Big skies and bigger parks. Barbecue and Tex-Mex food (don’t miss the breakfast tacos). A vibrant live music scene in Austin and world-class birding in South Texas. Plus, cowboys.
18.09.2023 - 18:35 / forbes.com
What countries spring to mind when thinking of the Viking Age? Chances are it’s the likes of Norway, Denmark, Iceland, or Sweden that you most closely associate with the seafaring Norsemen of the 8th to 11th centuries.
However, Finland, a Nordic nation a little farther to the east, has its own stories from the time that are intertwined with the Viking Age.
During the period, the area now known as Finland was inhabited by diverse communities. While most of the population were not Vikings in the conventional sense, their lands, economies, culture, and people were certainly influenced by their near neighbors.
As Finland was on the boundary of maritime trade routes to Russia, the inhabitants of the land actively engaged in trading, in particular as suppliers of furs.
A visit to Finland is a great choice for history enthusiasts keen to explore the lesser-trodden Viking paths. From the national museum to artifacts discovered on Finnish islands, here are some of the highlights of Viking Finland.
There’s no better place to begin your journey than in the cosmopolitan capital city, Helsinki. Here you’ll find the National Museum of Finland, which provides a high-level overview of Finland’s early history and its interaction with many diverse cultures over the centuries.
Until recently, Finland’s museums didn’t dive into detail on the Viking Age, thanks in part to the lack of written stories from the time. But recent archaeological discoveries have renewed interest in the period.
In particular, the discovery of several hoards and what that might mean for parts of Finland has sparked curiosity. Some coins from the hoards form part of the national museum’s collection.
Nestled midway between Sweden and Finland, the sandy beaches, scenic cycle routes and tiny villages of the Åland Islands welcome Scandinavians looking for a summer getaway. In the Viking Age, these islands in the heart of the Baltic Sea were of strategic importance.
One of the most notable sites is the remains of a major settlement in Kvarnbo, proving the islands’ role as a site of importance. The artifacts found here, from everyday household items to intricate jewelry, suggest tales of trade, diplomacy, and conflict.
The area hosts an annual Viking market, one of the highlights of which is a reconstructed Viking ship from 2014 that is put on display every year.
Turku, one of Finland's oldest cities, is home to the 13th-century Turku Castle. Although the castle does postdate the Viking Age, its museum offers insight into Finland's early medieval period, which was shaped by the events of the Viking Age.
The city also hosts an annual medieval market, which will surely be of interest to Viking Age enthusiasts despite the differing time periods.
Travel
Big skies and bigger parks. Barbecue and Tex-Mex food (don’t miss the breakfast tacos). A vibrant live music scene in Austin and world-class birding in South Texas. Plus, cowboys.
Tealby. Two syllables hinting at 1,600 years of history. The name of this little Lincolnshire wolds spot is thought to mean “village of the Taifali people”. Which is odd, as the east Germanic Taifali tribe hailed from the Carpathian mountains, far from the east Midlands.
On the EU’s frontline, bordering both Ukraine and the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad, Poland has been much in the news of late.
Since cruising resumed post-pandemic, I've been on more than 30 sailings, and I have several more planned. At this point, cruise lines have eased restrictions such that wearing a mask is largely optional.
The new ‘Sustainability Expert’ initiative was launched during the ANTOR Media Awards Gala Dinner in London, on Monday night. The new ‘free to the user’ e-Learning platform provides a convenient and easily accessible resource for responsible tourism education and training worldwide. The Sustainability Expert platform serves as singular hub for the travel industry, highlighting organisations, destinations and travel brands committed to environmental stewardship, cultural responsibility, and eco-conscious practices. The hub, curated by Equator Global, enables individuals to attain the coveted ‘Sustainability Expert’ certification by successfully completing a minimum of four courses from the 28 free courses featured.
Heritage tourism experts grappled with complex issues of presenting culture and heritage to tourists at an international gathering of culture tourism experts 24-25 September in Valencia, Spain. Just over 100 delegates from 17 countries debated the latest issues, trends and opportunities affecting the sector, which accounts for 40% of all tourism activity, according to the UNWTO.
Between Estonia and Lithuania lies the unspoilt parkland of Latvia.
Five historic Danish Viking age Ring Fortresses have just been added to the prestigious UNESCO World Heritage List. The fortresses were built between year 958 and 987 under the reign of the Danish Viking King Harald Bluetooth and are characterised by their remarkable symmetry.
ITB Asia, Asia’s leading travel trade show, is pleased to announce its top exhibitors for the highly anticipated 16th edition, set to take place from 25 – 27 October 2023 in Singapore.
Welcome to Where Chefs Eat on Vacation, a column in which chefs tell us what they ate on a recent trip. All products featured on Condé Nast Traveler are independently selected by our editors. If you buy something through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.
What we now know as Denmark was a home base for Viking expeditions far and wide. The Viking Age, characterized by sea travel, trading, exploration, and settlement, was not without its fair share of conflict even at home.
On Monday, the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) unveiled 27 new World Heritage Site designations. Among them are a diverse slate of culturally significant areas, including sacred temples in Cambodia, ancient tea forests in China, and historic European towns.