningsvärd omvandling från en bondgårdssekonomi till en diversifierad modern industriell ekonomi med högteknologiska jättar som Nokia, och inkomst per capita är nu i översta 15 i världen. Efter Sovjetunionens implosion gick Finland till Europeiska unionen år 1995 och var den enda nordiska staten som gick med i eurosystemet vid initieringen i januari 1999. Geografiredigering I motsats till bråkiga Norge och Sverige består Finland huvudsakligen av låg, platt till rullande slättar med sjöar och låga kullar, med berg (av ett slag) endast i den extrema norra delen, medan Finlands högsta punkt, Fell Halti, bara stiger till en blygsam 1,328m. Finland har 187 888 sjöar enligt Finlands Geologiska Undersökning, vilket gör moniken Land av tusen sjöar faktiskt en underskattning. Längs kusten och i sjöarna är 8212 enligt en annan uppskattning8212179.584 öar, vilket gör landet också till ett utmärkt båtmål. Finland ligger inte på den skandinaviska halvön, så det är tekniskt inte en del av Skandinavien trots många kulturella och historiska länkar. Även finländare stör sällan att göra skillnaden, men en mer korrekt term som inkluderar Finland är de nordiska länderna (Pohjoismaat). Ändå har huvudstaden, Helsingfors, många skandinaviska drag, speciellt när det gäller arkitekturen i centrum och ett annat skandinaviskt språk, svenska, är ett av landets två officiella språk. Klimatredigeringen Finland har ett kallt men tempererat klimat, som faktiskt är relativt mildt för latitud på grund av Gulfströmmens måttliga inflytande. Vinter är dock lika mörk som överallt i dessa breddgrader, och temperaturer kan (mycket sällan) nå -30 C i söder och till och med doppa under -40 C i norr. Den korta finska sommaren är betydligt trevligare, med temperaturer runt 20-23C på soliga dagar (sällan närmare 30C) och är i allmänhet den bästa tiden på året att besöka. Juli är den varmaste månaden. Tidig vår (mars-april) är när snön börjar smälta och finländarna gillar att gå norrut för skidåkning och vintersport, medan övergången från höst till vinter i oktober-december 8212 våt och mörk8212 är den minst trevliga tiden att besöka. Södra kusten där Helsingfors och Åbo ligger är inte riktigt ett vintermål eftersom det inte finns någon garanti för snö även i januari eller februari. På grund av extrema latitud upplever norra delar av Finland den berömda midnattssolen nära sommarsolståndet, när (om över polcirkeln) solen aldrig sätter på natten och även i södra Finland blir det aldrig riktigt mörkt. Myntets baksida är Arctic Night (kaamos) på vintern, när solen aldrig kommer upp i norr. I söder är dagsljuset begränsat till några ljuvliga timmar med solen bara klättra upp över träden innan den går ner igen. Kultur redigera Vinminen försvarar Sampo. av Akseli Gallen-Kallela (1896) Buffert av sina grannar i århundraden och absorberande influenser från väst, öst och söder, finsk kultur som en särskild identitet föddes endast på 1800-talet: vi är inte svenskar och vi vill inte bli Ryska, så låt oss vara finländare. Den finska grundandet myten och nationella epiken är Kalevala. en samling av gamla karelska berättelser och dikter samlades 1835 som berättar om skapandet av världen och Vinminens äventyr. en shamanistisk hjälte med magiska krafter. Kalevalan teman som Sampo. en mytisk snickeri har varit en stor inspiration för finländska konstnärer, och figurer, scener och koncept från episka fortsätter att färga sina verk. En av de nödvändiga förutsättningarna för att ha fulla medborgerliga rättigheter i Finlands land brukade vara ett medlemskap i den evangelisk-lutherska kyrkan (där de flesta katolska traditionerna har bevarats, är doktriner uttalade kristokentriska och fortfarande formellt baserade på Concord-boken ) Har Finlands konstitution garanterat full religionsfrihet sedan 1923. Idag är den dagliga iakttagelsen av den stora majoriteten i bästa eller praktiskt taget obefintlig (ibland bland några av ministeriet) och medlemskapet i den lutherska kyrkan har varit i en kraftig nedgång sedan 1960-talet. Följaktligen gör turister och besökare klokt genom att utöva en viss takt och vara medveten om att frågor om religiös praxis och personlig tro anses vara en strikt privat fråga av de flesta finländare. Det finns all sannolikhet att trorelaterade frågor hittas antingen påträngande eller förvirrande i de flesta fall. Politik och religion skiljer sig åt i den finska debatten i den utsträckning någon deltagare förväntas inte lyfta fram sin personliga uppfattning. Finländarna delar de flesta dygder och nackdelar med sina skandinaviska grannar. Dessa inkluderar kompromisslös arbetsetik och ett inkluderande begrepp om jämlikhet. Det blev det andra landet efter Nya Zeeland som beviljade det allmänna valet. (Obs! Det här är en vanlig missuppfattning. Finland var 1907 det första landet som beviljade kvinnor full behörighet till parlamentet, Norge 1917 och Nya Zeeland så sent som 1919.) Likaså är Finland regelbundet topprankat i listan över minst korrupta länder i Transparency International. Genom sitt internationellt utmärkta utbildningslösningssystem samt omfattande folkhälso - och välfärdssystem har Finland fått ett världsomspännande rykte för ett av världens mest avancerade länder. Samtidigt plågas landet av liknande problem som är särdragen för nordiska välfärdsstater, som inbegriper den åldrande befolkningens homogenitet och relativt höga alkoholhalt, depression, social utslagning och självmord. Men finländarnas särskiljningsförmåga summeras ofta med ordet sisu. en blandning av beundransvärd uthållighet och svinhårig envishet inför motgången. Grunden för den finska musikkulturen och musikutbildningen har främst byggts på en klassisk komponist Jean Sibelius livsverk, vars symfonier spelas regelbundet av världens mest uppskattade symfoniorkestrar och vars namn bärs av Sibelius-akademin, Finlands toppmusik institution. Komponister av modern klassisk musik (Kaija Saariaho, Magnus Lindberg, Esa-Pekka Salonen etc.) och den finska elektroniska musiken (Pan Sonic, Darude, Rinneradio, Jimi Tenor, Jori Hulkkonen etc.) hålls med stor vördnad bland experter och entusiaster . Dessutom har vissa finländska vanliga tungmetaller och pop (Children of Bodom. Nightwish. HIM. Rasmus. Bomfunk MC) fått global acclaim. Kännetecknande metalband Lordi som är känt för sin latexmonster-outfit blev en internationell upplevelse över natten genom att vinna Eurovision Song Contest 2006. I andra konster har Finland producerat noterad arkitekt och formgivare Alvar Aalto. författare Mika Waltari (den egyptiska), Vin Linna (The Unknown Soldier) och Tove Jansson (The Moomins) och målare Akseli Gallen-Kallela. känd för sina Kalevala-illustrationer. Bilingualism Redigera Gata Referensdiagram Finland har en 5,5 svenskspråkig minoritet och är officiellt ett tvåspråkigt land, så kartor bär nästan alltid både finska och svenska namn för t. ex. städer och städer. Åbo och Bo är till exempel samma stad, även om namnen skiljer sig helt från varandra. Vägar kan vara särskilt förvirrande: Det som först framgår på en karta är en väg som ändrar sitt namn, i de flesta fall en väg med två namn. Detta är vanligt i de svensktalande områdena på södra och västra kusten, medan inlandssvenska namn är betydligt mindre vanliga. I någonstans utanför tvåspråkiga områden och i norra Finlands Lappland ser du aldrig svenska, och ett tvåspråkigt tecken är extremt sällsynt, du kommer ibland att se skyltar i Smi istället. I synnerhet Google Maps tycks välja språk slumpmässigt, även om de svenska namnen extremt sällan används i praktiken på de flesta ställen. Födelsedagsredigeringar Finländare arent är vanligtvis mycket heta på stora offentliga karnevaler. De flesta helgdagar spenderas hemma med familjen. Det mest anmärkningsvärda undantaget är Vappu den 1 maj, som tusentals människor (mestadels de unga) fyller gatorna. Viktiga semestrar och liknande händelser inkluderar: Nyårsdagen (Uudenvuodenpiv), 1 januari. Epiphany (Loppiainen), 6 januari. Påsk (Psiinen), variabla datum, god fredag ​​och påsk måndag är helgdagar. Bundet till detta är laskiainen 40 dagar före påsken, nominellt en helig dag som sparkar ut lånet, praktiskt taget en tid för barn och universitetsstuderande att glida ner snöiga backar och himmelsfärdsdagen (helatorstai) 40 dagar efter, bara en dag för butiker att stängas. Walpurgis Night eller oftare Vappu. 1 maj, även om festligheter börjar dagen innan (Vappuaatto). En vårfestival som sammanfaller med majdagen. Ursprungligen en hednisk tradition som sammanfaller med den nyare arbetarnas firande, det har blivit en jätte festival för studenter, som bär färgstarka signaturallerter och strömmar på gatorna. Många använder också sina vita studentkepsar mellan 18:00 den 30 april och slutet av 1 maj. Följande dag samlar folk sig till sjuksköterskan på sina hängare på utomhuspictnik, även om det regnar snett. Midsommarfestival (Juhannus), lördagen i perioden 20-26 juni. Hölls för att fira sommarsolståndet, med massor av brasar, dricka och allmänt merrymaking. Städer blir nästan tomma när människor rusar till sina sommarstugor. Det kan vara en bra idé att besöka en av de större städerna bara för den hemska känslan av en tom stad. Självständighetsdagen (Itsenisyyspiv), 6 december. Ett ganska dyster firande av Finlands oberoende från Ryssland. Presidenten håller en boll för de viktiga människorna (t ex parlamentsmedlemmar, diplomater och meriterade finska idrottare och artister). Lilla julen (Pikkujoulu), människor går pub kryper med sina kamrater i december. Inte en officiell semester, bara en Viking-styrka version av ett kontor julfest. Jul (Joulu), 24-26 december. Årets största helgdag, när nästan allt stänger i tre dagar. Santa (Joulupukki) kommer på julafton den 24 december, skinka äts och alla går till bastun. Nyårsafton (Uudenvuodenaatto), 31 december. Fyrverkeritid Typisk semestertid är i juli, till skillnad från någon annanstans i Europa, där den är i augusti. Människor börjar i allmänhet sina sommarsemester runt Midsommar. Under dessa dagar är städerna troligen mindre befolkade, eftersom finländarna leder till sina sommarstugor. Skolbarn börjar sin sommarlov i början av juni. Regioner redigera Finlands Regioner landar en autonom och monolingually svensk grupp öar utanför Finlands sydvästra kust Med en bekväm och entydig byråkratisk uppdelning motsvarar provinserna 8212, som nu formellt kallas Regional State Administrative Agents 8212, inte riktigt geografiska eller kulturella gränser väl. Andra termer som du kanske hör är Tavastia (Hme), som täcker ett stort område i centrala Finland runt Tammerfors och Karelen (Karjala) till östern, varav största delen försvann för Sovjetunionen under andra världskriget (fortfarande ett ömt ämne i vissa cirklar). Under 2010 delades västra Finland formellt i västra och inre Finland (för Tammerfors och kusten nära Vasa) och sydvästra Finland (området nära Åbo). Städer och städer redigerar Helsingfors 8212 Dotter av Östersjön, Finlands huvudstad och dess enda verkliga stad Hmeenlinna 8212 En liten sjö med medeltida slott och Aulanko park Jyvskylt 8212 en universitetsstad i centrala Finland Kuopio 8212 en universitetsstad i centrala Finland, lakelandområdet. Lappeenranta 8212 en universitetsstad nära den ryska gränsen i sydöstra Finland, vid sjön Saimaa. Uleåborg 8212 en teknikstad i slutet av Bottenviken Rovaniemi 8212 gateway till Lappland Savonlinna 8212 en liten sjöstad med ett stort slott och en populär operafestival. Seinjoki 8212 Finlands snabbast växande småstad, värd många viktiga festivaler varje år. Tammerfors 8212 Finlands största industristad, kulturhus, musik, konst och museer, mitt i andra stora städer i södra Finland. Kanske den bästa musikscenen i Finland. Åbo 8212 den tidigare huvudstaden på västkusten. Medeltida slott och katedral. Vasa 8212 en stad med starka svenska influenser på västkusten nära UNESCOs världs naturområde Kvarken skärgård Andra destinationer redigera Få in redigering Det finns inga gränskontroller mellan länder som har undertecknat och genomfört denna traktat - Europeiska unionen (utom Bulgarien, Kroatien , Cypern, Irland, Rumänien och Förenade kungariket), Island, Liechtenstein, Norge och Schweiz. På samma sätt är visum som beviljas för någon Schengenmedlem giltig i alla andra länder som har undertecknat och genomfört fördraget. Men var försiktig: inte alla EU-medlemmar har undertecknat Schengenfördraget, och inte alla Schengenmedlemmar är en del av Europeiska unionen. Det betyder att det kan finnas platstullkontroller men inga invandringskontroller (som reser inom Schengen men från ett land utanför EU) eller du kan behöva rensa invandring men inte tull (reser inom EU men från ett icke-Schengenland). Se artikeln Resor i Schengenzonen för mer information om hur systemet fungerar och vilka krav på inresa. Med flygredigeringen är Finlands största internationella knutpunkt Helsingfors-Vanda flygplats nära Helsingfors. Finnair. och Flybe Nordic är baserade där. Omkring 30 utländska flygbolag flyger till Helsingfors-Vanda. Ryanair s Finland-nav är Tammerfors i centrala Finland och Lappeenranta i öster nära den ryska gränsen, medan Wizz Air minskar navet i Åbo i sydväst. Andra flygbolag har begränsade regionala tjänster till andra städer, mestadels bara till Sverige, och på vinterns högsäsong, tillfälliga direktflygningar (särskilt i december) och säsongsplanerade flygningar (dec-mar) till Lappland. Air Baltic förbinder många provinsiella finska städer till Europa via Riga. Det kan också vara värt att få ett billigt flyg till Tallinn och följ båtinstruktionerna nedan för att komma till Finland. I början av 2011 etablerade Norwegian Air Shuttle Helsingfors som en av baserna, och erbjuder nu både inhemska och internationella flygningar. Med tågredigerare kör VR 2 och Rysslands järnvägsservice mellan Sankt Petersburg och Helsingfors, stoppa vid Vyborg. Kouvola och Lahti längs vägen. Linjen uppgraderades 2010 och de smarta nya Allegro-märkta tågen glider mellan de två städerna på tre och en halv timme på upp till 220kmh. För närvarande serveras rutten fyra gånger per dag, retur till två dagligen från november 2011. Detta är säkert den dyraste metoden att komma till Helsingfors från Sankt Petersburg med priser på 92 under sommaren och 84 resten av året för en enkelriktad biljett. Dock kan biljetter till det första tåget på morgonen, vilka avgår kl 6:12, köpas till ett pris så lågt som 39 under sommarmånaderna. Det finns också en traditionell långsam över natten sovhytt från Moskva. vilket tar cirka 15 timmar. Det finns inga direkta tåg mellan Sverige eller Norge och Finland (järnvägsmätaren är annorlunda), men bussen över klyftan från Boden Lule (Sverige) till Kemi (Finland) är fri med ett Eurail Inter Rail-pass och du kan också få en 50 rabatt från de flesta färjor med dessa passager. Bussredigering Bussar är det billigaste men också det långsammaste och minst bekväma sättet att resa mellan Ryssland och Finland. Regelbundna bussar kör mellan Sankt Petersburg. Vyborg och stora södra finska städer som Helsingfors. Villmanstrand. Jyvskyl och hela väster till Åbo. kolla Matkahuolto för scheman. Helsingfors-St. Petersburg serveras tre gånger dagligen, kostar 38 och tar 9 timmar under dagen, 8 timmar på natten. Olika direkt minibussar kör mellan St. Petersburgs Oktyabrskaya Hotel (Moskovsky tågstation) och Helsinkis Tennispalatsi (Etelinen Rautatiekatu 8, ett kvarter från Kamppi). Vid 15 enväg är detta det billigaste alternativet, men minibussarna lämnar endast när de är fulla. Avgångar från Helsingfors är oftast på morgonen (klockan 10:00), medan avgångar från St. Petersburg oftast över natten (runt 22:00). Du kan också använda en buss från Sverige eller Norge till Finland. Haparanda i Norrbotnia-området i Sverige har bussförbindelser till Tornio. Kemi och Uleåborg. Se mer från Matkahuolto. Eskelisen Lapinlinjat erbjuder bussförbindelser från norra delar av Norge, till exempel Troms. Se mer från Eskelisen Lapinlinjat. Byt båt Inne i en Silja passagerarfärg En av de bästa sätten att resa till och från Finland är till sjöss. Båtarna till Estland och Sverige. i synnerhet gigantiska flytande palats och varuhus med låga priser, med billiga priser subventionerade av försäljningen av skattefri sprit: en returresa till Tallinn inklusive en stuga för upp till fyra personer kan gå så låg som 50. Om du reser med Inter Rail. du kan få 50 rabatt på däckpriser. Det bästa sättet att anlända till Helsingfors står på utsidan däck med utsikt framåt. Estland och de baltiska staterna ändrar Helsingfors och Tallinn är bara 80 km från varandra. Vikinglinje. Ecker Line och Tallink Silja driver hela bilfärjorna hela året. Beroende på färjetypen är resetiden från drygt två timmar (Viking Line och Tallink Siljas Star, Superstar och Superfasts) till tre och en halv timme (Ecker och Tallink Siljas största kryssningsfartyg). Vissa tjänster reser över natten och parkerar utanför hamnen till morgonen. Linda Line erbjuder snabba tjänster som slutför resan på 1,5 timmar, men tar betalt lite mer, har relativt lite för att underhålla dig ombord och avbryta tjänster vid dåligt väder och under vintern. Om vädret ser dodgy och du är benägen för havsjuka, är det bäst att välja de stora långsamma båtarna. Det finns en extra färjeförbindelse mellan Hanko och Paldiski. drivs av NaviRail. Det finns inga planerade tjänster till Lettland eller Litauen. men några av operatörerna ovan erbjuder halvtidliga kryssningar på sommaren, med Riga som den mest populära destinationen. Tyskland redigera Finnlines 3 opererar