Has anyone driven with their dogs to Sweden and Finland?

I like to go to mainland Europe at least once a year, with the dogs of course, this year it was Slovenia via stops in NL, Germany and Austria. We've done Germany and NL many times, France, Lux and Belgium but not further afield. I've got Silken friends in Sweden and Finland I'd like to visit and I'm thinking about driving up Sweden and down Finland, I can get local recommendations from my friends there but I wondered if anyone had done that drive with dogs and could recommend places to stop. Any amazing places that are 'must see'? Any good places for off lead walks? I'm not going till next May but like to start planning

Sounds amazing.  Not that I can be of amy help

Wow ! You are so adventurous. Your dogs are lucky to have such great holidays. I am interested you were in Slovenia with them. I was there a lot in the 1970s . It was part of Yugoslavia in those days . I am in Slovenia at the moment but without dogs. I came by bus from Budapest and am staying in a small town close to Lake Bohinj. Fortunately the owner of the apartment has a lovely labrador so I get to take her for walks. I am looking around for somewhere  that accepts dogs - the owner doesn't as it is an holiday rental and some guests don't like evidence of dogs.  Sorry I can't help with the Finland/Sweden trip.

> I am looking around for somewhere  that accepts dogs

I stayed in the Hotel Grosuplje, on the outskirts of Ljubljana. I'd go back again, comfy beds, nice size rooms and good food and dog friendly, only a steep grassy bank outside for late night pees but it was fine. It's a beautiful country isn't it.

I was showing my silken girl there, went to the Barje winner show, they had 62 silkens entered, it was amazing!

That's brilliant you can take the resident labrador for walks Enjoy the rest of your holiday!

I can’t help with the dog side of things, sorry. But I spent 10 days in Helsinki a few years ago and there is masses to do and see.
I would particularly recommend Seurasaari which is an island just outside the city and is accessible by bus. It’s like a country park, the locals celebrate midsummer there, and there are old buildings that have been collected from across the country and reconstructed there. It’s absolutely fascinating. Not least because of the tame birds taking crumbs from the palm of my hand. And sitting outside drinking tea at half eleven at night in broad daylight. I loved it there.

Thanks RR that does look lovely, but not the sort of thing I would do with the dogs. I was hoping someone had done that drive and would remember a nice spot to stop, where it was safe to let them off lead, maybe some nice posing spots for their holiday snaps etc. No worries, google street view/ satellite view is my friend

It's a long way to Sweden, even further to Finland. We're just planning to do the drive to Stockholm, will probably have to be in mid December (with just one Poodle). It's roughly 1300 miles one way from where we live. Have done it a few times. Channel tunnel to France, through France into Belgium for a short while, into Holland, then Germany, Denmark, then crossing the bridge from Denmark into Sweden. Once in southern Sweden we have to stop overnight as it's then another 8-10 hours drive to Stockholm. If you're then driving up north to the borders of Sweden, Finland and Norway I don't know how long that drive would take, but it's a very long way, even by train we'd be talking 10 hours plus. What you have to bear in mind with Sweden is that there are many places where dogs are not welcome. There are however stops near to the motorways at regular intervals where it's usually easy to find somewhere for dog walks. Break areas, signposted with a picture of a pinic table. That usually means somewhere to sit, walk, toilets, often in woods.
For us it usually takes 3 days from South Yorkshire to Stockholm.

> It's a long way to Sweden, even further to Finland.

It's a long way to anywhere from Scotland but I love driving. My trip to Slovenia, with stops in Germany and NL to visit friends was over 3,000 miles this year. The trip I'm planning to Sweden and Finland may well end up more than 5,000.

I don't use the tunnel, I used to take the Harwich-Hoek ferry to get a nights sleep in while travelling, but now I prefer the dog friendly cabins on the Hull-Rotterdam route, saves the busy part of England for me and also means you arrive fresh the next morning and can tick off a lot of miles before stopping again. Motorway driving on the continent is much easier than here, people merge and use lanes better don't you find?

> We're just planning to do the drive to Stockholm, will probably have to be in mid December

I'm guessing you'll need winter tyres fitted then?

I like to travel in April or May, not too cold, not too hot

I'm thinking the bridge from Denmark then up the West coast to Gothenburg, then cut across to just above Stockholm and drive up the east coast, it looks prettier? I'll cross into Finland at the top of the Gulf, not going as far as Norway. I'm not sure what to do then, maybe the ferry from Turku to Stockholm? Have you ever done that?