14 English-language Finnish blogs every Finland-lover should follow

Finland can be difficult to understand without speaking Finnish or Swedish. To provide perspective for Finns, immigrants and foreign Finophiles, we have gathered a list of blogs written in English about life in the north.

Taught by Finland

The virtues of the Finnish education system are often discussed. Two things are certain. It pays to make teaching a respected profession through high education. Also, Boston-born teacher Tim Walker enjoys his work at a Finnish public school.

On the Taught by Finland blog, Walker details expat life and cultural differences. His writing has featured in The Atlantic. He may also appear in a Michael Moore film.

Finland Politics

Those invested in Finnish society who lack the language skills require English insight. Finland Politics provides this. Run by communications professionals, the blog features commentary from various sources, including translated pieces by prominent Finnish politicians.

Hey Helsinki

Melanie Dower offers a lighter perspective. She moved across the globe for a spouse’s job and maintains fresh eyes. Her guide to Helsinki on Design Sponge shows a taste for culture, food and design.

Her photo-rich blog provides glimpses of family life in Finland with short commentary. Her work likely keeps friends and family in New Zealand informed.

Migrant Tales

Migrant Tales documents personal accounts and musings on the immigrant experience in Finland. The project has run since 2007 under journalist Enrique Tessieri. The tone reveals a passion for Finland as a home while acknowledging the frustrations of discrimination and fitting in.

Urban Finland

Timo Hämäläinen focuses on cities, architecture and infrastructure. Modern Finland is a large land area for five million inhabitants. Mass urbanisation was a post-WWII project, resulting in car-oriented suburban planning. Regional politics often try to maintain the illusion of a rural society.

Hämäläinen has been featured in The Guardian and Citylab. He advocates for dense, walkable and sustainable cities as an escape from suburbia.

Amazing Finland

Swiss expat Sabrina Salzano runs Amazing Finland. Her writing style is down to earth. She compiles photo essays on everyday things, cultural phenomena and tourist interests.

Little Helsinki

Stylist Jenni Juurinen documents Finnish fashion and interiors. Her posts are short and appear in Finnish with English summaries. This is useful for those attempting to learn the Finnish language.

HelsinkiIn

HelsinkiIn functions like a city fanzine. A pseudonymous expat covers cultural events, strikes, nature and changing landmarks. The site receives frequent updates with practical tips.

Hel Looks

Hel Looks is a classic Finnish blog started in 2005 by Liisa Jokinen and Sampo Karjalainen. It documents Helsinki’s diverse fashion and original personal styles. In a culture where sticking out is often frowned upon, the site highlights those who do.

The creators moved to San Francisco, leading to a hiatus, but the site remains a significant archive of street fashion. Their spinoff project is SF Looks.

Humans of Helsinki

Based on the Humans of New York concept, expat photographers shoot portraits of people in everyday settings. They include a short comment or story from the subject. It reflects the increasingly international character of the city.

Visit Helsinki Blog

This is an official city-run tourist blog. It provides personal recommendations from locals regarding city life and nature. The content is concise and well-edited.

Dirty Cars And Million Cows

Tampere is a significant university town outside of Helsinki. Dirty Cars And Million Cows chronicles life there from an international perspective. Started by a hostel owner and expats, it explores being a foreigner in a smaller Finnish city.

Finteresting

A Bavarian blogger living in Finland writes Finteresting. The content covers observations of Finnish life ranging from the trivial to the extraordinary.

ThisisFinland

ThisisFinland is produced by the Finnish government. It covers a wide range of subjects for tourists and residents. The site features professional design and diverse stories.