Finland has been named the happiest country in the world, again – here’s what to do in this Nordic utopia

The UN World Happiness Report is released annually in March, and Finland is something of a fixture at the top of the table. The Scandinavian nation has been designated the happiest in the world for the last eight years, leading us to wonder: what formula has it perfected that makes its inhabitants so content?

To collate the World Happiness Report the Wellbeing Research Centre at the University of Oxford asks a sample group from 140 countries to rate how good their life is, from one to ten. Fins averaged a score of 7.736. The study credits things like access to nature and strong social support as contributing factors to the score, while Finland’s president, Alexander Stubb, says his nation’s happiness rests on the three pillars of nature, trust and education. But Fins also benefit from a good outlook, living their lives (as lore has it) by the philosophy of ‘sisu’, which translates as ‘grit’, ‘determination’ or ‘resilience’.

From where we’re standing, Finland has a lot to shout about, home to an ever-growing cohort of design-led hotels (and their idyllic spas), unique restaurants and pioneering cultural institutions. Here, we shine a light on where to stay, eat and go when visiting this Nordic nation for your best chance of imbibing some Finnish cheer.

The hotel: Solo Sokos Pier 4

Helsinki’s new arrival, designed by local studio Anttinen Oiva Architects, is constructed completely from timber. The ‘sustainable space’, which is situated within the city’s harbour's Katajanokan Laituri, boasts proximity to nature, uses domestic raw materials, and shares a building with the headquarters of Finnish forestry company Stora Enso. Wallpaper* recently spent the night at 164-room Solo Sokos Pier 4, reporting a soothing ambience permeated by the smell of pine and enhanced by the beauty of the Finnish seascape.

sokoshotels.fi

The restaurant: Finlandia Bistro

Finlandia Hall, built by Finnish modernist icon Alvar Aalto in 1971, has become a national landmark. The concert and congress venue, located in Helsinki’s Töölö Bay, has recently undergone a refresh, including the opening of Finlandia Hall Bistro, which allows diners to eat in surroundings that nod to Aalto’s heritage. Moody, cocooning interiors by Fyra are dressed with modernist pieces as well as contemporary items by the Finnish Design Shop. The food is also a tribute to Finnish craftsmanship, this time of the gastronomic variety, platforming local ingredients and flavours.

finlandiatalo.fi

The bar: Jackie

Set in the heart of Punavuori, Helsinki, stepping into Jackie is like stepping back in time. The space is steeped in the design language of the 1960s and 1970s; designer Joanna Laajisto was apparently given a playlist of Italian lounge and French disco music to inspire her. Come here for pizza until 11pm and drinks until 3am on weekends, when DJs play vintage-inspired hits in the sophisticated setting, all leather upholstery and walnut furniture.

jackie.fi

The spa: Panorama Landscape Hotel and Forest Spa

A couple of things spring to mind when one thinks about Finland, and one of them is rolling around in the snow (after heating yourself to boiling point in a sauna, of course). A particularly good place to do this is the Lähde Forest Spa at the Panorama Landscape Hotel, home to three saunas and five hot and cold pools fed by a natural spring with views over Lake Syväri. The hotel’s striking suites are designed by Finnish architect Sami Rintala, and blend into the bewitching landscape of Tahko in eastern Finland.

panoramahotel.fi

The museum: Sara Hildén Art Museum

This gallery is a fixture in the Finnish city of Tampere. It hosts a revolving door of exhibitions (such as Jean-Michel Othoniel’s solo show in 2024 and, showing until 18 May 2025, a retrospective of Finnish painter Heikki Marila) with a focus on international modern and contemporary art, as well as the permanent collection of the Sara Hildén Foundation, which contains more than 5,000 works including those by Joan Miró, Francis Bacon, Paul Klee and Alberto Giacometti. The building is an attraction in itself, designed by Pekka Ilveskoski Architects in 1979 on the beautiful shores of Lake Näsijärvi.

sarahildenintaidemuseo.fi