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Crossing Finland by bike was definitely one of my biggest concerns at the beginning of the long journey from Italy to the North Cape. In fact, traveling without a tent, it was difficult to organize: some of the Finnish stages, prepared on Komoot, would surely be long!

To reach Finland, specifically Turku, I took a ferry from Stockholm (which I had reached by bicycle from Copenhagen). On this journey I met other cyclo-travelers: Matteo was traveling to the North Cape, while three Argentines were traveling leisurely to Qatar to go cheer on Messi and Company at the World Cup. The ferry was a lot of fun: in fact, Swedes and Finns spent their time singing karaoke and it was enjoyable to listen to them!

Finland by bike: from Turku to Vaasa

In Turku, therefore, my journey to Finland by bike began. The Finnish country did not give me a great welcome. In fact, Turku is not a beautiful city and the Finns have a heavy foot, giving a sense of danger. In addition, the landscape initially was far from interesting. Until Pori, reached after 152 km, the only thing worth seeing was the small town of Rauma, characterized by colorful houses: very nice to see!

The second Finnish stage, at first, was also characterized by fast-flowing roads. Thanks to the suggestion of Jenny, a local girl I met on a Facebook group, I took a 30-kilometer detour that allowed me to pedal along roads with little traffic and very beautiful: Yitteri, in particular, is home to a magnificent beach on the Baltic Sea. The second stage, 132 km long, therefore took me to Kristinestad: I slept once again in a splendid campsite!

The third stage took me to Vaasa (115 km)., and was characterized by a strong favorable wind: the average for the day reached 27 km/h! In Vaasa, thanks to Couchsurfing, I met Veera. This gave me the true Finnish experience: sauna and bathing in the Baltic Sea, which was less cold than expected! In fact, temperatures were still well above 20 degrees: I was always pedaling in short sleeves!

Finland by bike: from Vaasa to Oulu

I left Vaasa pedaling back on the infamous E8 freeway. After 45 kilometers here is the first puncture of the ride to the North Cape. Fixing the wheel, the chain gets stuck badly: Gote, a Swedish marathon runner, providentially helped me! On the same stage I met another Finn: having learned of my journey, he invited me to his home to drink his homemade beers and accompanied me for about 30 kilometers. It was therefore easy to get to Kokkola, despite the 136 km!

Pedaling further north, I found two German cycle travelers: the couple was returning from the North Cape and had been on the road for six months (they too had quit their jobs trying to follow their dreams). Meanwhile, the E8 was finally getting more and more beautiful! In fact, the landscapes became more interesting as I continued northward: there were also more and more bike paths, which were also loved and appreciated by local families. After 129 kilometers I thus arrived in the small town Raahe: it looked sleepy, but in the evening, after 11 p.m., it overflowed with bars where locals gathered for drinks and their beloved karaoke!

From Raahe I pedaled 87 kilometers to Oulu. Oulu is the fourth largest city in Finland and well worth a visit! In particular, the market near the sea is interesting: there is also a statue of a policeman, who was very popular in the city and was the guardian of the market. In Oulu the days were now 24 hours long: it was impressive to never see the sun set!

Finland by bike: Lapland and the Arctic

From Oulu I pedaled back along E8: in some cases it was not at all pleasant! On the other hand, after about sixty kilometers I entered Lapland, and I admit that seeing the sign “Lappi” was a great satisfaction! After 143 kilometers I thus arrived in Tornio, where I was able to repeat the wonderful sauna-plus-bathing experience (this time in the river!) thanks to the hospitality of a guy I met on Warmshowers (I repaid him with a very bad pasta cooked by me, sorry!).

From Tornio I pedaled 117 km to Pello .. I expected total nothingness and instead rode through interesting and quite lively small villages. Fortunately I always found a supermarket mid-stage: my lunch diet was the classic TUC cracker plus salmon, while I cooked dinner at home (this is the only way to cut costs in Finland!) This stage also featured an important sign: I had entered the Arctic! As I took the customary selfies, a Lithuanian guy asked me where I was from: once I told my travel story, he gave me a nice Lithuanian beer!

Once I left Pello I finally saw the first reindeer: the encounter was truly delightful! Less amiable, however, were the temperatures: the 25 degrees of a few days earlier was a memory! In fact, the temperature had dropped to 16 degrees: in the 148 km to Muonio, moreover, I found torrential rain!

In Muonio I slept in a typical motel: luckily, I had the supermarket within walking distance! Also, I found a local cyclist who helped me out with some chain oil.

Finland by bike: entry to Norway

The weather for the last leg of the Finland bike ride worsened significantly! In fact, I left Muonio with a temperature of nine degrees and headwinds with gusts up to 30 km/h. The stage that took me from Finland to Norway was very long: 157 kilometers! During this stop I met two Italian gentlemen in RVs: much appreciation for their two-month trip to Scandinavia!

Norway greeted me with wonderful lakes and rivers-I had successfully arrived in Kautokeino, the “capital” of Norwegian Lapland! Those sights seen would prove to be only an appetizer for the splendid locations of the following days!

USEFUL INFORMATION ABOUT FINLAND BY BIKE

• Finland by bike: 1128 km and 5,500 meters of elevation gain. Almost the entire route was flat!

• The E8 by bike: hate and love, almost just hate! In fact, this freeway is not very bike friendly. I tried to avoid it as much as possible but in some parts it is mandatory. The kilometers after Turku and Oulu stand out for ugliness. The bike lanes are not many.

• The further north you go the more magnificent the landscapes become! The forests are beautiful, and also the Tornio River gives magnificent views!

• The big cities are not beautiful, with the exception of Oulu, which is worth a visit!

• Some small towns, however, are gorgeous! Worth mentioning are Rauma, Kristinestad and Raahe, all characterized by small, colorful houses.

• I slept once thanks to Couchsurfing, once with Warmshowers and the rest with Airbnb: this solution allowed me to cook at home, cutting down on costs.

• In Turku I had one of the most expensive ales of my life: 15.60 euros for a half.

• I ate very well at the Nepalese Royal Mustang in Pori, the Indian Garam Masala in Oulu

• Deserving pubs include Parnimoravintola Beer Hunter’s in Pori, Little Pub in Vaasa, the Irish Pub and Raahen Oluthuone in Raahe, Corner’s Pub by Kokkola Leskinen in Oulu.

• Temperatures were surprisingly warm all the way to Oulu-I arrived in Lapland in short sleeves!

• From Oulu onward you can find supermarkets every 50 or 60 kilometers. One must therefore make arrangements at the beginning of the stage for food and water! In fact, you will often find small villages that, however, do not have supermarkets.