Finland Is Giving Food Lovers a Free 4-Day Vacation and the Dinner of a Lifetime

What Is Finland's Official Tasting?

The premise is straightforward: Finland wants you to experience its food culture the way locals do, meaning embedded in nature, shaped by the season, and shared around a table with strangers who quickly stop being strangers. Each event hosts eight selected participants for a four-day immersive trip to one of two regions. The itinerary is fully organized, covering accommodation, activities, sightseeing, sauna time, and all meals, culminating in the Official Tasting dinner itself.

Participants don't pay for anything. The only cost is making a short video and filling out an application form.

There are two different experiences to choose from, each with its own chef, location, setting, and vibe.

Image Credit: Screenshot from Visit Finland

What Is Finnish Food Actually Like?

Before you pack your bags, it helps to know what you're getting into.

In January 2026, Visit Finland polled locals across the entire country to find out which dishes best define Finnish cuisine. Here's what they said, and while neither chef has revealed their full menu yet, consider this a taste of the flavors you might encounter at the table.

1. Salmon soup

2. Karelian pie

3. Karelian stew

4. Bilberry pie

5. Pea soup

6. Fried vendace

7. Finnish cinnamon roll

8. Sautéed reindeer

9. Gravlax

10. Rye bread

A few of these will be familiar. Others might need a word of explanation. Karelian pie is a thin rye crust filled with rice porridge, topped with egg butter, and completely addictive. Vendace is a small freshwater fish, typically pan-fried and served whole, and is one of those things you'll either love immediately or come around to by day two. Sautéed reindeer is exactly what it sounds like: tender, slightly gamey, and deeply tied to Lapland's food identity. Gravlax is cured salmon, and rye bread in Finland is dense, dark, and nothing like the sandwich loaf version you might know.

It's also worth noting that the list splits fairly naturally along regional lines. Reindeer belongs to Lapland. The coastal and archipelago table leans toward Baltic herring, fresh perch, pike, and whatever the sea is offering that week. Both chefs are building their menus from this same foundation, just from very different corners of the country.

Option 1: Lapland

The Lapland tasting is set in Rovaniemi, the capital of Finnish Lapland and the official hometown of Santa Claus. It runs September 7 to 11, 2026, timed to catch the ruska season, which is what Finns call the weeks when the forests turn amber and the trails are thick with cloudberries, lingonberries, and wild mushrooms.

The dinner is created by chef Joel Manninen, who won the Finnish Young Chefs Championship in 2025 and took silver at the Young Chefs World Championship in 2026, organized by the gastronomic association Chaîne des Rôtisseurs. He works at Sky Kitchen & View, a restaurant perched atop Ounasvaara fell in Rovaniemi, widely regarded as one of the top dining spots in Finland. His cooking centers on northern ingredients and a modern Arctic approach, and the tasting menu will reflect exactly that.

The schedule builds toward the dinner through nature activities, local encounters, and traditional sauna moments, all in and around Rovaniemi. If you're out on a clear night, the Northern Lights are a real possibility.

Option 2: Coast and Archipelago

The Coast and Archipelago tasting is based in Turku, Finland's oldest city, which sits at the edge of the world's largest archipelago: more than 40,000 islands stretching into the Baltic Sea. This one runs August 31 to September 4, 2026.

The chef behind this menu is Erik Mansikka, founder of Restaurant Kaskis in Turku, which became the first restaurant outside Helsinki to receive a Michelin star when it was awarded one in 2022. In 2025, Kaskis also earned a Michelin Green Star for sustainability. Mansikka was named Finnish Chef of the Year back in 2013 and has spent his career cooking with Nordic fine dining principles rooted in local, seasonal ingredients.

The four days move between the city and nearby islands, with curated activities shaped by the Baltic coast, sauna moments, and coastal cuisine built around the season's fresh catches and flavors.

How to Apply

The application process has two steps. First, post a video to Instagram or TikTok introducing yourself and answering the question: why do you want to Have some Finnish? Tag @ourfinland on Instagram or @visitfinland.com on TikTok, and use the hashtag #HaveSomeFinnish. Then fill out the application form for whichever region you're applying to and link to your video.

You can apply alone or with one other person. Both applicants need to be at least 18. Applications close June 9, 2026, at 11:59 AM Finnish time (EEST). Winners will be announced publicly on Visit Finland's Instagram and TikTok channels on June 29.

The jury, made up of Visit Finland ambassadors and employees, is looking for applications that are authentic, personal, and creative. They will judge entries based on participation in the challenge, the creativity and authenticity of the content, and each applicant's ability to answer the question in a way that feels genuinely their own. There is no single format they are after. They just want to see the real you.

Which One Is Right for You?

Both experiences are genuinely extraordinary, so the choice really comes down to what kind of landscape speaks to you. Lapland is wild, remote, and wrapped in autumn light, with the added possibility of seeing the Northern Lights. The Coast and Archipelago is elemental in a different way, all island-hopping and sea air and Baltic flavors, with a Michelin-starred chef building the menu.

If you're the type who looks at a photo of a fjord and immediately starts pricing flights, Lapland is probably your answer. If you're more drawn to the idea of a boat, open water, and fresh-caught fish on a plate at the edge of an island, go for the coast. Either way, this is a genuinely rare travel opportunity, fully funded, carefully designed, and closing soon.

Frequently Asked Questions: Finland's Official Tasting

Can I apply to both experiences?

You can apply to both if you want to maximize your chances, just make sure you fill out a separate application form for each region and complete the social media challenge first. That said, Visit Finland recommends choosing the one that genuinely appeals to you most.

Is the trip really free?

Yes. Selected participants receive an all-expenses-paid four-day trip, including travel, accommodation, activities, dining, and the tasting dinner itself. There's no separate cash compensation for participating. The trip is the reward.

Do I have to apply with someone?

No. You can apply solo or with one other person — a partner, sibling, parent, grandparent, or neighbor, whoever you'd want at the table. Both must be at least 18 at the time of application. If you're traveling alone, you'll still have plenty of company: all eight selected participants experience the trip and dinner together.

How are participants selected?

A jury of Visit Finland ambassadors and employees reviews all applications. They're judging on three things: active participation in the social media challenge, creativity and authenticity of your content, and your ability to answer the challenge question in a personal and unique way.

What does the social media challenge involve?

Post a short video to Instagram or TikTok where you introduce yourself and explain why you want to experience Finnish food culture. Tag @ourfinland on Instagram or @visitfinland.com on TikTok and use the hashtag #HaveSomeFinnish.

What language should I apply in?

English. The entire experience, including the dinner, is conducted in English, so all applicants should be comfortable speaking and understanding the language.

When is the application deadline?

June 9, 2026 at 11:59 AM Finnish time (EEST). Applications after this will not be considered.

When will I find out if I've been selected?

If chosen, you'll be contacted personally first. Selected participants are then publicly announced on Visit Finland's Instagram and TikTok channels on June 29, 2026.

When do the trips take place?

The Coast and Archipelago experience runs August 31 to September 4, 2026. The Lapland experience runs September 7 to 11, 2026.

Can I apply if I have dietary restrictions or a disability?

Yes on both counts. Most special diets and food intolerances can be accommodated, and selected participants will be asked about these directly. Everyone is encouraged to apply regardless of disability, though some nature locations may have limited accessibility. Visit Finland's accessibility page has more detail.

What if I'm selected but can't attend?

Your spot goes to another applicant. The final decision is at Visit Finland's discretion.