Program Directed by
Andrew Manzella
If you have questions or would like to talk further about this program, please get in touch!
Experience Finland on a summer travel program for high school students that combines cultural immersion, outdoor adventure, and an exploration of Finnish approaches to wellbeing and sustainability. Travel from Helsinki’s innovative architecture and creative culture to the forests and lakes of Tampere, then cross the Arctic Circle into Finnish Lapland before exploring the Baltic coast and southern Finland’s lake country. Along the way, cycle through cities and islands, forage for wild berries, and experience Finland’s celebrated sauna culture. Connect with Finnish students and families, explore the country’s approach to sustainability and wellbeing, and discover how a close relationship with nature shapes daily life in Finland.
- Program Highlights
• Explore Helsinki’s vibrant harbor, city markets, and outdoor sauna
• Forage for currants, lingonberries, and bilberries with Finnish teens, and bake a pie
• Kayak through the landscapes of a UNESCO Global Geopark
• Cook traditional Finnish food over a fire in Finnish Lapland
• Forage for currants, lingonberries, and bilberries with Finnish teens, and bake a pie
• Kayak through the landscapes of a UNESCO Global Geopark
• Cook traditional Finnish food over a fire in Finnish Lapland
“I never fail to be impressed by Putney. My kids both got so much from their experiences and felt deeply connected to the community. This program was truly amazing and I commend the team for everything they did to make it a success.”
—Katherine & Gregory P., Alexandria, VA
Itinerary
This itinerary represents our best projection of the group’s schedule. However, we may implement changes designed to improve the quality of the program.
Departure — Travel Day
Meet your fellow high school student travelers and one or more of your program leaders in New York, and fly together to Helsinki, Finland. To learn more about how we organize travel, click here.
Helsinki — 3 days
Dive into Helsinki’s creative culture and traditions as you explore Finland’s vibrant capital city. Head to the renowned Oodi Library, famous internationally for its architecture and design, and get hands-on in its makerspace. Visit the peaceful Chapel of Silence, another architectural gem, and enjoy traditional Finnish dishes at local restaurants. Explore the green spaces and promenade of Esplanadi Park, the lively harbor, and Market Square before boarding a ferry to a nearby island for a leisurely bicycle ride. Then, slow down at a city-center sauna, complete with multiple sauna rooms, a pool, and a cold plunge.
Tampere — 4 days
Head inland by train to Tampere, the “Sauna Capital of the World” and immerse yourself in Finland’s forests and lakes. From Varala Sports and Nature Hotel, on the shores of Lake Pyhäjärvi, start your days with forest yoga or berry foraging and end with a lakeside sauna and a refreshing plunge into the northern waters. Test your balance and dexterity on a ropes course high among the trees, then take to the lake by boat to explore its small islands. Spend time with local Finnish students and explore Tampere’s Central Market, sampling Finnish classics like rye bread, salmon soup, and reindeer. Duck into the Moomin Museum for an afternoon to explore the world of the Moomins, the beloved fairytale troll characters created by Finnish author and illustrator Tove Jansson. Finally, visit one of Finland’s oldest public saunas to discover how sauna culture has evolved from bathing tradition to a cherished social ritual.
Rovaniemi — 2 days
Travel further north by overnight sleeper train from Tampere to Rovaniemi, the capital of Lapland in Northern Finland and gateway to the Finnish Arctic Circle. Settle into cozy private chalets, each with its own sauna. Start the day with a sauna before breakfast or take the opportunity to unwind after our nightly community meeting. Then head into the forested hills in search of panoramic views, wild berries, and reindeer. Gather around the fire for a traditional Lappish meal, visit a working husky farm, and experience the remarkable midnight sun of Finnish Lapland.
Oulu — 2 days
Explore the port city of Oulu by bike as you island-hop from the arts community of Pikisaari, where sculptures hide among the forest, toward Nallikari Beach on the Baltic Sea where you can cool off with a swim. Along the way, explore the lively kauppahalli (a traditional market hall), discover local community theater, and visit the Oulu Museum of Art.
Kalajoki — 1 day
Travel by charter bus to Kalajoki for a cultural exchange with Finnish students, then spend a summer day experiencing everyday life with a local family. Share a meal, get to know your daystay hosts, and discover what summer looks like in coastal Finland. Depending on the family, the day might include time at a lakeside cottage, a swim, or a traditional Finnish sauna.
Lahti — 3 days
Settle into lakeside life at an Olympic training center and discover how Finns integrate outdoor adventure, wellbeing, and sustainability. Learn basic survival skills and forage for berries with a local 4-H group before using your harvest to bake traditional Finnish pulla at an urban farm. Walk through Lahti’s Health Forest with an expert to explore the benefits of forest bathing, visit a Finnish school, and learn how the region’s European Green Capital status reflects its commitment to sustainability. Then paddle your way via kayak through Salpausselkä UNESCO Global Geopark.
Return — Travel Day
Fly from Helsinki to New York with your group and a leader, then continue on to your final destination. To learn more about how we organize travel, click here.
Featured
Program Leaders
Meet some of our featured leaders. Please note that these may not be your leaders for the program.
Frequently Asked Questions
Review specific program questions here. For more general information, visit our full FAQ:
What are the main focuses of this program?
Our Exploration Finland program is a broad cultural exploration program that invites high school students to experience Finnish culture through outdoor adventure, wellness and sauna culture, food culture, and meaningful connections with local communities. Students explore Finland’s forests and lakes through nature-based activities like hiking, kayaking, biking, foraging, and sauna, while learning how Finnish traditions shape everyday life. Along the way, students spend time with Finnish teens and families, explore Finland’s approach to health and wellbeing, and experience the country’s distinctive food, landscapes, and communities.
