The town of Tornio stands on the Swedish border in far northwestern Finland. Tornio has grown up at the delta where the Torne River meets the Gulf of Bothnia. If you hire a car in Tornio you'll find that the E4 trunk road links the city to the village of Haparanda over the border in Sweden, while the E8 heads east into Finland. It's the world's most northerly motorway. The two countries' rail networks meet at this point too. In Haparanda's booming out-of-town shopping mall, you'll find a big Ikea store that's popular with visitors from Finland. Kemi-Tornio Airport is 2 minutes' drive to the southeast.
Tornio stands on an island and has always been an important trading point for the Lapland region. Today it is still proud of its shopping opportunities but it is a university and industrial town too. Visitors who hire a car in Tornio can explore the best sights, like the 17th-century wooden church with its landmark tower and the international golf course astride the border that is open 24-hours-day in the summer. Other highlights include the ornate St Peter and Paul's Orthodox Church, the relaxing Arboretum Park and the Provincial Museum of the Tornio River Valley.
