2016 Bucket List: Finland

EDGE returns with our second annual "7 Gay Wonders of the World" travel bucket list. What defines a "gay wonder"? You do. We are no longer boxed into major metropolises with "gayborhoods," but if that's your thing-go for it. LGBT travel has reached a tipping point, where we can define just how gay we want our vacation to be.

We offer you seven spectacular destinations that make up our 2016 bucket list. Step to the EDGE of your comfort zone . . . and jump! Our second pick? Finland!

Baby, it's cold outside in Finland, with winter temperatures in Helsinki averaging just 25 degrees Fahrenheit - but few countries promise a hotter LGBT scene in 2016. This year Finland's president signed a law legalizing same-sex marriage, sending waves of rainbow jubilation throughout Helsinki and beyond. Next June, EuroGames 2016, the biggest LGBT event on the continent, will descend on the city. But Finland is more than just its capital. Plan to track north into the Lapland region for exquisite adventures found nowhere else on the planet.

Everybody Loves a Winner
Hosted by Finnish gay and lesbian sport club HOT Helsinki, EuroGames 2016 will roll into town June 29. Expect contests in 13 different sports, from football to tennis, dancing to badminton, and even some noncompetitive events, like yoga. Approximately 3,000 athletes will compete, with another 2,000 attendees arriving from all over the world to cheer them on. The festivities, which coincide with Pride, will culminate July 2 with a parade and massive closing-night party.

Winter Wonderland
While Helsinki, former home of gay fetish art icon Tom Laaksonen (Tom of Finland), shines especially bright in the summer, Lapland may be best experienced in the snow season. Finland's northernmost region, which mostly sits above the Arctic Circle, is a rugged and remote place, with vast wildernesses and endless skies. In winter it turns up the magic, offering visitors the best chance to witness the legendary Northern Lights.

For a once-in-a-lifetime experience, gaze to the sky from under a glass-roofed igloo at Kakslauttanen Arctic Resort. Sleek and modern, Kakslauttanen is posh all the way - Ralph Lauren chose it as the location for its Fall 2015 collection photo shoot-but it also offers authentic Lapland adventures, like reindeer safaris guided by the S�mi, Finland's indigenous people.

Eat Like a Local
Reindeer is so ubiquitous in Northern Finland that it should come as no surprise that Rudolph's buddies are consumed throughout the country. Reindeer meat (venison, if it makes you feel less guilty) is lean and high in B-12, omega-3 and omega-6 and a flavorful alternative to beef. To counter the gaminess, you'll often find ligonberries and their cousin, the brilliant orange cloudberry, also native to Finland. For the pi�ce de r�sistance, consider one of Helsinki's five Michelin-starred restaurants, including Olo, an epic epicurean journey that celebrates Nordic cuisine.

Get Wet
While they generally don't offer the same kind of "hands on" experience to which you might be accustomed in some U.S. bathhouses, Finnish saunas are a critical component of the culture. For centuries the Finns have been baring body and soul in saunas; for some it remains a spiritual as well as physical treatment. For a taste of the old days, visit Kotiharjun Sauna, the last remaining wood-heated public sauna in Helsinki.