Finland is offering single people an all-expenses-paid trip next year

Sick of dating apps? Finland reckons it has a better idea to help you find the one. Visit Finland is inviting 16 singles from around the world on a four-day food trip next February, finishing with a blind group dinner date.

The trips are fully covered and hosted, with two groups of eight heading to either Helsinki or Tampere, in Finland’s Lakeland region, between February 9 and 19, 2027. There’s a twist, though. You won’t find out which city you’re going to until your place is confirmed.

Each trip is packed with food-focused activities before the main event, a group dinner in a surprise location where winners will be joined by local Finnish singles over one of the country’s official tasting menus. In Helsinki, the menu comes from Adele Kinnunen, head chef at Café Savoy, who has appeared on MasterChef Professionals. In Tampere, which calls itself the sauna capital of the world, it’s Henry Tikkanen of restaurant Gösta, who has represented Finland at the Bocuse d’Or.

The idea builds on Finland’s viral Sinkkukori trend, where single shoppers pick up pink baskets in the supermarket to show they’re open to meeting someone. Heli Jimenez, senior director of international marketing at Business Finland, said visitors ‘may find love’ with each other, with Finnish food or with their new favourite travel destination.

How to apply for the Finnish Dinner Date

To be in with a chance, you need to answer one question. What would you serve on a dinner date, and why? Make a short video in English answering it, post it on Instagram, TikTok or YouTube with the hashtag #FinnishDinnerDate and tag Visit Finland, then fill in the application form at FinnishDinnerDate.com with a link to your video. If you’d rather keep things private, you can upload it to YouTube as an unlisted video instead.

Applications close at 9.59am GMT on Tuesday November 10 2026, and the winners will be announced on December 1 on Visit Finland’s Instagram and TikTok.

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