• Norway!

    Norway: Sunnylvsfjord. Go Now!

    Norway
    Known for its natural beauty, Norway is home to isolated villages, fjords, and mountains that create a culture and landscape without compare. Begin Your Journey!

  • Vatican City!

    Vatican City: Vatican Museums. Go Now!

    Vatican City
    The smallest country in the world offers the heart of Catholicism and among the world's finest art collections, including the Sistine Chapel and the Raphael Rooms (ceiling pictured). Go to Vatican City!

  • Macedonia!

    Macedonia: Traditional architecture. Go Now!

    Macedonia
    Macedonia is a country still finding its unique identity, but its architecture is already one of a kind. Explore Macedonia!

  • Austria!

    Austria: Belvedere Palace. Go Now!

    Austria
    Belvedere Palace (pictured) is just one of many palaces found in Vienna. The capital is a good start to Austria, which also features the Alps, the Lakes District, and incredible history & food. Go Now!

  • Spain!

    Spain: Guell Park and Gaudi architecture. Go Now!

    Spain
    Fusion foods, lively music, historic ruins, and cultural events like the Running of the Bulls and La Tomatina make Spain and Barcelona (pictured) a favorite tourist destination. Explore Spain!

  • Ukraine!

    Ukraine: Traditional Village. Go Now!

    Ukraine
    Ukrainian culture is based on village life, particularly that found in the Carpathian Mountains (pictured). Begin Your Journey!

Social Life in Finland

Behavior

The Finns are very well aware of the world around them as well as the differences in opinions and behaviors. Because of this they are quite understanding of various cultures and foreigners so odd behaviors are generally accepted (but not encouraged).

Your behavior should begin with modesty as being loud, rude, showing off wealth, or dressing provocatively will get you stares. Likewise, placing yourself above others or boasting is viewed negatively, whether that be in your attitude, talking about finances, making others wait for you at a meeting, polluting their environment, or even in personal relationships. Putting others down gets the same reaction; Finns view men, women, minorities, and people of all sexual orientations as equals and not doing the same can be very offensive.

As a visitor to Finland, try to follow the lead of the locals by being modest, dressing in like manner (see below for details), dining in the local etiquette (see our Finland Dining & Food Page), and avoiding sensitive conversation topics such as politics, finances, and business unless initiated by your local counterpart.

Dress

Today what is considered traditional dress in Finland consists of the popular clothing of the 1600s and 1700s, which were generally fairly simple in style and design. Today, the clothing from that time is known as kansallispuvut or the national dress. For women this generally includes a loose-fitting white shirt with a long dress, which was usually in red, blue, or green. This was often topped with an apron of some sort. For men the dress was simply pants, usually black, with a white shirt and a vest, which again was often times red, blue, or green.

Today the traditional dress is only worn by some individuals for special occasions or events. Most people today wear modern western-styled clothing, which varies with the seasons and personal preferences.

As a visitor to Finland, you are free to wear nearly anything, but try to dress for the weather and the occasion. The Finns are fairly liberal and forgiving so making a mistake is often ignored, but in churches long pants should be worn and anything that makes you stand out should be avoided as the Finns are fairly modest and you should try to follow their lead. Lastly, sunbathing naked or women sunbathing topless is only permitted in certain places so always be sure to know where this is allowed before doing so.

This page was last updated: November, 2013