The Best Places to Take Photos in Finland

The top 10 places you need to visit.

In Finland, it's impossible to not answer the call of the wild. The wild, raw beauty of the country is nothing short of magic, a bewitching concoction of deep green forests, sparkling lakes, undulating hills, and vast marshland. It's a landscape that has inspired artists for centuries—painters, composers, and, today, digital photographers. Finland photography is some of the most inspiring in the world.

Explorest has launched Finland as one of its spotlight destinations for 2023. Download our travel app to check out beautiful photography of Finland and tips for how you can snap your own shots, too. Hugo Korhonen (@hugoraphy), one of our contributing Explorest artists, and one of the best NFT photographers around, has published his favorite 14 locations in the Nordic country. His pictures of Finland in winter reveal his keen eye for the natural drama and beauty across rugged landscapes. You can check out his account on Explorest, and you may even feel inclined to buy one of his images to display as your own NFT art. Or you can follow this trusty guide to discover the best places to take photos in Finland so you can create top-selling NFT photography of your own.

From the highest peaks of northern Lapland to the millennia-old bogs in the south, the snow-capped pine forests, and the pastel-streaked night skies that come alive with the Northern Lights, Finland photography is a rare and beguiling treat that every photographer must experience once in their lifetime.

Koli National Park & Lake Pielinen from Ukko-Koli Hill

Get a first taste of the mysteries of the Finnish landscape with a visit to Koli National Park. Perhaps the most iconic view over the wild lands of Finland can be found from the top of Ukko-Koli hill within the park. It is this view, actually, that inspired some of the country's most renowned artists, including national composer Jean Sibelius. From the top of the hill, you'll be able to see across the shimmering Lake Pielinen, your eyes bouncing off the tops of trees within the most ancient forests in the country. Welcome to Finland.

credit: @hugoraphy — discover Koli National Park & Lake Pielinen from Ukko-Koli Hill on the Explorest app

Kesänkijärvi & Ylläsjärvi Fell

Up in the northernmost reaches of Finland, surrounded by the hushed forests of the Pallas-Yllastunturi National Park, is the shimmering jewel of Kesänkijärvi. This gorgeous, quiet lake is nestled in the heart of the magnificent park. Surrounded by rolling hills, carpeted with evergreen trees, the lake is stunning to shoot at any time of year. Hugo finds the beauty of the lake in wintertime under a thick blanket of delicate snow, the majestic Ylläsjärvi Fell rising in the background.

credit: @hugoraphy — discover Kesänkijärvi & Ylläsjärvi Fell on the Explorest app

Olhavanlampi Lake in Repovesi National Park

The rugged forests of Repovesi National Park are famous for the pockets of ponds and lakes. Sprawling endlessly in every direction, the thick groves of evergreen trees give way to quiet corners of tranquil, blue water. One of the most impressive views of the national park is from atop Olhavanvuori Rock, with a 50-meter vertical drop that plunges directly into a lake at your feet. Beyond the lake are a sea of green trees and the gently rolling hills of Finland in the distance.

credit: @hugoraphy — discover Olhavanlampi Lake in Repovesi National Park on the Explorest app

Määkijä Pier & Kapiavesi Lake

Linger a little longer within Repovesi National Park to discover Lake Kapiavesi. A path winds its way through columns of pine and birch forest before opening up to the rocky shore of Lake Kapiavesi. The glass-like surface of the lake is quiet against the backdrop of towering trees. The Maakija pier juts out into the lake, offering a way to see things from an entirely different angle. From the pier, you can pull yourself on the man-powered Ketunlossi ferry across the lake for even more impressive views.

