Summer in Finland
Have you ever wished to spend the whole night awake enjoying the sunlight? Although it might sound contradictory, it is possible! Get on board; we will show you how!
If Freezing weather, Northern Lights, skiing, and short days come to your mind when you hear of Finland, you probably think that our suggestion of going there for summer is the same makes no sense at all. However, this is far to be true.
Mild and Comfortable Temperatures
The temperature in Finland during summer varies between +15°C and +32°C. If you live in Europe and your country reaches an extremely high temperature in the summer, Finland may also be a great place to escape.
Anyway, enjoying summer in Finland is a way to be a sheep out of the flock; it does not matter where you are from.
Endless Summer Nights in Lapland
“A place where “white night” doesn’t necessarily mean snow”
This is the place where a day is, indeed, two months. The sun does not set down at all.
In southern Finland, you may get a two hours twilight. However, in Lapland, you will have 24/7 hours of sunlight from May to August.
It is like watching the sunset or the sunrise all night. The sun will always be there for you. Moreover, you are welcome to join the Finns in their endless summer activities all night long.
Finnish people love the peaceful atmosphere and quietness of the countryside. Many Finns rent their cottage for summer. You will easily find a cozy one next to some little wooden sauna cabin to fall in love with.
Enjoying the Midnight sun in a cottage is a must! Moreover, sauna, barbecuing, fishing, boating, and lighting bonfires are usually present in Finnish summer cottage life.
The Finns can easily spend the night under the Midnight sun next to a bonfire talking to friends while eating "makkara" ( a delicious Finnish sausage with or without cheese).
Finnish people love sauna!
It is common to have a small room especially for sauna in most Finnish houses. If you visit a Finnish home, bear in mind It is also very cultural to be invited to the family sauna. Sauna is a Finnish tradition!
Many Finns even schedule important meetings inside a sauna.
Winter, Summer, Spring, or Fall, the sauna is an important aspect of Finnish life. And you will surely find one close to a summer cottage!
Wild Life
Why not seek the whooper swan, the Reindeers, the great grey owl, the Siberian jaybird, and all the fascinating wildlife while you are enjoying the Finnish peaceful life?
From birds to bears, summer is the best time of the year to see them active. Finland has many national parks for you to choose from. Some other animals you may find include the Lynx, the Saimaa ringed seal, wolfs, among others.
Midnight sun
Can you believe it is nighttime here?
Lakes and More Lakes
Finland is like a sponge where lakes are everywhere. Finns love them. They will spend several minutes burning inside a dry sauna during winter to simply jump into a freezing lake right after it when the temperature is negative outside. it is also very cultural to swim in the lake after sauna (even during winter time). If you meet Finnish friends, they will want you to try it. Therefore, if swimming in a freezing lake is something that scares you, you better go there in the summer!
In Finland, there is a new and exciting perspective for each season of the year. In summer, sauna and swimming at night are part of the Midnight sun culture. You will not need to worry about freezing lake temperatures during summertime as the waters warm up from June.
Our suggestions for National Parks in Lapland
LEMMENJOKI NATIONAL PARK in INARI
This is where you find the unique and legendary river of Lemmenjoki in Inari; a perfect place for hiking alongside the river and enjoying an old Finnish cabin.
HOSSA NATIONAL PARK
This park has excellent hiking trails and fantastic scenarios. Besides, it is the go-to for those interested in hiking, canoeing, and fishing.
Midsummer is a national holiday in Finland.
In the old days, Finns would light bonfires to guarantee good harvesting. They also believed that being loud could bring good luck. Being noisy is part of the Midsummer tradition in Lapland. Make sure to laugh out loud while having fun under the never-setting sun.
Rovaniemi - Santa Lives in Lapland
Rovaniemi is in the Arctic Circle, and it is the capital of Lapland. Likewise, it is where you can find Santa Claus village every day of the year. We are unsure about what he is doing during summertime, but who knows you spot him walking in sandals with his elves next to his magical forest.
Santa Claus Village and his magic forest in summertime
Not a Countryside fan? Go Party in the City!
If the peaceful Finnish cottage life does not suit you, Finland in summer can still be the perfect place for you if you enjoy music festivals.
Summer festivals are held all over Finland during summer. You can find anything from rock and jazz to opera and chamber music. And the best of all is that these events usually have no time to end because the sun is there to keep everybody awake!
Some of the most famous Finnish cities include Helsinki (the capital), Tampere, Turku, Levi, Oulu, Porvoo. Most of the festivals do not happen in the city center. For example, there are festivals held on Seurasaari island. This is an island and a district in Helsinki. Many Finnish cities have official information about their current events. Besides, you can find more about the Midnight Sun Film Festival here.
Cottage Life X City Festivals
It does not matter if you are a nature lover seeking peace and quiet or a dynamic person looking for fun and adventure. You will find what you are looking for in Finland during the summer.
Finnish people spend months in the cold darkness. When summer comes, they want to enjoy each second of it. Summer in Finland is more than an original summer choice. You will be back home refreshed, full of unforgettable experiences and fascinating pictures in your camera and your soul.
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This article belongs to our special series of articles for Freedom. Stay tuned for more!