Finland, a Nordic nation of 5.6 million, has been named one of Lonely Planet’s 25 Best Destinations in 2026 – and it’s not hard to see why the Finns are so happy
One of the globe’s finest destinations also happens to be amongst Europe’s most sparsely populated.
Finland, a Nordic country home to 5.6 million people, has earned recognition as one of Lonely Planet’s 25 Best Destinations in 2026. The nation was the sole European country to secure a place on the list, though it did share its ranking with regions across Italy and Ireland, amongst others.
Recent years have seen considerable attention focused on Finnish contentment levels. This March, Finland claimed the title of the world’s happiest nation for an eighth consecutive year, as reported by the World Happiness Report 2025, reports the Express.
“Happiness isn’t just about wealth or growth – it’s about trust, connection and knowing people have your back,” said Jon Clifton, the chief executive of Gallup. If we want stronger communities and economies, we must invest in what truly matters: each other.”
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The formula behind Finland’s contentment proves fascinating and complex.
Trust forms the foundation of Finnish culture. Numerous youngsters in the country bundle up warmly to attend woodland schools, even in the country’s northern regions during brutal Finnish winters.
They’re permitted to clamber, leap, scramble, and engage in countless other activities to their heart’s desire, with educators choosing to allow learning through experimentation rather than stepping in. Beyond this bedrock of trust lies an immense pride in their homeland.
Finland boasts one of the globe’s highest national service participation rates. Roughly 27,000 conscripts commence service annually, with approximately 80% of Finnish men fulfilling their duty. Moreover, increasing numbers of women volunteer for service, with more than 1,500 enlisting each year.
Another major contributor to Finnish contentment is the nation’s stunning natural landscape. Known as the Land of a Thousand Lakes, Finland features nearly 200,000 lakes and remains roughly three-quarters blanketed in woodland.
The nation serves as an ideal spot for witnessing the Aurora Borealis, visible on countless evenings, particularly throughout Lapland.
“Whether you are paddling through Finnish Lakeland in the golden light of a midsummer evening, feeling the heartbeat of Sámi reindeer-herding culture in Inari or embracing the bitter cold of Lapland on a dogsled ride as the northern lights come out to play, you will realize that Finnish happiness is tuning into nature, in touch with your inner child,” Lonely Planet writes.
Fortunately, there’s ample room to savour this magnificence.
Finland ranks amongst Europe’s most thinly populated nations, averaging merely 17 residents per sq km, contrasted with 227 per sq km in the UK. Lonely Planet’s Kerry Walker says if you do visit Finland, you shouldn’t leave without first embracing Sámi culture in Lapland.
“Give Santa the slip and head to Inari or, further north still, Utsjoki, for reindeer-driven sleigh rides and joik (rhythmic poems) sung around a flickering campfire in a simple lavvu tent. Go for the whole Arctic shebang with husky mushing, snowshoeing and ice fishing, then hole up in a log cabin, igloo or aurora-gazing dome to watch the flakes silently fall,” she suggests.
The Sámi inhabit Finland’s northern territory of Lapland, a region that extends into Sweden and Norway too.
Many still engage in age-old reindeer herding practices, though contemporary methods and gadgets like drones and snowmobiles are now employed.
If the prospect of holidaying somewhere with minimal crowds appeals to you, Mongolia could be perfect.
This vast landlocked nation, nestled between China and Russia, spans more than 603,000 square miles yet houses barely 3.5 million residents, making it the globe’s most thinly populated independent country.
Indeed, roughly half the nation’s inhabitants reside in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia’s capital city.
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