från Helsingfors till Travemnde (nära Lbeck och Hamburg) och från Helsingfors till Rostock. Helsingfors-Travemnde-resan tar cirka 27 timmar medan Helsingfors-Rostock tar cirka 34 timmar. Travemnde-linjen drivs av snabba och stora Star-class-fartyg medan ett enda, betydligt mindre Hansa-klassfartyg verkar i Rostock-linjen. Den senare anses vara mer lyxig och bekväm även om resan tar mycket längre tid. Ryssland redigera I åratal har planerade färjetjänster till Ryssland varit stop-and-go. Från och med april 2010 erbjuder St Peter Line regelbunden färjetrafik från Sankt Petersburg till Helsingfors för så lågt som 30 sätt. Kristina Cruises erbjuder även enstaka kryssningar från Helsingfors. Sverige redigera Silja Serenade lämnar Helsingfors Både Silja och Viking erbjuder kryssningar från Helsingfors och över natten samt dagtid kryssningar från Åbo till Stockholm. brukar stanna i landets öar längs vägen. Det här är några av de största och mest lyxiga passagerarfartyg i världen, med så många som 14 våningar och en hel rad restauranger, barer, diskotek, pool och spa-faciliteter etc. De billigare stugklassen under bildäcken är ganska spartanska , men de högre havsutsikten kan vara väldigt trevliga. Observera att både Silja och Viking på grund av att folkmassiga ungdomar strävar efter att bli grundligt hämtade på billig skattefri sprit, tillåter inte ensamkommande ungdomar under 23 att kryssa på fredagar eller lördagar. (Åldersgränsen är 20 på andra nätter, och endast 18 för resenärer som inte är på samma dag-retur-kryssningspaket.) Dessutom erbjuder Silja inte däckklassen på sina över natten tjänster, medan Viking gör det. Notera också att med Viking Line är det ofta billigare att boka en kryssning istället för rutetrafik. Kryssningen omfattar båda vägarna med en dag däremellan. Om du vill stanna längre går du helt enkelt inte tillbaka - det kan fortfarande vara billigare än att boka en enkelriktad trafikbiljett. Detta gäller särskilt för sista minuten biljetter (du kan t. ex. få från Stockholm till Åbo för omkring 10 över natten - rutten trafik skulle vara över 30 för en stuga med lägre kvalitet). Förutom de stora tvåen, FinnLink erbjuder den billigaste bilfärjeanslutningen från allt från Naantali till Kapellskr (från 60 för bil med förare). Bilfärjor stannar vanligtvis i några minuter vid Mariehamn i landöarna. som ligger utanför EU: s skatteområde och därigenom tillåta färjorna att driva tullfri försäljning. Mellan Vasa och Ume finns en färja som drivs av Wasaline. Med bil redigerar Finland ett omfattande vägnät som förbinder och går igenom alla större städer. Att köra genom Finland när som helst på året är en behandling med slingrande vägar och mjuka kullar inramade av tall - och björkskogar med jordbruksmarker här och där. Sommartidskvällar med midnattssolen som ger mildt ljus är särskilt natursköna och roliga. Under sommarmånaderna är reparationerna i full gång så att vissa mindre förseningar kan upplevas. Vägpatrullkameror används i stor utsträckning för att övervaka trafiken och genomdriva hastighetsbegränsningar. Sverige redigera Som nämnts ovan är ett av de enklaste sätten att åka bil från Sverige till Finland en bilfärja. Den europeiska vägen E12 (Finlands National Highway 3) innehåller en färje mellan Ume och Vaasa. En annan rutt som inkluderar en bilfärja är E18, från Stockholm till Åbo. Norge redigera Ryssland redigera europeisk väg E18, som rysk väg M10, går från St Petersburg via Vyborg till VaalimaaTorfyanovka gränsstation nära Hamina. Därifrån fortsätter E18 som den finska riksväg 7 till Helsingfors och därifrån längs kusten som motorväg 1 till Åbo. I Vaalimaa måste lastbilar vänta i en bestående lastbilskö. Denna kö har inte direkt påverkan på andra fordon. Det finns gränskontroll och tullkontroller i Vaalimaa och pass och Schengenvisum, om det är tillämpligt, kommer att behövas. Från söder till norr finns andra gränsövergångar i NuijamaaBrusnichnoye (Lappeenranta), VaalimaaTorfyanovka, ImatraSvetogorsk, Niirala (Tohmajrvi), Vartius (Kuhmo) Kelloselk (Salla) och Raja-Jooseppi (Sodankyl). Alla utom de första är väldigt avlägsna. Estland redigera Som nämnts ovan finns en bilfärja mellan Tallinn och Helsingfors. Det utgör en del av den europeiska vägen E67 Via Baltica som går från den estniska huvudstaden Tallinn, korsar Riga i Lettland och Kaunas i Litauen till den polska huvudstaden Warszawa. Avståndet från Tallinn till Warszawa är ca 970 km, inte några omfarter. Ta sig runt redigera Det finska järnvägsnätet (passagerarlina i grönt) Finlands ett stort land och resande är relativt dyrt. Offentlig transport är välorganiserad och utrustningen är alltid bekväm och ofta ny och förskottsbokningar är sällan nödvändiga utanför de största semesterperioderna. Den inhemska Journey Planner erbjuder en användbar webbplats med integrerade tidtabeller för alla tåg, bussar och flygplan, inklusive stads - och lokal transport. Om du behöver information om en adress i Finland kan du hitta den via Jokapaikka. fi (en gratis sökmotor för lokalområdet). Den har Google-översättning för icke-lokalbefolkningen. Med flygredigeringar Flygningar är det snabbaste men i allmänhet också det dyraste sättet att komma runt. Finnair och några mindre flygbolag driver regionala flyg från Helsingfors till hela landet, inklusive Kuopio. Björneborg. Rovaniemi och Ivalo. Det är värt att boka på förhand om möjligt: ​​På Helsingfors - Oulu-sektorn, landets mest trafikerade, kostar en helt flexibel returekonomi biljett 251, men en förskottsbetalning som inte kan bytas, kan gå så låg som 39, mindre än en tågbiljett. Du kan också få rabatterade inhemska biljetter om du flyger till Finland på Finnair. En annan möjlighet är Air Baltic som också flyger sektorn Åbo-Uleåborg till mycket konkurrenskraftiga priser, långt mindre än tåget. Dessutom började Norwegian Air Shuttle flyga från Helsingfors till Uleåborg och Rovaniemi år 2011. En buss (Finnair stadsbuss) opererar mellan Helsingfors-Vanda flygplats och Helsingfors centralstation i ca. 20 minuters intervall (30 min resa varaktighet, 6:30) busslinje 615 (dag 620 (på natten) är ett något billigare alternativ (36 minuters resa varaktighet, 5 dag, 7 natt, 102015 priser). Det finns också tågförbindelser på flygplatsen och det tar dig på 45 minuter (tillträdet till den nya tågterminalen öppnas sen 2015 och körtiden är ca 35 minuter. Det finns en gratis buss till närmaste tågstation för tillfället) till Helsingfors centralstation. Priserna är 5 dag, 7 natt. Kolla in Helsingforsregionens transportplanerare för tidtabeller och annan information. Det finns tre stora flygbolag som säljer inrikesflyg: Finnair. det nationella flaggskeppet flygbolaget. Serverar nästan hela landet, med vissa flygningar som drivs av dotterbolaget Nordic Regional Airlines. Norska flyger till städerna i norr, som Rovaniemi, Uleåborg, Ivalo och Kittil. Dessutom fyller BASe Airlines och Air100 några luckor. Ändra med tåg Ett Pendolino-tåg, den snabbaste VR-flottan (220 km) VR 4 (Järnvägen) driver det ganska omfattande järnvägsnätverket. Tåget är den metod som valts för resor från Helsingfors till Tammerfors. Åbo och Lahtis. med avgångar minst en gång i timmen och snabbare hastigheter än bussen. Följande serviceklasser finns tillgängliga, med exempelpriser och varaktighet för den populära Helsingfors-Tampere-tjänsten inom parentes. Pendolino-lutningståg (kod S), det snabbaste alternativet (836432, 1:26) InterCity (IC) och InterCity2 (IC2) Express-tåg, med IC-tilläggsbelopp (836426.9, 1:46) Vanlig express (pikajuna. P) med express Tilläggsavgift, endast långsamma tåg för denna anslutning (836424.6, 2: 12-2: 16) Lokala och regionala tåg (lhiliikennejuna, lhijuna eller taajamajuna), ingen tilläggsavgift, ganska långsam (836421, 2:03) Tågen är i allmänhet mycket bekväma , speciellt expresstjänsterna. Pendolino och IC-tåg har restaurangbilar, familjebilar (endast IC med lekplats för barn) och eluttag Pendolinos och IntercityIC2-tåg erbjuder även gratis (men ofta mycket långsam) Wi-Fi-anslutning. Ytterligare avgifter gäller för resor i första klass, märkesaffär på vissa tåg, vilket ger dig större utrymme, tidningar och eventuellt ett mellanmål. Övernattningsbäddar är tillgängliga för långa sträckor och mycket bra värde på 8364112143 för en säng i en trebäddsrumsbädd, men enkelsängar är endast tillgängliga i första klass. Ett barn under 7 år kan resa gratis med varje avgiftsbetalande vuxen, och pensionärer över 65 år och studenter med finska student ID (ISIC-kort etc ej accepterade) får 50 avgångar. Grupper av 3 eller fler får 15 avstånd. Finland deltar i Inter Rail och Eurail-systemen. Europas invånare kan köpa InterRail Finland passerar erbjuder 3-8 dagar obegränsad resa på en månad för 8364109-229 (vuxen 2: a klass), medan Eurail Finland passerar för utländska medborgare är 8364178-320 i 3-10 dagar. VRs own Holiday Pass ( LomaPassi ), at 8364145 for 3 days including up to 4 free seat reservations, is available to all but only valid in summer. You would have to travel a lot to make any of these pay off though by comparison, a full-fare InterCity return ticket across the entire country from Helsinki to Rovaniemi and back is 8364162. Generally, the trains are most crowded at the beginning and end of the weekend, and that means Friday and Sunday evening. Shortly before and at the end of major holidays like ChristmasNew Year and Easter, trains are usually very busy. If you try booking for these days at a late time, you may find the seat you reserve may be among the least desirable, that is, facing backwards, without recline, and facing towards and sharing the legroom with other passengers. While VRs trains may be slick, harsh winter conditions and underinvestment in maintenance mean that delayed trains are not uncommon, with the fancy Pendolinos particularly prone to breaking down. As in the rest of the EU, youll get a 25 refund if the train is 1-2 hours late and 50 if more. By bus edit Matkahuolto 5 offers long-distance coach connections to practically all parts of Finland. Bus is also the only way to travel in Lapland, since the rail network doesnt extend to the extreme north. Buses are generally slightly higher priced than trains, although on routes with direct train competition they can be cheaper. Speeds are usually slower than trains, sometimes very slow (from Helsinki to Oulu), sometimes even faster (from Helsinki to Kotka and Pori). On many routes, though, buses are more frequent, so you may still get to your destination faster than if you wait for the next train. Unlike the trains, student discounts are available also for foreign students by showing a valid ISIC card at Matkahuolto offices (in every bus station) and getting a Matkahuolto student discount card (5). There is also BusPass travel pass from Matkahuolto 6. which offers unlimited travel in specified time, priced at 149 for 7 days and 249 for 14 days. Onnibus 7 offers a cheaper alternative (ticket prices beginning from 3 on all routes when bought online) for long-distance coaches on routes HelsinkiTurku, HelsinkiTampere, TamperePori and beginning from the autumn 2012 also TurkuTampereJyvskyl and JyvskylOulu. Note that the routes in Tampere dont serve the city centre (with exception the Pori route) but instead stop in Hervanta (10km south of city centre), which will be Onnibus bus terminal serving as an interchange station between different routes. Local transport networks are well-developed in Greater Helsinki, Tampere and Turku. In smaller cities public transport networks are usable on weekdays, but sparse on weekends and during the summer. There are easy-to-use high-tech English route planners with maps to find out how to use local bus services provided by national bus provider Matkahuolto 8. Demand responsive transport edit Demand responsive transport (DRT) is a form of public transport, in which the routes are determined based on the customers needs. You can find the zones where DRT services are available by using the map or address search services9. By ferry edit In summertime, lake cruises are a great way to see the scenery of Finland, although most of them only do circular sightseeing loops and arent thus particularly useful for getting from point A to point B. Most cruise ships carry 100-200 passengers (book ahead on weekends), and many are historical steam boats. Popular routes include Turku - Naantali and various routes in and around Saimaa. By car edit Moose on the loose The use of sand instead of potassium formate and salt leads to a dirty environment. In Spring, the breathing air is often polluted by dust and thus can result in respiratory malfunctions. Srninen, Helsinki. Car rental is possible in Finland but generally expensive, with rates generally upwards of 80day, although rates go down for longer rentals. Foreign-registered cars can only be used in Finland for a limited time and registering it locally involves paying a substantial tax to equalize the price to Finnish levels. If you opt to buy a car in Finland instead, make sure it has all annual taxes paid and when its next annual inspection is due: the deadline is the same day as the cars first date of use unless the registration form says 00.00.xx in first date of use. In that case the inspection date is determined by the last number of the license plate. All cars must pass emissions testing and precise tests of brakes etc. Police may remove the plates of vehicles that have not passed their annual inspections in time and give you a fine. Traffic drives on the right, and there are no road tolls in Finnish cities or highways so far. Roads are well maintained and extensive, although expressways are limited to the south of the country. Note that headlights or daytime running lights must be kept on at all times when driving, in and outside cities, whether its dark or not. Drivers must stay very alert, particularly at dawn and dusk, for wild animals. Collisions with moose (frequently lethal) are common countrywide, deer (mostly survivable) cause numerous collisions in South and South West parts of the country, and semi-domesticated reindeer are a common cause of accidents in Lapland. Bear collisions happen sometimes in eastern parts of the country. VRs overnight car carrier trains 10 are popular for skipping the long slog from Helsinki up to Lapland and getting a good nights sleep instead: a Helsinki - Rovaniemi trip (one way) with car and cabin for 1-3 people starts from 8364215. A few unusual or unobvious rules to beware of: Headlights are mandatory even during daylight. Always give way to the right, unless signed otherwise. There is no concept of minor and major road, so this applies even to smaller road on your right. Almost all intersections are explicitly signposted with yield signs (either the stop sign or an inverted triangle). There is no explicit sign on the road that has priority, instead watch out for the back of the yield sign on the other road. Signs use the following shorthand: white numbers are for weekdays (eg. 8-16 means 08:00-16:00), white numbers in parentheses apply on Saturdays and red numbers on Sundays and holidays. In Helsinki, trams always have the right of way. Collisions do a surprising amount of damage. Dont get into arguments with a vehicle that cant change direction and weighs as much as a small battle tank. A vehicle is required by law to stop at a zebra crossing, if at least one other car has stopped, regardless of whether or not there is a pedestrian (in a similar manner as if there were a stop sign). A car is obliged to stop at a zebra crossing, if the pedestrian intends to cross the road. Many pedestrians intend to cross the road only when there is a sufficiently large gap in the traffic. When crossing the road as a pedestrian at a zebra crossing, do not leave a shadow of a doubt that you will cross the road, and cars will stop. With some practice, this works out smoothly, efficiently and without taking undue risks. By default, drivers will assume that the pedestrian does not intend to cross the road right now, in other words, cars will not stop. A car horn may only be used to prevent a collision or a similar hazardous situation. Using the horn for other purposes such as expressing frustration in surrounding traffic is unlawful and quite strongly frowned upon. Circular traffic can be rather complex. For example, in one spot, two new lanes are created while the outer lane is suddenly forced to exit. This creates a difficult situation, when the lines are covered by snow. Pedestrians walking on unlighted roads without sidewalk or cycle tracks in the dark are required by law to use safety reflectors. Their use is generally recommended, since the visibility of pedestrians with reflector improves greatly. Winter driving can be somewhat hazardous, especially for drivers unused to cold weather conditions. Winter tires (MS) are mandatory from 1 December through the end of February. The most dangerous weather is in fact around the zero degree mark (C), when slippery but near-invisible black ice forms on the roads. Finnish cars often come equipped with an engine block heater ( lohkolmmitin ) used to preheat the engine and possibly the interior of the car beforehand, and many parking places have electric outlets to feed them. Liikenneturva, the Finnish road safety agency, maintains a Tips for winter driving page 11 in English. Note that especially in the Helsinki area, the majority of cars are equipped with steel-studded tires that allow more dynamic driving and shorter braking distances