Located in the far north of Europe, between the 60th and 70th parallels, Finland is a country of extremes. On our Finland guided tours, you can experience endless summer days, when the midnight sun still sits above the horizon, and long winter nights when the soft light glitters on the snow filled landscape. Vast forests fill the spaces between one of Europe's most cosmopolitan cities.

Finland was settled in the stone age, after the retreat of the ice sheets during the last ice age in 8,500 BCE. The earliest inhabitants were hunter gatherers using stone tools and later developed into an agricultural society. In the 12th century an influx of Swedish settlers came to the southern shores of Finland followed by the Russians in the 18th century. Finnish national identity took form during this period, but it was not until after the Russian Revolution in 1917 that Finland declared independence.

Helsinki, affectionately known as the 'Daughter of the Baltic', is perfectly placed between its two great trading cousins and former rulers, Stockholm and Moscow. It was established by the Swedes in 1505 but remained a coastal backwater until Imperialist Russia invaded in 1809. These days Helsinki is an elegant European city with the old town being a tidy tangle of Art Nouveau and Neoclassical streets.

Modern highlights include the Temppeliaukio Church, made from quarried bedrock, the Lutheran Kamppi Chapel, and Senate Square. Helsinki's most historic and beautiful square, Senate Square, was designed in the early 1800s at the height of the Russian Empire's fascination with the architectural glories of ancient Greece and Rome.

Our Finland guided tours enjoy a comprehensive walking tour taking in the most important and interesting parts of Helsinki, such as the historical centre and the diplomatic quarters, the Presidential Palace, City Hall, the Parliament building, Finlandia Hall and the Opera House.

While a cluster of cities dominate the south of Finland, such as Tampere and Turku, a large draw on Finland guided tours is the abundant nature. Helsinki itself is situated right at the arrowhead of a peninsula, surrounded by an archipelago of over 300 islands. Further north, herds of reindeer roam free in unspoiled forests. Picturesque lakes in a network of national parks experience the true four seasons.

Despite being located in the Arctic zone, the boreal forests of Finland are home to a variety of wildlife. Brown bears, wolverine and elk are among the most visible of the 65 mammals that roam the spruce, pine and birch tree forests. On the far north of migrations, 248 types of birds breed in Finland, including the willow warbler, common chaffinch, and redwing. With such a large amount of freshwater in a series of lakes and rivers, most streams are home to perch, northern pike and Saimaa ringed seal, one of only three lake seal species in the world.

With an abundance of ingredients, the food scene in Finland continues to flourish with many cafes serving a growing epicurean market.

With such contrasts between the elegant cities and uninterrupted nature, Finland guided tours are sure to impress even the intrepid traveller.