Sweden or Finland
 

We plan to be in Scandinavia July/August 2008. We will travel from Oslo to the Artic Circle and wonder whether we should then travel down through Sweden or Finland to Tallin where we have a meeting. Any suggestions or preferences?

I don´t know. At fastest it is only 18 minutes (by an hourly helicopter) from Helsinki to Tallinn. 1,5 hours by a catamaran. Takes overnight from Stockholm.

Both Sweden and Finland are full of forests, so if you want to see something else too, you have to choose the road you are driving, and preferably also drive some smaller roads, not just highways. Sweden´s towns concentrate in the southern parts, Finland is more equally spread out, so you would see more habitation in Finland. One good way is down Finland´s western coast. Many towns have centuries old wood built parts left, like Rauma, which has the Nordic countries`largest old wooden center.

If you go through Sweden, step into boat in Stockhol. The archipelago at both ends (an in between around Äland) is beautiful.

OK, now I see that I wrote thinking that you are driving. maybe you are not.

With "at both ends" I meant Stockholm and Turku, not Stockholm and Helsinki.Both ends have over 20 000 islands.

We were thinking of taking buses, trains and ferries so we will not be able to explore smaller roads i am afraid. It seems to me that coming down through Finland will be more settled, but maybe that means we can stop at some towns. Anyway, that's given me something to think about. Thank you for your response.

Both countries pretty safe with highly educated people (most Fins I know speak at least 5 languages) whilst the similar in Sweden probably make do with 3.

Neither country famous for food.

For me Finland