on frozen surfaces than conventional traction tires (MS), as used in other European countries. Finnish speeding tickets are based on your income, so be careful: a Nokia VP whod cashed in some stock options the previous year was once hit for US204,000 Fortunately, the police have no access to tax records outside Finland and will just fine non-residents a flat 8364100-200 instead. Speed limits are 50 kmh in towns, 80-100 kmh outside towns and usually 120 kmh on freeways. From around mid-october to april, speedlimits on freeways are lowered to 100 kmh and most 100 kmh limits are lowered to 80 kmh. Software for GPS navigators that warns of fixed safety cameras is legal and installed by default in many mobile phones. Warning signs before fixed cameras are required by law. A blood alcohol level of over 0.05 is considered drunk driving and 0.12 as aggrevated drunk driving, so think twice before drinking that second beer. Finnish police strictly enforce this by random roadblocks and sobriety tests. If you are driving at night when the gas stations are closed (they usually close at 9 PM), always remember to bring some money for gas . Automated gas pumps in Finland in rare occasions do not accept foreign visacredit cards, but you can pay with Euro notes. In the sparsely-populated areas of the country, distances of 50 km and more between gas stations are not unheard of, so dont gamble unnecessarily with those last litres of fuel. If you come in your own car, note that all petrol in Finland contains ethanol . If your car should not be run on ethanol-containing petrol or you are unsure use the 98 octane petrol. This contains residual ethanol from the pump station up to a maximum of 5 and can be used in all cars that run on petrol. By taxi edit Finnish taxis are heavily regulated by the government, so theyre comfortable, safe and expensive. No matter where you go in the country, the starting fee is fixed at 5.90, rising up to 9.00 at night and on Sundays. The per-kilometer charge starts at 1.52km for 1 or 2 passengers, rising up to 2,13km for 7 or 8 passenger minivans. A 20-25 km journey (say, airport to central Helsinki) can thus easily cost 40-50. Taxis can come in any color or shape, but they will always have a yellow TAXI sign (sometimes spelled TAKSI) on the roof. Hailing cabs off the street is difficult to impossible, so either find a taxi rank or order by phone (any pub or restaurant will help you on this, expect to pay 2 euros for the call). Taxi companies around the country can be found at the Taksiliitto 12 site. In the Helsinki city center, long lines at the taxi stops can be expected on Friday and Saturday nights. It is not uncommon to share a taxi with strangers if going towards the same general direction. Using of unofficial taxis is illegal and to be avoided. You might lose your walletpursephone, despite Helsinki being maybe one of the safest capitals in Europe. The Uber service is illegal in Finland and the driver may face a notable penalty. If you decide to use Uber and your driver gets caught by the police, youre on your own. By thumb edit Hitchhiking is possible, albeit unusual, in Finland, as the harsh climate and sparse traffic dont exactly encourage standing around and waiting for cars. The most difficult task is getting out of Helsinki. Summer offers long light hours, but in the fallspring you should plan your time. The highway between Helsinki and Saint Petersburg has a very high percentage of Russian drivers. See Hitchhiking Club Finland liftari. org 13 or the Finland article 14 on Hitchwiki for further details if interested. By bicycle edit Most Finnish cities have good bike paths especially outside the centres, and taking a bike can be a quick, healthy and environmentally friendly method of getting around locally. The roads are generally paved well, although gravel roads are sometimes unavoidable. As long as you dont go off-road, you will not need suspension or grooved tyres. Because of the long distances, bicycle tourists are advised to plan well and be prepared to use public transport for the less interesting stretches. Long-distance coaches are well-equipped to take bicycles on board, trains take bicycles if there is enough space. Ferries take bikes for free or for a small fee. Due to the relatively gentle topographic relief, too hilly terrain is rarely a problem, but in the cold months, windchill requires more protection against cold than in walking. Talk edit Finnish language map. Finnish is a Official Language (dark blue) and Finnish spoken by a minority (aruba blue) Finland is officially bilingual in Finnish (spoken by 90 of the population) and Swedish (spoken by 5,6 of the population), and both languages are compulsory in all schools, but in practice most of the population is monolingual in Finnish. Finnish is spoken everywhere in the country except land islands and Finnish is the main language of Finland. Finnish is not related to the Scandinavian languages (Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Icelandic and Faroese), Russian, or English. In fact, it is not even an Indo-European language, instead belonging in the Uralic group of languages which includes Hungarian and Estonian, making it hard for speakers of most other European languages to learn. Reading signboards can also be difficult as Finnish has relatively few loan words from common European languages, and as a result it is very hard to guess what words in Finnish mean. Swedish is the mother tongue for 5.6 of Finns. There are no large towns with a Swedish majority, and the Swedish-speaking communities are mainly smaller rural communities along the Southwest coast. Many towns and road signs on the coast use alternate Finnish and Swedish names, so road signs can be confusing, but bilingual signs outside bilingual areas never appear. The small autonomous province of land and the municipalities of Nrpes, Korsns and Larsmo are exclusively Swedish-speaking, and people there typically speak little or no Finnish at all, so English is a better bet. Swedish is a mandatory subject in Finnish-speaking schools (and Finnish in Swedish-speaking schools), so everyone is supposed to speak and understand it in reality, though, only 41 of the Finnish-speaking population is conversant in it, and most of these people live in coastal areas and in predominantly Swedish-speaking areas. Even this varies: for example, in Helsinki and Turku most people can speak Swedish enough to deal with important conversations you engage in as a tourist and often somewhat beyond, but living would be impossible without knowledge of Finnish, whereas towns like Vaasa and Porvoo have significant Swedish-speaking minorities and are more genuinely bilingual (i. e. it would be possible to live there with Swedish only). Most hotels and restaurants, especially in areas where Swedish is widely spoken, do have some Swedish-proficient staff. Russian is best understood near the Russian border, such as in Lappeenranta, Imatra and Joensuu, which are areas frequented by Russian tourists. Tourist destinations which are popular among Russians in Eastern and Northern Finland have some Russian-speaking staff. Elsewhere, knowledge of Russian is often far rarer. In bigger towns, with the exception of the elderly, many people you would meet as a tourist speak good English, and even in the countryside younger people will nearly always know enough to communicate. In fact, outside of the Swedish-speaking communities, English is usually far better understood than Swedish . Conversely, within the Swedish-speaking communities, English is often better understood than Finnish. 73160 of the population in Finland can speak English. Dont hesitate to ask for help: Finns can be shy but will help you out in need. Besides English and Swedish, some Finns can speak German (18160) or French (3160), other secondary languages (Spanish, Russian) being rare. Foreign TV series and movies are nearly always subtitled. Only childrens fare gets dubbed into Finnish. The grammar of Finnish language has relatively few exceptions but quite many rules (where some rules might be considered cleverly disguised exceptions). There are about 17 different cases for getting some coffee and getting the coffee, going into a pub, being in a pub (or in a state of drunkenness), getting out of the pub, being on the roof, getting onto the roof, getting off the roof, using something as a roof and so on that are encoded into the word endings. In written text, the plethora of cases makes it a challenging exercise to even look up a single word from the dictionary. The conjugation of verbs is unfortunately somewhat more complex. See edit add listing Sunset with reflections on a lake in Finland. A selection of top sights in Finland: Central Helsinki. the Daughter of the Baltic . on a warm and sunny summer day The Suomenlinna Sea Fortress, 15-minute ferry trip from Downtown Helsinki. A Unesco World Heritage Site. The historical sites of Turku and the vast archipelago around it, best viewed from the deck of a giant car ferry. Pottering around the picturesque wooden houses of Porvoo. Finlands second-oldest town Renting a car and exploring the Lake Land of Eastern Finland, an area dotted with around 60 000 lakes with a similar number of islands, which in turn have their own lakes. Olavinlinna Castle in Savonlinna. Finlands most atmospheric castle, especially during the yearly Opera Festival Hmeenlinna Castle in Hmeenlinna is Finlands oldest castle. Built in 13th century. Relaxing at a sauna-equipped cottage in the lake country of Eastern Finland Icebreaker cruising and the worlds biggest snow castle in Kemi Seeing the Northern Lights and trying your hand sledding down a mile-long track at Saariselk A ride on the historical Linnanmki wooden roller coaster (Helsinki). Unlike modern designs, only gravity keeps it on the track, and it requires a driver on each train to operate the brakes. Do edit add listing Sports edit Notably lacking in craggy mountains or crenellated fjords, Finland is not the adrenalin-laden winter sports paradise you might expect: the traditional Finnish pastime is cross-country skiing through more or less flat terrain. If youre looking for downhill skiing, snowboarding etc, youll need to head up to Lapland and resorts like Levi and Saariselk. During the short summer you can swim, fish or canoe in the lakes. They are usually warmest around 20th July. Local newspapers usually have the current surface temperatures, and a map of the surface temperatures can also be found from the Environment Ministry website 15. During the warmest weeks, late at night or early in the morning the water can feel quite pleasant when the air temperature is lower than the waters. Most towns also have swimming halls with slightly warmer water, but these are often closed during the summer. Fishing permits, if needed, can be easily bought from any R-Kioski although they take a small surcharge for it. For hikers, fishermen and hunters, the Ministry of Forestry maintains an online Excursion Map map 16 with trails and huts marked. The best season for hiking is early fall, after most mosquitoes have died off and the autumn colors have come out. And if youd like to try your hand at something uniquely Finnish, dont miss the plethora of bizarre sports contests in the summer, including: Air Guitar World Championships 17. August, Oulu . Mobile Phone Throwing Championship 18. August, Savonlinna. Recycle your Nokia Swamp Soccer World Championship 19. July, Hyrynsalmi. Probably the messiest sporting event in the world. Wife Carrying World Championship 20. July, Sonkajrvi. The grand prize is the wifes weight in beer. Sulkavan Suursoudut 21. July, Sulkava Finlands biggest rowing event Festivals edit Finland hosts many music festivals ( festari ) during the summer. Some of the most notable include: Most of the festivals last 2-4 days and are very well organized, with many different bands playing, with eg. Foo Fighters and Linkin Park headlining at Provinssi 2008. The normal full ticket (all days) price is about 60-100, which includes a camp site where you can sleep, eat and meet other festival guests. The atmosphere at festivals is great and probably youll find new friends there. Of course drinking a lot of beer is a part of the experience. There are also many more less-advertised underground festivals around the countryside every summer. Northern Lights edit Spotting the eerie Northern Lights ( aurora borealis . or revontulet in Finnish) glowing in the sky is on the agenda of many visitors, but even in Finland its not so easy. During the summer, its light all day along and the aurora become invisible, and theyre rarely seen in the south. The best place to spot them is during the winter in the far north, when the probability of occurrence is over 50 around the magnetic peak hour of 22:30 8212 if the sky is clear, that is. The ski resort of Saariselk. easily accessible by plane and with plenty of facilities, is particularly popular among aurora hunters. Buy edit add listing Finland has the euro () as its sole currency along with 24 other countries that use this common European money. These 24 countries are: Austria. Belgium. Cypern. Estonia. Finland . France. Germany. Greece. Ireland. Italy. Latvia. Lithuania. Luxembourg. Malta. the Netherlands. Portugal. Slovakia. Slovenia and Spain (official euro members which are all European Union member states) as well as Andorra. Kosovo. Monaco. Montenegro. San Marino and the Vatican which use it without having a say in eurozone affairs and without being European Union members. Together, these countries have a population of more than 330 million. One euro is divided into 100 cents. While each official euro member (as well as Monaco, San Marino and Vatican) issues its own coins with a unique obverse, the reverse, as well as all bank notes, look the same throughout the eurozone. Every coin is legal tender in any of the eurozone countries. Finland does not use the 1 and 2 cent coins instead all sums are rounded to the nearest 5 cents. The coins are, however, still legal tender and there are even small quantities of Finnish 1c and 2c coins, highly valued by collectors. It is common to omit cents and the euro sign from prices, and use the comma as a decimal separator: 5,50 thus means five euros and fifty cents. Getting or exchanging money is rarely a problem, as ATMs (Otto) are common and they can be operated with international credit and debit cards (Visa, Visa Electron, Mastercard, Maestro). Currencies other than the euro are generally not accepted, although the Swedish krona may be accepted in land and northern border towns like Tornio. Russian roubles are accepted in some select touristy shops, such as Stockmann in Helsinki. Money changers are common in the bigger cities (the Forex chain 33 is ubiquitous) and typically have longer opening hours and faster service than banks. Credit cards are widely accepted, and the payment is almost always accepted by your PIN code. Visa Electron and Visa Debit cardreaders are found in all major and most minor shops, so carrying large amounts of cash is not usually necessary. As a rule, tipping is never necessary in Finland and restaurant bills already include service charges. That said, taxi fares and other bills paid by cash are are occasionally rounded up to the next convenient number. Cloakrooms ( narikka ) in nightclubs and better restaurants often have non-negotiable fees (usually clearly signposted, 83643 is standard), and 8212 in the few hotels that employ them 8212 hotel porters will expect around the same per bag. Costs edit Declared the worlds most expensive country in 1990, prices have since abated somewhat but are still steep by most standards. Rock-bottom traveling if staying in hostel dorms and self-catering costs at least 25day and its well worth doubling that amount. The cheapest hotels cost about 50 per night and more regular hotels closer to 100. Instead of hotels or hostels, look for holiday cottages, especially when travelling in a group and off-season, you can find a full-equipped cottage for 10-15 per person a night. Camp-sites typically cost between 10 and 20 per tent. Museums and tourist attractions have an entrance fee in the range of 5-25. Using public transport costs a few euros per day and depends on the city. One-way travel between major cities by train or by bus costs between 20 and 100, depending on the distance. Note that a VAT of 24 is charged for nearly everything, but by law this must be included in the displayed price. Non-EU residents can get a tax refund for purchases above 40 at participating outlets, just look for the Tax-Free Shopping logo. Shopping edit As you might expect given the general price level, souvenir shopping in Finland isnt exactly cheap. Traditional buys include Finnish puukko knives, handwoven ryijy rugs and every conceivable part of a reindeer. For any Lappish handicrafts, look for the Smi Duodji label that certifies it as authentic. Popular brands for modern (or timeless) Finnish design include Marimekko 34 clothing, Iittala 35 glass, Arabia 36 ceramics, Kalevala Koru 37 jewelry, Pentik 38 interior design and, if you dont mind the shipping costs, Artek 39 furniture by renowned architect and designer Alvar Aalto. Kids and not a few adults love Moomin 40 characters, which fill up souvenir store shelves throughout the country. In case one prefers souvenirs that are made in Finland and do not just appear Finn Made, caution is