I recently spent three weeks traveling through Finland and the Baltic countries (Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania). During my time in Finland, I visited relatives and explored places, some of which I had never seen before. It was great to reconnect with family and meet relatives I hadn’t met before.

While in Finland, I visited several places including Helsinki, Espoo, Kuopio, Hanko, Tahko, and Lohja, among others. Some of the highlights of this part of my trip were staying at my relatives’ summer house in Uskali and another relative’s summer cottage in Savitaipale. I especially enjoyed spending time in the sauna and swimming in the lake. I also had the chance to visit Suomenlinna, a sea fortress located about 15 minutes by ferry from Helsinki. The fortress is spread across several islands, and I joined a guided tour to learn more about its history.

Some notable facts about Suomenlinna:

Construction began in 1748 under Swedish rule to help defend its eastern territories against Russia.

It was originally called Sveaborg (“Fortress of Sweden”) and was later renamed Suomenlinna (“Castle of Finland”) after Finland gained independence in 1917.

The fortress came under Russian control in 1808 during the Finnish War and remained so until 1918, when Finnish forces took over following independence.

As mentioned earlier, I also visited the Baltics. I travelled by ferry to Estonia and then by bus through Latvia and Lithuania. I enjoyed learning about the history of each country, especially through visits to museums, churches, and other historical sites. Two museums that stood out were the Latvian National Museum of War in Riga and the Museum of Occupations and Freedom Fights in Vilnius, which was once the largest KGB headquarters and prison outside Russia. Visiting both gave me a deeper understanding of the impact of the Soviet era on these countries.

This was my third trip to Finland, and this time I was able to visit more places, spend time with family, and meet relatives I hadn’t connected with before. It was also my first time travelling on my own through the Baltics, which made the trip even more rewarding.