Finland has earned its name as one of the most beautiful countries in Europe, with unique sites and landscapes that range between the world’s biggest archipelago and the very calm Lapland, while Helsinki, the capital city, is vibrant and lively.
However, beautiful sites aren’t all that Finland has to offer, as the country is one of the friendliest destinations in the world for LGBTQIA+ community members.
“Not only is Finland a safe travel destination, but also an extremely beautiful one. The peace, calm, and vastness of nature are unparalleled. From Helsinki, the capital of Finland, it only takes an hour to the middle of a national park,” Hannu Medina, the Founder of We Speak Gay and Gay Travel Finland, blogger and expert on LGBTQIA+ travel, says.
A report by Willams Insitute reveals that Finland is a very minority-aware country regarding the rights of this community and is one of the safest places in the world for LBTQIA+ members.
The survey, which collected answers from respondents in all 175 countries in the world, reveals that the most accepting countries in the world from 2014 to 2017 were Iceland, the Netherlands, Norway, Canada and Spain. The same study highlights that the most accepting countries are becoming more accepting as time passes by.
“Yet, while Finland is often seen as an oasis for peace and calm, it does also turn up. The number of gay bars is internationally on the decline in most big cities, but not in Helsinki. Our numbers are going up, and we are, in fact, getting the largest gay club, DTM, in Finland in the Meatpacking District in Helsinki this summer,” Medina sums up.
Pride festivals are always celebrated during the summer in larger cities such as Helsinki, Turku and Tampere, but in smaller cities, there are celebrations too, with more than 40 pride events being around Finland.
The Tom of Finland exhibition, opening on April 28 in the Museum of Contemporary Art Kiasma in Helsinki in Helsinki, as Touko Valio Laaksonen’s artistic mastery highlights.
Another place that is worth checking out during the trip to Finland is Kuori, a female and LBTQIA+-owned vegetarian and vegan restaurant in the city of Turku. It offers menus of composed raw ingredients, unisex toilets and parties on Wednesdays.
Aurora holidays at Utsjoki should also be considered, as visitors will be able to travel with the LGBTQIA+ friendliest operator in all of Lapland. Located in Utsjoki, Aurora Holidays offers visitors once-in-a-lifetime experiences of Northern Lights chasing and outdoor activities in the Finnish Lapland.