advised. Many wooden products are actually imported and Marimekko, for instance, manufactures most of its products outside Finland. Safe bets for truly Finnish souvenirs are products made by Lapuan Kankurit 41 and Aarikka 42. for example. Grocery stores are rather common, and there is usually at least one supermarket in almost all localities. The range of products in Finnish grocery stores tends to be a little bit more limited than in neighboring countries (except perhaps in Norway). Many products need to be imported, and this unfortunately shows in the selection of goods and the pricing. It is not uncommon to see exactly the same product in different shops, at exactly the same price. Finnish food markets are mainly dominated by two large groups: S Group (supermarket chains Sale . Alepa . S-Market and hypermarket chain Prisma ), and K Group (supermarket chains K-Extra . K-Market . K-Supermarket and hypermarket chain K-Citymarket , while local market chains like Siwa . Valintatalo . Tarmo and M-Market covers lots of gaps where larger chains do not operate. In addition to these chains, international discount store chain Lidl operates around 150 stores in Finland, mainly in cities and towns with population over 5,000. It usually offers the cheapest prices, and product range is similar to the rest of Europe. Previous restrictions on shopping hours were recently lifted, and now vary significantly by shop and location. For many smaller shops in large towns, normal weekday opening hours are around 08:00-22:00, but may be closed or have reduced hours during weekends. Larger shops and grocery stores in central locations are sometimes open later. Shopping hours for specialty stores, as well as shops in small towns and in the countryside, are often much shorter. Note that opening hours are often reduced considerably around national holidays, such as Christmas, Easter or Midsummer. Convenience stores like the ubiquitous R-Kioski 43 tend to have longer hours, but are often closed when you most need them. Some shops in Central Helsinki are open 247 or until 22:00 every day of the year. If in desperate need of basic supplies, gas station convenience stores are usually open on weekends and until late at night. Most notable 247 Gas station-chains are ABC 44 and Shell 45. While shopkeepers may vehemently deny this to a foreigner, prices in smaller stores are by no means fixed. When buying hobby equipment, it is not uncommon to get 30160 discount (hint: Find the international price level from a web shop and print it out). The more specialized the goods, the higher the gap between Finnish and international prices, and mail order may save a lot of money. When a package is intercepted by customs (which is quite rate for physically small items), the buyer is notified and can pick it up from customs. VAT and possibly import duty are charged, bring a copy of the order that is then signed by the buyer and archived. When buying consumer electronics, one should be aware that the shelf life of products can be rather long, especially if the shop isnt specialized in consumer electronics. There is a risk to buy an overpriced product that has already been discontinued by the manufacturer or replaced with a newer model. Eat edit add listing A typical Finnish meal. Clockwise from bottom: warm smoked salmon, boiled potatoes, cream sauce with chantarelles, lightly pickled cucumbers with dill Finnish cuisine is heavily influenced by its neighbors, the main staples being potatoes and bread with various fish and meat dishes on the side. Milk or cream is traditionally considered an important part of the diet and is often an ingredient in foods and a drink, even for adults. Various milk products such as cheeses are also produced. While traditional Finnish food is famously bland, the culinary revolution that followed joining the EU has seen a boom in classy restaurants experimenting with local ingredients, often with excellent results. Seafood edit With tens of thousands of lakes and a long coastline, fish is a Finnish staple, and theres a lot more on that menu than just salmon ( lohi ). Specialities include: Baltic herring ( silakka ), a small, fatty and quite tasty fish available pickled, marinated, smoked, grilled and in countless other varieties Gravlax (graavilohi), a pan-Scandinavian appetizer of raw salted salmon Smoked salmon ( savulohi ), not just the cold, thinly sliced, semi-raw kind but also fully cooked warm smoked salmon Vendace ( muikku ), a speciality in eastern Finland, a small fish served fried, heavily salted and typically with mashed potatoes Other local fish to look out for include zander ( kuha ), an expensive delicacy, pike ( hauki ) and perch ( ahven ). Meat dishes edit Reindeer stew ( poronkristys ), a Lappish favorite Meatballs ( lihapullat ), served with mashed potatoes and lingonberry jam Karelian stew ( karjalanpaisti ), a heavy stew usually made from beef and pork (and optionally, lamb), carrots and onions, usually served with potatoes Liver casserole ( maksalaatikko ), consisting of chopped liver, rice and raisins cooked in an oven it tastes rather different from what youd expect (and not liver-y at all) Loop sausage ( lenkkimakkara ), a large, mildly flavored sausage best when grilled and topped with a dab of sweet Finnish mustard ( sinappi ), and beer Meat balls ( lihapullat . lihapyrykt ) are as popular and tasty as in neighboring Sweden Reindeer ( poro ) dishes, especially sauteed reindeer shavings ( poronkristys . served with potato mash and lingonberries), not actually a part of the everyday Finnish diet but a tourist staple and common in the frigid North Swedish hash (pyttipannu), (originally from Sweden. Swedish: pytt i panna) a hearty dish of potatoes, onions and any meaty leftovers on hand fried up in a pan and topped with an egg Makkara traditional Finnish sausage. Affectionately called the Finnish mans vegetable since the actual meat content may be rather low. Milk products edit Cheese and other milk products are very popular in Finland. The most common varieties are mild hard cheeses like Edam and Emmental, but local specialities include: Aura cheese ( aurajuusto ), a local variety of blue cheese, also used in soups, sauces and as a pizza topping. Breadcheese ( leipjuusto or juustoleip ), a type of very mild-flavored grilled curd that squeaks when you eat it, best enjoyed warm with a dab of cloudberry jam Piim . a type of buttermilk beverage, thick and sour Viili . a gelatinous, stretchy and sour variant of yoghurt Other dishes edit Karelian pie ( karjalanpiirakka ), a signature Finnish pastry Pea soup ( hernekeitto ), usually but not always with ham, traditionally eaten with a dab of mustard and served on Thursdays just watch out for the flatulence Karelian pies ( karjalanpiirakka ), an oval 7 by 10 cm baked pastry, traditionally baked with rye flour, containing rice porridge or mashed potato, ideally eaten topped with butter and chopped egg ( munavoi ) Porridge ( puuro ), usually made from oats ( kaura ), barley ( ohra ), rice ( riisi ) or rye ( ruis ) and most often served for breakfast Bread edit Bread ( leip ) is served with every meal in Finland, and comes in a vast array of varieties. Rye bread is the most popular bread in Finland. Typically Finnish ones include: hapankorppu . dry, crispy and slightly sour flatbread, occasionally sold overseas as Finncrisp limppu . catch-all term for big loaves of fresh bread nkkileip . another type of dark, dried, crispy rye flatbread ruisleip (rye bread), can be up to 100 rye and much darker, heavier and chewier than American-style rye bread unlike in Swedish tradition, Finnish rye bread is typically unsweetened and thus sour and even bitter. rieska . unleavened bread made from wheat or potatoes, eaten fresh Seasonal and regional specialities edit Attack of the killer mushrooms The false morel ( korvasieni ) has occasionally been dubbed the Finnish fugu, as like the infamous Japanese pufferfish, an improperly prepared false morel can kill you . Fortunately, its easily rendered safe by boiling (just dont breathe in the fumes), and prepared mushrooms can be found in gourmet restaurants and even canned. From the end of July until early September its worthwhile to ask for crayfish ( rapu ) menus and prices at better restaurants. Its not cheap, you dont get full from the crayfish alone and there are many rituals involved, most of which involve large quantities of ice-cold vodka, but it should be tried at least once. Or try to sneak onto a corporate crayfish party guestlist, places are extremely coveted at some. Around Christmas, baked ham is the traditional star of the dinner table, with a constellation of casseroles around it. There are also regional specialties, including Eastern Finland s kalakukko (a type of giant fish pie ) and Tampere s infamous blood sausage ( mustamakkara ). Around Easter keep an eye out for mmmi . a type of brown sweet rye pudding which is eaten with cream and sugar. It looks famously unpleasant but actually tastes quite good. Desserts edit An assortment of pulla straight from the oven For dessert or just as a snack, Finnish pastries abound and are often taken with coffee (see Drink ) after a meal. Look for cardamom coffee bread ( pulla ), a wide variety of tarts ( torttu ), and donuts ( munkki ). In summer, a wide range of fresh berries are available, including the delectable but expensive cloudberry ( lakka ), and berry products are available throughout the year as jam ( hillo ), soup ( keitto ) and a type of gooey clear pudding known as kiisseli . Finnish chocolate is also rather good, with Fazer 46 products including their iconic Sininen (Blue) bar exported around the world. A more Finnish speciality is licorice ( lakritsi ), particularly the strong, salty kind known as salmiakki . which gets its unique (and acquired) taste from ammonium chloride. Places to eat edit Cold fish buffet at Liekkilohi, Savonlinna Finns tend to eat out only on special occasions, and restaurant prices are correspondingly expensive. The one exception is lunchtime . when thanks to a government-sponsored lunch coupon system company cafeterias and nearly every restaurant in town offers set lunches for around 8-9, usually consisting of a main course, salad bar, bread table and a drink. University cafeterias, many of which are open to all, are particularly cheap with meals in the 2-4 range for students, although without local student ID you will usually need to pay about 5-7. There are also public cafeterias in office administration areas that are open only during lunch hours on working days. While not particularly stylish and sometimes hard to find, those usually offer high-quality buffet lunch at a reasonable price (typically 8.40 in 2011). The cafe scene has quickly developed, especially since the 1990s and above all in Helsinki. The array of cakes and pastries is not perhaps as vast as in Central Europe. but the local special coffees (lattes, mochas etc.) are worth trying when it comes to the two big local coffee house chains: Waynes Coffee (originated in Sweden) and Roberts Coffee (Finland). You can now also find Starbucks in Finland. For dinner, youll be limited to generic fast food (pizza, hamburgers, kebabs and such) in the 5-10 range, or youll have to splurge over 20 for a meal in a nice restaurant. For eating on the move, look for grill kiosks ( grilli ), which serve sausages, hamburgers and other portable if not terribly health-conscious fare late into the night at reasonable prices. In addition to the usual hamburgers and hot dogs, look for meat pies ( lihapiirakka ), akin to a giant savoury doughnut stuffed with minced meat and your choice of sausage, fried eggs and condiments. Hesburger 47 is the local fast-food equivalent of McDonalds, with a similar menu. They have a Finnish interpretation of a few dishes, such as a sour-rye chicken sandwich. Of course most international fast food chains are present, especially McDonalds, which offers many of their sandwich buns substituted with a sour-rye bun on request. The Finnish word for buffet is seisova pyt (standing table), and while increasingly used to refer to all-you-can-eat Chinese or Italian restaurants, the traditional meaning is akin to Swedens smrgsbord . a good-sized selection of sandwiches, fish, meats and pastries. Its traditionally eaten in three rounds 8212 first the fish, then the cold meats, and finally warm dishes 8212 and its usually the first that is the star of the show. Though expensive and not very common in a restaurant setting, if you are fortunate enough to be formally invited to a Finns home, they will likely have prepared a spread for their guest, along with plenty of coffee. Breakfast at better hotels is also along these lines and its easy to eat enough to cover lunch as well If youre really on a budget, you can save a considerable amount of money by self-catering . Ready-to-eat casseroles and other basic fare that can be quickly prepared in a microwave can be bought for a few euros in any supermarket. Note that youre usually expected to weigh and label any fruits or vegetables yourself (bag it, place it on the scale and press the numbered button. The correct number can be found from the price sign), and green signs mean possibly tastier but certainly more expensive organic ( luomu ) produce. One should be aware that more often than not, cheap food contains disproportionate amounts of fat. At restaurants, despite the high prices, portions tend to be quite small, at least when compared to USA and Canada. and even many European countries. Dietary restrictions edit Traditional Finnish cuisine relies heavily on meat and fish, but vegetarianism ( kasvissynti ) is increasingly popular and well-understood, and will rarely pose a problem for travellers. Practically all restaurants offer vegetarian options, often marked with a V on menus. Two ailments commonly found among Finns themselves are lactose intolerance ( laktoosi-intoleranssi . inability to digest the milk sugar lactose) and coeliac disease ( keliakia . inability to digest gluten). In restaurants, lactose-free selections are often tagged L (low-lactose products are sometimes called Hyla or marked with VL), while gluten-free options are marked with G. However, hydrolyzed lactose (HYLA brand) milk or lactose-free milk drink for the lactose intolerant is widely available, which also means that a lactose-free dish is not necessarily milk-free. Allergies are quite common among Finnish people, too, so restaurant workers are usually quite knowledgeable on what goes into each dish and often it is possible to get the dish without certain ingredients if specified. Kosher and halal food are rare in Finland and generally not available outside very limited speciality shops and restaurants catering to the tiny Jewish and Islamic communities. Watch out for minced meat dishes like meatballs, which very commonly use a mix of beef and pork. The Jewish Community of Helsinki 48 runs a small kosher deli in Helsinki. and there are Halal grocery stores and restaurants in some larger towns. Drink edit add listing Thanks to its thousands of lakes, Finland has plenty of water supplies and tap water is always potable (In fact, never buy bottled water if you can get tap water). The usual soft drinks and juices are widely available, but look out for a wide array of berry juices ( marjamehu ), especially in summer, as well as Pommac . an unusual soda made from (according to the label) mixed fruits, which youll either love or hate. Coffee and tea edit Finns are the worlds heaviest coffee ( kahvi ) drinkers, averaging 3-4 cups per day. Most Finns drink it strong and black, but sugar and milk for coffee are always available and the more European variants such as espresso and cappuccino are becoming all the more common especially in the bigger cities. The biggest towns have had French-style fancy cafs for quite some time and modern competitors, like Waynes or Roberts Coffee, are springing up in the mix. For a quick caffeine fix, you can just pop into any convenience store, which will pour you a cuppa for 83642 or so. Tea hasnt quite caught on in quite the same way, although finding hot water and a bag of Lipton Yellow Label wont be a problem. For brewed tea, check out some of the finer downtown cafs or tea rooms. Dairy edit In Finland some people like to drink milk ( maito ) as an accompaniment to food at home or at the cafeteria at work or school. The most popular beverage is water, though. Another popular option is piim . or buttermilk. Viili . a type of curd, acts like super-stretchy liquid bubble gum but is similar to plain yogurt in taste. It is traditionally eaten with cinnamon and sugar on top. Fermented dairy products help stabilize the digestion system, so if your system is upset, give them a try. Alcohol edit Chilling out at the Arctic Icebar, Helsinki Alcohol is very expensive in Finland compared to most countries (though not to its Nordic neighbours Sweden and Norway ), although low-cost Estonia s entry to the EU has forced the government to cut alcohol taxes a little. Still, a single beer will cost you closer to 83644-5 in any bar or pub, or 83641 and up in a supermarket. While beer and cider are available in any supermarket or convenience store (until 9 PM), the state monopoly Alko 49 is your sole choice for wine or anything stronger. The legal drinking age is 18 for milder drinks, while to buy hard liquor from Alko you need to be 20. ID is usually requested