Visit Finland has launched a new program called the 'Finnish Dinner', offering single women and men from around the world the opportunity for a free four-day trip to this Nordic country. The event includes participation in a blind date event organized in a group format. [1]
According to information mentioned by ED Times and picked up by Blic, travel to Finland is scheduled for the period of 9-19 February 2027. Selected participants will be divided into two distinct groups, each group consisting of eight people. [1]
Selected candidates receive full coverage of expenses. The program includes international round-trip airfare, accommodation, local transport, meals, and daily activities. Included experiences are visits to traditional Finnish saunas and winter excursions. Guests will be accommodated in Helsinki or Tampere. [1]
The group meeting format was specially designed to eliminate the pressure typical of traditional romantic one-on-one dates. Organizers have prepared a special gastronomic program featuring Finnish chefs Adel Kiinunen and Henri Tikkanen. The exact location of the restaurant will remain secret until the attendance of participants is confirmed. [1]
Registration is open to singles regardless of their country of origin, provided they are over 18 years old. The deadline for submitting applications is 10 November 2026 at 11:59 Finland time. To participate, candidates must complete the official registration form and attach a video created within a dedicated challenge for singles, published on Instagram, TikTok, or YouTube. [1]
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Update
Finland launches the 'Finnish Dinner' program for singles
Visit Finland launches the 'Finnish Dinner Date' campaign, inviting 16 single individuals from around the world (excluding local residents) to a fully paid four-day trip planned between 9 and 19 February 2027. In addition to flights, accommodation, meals, and activities, the event includes a relaxed group dinner where the 16 participants are divided into two groups of eight; each group is joined by two Finnish locals. Participants will taste official regional tasting menus, designed to highlight culinary traditions and local flavors, developed by renowned chefs, including Adel Kiinunen and Henri Tikkanen. [2]
The trip will take place in two distinct locations: eight participants will experience Helsinki, where vibrant urban life blends with the Baltic Sea and cultural offerings, while the other eight will explore Tampere, known as the 'Sauna Capital of the World', located between Lake Näsijärvi and Lake Pyhäjärvi. This will allow the groups to experience traditions such as public saunas, as well as a culinary offer based on local products like wild fish, game, berries, and mushrooms, along with regional specialties such as mustamakkara (black pudding) served with lingonberry jam. [2]
The campaign, named to evoke a relaxed 'date' and to reduce the pressure of traditional romantic encounters, is rooted in the Finnish 'sinkkukori' trend. This involves singles buying a pink shopping basket at participating supermarkets to discreetly signal their availability to converse. Registration is open to any single person over 18 years old from around the world, excluding those who reside in Finland. [2]
The participation condition involves posting a short video in English answering the question 'What would you serve at a dinner and why?' on Instagram, TikTok, or YouTube, using the hashtag #FinnishDinnerDate and tagging the Visit Finland account. Submitting an application also requires completing the form at FinnishDinnerDate.com and sending the link to the video. The registration period ends at 11:59 (EET, UTC+2) on 10 November 2026, and selected participants will be announced on Visit Finland's Instagram and TikTok accounts on 1 December 2026. [2]
Update
Finland invites 16 singles to a free vacation in February 2027
Visit Finland, the National Tourist Office of Finland, has launched the 'Finnish Dinner Date' campaign, an initiative inviting 16 single individuals residing outside Finland to a completely free four-day trip scheduled between 9 and 19 February 2027. The program excludes residents of Finland and targets singles over 18 from around the world, seeking candidates for an experience that goes beyond traditional dating apps. Participants will be divided into two distinct groups: eight will explore Helsinki, the urban center overlooking the Baltic Sea, and the rest will discover Tampere, known as the 'Sauna Capital of the World', located between Lakes Näsijärvi and Pyhäjärvi. The 16 winners will benefit from full cost coverage, including air tickets, accommodation, local transport, meals, and activities. The program includes visits to traditional saunas and tasting regional menus designed by renowned Finnish chefs such as Adel Kiinunen and Henri Tikkanen. The culinary experience focuses on local products like wild fish, game, berries, mushrooms, and the regional specialty mustamakkara (black pudding) with blackberry jam. The event will conclude with a surprise dinner for each group alongside two single Finns, in an atmosphere designed to reduce the pressure of direct romantic meetings. The restaurant location will be revealed only after confirmation of participation. [3]
Update
Finland launches the 'Finnish Dinner' campaign: 16 singles can travel free in February 2027
Visit Finland, the National Tourist Office of Finland, has launched the 'Finnish Dinner Date' campaign, offering 16 single individuals over 18 years old and residing outside Finland the chance for a free four-day trip to the country, scheduled between 9 and 19 February 2027. The initiative targets candidates from around the world, excluding local residents, to experience local culture and gastronomy, away from the dynamics of conventional dating apps. The experience will include visits to traditional saunas, winter activities, and tasting regional menus designed by renowned chefs, including Adel Kiinunen and Henri Tikkanen. The organization's message is that visitors should 'fall in love with Finland,' either through gastronomy or by getting to know locals, reducing the pressure of individual romantic meetings. The 16 winners will be distributed into two equal groups of eight. One group will explore Helsinki, the capital with views of the Baltic Sea, and the other Tampere, known as the 'Sauna Capital of the World', located between Lake Näsijärvi and Lake Pyhäjärvi. Candidates cannot choose their destination; it is determined by the jury. The program includes a curated itinerary with culinary and cultural experiences, outdoor activities, and urban tourism. Specifically for Tampere, the culinary experience focuses on local products such as wild fish, game, berries, mushrooms, and the regional specialty mustamakkara (black pudding) with lingonberry jam. The main event of the trip is a group dinner, where the eight international travelers from each group will be accompanied by two single Finnish locals. This structure was specifically designed to eliminate the pressure typical of traditional romantic one-on-one dates (blind dates). For the Helsinki group, the menu will be prepared by Adele Kinnunen, a participant in the 'MasterChef Professionals' competition in Finland. In Tampere, the dinner will be led by Henry Tikkanen, named 'Chef of the Year' in Finland in 2001. Candidates must film a short video in English, answering the question: 'What would you serve at a dinner and why?', using their own images and sound. The video must be posted on Instagram, TikTok, or YouTube, using the hashtag #FinnishDinnerDate and tagging the official Visit Finland accounts. Then, complete an official online registration form, including the link to the video. The registration period ends at 11:59 (Finland time, UTC+2) on 10 November 2026. Selected candidates will be announced on Visit Finland's Instagram and TikTok accounts on 1 December 2026. Winners will be chosen by a panel of judges based on creativity, authenticity, and the personal way applicants respond to the dinner question. This campaign joins a series of free initiatives by Visit Finland, leveraging Finland's reputation as top-ranked in the 'World Happiness Report'. Other recent initiatives include: 'Masterclass of Happiness' (2023, 10 trips to Kuru resort), 'Helsinki Happiness Hacks' (2024, 5 days in the capital), 'Chill Like a Finn' (March 2026, 6 couples at Finnish Lakes), and 'Have Some Finnish' (May 2026, culinary experiences in Coastal & Archipelago and Lapland). [4]
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- observatornews.ro Ţara care oferă călătorii gratuite persoanelor singure. Cine se poate înscrie și cu ce condiție
- The Times of India 'You’ll travel and you might even fall in love'; Finland invites 16 singles from around the world to visit, eat and fall in love for free
- antena3.ro Finlanda a anunțat că oferă vacanțe gratuite de patru zile pentru 16 persoane, cu o singură condiție
- straitstimes.com Looking for love: Finland is flying 16 singles in for a free trip in February 2027
