Forget Rudolph and Santa's sleigh. In Finland, reindeer is a celebrated delicacy, served in fine restaurants like Helsinki's Skord, where a rich red berry sauce transforms this festive icon into a mouth-watering introduction to Nordic flavours.
A Taste of Finnish Terroir
Skord's philosophy is strictly local. Nothing on the menu is sourced from outside Finland. This means everything, from the beers and berry wines to the fowl and foraged fungi, is a pure product of the land that gave the world Angry Birds, Nokia, and the Moomins.
Beyond reindeer, the edible delights include elk and reindeer steaks, moose burgers, and venison fillets. These sweet, earthy, and gamey meats are often accompanied by beguiling sauces made from local fruits like the bright orange sea buckthorn berry. It's a culinary revelation that leaves one wondering why Finnish food isn't more celebrated globally.
This focus on local, high-quality produce might be one ingredient in Finland's remarkable recipe for contentment. The nation has been ranked top in the UN's World Happiness Report for eight consecutive years, consistently beating Denmark, Sweden, the Netherlands, and Costa Rica.
More Than Just a Meal: Helsinki's Happy Culture
Helsinki, a mere three-hour flight from the UK, is studded with award-winning dining spots. The historic Savoy, opened in 1937, offers an eighth-floor setting with superb city views. Its discreetly luxurious dining room has hosted everyone from statesmen to spies, and even James Bond—though Roger Moore's cover was famously blown when a pianist struck up the 007 theme.
Nearby, the regally elegant Hotel Kamp has attracted celebrities including Madonna, Elton John, and The Rolling Stones. But Finnish happiness extends far beyond fine dining, especially during the dark autumn days when temperatures consistently plunge below 10C.
The answer, in part, lies in the sauna. This is one of the few Finnish words adopted globally, and with over three million saunas for a population of just over five million, it's a cornerstone of national life. Helsinki's most famous 'hotspot' is Loyly, a striking timber structure named one of Time magazine's World's 100 Greatest Places, where visitors sweat then take a bracing plunge in the Baltic Sea.
Finnish author Katja Pantzar describes the sauna as "a cross between the British pub and a church," a place where the steamy darkness fosters intimacy, openness, and liberating conversation.
Design, Nature, and Moomin Magic
Finland's happiness is also woven into its urban fabric. Helsinki's public transport system, with its clean, safe, and punctual brightly coloured trams, puts many others to shame. Remarkably, you're never more than 200 metres from a green space, as one-third of the city is managed parkland.
The nation's design sensibility shines through in everything from iconic egg chairs and orange scissors to Marimekko's bold patterns. This year, Finland marks the 80th anniversary of Tove Jansson's debut Moomin book with a Hollywood film and a capital exhibition, celebrating the endearing trolls whose tales of friendship and welcoming homes mirror the country's own ethos.
Professor Frank Martela, an author on happiness, sums it up: "Even with our long winter, incessant darkness and an endearing devotion to heavy metal music, we Finns really are happy as society here does a better job of looking after us." He even jokes about the pressure of the top ranking: "It might be good if we dropped down the list a little!"
From a surprising first bite of reindeer to the profound communal warmth of the sauna, Finland offers a masterclass in wellbeing that is as delicious as it is inspiring.
