Rent a car in Finland and get some travel inspiration here

Are we going to resort to the cliché and call Finland “the land of a thousand lakes”? Oh, we just did that. In fact, there are actually a few more lakes in Finland: over 180,000! That’s counting everything, including small bodies of water that would be better described as ponds. In any case, the Finnish Lake District is one of the country’s biggest attractions. The opposite of those lakes and ponds are the islands and islets of the archipelago off the southwest coast. The best way to truly experience all of this? By rental car. So rent a car for the ultimate journey through the Finnish countryside! In addition, the breathtaking beauty of Lapland is irresistible, especially in winter, but we’ll cover that in a separate blog post: Lapland in Winter.

Rent a Car for a Road Trip in Finland: 2 Routes

We’ll describe two options for a road trip through Finland in a rental car. First, a route through the Finnish archipelago in the southwest, then north along the coast of the Gulf of Bothnia. The second road trip runs through the Finnish Lake District in the eastern part of the country. Both routes start in Helsinki and end in Rovaniemi, but you can, of course, also travel them in reverse.

If you take only the first or second route, you’ll return the rental car to a different location than where you picked it up. This type of “one-way” car rental is very easy to arrange. If you combine these two routes, you’ll have a complete round-trip through Finland. You can choose your own starting and ending points at any location along the route.

In Helsinki, the starting point for both routes, you won’t need a rental car. You can easily spend a few days in Finland’s lively and trendy capital. The fortress on the island of Suomenlinna is a highlight, featuring many different museums. You can also see a Finnish submarine from World War II there.

1. Driving along the Gulf of Bothnia

Whether you’ve rented the car at Helsinki Airport, the train station, or in the suburb of Espoo, you’ll immediately face a dilemma about which route to take to your first stop, Turku. The route along the southern coast winds through charming coastal towns, and in the summer, you can relax on one of the many small beaches. The northern route takes you to Liesjärvi National Park, along the lake of the same name. Children enjoy visiting the Korteniemi farm to see how Finnish farmers used to work.

Turku is the former capital of Finland. Especially in the summer, it’s wonderful to stroll along the Aura River. At the river’s mouth stands the medieval Turun linna castle. It may not look very impressive from the outside, but wait until you step inside! It’s beautifully restored and features an interesting museum on Finnish history.

The city is the starting point for a tour of the famous Finnish archipelago, which consists of thousands of idyllic little islands. There’s a 250-kilometer-long main route through the archipelago, but we recommend veering off it every now and then. Park your rental car and take a short ferry ride to the unique islands of Utö and Jurmo.

If you take a rental car on the E8, it’s a 75-minute drive from Turku to Rauma, but if you have the time, take the smaller back roads to this city. The charming, historic center consists of wooden houses from the 18th and 19th centuries.

From Rauma, take a short drive inland to Tampere, also known as the sauna capital of the world. In addition to a good sweat, you’ll find a huge selection of museums, ranging from the Amuri Open-Air Museum—featuring historic wooden workers’ cottages—to museums showcasing Finnish modern art and the world’s only museum dedicated to the Moomins. A fun activity for kids is the Spy Museum, where they can test whether they’re a real secret agent!

The drive from Tampere to Vaasa is about 240 kilometers, but you can make stops at various places along the way, such as by the beautiful Lake Kyrösjärvi. Vaasa is a true college town: 1 in 5 residents is a student! The city also has traditionally had strong ties to Sweden. You’ll notice that many residents speak Swedish. Off the coast lie the islands of the Kvarken Archipelago. These islands are constantly rising out of the sea, at a rate of about 1 centimeter per year. You can take beautiful boat trips there.

On your way to Oulu, be sure to stop at the kilometers-long sand dunes, Hiekkasärkät, just before you reach the town of Kalajoki. You can relax on the beach, go surfing, or take a boat out on the water. At the Seikkailupuisto Pakka adventure park, you can zip-line through the trees, go bungee jumping, water ski, or try your hand at archery.

Want to experience something a little out of the ordinary? In August, Oulu hosts the World Air Guitar Championship. If the ice is thick enough in winter (usually in February), you can drive your rental car across the frozen water to the island of Hailuoto!

Drive from Oulu via Kemi (in winter, this town features a snow castle!) to Rovaniemi, and take the narrower roads that run right alongside the impressive, wide Kemijoki River. Santa Claus lives in Rovaniemi, and you can visit him year-round. To be honest, it’s a rather commercial affair, but it’s still fun to cross the Arctic Circle in the underground Santa Park.

