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The Chill Like a Finn program selected 12 people from around the world for an immersive week in the Lakeland region, and the proposal is simple: disconnect from the digital world and discover that happiness can be found in the silence of nature and in a cold plunge after the sauna.
While most countries spend fortunes on advertising campaigns to attract tourists, Finland decided to do it differently: offer a completely free trip for foreigners to experience what it means to live in the happiest country in the world. No tricks, no fine print.
The program is called “Chill Like a Finn,” which loosely translates to “relax like a Finn,” and was created by Visit Finland, the country’s official tourism agency, according to a report by the Terra portal published on April 9, 2026. The idea is radical in its simplicity: to take 12 people from different parts of the world to spend 7 days in the Lakeland region, in central-eastern Finland, with absolutely everything paid for. Accommodation, meals, activities, local transport. Everything.
And there’s more: each selected participant can bring a companion.
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Why is Finland doing this?
The context explains a lot. Finland has just been named the happiest country in the world for the ninth consecutive time, according to the World Happiness Report 2026, published annually on the occasion of International Happiness Day (March 20). The ranking evaluates over 140 countries based on the perceptions of their own inhabitants about their lives, crossing factors such as social support, healthy life expectancy, freedom, generosity, and perception of corruption, as reported by the travel portal TravelMagg.
But this year’s report brought a data point that caught the attention of the Finnish government: the negative impact of social media and constant digital connection on people’s well-being. In response, Finland decided to transform its own philosophy of life into a tourist experience. The program is not about seeing tourist attractions. It’s about slowing down.
According to the Próxima Viagem portal, candidates needed to explain in a video why they needed a “real reset” in their lives. It was not a creativity contest. It was an honest question.
What will the selected participants do during 7 days in the happiest country in the world?
The itinerary has not been fully revealed yet, but Visit Finland has already hinted at the pillars of the experience, according to Terra and TravelMagg:
Lakeland, the chosen destination, is one of the largest lake districts in Europe. The landscape is dominated by thousands of lakes, dense forests, and a silence that Finns consider not a void, but a luxury.
During the week, participants will stay in traditional Finnish-style lakeside houses, participate in wood-heated sauna sessions (which in Finland is almost a religion), plunge into crystal-clear waters, hike in the forest, and share seasonal meals with local ingredients.
The phone? The idea is to turn it off. The central concept of the program is digital detox. Getting out of the cycle of notifications, comparisons, and constant stimuli and rediscovering what happens when the brain is allowed to be silent.
It may seem too simple for an official tourism program. But that’s exactly the point.
What does Finland know about happiness that we don’t know?
The question is provocative, but the data helps to answer it. Finland does not lead the happiness ranking because it is rich. Richer countries, like the United States, rank much lower. What Finns have, according to the World Happiness Report, is social trust, solid institutions, and a sense of community that acts as an emotional safety net.
In practice, this translates into things that seem trivial but that most countries cannot offer: safety to walk alone at night, confidence that the healthcare system will work, certainty that children’s education will be of quality regardless of income. It’s a happiness built on predictability and trust, not on adrenaline or consumption.
And it’s interesting to note that CPG itself recently published the story of Siina Matihaldi, a 28-year-old Finn who swapped Finland for Brazil and said: “In theory, it’s perfect, but it lacked life.” For her, Finnish stability did not compensate for the lack of human warmth and spontaneity she found in Brazil.
This shows that happiness is more complex than any ranking can measure. And the “Chill Like a Finn” program seems to recognize this: it doesn’t promise that Finland will make you happy. It promises that a week disconnected, in silence, in nature, can remind you of what you forgot while looking at your phone.
Is it still possible to apply?
Applications for the 2026 edition closed on March 29, according to TravelMagg. The selected participants will travel this European summer (between June and August). But Visit Finland has already indicated that the program may have new editions, depending on the response.
For those who missed this round, Finland remains an accessible destination for Brazilians. The country issues work visas in just two weeks, has over 140,000 open positions in the technology sector until 2035, and offers a 37.5-hour workweek with up to five months of paternity leave, as previously reported by CPG.
Going there for free is a rare opportunity. But going there to work, live, and experience this lifestyle is a real possibility that is open now.
Finland is not perfect. No place is. But in a world where everyone is tired, anxious, and hyper-connected, a country that invites you to turn off your phone, enter a sauna, and look at a lake in silence for an entire week may be offering exactly what most people need but don’t know how to ask for.
With information from Terra, TravelMagg, Próxima Viagem, and Visit Finland.
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