Insight Guide Finland (Insight Guides) (Paperback)

by Zoe Ross (Author) "8000 BC Tribes from eastern Europe (ancestors of present-day Sami) settle the Finnish Arctic coast..." (more)
Key Phrases: World War, Soviet Union, Santa Claus (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
Insight Guide Finland includes a section detailing Finland‘s history, 10 features covering aspects of the type's life and culture, ranging from A Wilderness Experience to Music and film, a region by region visitor's guide to the sights, and a comprehensive Travel Tips section packed with essential contact addresses and numbers. Plus 14 mpas and many high quality photographs.

About the Author
Since 2000. Hammond, American Map, Langenscheidt Dictionaries, Insight Travel Guides, Delorme – the famous names in the Langenscheidt family. These represent the most authoritative, up-to-date, and extensive travel and reference products available. In January 2003, the renowned Berlitz Publishing became part of the Langenscheidt Group. The Langenscheidt Publishing Group, the premier group of map and travel companies, offers over 4,000 North American and international street maps, road maps, atlases, language-learning, bilingual dictionaries, and travel-related products covering countries, cities, and languages in every continent.

Product Details

• Paperback: 325 pages
• Publisher: Insight Guides; 3 Sub edition (December 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 9814120391
• ISBN-13: 978-9814120395
• Product Dimensions: 8.7 x 5.9 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #235,829 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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  #8 in	Books > Travel > Europe > Finland
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  #34 in	Books > Travel > Guidebook Series > Insight Guide

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

28 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An American in Helsinki says thumbs up!, March 12, 2002

By	Tara F. Chace (Seattle, WA United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Insight Guide Finland (Insight Guides) (Paperback)

I lived in Helsinki for 4 months and traveled around a bit (to Kuopio, Karigasniemi and Ivalo, as well as eastward to St. Petersburg). This is the best guide to Finland I've seen in English. They give not only important tourist information (maps, restaurant and hotel recommendations, attractions, tips, etc.), but also great cultural and historical information that will help put all the tourist stuff in perspective for you.

Finland can seem surprisingly foreign if you're expecting it to be just like Scandinavia or the rest of western Europe. But with a little help from the Insight guide you'll find it unique and exciting and beautiful rather than frighteningly different. Get ready for all the stereotypical pleasures (like the sauna and amazing architecture) and some less stereotypical ones like cutting edge, world class design, beautiful birch forests, spectacular lakes, and really weird yogurt-like stuff and juustoleipä!

Finland, here you come!

31 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful and clever guide to a beautiful country, March 17, 2002

By	Andrius Uzkalnis (Reading, Berkshire, United Kingdom) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Insight Guide Finland (Insight Guides) (Paperback)

All too often, Finland has been unfairly treated by many snobbish travel writers - too clean, too expensive, too Northern. For many of those identifying Finland only with mobile phones, the history, the architecture and the landscapes of this brave, spectacularly handsome and exceedingly talented country is largely unknown. This guide tells the story and shows the pictures in a friendly, seemingly effortless and hugely informative way.

The book - in common with other Insight Guide publications - is as beautiful as the cover picture suggests. They do not cut corners on buying top quality photos or commissioning informed articles, and it shows. The writing does not have the cynicism and grumpy attitude of shoestring-travel guidebooks: instead, it offers warmth and genuine attempt to look into the country and its people (not only to list its cheapest accommodation).

Insight Guides is quite laconic about basic survival within the country, but the pages that are there fully fit the task suffice. Moreover, in Finland, where the knowledge of English is practically universal and the system of public information about transport and other facilities is second to none, you do not need too much hand-holding anyway.

This beautiful and informative book is worth every penny.

15 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Guide to a Fascinating Country, December 25, 2000

By	Timothy R. Smith (USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Insight Guide Finland (Insight Guides) (Paperback)

With vivid descriptions of cultures and places, superb maps, expert historical discussions, and delightfully charming photographs from cover to cover, this guide offers the reader everything needed to visit this magnificent, magical country.