Be sure to set aside enough time to visit the unique Arktikum in Rovaniemi. It’s not only a museum about the nature, culture, and people of the Arctic, but also a science center. There, you’ll learn all about the exceptional climate in northern Finland and about unique phenomena, such as the Northern Lights.

2. Rent a car and explore the Finnish Lake District

The second route for a road trip through Finland in a rental car also starts in the capital. From Helsinki, you can take a day trip by rental car to the densely forested Sipoonkorpi National Park. This park lies along the route to Finland’s second-largest lake, Päijänne. As with most Finnish lakes, the shores are very rugged, and this lake features several small islands connected by bridges. Drive via Lahti to Vääksy and from there follow Route 314, one of the most scenic routes in Finland.

From Sysmä, drive the rental car eastward. Drive as much as possible on small back roads to Mikkeli and then take a detour (Highway 62) to Savonlinna. Along the way, enjoy the beautiful scenery, with Savonlinna—surrounded by lakes and ponds—as the icing on the cake. The town itself is worth a visit, but so is the grand castle Olavinlinna from the 15th century, built on a small island. An interactive exhibition in this castle is specially designed for children.

Before continuing north, be sure to take a detour with your rental car to the Punkaharju Nature Reserve. From Highway 14, take the exit to local road ( yhdystie ) No. 4792. It’s a fantastic route! Next, you can drive to Koli National Park either quickly (via Highway 6) or slowly (via smaller back roads). Finland is fairly flat, but Koli is an exception. From the Ukko-Koli mountaintop, you’ll have a panoramic view of Lake Pielinen. There are marked hiking trails, and in winter, you can take a dog-sled ride.

On the northern shore of Lake Pielinen lies the town of Nurmes. Park your rental car there and take a stroll through the idyllic old town (Puu-Nurmes), which consists of beautiful, large wooden houses built around the turn of the 18th and 19th centuries.

If you drive further north in the winter, you’ll pass the ski resorts of Vuokatti. But there’s plenty to do in the summer as well, in the forests and around the lakes. The nearest major city is Kajaani, the gateway to the Kainuu region. Nature is everywhere here: you’ll drive your rental car through vast forests, interspersed with lakes, marshes, streams, and rivers. Near Paljakka, there are plenty of outdoor activities to enjoy: cross-country skiing in the winter, and canoeing, mountain biking, and hiking in the summer.

At the Martinselkonen Wilds Center, you can spot brown bears from observation posts in the summer. In the winter, you can go on tours on fat bikes or snowmobiles. You don’t have to worry about suddenly encountering a wild bear, as they’re hibernating at that time.

One of the most popular hiking trails is the Karhunkierros Trail, which is 82 kilometers long in total. But of course, you can also hike just a section of it or choose a different route in Oulanka National Park. You’ll walk across suspension bridges dozens of meters high, past waterfalls and rugged rivers. You can easily drive your rental car to the starting point of all the hiking trails.

Northern Finland is essentially one big nature park. On your way to the final destination of this road trip in a rental car, be sure not to miss Riisitunturi National Park. It’s located north of the road between Kuusamo and Posio, and the landscape is truly enchanting, especially in winter. During that time, you can go on sleigh rides or follow a cross-country skiing trail.

In a different vein is the wildlife park in Ranua, where you can observe Arctic animals year-round. There are over fifty different species, including Finland’s only polar bears. If you drive directly from Posio to Rovaniemi in your rental car, it’s about a 130-kilometer drive. If you decide to go via Ranua, the total distance is approximately 170 kilometers (and over 80 kilometers from Ranua).

Inspired? Rent a car!

We hope these two sample itineraries have inspired you to rent a car for a vacation in Finland. Whether in summer or winter, you can enjoy plenty of outdoor activities in Finland’s breathtaking landscape. In the summer, try canoeing, kayaking, rowing, mountain biking, rafting, and swimming; in the winter, go cross-country skiing, snowboarding, ice skating, or take a dog-sled or snowmobile tour. And don’t forget the beautiful colors of the dense Finnish forests in the fall! Add to that the silence of Finland’s unspoiled nature, and you’ll feel completely at peace!

So rent a car in Finland and enjoy the magic the country has to offer in every season.