In Finland’s summer months, when the sun barely dips below the horizon, you can enjoy hiking, glorious nature, music festivals and a buzzing outdoor café scene in the coastal cities. Take a luxury holiday to Finland in the winter, on the other hand, and find yourself transported to a magical, snow-covered realm illuminated by the aurora borealis.

For an iconic urban experience in Finland, you’ll want to make for the capital, Helsinki. Situated on the southern coast on a small peninsula surrounded by islands, Helsinki boasts scenery to rival all the other Scandinavian capitals. Clean streets, colourful buildings and public gardens and beaches can be found in abundance here – along with all manner of hotels, restaurants, bars, shops and night-time hangouts. Helsinki is a city rich with history that boasts significant sites such as Suomenlinna, an 18th-century fortress straddling six islands. The capital is also home to a world-renowned design scene, cutting-edge architecture and some fantastic Michelin-starred cuisine. With its excellent public transport links and tour operators, it’s the ideal base for exploring other areas of the country, from the coastal cities of the south, the stunning lakeland region to the snowy climes of the north.

In Turku, you can visit a medieval castle and wander down cobbled streets lined with boutiques, restaurants and buzzing cocktail bars. Take a trip to Oulu and explore the bustling markets and visit excellent museums and galleries.

Rovaniemi, meanwhile, is the beating heart of Lapland. The official home of Santa Claus, this chilly and picturesque city is the place to go for excursions into the wild, snow-covered north.