Forget Lake Como, put Garda aside too. This summer there’s a place that wants to convince you to really slow down, and to do so it’s offering you free travel. The initiative is called “Chill Like a Finn: 7 Day Challenge in Lakeland” and is signed by VisitFinland, the Finnish tourism board. The prize is a completely free week in Lakeland, the lake region of central-eastern Finland, the largest in Europe, with over 188,000 lakes distributed among pine and birch forests, wooden cottages, steaming saunas and horizons dotted with islets.
What does the challenge involve?
The name “challenge” is deliberately paradoxical, given that there is no competition and you don’t have to prove anything. The stated objective is to learn to sit still, to relax, to spend your holidays like a true Finn. Seven days of experiences inspired by the local lifestyle, including forest walks, lakeside saunas, kayaking, paddleboarding and traditional food. An on the road in a rental car among the region’s destinations, with scheduled arrival in Helsinki on 11 June and departure on 18 June 2026 (dates may be subject to change).
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The Lakeland is a wonderful place, the heart of the country that has won the title of the happiest nation in the world for eight consecutive years — and according to the Finns, much of that happiness is found right here, between a lake and a sauna, far from it all.
How to apply
Participation is open to couples, be they partners, parents, children, friends, neighbors, in short anyone who wants to bring, as long as they are both at least 18 years old.
The application process is divided into two steps:
The deadline is set at 11.59pm (Eastern European time) on 29 March 2026, so hurry because there are only a few days left.
The initiative is part of the Eastern Finland Sustainable Tourism Growth Program, financed by the South Savo Regional Council with AKKE funds for the sustainable development of regional tourism.