How does the daystay work?
In Kalajoki, students spend a day with a local Finnish family, in small groups of two to three students, getting a glimpse into everyday life and experiencing a favorite Finnish summer activity together. Depending on the family, the day might include a picnic, a visit to a lakeside cottage, a swim, or a traditional sauna. Students have the chance to share a meal, get to know their hosts, and experience Finnish summer traditions firsthand. Our local partners coordinate the experience to ensure a meaningful cultural exchange.
Will students have the opportunity to practice the local language?
Yes! English is widely spoken in Finland, but any effort to speak the local language is appreciated. A great way to start is by saying hei! Most Finnish people are happy to teach you a phrase or two.
What is an Independent Project?
All students on Putney programs pursue an independent project as a way to more deeply engage with aspects of local culture or program themes that are of particular interest to them. In Finland, you might document traditional sauna culture, create a collection of Finnish recipes inspired by your day with a local family, learn about Finnish approaches to forest bathing and wellbeing, or explore the country’s relationship with its forests, lakes, and wild foods. Your project is an opportunity to follow your curiosity and share what you discover with friends and family back home.
What is the technology and cell phone policy?
To help students fully engage and immerse themselves in the Putney Student Travel experience, we do not allow use of cell phones or other internet-connected devices (including tablets, smart watches, laptops, etc.) on our middle school or high school travel programs. Students may have their cell phones during travel to and from the program. During the group’s in-country orientation, program leaders facilitate a call home, then collect and securely store all phones until departure day. Throughout the program, students have the opportunity for a weekly call home according to a pre-arranged schedule. For more details, please see our Approach to Technology.
How physically active is this program?
This is a physically active high school summer travel program. In Finland, students can expect to participate in kayaking, hiking, foraging, swimming, and climbing trees. You do not need to be at peak fitness to participate, but it is important that you have a desire to be physically active, and that you are excited about trying all activities.
What are the accommodations for this program?
The group stays in hostels and hotels in cities, small chalets in Lapland, and in dorm-style accommodations at sports and wellness facilities. Students can expect to have roommates (1-3) depending on the location. Leaders reside with students for the duration of the program.
What are meals like in Finland?
We enjoy meals as a group at our accommodations or in local restaurants, as well as picnics and in Finland’s vibrant public markets. The group also experiences a traditional Lappish meal cooked over a fire. Finnish cuisine offers a range of fresh and saltwater fish, reindeer, beef, chicken, mushrooms, fresh vegetables, cold cuts, cheeses, smoked salmon, rye bread, yogurt, fresh berries, jams, and juices.
What type of student is most successful on this program?
Our Exploration Finland program is designed for high school students (grades 9—12) who are curious, active, and eager to experience Finnish culture firsthand. It’s a great fit for students who enjoy being outdoors and in nature, are interested in a Finnish approach to wellness and wellbeing, and want to explore how people connect with forests, lakes, and local communities. Students should be open to trying new foods and activities, meeting Finnish students and families, and embracing a holistic approach to health and wellness.
What makes Finland a good location for a Putney Student Travel program?
Finland offers a unique opportunity for students to explore the connections between nature, wellbeing, sustainability, and community. Throughout the program, students experience these themes firsthand through Finnish sauna culture, forest bathing, foraging, outdoor adventure, and time with local students and families. Putney’s approach goes beyond sightseeing, creating opportunities for meaningful cultural exchange and hands-on learning. From city neighborhoods to forests, lakes, and Lapland, the program is designed to experience Finland as locals do.
How does the Finland program compare to Putney’s other Exploration programs?
Our Finland program offers a slower, more reflective rhythm alongside its outdoor adventures, making it a strong choice for curious students interested in wellbeing, sustainability, and experiencing a different way of life.
Do students need prior experience or specific skills to join this program?
No specific experience or skills are required for this program. Students should be comfortable with an active itinerary that includes hiking, biking, kayaking, swimming, and other outdoor activities, but all activities are designed to accommodate beginners. An open mind, willingness to try new things, and positive participation in a supportive small-group environment are the most important ingredients for success.
What outcomes, skills, or growth can students expect to gain from this experience?
Students return home from our Exploration Finland program with a deeper understanding of Finnish culture and a new perspective on the ways nature, wellness, and community can shape daily life. Through outdoor activities, cultural exchange, and hands-on experiences, they build confidence, independence, and adaptability while learning to navigate new environments. Students make new friendships, practice stepping outside their comfort zone, and develop a greater sense of curiosity about the world and their own interests.
A Day in the Life: Tampere
Due to the traveling nature of this summer program abroad, each day is different. Here is a snapshot of a day on the program.
- Morning
8:00am
Enjoy a breakfast of fresh berry juice, rye bread, and yogurt, while overlooking the lake at our accommodations
9:00am
Start the day with forest yoga and a guided mindfulness practice among the trees
10:30am
Learn traditional Finnish foraging skills and search for wild berries with a local guide
- Afternoon
12:30pm
Have lunch in the famous kaupahalli in Tampere Center
2:00pm
Take to the lake by boat and row around the islands of Tampere
- Evening
6:00pm
Enjoy a group dinner of traditional Finnish foods like meatballs, cucumber salad, mashed potatoes, and more
7:30pm
Gather for an evening sauna beside the lake, followed by a refreshing plunge into the water
9:00pm
Reflect on the day with your group around the campfire and discuss tomorrow’s adventure
“I think I truly learned to become a more present traveler in the moment.”
—Leonardo M., Windward School, Los Angeles, CA