from all young-looking clients. Some restaurants have higher age requirements, up to 30 years, but these are their own policies and are not always followed, especially at more quiet times. Surprisingly enough, the national drink is not Finlandia Vodka, but its local brand Koskenkorva 50 or Kossu in common speech. However, the two drinks are closely related: Kossu is 38 while Finlandia is 40, and Kossu also has a small amount of added sugar, which makes the two drinks taste somewhat different. There are also many other vodkas ( viina ) on the market, most of which taste pretty much the same, but look out for Strm . The Spirit of Santa, a Finnish attempt at a super-premium vodka. A local speciality is Salmiakki-Kossu or Salmari . prepared by mixing in salty black salmiakki licorice, whose taste masks the alcohol behind it fearfully well. Add in some Fishermans Friend menthol cough drops to get Fisu (Fish) shots, which are even more lethal. In-the-know hipsters opt for Pantteri (Panther), which is half and half Salmari and Fisu. Other classic shots are Jaloviina ( Jallu ) cut brandy and Tervasnapsi tar schnapps with a distinctive smoke aroma. Beer ( olut or kalja ) is also very popular, but Finnish beers are mostly nearly identical, mild lagers: common brands are Lapin Kulta . Karjala . Olvi . Koff and Karhu . Pay attention to the label when buying: beers branded I are inexpensive but has low alcohol content, while III and IV are stronger and more expensive. In normal shops you will not find any drinks with more than 4.7 alcohol. You may also encounter kotikalja (lit. home beer), a dark brown beer-like but very low-alcohol beverage. Imported beers are available in bigger grocery stores, most pubs and bars, and Czech beers in particular are popular and only slightly more expensive. In recent years, some microbreweries ( Laitila . Stadin panimo . Nokian panimo etc.) have been gaining foothold with their domestic dark lagers, wheat beers and ales. The latest trend is ciders ( siideri ). Most of these are artificially flavored sweet concoctions which are quite different from the English or French kinds, although the more authentic varieties are gaining market share. The ever-popular gin long drink or lonkero (lit. tentacle), a prebottled mix of gin and grapefruit soda, tastes better than it sounds and has the additional useful property of glowing under ultraviolet light. At up to 610 kcalliter it also allows to skip dinner, leaving more time for drinking. Different variations of lonkero have become quite popular as well, for example karpalolonkero . which is made from gin and cranberry soda. Remember that most long drinks you buy from a supermarket are made by fermenting, and if you want to get real mixed drink youll have to look for them in Alko . During the winter dont miss glgi . a type of spiced mulled wine served with almonds and raisins which can easily be made at home. The bottled stuff in stores is usually alcohol free, although it was originally made of old wine and Finns will very often mix in some wine or spirits. In restaurants, glgi is served either alcohol-free, or with 2cl vodka added. Fresh, hot glgi can, for example, be found at the Helsinki Christmas market. Quite a few unusual liquors ( likri ) made from berries are available, although theyre uniformly very sweet and usually served with dessert. Cloudberry liquor ( lakkalikri ) is worth a short even if you dont like the berries fresh. Homemade spirits: you have been warned More common in rural areas, illegal and frequently distilled on modified water purification plants - which are subject to import control laws nowadays - anecdotical evidence suggests that those are occasionally played as a prank on unsuspecting foreigners. Note that normal alcohol slows the metabolism of poisonous methanol and thus acts as an antidote. Politely decline the offer, especially if still sober. Finally, two traditional beverages worth looking for are mead ( sima ), an age-old wine-like brew made from brown sugar, lemon and yeast and consumed particularly around Mays Vappu festival, and sahti . a type of unfiltered, usually very strong beer often flavored with juniper berries (an acquired taste). Sleep edit add listing Inside a Finnish sauna Sauna The sauna is perhaps Finlands most significant contribution to the world (and the worlds vocabulary). The sauna is essentially a room heated to 708211120176C according to an oft-quoted statistic this nation of 5 million has no less than 2 million saunas, in apartments, offices, summer cottages and even Parliament. In ancient times, saunas (being the cleanest places around) were the place to give birth and heal the sick, and the first building constructed when setting up a new household. If invited to visit a Finnish home, you may be invited to bathe in the sauna as well 8212 this is an honour and should be treated as such, although Finns do understand that foreigners may not be keen about the idea. Enter the sauna nude after taking a shower, as wearing a bathing suit or any other clothing is considered a bit of a faux pas . although if you are feeling shy, you can wrap yourself in a bath towel. (When there are guests, men and women usually bathe separately.) The temperature is regulated by throwing water onto the stove ( kiuas ): the resulting rush of heat, known as lyly . is considered the key to the sauna experience. Some sauna-goers also like to flagellate themselves with leafy branches of birch ( vihta in western Finland, vasta in eastern Finland), which creates an enjoyable aroma and improves blood circulation. Depending on the occasion, the temperature in a Finnish sauna may start quite hot and gradually cool down over the hours, especially in a wood-heated sauna. The lower benches are cooler, the corner that is the furthest away from the stove is usually the hottest place. In work-related events, the actual decision-making frequently takes place in the sauna afterwards. In public saunas (hotels, gyms and the like), it is customary to sit on a paper towel (dont forget to take it out when leaving). The environment is rather hostile towards germs, so there is no need to worry about catching a disease from the sweaty wooden bench. If the heat is too much, cup your hands in front of your mouth or move down to a lower level to catch your breath. In winter, it is common to go for a swim in an ice hole in a nearby lake. The ground can be much colder than the water - use beach sandals or the like, if possible. After youve had your fill of sauna, you can cool off by heading outside for a dip in the lake or, in winter, a roll in the snow 8212 and then head back in for another round. Repeat this a few times, then cork open a cold beer, roast a sausage over a fire, and enjoy total relaxation Finnish style. These days the most common type of sauna features an electrically heated stove, which is easy to control and maintain. In the countryside you can still find wood-fired saunas, but purists prefer the (now very rare) traditional chimneyless smoke saunas ( savusauna ), where the sauna is heated by filling it with hot smoke and then ventilated well before entering. Anyone elderly or with a medical condition (especially high blood pressure) should consult their physician before using a sauna. Accommodation in Finland is expensive, but many large hotels are cheaper during the weekends and summer. In addition to the usual international suspects, check out local chains Cumulus 51. Scandic 52. Finlandia 53 and Sokos 54. The small but fast-growing Omena 55 chain offers cheap self-service hotels, where you book online and get a keycode for your room, with no check-in of any kind needed. One of the few ways to limit the damage is to stay in youth hostels ( retkeilymaja ), as the Finnish Youth Hostel Association 56 has a fairly comprehensive network throughout the country and and a dorm bed usually costs less than 836420 per night. Many hostels also have private rooms for as little as 836430, which are a great deal if you want a little extra privacy. An even cheaper option is to take advantage of Finlands right to access. or Every Mans Right ( jokamiehenoikeus ), which allows camping, hiking, and berry and mushroom picking as well as simple (rod and hook) fishing on uncultivated land. Since this is occasionally mis-interpreted by visiting foreigners, it may be a good idea to discuss travel plans with a local - or simply ask - to avoid embarrassing situations. Note that making a fire requires landowners permission. For a taste of the Finnish countryside, an excellent option is to stay at a cottage ( mkki ), thousands of which dot the lake shores. These are generally best in summer, but there are also many cottages around Laplands ski resorts. Prices vary widely based on facilities and location: simple cottages can go for as little as 836420night, while luxurious multistory mansions can go for 10 times that. Beware that, while all but the most basic ones will have electricity, its very common for cottages to lack running water: instead, the cottage will have an outhouse (pit toilet) and youre expected to bathe in the sauna and lake. Renting a car is practically obligatory since there are unlikely to be any facilities (shops, restaurants, etc) within walking distance. The largest cottage rental services are Lomarengas 57 and Nettimkki 58. both of which have English interfaces. Virtually every lodging in Finland includes a sauna ( see box ) for guests 8212 dont miss it Check operating hours though, as theyre often only heated in the evenings and there may be separate shifts of men and women. Learn edit Finlands universities are generally well-regarded and offer many exchange programs, but the high cost of living and the prospect of facing the long, cold Finnish winter mean that the country is not a particularly popular choice. However, there are no tuition fees for regular degree students, including international exchange students. While lectures are usually conducted in Finnish, most universities offer the option to complete all courses through assignments and exams in English. Many universities also offer the option to study Finnish at various levels. A reasonable monthly budget (excluding rent) would be 600 to 900. Rents vary depending on location such that in Greater Helsinki and particularly Helsinki proper prices may be two times that of cheaper locations or student housing. Many exchange programs fully or partly subsidize accommodation in student dorms. However, the state does not provide student accommodation and dorms are usually owned by student unions and foundations. Student union membership at around 70-100year is obligatory, but this includes free access to student health services. EU citizens can simply enter the country and register as a student after arrival, while students from elsewhere will need to arrange their residence permit beforehand. CIMO 59 (Centre for International Mobility) administers exchange programs and can arrange scholarships and traineeships in Finland, while the Finnish National Board of Education 60 offers basic information about study opportunities. Work edit There is little informal work to be found and most jobs require at least a remedial level of Finnish. Citizens of European Union countries can work freely in Finland, but acquiring a work permit from outside the EU means doing battle with the infamous Directorate of Immigration ( Maahanmuuttovirasto ) 61. However, students permitted to study full-time in Finland are allowed work part-time (up to 25 hweek) or even full-time during holiday periods. For jobs, you might want to check out the Ministry of Labour 62. Most of the posted jobs are described in Finnish so you may need some help in translation, but some jobs are in English. A rapidly growing trend in Finland, especially for the younger generation, is to work for placement agencies. Although there has been a massive surge of public companies going private in the last ten years, this trend seems to be fueled by the increased demand for more flexible work schedules as well as the freedom to work seasonally or sporadically. Due to the nature of these types of agencies as well as the types of work they provide, it is common for them to hire non-Finns. Some agencies include Adecco, Staff Point, Manpower, Aaltovoima and Biisoni. If you are invited to a job interview, remember that modesty is a virtue in Finland. Finns appreciate facts and directness, so stay on topic and be truthful. Exaggeration and bragging is usually associated with lying. You can check expected salaries with the union for your field, as they usually have defined minimum wages. Salaries range from 1,200 - 6,500 per month (2010). Stay safe edit Crimeviolence: Low Most violence is alcohol-related andor domestic walking in the street is usually safe even in the night Authoritiescorruption: Low The police are generally courteous and speak some English, offering bribes will get you into serious trouble. Transportation: Low to Moderate Icy roads and sidewalks in the winter, mooses and other animals occasionally crossing the roads Health: Low Tick and mosquito bites Nature: Low to Moderate Blizzards in the winter, getting lost when hiking in the forests Crime edit Finland enjoys a comparatively low crime rate and is, generally, a very safe place to travel. Use common sense at night, particularly on Friday and Saturday when the youth of Finland hit the streets to get drunk and in some unfortunate cases look for trouble. The easiest way to get beaten is to pay a visit at a grill kiosk after bars and pubs have closed and start arguing with drunken people. It is, anyway statistically more likely that your home country is less safe than Finland, so heed whatever warnings you would do in your own country and you will have no worries. If you yourself run in with the law, remember that Finland is one of the worlds least corrupt countries and you will not be able to buy yourself out of trouble. Finnish police never requires a cash payment of fines which it gives. Do not ever give money to person who presents himherself as a police officer. An obvious way to stay out of most kinds of trouble is to stay sober and act businesslike, when dealing with police, security or the like. Racism is a generally of minor concern, especially in the cosmopolitan major cities, but there have been a few rare but highly publicized incidents of black, romani amp Arab people getting beaten up, attacks against immigrants and group fights with native Finns amp immigrants. Sometimes there might be group fights where immigrants do their part as well, but thats very uncommon. The average visitor, though, is highly unlikely to encounter any problems. Pickpockets are rare, but not unheard of, especially in the busy tourist months in the summer and almost always done by foreigners. Most Finns carry their wallets in their pockets or purses and feel quite safe while doing it. Parents often leave their sleeping babies in a baby carriage on the street while visiting a shop, and in the countryside cars and house doors are often left unlocked. On the other hand, you have to be careful if you buy or rent a bicycle. Bicycle thieves are everywhere, never leave your bike unlocked even for a minute. In case of emergency edit 112 is the national phone number for all emergency services, including police, and it does not require an area code, regardless of what kind of phone youre using. The number works on any mobile phone, whether it is keylocked or not, and with or without a SIM card. If a cellphone challenges you with a PIN code, you can simply type in 112 as a PIN code - most phones will give a choice to call the number. This is not possible with all phones For inquiries about poisons or toxins (from mushrooms, plants, medicine or other chemicals) call the national Toxin Information Office at (09) 471 977. At sea, the maritime search and rescue number is 0294 1000. Stay healthy edit Signs to watch out for vaara, vaarallinen160 danger, dangerous sortumisvaara160 risk of avalanchelandslidemudslide hirvivaara160 risk of mooseelks on the road hengenvaara160 life threatening danger tulipalo160 fire kielletty160 prohibited psy kielletty or privat no entry htuloskynti or htpoistumistie160 emergency exit lkri160 doctor poliisi160 police sairaala160 hospital apua160 help Youre unlikely to have stomach troubles in Finland, since tap water is always drinkable (and generally quite tasty as well), and hygiene standards in restaurants are strict. If you have any sort of allergies, many restaurants often display in the menu the most common ingredients that people typically are allergic to. Examples: (L) Lactose free, (VL) Low Lactose, (G) Gluten free, if you are unsure just ask the waitress or restaurant staff. There are few serious health risks in Finland. Your primary enemy especially in wintertime will be the cold . particularly if trekking in Lapland. Finland is a sparsely populated country and, if heading out into the wilderness, it is imperative that you register your travel plans with somebody who can inform rescue services if you fail to return. Always keep your mobile phone with you if you run into trouble. Dress warmly in layers and bring along a good pair of sunglasses to prevent snow blindness . especially in the spring and if you plan to spend whole days outdoors. Always keep a map, a compass and preferably a GPS with you while trekking in the wilderness. Take extra precautions in