A shared meal can be a good way to get to know someone. Visit Finland is taking that idea a little further, inviting 16 international singles on a hosted winter break that combines Finnish food with the possibility of a romantic connection.

The tourism organization’s Finnish Dinner Date campaign offers four-day trips to Helsinki or Tampere, taking place between 9 and 19 February 2027. Participants will travel in two groups of eight, and their destination will be revealed when their participation is confirmed. Each experience ends with a group dinner joined by two local Finnish singles.

Food is central to the experience. The campaign introduces visitors to regional tasting menus, using shared activities and meals as opportunities to discover Finland and meet new people.

In Helsinki, Adele Kinnunen, head chef at Café Savoy, creates the menu. Her cooking emphasizes seasonal ingredients and flavor, drawing on Finnish produce alongside international influences. Beyond the dinner table, the seaside capital offers a mix of architecture, design, cafés and easy access to nature—a setting that makes a winter city break feel both lively and relaxed.

Tampere offers a different introduction to the country. Set between lakes, the city combines industrial heritage, cultural attractions and a strong sauna tradition. Tampere and its surrounding region have more than 70 public saunas, helping explain its reputation as the Sauna Capital of the World.

Henry Tikkanen, the restaurateur behind Gösta and a former Finnish representative at the Bocuse d’Or competition, created the Lakeland tasting menu. His approach draws on local ingredients and the landscapes they come from.

The dating element has an unusual inspiration: Finland’s sinkkukori, or “single basket,” trend. Pink supermarket baskets gave shoppers a playful way to signal that they were open to meeting someone. The dinner campaign brings that same invitation to connect into a travel experience, with Finnish cuisine providing a natural starting point for conversation.

To apply, hopeful participants must record a video in English answering: “What would you serve on a dinner date, and why?” They should post it on Instagram, TikTok, or YouTube, include #FinnishDinnerDate, and tag Visit Finland’s relevant account. An unlisted YouTube video is also accepted. Applicants must then complete the official application form and include their video link.

Photo: unsplash.com

Applications close on 10 November 2026 at 9:59 a.m. GMT, equivalent to 11:59 a.m. in Finland. Selected participants will be contacted personally, with a public announcement scheduled for 1 December 2026 on Visit Finland’s Instagram and TikTok channels.

Romance may be the most intriguing possibility, but the appeal goes beyond finding a partner: this is also a chance to discover a destination through its food, winter landscapes, and people.