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| A Moomin statue stands in front of Moomin Museum in Tampere, Finland. / Courtesy of Visit Finland |
By Jun Ji-hye
As the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic has prevented vacationers from traveling overseas, an increasing number of travelers are seeking ways to enjoy a wide variety of cultures while staying within the boundaries of their everyday life.
Visit Finland, the Finnish travel promotion organization, introduces some of the ways to experience bits of Finland that Finns hold dear to their hearts ― Moomins, design, and nature ― without leaving Korea.
Meet Finnish icon, Moomins
The white, hippo-like Moomins, created in the 1940s by writer-artist Tove Jansson, are probably the best-known Finnish literary characters.
Encountering Moomins is not a difficult task in Finland since they are a part of the Finnish identity today, but the only Moomin Museum in the world can be found in Tampere, Finland. The museum holds a collection of more than 2,000 works by Jansson including a model Moominhouse built by Jansson herself, presented in modern and experiential surroundings.
In September, Moomins also found a place in Korea. The new theme park Moomin Land on Jeju Island provides visitors with the experience of being inside a Moomins picture book, in the garden and on the Riviera.
The theme park also consists of an exhibition about Tove Jansson, a theater and an arts and crafts zone.
An interactive Moomin exhibition is also expected to be introduced in November in celebration of the 75th anniversary of the first Moomin publication. Approximately 250 pieces of Tove Jansson's works will be presented to Moomin fans through the exhibition.
Experience of functional and timeless design
Woven into everyday life with its quality of being functional and timeless, Finnish design is something experienced as well as seen.
Works of the legendary architect Alvar Aalto best represent such design. In Jyvaskyla where around 28 of the buildings he designed are located, travelers are able to follow his footsteps through classicism to functionalism.
His architectural masterpieces are still being used around the city, including as a cinema, a town hall and a university campus. Aalto's summer house on Lake Paijanne exhibits his inclination towards experimenting with materials, while details of Saynatsalo Town Hall reveal his philosophy of incorporating democratic values into his designs.
In Korea, Cafe Aalto by Mealdo is a place that allows visitors to fully immerse themselves in the world of Aalto's design.
The space was decorated with birch wood, one of the most commonly used materials by Aalto, and the sinuous form of Aalto's signature Savoy vase has been cut into the ceiling to resemble Finnish lakes.
Artek furniture designed by Aalto fills the cafe to form a space of both convenience and beauty.
Getting in close touch with nature
The last part of the complete Finnish experience is nature. With about 70 percent of Finland being covered in forest, living alongside nature is a key aspect of the Finnish lifestyle.
Without having to travel far, Helsinki city center presents a range of ways to be around nature. Central Park, the green living room of Helsinki, is visited by nearly as many people as in all Finnish national parks in total annually and stretches out all the way to Lapland.
There are also seven national parks within a 90-minute drive from Helsinki.
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| People enjoy sunshine at a forest cafe in Helsinki. / Courtesy of Visit Finland |
Restaurants in the city boast menu items that evolve constantly based on what is available that season.
Cafe and Grill Hyvaa in Yangju, Gyeonggi Province, intends to provide this experience to its customers.
Built based on the owner's personal experiences in Finland, the restaurant's menu changes based on seasonally available ingredients, like many Finnish restaurants do.
The restaurant also offers Finnish beer Lapin Kulta, berry smoothies reminiscent of the abundance of berries in Finnish summer and potatoes cooked Finnish style.
Dishes are made with home-grown vegetables and fruit sugar from Finland. The restaurant itself is surrounded by Bukhansan National Park, allowing visitors to fully embrace nature.
