Essentials

Cycling tips

The Iron Curtain Trail (eurovelo.com) runs

through multiple countries yet the Finnish section is barely signed.

The website enabled me to plot the trail on Google Maps. If you’re

less confident, bestguestfinland.fi

offers six-day Iron Curtain Trail packages

from Lappeenranta to Punkaharju from £615.

Drakkar Sport (drakkarsport.com) offers bike hire for £26 per day, or £94 per week

Getting there

Finnair flights from London to Helsinki cost

from £147 return (finnair.com). From there, take a train to Lappeenranta via

Tikkurila (vr.fi)

Covid rules

All arrivals over 15 must

show proof of full vaccination in the past nine months, or proof

of recovery. The unvaccinated can only

enter with an essential or compassionate reason