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11 Reasons to Visit Finland This Summer

Finland in summer is full of outdoor activities, not least a sauna followed by a swim
Finland in summer is full of outdoor activities, not least a sauna followed by a swim | © MAKROFOTO / Getty Images

Finland has seen a surge in bookings from eager tourists as travel restrictions are removed around the world. Here’s why the Land of the Midnight Sun should be at the top your list for your first holiday of 2020.

As travel restrictions lift across Europe in the aftermath of coronavirus lockdown measures, Finland has emerged as a characterful choice for many explorers. The Nordic country has always been popular holiday spot, but is usually seen as a winter destination. With vast lakes, serene forests and wide open spaces, it’s one of the most beautiful countries in the world when the sun is shining, too. Here are the reasons you’ll want to book your holiday here now.

It’s one of the safest countries in Europe

Finland has always ranked highly when it comes to safety and security. Holidaymakers are welcome throughout the country and local emergency services are regarded as some of the best in the world. Its reaction to the coronavirus outbreak – imposing lockdown measures early on – was in line with most other Nordic countries, barring Sweden. As a result, it has quickly returned to relative normality, thanks to social distancing and common sense measures.

Helsinki’s old town and harbour are well worth exploring

Every day feels like Christmas

Rovaniemi is the capital of Lapland in the north. It’s almost within touching distance of the Arctic Circle and home to Santa Claus, making it a popular destination over the Christmas period. Yet there’s plenty of excursions and tours you can take all year round, but which might be more fun in summer. Floating on a lake to soak up the evening sun, for example, is possible in winter – if you don’t mind donning a thermal suit. It’s also the perfect place to see the midnight sun. North of the Arctic Circle, the sun does not set at all from May to August, so you might call it the gift that keeps on giving.

Kemijoki river, Rovaniemi, Finland

There are wolves, reindeer and polar bears

Finland has a number of nature reserves and wildlife parks across the country, including Pyhä-Luosto National Park. Located between two large mountains, it contains sweeping fells, virgin forests and amazing wildlife. There’s also the option of heading out on your own to see if you can spot some of these animals in the wild, but given that some of them can be dangerous, perhaps stick to the safety of the parks and guided hikes for now.

Reindeer in Finland

You can ride the scenic train network

Finland’s extensive train network is one of the best in Europe in terms of accessibility and comfort. You can reach most parts of the country via rail, with panoramic views from the comfort of your own seat in summer. It’s such a vast country, so ideal to cross it by train, and you can book tickets for journeys with sleeper cars and restaurants. Search on Finland VR to find out more about the routes and schedules you can take this summer. Helsinki is a great place to start, but we can also recommend lesser known destinations such as historical Turku and educational hub Jyväskylä, aka the Athens of Finland.

Finland’s extensive train network makes it easy to travel across such a vast country

Wild swimming is part of the lifestyle

Finland has endless bodies of water that are perfect for outdoor swimming, with many being used as part of the traditional sauna routine (see below). A highly recommended experience is open-water swimming in Lake Kitkajärvi, Europe’s largest natural spring.Wild swimming is a key aspect of the Finnish lifestyle, and in summer many locals combine it with evening barbecues long into the night.

Try open-water swimming for a truly Finnish experience

Driving holidays offer a scenic experience

There’s not much that beats the thrill of the open road, and Finland has some of the best conditions around. Driving holidays are often at the mercy of traffic jams and cluttered roads, but not here. Finland has a number of scenic routes that are devoid of other cars. Best of all, you can take a break from the wheel and hike, bike or even swim to your heart’s content.

Finland has an impressive road network if you want to explore it by car

It’s perfect for sunseekers who don’t like the heat

If you feel you’re lacking vitamin D, then a trip to Finland might just be what the doctor ordered. The country isn’t known as the Land of the Midnight Sun for nothing, with days stretching for as long as 20 hours in parts of the country during summer. If you plan your trip just right, you can even experience the magic of midsummer and catch the longest day of the year. Average temperatures are also warm and pleasant at 20C, but not insufferable as in other parts of Europe.

Summer offers an altogether more gentle climate to visit

Finnish saunas

Saunas are a huge part of the Finnish way of life. They obviously provide warmth from freezing winter conditions, but are such an important element of communal living, they are just as popular in summer too. In Finland a steamy sauna session is followed by a refreshing swim, before returning to the sauna. As the chlorine in swimming pools can have an adverse reaction with the vapours in the extreme heat, it is advisable to cool off in fresh water. One of the best saunas in Finland can be found at Löyly, which happens to be home to one of the finest restaurants in the world. The wooden complex has a cooling-off pool that is part of the Baltic Sea.

Step in to a Finnish sauna, then dip in the sea and sample life like a local

It has a beautiful natural heritage site

The Kvarken archipelago, a Natural Unesco World Heritage site dating back to the Ice Age, comprises thousands of islands of ridged washboard moraines in the Gulf of Bothnia. It was formed by the melting of the continental ice sheet 10,000-24,000 years ago, and a natural phenomenon occurs here called rapid glacio-isostatic uplift, whereby the land, previously weighted down under a glacier, lifts at rates that are among the highest in the world. You won’t actually see the landscape changing, but new islands are popping up all the time.

The Kvarken archipelago is a beautiful natural spot where the natural phenomenon of land rising occurs

Fun festivals and crazy competitions

At the other end of the cultural spectrum, Finland is home to some of the liveliest festivals and wackiest competitions you could possibly imagine. Take the Air Guitar World Championships in Oulu, or the Wife Carrying competition in Sonkajärvi, both of which have been cancelled this year due to coronavirus. One attraction still worth visiting is Moominworld, a theme park dedicated to Finland’s most popular export.

The Wife Carrying competition Sonkajärvi is one of Finland’s wackier festivals

It’s known as the happiest country in the world

Finland was recently voted the happiest place in the world, an accolade it has collected for the third year in a row. There’s clearly something about the way of life here that leads to locals finding enjoyment in life that visitors will want to sample, if not take home with them. The best advice is to relax and take it all in, something that is even easier to do in the summer months.

There are many places where you can relax and get back to nature in Finland

Summer in Finland lasts for about 100 days, between late June and early September.

About the author

Cassam Looch has been working within travel for more than a decade. An expert on film locations and set jetting destinations, Cassam is also a keen advocate of the many unique things to do in his home city of London. With more than 50 countries visited (so far), Cassam also has a great take on the rest of the world.

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