Why travel to Finland in summers when it is a well-known winter destination? We agree you won’t get to see the Northern Lights or snow or reindeers everywhere during the summertime in Finland. But as a solid bonus you can pick berries, stay outdoors all day long and picnic in lush green forests.
There are endless reasons we could list after having an amazing summer in Finland. Here is a list of our top 10 reasons why you should travel to Finland in summers.
10 reasons why you should travel to Finland in summers :
1. Nature at its best
Close to 73% of land in Finland is covered with forests and it boasts of 188000 lakes. So if you are an outdoor person then travelling to Finland in summers should be on your bucket list. The country has endless options for hiking trails and picnic spots during the summer months.
2. Meet Santa Claus and get to know his summer schedule
It’s Christmas all year round in Lapland (North Finland)! If you think that meeting Santa is something only kids do, then you are wrong. The whole vibe of Santa Claus Village in Lapland gives you Christmas cheer even in summer months!
Why meet Santa during the summer in Finland? Well, you can imagine how busy Santa and his elves can be close to Christmas. Tiny queues and longer interaction time is what you get when you travel to Lapland in summers. It is still magical.
3. Avoid hoards of tourists and enjoy European summers
Unlike Italy, Paris or Greece which are suffering from over-tourism, especially during the summer months, Finland in summers is a haven for travellers looking to soak up some summer sun in Europe. With ample options for outdoor spaces and nature reserves, you’ll be spoilt for chioce.
4. Safety first
With low crime rates, Finland is one of the safest countries to visit. If you are looking for a relaxing vacation which is free of petty crimes like travel scams and pickpockets then Finland is a country you must visit. It is a known fact that if you leave 10 wallets around in Helsinki, you are more than likely to get 8 of them back.
5. Long daylight hours during summer
During the summer months, the sun hardly sets in Finland. In fact, in Northern Finland (Lapland) the sun never sets and mid-night sun is a phenomenon worth experiencing. Even in its capital, Helsinki, which is almost at the southern side of Finland, you get close to 20 hours of daylight.
In Lapland, we went for a forest hike at 10 in the night and returned around 4 in the morning. The roads were empty and we snacked on some fresh blueberries!
6. Long drink
Well when we saw almost everyone in Finland relishing a drink from this blue and white can, we had to try it ourselves. And boy were we impressed! The long drink became our favourite. It is a perfect drink for summer picnics. We think it might be Finland’s most consumed drink, after coffee of course. What exactly is a long drink? It is a pre-mixed gin and grapefruit drink and we think it was one of our best culinary discoveries in Finland.
7. Experience Finland’s sauna culture
Saunas are a way of life in Finland. The thought of sitting almost naked amongst sweaty strangers doesn’t sound exciting right? But trust us, once you have experienced a sauna in Finland you’ll get addicted! Firstly there are close to 2 million saunas in Finland for a population of little over 5 million. So the saunas are not crowded, especially during summer in Finland.
There are many public saunas around lakes and they are simply beautiful. The sauna culture is so big in Finland that there is a sauna cart in observation wheel in Helsinki (similar to the London Eye). Also, there is a sauna inside Burger King, but we would recommend the ones around the lakes.
8. Unique public spaces
Almost all the cities or towns we visited during our travel to Finland in summers, had unique public spaces. Most of them were right in the city centre. Being summers, these public spaces were very lively. We would say, they are the best for soaking summer sun and getting to experience the local way of living in Finland in summers. Enjoy some coffee or snack at the terrace of Central Library in Helsinki or sip some wine at the bank of river Aura in Turku.
9. Excellent trains
In Finland, you will get to experience one of the best train journeys in Europe. Not only are the trains super clean and comfortable, but by paying a few more Euros you get a private compartment with a private toilet and even a shower. What more can you ask for in an overnight train ride?
10. Finland on a budget
Nordic countries are one of the most expensive countries to travel in Europe. If you are a budget traveller and Finland is in your travel wish list, then there is no better time to travel to Finland than summers. Accommodation prices are low, you can even camp at designated spots which is practically impossible in winters. For budget hacks read our Finland travel guide on how to travel to Finland on a budget.