Lapland, where it can be several days hike to the nearest house or road. Weather can change rapidly, and even though the sun is shining now, you can have a medium sized blizzard on your hands (no joke) an hour or two later. If out on the lakes and sea, remember that wind and water will cool you faster than cold air, and keeping dry means keeping warm. A person that falls into cold water (close to zero C) can die in a few minutes. Safety in small boats . Dont drink alcohol, wear a life vest at all times, if your boat capsizes - keep clothes on to stay warm, cling to the boat if possible (swim only if shore is a few hundred meters away, never try to swim in cold water below 20176C). Finland hosts a number of irritating insects, but if you are planning to stay in the centres of major cities, you are unlikely to encounter them. A serious nuisance in summer are mosquitoes ( hyttynen ), hordes of which inhabit Finland (particularly Lapland) in summer, especially after rains. While they carry no malaria or other nasty diseases, many species of Finnish mosquitoes make a distinctive (and highly irritating) whining sound while tracking their prey, and their bites are very itchy. As usual, mosquitoes are most active around dawn and sunset 8212 which, in the land of the Midnight Sun, may mean most of the night in summer. There are many different types of mosquito repellants available which can be bought from almost any shop. Another summer nuisance are gadflies ( paarma ), whose bites can leave a mark lasting for days, even for month. A more recent introduction to Finnish summers are deer keds ( hirvikrpnen ), that can be particularly nasty if they manage to shed their wings and burrow into hair (although they rarely bite as humans are not their intended targets, and mainly exist in deep forests). Use repellent, ensure your tent has good mosquito netting and consider prophylaxis with cetirizine (brand names include Zyrtec . Heinix . Cetirizin Ratiopharm ), an anti-allergen that (if taken in advance) will neutralize your reaction to any bites. Topical anti-allergens in the form of gels and creams are also available as over-the-counter medication. A flea comb can be useful for removing deer keds. As in other European countries, mites can become a major annoyance, if walking bare-footed. As a remedy, Permethrin creme is available from pharmacies without prescription. In southern Finland, especially land. the Lappeenranta - Parikkala - Imatra - axis and areas near Turku s coast, there are ticks ( punkki ) which appear on summertime and can transmit Lymes disease (borreliosis) and viral encephalitis through a bite. Although these incidents are relatively rare and not all ticks carry the disease, its advisable to wear dark trousers rather than shorts if you plan to walk through dense andor tall grass areas (the usual habitat for ticks). You can buy special tick tweezers from the pharmacy ( punkkipihdit ) which can be used to remove a tick safely if you happen to get bitten. You should remove the tick from your skin as quickly as possible and preferably with the tick tweezers to reduce the risks of getting an infection. If the tick bite starts to form red rings on the skin around it or if you experience other symptoms relating to the bite, you should visit a doctor as soon as possible. The only venomous insects in Finland are wasps ( ampiainen ), bees ( mehilinen ) and bumblebees ( kimalainen ). Their stings can be painful, but are not dangerous, unless you receive several stings or if you are allergic to it. Theres only one type of venomous snake in Finland, the European adder ( kyy or kyykrme ), which has a distinct zig-zag type of figure on its back, although some of them are almost completely black. They are mostly found near lake sides and sometimes in the streets like Kristianinkatu and Kamppi. The snake occurs across Finland all the way from the south to up north in Lapland. Although their bites are extremely rarely fatal (except for small children and allergic persons), one should be careful in the summertime especially when walking in the forests or on open fields at the countryside. Walk so that you make the ground vibrate and snakes will go away, they attack people only when somebody frightens them. If you are bitten by a snake, always get medical assistance. If you are planning to travel in the nature on summertime, its advisable to buy a kyypakkaus (Adder pack, a medicine set which contains a couple of hydrocortisone pills). It can be bought from any Finnish pharmacy. It is used to reduce the reactions after an adder bite, however its still advisable to see a doctor even after youve taken the hydrocortisone pills. The kyypakkaus can also be used to relieve the pain, swelling and other allergic reactions caused by bee stings. If you see an ant nest, ants have quite likely taken care of all snakes nearby. As for other dangerous wildlife, theres not much more than a few extremely rare encounters with brown bears ( karhu ) and wolves ( susi ) in the wilderness. Both of these animals are listed as endangered species. Contrary to popular belief abroad, there are no polar bears in Finland, let alone polar bears walking on the city streets. The brown bear, which occurs across Finland, has been spotted on a few very exceptional occasions even in the edges of the largest Finnish cities, but normally bears try to avoid humans whenever possible. The brown bear hibernates during the winter. In the least densely populated areas near the Russian border, there has been some rare incidents of wolf attacks - mainly lone, hungry wolves attacking domestic animals and pets. During the past 100 years there has been one recorded case of a human killed by a large predator. In general, theres no need to worry about dangerous encounters with wild beasts in Finland, other than traffic accidents. In winter, lakes and the sea are frozen. Walking, skating or even driving a car on the ice is commonly seen, but fatal accidents arent unheard of either, so ask and heed local advice. If the ice fails, it is difficult to get back out of the water, as the ice will be slippery. Small ice picks are sold as safety equipment (a pair of steel needles with bright plastic grips, connected with a safety line). Given the size of the Finnish population, a surprisingly high number of people drown in the lakes every year in summer. As pointed out by an annual public awareness campaign (partly Finnish black humor, partly the truth), the stereotypical accident involves an intoxicated fisherman who capsizes his boat while standing up to pee. Respect edit Fishing Finnish style It was a beautiful summer day, and Virtanen and Lahtinen were in a little rowboat in the middle of a lake, fishing. Two hours passed, both men sitting quietly, and then Lahtinen said Nice weather today. Virtanen grunted and stared intently at his fishing rod. Two more hours passed. Lahtinen said, Gee, the fish arent biting today. Virtanen shot back: Thats because you talk too much. Drinking Finnish style Virtanen and Lahtinen decided to go drinking at their lakeside cottage. For a couple hours, both men sat silently and emptied their bottles. After a few more hours, Lahtinen decided to break the ice: Isnt it nice to have some quality time Virtanen glared at Lahtinen and answered: Are we here to drink or talk Finns generally have a relaxed attitude towards manners, and a visitor is unlikely to offend them by accident. Common sense is quite enough in most situations, but there are a couple of things that one should keep in mind: Finns are a famously taciturn people who have little time for small talk or social niceties, so dont expect to hear phrases like thank you or youre welcome too often. The Finnish language lacks a specific word for please so Finns sometimes forget to use it when speaking English, even when they dont mean to be rude. That being said, Finns are generally very helpful and polite, and glad to help confused tourists if asked. The lack of niceties has more to do with the fact that in Finnish culture, honesty is highly regarded and that one should open ones mouth only to mean what one is about to say. Do not say maybe later when there is no later time to be expected. A visitor is unlikely to receive many compliments from Finns, but can be fairly sure that the compliments received are genuine. Occasional silence is considered a part of the conversation, not a sign of hostility or irritation. Being loud in crowded places like public transport or a restaurant is considered rude. If you ever ended up to argue with someone, the social norm is to stay calm during an argument . Arguing loudly with a stranger is considered very rude. Punctuality is a highly regarded virtue in Finland. A visitor should apologize even for being a few minutes late. Being late for longer usually requires a short explanation. 10 min is usually considered the threshold between being acceptably late and very late. Some will leave arranged meeting points after 15 min. With the advent of mobile phones, sending a text message even if you are only a few minutes late is nowadays a norm. Being late for a business meeting, even by 1 or 2 min, is considered rude. The standard greeting is a handshake . Hugs are only exchanged between family members and close friends in some situations, kisses, even on the cheek, practically never. Personal space is important, and standing very near someone can make Finns feel uncomfortable. If you are invited to a Finnish home, the only bad mistake visitors can make is not to remove their shoes . For much of the year, shoes will carry a lot of snow or mud. Therefore, it is customary to remove them, even during the summer, and not doing so is considered impolite. During the wet season you can ask to put your shoes somewhere to dry during your stay. Very formal occasions at private homes, such as baptisms (often conducted at home in Finland) or somebodys 50th birthday party, are exceptions to these rules. In the wintertime, this sometimes means that the guests bring separate clean shoes and put them on while leaving outdoor shoes to the hall. Bringing gifts such as pastry, wine, or flowers to the host is appreciated, but not required. In Finland, there is little in the way of a dress code . The general attire is casual and even in business meetings the attire is somewhat more relaxed than in some other countries. Topless sunbathing is accepted but not very common on beaches in the summer, while going au naturel is common in lakeside saunas and dedicated nudist beaches. Finnish society is egalitarian . Finnish women participate actively in the workforce and are well represented in leadership roles. Finnish language also does not distinguish between he and she, which may lead to confusing errors. Signs of social rank such as official titles like Sir or Dr. are often not used, and it is very common for people to address their superiors like teachers or bosses informally, such as by first name. If you are someones elder or superior and addressed in this fashion, it is not meant as a sign of disrespect. Especially younger Finns usually speak excellent English, in part due to the policy of subtitling foreign language movies and TV series instead of dubbing them. However, picking up a few local words is also a good idea. Finnish is a hard language to master, but knowing a few words will definitely be received warmly. When interacting with Swedish-speaking Finns, knowing a few words of Swedish will be received very well. The cultural region to which Finland belongs is correctly referred to as Nordic or North European . Finns do not generally consider themselves Scandinavian or East European . and these usually refer to Finlands neighboring countries. While you wont really offend anyone if you use these terms, it might be considered ignorant or amusing if you do. Finns are typically very interested in perceptions of Finland abroad . an inside joke of sorts is the disproportionate feeling of pride when their small country is mentioned abroad, even for something minuscule ( Suomi mainittu, torille or Finlands been mentioned, to the town square ). It is good to keep in mind that Finns will often listen to your opinion of them very carefully. Even though it is unlikely that youll seriously offend anybody, certain topics of discussion can sometimes be slightly sensitive. Although once a part of the Russian Empire, Finland fought against the Soviet Union in WWII and has remained unaligned since the Cold War, and referring to Finland as belonging to the Russian sphere of influence most likely wont be appreciated. A majority of Finnish men still serve for some time in the Finnish armed forces, and expressing strong views on the military or on wartime history can sometimes stir up emotions. Finnish war veterans from World War II are highly respected and considered honorary citizens in Finnish society. Jokes about characteristic Finnish domestic problems should only be made only if you know they will be received well. Finns tend to have a pretty sarcastic and self-critical sense of humour, and jokes about high rates of depression, suicide and alcoholism may be common. However, it is nonetheless good to remember that these are serious social problems that cause misery to many people and their loved ones. Contact edit By mail edit Finlands mail service, run by Posti. is fast, reliable and pricy. A postcard to Finland and anywhere in the world costs 1. By phone edit Latvia ( Latvija ) is a Baltic state in Northern Europe. Latvia is bordered by Estonia to the north, Lithuania to the south, Russia to the east, Belarus on the south east, and the Baltic Sea on the west. The most famous travel spot is the capital Riga. a World Heritage Site. There are also many other great places to see, both urban and rural, such as Liepaja with its unique former secret military town of Karosta and a magnificent beach. Kuldiga with Europes widest waterfall and Cesis with its medieval castle ruins are also interesting. Tourists can also enjoy the wild beauty of Latvias unspoilt sea coast, which is 500 km long and consists mainly of white, soft sandy beaches. Forests, which cover approximately a half of Latvias territory, offer many nature trails and nature parks. Understand edit Latvia is a famous ancient trading point. The famous route from the Vikings to the Greeks mentioned in ancient chronicles stretched from Scandinavia through Latvian territory along the river Daugava to the Kievan Rus and Byzantine Empire. Across the European continent, Latvias coast was known as a place for obtaining amber. In the Middle Ages amber was more valuable than gold in many places. Latvian amber was known in places as far away as Ancient Greece and the Roman Empire. In the 12th century, German traders arrived, bringing with them missionaries who attempted to convert the pagan Finno-Ugric and Baltic tribes to the Christian faith. The Germans founded Rga in 1201, establishing it as the largest and most powerful city on the eastern coast of the Baltic Sea. After independence in 1918, Latvia achieved considerable results in social development, economy, industry and agriculture. It has always been a multicultural melting point, where foreigners and locals worked together and brought prosperity to the country. On June 16, 1940, Vyacheslav Molotov presented the Latvian representative in Moscow with an ultimatum accusing Latvia of violations of that pact, and on June 17 Soviet forces occupied the country. Elections for a Peoples Saeima were held, and a puppet government headed by Augusts Kirhenteins led Latvia into the USSR. The annexation was formalized on August 5, 1940. During the time of the Iron Curtain, Latvia was a province of the Soviet Union, but the concentration of heavy industry was enormous. Contacts with the West were regulated. The Baltic region had the reputation of being the most urbanized and having the highest literacy rate in the Soviet Union. Latvia gained independence on September 6, 1991. Between 1991 and 2007 the country saw unprecedented economic growth. However, the global recession and the banking crisis hit Latvia brutally, and severe economic contraction and destructively high unemployment returned. The economy has recovered during the last few years, even reaching fastest growth in EU for some periods. Because of a tribal past and divisions between occupying nations, there are regional differences between parts of Latvia which are interesting to explore. Climate edit The best time to travel to Latvia is from June to mid September, when it is warm and plenty of local food is available. January and February are the coldest months. October and November have autumn rains and daylight is short. Geography edit Half of Latvia is covered with forests which are rich with wildlife . There are many lakes, especially if you go to Latgale region. There are deep river valleys with some sections having sand cliffs on their banks. Heavy industry halted a long time ago, so most places are ecologically clean. The highest point in Latvia is Gaizinkalns 1. at 312m (1,023ft) above sea level, just west of the town of Madona. Regions edit There are some cultural and social differences between regions, for example, traditional dress is different from region to region. The Latgale region has its own unique culture and language - Latgalian. Statue of Rolands, Riga Old Town Riga - the capital city with more than 800 years of history, with the popular holiday suburb of Jrmala right by Daugavpils - second biggest city in Latvia. Features many factories and other industries. Jurmala Kuldga - Kuldga is the pearl of Kurzeme, Latvias western region. Liepaja - city of music on the Baltic sea coast, which is always windy. Latvians believe that the wind starts in the city and well-known Latvian musicians come from there. There is a very interesting former secret military town called Karosta. between a lake and the sea. One of the worlds largest pipe organs. Famous summer event Baltic Beach Party in July. Fantastic unspoilt, white, soft sandy beach. Madona - a small scenic town in eastern Vidzeme, surrounded by hills, forests and lakes, capital of winter sports. Sigulda - popular town with many interesting castles and historic places. Most popular attraction outside Riga for foreign tourists. Valka Ventspils - hosts one of busiest ports in Europe. It is possible to observe incoming ships. Other destinations edit Latvijas Etnografiskais Brivdabas Muzejs open air museum of the traditional culture of Latvian tribes, near Riga Livu Akvaparks the biggest water attraction in Northern Europe Karostas cietums true Soviet prison experience with live prison show as well as night in prison. Based in the Karosta suburb of Liepaja Open Air Art Museum modern art and installations in nature park, near Sabile in Kurzeme region Around Latvia tours ( Local tour operator in Latvia. Tours all around Latvia from Riga ), Terbatas 85, Riga, LV-1001. 