Helsinki: Tired of dating apps and endless conversations that lead nowhere? Finland has an unusual proposal for single people around the world: an all-expenses-paid trip to the Nordic country, complete with a candlelit group dinner, regional food and the chance to meet someone new.
The initiative, called the Finnish Dinner Date, is part of Visit Finland’s effort to introduce international travellers to the country’s food culture while creating opportunities for meaningful connections. Applications are open for 16 selected singles to take part in the four-day experience in February 2027.
Finland, which has repeatedly topped international happiness rankings, is inviting eight participants to Helsinki and another eight to Tampere, a city in the country’s Lakeland region. Each group will share a specially curated dinner with two local Finnish singles.
Travel, accommodation, meals and a hosted itinerary are covered for those selected. However, there is no promise of finding a romantic partner. The idea is to bring people together over food, local traditions and a shared travel experience.
What is Finland’s Finnish Dinner Date?
The campaign gives the traditional blind date a travel-inspired twist. Rather than meeting someone for a one-to-one dinner arranged through a dating app, participants will join a small group of international singles and local residents for a culinary experience.
The dinner will be the highlight of a four-day trip featuring Finnish food, regional experiences and opportunities to explore the destination. Participants will not know whether they are heading to Helsinki or Tampere until their participation is confirmed, adding another element of surprise to the experience.
The initiative builds on Finland’s viral Sinkkukori, or single-basket, trend. In the trend, single shoppers use pink shopping baskets at participating grocery stores to signal that they are open to meeting someone.
The Finnish Dinner Date takes that idea beyond the supermarket aisle, inviting people to connect over a shared meal in a winter setting.
According to Visit Finland, the experience is designed to showcase the country’s culinary traditions and the connection between food, nature, local communities and the changing seasons.
Helsinki or Tampere: Where could your date take you?
The selected participants will be divided between two destinations, each offering a different introduction to Finnish life and cuisine.
Helsinki: A winter date in the capital
Helsinki, Finland’s seaside capital, will host one of the two dinner experiences. The city combines urban culture and design with access to the Baltic Sea and the surrounding natural landscape.
The Helsinki group’s tasting menu will be curated by Adele Kinnunen, head chef at Café Savoy. The menu is intended to highlight Finnish ingredients and seasonal flavours while presenting the region’s culinary identity.
Participants can expect an experience that brings together food, stories and local traditions, rather than simply sitting down for a restaurant meal.
Tampere: A taste of the Lakeland region
The second group will travel to Tampere, a city in Finland’s Lakeland region known for its lakes, forests and distinctive food culture.
The region’s menu will be created by Henry Tikkanen, restaurateur of Gösta. His culinary background includes representing Finland at the Bocuse d’Or, an international competition for professional chefs.
Lakeland’s natural surroundings help shape its cuisine. Fish from local waters, berries, mushrooms and game feature in the wider regional food tradition, with seasonal ingredients playing an important role.
The destination offers a different atmosphere from Helsinki, with the experience placing greater emphasis on the relationship between local food, landscapes and regional traditions.
What does the free trip include?
The Finnish Dinner Date experience will take place between February 9 and 19, 2027. The four-day hosted trips will be scheduled within that period.
Selected participants will receive an all-expenses-paid experience that includes travel, accommodation, meals and a programme of activities. The itinerary will culminate in the group dinner, where participants will meet local Finnish singles and sample one of the country’s official tasting menus.
The organisers are positioning the event as a culinary journey as much as a dating opportunity. The aim is to help visitors discover Finnish cuisine, which is less familiar internationally than some other European food traditions.
The winter setting is also part of the appeal. Finland’s cold season provides an opportunity to experience the country’s landscapes and seasonal food culture while meeting people in a relaxed, hosted environment.
However, anyone applying should read the official terms carefully to understand the arrangements, eligibility requirements and conditions attached to participation.
How to apply for the Finnish Dinner Date
Interested applicants must complete two steps: submit a short video on social media and fill in the official application form.
Step 1: Record a video in English
Applicants must introduce themselves and answer one question:
What would you serve on a dinner date, and why?
The video should be posted on Instagram, TikTok or YouTube using the hashtag #FinnishDinnerDate. Applicants must also tag Visit Finland’s official account on the platform they choose:
- Instagram: @ourfinland
- TikTok: @visitfinland.com
- YouTube: @VisitFinland
Instagram and TikTok profiles must be public so the organisers can view the video. Those who would prefer not to publish their application video publicly can upload it to YouTube as an unlisted video, which can be viewed by people who have the link.
Step 2: Complete the application form
Applicants must fill in the form on the official Visit Finland website and include a link to their video.
Applications close on November 10, 2026, at 11.59 am Finnish time, which is 3.29 pm Indian Standard Time. Applications received after the deadline will not be considered.
Visit Finland plans to announce the selected participants publicly on December 1, 2026, through its Instagram and TikTok channels.
Applicants can access the official details and form through the Visit Finland Finnish Dinner Date page.
Who can apply?
The campaign is aimed at international singles. Applicants must be single and at least 18 years old, and they must not be Finnish citizens or residents, according to the eligibility information provided for the initiative.
Because the experience involves international travel, selected participants should also review the official terms relating to travel documents, visa applications, filming and consent. Being selected for the campaign does not remove the need to meet Finland’s applicable entry and visa requirements.
Prospective applicants should check the complete rules on Visit Finland’s official website before submitting their videos and forms.
Will the dinner lead to love?
The organisers are not promising a romantic match. The event is structured as a group dinner, bringing together eight selected international participants and two local Finnish singles at each destination.
That means the experience is different from a conventional blind date, where two people meet individually with romance as the central expectation. Here, the emphasis is on conversation, food and discovering a new place together.
Participants might develop a romantic connection, make new friends or simply return home with memorable travel experiences. The organisers also hope visitors will leave with a greater appreciation of Finnish cuisine and culture.
For anyone exhausted by dating apps, the opportunity offers a change of pace: meeting people around a table rather than through a screen.
A different way to travel and meet people
The Finnish Dinner Date combines destination tourism with the universal appeal of sharing a meal. By inviting international singles to experience local food and meet Finnish residents, Visit Finland is using a social experience to introduce visitors to the country’s regional identity.
The campaign also builds on growing interest in travel that offers more than sightseeing, bringing together food, culture and opportunities to connect with people.
For the 16 people selected, the February trip could become a memorable winter getaway, with the possibility of romance as an added bonus.
And if sparks do not fly across the dinner table, the trip will still offer a taste of Finnish hospitality, regional cuisine and winter landscapes. Love may be unpredictable, but a four-day trip to Finland is a pretty appealing place to start.