What if your next holiday came with a chance to meet someone special? And what if you didn't have to pay for the trip? Finland has an interesting proposition for singles around the world: an all-expenses-paid holiday combining food, travel and the possibility of romance.
Through its latest campaign, Finnish Dinner Date, Visit Finland is inviting 16 single travellers from across the world to discover Finnish food culture while meeting fellow travellers and local singles. Those selected will receive a fully hosted, four-day trip, with flights, accommodation, meals and activities covered.
But this isn't quite an ordinary holiday or a conventional dating event. The highlight is a blind group dinner date, where good food and new connections take centre stage.
The 16 international participants will be divided into two groups of eight. One group will experience the Helsinki region, while the other will head to Tampere, a city in Finland's Lakeland region. Each group will also be joined by two local Finnish singles for a shared dinner experience.
The highlight of each trip will be a specially curated tasting menu showcasing Finland's regional food traditions. The Helsinki region's menu has been created by Adele Kinnunen, head chef at Café Savoy. The Lakeland menu is the work of Henry Tikkanen, restaurateur at Gösta, who has represented Finland at the prestigious Bocuse d'Or culinary competition.
There is another interesting twist: participants won't know whether they are heading to Helsinki or Tampere until their participation is confirmed. The destination itself will be their first surprise match.
The four-day experience will include a hosted itinerary of food-related activities and dining experiences, culminating in the group dinner date. The two experiences are scheduled to take place between February 9 and 19, 2027.
Interestingly, the idea behind the campaign draws inspiration from a dating trend known as 'Sinkkukori', which translates to 'single basket'. In some Finnish supermarkets, single shoppers can pick up pink shopping baskets to signal that they are open to meeting someone. It is a playful way of expressing interest without having to make the first move through a dating app.
The trend recently attracted international attention, inspiring Visit Finland to give the idea a travel-themed twist. Instead of hoping to cross paths with someone while shopping for groceries, participants get an opportunity to meet new people over a specially prepared dinner.
However, romance isn't the campaign's only objective. Visit Finland also wants to introduce international travellers to the country's distinctive food culture, which remains relatively unfamiliar to many people outside the Nordic region.
The official tasting menus are designed to showcase the ingredients, flavours and culinary traditions associated with different parts of Finland. From locally sourced ingredients to regional specialities, the campaign aims to make Finnish cuisine another reason for travellers to visit the country.
The opportunity is open to single adults aged 18 and above from anywhere in the world, provided they do not reside in Finland. Applications must be submitted individually.
A total of 16 international participants will be selected, with eight places available for each destination. Those selected will be contacted personally, while the public announcement will take place on December 1, 2026, through Visit Finland's official Instagram and TikTok accounts.
Fancy swapping dating apps for a dinner experience in Finland? The application process involves two steps.
Step 1: Create a video
Applicants must record a video in English answering the following question:
What would you serve on a dinner date, and why?
The video must be posted on Instagram, TikTok or YouTube using the hashtag #FinnishDinnerDate and tagging Visit Finland's official account on the respective platform:
Those posting on Instagram or TikTok must have public profiles so that Visit Finland can view their entries. Applicants who prefer not to make their videos publicly accessible can upload them to YouTube as unlisted videos instead. This allows only people with the video link to view them.
Step 2: Complete the official application form
Posting the video alone is not enough. Applicants must also fill out the application form available on Visit Finland's official campaign website and include a link to their social media video.
The deadline for applications is November 10, 2026, at 11:59 am Finnish time (EET). Late applications will not be considered.
For those who enjoy discovering new destinations through food and believe a good meal can be the beginning of a meaningful connection, this could be an unusual holiday opportunity. Romance may or may not be on the menu, but a four-day culinary adventure in Finland, with all expenses covered, is certainly a tempting prospect.
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