371 28808598 (infoaroundlatvia. fax. 371 67286681 ), 2. 9:00 - 19:00. 160edit Latvian Tour Guides ( One day tours to Jurmala, Sigulda, Rundale palace, Ligatne, Valmiermuiza and Liepaja ), 371 29787307 (infolatviantourguides ), 3. 160edit Get in edit Visas edit There are no border controls between countries that have signed and implemented this treaty - the European Union (except Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Ireland, Romania and the United Kingdom), Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. Likewise, a visa granted for any Schengen member is valid in all other countries that have signed and implemented the treaty. But be careful: not all EU members have signed the Schengen treaty, and not all Schengen members are part of the European Union. This means that there may be spot customs checks but no immigration checks (travelling within Schengen but tofrom a non-EU country) or you may have to clear immigration but not customs (travelling within the EU but tofrom a non-Schengen country). Please see the article Travel in the Schengen Zone for more information about how the scheme works and what entry requirements are. By plane edit Riga airport: RIX Riga International Airport is the only airport in Latvia that services commercial flights. For more information on flying tofrom Riga, see RigaGetin. Alternatively, you can fly to Kaunas in Lithuania and take the Flybus to Riga. By train edit If you travel by train via Daugavpils to connect tofrom Riga you might need to stay in Daugavpils overnight for the connection. Therefore, for travel between Riga and Vilnius, it is better to take a bus or plane. By bus edit There are international bus connections to anywhere in Europe, including frequent service to Tallinn and Tartu in Estonia. and Vilnius and Kaunas in Lithuania. By boat edit By car edit Using carpooling edit Blablacar has become quite popular in Eastern Europe. There are several rides per day to neighbour countries, Russia, Germany, Poland and even as far away as Spain. Drivers License edit If you have a drivers licence issued by another country of the European Union, you can use it continuosly. Residents of other countries have to obtain a Latvian licence after 6 months however, it involves only a theoretical exam, which can be taken in English, German, French, or Russian. Get around edit By plane edit There are several small airports available across Latvia, two in Riga - Spilves airport and Rumbulas airport and in biggest cities of Latvia however there are no intercity flights in Latvia operating these days. By car edit International car rentals are represented in Latvia. There are many offices in Riga, including some at Riga Airport. Cheaper car rental offices are also available. Drive with the headlights on all year round. Winter or all-season tyres are required for the winter period (December 1 to March 1). Many gas stations are self-service and operate 247. Gasoline with octane ratings of 95 and 98 is available, as well as diesel fuel. You can browse the car rental companies list at the Riga International Airport website page ID 308. By train edit Train connections route map It is advisable to go by train instead of bus from Riga to the following towns: Jurmala. Tukums. Jelgava. Salaspils. Jekabpils. Daugavpils. Rezekne. Sigulda. Cesis and Saulkrasti. Check the official Latvian Railroad (Latvijas dzelzcels) at sirius. ldz. lvsarisaraksts. asp or at the directory site 1188.lv. If you are going to other cities, there is most likely only a couple trains per day or there are no trains going at all. Trains are usually cheaper and you dont need to worry about having no seat. Trains are usually crowded on peak days of summer. Remember that sometimes the name of station differs from the name of town. For example, you might need to go to Krustpils station, if traveling to Jekabpils. and going to Majori (city center) or emeri (going to the national park), if going to Jurmala. Buying a train ticket before you board the train will avoid an extra fee and language hassles of buying a ticket on the train. Ticket offices at smaller stations can open late and close early, and also close for periods during the date. The schedule is posted at the ticket office. Dont buy a return ticket unless you have confirmed there is a return train at the time you need. Tickets can be purchased in advance online or from any station. If you buy them online you still need to collect them from a station. There is the Banitis narrow gauge railway Gulbene - Aluksne in the North-East of Latvia. There are several tourist-oriented places along the route. By bus edit There is a vast network of bus connections around Latvia. Buy a bus ticket at the bus station or on bus when boarding. If you have luggage, ask the bus driver to put it in the trunk. It depends on the bus company, if they will charge extra. There are express bus connections to major towns, which can save time considerably. On Fridays and Saturdays buses could be crowded in the outbound direction from Riga. Bus time tables are available at the website of Rigas Autoosta. and at the directory site 1188.lv. If going by bus on Friday from Riga or coming back to Riga on Sunday it is highly recommended to book ticket in advance (available only of booking for route from starting station of bus) at the cash desk of bus station or online at bezrindas. lv. You can buy ticket up to 10 days before departure. By boat edit If you are going from Riga to Jurmala during summer, a very romantic way is to travel by river cruise boats: dominantly two-deck motor boats with capacity for around 60-100 people. They usually depart from Riga center in the morning and go back in the afternoon. There probably still is also a river cruise service from Riga center to Riga Zoo. Ask in the tourism information center for more details and prices. By bike edit It is advised to cycle around Riga in the early morning when there is less traffic, although one should be careful when choosing this time due to reduced drivers attention. Expect heavy traffic from 5 PM to 8 PM. No left turn allowed from middle line. However, it is highly advised to choose by-ways and less densely populated roads due to hazardous traffic. It is vitally important to wear reflectors reflective belts, bands and bright coloured clothing are advised, as well as having the bike equipped with strong front and rear lights. Generally, cycling is still not very safe in the country, especially during the dark hours. The only real bicycle path is existing from the old town of Riga to the Sea resort of Jurmala. But the country is fast developing local cycling routes . The international bicycle project BaltiCCycle may provide you with a lot of information and help. By thumb edit Hitchhiking in Latvia is generally good. The roads around Riga present the largest obstacle, unless the city is your destination - there is no clean by-pass road, and a considerable amount of local traffic makes hitching very difficult. The easiest way to get around Riga is to find a cross-country lift at the border with Estonia or Lithuania. License plate numberscountries of origin are your friends. Carpooling edit Carpooling in Latvia is done in Facebook groups so if you want to get a ride from Riga to other city, try searching Facebook for Riga - (name of the city) - Riga. A group might show up. Largest cities, for example Liepaja, have several thousand members and you might catch a great, cheap and fast ride with friendly locals. Talk edit Latvian ( Latvieu valoda ) is the only official language and belongs to the Baltic language group of Indo-European languages and its closest relative is Lithuanian, but it is very different anyway, so most likely Latvian will sound completely foreign for you and it is hard to guess what written words mean, even if Latvian uses Latin alphabet, just like English. However, some words are borrowed from other languages and it is not hard to understand that Restorans means Restaurant, but what about Veikals . It means Shop. The language has complicated grammar, the most complex being usage of verb prefixes and suffixes, which can change the meaning completely, as well as many kinds of participles majority of which do not have equivalent in English. The pronunciation is more or less easy however there are some complicated rules for some letters like e and o . and any foreigners trying to speak Latvian have an accent, because it is really hard to speak perfect Latvian. In Latvian, there are three pitch tones and sometimes the meaning of the word changes if you change the tone, e. g. loks can mean leek or bow, depending on the pronunciation tone. Zale can mean a hall or grass, again depends on the tone you use. The easiest part is the stress, which is almost always on the first syllable. Latvian is spoken natively by only 1.5 million people in the whole world, most of them of course in Latvia, but also in Ireland, UK, USA, Russia, Brazil, and Australia. Besides Latvian, Russian is spoken fluently by most people (67 of people are able to converse in Russian according to the Eurobarometer poll of 2012), since Latvia was part of the Soviet Union. and in fact some places like Daugavpils have Russian as the majority language. It is also possible to get by with English, especially in Riga. According to the 2012 Eurobarometer poll, 46 of Latvians are able to have a conversation in English. See edit add listing Bridge over Venta in Kuldiga When thinking of Europe. the small nation of Latvia is probably not one of the first countries to spring to your mind. Buried under the big no-go blanket of the Soviet Union, it has yet to be properly discovered by the large tourist crowds. If you manage to make it there, however, you might just find yourself most positively surprised by the charms of this Baltic country. Latvias dynamic capital, the historic city of Riga . is a great place to spend some time. It boasts a truly lovely old quarter . full of magnificent Jugendstil architecture, winding cobblestoned lanes and many steeples. Yet, it is a modern, metropolitan city with a vibrant nightlife and a strong economic impulse, to the extent that the rise of modernist buildings is threatening the old towns World Heritage listing. Rigas vibe gets under many travellers skins, perhaps for the strong contrasts between old and new or maybe because of the seemingly painless blend of Latvian and Russian cultures, as almost half of the citys inhabitants are of Russian origin. To get a sense of the city, wander through its large, manicured parks, stroll through the historic quarter and then kick back in one of the many cafs or outdoor terraces. Among Rigas best sights are the impressive Riga Cathedral . St. Peters Church and the bustling Central Market . Cognitive path in emeri National Park. view from the observation tower Although Riga is by far the countrys main tourist destination, there are a bunch of other places well worth a visit. At just 40 km from the capital is Sigulda. with the nicely reconstructed Turaida Castle . an interesting castle museum as well as the deep Gutmanis Cave . The town is beautifully located in the Gauja valley and has been called the Switzerland of Latvia for its steep cliffs and banks. Its known for its winter sports opportunities and makes a great base for explorations of the fine nature around it. The coastal city of Liepja is known to Latvians as the city where the wind is born, for the sea breeze it constantly enjoys. It has a nice beach and a charming town centre with a colourful mixture or architectural styles, from wooden houses and spacious parks to Art Nouveau and concrete, Soviet-era apartment buildings. Liepjas neighbourhood of Karosta was built in the late 19th century as a naval base for Tsar Alexander III and was later used by the Soviet Baltic Fleet. Its splendid sea side panoramas, former military prison and fortress remains now make it a popular tourist sight. Cesis is one of the countrys oldest towns and has a charming centre with cobblestoned lanes, historic wooden building and a few impressive castles. Kuldga boasts Europes widest, though at two meters high unspectacular, water fall. Its part of the Venta Rapid . one of Latvias natural monuments. Despite its limited hight its still a nice sight and the town itself is worth exploring too. The colossal white Cathedral of Aglona is a worthwhile day trip from Daugavpils . the second largest city in the country. Jelgava has two fine sight in its baroque style Rundle and Jelgava palaces . There are many interesting and old castles around Latvia. The Association of Latvian Castles, Palaces and Manors has links and photos on their website. Note that sometimes castles are reserved for private occasions. Do edit add listing Sports and outdoor activities edit Due to low population density, large parts of Latvia are covered by forests and wetlands and there are many national parks and nature preserves. The largest one is the densely forested Gauja National Park in the River Gauja valley. Slitere National Park has the stunning beach of Cape Kolka. where the Gulf of Riga meets the Baltic Sea. Latvia is popular for bird watching . There are also many trekking opportunities at all difficulty levels, from short walks in old parks up to several day camping and boating trips. It is popular to go for a stroll in the autumn to watch the different shades of colour, when the trees turn red and yellow. Popular places for such activities are Sigulda and Vidzemes Augstiene. There are a lot of possibilities for winter sports - snowboarding, cross country skiing, downhill skiing etc. Major ski facilities include Ramkalni. Baili. and Zviedru Cepure. Some of the slopes are open late at night. They are not accessible via public transport. As rivers get more water from melting snow, kayaking down rivers is among the favorite pastimes for young people. It usually gets warmer after Easter. Beach activities edit Latvia has one of the longest sand beaches in Europe. In July and August the water is warm enough to swim comfortably. The sea has a very slow slope. As a best natural beach is listed the coast southwards from Liepaja because it is a coast of open sea (not a gulf) with cleaner water, brighter sand, and not too many people, because its not close to massive population. With stable air temperature 30C, water temperature is about 20C, which is very refreshing when you take an intensive sunbath. You practically dont need to wash after swimming, because the salt level is pleasantly low. Spas edit Latvias many spas are an excellent way to relax. Although widely available, the popular holiday resort town of Jrmala has some of the best options, as well as a fine beach. Festivals edit Latvian Song and Dance Festival One of the key cultural events in Latvia, which started back in 1873 as a singing festival. Now the festival involves live performances of various choirs, folk dance groups, brass bands etc. Competitions, exibitions, concerts, parades and joint concerts are some of the cultural events. Riga is full with people wearing traditional costumes and cheerful people from all Latvia. It is held once in five years. The last Latvian Song and Dance Festival 6 took place from 6th to 12th July, 2008 in Riga . New Year eve . most locals celebrate with their family, but theres a chance to see something on streets as well. Traditional food includes stewed peas that symbolize tears: eating peas you leave all tears in a year behind. International Ice Sculpture Festival in Jelgava, February International Festival of Cartoons - Bimini in Riga, March Easter - usually something is going on in town centers. Experience traditional Easter celebrations with swings and egg fight. Perfect time of the year to indulge in traditional balzams - a high alcohol content liqueur, and for cultural pursuits such as seeing the amazing Riga Opera. International Baltic Balet Festival 7 in AprilMay. Days of Art in Cesis, April European Undertaking Museum