credit: @hugoraphy — discover Määkijä Pier & Kapiavesi Lake on the Explorest app

Myllykoski Rapids on The Little Bear's Trail

Disappear to the very furthest reaches of the planet. Oulanka National Park sits right at the edge of the Arctic Circle, where Finland touches Russia. The park is one of the most ruggedly beautiful in Finland covering both the Northern Ostrobothnia and Lapland regions. With great isolation comes intense beauty, and that's what you'll find here, particularly along the Little Bear Circuit. This 12-kilometer hike is known for its suspension bridges, waterfalls, and viewpoints. The Myllykoski rapids are famous here for their swirling deep blue hues and bubbling white caps. Come at dawn or dusk in winter to capture the hushed, white snow against a backdrop of a glowing, velvety sky.

credit: @hugoraphy — discover Myllykoski Rapids on The Little Bear's Trail on the Explorest app

Western Oasis Run in Valkmusa National Park (Läntisen keitaan lenkki)

Southeastern Finland has its own natural riches, as well, like Valkmusa National Park. This lesser-traveled protected area is flatter than other parts of Finland, but is rich in history. Its marshlands were said to form more than 4,000 years ago. What makes Valkmusa unique is its track of duckboards, called Läntisen keitaan lenkki, which run for 2.3 kilometers through open and untouched marshland. Walking along this pristine pathway puts you up close and personal with a landscape that has remained unchanged for four millennia. It is, without a doubt, a pathway to the past.

credit: @hugoraphy — discover Western Oasis Run in Valkmusa National Park (Läntisen keitaan lenkki) on the Explorest app

Saaristokatu & Lake Kallavesi

Welcome to the heart of Finland's Lakeland. Lake Kallavesi is a jewel of a lake within one of the most beautiful parts of the country. For a unique perspective of the lake, drive the winding Saaristokatu road, which offers breathtaking vantage points of the lake. This road is one of the top scenic drives in Finland. To take a shot like Hugo, drive onto the Pölhö islet, where a parking lot provides a dramatic vantage point from which to look down across the lake, with Saaristokatu wriggling away into the distance. Tip: Visit during winter for an opportunity to catch the mystical Northern Lights as they dance their way across the skies above Lake Kallavesi.

credit: @hugoraphy — discover Saaristokatu & Lake Kallavesi on the Explorest app

Särkitunturi Peak

Of the hundreds of hiking spots within Finland, something about Särkitunturi Peak hits differently. It's a beloved spot within the Muonio area, perfect for a few hours of hiking, and even better for the views from the summit. Brace yourself for a kind of silence you have never experienced before as the breeze leads your gaze out across a picture-perfect landscape. Enjoy the Finnish National view of Pallastunturi, an iconic group of seven fells that stretch across Lapland. Tip: Hugo says this view is rarely captured in winter, which means you may be one of the few to capture it at such a private and magical time.

credit: @hugoraphy — discover Särkitunturi Peak on the Explorest app

Ylläs Swing

High up in Lapland, perched on the banks of Lake Äkäslompolo, is a content creator's dream — a log swing that extends itself over the quiet, glass-like surface of the lake. At the end of a wooden walkway, the charming swing makes for a spectacular photo opportunity, particularly if you have a travel partner willing to model for you. One of the best times to visit the swing is during the winter at night, when the Northern Lights put on a spectacular show overhead and create a brilliant backdrop for a swing shot.

credit: @hugoraphy — discover Ylläs Swing on the Explorest app

Puijo Tower

Here you've got a bizarre contrast between old and new Finland. Centuries-old pine forests extend in every direction, with pearls of ponds and lakes popping out in the distance. At the center of it all, though, is the Puijo tower, an observation tower in Kuopio that stands at 75 meters and is the first tower with a revolving restaurant in the Nordic countries. The tower is illuminated at night and makes for an interesting dash of technology and modernity among the quiet landscape that is iconic of Finland. You can get a shot like Hugo if you use a drone from the parking lot on Puijontie Road.

credit: @hugoraphy — discover Puijo Tower on the Explorest app

If you want to discover new photo spots, download the Explorest travel app today. We provide insider recommendations to help you photograph your travels, near and far.