Night all over Latvia, in May. Jani - on the June 24th, Latvians celebrate the summer solstice with the midsummer festival called Jani. Before that Jani flea markets are held in major towns. Country music festival 8 - held annually in Bauska, around middle July for 2 days. European and US country musicans. Camping on the site possible. Saulkrasti Jazz 9 - yearly jazz festival, which is held at the end of July. Latvian and massive number of foreign musicians are performing live by the sea. Weekly gigs culminate in one final concert. Saulkrasti can be easily reached from the Riga main train terminal by train. International Music Festival Riga Rythms 10 usually held at the beginning of July in Riga. Sigulda Opera Festival at the beginning of August, held in open air in Sigulda town. Cesis Music and Art Festival. Medieval Festivity at the beginning of August. All things Medieval there - food, costumes, customs, etc . Positivus Festival is Latvias largest music festival and features many international acts in a fun environment. Mid July. Liepajas Dzintars 11 - the end of August is the time for famous Liepaja music festival. Buy edit add listing Latvia has the euro () as its sole currency along with 24 other countries that use this common European money. These 24 countries are: Austria. Belgium. Cypern. Estonia. Finland. France. Germany. Greece. Ireland. Italy. Latvia . Lithuania. Luxembourg. Malta. the Netherlands. Portugal. Slovakia. Slovenia and Spain (official euro members which are all European Union member states) as well as Andorra. Kosovo. Monaco. Montenegro. San Marino and the Vatican which use it without having a say in eurozone affairs and without being European Union members. Together, these countries have a population of more than 330 million. One euro is divided into 100 cents. While each official euro member (as well as Monaco, San Marino and Vatican) issues its own coins with a unique obverse, the reverse, as well as all bank notes, look the same throughout the eurozone. Every coin is legal tender in any of the eurozone countries. Latvian lats can be exchanged for free at any bank until 30 June 2014. ATMs are widely available throughout Latvia (including Riga International Airport), even in many small towns. Tax free stores have their signs clearly displayed. Banks will accept travellers cheques with a fee, usually equal to the greater of 1 of the amount exchanged or 10. Shopping edit Amber . which is sold in most souvenir shops. If you are lucky, some can sometimes be found on the Baltic Sea shore after a storm. Be careful looking for amber on beaches in western Latvia - the sea near Liepja is poluted with phosphorus, which looks exactly the same, but catches on fire after drying out. Smoked (black) ceramics from Latgale. Silver jewellery Mittens with ornaments. Hand-made and representing traditional culture. Black (rye) bread gives more energy than the common white (wheat) bread. If bought fresh and kept in a plastic bag, it might last well up to 10 days or more. Riga Black Balsam (Melnais Balzams) . a traditional Latvian herbal liqueur made using many natural ingredients. Laima Chocolates . various sweets and chocolates with all kinds of fillings. Speciality shops are open mostly 08:00-18:00 on weekdays, until 16:00 on Saturdays and closed on Sundays. Groceries are open every day until 20:00 or longer. Most supermarkets are open until 23:00 every day. Convenience stores, such as Narvesen are mostly open 247. Eat edit add listing The country offers plenty of varieties of bread, milk products, ice cream, sweets (loose sweets, made by Laima) etc. In the open air markets of Riga, Liepaja and other cities and towns, the local fruits, vegetables and mushrooms are a great option, such as freshly picked wild strawberries or blueberries from the forests, or some big strawberries, apples, rhubarb pie and a crunch made of fresh stalks straight from the garden. This is, of course, available mainly in summer and autumn season. Latvian cuisine comes from its peasant culture, and is based on crops that grow in Latvias maritime, temperate climate. Rye, wheat, oat, peas, beets, and potatoes are the staples smoked bacon, sausage, and other pork products are favourites, smoked and raw fish is common. Many types of food are flavoured with caraway seeds, especially cheese and bread. A cheese similar to smoked gouda, but softer, is the cheapest and, arguably, tastiest variety. Latvian rye bread is heavy and flavourful, and goes well with hearty Latvian meals like pea soup, potatoes, and schnitzels. Restaurants in larger cities often offer stews in clay pots. Latvian cuisine is typical of northern countries, especially close to Finland its high on butter, fat, and grains, low on spice except for caraway and black pepper. If you are from the Mediterranean, you might find it bland, but if you come from England or the Midwestern US, youre not likely to have trouble getting used to it. Koknese castle ruins A more exotic Latvian dish is a sweet soup made from rye bread (maizes zupa). Black bread is extremely important part of Latvian food. There are many types of black breads and they are believed to be much healthier and better than white bread. Latvia is much richer in milk products than an average Western country. Try Biezpiena sieri - a curd snack with sweet taste. Many types are available, the most popular being Karums and Baltais . Try the dessert Maizes zupa (bread soup, made of black bread and fruits). Taste the Bieu zupa (red beetroot soup). Any Latvian would tell you that chocolate of Laima . the local sweets factory, is much better than Belgian chocolate. Laima offers not just chocolate, but also konfektes - candies of different types, sold by grams and kilos and the price is about 8 per kilo. The best candies are Rudzupue, Lctis epaintis, Serende, Vtras putns, Rts, Soho, Sarkan magone, Vverte etc. An assortment in a nice box can also be a nice gift to friends who stayed home. Try Zefirs - a soft marshmallow-type sweet. Gotia (cow in the diminutive ) is a famous milk candy. The Emihls Gustavs chocolate factory in Riga is more exclusive and they make little sculptures of different shapes of chocolate, but it is a bit pricy. It is important to know that in Latvia the whole concept and meaning of words Cafeteria ( Kafejnica ), Canteen ( Ednica ) and Restaurant ( Restorans ) are different than in other countries. A Cafeteria or Kafejnica is not just a coffee shop. Usually you can have all meals that you would probably expect in a restaurant. The difference is that in Kafejnica you sometimes bring your food to your table yourself. However, some Kafejnicas have waiters, but these are then something in between of Kafejnica and Restorans. Restorans is usually a more or less top class place. Ednica is a canteen of schools, universities, factories etc. They are very cheap, but sometimes have limited access. Some specific food in this area: Biezpiena sierins 12 - curd actually, but with sweet taste Kefirs - specific dairy product (vegetarian) Kiselis - thickened stewed fruit (usually cherry or rhubarb) served for dessert (vegetarian) Griki - buckwheat, eaten as main course Skabeti kaposti - sauerkraut Piragi - bacon and onion wrapped in a thin-ish yeast dough. A real classic of Latvian cuisine. Other mentionable food and dishes: Smoked cheese - goes very well with wine Eclair - cake with sweet cream inside Eel Frikadelu zupa - meatball soup Biesu zupa - red colored beetroot soup (vegetarian and non-vegetarian) Rosols - salad with sour cream (Salad Olivier), usually non-vegetarian Kotletes - meatballs served with potatoes Gailenu merce - chanterelles sauce in sour cream, usually served with potatoes (vegetarian) Sie ar biezpienu - herring served with cottage cheese Commorgan-wieders (old name)- once braised chuck, ground with celery, onions and wrapped in a crepe and resauteed. Drink edit add listing A view from Skyline bar Beer . the most popular alcoholic beverage in Latvia, is excellent. Beers, such as Aldaris, Lvu, and Senu can be bought almost anywhere but local people are very proud about local small breweries, try Bauskas, Tervetes, Piebalgas and some other beer. A special live beer like Uavas can be found in selected pubs and restaurants. Dont forget to try the locally distilled Black Balsam (Rgas Melnais Balzams). Its a strong (45) infusion of various herbs, roots, and spices. It will cure your flu in no time. Add a few drops to flavor your tea, or a few spoons to lace your coffee, or in various cocktails. By itself it can be a very strong beverage Wine is also grown in Latvia in small quantities. It is one of the most Northern places in the world where the wine can be successfully grown. Vineyards can be seen in Sabile 13 (in Latvian). Some possible places to have a sip: Krodzins Riva in Jurkalne, could be seen from Liepaja - Ventspils highway, a small pub near a waterfall and a wooden bridge. Raganas Kekis . 14. The name means witches kitchen. Located in Ragana village (which obviously means the witch in Latvian), in the Vidzeme region. You will see it if you travel to Valmiera or Limbazi by road. Rossini . 15. Near castle ruins and museum in Valmiera. Nice surroundings, serves Italian food. Dont visit this establishment if youre on budget. It is common to tip 10 of the bill depending on the service you encountered. Make sure you check the receipt, as some establishments automatically include a 10 tip in the bill. Sleep edit add listing Although you might not find plenty of 5 star hotels all around Latvia, you will find comfortable places to stay for a reasonable price. There are many hotels to choose from. Prices start from 20 LVL outside of Riga and from 40 LVL in Riga. Network of youth hostels 16 is also developing. Dormitory rooms come around 10 lats, single, double rooms start from 20 lats and above. Camping in parks is usually not allowed. As regards the stealth camping - most of rural land is private, but camping there is always possible common sense is to ask for a permission of the owner, which in most cases will be gladly granted. However, if theres no such chance, but you decide to camp there nevertheless and are later asked to move, you have to. Paying a small amount of money (1-2 lats) helps in most such cases. Overall, camping outdoors on privately owned land is widely understood, common and accepted however, staying in one place for more than two days, or really close to a home is not considered good manners. Follow the common sense of stealth camping. Indicated free camp sites can be found in Latvia, especially in national parks, you can easily camp there. Commercial campgrounds as small businesses are becoming more and more widespread. So called guest houses and country houses (some on farms) are arguably the best places to stay at in the countryside, and usually for much less money than hotels and better quality than hostels, due to very limited numbers of guests and more personal oriented and specialized service (usually run by families). These come with full amenities and some follow the hotel star ratings. These also provide many recreational activities - from the Latvian popular ancient pirts sauna to horse rides etc. This is not only a good way to spend the night, but also an option to spend your holiday. However, usually, guest houses should be called up earlier than the day you plan to arrive, but this can vary depending on the place. Guest houses can be found fairly frequent throughout the country and are usually listed on tourist booklets. Cesis castle in Vidzeme region Learn edit Work edit Finding work is possible, especially if you are a citizen of an EU country however, salaries are low. Job advertisements are posted in Latvian newspapers such as Diena in its Tuesday or Saturday edition. Some ads are in English, German, Russian, or French. Stay safe edit It is generally safe to travel around on your own, although some petty crime exists. A thing to watch out for is bicycle theft, and it is advisable not to leave valuable things in your car. Mind the forest roads, collisions with wildlife animals can easily occur. Much like Estonia and Lithuania. roads are congested with traffic and accident rates in Latvia are high. Take care while crossing the road as most drivers can be reckless. When visiting bars and restaurants in Riga. make sure you know the price before you order and follow your spending, so no cheating is possible. Beware of scammers who strike up conversations out of the blue and invite you to visit their favorite club or bar this is often a favorite way for the mafia to rob foreigners, and the police are unlikely to help if you get scammed. The Police of Latvia 17 has a website with advice for travelers. Local informational web-sites for tourists claim that, in terms of safety, there is almost no difference between big cities and country areas 18. Although it is true that anywhere in Latvia one is never too far from a town or a city, seeking help in case of emergency may be somewhat more difficult in the countryside (for foreign tourists). This is because English is mainly spoken in cities, but outside them one may find almost no people who would understand you (young people are an exception, but they are also drawn from rural areas to bigger cities). This is somewhat balanced by the fact that even then locals are quite friendly and ready to help. Emergency phone number . Single European Emergency Phone Number 112 . If bitten by a dog, wild animal or a snake, seek medical attention immediately. Snakes are not venomous in Latvia, except for the European Adder which is a possible death threat if no treatment is received within the next few hours after the bite. A dog or cat bite can carry the risk of rabies. Mosquitoes carry no disease and are only an annoyance in the summer months. Forest ticks can be abundant from May-September, depending on previous years weather, especially in brushwoodscrub areas, but also occasionally in town parks. Their bite carries the risk of tick-born encephalitis19 (infected ticks can be quite common, vaccination possible before season) and Lyme disease20 -- less common delayed or inadequate treatment can lead to disabilities. Stay healthy edit There is no problem turning to any doctor or hospital to seek medical help, just by paying an outside patient fee. However, it can prove difficult to obtain medical assistance in many rural areas, as the service can be slow and unresponsive therefore, it may be a good idea to bring your own first aid kit. There are virtually no air ambulance helicopters in the country, except for the army, so when exploring sparsely-inhabited, remote areas on your own, its important to be well-prepared for emergency situations. If you get to a doctor, heshe will probably only speak Latvian and Russian. Few drugs are available without a prescription bring your own medicine if you require it. If you need to seek medical attention of a doctor, be prepared to pay a fee under the table in Latvia, it is estimated that 1 in 4 doctors take private donations to see patients. Tap water is safe to drink however, most locals prefer to boil it before drinking. Purchasing bottled water is an alternative. Respect edit One should be cautious when mentioning Latvia in the context of the USSR to ethnic Latvians. Latvia became a USSR province after World War II, and praise of the Soviet (or Russian) regimes is unlikely to be understood or appreciated by Latvians, especially young ones. It is very common to give up your seat for an elderly passenger on the public transport in Latvia. It is also considered polite to let women board a train or bus first. There are many bins and trash cans on the sidewalks and near most shops. Littering is considered a very bad manner and may be fined. Also, you do not need to specially greet, smile, or offer help to people. Latvian citizens are not so easy-going in relationships. Friendship is seen as a very serious affair that develops in the long term. Contact edit Post edit The postal service, Latvijas Pasts 21 is reliable and a fast way to send letters and parcels up to 10kg. Telephone amp Internet edit Any GSM phone that works in Europe will work in Latvia. For local communication, it is much cheaper to buy a local prepaid SIM card, which can include data as well as voice and text. These cards and separate renewal vouchers can be easily bought in gas stations, kiosks, or supermarkets. All brands are more or less equal in price and service. Popular brands include LMT 22. Tele2 23. Bite 24. All prepaid SIM cards come with a manual in English, Russian, and Latvian. Free wifi is available in many cafes, libraries, and the Riga Airport. Most hotels will provide free wireless access spots for laptops. To call from a public phone, you need a phone card (telekarte) which cost as little as 2. International calls are possible from every public phone. Join us this Saturday at 9pm Central 10pm Eastern time for the live show. Bra musik och giveaways att vara hade. Välkommen till Full Gamut Radio där vi har bra musik, prat och underhållningsprogram. Från Rock till Alternative, Oldies, Some Country, Pop, och det bästa i kristen musik, kör vi definitivt hela musikens spektrum. Vårt prat - och underhållningsprogram passar också räkningen. Med Talk visar allt från Sport, Politik, Sci Fi och mycket mer. Full Gamut Radio började sända den 10 juni 2010 från LIVE365-servrarna. 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